Barren Star – Chapter 29

Settling living expenses.

When approaching the base, Feng Yi sensed a familiar bloodline connection, her emotions surging. Though she knew it wasn’t the right time to ask questions, when she arrived following Hua Zhuoyu, she immediately spotted Little Feng Jiu standing on a robot’s shoulder, gazing longingly towards the east, and instantly understood the source of those emotions.

It was her sister Feng Xuan! The sister who had disappeared in space, whom she thought she’d never find again, was now completely intact before her! Was it Hua Zhuoyu who saved her? Why hadn’t Da Xia sent any news? What were they planning by deliberately concealing this? Feng Yi’s mind was in chaos, joy and doubt intertwined, but when Feng Xuan spoke, it hit her with a new shock! All her emotions vanished, leaving only utter disbelief.

            

How could her sweet and lovely sister say such things?

Little Feng Jiu hadn’t noticed Feng Yi yet, as she was nestled in Ning Buyi’s arms, chirping continuously. Until the “kind” Hua Zhuoyu grabbed Little Feng Jiu’s tail feathers and tossed her to Feng Yi.

Feng Yi was so angry she also chirped “jiu,” folded her wings, tilted her body to drop the person on her back, transformed into human form, and caught the incoming “chubby bundle.” “Judge Hua, please explain this matter,” Feng Yi stared coldly at Hua Zhuoyu, her eyes filled with intense anger.

            

Seeing the heat turn to Hua Zhuoyu, Ning Buyi immediately felt relieved. She glanced at Hua Zhuoyu and followed up on Feng Yi’s words, saying “Exactly!” Without even looking at Hua Zhuoyu’s expression, she directly ordered the small robot to transport the eight people lying on the ground back. The base’s administrative hall contained two medical pods, newly purchased by Ning Buyi for future “subjects” – certainly not comparable to Imperial Star’s medical equipment, but sufficient for basic examinations.

The medical pod’s chamber had a human-shaped interior contour, with a ring-shaped object hanging at the top, about the size of a human head. Ning Buyi directed the robot to place Ling Shu in first. She pressed a start button, and the chamber emitted a soft sound, gradually compressing around Ling Shu until it perfectly conformed to her body contours.

“Dark pollution level: 55%.” Ning Buyi looked at the red curve on the screen, raising an eyebrow slightly. The reading was similar to what the Mountain Sea Atlas had indicated – concerning, but not yet beyond hope. After checking Ling Shu’s body readings, Ning Buyi repeated this process until all eight people were examined. None had genetic diseases; the main issue remained dark pollution.

            

“Let’s register them first.” Ning Buyi gave Beidou a meaningful look. These eight people were in poor condition, so she had to resort to “forced trading,” registering them as residents of Barren Star to better monitor their condition. As for Ling Shu — Ning Buyi glanced at Hua Zhuoyu, these two troubles were essentially brought back by Hua Zhuoyu, so she should handle them.

“Ling Shu’s condition is stable now, I want to take her back to Beast Star,” Feng Yi said calmly while holding Little Feng Jiu, looking at Hua Zhuoyu sitting opposite her. “Please help us make arrangements, Judge Hua.”

Hua Zhuoyu raised her eyebrows, giving Feng Yi a meaningful glance.

            

“Jiu, I won’t go! I won’t go! Bad person!” Little Feng Jiu nestled in Feng Yi’s arms bit her arm hard, then fluttered her wings and flew to Hua Zhuoyu’s shoulder, looking down at Feng Yi with her fluffy face somehow managing to appear noble and aloof.

Feng Yi’s body suddenly stiffened at these words. Both shocked and angry, she looked at Little Feng Jiu and called out her full name sternly: “Feng Xuan!”

Little Feng Jiu wasn’t afraid of Feng Yi at all. She turned around, pointing her swaying tail feathers at Feng Yi, wagging them left and right.

            

Feng Yi’s chest hurt with anger as she pressed her fingers to her brow.

Since arriving at this Barren Star base, nothing had gone as she expected.

Taking a deep breath, Feng Yi raised her eyes to look at Hua Zhuoyu.

            

Hua Zhuoyu spoke calmly: “The Crown Princess really needn’t be angry.”

