Two Realms: Don't call me evil!

According to our latest report, a large number of people are protesting the demolition compensation issue in Fenghuang Old Street. Officials stated that they are discussing specific measures to address the public's demands and prevent further escalation of the conflict.

Zaka, a renowned real estate developer, philanthropist, and the richest man in Dong'an City, told the media that he would resolve the issues surrounding Phoenix Old Street within a month and ensure the smooth and timely completion of the new commercial street.

The following is the weather forecast: A new wave of torrential rain is approaching. Dong'an City is expected to receive over 1000 millimeters of rainfall in the next three days. Residents are advised to take precautions.

On Tian Shu Star, in Dong'an City, inside a three-story building on Phoenix Old Street, a high-definition LCD TV is broadcasting the local television station's news.

On the sofa, a lively girl of about sixteen or seventeen, wearing hot pants and a white T-shirt, shouted, "Grandpa, come and see! You're on TV!"

The kitchen curtain was lifted, and an elderly woman wearing an apron came out carrying a steaming bowl of freshly cooked stir-fried vegetables. She smiled and said, "Erica, wash your hands and come eat."

"Oh dear, Grandpa, are you even listening to what people are saying?"

Erica, puffing out her cheeks, pointed at the TV screen and said, "I just saw you on TV! You've never been on TV before, aren't you even a little bit curious and excited?"

Situon put down the stir-fry, untied his apron, and glanced at the television.

On television, footage was playing of residents of Phoenix Old Street protesting yesterday against the Us Real Estate Group by displaying banners. Thousands of residents formed a human wall to block construction vehicles from entering the site.

Among them, Situon, one of the leaders, led the neighborhood protest, which was filmed by a television reporter and broadcast on television.

Situon glanced at the TV for a moment, then looked away, picked up the remote to turn it off, tapped the table, and said sternly, "Alright, hurry up and wash your hands and eat. You're full just from watching TV."

"Oh."

Erica had no choice but to behave herself. From childhood to adulthood, she always felt that her grandfather was particularly fierce when he put on a stern face, and she never dared to make him angry at that time.

After quickly washing her hands, Erica rushed to the dining table, picking up food with her chopsticks while talking nonstop: "When can I be on TV! Like those glamorous female celebrities? Hey, Grandpa, do you think I can be a star?"

"You? A celebrity?"

Situang smiled and said, "Relying on your bottom-ranked grades? Or on your infatuated personality that makes you unable to walk when you see a handsome guy? Don't think I don't know anything."

Erica blushed, feeling embarrassed and annoyed, and said, "Grandpa, you're so mean! Jenny and Jessie must have told you. I'll make them pay. Besides, I'm not bad looking. There's a whole line of boys at school who like me."

"I really don't know what's so great about celebrities. They earn such high salaries, yet they are constantly exposed for drug use, promiscuity, and all sorts of scandals. They discuss even the smallest, most trivial things on the internet all day long. If you ask me, the people who are truly worthy of your idol worship are those great scientists and our head of state."

Situon pointed to the portrait of the head of state hanging on the living room wall. The portrait depicted the head of state in an approachable manner, riding in an open-top car with a deep gaze as he reviewed his troops.

"Grandpa, you're so old-fashioned. The leader is too far away from us. I've never even been to our home planet. What else can I do if I don't follow celebrities? At least I can see them on TV and online, and I can even go to their concerts offline."

Erica pursed her lips, and then asked curiously, "By the way, Grandpa, have you ever been to our home planet? According to the books, many of your generation immigrated from our home planet to develop Tian Shu Star."

"Blue Star, I've been there."

Situang's eyes revealed a hint of melancholy as he looked at the portrait of the head of state on the wall.

If you think about it carefully, it's been decades since he left Earth and hasn't been back. That's a really long time!
If I have the chance, I'll go back and visit my old friends. I wonder if they still remember me.

"Grandpa, tell me about our home planet. I've heard it's incredibly prosperous there, with powerful superhumans who can fly and teleport. You could even hit a master with a brick you just threw. Their biotechnology is also ridiculously advanced. Unlike our Tian Shu Star, where spiritual energy is so thin it's practically nonexistent, and superhumans are just legends."

