Barren Star – Chapter 56
by Little PandaPlanting Experience
Susan and Lu Zhijin’s group weren’t far away, and Feng Ermao’s voice carried clearly to everyone’s ears, not missing a single word.
Alan didn’t think much else but turned to Lu Zhijin, giving her a meaningful look before sighing, “So your acquaintance was just someone you knew online? Though as a beast-born artist, Miss Tushan is quite famous in our Da Xia entertainment circle.” Especially after becoming the spokesperson for Base No. 1’s products, she had become the most envied and jealous celebrity.
A vein throbbed on Lu Zhijin’s forehead – she not only wanted to sew Alan’s mouth shut but also shot a murderous glare at Feng Ermao.
Sensing the hostile air, Feng Ermao instinctively shrank her neck and moved closer to the combat-proficient Jin Feifei. Jin Feifei put on a professional smile and bowed to Lu Zhijin’s group, “Honored guests, please. Would you like to visit the tourism area or the experience zone?”
Alan made a thoughtful sound while rubbing his chin, blinking as he asked, “Is there a rest area?” After experiencing a shock and a long journey, he, lacking a researcher’s technique and conviction, just wanted to find a place to lie down.
Feng Ermao’s eyes lit up, nodding like a pecking chick: “Yes, yes, yes!”
Alan was overjoyed at hearing this, looking expectantly at Feng Ermao and the others.
Lu Zhijin, however, remembered something important and suddenly stopped while passing Feng Ermao, saying seriously, “Space pirates have appeared.”
As the “Lord’s Number One Fan,” Feng Ermao remained unfazed, waving her hand dismissively: “Mere space pirates can be crushed with one finger.”
At this moment, Ning Buyi wasn’t actually using “one finger,” but rather was sitting in her mecha, influencing the space pirates through the “Dominate” ability enhanced by Baize and the “Charm” skill of the Nine-Tailed Fox.
A single falling screw was just the beginning, followed by metal panels dropping one after another, igniting One-Eye’s already blazing emotions. He recalled his companion’s “it’s nothing” and instinctively pushed the blame onto them. As his emotions ran high, he couldn’t even maintain focus on the ship’s condition.
The space pirates were all desperate outlaws with little moral sense. Even though they might normally be level-headed, under the influence of the charm, they became much more impulsive. Their “impulses” weren’t just verbal – they resulted in physical fights. After an intense brawl, One-Eye emerged victorious. However, his energy was depleted, and he collapsed into his chair, gasping heavily, ignoring the blood on his hands.
His moment of peace didn’t last long as violent impacts against the ship’s exterior assaulted his eardrums. He jumped to his feet, his bloodshot eyes gleaming a terrifying crimson. After kicking aside his short companion’s corpse and hearing the AI’s distressing report about the ship’s damage, he couldn’t sit still and decided to pilot his mecha for a final stand.
“He’s coming out,” Beidou warned Ning Buyi.
Ning Buyi nodded.
In truth, the “turtle shell” wasn’t so easily broken – the AI had been infiltrated by Beidou, broadcasting false readings. If the pirate had remained calm, he could have easily spotted the deception. Unfortunately, under various torments, his rationality had burned to ashes.
After some thought, Ning Buyi decided to use the floating fortress merely as intimidation, since operating it burned through star currency, and she wasn’t sure if it would pay off. Her combat skills, taught by Hua Zhuoyu, were enhanced further by Baize and the Nine-Tailed Fox’s support. Her mental strength was formidable, and her mecha moved with wave-like motions, fast as wind, leaving only afterimages. The energy-burning blade instantly pierced through the pirate mecha’s throat armor, splitting it in half at the vulnerable neck.
Looking at the fallen pirate whose fate was uncertain, Ning Buyi clicked her tongue and immediately had Beidou remove his personal chip to read his neural information and memories. However, this pirate was merely a grunt who had no access to deeper information – they could only learn that the Demon Phantom Pirates had targeted Mountain and Sea Star.
