Xia Fei was sitting at the top floor of the Earth Federation's A-class Citizen Management Office and was casually drinking coffee.
This was the Podoski's bureau chief's office. Xia Fei was waiting for the management headquarters to verify the report for his certificates.
Xia Fei couldn't help but feel delighted when he thought he could obtain 100,000 federal dollars as a reward for becoming a respected A-class citizen.
"Mister Xia Fei, sorry for the wait." Podoski walked inside with a faster than average speed.
"This is your A-class citizen passport. It indicates that your rank is Primary Star Light. With it, you are recognized as an official citizen of the Universal Pan-Human Alliance, and you can travel to various places in the universe." Podoski placed a green-colored passport on the table while speaking.
In fact, there was a considerable difference between a ranked Ability User and an ordinary A-class citizen. Ordinary A-class citizens would be rejected even if they had enough money to travel to other planets, as they didn't even need to think about them.
They would probably say, "You haven't even unlocked your seventh brain region yet. The universe is very dangerous; it is better for you to return home."
Xia Fei picked up the passport and thoroughly looked at it. There was a large and golden 'A' that was especially prominent, and it was a symbol of status.
"Chief Podoski, I remember that there is a special reward specific to the A-class citizens?" Xia Fei probed with a question.
To him, the cash reward of 100,000 federal dollars was huge since Xia Fei had never seen cash in six figures.
"Keke, much apologies. The special reward is only for the first 10,000 applicants, and you are the 10,001st applicant, so..." Podoski spread his arms as though he was helpless.
"Damn it!" Xia Fei nearly fainted from anger. This was ridiculous. Only the first 10,000 applicants were rewarded, and he just had to be the 10,001st.
Podoski looked at the disappointed Xia Fei and said, "But we have a reward for people who have achieved the Star Light rank."
Xia Fei's eyes revealed a dazzling radiance as his ears pricked up and shifted all his attention to listen.
"The first 10,000 citizens to reach the Star Light rank will obtain 200,000 federal dollars as the reward. What is your account number? I will ask someone to transfer to you immediately."
"200,000!" Xia Fei was overjoyed at the turn of events. "This is my bank card."
Xia Fei took out the bank card that he had already prepared for a long time and handed it to Podoski. Soon enough, the account balance turned from 0 to 200,000.
Chief Podoski personally escorted Xia Fei out of the office and said, "Young man, continue to work diligently. If you reach the Intermediate Star Light rank, you will still have another reward."
In the main hall, those representatives from the global corporations were already waiting impatiently. Wang Bin had arranged a conference room for Xia Fei to discuss with these corporations without any disturbance.
After hearing that Xia Fei's cultivation had reached the Primary Star Light rank, these corporations became abnormally excited and were offering increasingly better contracts.
The series of zeros on the contracts were so much that it made Xia Fei dizzy.
"Gentlemen, I still don't understand why would all of you put in so much effort for me to work at your companies?" Xia Fei asked, "My ability is speed, and I think it wouldn't be of any aid to any of you."
Wang Bin, who was observing from the side, chuckled. "It is now the new era. The abrupt appearance of extraterrestrial technology had instilled fear in all businesses on Earth. The Universal Pan-Human Alliance is a place where strength rules supreme. Only citizens who have reached the Primary Star Light rank will be qualified to visit other planets."
Xia Fei pondered for a moment and laughed. "I understand now. They wish for me to join their companies, not because they value my ability. They hope for me to become their representative and make use of my rights to negotiate deals with the extraterrestrial people."
Wang Bin nodded with restraint.
The representatives from the various global corporations might not have admitted it, but their eyes had silently agreed on this point.
"I don't mind becoming a representative for the corporations as an errand boy, but I am not in a hurry to decide on this matter. The last few days were hectic for me, so I plan to rest for a few days. This is my mailbox address, you can send your contracts to my mailbox, and once I finish with some arrangements, I will contact you back."
After finishing his statement, Xia Fei wrote down his mailbox address on a piece of paper while the representatives fought to copy it down on their notebooks.
"Please follow me. I will escort you out." Wang Bin said.
Once the elevator doors closed, Wang Bin gave Xia Fei a thumbs up. "Your way of handling things was brilliant. By making them wait for a few more days, you will definitely receive better offers, and there will be more corporations joining the competition."
…
The Peninsula Beijing was located at the famous Wangfujing business street that was situated in Beijing. It was well-located and was easy to access while also having outstanding quality.
Beijing was a metropolis with plenty of 5-star hotels; however, there were only a few hotels, apart from Diaoyutai Guesthouse, that actually served the president-class guests.
The former America President Nixon had once stayed here, and it was enough to prove its illustrious status.
Xia Fei shifted out from the leather factory's dormitory to stay here for the moment.
