Zhao Chen looked at the map of the cosmos last scanned out before him.
Apart from the Owl Dragon Empire's universe at the center, and the two universes around it, everywhere else was still pitch-black.
Only the map of Universe No. 2 had been scanned somewhat more fully and in more detail.
The map of Universe No. 2 was in the main about the size of Universe No. 1,
likely a universe of much the same 'age.'
It left the researchers present both glad and disappointed.
Glad that the result of the Machine No. 4 experiment had raised the overall performance at least tenfold over Machine No. 3 before.
For the machine itself, that was an enormous improvement.
Disappointed that no other new universe had been found.
"This result is still all right. At least it shows our research is advancing. So long as we research in this direction, we'll be able to see farther in future." Zhao Chen looked at Dr. Camille beside him.
Dr. Camille nodded in agreement, but very soon she said worriedly, "But by what our research has found, with the present machine and technology, though there can still be several generations of upgrades after this, as the number of our upgrades grows, the development of this machine of ours will soon reach a bottleneck. Unless some other overturning framework of design theory appears. Or else a huge improvement in raw materials and energy. Otherwise, by then it will be hard for us to make any great improvement on it."
Hearing Dr. Camille's words,
Zhao Chen nodded slightly.
He naturally knew of this problem.
It was his own theoretical technology that he had brought out, and in truth over eight-tenths of the credit in it was his.
Dr. Camille and the others had only overseen the building of these theories into a machine, and learned as they went.
Zhao Chen understood this machine better than they did.
"I know. For now, let's do the things in front of us well; leave future things to the future," Zhao Chen said.
"Yes." Seeing that His Majesty the Emperor did not go further into the question, Dr. Camille could not very well say any more either.
Zhao Chen looked at Dr. Camille and went on, "It will soon be the end of the year. This year our Empire will hold a grand New Year's banquet. The researchers of our several project plans have worked hard this while too; no one has rested properly, and there's been little time to be with family. This time every researcher of our Imperial Military Industry Research Academy has been given a week's holiday. And each person will be issued a holiday spending card, for use while out and about enjoying themselves with their families during the holiday."
"A week?" Dr. Camille frowned slightly, as though she did not much like this holiday, and said, "But our project plan is so serious……"
"I know this project plan is serious. But a string drawn tight needs loosening sometimes, or it will snap. Everyone has a family. Dr. Camille, your parents miss you very much too. I hear that even when you phone them, it's only for a few minutes. It's time you went back to see them." Zhao Chen looked at Dr. Camille and said it in a tone that brooked no argument.
"I'll have fares arranged for every one of you; those going a long way can take the fastest special transfer craft. I'll have people arrange your journeys, so you have a restful, comfortable holiday."
These researchers were every one of them a treasure in his palm.
And not only these arrangements made openly:
when they went out, Zhao Chen would have the Royal Embroidered-Uniform Guard watch them closely in secret and protect their safety.
For these were all the Empire's wealth, after all!
Seeing that Dr. Camille was still somewhat hesitant, likely worried it would hold up the research and experiments,
Zhao Chen added at this point, "If you have any misgivings, there's another choice as well. I can have your families brought to the Owl Dragon System for their holiday; that counts as being together with them too."
Hearing this suggestion, Dr. Camille's brow smoothed out at last.
——————
In the few days that followed at the year's end, most people within the Owl Dragon Empire were getting ready for the New Year.
At the same time, invited warships sailed into the Owl Dragon System in an unbroken stream.
Because of the Owl Dragon System's special standing now,
every warship entering or leaving the Owl Dragon System came under control.
The use of every star gate had its own special arrangement.
For example, the interstellar transports carrying raw materials and parts for the industrial zone had one star gate for their own use.
And on the Owl Dragon Legion fleets' side, the areas where these warships were stationed had a star gate of their own as well.
The remaining star gates
were for the people of every power who had business to deal with in the Owl Dragon System,
and for some people who wanted to come and enjoy themselves in the Owl Dragon System.
Once they had a permit, they could board the interstellar cruise liners that sailed especially into the Owl Dragon System, and spend a holiday there.