Ning Buyi furrowed her brows – although she had anticipated this, knowing it for certain still stirred up feelings of irritation she couldn’t suppress. Taking a deep breath to adjust her mindset, she checked the pirate’s account and spatial button contents – the amount was truly jaw-dropping. Fortunately, it was all hers now. Ning Buyi had no intention of handing it over to mainland Da Xia; after all, according to law, Mountain and Sea Star was her planet, and she had the right to dispose of all her spoils of war.
Could robbing pirates be a path to wealth? The thought flashed through her mind. Ning Buyi shook her head, quickly dismissing it. If pirates came willingly into her trap, she would certainly welcome them, but chasing pirates across the universe? That would be foolish even for a fool.
After dealing with the pirate, Ning Buyi didn’t rush to leave the floating military fortress, instead contacting Hua Zhuoyu.
Seeing the familiar face appear before her, Ning Buyi raised her eyebrows with a smile, her mood lightening as the pirate-induced troubles drifted far away.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” Hua Zhuoyu asked in a gentle voice.
Ning Buyi replied, “The investigation teams from Imperial Star are arriving gradually, but some encountered pirate attacks while entering Mountain and Sea Star.”
Hua Zhuoyu’s tone changed: “Pirates?” Though she could tell from Ning Buyi’s demeanor that the situation was resolved, her heart still tightened, worry surging like a tide.
“The Demon Phantom Pirates,” Ning Buyi said with curved eyes and a smile. “They seem quite wealthy.”
Hua Zhuoyu: “Don’t act rashly.”
Ning Buyi nodded seriously: “I understand.”
Seeing her quick agreement, Hua Zhuoyu sighed in relief. However, an inexplicable tension rose again afterward. She wanted to ask once more, but the words died on her lips, leaving only three words: “Wait for me.”
“Are you coming here?” Ning Buyi’s eyes suddenly brightened.
She had met with Hua Zhuoyu many times, but those were all through the Star Network. Even the most realistic sensations were still just illusions.
Hua Zhuoyu’s eyelid twitched as Ning Buyi’s clear gaze stirred tender emotions within her. Her fingertips curled slightly, wanting to caress those beautiful eyes, but she held back. The light in her eyes rippled, her naturally alluring gaze becoming even more affectionate. She asked softly, “Do you want to see me?”
Ning Buyi faced her feelings honestly and nodded: “Yes.”
Hua Zhuoyu asked again: “How much?”
Ning Buyi: “Depends on how much free time there is.”
Hua Zhuoyu: “…”
When Ning Buyi returned to the base, Feng Ermao and Tushan Sansan had also returned.
Although investigation teams had come to visit, Ning Buyi had no plans to receive them personally. After all, her goal was to “fleece the sheep,” not discuss “planting techniques” with them.
“They’re from the Da Xia capital, called something like the Extreme Investigation Team. Since entering the rest area, they haven’t come out. Rather than plants, they seem more interested in eating and drinking – fortunately it’s not free,” Feng Ermao reported while squatting across from Ning Buyi, holding the soft and fluffy Baize. Shi Huaixiang was guarding the “literary stingray” in the tourist area, worried someone might secretly fish them out, which gave her a chance to get close to Baize! The fluffy creature clearly enjoyed being groomed. Her nimble fingers wove through Baize’s soft fur, quickly braiding it into a thin plait. Of course, while working, Feng Ermao didn’t forget to report to Ning Buyi.
“Oh right, among the four people, there’s one called Lu Zhijin who gave Tushan Sansan a book, titled something like γFox Fur Care Manualγ.”
Tushan Sansan had been obediently holding the Nine-Tailed Fox ancestor, not paying much attention to outside matters. Only when she heard her name did her ears perk up, just in time to hear that troublemaker Feng Ermao touch on her sore spot.
Ning Buyi wasn’t interested in “fox fur” – she was focused on Lu Zhijin as a person.
