Barren Star – Chapter 25
by Little Panda“Then what would you like?”
After Zhao Qiuyu received Hua Zhuoyu’s message, she hurriedly entered the base carrying many bags and packages.
Ning Buyi showed her face when she came to the administrative hall. As for what happened afterward, everything was left to Beidou to arrange. As the base’s AI housekeeper, Beidou handled things very properly, and its combat ability was also not bad. If Zhao Qiuyu had any bad intentions, it could immediately sound the alarm.
“Aren’t you going with her?” Ning Buyi glanced at Hua Zhuoyu who was standing beside her, somewhat surprised.
She had thought Hua Zhuoyu would go accompany her friend, and with Hua Zhuoyu there, Zhao Qiuyu would probably be more restrained.
Hua Zhuoyu smiled without answering, but instead watched with interest as Ning Buyi carried out a box of nutrient solution, asking curiously: “What are you planning to do with the nutrient solution?” Usually, watering was left to robots. Now that Ning Buyi was doing it personally, it was very likely there was a “new product.”
Ning Buyi didn’t bother hiding it from Hua Zhuoyu anymore, since she would find out sooner or later. She raised an eyebrow and said: “Rice seeds.” The rice seeds produced by the Mountain Sea Atlas were different from what she knew – they could shorten the maturation time to one month, provided there were enough nutrient and cultivation solutions. The seeds bought from the Atlas hadn’t sprouted yet and couldn’t be planted. What she needed to do now was soak the rice seeds in nutrient and cultivation solutions to stimulate their growth.
Hua Zhuoyu’s eyes flickered, and as Ning Buyi had expected, didn’t ask about the origin of the rice seeds. She just said: “Is there anything I can help with?”
Ning Buyi’s movements paused. She lifted her eyelids, looked at Hua Zhuoyu for a while, and nodded seriously: “Yes.” Growing rice was different from growing vegetables and melons – it needed plowing and harrowing. The area she wanted to plant wasn’t small, and since the new robot materials hadn’t arrived, they couldn’t be assembled. Relying on Beidou and five robots might not be enough to handle it all.
Hua Zhuoyu felt her four limbs growing cold [a chill] as Ning Buyi looked at her, and suddenly had an ominous feeling. She began to think about whether to take back her earlier “polite words,” but before she could speak, Ning Buyi’s voice rang out.
“You’ll control Po Jun to plow the fields later.”
Hua Zhuoyu: “…Did I hear something wrong?”
Ning Buyi said thoughtfully: “Do you need me to get a megaphone? How did you become deaf at such a young age?” This wasn’t her request – Hua Zhuoyu had offered herself. How could she refuse such a “kind” offer to help?
Last time’s digging had already been embarrassing enough for Po Jun, but who knew there would be even worse things. Hua Zhuoyu wanted to object, but seeing Ning Buyi’s “friendly” look, she swallowed her words. She had originally wanted to recommend the Insect tribe, but since the bees were related to Ning Buyi’s money-making business, Ning Buyi definitely wouldn’t agree. That being the case, she could only push it onto her friends – Zhao Qiuyu would probably be very willing. After thinking for a moment, Hua Zhuoyu said: “I’m going out for a bit.”
Ning Buyi shrugged, not stopping her. She was busy now and had no free time to manage other things.
By the vegetable field.
Zhao Qiuyu was testing with instruments while Beidou behind her had already switched to combat mode, with two dark cannon barrels mounted on its arms, watching vigilantly. Fortunately, Zhao Qiuyu had experienced enough things that her psychological resilience was strong, and she managed to continue her work despite the enormous threat.
The remaining visiting time wasn’t much, and not a minute or second could be wasted.
“Have you detected anything?” A familiar voice came from behind – the person who would “steal time” had arrived. Zhao Qiuyu originally didn’t want to deal with Hua Zhuoyu, but thinking about her unclear relationship with Ning Buyi and the base, she straightened up and shook her head sincerely, saying “No.”