But when the permit ran out, they must either renew it, where conditions allowed, or leave the Owl Dragon System.
For the population of the Owl Dragon System had now all but reached a peak.
For this, Jiang Hong, the Owl Dragon System's administrator, had even moved some low- and middle-end manufacturing and other industries out of the Owl Dragon System altogether.
But even so, a great many people within the Owl Dragon Empire still wanted to pour into the Owl Dragon System.
They looked on the Owl Dragon System as the holy land of their hearts.
And that naturally could not be allowed.
For the Owl Dragon System was only one star system, and not a very large one to begin with.
Even with those planets that had undergone habitable-planet transformation, it could not hold these people pouring in without end.
For this, one more rule was added:
anyone without household registration belonging to the Owl Dragon System was not allowed into the Owl Dragon System.
And from this a gray trade was born within the Owl Dragon Empire:
smuggling people into the Owl Dragon System.
As the name says, someone would arrange for those who wanted into the Owl Dragon System to be smuggled in,
and take a sum for it; whether the smuggled could survive in the Owl Dragon System was naturally not their responsibility.
There were many ways to smuggle people in.
One was to use the interstellar transports the smuggling ringleaders had ready, with shuttles going in to the Owl Dragon System through the marginal space at the system's edge.
This way more could be carried at a time, but the risk of being caught grew as well.
For around the Owl Dragon System there were not only warp interdictors, but interstellar patrols on long-term patrol too.
In a luxurious interstellar cruise liner,
a man leaned back on a sofa with a cigar held in his mechanical arm, striking a cool pose; he took a draw and blew a smoke ring.
"Little Song, do I look cool like this?" The man looked at his male secretary beside him.
The male secretary said with a complicated expression, "Boss Li, you look very cool. But madam said you weren't allowed to smoke. You……"
"That woman's on at me all day long, nagging about this and that. I smoke and she has to nag about that too. Doesn't she know I'm a man of big affairs? A man out in the world having a smoke, so what? Others… others… if they sat in my seat… they'd do more out-of-line things than me."
Li Wei went on and on complaining, not noticing at all the looks his male secretary kept giving him.
In the end the male secretary seemed to give up, and lowered his head silently.
"Out-of-line things? I'd like to see what out-of-line things you mean to do, boy." A slender, delicate hand took Li Wei by the ear.
Li Wei winced, but hearing that voice he had not the least thought of resisting.
At once he said with an ingratiating smile, "Big Sister… Big Sister, don't take it seriously; I was only joking."
"Only joking? Weren't you just about to say that anyone else sitting in Boss Li's seat would think putting on a show for the occasion, or keeping a little honey on the side, all everyday stuff? Do you want to put on a show for the occasion too? Boss Li." The one who had appeared behind him was Li Wei's elder sister, Li Yaqi,
now one of the Owl Dragon Empire's great business titans.
Li Wei said with an ingratiating smile, "A joke, a joke. It was all talk in jest. And Sister, don't call me Boss Li. What am I next to you? A fart. What I make in a year isn't as much as you make in a day."
"Big Sister, Li Wei must know he was wrong just now. Look, didn't he apologize? Don't be hard on him." A woman came out holding a child in her arms.
The child looked no more than a year and a bit.
"Xiao Miao, this isn't like you at all." Li Yaqi looked at her sister-in-law suspiciously.
Madam Miao smiled faintly.
That smile made Li Wei shudder from head to foot.
"Doesn't Boss Li like putting on a show for the occasion? Then that's perfect. I'll pick out a few sturdy ones to put on a good show with Boss Li when the time comes. I wonder whether Boss Li likes this one, or that one. This one has big hips. This one's bust isn't bad either. And look at this one, isn't her waist slender enough?" As Madam Miao spoke, she projected photos of several women.
Seeing these photos, Li Wei was more frightened than ever.
Big hips, yes: how could a pig-folk woman not have big hips!
A big bust too: a bull-folk woman… those muscles could crush Li Wei to death as a small matter, and especially all that hair, which could likely drown Li Wei.
As for that waist:
a mantis-woman?
He had heard mantises had a habit of eating their mates.
