Faced with Lin Feng's immense presence, Qiao Lin's mind went blank for a moment.
Her petite body couldn't help but tremble.
"It's, it's right below the central spire. I saw someone dressed similarly..." Qiao Lin stammered out the information.
"I only saw him once, about a year ago..."
"At that time, I wanted to steal something, but there were too many guards."
"I saw someone dressed like that from afar, entering underground..."
Originally intending to negotiate with Lin Feng, she was so scared that she spilled everything, almost revealing the color of the underwear she was wearing today.
Lin Feng narrowed his eyes and withdrew his intimidating aura.
Sometimes, for those who couldn't see the situation clearly, a little deterrence was necessary.
Did they think he was a pushover just because he always smiled?
Never mind, Lin Feng didn't dwell on it.
The central spire, wasn't that where Dappus lived?
From what Qiao Lin said, had the black robes built their stronghold beneath the central spire?
Having obtained the information he wanted, Lin Feng stood up.
These two girls probably had no more information to offer. He would have to take action himself!
He threw down some cash to cover the bill.
"Next time, keep your eyes sharper!"
He gave Qiao Lin a warning glance, which caused her to tremble again.
With that, Lin Feng walked towards the exit.
Beside him, Yana, upon hearing Lin Feng's words, felt like she was about to collapse.
His words meant he was letting them off the hook.
Regaining her composure, Yana quickly comforted the still bewildered Qiao Lin.
This would serve as a lesson, and Qiao Lin would likely rein herself in from now on.
Lin Feng walked out of the bar. It was already evening.
"Lin Feng!"
Behind him, Rocket the raccoon ran out.
"Rocket? What's up?" Lin Feng asked with a smile, as if he hadn't been intimidating them just moments before.
"I know where the central spire is. Shall I take you?" Rocket suggested.
He had only spoken briefly with Yana before running out to catch up with Lin Feng.
There would be plenty of time for catching up later. Yana wasn't going anywhere on this planet, but Lin Feng was someone he couldn't see whenever he wanted.
"Uh..."
Lin Feng wasn't sure what to say.
He looked towards the center of the city, where a distinct red spire was visible from afar.
Did he really need guidance?
"Alright, let's go together then!"
He didn't particularly mind a talking animal accompanying him.
The two walked somewhat aimlessly towards the central spire.
Evening was dinnertime, and the streets were still bustling.
As the light faded, the neon signs along the street became brighter.
At this hour, petty criminals also came out, beginning their nightly work.
Lin Feng observed Rocket as they walked.
He remembered that this raccoon seemed to possess a vast amount of knowledge.
This was evident from his ability to repair spaceships with his bare hands and his sarcastic remark to Tony in Avengers 4: "On Earth, you're considered a genius, but here..."
Rocket's practical skills were also impressive. Give him enough materials, and Lin Feng wouldn't doubt that he could build a spaceship from scratch.
Lin Feng wondered if he should bring the raccoon along if he ever returned to Earth in the prime universe, beyond the Fourth Quadrant.
If Rocket were there, perhaps his hometown's scientific progress would accelerate.
Rocket, walking beside Lin Feng, felt uneasy under his gaze.
"Why are you keep looking at me?"
Rocket felt a chill run down his spine and hugged himself, trying to soothe his fur.
"I was just wondering, what are you and Star-Lord doing on this planet?" Lin Feng asked with a smile.
"What are we doing? What else can we do..."
Rocket lowered his head and kicked a stone at his feet, sounding somewhat dispirited.
"We just mess around trying to make a living, watching Peter Quill be an idiot all day."
"You know, in our line of work, you never know when you'll be permanently out of commission."
Lin Feng slowed his pace.
Huh, this sharp-tongued raccoon was suddenly feeling melancholic? That wasn't like him.
"Where's Groot?"
"Groot is with Star-Lord and the others!"
"He's almost as tall as he was before." Mentioning Groot brought a little cheer to Rocket's face. He gestured with his hand to show Lin Feng Groot's height.
"Speaking of which, I should thank you for the soil you gave us last time. Otherwise, Groot wouldn't have grown so fast."
Lin Feng waved his hand with a chuckle, "It was nothing."
Rocket smiled.
For some reason, seeing Lin Feng again felt different from before, though Rocket couldn't quite pinpoint why.
Perhaps it was because Lin Feng treated him like a friend. Unlike Star-Lord, who called him "raccoon," or Drax, who looked at him like a small animal.
With Lin Feng, Rocket experienced a rare sense of friendship, much like when he was with Groot.
Although that bastard Groot often made him angry.
"By the way, Rocket, have you thought about your future life?"
The light grew dimmer, and the planet's sun had moved on to illuminate other parts of the cosmos.
Lin Feng walked leisurely, his hands behind his head, admiring the night street.
"Future life?" Rocket looked up at Lin Feng.
"Haven't thought about it. I'll take it one step at a time."
"Perhaps one day, when I get tired of this life, I'll find a quiet place to spend my remaining days."
"Of course, if Groot is willing, I'll take him with me!"
Rocket felt he was still young and hadn't really considered his future.
Right now, he just wanted to earn more money. Money was the only thing that made him feel secure.
"Would you like to visit my hometown someday?" Lin Feng extended an invitation.
Rocket looked at him strangely.
"Your hometown isn't Earth?"
"There's nothing much to see, is there? Just a bunch of backward natives."
"Uh... I wasn't talking about you..." Rocket scratched his head awkwardly.
Lin Feng shook his head, indicating he didn't mind.
"It is Earth, but it's not the Earth of this universe."
"Compared to Earth in this universe, my hometown Earth is even more technologically backward," Lin Feng said with a hint of nostalgia.
Rocket scratched his head again, feeling like Lin Feng was speaking in riddles.
"With your abilities, helping them should be easy, right?"
Rocket didn't understand. Collecting high-tech items from across the universe should have been effortless for Lin Feng.
Was there some unspoken difficulty?
"It's very difficult for me to return to my hometown."
"I can only send some things back through special means, but I haven't yet been able to return home myself."
"Even with your strength, you can't go back?"
"Yes, not yet..." Lin Feng looked up at the sky with a trace of melancholy.