Erica's eyes lit up. Like most girls, she was born on a remote colony and longed for bustling metropolises. Blue Star was the place they yearned for most.

"Hehe, it's not as exaggerated as you say. Even in an environment as rich in spiritual energy as Blue Star, extraordinary people are a tiny minority."

Situon chuckled, drawn into memories by his granddaughter's topic, and then patted Erica's little head, saying, "As long as you study hard, I'll take you to Blue Star when you graduate from high school."

"Really, Grandpa is the best. I love you. I will definitely study hard."

Erica jumped up excitedly, hugged her grandfather's neck, and her face was flushed with excitement.

Blue Star, that's the headquarters of the Jeko Group. It's where the empire's essence lies, a gathering place for the world's wealth and elite talent, something that an alien colony like Tian Shu Star can't compare to.

For a new generation of humans like Erica, born on an outer colony, their understanding of their home planet is limited to books and the internet, a bustling mecca that many young people yearn for.

"We'll have you take the aptitude and talent test then. If you pass and get into the Extraordinary University, maybe our family can produce an extraordinary person too."

"Grandpa, you're just bragging. I've heard it's incredibly difficult. How could we humans from other planets possibly test it? The cost would be far beyond what our family can afford."

Erica was somewhat skeptical. She had seen related news online, and the requirements for financial resources and qualifications to enroll in an extraordinary university and embark on the path to extraordinaryness were frighteningly high.

Most of the time, only locals of Earth have the opportunity to go to school because they are born and raised in an environment rich in spiritual energy, and therefore have better aptitude for cultivation.

Humans on extraterrestrial colonies often lack the necessary aptitude. Even if someone is lucky enough to pass the aptitude test, the high tuition fees, the spirit stones used for cultivation, and various other resources can be prohibitive for ordinary families.

“My granddaughter, there is no tuition fee for applying to the Extraordinary University. Even if your aptitude is a little lacking, as long as you have some talent for cultivation, Grandpa can still send you to study there.”

Situan spoke confidently, as if this were not a problem at all.

"Grandpa, what did you do before? You're talking big. You're just bragging."

Erica rolled her eyes so hard they almost reached the sky. She thought her grandfather was just trying to cheer her up. Come to think of it, her grandfather had never talked about his past, and neither had her parents. She had no idea what kind of work her grandfather did when he was young.

"Just consider this as me trying to make you happy. What university you go to isn't important. Even if you go to an extraordinary university, I hope you can learn the right way to conduct yourself from your studies."

Xi Tuang gently stroked his granddaughter's head, paused, and continued, "I think the demolition of Phoenix Old Street this time is probably unstoppable. We may have to move and go to a new school. You need to adapt to life at the new school. If anyone bullies you, tell Grandpa."

"Ah, Grandpa, didn't we already stop the Us Real Estate Group? Besides, the officials said they would consider our opinions as residents. Are they really going to continue?"

Erica's face fell, and she looked sullen. "The commercial complex planned here involves hundreds of billions of Dragon Yuan in interests. This is a lucrative opportunity that's not so easily given up. Besides, this is Tian Shu Star, not Blue Star. Officials here aren't so rule-abiding. Don't overestimate their moral standards. Remember, don't look at what the officials say, but at what they do."

Situon sighed and explained to his granddaughter.

If it were on Earth, in those big cities, he would believe in rules and order, but often the smaller and more remote the place, the more likely it is to break the rules. The saying "the mountains are high and the emperor is far away" is not just a figure of speech.

"How could this be? Damn Us Real Estate Group, damn Zaka, and he calls himself a great philanthropist."

Erica gritted her teeth in anger and was extremely indignant.

She grew up in Phoenix Old Street and has a deep affection for the place. Even if real estate developers offered her money, she would not be willing to move, especially since the compensation offered by the Us Group was pitifully small.

"Grandpa, you're willing to lead the protest, isn't there any other way?"

“It’s not that I want to take the lead, but everyone thinks I’m old and respected, and they hope I’ll stand up for justice. We’ve been neighbors for decades, and I can’t just stand by and do nothing.”