“Did they say anything else?” Ning Buyi asked. If she remembered correctly, Lu Zhijin was from the Lu family, Lu Zhiwei’s cousin, and Hua Zhuoyu had good relations with them.
Tushan Sansan shook her head: “No.”
Ning Buyi made a sound of acknowledgment and didn’t pursue the matter further.
It was probably just simple interaction with Tushan Sansan, after all, gossip about “the patron and her little spoiled fox” was still circulating widely on the Star Network.
After confirming the tourist area was running smoothly, Ning Buyi returned to thinking about the “pirates” situation.
Hua Zhuoyu had told her not to act rashly, but that didn’t mean no action at all. A large influx of Demon Phantom pirates into Mountain and Sea Star would strain both her finances and mental strength, but what if they came in smaller waves? Using that One-Eye imprisoned in jail, they could trick them one by one.
Ning Buyi had absolutely no qualms about severely interrogating pirates.
She didn’t plan to activate the floating military fortress again, but instead decided to utilize the old desolate star prison – that former pirate den.
The battle-loving dragon youth would surely be happier knowing there was such a good opportunity to stretch his muscles.
Over the next few days, Ning Buyi’s group “waited for rabbits by the stump” at the desolate star prison, with extremely rich results. Besides the large amount of star currency, there was also a surprising list of transactions that shocked Ning Buyi. She knew some people secretly did business with pirates while fearing them, but hadn’t expected so many to be involved. On second thought, it made sense. After all, pirates were like hired blades – who didn’t have some dark dealings?
However, this list was a hot potato.
Ning Buyi had no desire to get involved in the intense political struggles among Da Xia’s upper echelons.
She encrypted the large amount of data and sent it as a package to Hua Zhuoyu, leaving her to handle it.
Upon receiving it, Hua Zhuoyu’s expression immediately turned serious.
The final entry was a transaction with the royal family. Though Xia Tu might have thought he concealed it well, the pirates had their own channels to investigate their clients’ situations. The purpose of the transaction was to strike against Mountain and Sea Star. Ning Buyi didn’t mention this when sending the information, as it was within their expectations.
Hua Zhuoyu sent Ning Buyi a message: “I plan to give the list to Xia Tu, erasing the final content, telling him it was intercepted from pirates on Giant Sickle Star.”
Ning Buyi didn’t understand at first, but after a brief reflection, she got it. If it only involved individual high-ranking officials, this list would be leverage, but once it involved many people, it became a “hot potato” because Da Xia’s government upper echelons couldn’t withstand such a shock. Once in Xia Tu’s hands, with the information deliberately leaked, Xia Tu would likely be pushed to the forefront of the storm.
Although she planned to pass the material to Xia Tu, Hua Zhuoyu had no intention of meeting him privately.
Fortunately, Si Xun served as a royal guard for the Crown Prince.
Recently, under pressure, Si Xun had been frequently visiting the Si family, hoping to get information from Si Pu. Though Si Pu was originally impatient with him, to transfer this “list,” she finally played the role of “close siblings” once.
The Crown Prince’s Residence.
Recently, Xia Tu had been anxious and restless. Usually extremely mindful of his appearance and dignity, these days he had nearly lost composure in front of outsiders.
When Si Xun rushed in and mentioned the “leaked Demon Phantom Pirates list,” Xia Tu suddenly found the source of his agitation.
He made no attempt to hide his sudden surge of anger, sweeping the cups off the table, both hands gripping its edge as he asked with bloodshot eyes: “What happened?”
Si Xun had been by Xia Tu’s side long enough to know that the seemingly gentle Crown Prince wasn’t truly so beneath the surface. Yet he was still startled by Xia Tu’s expression, which was nearly horrifyingly ferocious. Si Xun hurriedly explained: “It was intercepted at Giant Sickle Star, there’s no trace of recent events.” Seeing Xia Tu’s expression soften slightly, he continued, “The Star Court found it inconvenient to handle this matter, so they had me pass the list to you.”
A burning light suddenly ignited in Xia Tu’s eyes: “Is this Zhuoyu’s intention?”
