Barren Star – Chapter 13
by Little PandaSo, how can you have a good mood?
As the Chief Judge, the mecha that Hua Zhuoyu drives cannot be something common on the streets; it represents the highest level of mecha technology in Da Xia, and is a combat-type mecha. For the judges of Xing Ting, their natural superpowers are not their greatest reliance. What they depend on is their own quality, which is no less than the front-line military officers.
However, under Ning Buyi’s “coercion and enticement”, this mecha, which represents the glory of interstellar mechas, called “Po Jun” (literally “Army Breaker”), set off to do the “medicine spreading” task at the base’s outskirts. The cockpit of “Po Jun” is designed for two people. At first, Hua Zhuoyu tried to convert it into a single-seater, but the mecha designer firmly refused. She originally thought the co-pilot seat would just become decoration, but unexpectedly, she welcomed a “guest” on a barren star.
“Don’t need mental strength?” Ning Buyi asked, full of curiosity. The words seen in books are different from actual practice. She searched her mind for content related to mecha operation and finally decided to give up and instead turned to Hua Zhuoyu for inquiry.
“Afraid you wouldn’t adapt, it’s in manual mode now,” Hua Zhuoyu replied. The mecha is bound to a personal chip, locking onto “brainwaves” through a “brain cavity receiver”. If controlled by mental strength, it means the person in the co-pilot seat must also synchronize with her, which is a burden for someone encountering a mecha for the first time. At least, one must go through training before doing “actual operations.” But switching to manual mode is different; she controls the mecha by inputting code commands.
“I see—” Ning Buyi drew out her tone, sinking into the soft and comfortable seat, “Then let’s start digging.”
Hua Zhuoyu felt a bit stuck in her heart when she heard this, silently telling herself not to argue with Ning Buyi. Before this, she never thought she would be operating a mecha to dig holes and spread medicine.
“Don’t let the bugs and snakes underground get close, but the ones on the ground need to be cut down,” Hua Zhuoyu said. She turned her head to gaze at Ning Buyi and added, “The red thorns grow very fast, spreading toward the outside of the protective shield. You should know, plants can easily attract some things over.”
Ning Buyi nodded. She had thought about this; as long as it’s not life with strong destructive power, it’s best to let nature take its course. She pondered for a while and asked, “Do the things you’re talking about include intelligent life forms?”
Hua Zhuoyu replied, “I don’t deny that possibility, after all, Little Feng Jiu is a typical example.” While talking to Ning Buyi, she was also operating the mecha. The blast cannon stirred up a large cloud of smoke, with the flashing bright light resembling lightning and thunder darting through heavy clouds.
In less than an hour, deep holes for placing special medicine were dug at all the marked points outside the base. Ning Buyi urged Hua Zhuoyu to cover the earth and stones back over, restoring the surface to its original appearance, finally letting out a sigh of relief as the heavy stone hanging in her heart settled down securely.
The tasks of the protective shield and repelling bugs were temporarily wrapped up, and Ning Buyi turned her attention to planting. During this time, the red thorns and the melon vines in the fields were slowly absorbing the dark pollution, and now a new creature on her illustrated guide was lit up. Ning Buyi didn’t have many options. After choosing the green little cabbage, she used the remaining dark pollution to buy lavender flower seeds, enough to plant about half an acre. When the flowers bloom, the bare and ugly base will have a patch of purple starry sea.
“It would be nice if there were bees,” Ning Buyi mumbled with some regret. In the Shan Hai Illustrated Guide (a reference to “Shan Hai Jing,” an ancient Chinese text filled with mythical creatures), there are animals, but they require a huge amount of dark pollution, which is too expensive for her at the moment, so she can only slowly save up for them.
“You need insect species?” Ning Buyi’s voice was small, but Hua Zhuoyu, with her sharp ears, immediately turned to look at her.
Ning Buyi asked in confusion, “What does this have to do with insect species?” The interstellar insect species mostly appear in human form and only switch to insect form during battle. However, those insects look like tall mechanical insect beasts, with wings like cicadas that buzz loudly when flapped, sounding very eerie.
