Chapter 1217 Gone?
When Lin Rui walked into Yondu's massive Spaceship through the connected tunnel of the E Grade Spaceship, Yondu was waiting for him halfway down the corridor.
Two of his loyal subordinates stood beside him, including the goofball who was supposed to inherit Yondu's leadership of the space pirate crew after Yondu's sacrifice to save Star-Lord.
"Welcome, welcome! Jackson, my man, that outfit of yours is really cool!" As Lin Rui approached, Yondu greeted him with a smile.
Lin Rui was equally cooperative and opened his arms for a hug. Of course, he had already removed the hood and face mask before the embrace. Here, Lin Rui had no need to conceal anything.
"Yondu, it's been a while! You still look... as handsome as ever!" After the hug, Lin Rui looked at Yondu's blue skin and uneven yellow teeth and said genuinely.
"Haha! You youngsters are something else! Especially you, Jackson, not only are you handsome, but you're also mighty!" Yondu replied, smiling back at Lin Rui.
Yondu was speaking the truth. Lin Rui's skills displayed on the alien planet had earned Yondu's respect. Moreover, Lin Rui, now arriving in a Spaceship constructed on Earth at some point, indicated he held a significant position on Earth.
Even with Earth's rapid development in the past couple of decades since Yondu left, it was unlikely for an ordinary person to board a Spaceship.
"Just average; my abilities are only impressive on Earth. In the core regions of the universe, I'm just ordinary," Lin Rui modestly replied, waving his hand.
In reality, with Lin Rui's current abilities, especially after harnessing some of the Magic Cube's power, he was not just considered top-tier on Earth but quite formidable even in the universe.
After exchanging pleasantries, Yondu led Lin Rui to the leisure lounge of his massive Spaceship. Unlike the first Spaceship built on Earth, Yondu's colossal Spaceship had a vast interior, allowing for more facilities, including some popular entertainment amenities found in the universe.
Since he had come to Earth and unexpectedly met Lin Rui, Yondu decided to offer proper hospitality, although he was anxious about finding Star-Lord.
Lin Rui accepted Yondu's warm hospitality, except when it came to the various distinctive alien women. While Lin Rui and Yondu reclined on comfortable chairs, receiving massages from top-notch masseurs, Yondu finally brought up the purpose of his visit to Earth.
"Jackson, my friend, you mentioned earlier that you know why I came to Earth. Have you already met Star-Lord? Where is he now?"
He fired off several questions in a row, revealing that Yondu wasn't as composed as he seemed. He cared deeply about Star-Lord. Yondu had long considered the Earthling his own son, watching Star-Lord grow and make a name for himself in the universe. He was genuinely proud of him.
"Well, I have indeed met Star-Lord. Not only Star-Lord, but I've also met the entire Guardians of the Galaxy. They arrived on Earth about a week ago, and some things happened during their stay," Lin Rui calmly replied as he squinted his eyes.
"Is that so? This kid can really move fast! Did he tell you that I put out a hefty bounty on him? It's all a misunderstanding; I just wanted to find Star-Lord as soon as possible!" Yondu seemed to breathe a sigh of relief upon hearing that Lin Rui had seen Star-Lord and that they had arrived on Earth a week ago. He then explained himself.
To expedite his search for Star-Lord, Yondu had indeed offered a substantial reward to locate the Guardians of the Galaxy. Without this sizable bounty, Yondu wouldn't have received so much information pinpointing Star-Lord's whereabouts.
The amount he had offered was high enough that Star-Lord had even considered tying himself up and delivering himself to Yondu to claim the bounty.
"I know you don't really mean any harm to Star-Lord, but... he's no longer on Earth," Lin Rui nodded slightly, revealing that Star-Lord had left Earth.
"Ah, Jackson, you're quite reasonable... Wait! You're saying Star-Lord isn't on Earth anymore? When did he leave? Where did he go?" Yondu was initially relieved by the first part of Lin Rui's statement, but the latter part took him by surprise.
Yondu had chased all the way from the core regions of the universe to Earth, believing he was close to finding Star-Lord. Now, Lin Rui was telling him that Star-Lord had left Earth. Was this some kind of joke?
"Yeah, he's left Earth. It happened not long after you arrived. Perhaps they left from a different direction, which is why you didn't encounter them," Lin Rui continued, seeing Yondu's astonishment.
"Damn it!"
He had almost cornered Star-Lord, only to miss him at the last moment. Yondu didn't know what expression to make. However, what he needed to know now was whether Star-Lord had encountered his biological father.
"Jackson, when you saw Star-Lord, did they have anyone extra in their group?" With a glimmer of hope, Yondu calmed down and continued to inquire.
"They didn't have anyone extra in their group, but Star-Lord encountered someone who claimed to be his father on the way to Earth. And Star-Lord seemed to accept that 'father.' After their global journey, they left together."
"Damn it! That bastard beat me to it!"
Of course, Yondu knew exactly who Lin Rui was referring to when he mentioned Star-Lord's self-proclaimed father. He also understood why Star-Lord had quickly accepted him. After all, that man had a certain ability.
Ego, the Living Planet, was a conscious entity that had seeded itself throughout the universe. Its grown children inevitably felt an inherent connection to Ego in their subconscious minds.
"Jackson, it seems I won't need to go to Earth. I have something very important to find Star-Lord for, something that concerns his life or death. Let's meet again another time," Yondu said, losing interest in small talk with Lin Rui after learning that Star-Lord had left with Ego.
"Yondu, perhaps you don't need to worry so much. Star-Lord has grown up and has reliable companions now. Even if he encounters trouble, you should believe he can handle it himself," Lin Rui said, waving away the masseurs and getting up from his chair to address Yondu.
If Yondu didn't head to Ego's planet, his life would be out of immediate danger. Lin Rui was trying to ensure Yondu's safety in the most prudent way possible.
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