Si Xun’s gaze wavered, and he didn’t respond. Even now, he still believed that the Chief Judge had little interest in His Highness the Crown Prince.
Xia Tu hadn’t expected to get anything from Si Xun’s mouth anyway. He took the chip containing the list from Si Xun’s hand and inserted it into the port to examine it carefully. As his eyes swept over familiar names, he grew increasingly excited, but when he saw his own people were implicated, his brows furrowed tightly. He realized this list was troublesome, but if used well, it could be an opportunity to eliminate some political enemies.
What Xia Tu didn’t know was that after he received the “roster,” rumors about the “pirate transaction list” began circulating in small circles.
On Mountain and Sea Star.
The Demon Phantom Pirates clearly noticed their members disappearing one by one. Some thought these untrustworthy fellows had betrayed the group, while others believed they were dead… In any case, they hadn’t seen any benefits, hadn’t even received any related information, and sending more people in seemed inappropriate from any angle.
Though somewhat disappointed that the “fat sheep” wouldn’t take the bait, Ning Buyi didn’t take it too much to heart.
After having Beidou focus on monitoring Mountain and Sea Star’s “airspace” and “interstellar orbit,” Ning Buyi turned her attention to the tourist area, the Mountain and Sea Atlas, and changes in the golden seeds. The investigation teams had all arrived, but only the groups from “Beast Star” and “Extreme” came for food and drink. As for the others, regardless of their affiliated institutions, their target was “plants.” If someone couldn’t resist temptation after seeing the real specimens, that wouldn’t end well.
Tourist Area.
Zhang Xun of the Sprout Investigation Team was dazedly following behind his teacher, Dr. Mei Ping. He had previously purchased plants on the Starlight Platform and thought he’d already experienced one shock, but upon seeing the vast landscape in the park, he fell into another trance within seconds, unable to regain his composure for several days.
“Teacher, don’t we have funds to buy products from the rest area?” When Zhang Xun finally came to his senses, these were the first words he spoke.
Mei Ping: “…No.”
“But these are products made from plants, right? They could be useful for our research,” a young student gazed hopefully.
“Yes, teacher.”
Mei Ping felt somewhat tempted – though the investigation team’s funding was limited, they could surely afford some snacks. Just as she walked toward the rest area window, a well-dressed familiar figure suddenly entered her view. Her brows immediately furrowed, and Zhang Xun’s group behind her also showed unpleasant expressions.
“Teacher.” The young man pushed his decorative glasses and bowed politely. Ignoring Mei Ping’s dark expression, he said, “Junior Brother Zhang, you all come too, it’s my treat.”
“We don’t want to be with you,” Zhang Xun’s tone was harsh. The person before them was Zhao Yu, formerly their senior, but since he stole the laboratory’s results and joined the Xia Zheng Investigation Team, they had severed ties.
Zhao Yu remained cheerful without any sign of anger, seemingly oblivious to others’ expressions, and spoke casually: “Teacher, when you previously entered the laboratory, did you also notice the unusually strong active factors in the plants here? Their composition is no different from those listed on Starlight, but their activity and vitality are incomparable to long-harvested fruits. If made into medicine, the side effects should be smaller…”
Mei Ping calmly watched the chattering Zhao Yu, remaining noncommittal. She only said coolly: “Since the garden provides suitable conditions, Mr. Zhao can proceed with whatever he has in mind.”
Zhao Yu’s smile slightly faded. He had discovered some extinct medicinal herbs in the tourist area – using these for medicine would surely produce effects far superior to synthetics, but this wasn’t his expertise; the original results had been everyone’s effort in the laboratory. He was about to use the “Supervisory Department” to persuade his former teacher to cooperate when a hand suddenly gripped his shoulder.
He turned around bewildered, completely unaware of when the other person had approached.
“Mr. Zhao Yu from the Xia Zheng Investigation Team, right?” Xiong Xun glared at Zhao Yu with fierce eyes. Though not combative by nature, his beast race background made him far stronger than the laboratory-bound Zhao Yu.