Seeing Ning Buyi’s puzzled expression, Hua Zhuoyu smiled and explained, “Those insects actually have another form. When they’re weak, they can turn into a bee form. But generally, these crazy insects die in battle rather than becoming weak bees.”
Ning Buyi was speechless. Wasn’t that pointless talk? Even if there were insect species that turned into bees, would she dare to put them in the lavender field?
Hua Zhuoyu said, “If we encounter any, I’ll help you catch a few.”
Ning Buyi replied, “…I might as well rely on the wild bees outside the base.”
Hua Zhuoyu said, “There can’t be wild bees on a barren star, not even on civilized stars.” The presence of dark pollution has led to the extinction of many species. With the loss of plants, life forms like bees and butterflies no longer have a normal form. Hua Zhuoyu thought for a while and added, “Maybe you could trade with someone on the star network. Some people might take risks for money and capture intelligent life forms with butterfly or bee forms.”
Ning Buyi lifted her eyelids slightly and said blandly, “Do I look like someone with money? And since they’re intelligent life forms, wouldn’t that be illegal?”
“Catching insect species isn’t illegal,” Hua Zhuoyu shrugged. “As for anything other than insect species, maybe you could hire someone. But I think no one would be foolish enough to work on a barren star that’s about to be abandoned.”
Ning Buyi snorted, “A barren star might not always stay barren.”
Hua Zhuoyu smiled slightly, “I really agree with you on that. But I think it’s necessary to remind you that the next judgment is in December. You don’t have much time left.” All counted, there are only five months.
Ning Buyi probed, “Do you really have to do things strictly by the book?”
Hua Zhuoyu raised an eyebrow, smiling faintly, “Judges don’t go against their mission.”
The answer was what Ning Buyi expected, but deep down, she still felt a bit disappointed. In the book that mentioned “judgment,” the female lead was indeed strict and impartial, embodying righteousness. Why didn’t she come earlier, instead of arriving when the planet was about to meet its end?
Hua Zhuoyu noticed Ning Buyi’s expression and didn’t press her on why she insisted on developing Barren Star Number One. Instead, she shifted the topic: “But out of humanitarianism, I will do my best to help you in the process of developing the barren star. After all, I don’t want to be a cold-blooded executioner.”
Ning Buyi glanced sideways at Hua Zhuoyu and huffed, “Does your help mean picking vegetables, roasting meat, and stealing melons?”
“Miss Ning Buyi, you are truly heartless,” Hua Zhuoyu said, covering her heart and pretending to be sorrowful and resentful, “I just helped you dig holes and spread medicine with Po Jun not long ago.”
“Is that so?” Ning Buyi stretched her tone, blatantly lying with a straight face, “I’ve been in a bad mood lately, so I don’t remember.”
“So, how can you have a good mood?” Hua Zhuoyu shifted her seat, moving closer to Ning Buyi.
Ning Buyi met those eyes again, soft like a pool of spring water, and her heart suddenly began to beat faster.
She regretted using that excuse, but no matter what she said, Hua Zhuoyu always found a gap to release that damn charming allure.
Is it the ambiguous atmosphere or her own retreat that makes Hua Zhuoyu enjoy it so much?
Ning Buyi’s thoughts were a bit messy. In the past, she would put some distance between herself and Hua Zhuoyu, righteously scold her for a while, and then slowly blush and lower her head under those bright eyes that seemed to hide a galaxy.
But this time, she didn’t.
Her confusion needed an answer.
Ning Buyi gazed at Hua Zhuoyu and slowly moved forward. She thought mischievously that by touching her lips, she could stop Hua Zhuoyu from being so teasing. But just as they were about to touch, Ning Buyi tilted her head slightly, brushing against Hua Zhuoyu’s cheek instead, and quickly pulling away.
“This is enough.”
Ning Buyi’s words were a bit airy, her heart pounding like a drum, and her hands pressed tightly on her thighs, as if trying to relieve the deep-seated tension inside her.
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