“If there’s any specialty wine, bringing a few bottles back for my dad wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
An didn’t have high hopes for the run-down little tavern on this garbage star. However, if it turned out to offer some primitive, unique brews, trying a sip or two wouldn’t hurt. After all, it was said that dwarven-blooded races were master brewers, right?
[So, does this count as a live broadcast of gourmet food from a garbage star?]
[I’m a little excited! But this place looks so backward and chaotic. Don’t they get bored living here?]
Following An’s lead, the viewers in the live broadcast eagerly watched as he approached the only tavern’s entrance. A strange sense of adventure hung in the air.
However, the moment An pushed the door open, he was stunned to find the unassuming dimly lit tavern packed wall-to-wall with people.
[Oh my god, what is going on? Be careful, Boss!]
[Did we accidentally walk into a star pirate meeting? I feel like this live broadcast is going viral today!]
The scene before them was scalp tingling, to say the least. A room full of fierce mercenaries who looked like they licked blood off the tip of a knife, or perhaps star pirates, all gathered in one place.
What kind of event could bring this dangerous-looking crowd together under one roof?
[Help, shouldn’t we @ the Federation officials to take a look at this?]
“Don’t worry, everyone, I’ve brought enough…”
Before An could finish instructing his hired security team to escort him out, the dwarf Fos suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
But just as An waved his hand with a serious expression, preparing to ask the hired security team to escort him out of here, the dwarf Fos suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
“Honored guest from afar, are you here to drink and listen to a novel?!”
Without waiting for a response, Fos skillfully handed An a drink menu.
“Huh?”
“Drink and listen to a novel?”
Holding the menu in his hands, An glanced at the crowd, who showed no reaction to their arrival. For a moment, he was consumed by a strange sense of confusion.
Was this group of people really just gathered here to drink and listen to a novel??
[Huh? They’re here for novels too?! What kind of plot twist is this…]
Both An and the live broadcast viewers were baffled. Could garbage stars also have a culture of literature and storytelling?
“You might not believe it, but this is a famous novel from the Federation! It’s absolutely captivating, worth every moment!”
Noticing An’s disbelief, Fos eagerly began pitching his wares.
‘A famous novel from the Federation?’
The atmosphere grew even stranger after Fos’ remark.
[Wait, isn’t the most famous novel in the Federation right now written by Fish Soup Noodles? But how could they read it here without access to the star network?]
[Not buying it. This dwarf boss looks a bit shady…it could be a scam.]
[But wow, these drinks are dirt cheap, practically free. Will you try it, Boss?]
“Maybe I should give it a try…”
Looking at the menu in his hands, then at the dwarf Fos’ eager, sparkling eyes, An felt a surge of curiosity.
After all, he wasn’t much of a reader until recently. It was during a random live broadcast that he stumbled upon clips of “Contract Marriage” and “Eternal Night Rose”, which had led him to download the Huanyu Reading Platform for the first time and binge-read both books in one go.
Since then, he had developed a strong interest in novels, even going as far as creating fan art for his favorite books, which turned them into a well-known figure in the fan community.
However, An had noticed that apart from Fish Soup Noodles’ works, most books on the Huanyu Reading Platform had a different vibe. Though enjoyable, few managed to make him stay up all night devouring every word.
Maybe the novels on this garbage star could help pass the time? After all, the drinks were practically free.
Minutes later, An and his team, having purchased the most expensive drinks on the menu, were seated in the tavern’s center, courtesy of Fos, who was now doting on them like a VIP guest.
Fos had sharp eyes. He could tell right away that this customer was rich just from the attire and demeanor!
[So, what’s happening here…? I heard there was an intense rebellion scene on an alien star, but why is it so quiet?]
[Yeah, me too. Wait, what’s that on the wall? “Rebirth of the Interstellar Soldier King”?]
[Newcomers, there’s no rebellion here. We’re here to listen to novels instead! Can you believe it…they’re actually novels on a garbage star! Come join us.]
An’s live broadcast had unexpectedly hit the hot search due to the initial bizarre scene, many curious new viewers quickly flooded in, only to be informed that the live broadcast had shifted to listening to novels.
The tavern’s wall featured a crooked, oversized poster of “Rebirth of the Interstellar Soldier King”, which was impossible to miss.
“Ahem, it’s starting! It’s starting! Quiet!”
As dwarf Fos climbed onto the simple, makeshift stage at the center of the tavern and coughed to signal the start, an eerie silence fell over the entire room.
Even the previously chaotic barrage of bullet comments in the live broadcast paused momentarily.
[Wow, they’re so serious about this. The sense of devotion is amazing. Are they in a classroom or a bar?]
[Maybe it’s because there’s so little entertainment on garbage stars?]