Seeing the badge on Xiong Xun’s clothes, Zhao Yu recognized him as one of the tourist area’s supervisors. Forcing a smile, he nodded: “That’s me. May I ask what’s wrong, Mr. Xiong?”
Xiong Xun growled: “Your investigation team members harvested Lobed Kudzuvine, Green Cloud Grass, and Golden Thread Grass without permission, violating the garden’s civilization code and Mountain and Sea Star’s medicinal herbs protection law. You’re under arrest.”
Zhao Yu paled: “But didn’t we pay?”
Xiong Xun snorted: “That was for the tourist area. Harvesting has a separate price. Besides, those herbs aren’t in the permissible collection range.” Seeing Zhao Yu trying to argue, Xiong Xun directly called patrol robots through his communicator. This wasn’t his first encounter with someone like Zhao Yu – earlier, an investigator had even tried to steal fish, got slapped by a literary stingray, and then was beaten and dragged away by Shi Huaixiang. Out of over fifty investigators, only forty remained.
Such egregious incidents must be announced through Star Micro and severely condemned!
Though the situation had nothing to do with him, Zhang Xun was still quite frightened. His eyelids twitched as he watched the imposing Xiong Xun, stuttering speechlessly. Mei Ping expressionlessly watched Zhao Yu being taken away, then turned to instruct her disciples following behind: “Don’t wander around or touch anything, understood?”
After dealing with the “lawbreaker,” Xiong Xun immediately sent a message to Ning Buyi.
“Stealing fish, stealing vegetables, stealing food – these Da Xia people have no morals!” Xiong Xun was furiously grinding his teeth. All that was pure money! How could those investigation team members do such disrespectful things? “It’s mainly the Xia Zheng Investigation Team doing this, oh, and there are one or two shifty-looking ones from the Civilization Alliance. From my observation, the Sprout Investigation Team has good character, but they’re dirt poor. They even brought their own camp beds and nutrient supplements, absolutely refusing to enter the rest area.
“The arrested people are already in prison. Should we take them to the interstellar court or settle privately? Going to court requires pulling strings – why not just have them pay ransom?”
…
Ning Buyi listened quietly until Xiong Xun tired of speaking, then asked: “What interests these investigation teams the most?”
Xiong Xun’s rapidly spinning mind gradually calmed down. After careful consideration, he stated firmly: “Medicinal herbs.”
Ning Buyi thought this was indeed the case.
The fruits and vegetables from Mountain and Sea Star Base received such praise firstly because they were once extinct, and secondly for their effectiveness against dark pollution. In the Greedy Wolf Star System, no civilization could avoid dark pollution’s invasion. They tried various ways to reduce its negative effects, but results were unsatisfactory. What if Mountain and Sea Star’s plants could be made into medicine? What would their effectiveness be? This idea burned ever stronger in their minds upon seeing the medicinal materials.
“Observe them for a while longer. If there are no issues, grant the Sprout Investigation Team permission to collect medicinal herbs. The price can be reasonably reduced,” Ning Buyi said.
In the Mountain and Sea Atlas, medicinal herbs had mid to high-level abilities to absorb dark pollution, and they provided substantial energy feedback to the golden seeds. If they were to plant medicinal herbs on a large scale, the follow-up processes would need to keep pace. For instance, opening a “pharmaceutical factory” in Aurora City, though technical personnel remained a challenge. In this aspect, she couldn’t rely on those folks from Beast Star. If the investigation team here proved suitable, it wouldn’t be impossible to incorporate them into Mountain and Sea Star’s resident system.
The marginalized and underfunded Sprout Research Base seemed tailor-made for Mountain and Sea Star.
As an enlightened planet owner, she wasn’t blindly rejecting talent. The Mountain and Sea Atlas restricted the progress of seeds and revival – after returning to Da Xia, their research would make no progress, but staying at Mountain and Sea Star Base, they could witness miracles.
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