Feng Yi: “…” Who wouldn’t be angry in this situation? She looked at Hua Zhuoyu without courtesy: “Does the Judge have anything to explain?”

Hua Zhuoyu’s eyes flickered as she pondered for a moment: “It’s a long story.”

            

“Then make it short!” Feng Yi said through gritted teeth. If she weren’t concerned about maintaining her “dignity,” she would have already flipped the table with one strike.

Hua Zhuoyu grabbed Little Feng Jiu from her shoulder and poked her soft, fluffy belly: “We found her outside the base. Miss Ning couldn’t bear to see the young one die of illness, so she kept raising her. She’s growing up vibrant and healthy, no worse than if she were on Beast Star.” In fact, it was even better – what other young creature in the galaxy had the fortune to wake up holding vegetable leaves and sleep in lavender fields?

Feng Yi didn’t doubt Hua Zhuoyu’s words – Little Feng Jiu had been kidnapped by space pirates, and her safe growth at the base must mean Hua Zhuoyu had rescued her. “But what about her behavior?” Feng Yi was very concerned about this – the young Feng Jiu raised in their clan territory were all well-mannered, unlike this little troublemaker.

            

Hua Zhuoyu fell silent for a moment, then said uncertainly: “Perhaps it’s family influence?”

“Hua Zhuoyu!” Feng Yi suddenly stood up, staring intently at the relaxed person before her, not even calling her “Judge” anymore, clearly furious. At this moment, Feng Yi couldn’t even maintain politeness, her tone filled with icy questioning, “If you rescued Feng Xuan, why didn’t you send her back to the Feng Jiu Clan?”

Hua Zhuoyu replied calmly: “During that time, I saw the Crown Princess was busy dating Xia Tu, so I didn’t want to disturb you with such a small matter. If something had gone wrong, I would have been blamed for all eternity.”

            

Anger surged up instantly; Feng Yi’s eyes reddened with tears. She pointed at Hua Zhuoyu, her lips trembling, unable to speak a single word. Some Judge she turned out to be, behaving like this! Seeing really is believing!

“You abandoned friendship for love!” A weak but clear and firm voice broke the temporary silence in the hall. Ling Shu, who had been unconscious, somehow awakened, her face paper-white. She turned her dark eyes to stare at Feng Yi, her face full of accusation.

Feng Yi walked expressionlessly toward Ling Shu and struck her firmly on the back of the neck with her right hand. Seeing her fall unconscious again, Feng Yi explained to the astonished Ning Buyi: “The dark pollution in her body has accumulated; sleep will help her recovery.”

            

Ning Buyi made an “oh” sound and slowly looked away.

She didn’t understand beast race “friendship” at all.

Feng Yi repeated once more: “I’m taking them back.”

            

“Go ahead,” Hua Zhuoyu stood up, glancing at Feng Yi while speaking lazily. Having revealed her true nature, she didn’t bother hiding it anymore. She crossed her arms, watching Feng Yi with interest, but her words were chilling, “But I wonder, how will the Crown Princess return? Through supernatural abilities?”

Feng Yi’s expression changed dramatically as she stared at Hua Zhuoyu: “What do you mean?”

Hua Zhuoyu said coolly: “It wouldn’t be surprising if the Feng Jiu Clan’s princess met her end on Barren Star.”

            

When a threat is stated openly, it ceases to be a threat, and as a Judge, Hua Zhuoyu couldn’t possibly do such a thing. Clarity finally emerged in Feng Yi’s muddled mind. The anger on her face instantly disappeared as she quietly watched Hua Zhuoyu, her gaze deep and cold.

Ning Buyi had been observing Hua Zhuoyu’s actions, knowing she couldn’t let things get too heated. She smiled and stepped forward to mediate: “She’s joking. However—”

Feng Yi: “However what?”

            

Ning Buyi extended her right hand, curling her fingers into a circle, her thumb lightly rubbing her middle and index fingers.

Feng Yi understood, pressed her lips together, and said seriously: “When I return to the Feng Jiu Clan, I’ll settle the bill.”