Even An was infected by the atmosphere, and silently listened as Fos began reading aloud, “Lin Mu…”
But as the story unfolded, the tone of the barrage began to change.
[Wait, Boss, could you turn up the mic? I missed part of that scene! What happened with Lin Mu at the auction? QAQ]
[Argh, this makeshift network is so unreliable…I buffered and missed a section! Did anyone record it? I’m dying here!]
[Help! I’m worse off…I came in halfway through and missed the beginning! I’m willing to pay for a recording of the rebirth opening scene. This is driving me crazy!]
Immersed in the story, An failed to notice that the number of viewers in his live broadcast room had skyrocketed, propelling him to the top of the hourly rankings.
Many netizens who clicked into the live broadcast room simply because of its high ranking discovered the terrifying magic of this live broadcast room.
Isn’t this book “Rebirth of the Star Soldier King” so magical?
By the time Fos breathlessly reached the conclusion, reading about the “Heart of the Soldier King,” the entire tavern let out collective sighs of reluctant satisfaction. Only then did An come back to his senses and glanced down at his untouched drink.
To think that after enduring such a long book drought following the completion of Fish Soup Noodles’ novels, he would find relief on this inconspicuous little planet.
[No way! That’s it? Ugh, this frustratingly familiar cliffhanger feeling!]
[This is terrifying. Has literature beyond the Federation developed this much?]
[So what genius from the garbage star wrote this? [shocked]]
One particular comment, [How are they enjoying novels so much even on a garbage star?!], garnered tens of thousands of likes, with numerous follow-ups like: [Crying, who would’ve thought!], [If not for the big boss stopping here, we’d have missed this masterpiece!], and [Guess I’ll have to explore the vast interstellar universe more often…].
“Rebirth of the Interstellar Soldier King” was a new theme of “Long Aotian’s upgrade” that readers on the Federation Star had never heard of before.
The initial map set on a Garbage Star, coupled with the primitive environment, paired perfectly with the story’s setting and delivered an immersive experience.
[But wait, something’s off. Didn’t the dwarf boss say this was a famous serialized novel on our Federation star? Then why, as a Federation native, have I never heard of it?]
When everyone was roaring collectively, a netizen in the live broadcast room quickly recalled what the dwarf boss had said at the beginning.
The atmosphere suddenly became more chaotic!
[That’s a crucial question because I need updates. Where’s the second volume? Has the author written it yet?]
The topic #MysteriousGarbageStarNovel# soon trended on the star network hot searches, thanks to An’s unexpected live broadcast.
With “Contract Marriage” finished, everyone kept following the daily updates of “Eternal Night Rose”, which was really not enough!
Now, with such a rare success, a novel that suited their tastes had come out. This familiar feeling where one couldn’t stop reading undoubtedly made everyone eager for more.
“Don’t worry, everyone. Let’s just ask the boss directly. He must know!”
Taking advantage of his location, An directly approached Fos.
“Well, if you want to take it with you, you can copy it yourself for free. But if you want me to copy it for you, there’s a small fee,” Fos said nonchalantly as he polished the bar.
An was clearly not from this garbage star, and coming to ask about the book didn’t surprise him at all. Many similar visitors had done the same recently.
After all, the book was something he’d picked up, and he was quite grateful to the author. In a way, the novel had revived his tavern. So he wasn’t too strict about letting people copy it.
After all, it was just a slim volume of a few tens of thousands of words.
“Boss, is this book from the Federation?”
An instructed his team to start copying while examining the book’s original manuscript.
“Of course! I wasn’t lying. It’s a famous Federation novel~!” Fos replied smoothly, wiping down tables as he spoke.
“But I’m from the Federation. Why haven’t I read it?”
At An’s words, the entire tavern fell silent, with everyone turning to stare in shock.
“You’re from the Federation?”
“My god, you’re really from the Federation? Do you get to see the latest updates every day? That must be amazing…”
“But you’ve never read this book?! How is that possible?”
Even the children gathered around excitedly.
“No, it’s impossible! I found this book among the trash brought back by a Federation ship. It must be from your Federation!”
Facing the skeptical gazes of the garbage star natives, Fos’ voice grew louder as he tried to defend himself.
If the mercenaries and star pirates thought he was lying and boasting, how could his tavern survive?
As a dwarf, how would he dare deceive them?
“How could you not recognize this author? This must be a famous writer on your Federation Star, Y-U!”
With a mix of anxiety and panic, the dwarf Fos raised the original handwritten copy in his hands high. Beneath the title “Rebirth of the Interstellar Soldier King” was the author’s name: “YU,” clearly visible to the live broadcast screen.
[YU? But I’ve never heard of this name before?!]
At first glance, it was an entirely unfamiliar name.
There was no record of an author by this name on the Federation Star.