Hua Zhuoyu crossed her arms and gave a snort of laughter.
“Big Big Boss,” Zhao Qiuyu smiled slyly, looking intently at Hua Zhuoyu, “Do you have any reports? How exactly was it cultivated? Tell me so I can give up.”
Hua Zhuoyu spread her hands: “I don’t know.” If she had a way, she would have promoted and popularized the plants long ago – would she still be staying on Barren Star?
Zhao Qiuyu felt somewhat frustrated. After saying “Oh,” she bent down to fiddle with the machine, continuing her “great undertaking.”
However, Hua Zhuoyu didn’t plan to let Zhao Qiuyu off. She curled her lips, pointed at a large empty space ahead, and said with a smile: “How about planting rice there?”
When Zhao Qiuyu heard the words “rice,” she immediately became excited, stumbling and almost falling into the vegetable field. The threat behind her felt real, which made Zhao Qiuyu perform exceptionally well, managing to steady herself. “Big Boss, can we plant it? Do you have seeds?” Zhao Qiuyu was emotionally stirred. Things like rice, wheat, and plants were key research projects in various laboratories. If this big problem could be solved, it would mean everyone could say goodbye to strange-tasting nutrient solutions and live the happy life of “abundant fish and rice” recorded in historical books. Unfortunately, the remaining seeds became fewer and fewer with research, and those now sealed in laboratories had lost their vitality, showing no signs of life. Many people up top had decided to cut the research projects and invest billions in military needs.
“Big Boss, what about the seeds? Should we send them back to the laboratory? No, no good, the laboratory couldn’t cultivate them, so should we call over researchers from all the major experimental bases? Others might not be trustworthy, but my old man is quite reliable!” Zhao Qiuyu spun around in place, her face turning red from excessive excitement.
Hua Zhuoyu shook her head: “This matter has nothing to do with you all.” She understood Zhao Qiuyu’s excitement, but none of them could make decisions for the base.
“Why? Isn’t it better to have more researchers?” Hearing Hua Zhuoyu’s words was like having a bucket of ice water poured over her head, chilling her to the bone. Zhao Qiuyu looked confused, “Shouldn’t it be spread? Big Boss, when do you plan to let others know about this base?”
Hearing Zhao Qiuyu’s words, Hua Zhuoyu knew she had misunderstood, and said sternly: “The base has nothing to do with me, I’m just staying here temporarily.”
Zhao Qiuyu looked incredulous. She had always thought this was just an excuse, but now looking at her boss’s expression, it didn’t seem like a cover-up. Her emotions fluctuated as she said dejectedly: “Really?”
Hua Zhuoyu: “I have no reason to lie to you.”
Zhao Qiuyu hurriedly said: “Big Boss, then what’s your relationship with her? She’s from the Ning family, and a citizen of Da Xia, right? Why not let Ning Mo come persuade her? What use is it keeping this base in her hands? She should hand it over.”
Hua Zhuoyu’s frown deepened as she listened. Looking at Zhao Qiuyu whose voice was gradually getting softer, she said severely: “I don’t want to hear these words a second time. Nothing is ‘should be.’ She has the freedom to choose. Rather than watching others, you should find ways to make your own breakthroughs and achieve new results.”
Zhao Qiuyu was startled by Hua Zhuoyu. She didn’t agree with Hua Zhuoyu’s words but didn’t argue loudly, just gave an awkward smile and turned back to continue her research.
Hua Zhuoyu had mainly come this time to persuade Zhao Qiuyu to help, but after Zhao Qiuyu’s words, she lost the mood. Moreover, with Zhao Qiuyu harboring such thoughts, she shouldn’t be allowed to touch anything in the base. Hua Zhuoyu turned around listlessly, only to look up and see Ning Buyi standing not far away – who knew when she had walked over. Her eyes flickered slightly, and she smiled charmingly and gracefully, showing no trace of her previous displeasure.
“Ready to start cultivation?” Hua Zhuoyu went forward to meet her, asking in a low voice.
