Barren Star – Chapter 12
by Little PandaIt is not a digger
After the watermelon was put on the Starlight Platform, Ning Buyi paid special attention for a while. After all, in the Greedy Wolf Star System, fruits and vegetables were rarer. She saw many people discussing the identity of “Mysterious Number One,” but no one could get accurate information pointing to the Barren Star. She was completely relieved.
“Even if they guess about a lab outside the Imperial Star, they would only pull it towards the Construction Star,” Hua Zhuoyu saw through Ning Buyi’s thoughts at a glance. Seeing Ning Buyi’s expression of “this is better,” Hua Zhuoyu’s eyes shifted, and she smiled again, “However, someone has already gone to the Star Court to ask Si Pu for information.” The Starlight is under the jurisdiction of the Star Court, fully managed by the Arbiter Si Pu.
Ning Buyi looked at Hua Zhuoyu in surprise, “Did you get your chip back? Contacted the Star Court? Does it mean you’ve found the person secretly plotting against you?”
Hua Zhuoyu: “…” Ning Buyi’s focus was entirely different from what she imagined. Her smile was full, and those eyes, as distinct as black mountains and white waters, softened like spring waves in an instant, “Are you concerned about me? Afraid I’ll leave?”
“Yes,” Ning Buyi directly ignored the first part of the question, speaking openly, “If you leave, who will spread the medicine around the base?” The last time the Starlight logistics ship entered the Barren Star, it brought the special insect repellent Ning Buyi needed. However, the medicine needed to be buried ten meters deep. Relying on her strength alone was too difficult. As for work robots, there were none in the base, and she couldn’t let Beidou do everything, right?
Seeing Hua Zhuoyu silent, she asked again, “Who is gathering information?”
Hua Zhuoyu replied slowly, “Who else but Xia Tu?”
Ning Buyi frowned, “As the Crown Prince of the Empire, doesn’t he already have enough talented people under him?”
Hua Zhuoyu didn’t answer directly but instead asked, “Do you know what the royal family’s pursuit has been for generations?”
Ning Buyi thought for a moment and guessed, “To break free from the Jianzheng Department?”
Anyway, that’s how it was written in the novel. Originally, the ancestors of the Xia, Si, Ning, and Hua families were pioneers of the starry skies, heroes who ended the chaos and founded the nation. Among the four founding heroes, there was no distinction in merit. They elected the youngest, Xia Kangle, to the highest position, while the other three created the Jianzheng Department, serving as the eyes of the government.
In the first and second generations, it was fine, as there was deep affection among the four families. However, as generations passed, the camaraderie among the founding heroes faded, leaving only an empty name. The imperial government was unwilling to be constrained by the Jianzheng Department and wanted to eliminate the three founding families. Meanwhile, the Jianzheng Department wished for a puppet on the throne rather than a capable ruler.
As the male lead, Xia Tu held the belief of “royalty above all,” becoming an authoritarian ruler. He eventually achieved this, but the remnants of the three families made a comeback, triggering civil unrest in the empire, allowing the insect race to take advantage of the situation. Of course, in the end, the male lead resolved the internal strife and expelled the foreign enemies, becoming a “great man” and “savior” of Da Xia. She didn’t remember clearly the middle part, but after the female lead became the crown princess, there seemed to be a “honeymoon period” between Xia Tu and the Jianzheng Department.
Hua Zhuoyu raised an eyebrow, “It seems you know quite a bit.”
Ning Buyi looked at Hua Zhuoyu, “What do you think about this?” The plot and character settings in the book were somewhat distorted, but Ning Buyi was unsure if such major events would be altered. She feared ending up with the “ending” from the book.
“I am the Arbiter, not interested in the government’s internal conflicts,” Hua Zhuoyu said (the role of an Arbiter represents a neutral authority figure).
Ning Buyi didn’t believe Hua Zhuoyu’s words: “But besides being the Arbiter, you’re also the eldest daughter of the Hua family, so you have a responsibility to the Jianzheng Department too.”
“Alright,” Hua Zhuoyu shrugged, “The Arbiter’s duty is to judge the fate of planets, but why do this? Isn’t it for the safety of life in the stars? My life will be devoted to interstellar peace, at any cost.” Her demeanor and tone were very casual, but Ning Buyi felt that what she said might be true. Would she not care even if she were the price? Was her becoming the crown princess a strategic move between the royal family and the Jianzheng Department?
However, this didn’t seem to be something she should be worried about right now. “I admire your great vow,” Ning Buyi looked at Hua Zhuoyu, “but for now, you should focus on the present and prepare to spread the medicine around the base.”
Hua Zhuoyu smirked, “I don’t think I’ve agreed to that yet, have I?”
“Do you have the option to refuse?” Ning Buyi moved closer to Hua Zhuoyu, looking at her softly, “Ah Zhuo, you seem to have forgotten that your current role is my ‘little servant’.”
Hua Zhuoyu laughed, “Should I fulfill my duties as a ‘little servant’?”
Ning Buyi: “What do you think?”
Hua Zhuoyu nodded, not objecting to the role of ‘little servant.’ She reached out and placed her hand on Ning Buyi’s shoulder, her palm brushing through the smooth black hair, and then moving to Ning Buyi’s collar. When Ning Buyi grabbed her wrist, she blinked, feigning confusion, “Aren’t I supposed to help ‘master’ change clothes?”
Hua Zhuoyu’s tone was peculiar, and the word “master” carried an inexplicable sensuality. Ning Buyi blushed, pushed Hua Zhuoyu’s hand away, and quickly stepped back a few steps. “Don’t you think this is—quite inappropriate?” Ning Buyi protested, glancing at Hua Zhuoyu with disapproval.
“Is that so?” Hua Zhuoyu teased, “It seems you started it first. I thought you would like it.”
Ning Buyi protested, “Don’t guess my thoughts randomly.”
Hua Zhuoyu showed a hint of surprise and delight in her eyes, “Do you mean you want to tell me your thoughts clearly?”
“I am not,” Ning Buyi was flustered and confused by Hua Zhuoyu’s words. She hurriedly and awkwardly avoided Hua Zhuoyu’s affectionate gaze, taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart back to its usual calm. “I know your mech has charged in the base. You should now pilot it to dig and spread the medicine outside the base.”
Hua Zhuoyu: “…The Po Jun is not a digger.”
Ning Buyi didn’t care how advanced the Po Jun was; she only knew that the resources around her must be used.
“Anyway, this task is yours. If you can’t bear to use your mech, you can always dig a deep pit with your hands, right? My all-capable Arbiter?”
Hua Zhuoyu puzzled, “Beidou can do it too.”
Ning Buyi gave a cool smile, gaining the upper hand, “Beidou doesn’t even eat the fruits and vegetables in the base!”
Hahaha cuties