Hua Zhuoyu suddenly said: “You might not be able to settle it. Not even mentioning the debt for saving a life, just the living expenses alone are astronomical.”

            

Feng Yi couldn’t believe her ears – was this extortion under the guise of “living expenses”?

“She wasn’t drinking mere nutritional supplements,” Hua Zhuoyu’s lips curled. “She ate fresh vegetables and fruits daily, drank honey, and slept in flower fields. Calculate it yourself, Crown Princess.”

Feng Yi: “…Impossible!” She knew the Starlight platform had sold produce from a mysterious base, but in extremely limited quantities. Even as a Judge, Hua Zhuoyu couldn’t have monopolized them all.

            

Ning Buyi smiled: “Crown Princess hasn’t noticed the surroundings since arriving at the base, right? Ah Zhuo, why don’t you show her around?”

Ning Buyi’s tone was gentle, like a soft breeze. Hua Zhuoyu’s eyes sparkled, and out of respect for Ning Buyi, she made a “please” gesture toward Feng Yi.

An inexplicable sense of foreboding rose in Feng Yi’s heart, as if following Hua Zhuoyu would lead her into an unfamiliar new world. Transparent sunlight shone into the base; regardless of the seasons outside, it was always spring-like warm within the shield. Yet as Feng Yi took a step, she suddenly felt a deep chill, as if falling into a desolate winter.

            

These two working in tandem—

What were they plotting?!

“Crown Princess, are you cold?” Hua Zhuoyu asked politely, her voice filled with concern. She was courteous and elegant, as if transforming back into the carefully cultivated noble lady of her family, graceful and dignified. But the next moment, this demeanor was shattered: “The Feng Jiu Clan has down and feathers in their original form, that should keep you warm.”

            

Feng Yi’s face twisted for a moment as she quickened her pace to walk ahead of Hua Zhuoyu, wishing she could leave her behind.

This conversation at the doorway fell completely into the ears of the busy Ning Buyi.

Ning Buyi paused her work and sighed at the carefree Little Feng Jiu: “Hua Zhuoyu is petty, vindictive, and lacks virtue. Don’t offend her in the future. Look at your poor sister, see how upset she’s become?”

            

“Jiu?” Little Feng Jiu fluttered her wings, happily hopping onto Ling Shu’s body, finding a comfortable spot on her chest before folding her wings and curling up for a nap.

Ning Buyi shook her head at the sight and didn’t bother anymore.

In the base.

            

Led by Hua Zhuoyu on the “tour,” Feng Yi went from shocked to numb, silently calculating until she realized the Feng Jiu Clan truly couldn’t afford these living expenses. Her face flushed red with shame and anger.

Hua Zhuoyu said leisurely: “I hear there are Feng Jiu tail feathers appearing in the black market? Have you fallen so low as to sell yourselves?”

Feng Yi bit her lip, feeling even more ashamed and angry. Such situations did exist in the Feng Jiu Clan and continued despite prohibitions. It couldn’t be helped – though the Feng Jiu Clan was one of the four leaders of the Ten Thousand Beasts Alliance, they only maintained a glamorous facade. That bunch spent their days preening, obsessing over appearances, and not producing anything. The Feng Jiu Clan had been depleting their resources, almost catching up to the Black Tortoise Clan. But the Feng Jiu Clan was too proud to bow their heads and admit their difficulties to others, resulting in their tail feathers appearing in the black market. As Ling Shu would say, it was a case of “trying to hide what’s already obvious.”

            

Feng Yi took a breath and said slowly: “The clan doesn’t know about this. I will strictly control it in the future.”

Hua Zhuoyu said with an ambiguous smile: “The Feng Jiu selling themselves is none of my business, as long as the Crown Princess can repay this debt.”

Feng Yi: “…” Could she pretend she had never come to Barren Star?

            

Hua Zhuoyu: “Oh right, experts have confirmed the effects of the fruits and vegetables. If you don’t want that dragon to have lasting aftereffects, it’s best to stay on Barren Star for now. For Little Feng Jiu’s sake, I’ll give you a 0.1% discount.”

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LP: Hua Zhuoyu turning into a crooked businesswoman for Ning Buyi (¬‿¬ )

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