“At least wait until the guest leaves, right?” Ning Buyi glanced at Hua Zhuoyu, also lowering her voice, “Don’t you want to save some face in front of your companion?”
Hua Zhuoyu raised her eyebrows with a smile: “Thank you for thinking of me.”
“This is as it should be,” Ning Buyi said with neither quite smiling nor not smiling.
She had heard the conversation between Hua Zhuoyu and Zhao Qiuyu. That Zhao Qiuyu would have such thoughts was within her expectations, but she wasn’t too disgusted, after all, the other party was thinking of the entire star system rather than seeking personal gain. Composing herself, Ning Buyi looked at Hua Zhuoyu seriously and said: “Thank you.”
She wouldn’t be troubled by Zhao Qiuyu’s thoughts, but Hua Zhuoyu’s response caused waves of emotion and mixed feelings in her heart. Hua Zhuoyu was the first person she met when she came to this world, and the person she had spent the most time with. She had grown to like Hua Zhuoyu a little.
Hua Zhuoyu’s eyes were deep and dark as she smiled slightly: “Is verbal gratitude lacking in sincerity?”
Ning Buyi glanced at Hua Zhuoyu, putting on a serious face: “Then what would you like?”
“I want you…” Hua Zhuoyu moved closer to Ning Buyi, her eyes sparkling with bright light like stars decorating the night sky, “I want your companionship and honesty.”
Ning Buyi burst out laughing, she extended her right index finger and lightly poked Hua Zhuoyu’s chest: “Every time you say ‘you’ [formal form], I can only sense sarcasm [literally: yin-yang strange air].”
“Alright then.” Hua Zhuoyu caught Ning Buyi’s hand, “May I make a small request?”
Ning Buyi nodded: “Yes, except for not cultivating the land.”
Hua Zhuoyu made an “ah” sound, pretending to be hurt: “Then I have no requests.”
Looking at Hua Zhuoyu’s expression, Ning Buyi felt somewhat sympathetic. The mighty Po Jun going through water and mud wouldn’t look very good – this black history [embarrassing memory] would be enough to be remembered for a hundred years. “No rush, let’s wait a bit longer,” Ning Buyi conceded. Earlier when setting up the bees, she had already ordered smart chips and other materials. When the Star Ship’s logistics arrived, she could let Beidou assemble them, and it would be best to rewrite some farming-related programs.
Ning Buyi suddenly said again: “In a few days, I want to go out and look around, go a bit further.”
Hua Zhuoyu raised her eyebrows: “Have you discovered something?”
Ning Buyi pulled up the map of the area around the Barren Star base, pointing to a prison icon 150 kilometers to the east: “I want to go see if there are any people there.”
Barren Star wasn’t barren from the beginning; it once had city development. If cosmic dark pollution can’t be completely resolved, future planets in the galaxy will follow this path until complete death. As for civilized stars, they can last longer because they are supported by countless wealth.
“That prison has been abandoned for decades.” Hua Zhuoyu pondered for a moment, then asked, “How many tenths of confidence do you have?” [How certain are you?]
Ning Buyi understood Hua Zhuoyu’s meaning. She didn’t dare to sound too confident, and held up her fingers to show “six”.
Hua Zhuoyu said in a deep voice: “60%, worth making the trip.” The residents of Barren Star had long been evacuated, and after it fell into the Ning family’s hands, there were signs of life only in the base. But now Ning Buyi was saying there might be people there – when did they hide there? Why hadn’t the government discovered them? Could they be concealed by some device? If people really existed there, they probably weren’t normal residents who had relocated to Barren Star.
“If there are people, what do you plan to do?” Hua Zhuoyu asked again.
Ning Buyi: “We’ll see.” The Mountain Sea Atlas had activated the resident module, which meant it wanted to keep the “residents,” but of course if they wanted to leave Barren Star, she couldn’t force them – she couldn’t do something like kidnapping people, right?
No mercy at all, I wanna feel bad for her mecha yet at the same time laugh.