That would cost him his life.
Li Yaqi, beside them, looked at the photos and rubbed her chin. "I think they're not bad at all. Set them up for my brother right away."
"Quite good indeed. But how can three be enough? Just set up a whole soccer team for him," another voice said.
Li Wei's eyes lit up in an instant.
At the door to the bridge, Zhao Chen walked in, with Panther-Girl and several guards behind him.
"Old Zhao……" Li Wei called out without thinking.
But Li Yaqi glared at him outright.
Then at once Li Wei made his obeisance properly. "Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor."
Li Yaqi and Madam Miao made their obeisance with him.
Zhao Chen looked at the three of them and said helplessly, "What are you doing? This is a private meeting; we're old friends of many years. No need for ceremony."
In truth Zhao Chen knew that once he sat in that seat, a great many things would change, his relations with old friends included.
But Zhao Chen still hoped to hold on to them as best he could.
As he spoke, Zhao Chen went to Li Wei's side and threw his arm straight round Li Wei's neck,
pointing quite seriously at those photos of 'beauties.'
"Not bad at all. Sister-in-law is so open-minded; aren't you going to seize the chance and have a beauty on each arm?" Zhao Chen looked at Li Wei with a half smile.
Perhaps Li Wei sensed Zhao Chen's feeling too.
He too gradually got back the old feeling of being with an old friend.
"That's a chance I don't dare seize. This is my wife joking with me. Isn't it, dear?" Li Wei looked at his wife at once.
Madam Miao flung Li Wei a roll of the eyes. "For His Majesty's sake I'll let you off today. But your smoking isn't going to be let off so easily. Smoking is bad for your health. And you smelling of smoke all over, is that good for the baby?"
"Sister-in-law is right. No more smoking from now on." Who knew when a cigarette case had got into Zhao Chen's hand; then he tossed it to Panther-Girl.
Panther-Girl took it without a word.
She glanced at the case: that was very, very expensive goods.
Li Wei looked with some reluctance at the cigarettes he had spent a great deal of his pocket money on.
But now he did not dare say half a word, and could only bear the wound in silence.
"Yes, yes, yes; I'll never smoke again," Li Wei said helplessly.
Zhao Chen took back his arm and looked at the child in Madam Miao's arms.
"What's the little one called?"
"Li Miaomiao. From Li Wei's surname and mine." When Madam Miao spoke of the child, her face was all happiness.
"That's right. This is my precious daughter. How about it? Lovely, isn't she?" Li Wei had got his spirit back now too, and came up.
Playing with his child, he looked at Zhao Chen. "You've got a son too. How about we fix a childhood betrothal? Look at this girl of mine; she's sure to be a real beauty when she grows up. If we don't fix it now, you won't get the chance later."
The moment Li Wei said it,
Madam Miao and Li Yaqi both had a jolt at heart.
Li Yaqi thought to herself that this brother of hers truly said whatever came into his head,
with no idea at all how serious those words were.
Zhao Chen's son, though second in birth order, was the eldest son.
And what did that mean?
It meant he might very likely be the Owl Dragon Empire's future heir.
And what would the wife of the Empire's future heir stand for?
They knew very well.
For Li Wei to propose this at such a time, if it got out, there was bound to be a storm over it.
"Now that I'll have to think about. If our Miaomiao takes after Sister-in-law, then naturally there's no problem. But if she takes after you……" Zhao Chen looked Li Wei up and down, frowning slightly as though it needed thought.
"What's that supposed to mean, you! What's wrong with my looks? Back at the Northstar Starship Military Academy I was quite the handsome fellow too. The heartthrob of our class!" Li Wei said at once, not at all willing to take it.
"The heartthrob? More like a foxtail weed by the road. For Sister-in-law to take a fancy to you must have been hard work." Zhao Chen put on a pitying look, as at a fresh flower stuck in a heap of cow dung.
At once Li Wei argued back; at this moment the two were like friends who had not met in many years,
chatting there with no regard for rank at all, and their laughter filled the bridge.
But Li Yaqi had long since had every needless person cleared off the bridge, and the rest kept their heads down over their own work.