Originally, Xia Fei had reserved the standard room that cost 450 dollars a night. During the registration, when Xia Fei flashed his A-class citizen passport, the manager instantly upgraded Xia Fei's room to the business suite that was 2,800 dollars a night. However, Xia Fei was still charged 450 dollars a night.
Xia Fei simply accepted the offer in a poised manner. When the free drinks, fruits, tokens were offered, he had also accepted them without any reservation.
After having a hot shower, Xia Fei laid down on the soft bed and prepared to have a good sleep.
The bedsheets that were meticulously weaved with Egyptian cotton were emitting a faint and sweet scent. "This is called life." Xia Fei stretched his body and switched off the table lamp by the bedside.
"Eh?" Something strange just happened.
As soon as the lamp was switched off, Xia Fei realized his surrounding scenery had changed. He appeared in a dusky street.
The spacious cemented path was flat like a mirror, and the yellow road lamp was flickering.
"Ghost! What is this place?" Xia Fei was very gloomy. Wasn't he inside the room of a 5-star hotel? Why did he suddenly appear in the wilderness?
"That's right. It's a ghost." A desolate voice echoed.
Xia Fei felt a sudden chill as he turned towards the voice, only to see a slender shadow gradually approaching him.
"Brother, don't you know that ghosts don't have shadows?" Xia Fei stated.
"Is that so?"
Before the voice ended, this owner of the voice suddenly appeared in front of Xia Fei. "But, I am a ghost that just happens to have a shadow."
Xia Fei's heart tensed up. 'Such a fast speed. How did he come over so quickly?'
Even though Xia Fei was feeling doubtful, he didn't reveal it.
Xia Fei sized up this person carefully. This person was around 1.7 meters in height, and his weight didn't seem more than 50 kilograms. Below the black jacket, there were a pair of chopsticks-like legs that were skinny and long.
He had a big mouth, and it was curving downwards along with his thin lips. The eyes had a strange brown color, and a black mask was covering his forehead and nose.
"Who are you?" Xia Fei asked, "And what is this place?"
"I am Phantom, and this is my thought space." The black-clothed man replied.
"Phantom? That super assassin, Phantom?"
"That's right."
"The Phantom that implicated me and made me stay in the Blue Sea Star's prison for half a month?"
"Eh... That's right."
"The universe's most unlucky assassin, Phantom?"
"That..."
The black-clothed man stuttered for a long time and couldn't reply.
Xia Fei was very familiar with the Phantom's information. The legends foretold that this Phantom had only assassinated a single person in his entire life, and the person he killed was the wrong target. Because of that, he was listed as the universe's most wanted criminal and was pursued his entire life.
"I don't believe it." Xia Fei shook his head.
The black-clothed man waved his hand across the air, and the surrounding scenery suddenly changed.
Xia Fei suddenly appeared on top of a mountain peak, and it was surrounded by deep valleys. He could even hear the cold wind whistling across his body.
"What about now?" The black-clothed man asked again.
Xia Fei was flabbergasted as everything happened too abruptly, and he didn't have any time to ponder.
"Wretched! How did you do that?"
"Wretched?" The black-clothed man didn't seem to understand.
Xia Fei thought for a moment and said, "Wretched means it is pretty good."
"Oh." The black-clothed man nodded repeatedly. "This is my thought space, and I control everything here. I will let you see more wretched things."
Once the voice ended, Xia Fei arrived in the desert, and countless crawling insects were baring their fangs and brandishing their claws. They were all odd-looking and massive, just like tanks.
After seeing Xia Fei appearing, the insects lunged at Xia Fei frenziedly. They were baring their sawtooth fangs and brandishing their sharp sickle arms. It was truly horrifying.
"Alright, I understand that you're Phantom. Let's change to a normal location." Xia Fei endured the fear in his heart and stated.
There was another flash, and Xia Fei appeared on a beach with soft sand under his feet as he was able to see tumbling waves in the distance.
"What were those insects earlier?" Xia Fei spoke with lingering fear.
"Those are the enemies of the Universal Pan-Human Alliance, the Insectoids."
"What did you bring me here for?"
"Firstly, this is just an imaginary domain, and it doesn't exist. Secondly, I am the one who rescued you." The black-clothed man spoke seriously.
"You rescued me?"
"Mm, do you remember that you lost consciousness after consuming the gene optimization fluid last night?"
Xia Fei rubbed his head. "It seems to be the case. But what does it have to do with you?"
The black-clothed man smiled and said, "That type of gene optimization fluid has immense effects, and your body couldn't bear the impact, and you nearly died. It was fortunate that you fell into the water and sealed off all your senses while I helped you to avert the disaster."
"If it is really like you said. Why did you help me?" Xia Fei still wasn't convinced.
"If I say that it was a moment of impulse, would you believe me?"