To be honest, the demolition and renovation of Phoenix Old Street is part of Dong'an City's plan. The reason we are obstructing it is simply because the Wusi Group is being too harsh on the compensation. Our demands are very simple: if they want us to move, they should at least give us the minimum compensation agreement. The paltry sum isn't even enough to help the neighbors find new rental housing.

Situon shook his head, looking utterly helpless as he spoke of the matter.

"Forget it, you're still young, why bother talking to you about this? Let's eat."

Situon didn't continue the topic, as it would only cause unnecessary trouble.

Erica muttered a few more angry curses under her breath, but after finishing her meal, she excitedly ran back to her room, put on her makeup, and said to Situon, "Grandpa, I've made plans to go shopping with Jessie and Jenny."

Situon frowned and said, "Erica, it's best not to go out during this time."

Erica waved her hand, took two long, straight, white legs, and ran to the door in a flash: "Grandpa, you're making a mountain out of a molehill. I was just shopping with a friend, not on a date. I'll be back for dinner tonight. Oh, Grandpa, I want to eat braised pork trotters with soybeans. Please."

Erica grinned at her grandfather, opened the door, and like a happy lark, rode her bicycle downstairs outside.

"This girl!"

Situon shook his head helplessly. Perhaps he had made a mountain out of a molehill. The matter of the Us Real Estate Group was a matter between adults, and it would not affect the children no matter what.

……

In the city center of Dong'an, on the commercial street, Erica accompanied her two best friends as they strolled around, sometimes running into clothing stores, sometimes wandering into small jewelry shops.

Dong'an City is the premier metropolis on Tian Shu Star. This outer colony has been developed and managed for over a hundred years and has many unique products. Erica and her companions were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

"I'm going to the restroom, anyone want to come with me?"

"Go quickly and come back soon, I'll be waiting for you."

"Hehe, I'm not going either."

"Tch, you two are really disloyal."

Erica rolled her eyes at her two best friends, and seeing them happily browsing in the jewelry store, she could only walk towards the mall's restroom by herself.

What Erica didn't know was that shortly after she entered the restroom, someone followed her in.

A companion nearby took out a sign that read "Toilet under maintenance, please take a detour" and placed it outside the toilet.

After using the restroom, Erica was at the sink, about to touch up her makeup, when suddenly, through the mirror in front of her, she saw a man appear behind her.

The man was burly, bald, with a scorpion tattooed on his neck, and looked menacing.

"Who are you? Waaah!!!"

Before Erica could finish her sentence, the man covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief laced with a potent sedative. Erica struggled for a few moments before passing out.

The bald man with the scorpion tattoo took out his phone and took a picture of the unconscious Erica.

Another man came over with a large suitcase. The two men lifted the limp Erica, stuffed her into the suitcase, zipped it up, and left the bathroom as if no one else was there.

The bald man with scorpion tattoos who had been working earlier pulled out his phone while dragging his suitcase, sent the photos, and made a call: "Boss, it's done, the goods are in hand."

On the other end of the phone, the faint sound of clinking glasses could be heard, followed by a man's voice full of laughter: "You know how to do it, right?"

"Understood, boss. This is to make an example of them, so that no one else will dare to mess with our Wusi Real Estate Group."

Just as the bald man with the scorpion tattoo was about to end the call, the other end received the photo that had been sent, and then the voice came through again.

"Wait, bring this girl to me. I'll use her to have some fun tonight."

"Good boss."

The bald man with the scorpion tattoo nodded and instructed his henchman beside him, "Take a few men and go to that old man's house."

He personally drove to the headquarters of Wusi Real Estate Group in the prime commercial center of Dong'an City to deliver the goods to his boss, hoping to leave a better impression on him.

After everything was over, Jenny and Jesse realized something was wrong. They couldn't find their good friend Erica, and her phone was switched off.

The two searched the mall several times and even made an announcement over the loudspeaker, but to no avail. Only then did they realize the gravity of the situation; tears welled in their eyes, and they hurriedly called Erica's grandfather to notify their friend's family. (End of Chapter)