With Lin Rui having already informed Rocket Raccoon and Drax of the situation, Yondu’s decision to go or not was of less consequence. In the original storyline, Yondu hadn’t posed much of a threat to Ego apart from his final act of saving Star-Lord at the cost of his own life.
Lin Rui still remembered another character from this Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 storyline who played a more significant role in saving Star-Lord – Gamora’s sister, Nebula. Nebula had arrived at Ego’s Living Planet in pursuit of Gamora, and it was there that the two sisters had reconciled and joined forces against Ego.
Yondu’s spaceship and arrow abilities had their limitations when dealing with Ego’s Living Planet. However, Nebula, who had been partially mechanized by Thanos himself, contained potent energy within her.
When they wreaked havoc on Ego’s planet, Nebula, working in tandem with Rocket, unleashed a powerful energy beam, dealing a significant blow to the core of Ego’s planet.
As long as the adolescent Groot, who had already advanced into puberty thanks to Lin Rui’s intervention on an alien planet, could deliver those small gadgets Lin Rui had given to Rocket Raccoon to Ego’s planet’s core, those gadgets were likely to trigger an explosion of the same magnitude as in the original plot.
However, Lin Rui had overlooked a minor detail. He had previously given Groot, still in his infancy, some Elven Holy Spring Water. As a result, Groot had grown significantly and might not be able to fit into the tiny passage leading to Ego’s planet’s core, as was the case in the original plot.
If the now-grown Groot couldn’t fit through, then the gadgets Lin Rui provided might not unleash as much power as expected. In other words, due to Lin Rui’s involvement, there were many uncertainties in Star-Lord’s crisis, and Lin Rui was unsure whether their outcome would ultimately be favorable or not.
Despite overlooking some minor details, Lin Rui believed he had prepared well and was ready to leave Yondu behind to save him. Perhaps this was a result of the changes brought about by his increased power.
In the past, when he was less powerful, Lin Rui wouldn’t have been so casual about certain matters, especially when it involved major plot points.
Under Lin Rui’s persuasion, Yondu didn’t ease up. Star-Lord had indeed grown up quite a bit and had become a mature captain. However, in matters of family, Star-Lord was still rather naive, especially when it came to Ego, a planet that had perfected the art of manipulation. Star-Lord would undoubtedly be susceptible.
“No, you don’t understand, Jackson. That so-called biological father of Quill’s, he’s no good person. Actually, scratch that, he’s not even a person!” Yondu shook his head, unable to accept Lin Rui’s persuasion.
Since Ego had taken Star-Lord before Yondu could find him, Yondu needed to accelerate his journey to Ego’s home planet. Although Yondu knew that Ego was at his most powerful on his home planet, he had to go for Star-Lord’s sake.
“Jackson, I know you mean well, but this situation is beyond what Star-Lord and his pals can handle. So, I won’t be going to Earth. Let’s meet again next time,” Yondu said, bidding farewell, not waiting for Lin Rui to say anything else.
Seeing Yondu’s resolute and serious demeanor, Lin Rui knew he couldn’t persuade him further. It seemed that Star-Lord held quite a special place in Yondu’s heart. This ruthless leader of space pirates, who had roamed the core regions of the universe for so many years, also had his soft side, reserved for that mischievous Earth kid.
“Alright, I won’t try to convince you any further. Just be safe. Ego isn’t that easy to deal with, and you better be well-prepared.”
In Yondu’s determined departure, Lin Rui could only offer him some good wishes. Moreover, now he didn’t need to hide anything anymore and directly mentioned Yondu’s mission to confront Ego.
As he spoke, Lin Rui retrieved a few items from his personal space and handed them to Yondu. Although Lin Rui had previously provided Rocket Raccoon with some gadgets to deal with Ego, now that Yondu was going, Lin Rui wanted to make a contribution as well.
“These are… Thank you!” Yondu accepted the items Lin Rui handed over and, after a quick assessment of their functions, earnestly expressed his gratitude.
Continuing on, Yondu, eager to pursue Star-Lord, escorted Lin Rui out. In the corridor leading to the E Grade Spaceship, Lin Rui suddenly halted.
“Yondu, remember to prepare several sets of energy protective suits. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!” Turning his head to look at Yondu, Lin Rui offered this final piece of advice.
After uttering these words, without waiting for Yondu to inquire further, Lin Rui swiftly entered the E Grade Spaceship. Before Yondu’s eyes, the door at the end of the passage quickly sealed shut, and the two spaceships swiftly separated.
Having detached from Yondu’s massive spaceship, the E Grade Spaceship executed a sharp turn and sped towards Earth.
“Better safe than sorry?… Kraglin! Turn back! We’re going after Star-Lord!” Softly repeating the last words spoken by Lin Rui, Yondu immediately issued the order to turn back.
Boom! Boom boom!
Under Yondu’s command, several massive spaceships from the pirate fleet, which had already entered Earth’s lunar orbit, swiftly changed course. They then increased their engine power, rapidly closing in on the position from which Star-Lord and his team had departed.
Standing at the forefront of the E Grade Spaceship’s cockpit, Lin Rui watched as the several massive spaceships disappeared into the cosmic void. In his eyes, a unique gleam shimmered. This was the path Yondu had chosen, and Lin Rui had no authority to alter his decision.
Moreover, Lin Rui had already done a great deal. At the very least, he had significantly improved the chances of Star-Lord and his team successfully dealing with Ego. The Star-Lord squad, which had faced near-certain death in the original plot, might, with Lin Rui’s covert assistance, have a safer passage through this crisis.
As he watched the pirate fleet depart, Lin Rui’s gaze shifted towards Earth’s direction. This beautiful planet was finally on the brink of entering the Interstellar Age of Exploration. Lin Rui believed that before long, Earth’s civilization would break free from the Nine Realms and venture into the heart of the universe.
Buzz!
“Activate Hidden Quest: Retrieve the Devourer Seed sown by Celestial Ego on Earth. Quest Duration: Two months. Quest Reward: Fifty Thousand Reward Points.”
Just as Lin Rui was contemplating Earth’s future, the voice of the system suddenly resonated in his mind. Astonishingly, Lin Rui had triggered a hidden quest related to the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 storyline!
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