Xia Fei shook his head. "It is obvious that I wouldn't believe it. You said that you are the Phantom, and Phantom is an assassin. Moreover, an assassin who is wanted in the entire universe. An assassin's most important aspect was the mentality. How can a super assassin act on a moment of impulse?"
The black-clothed man laid down on the beach while having a pensive expression. "Actually, I am an unqualified assassin. Otherwise, I wouldn't have killed the wrong target and wouldn't have reduced to this state."
Xia Fei was sitting rather close to Phantom, and he reached out to grab a handful of sand.
This might be Phantom's thought space, but the sand felt very real in Xia Fei's hands, and it had real texture. Xia Fei could even feel the moisture.
"Which important figure did you actually kill? Why are you wanted in the entire universe?" Xia Fei's heart was gradually convinced that this person was Phantom. In typical situations, a person would want to avoid meeting an assassin as much as possible and wouldn't try to pin themselves onto a list of wanted criminals.
"It is best that you don't know about this matter." Phantom picked up a small piece of rock and threw it into the sea.
"The sea! You are so big. The sky! You are so blue. The sky and the sea! You are always so quiet..."
"Stop, stop, stop!" Xia Fei used both hands to cover his ears. "What are you doing!?"
"It is very unpleasant? This is a poem that I have created meticulously." Phantom blinked and said.
"Pah! It isn't just unpleasant, it is simply horrendous!" Xia Fei didn't hold back at all as it was a mental torture to listen to such things.
"I am an assassin, but I am also a poet." Phantom spoke with pride.
'Eh...'
Xia Fei was speechless. "Then, my advice to you is to continue being an assassin."
Phantom spoke unyieldingly, "My master always says that I have more talents as a poet than as an assassin."
"Your master is just tricking you."
Suddenly, the world was enveloped in a boundless murderous aura that permeated Xia Fei's skin and into his bones.
"My master doesn't lie," Phantom said coldly. It was as if he were a different person compared to previously when he liked to mock himself and played the fool. He was now replaced with a ferocious beast who was ready to strike.
Xia Fei involuntarily shivered as he didn't expect Phantom to become so serious after mentioning his master.
"I take back my words." Xia Fei said it helplessly. He didn't wish to offend this universe's wanted criminal because of a joke.
The murderous aura that filled the air instantly dispersed as Phantom chuckled. His change of attitude was unbelievably quick.
"Now, do you admit that my poem earlier was wretched?"
Xia Fei put on an awkward face. "Wretched, extremely wretched."
"Then, you should listen to this poem." Phantom stood up excitedly and pointed towards the remote sea. He looked a tad bit like an artistic youth.
"Oh sea, you have so many fish. Oh fish, you are truly fresh and tasty..."
When Xia Fei finished listening to this unprecedented poem, his entire body was filled with goosebumps, and he wished he could tear his ears off.
"Wretched!" Xia Fei clapped his hands. "Truly, very wretched."
"Is it really very wretched?" Phantom asked.
Xia Fei gave a thumbs up and spoke with hidden intentions, "Absolutely. The universe's most wretched poem belongs to you and no one else."
Phantom was instantly invigorated after getting praised by Xia Fei. He placed his hands on his waist and faced the sunset. "I am feeling poetic today and have plenty of inspirations. I have decided to write one more poem."
"No!" Xia Fei said frantically, "Inspirations are things that need to be held back. If you use up all of them, you will run out of it."
Phantom asked suspiciously, "Is that so?"
"It is the case for some people." Xia Fei muttered softly.
"Let's do it like this." Xia Fei's eyes flickered as he said, "Why don't I recite a poem for you?"
Phantom nodded as he was filled with interest. He sat at the side and had a humble expression that was asking for guidance.
Xia Fei sat in a reclined position on the beach and cleared his throat.
"When will the spring flowers and autumn moon end? How much of the past am I aware of?"
"Last night, the eastern winds blew on my house again, and I couldn't help but recollect about the bright moon of my home country."
"The jade carvings still remain, and only the color of the cinnabar has changed."
"If you ask me how many sorrows I have? It is enough for a river of spring water to flow to the east..."
Phantom's eyes revealed a trace of bright luster, "If you ask me how many sorrows I have? It is enough for a river of spring water to flow to the east..."
Phantom recited it over a dozen times and seemed to be intoxicated.
'Sigh, an assassin just has to imitate others and recite poems. What a pity.' Xia Fei thought in his heart.
"This poem is truly... truly..." Phantom was indescribably moved and was speechless.
"That goes without saying. This is the cultural accumulation of 5,000 years." Xia Fei said indifferently.
"Teach me, can you teach me another poem?" Phantom asked eagerly. It was obvious that this assassin was truly passionate about poems. No, it was more like an obsession.
"Teach you?" Xia Fei had been scheming in his heart for some time. "It isn't impossible for me to teach you. But do you have anything to give as compensation?"