Chapter 614.2: Surprising Gains

Chapter 614.2: Surprising Gains

Then he recalled Frost’s request.

“Of course, the Enterprise’s envoy hopes you’ll stay, to reassure survivors. You’ve met it. It’s named Frost.”

Yinyin looked uneasy. “But... I can’t help while being like this.”

Chu Guang shook his head. “You don’t need to do anything. Just being there is enough.”

Yinyin blinked. “Just being there...?”

Chu Guang thought, then explained patiently, “Many grow older without maturing. Compared to fully capable adults, they’re more like children. They need someone to decide for them, to bear the risks of their choices. That way, they can enjoy peace for a while.”

Is Na Fruit good or bad? Who cares, their master said it’s good stuff, so they will plant it. Mutant Humans eating people whole? Nonsense. The silk-robed masters don’t fear them, so why should you? They only prey on wastelanders anyway.

The problems of Singularity City were different from Boulder Town’s. It wasn’t one person’s fault but the result of many factors, like the wasteland itself.

Perhaps feeling the weight of her responsibility, Yinyin’s expression was still uneasy. “But I don’t have the ability...”

Chu Guang reassured her. “You don’t need to. You just need to be somewhere they can see you. The rest can be left to Frost. It’s been watching us for a long time, and I believe it has abilities I don’t fully understand.”

𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

“... I understand.” After pondering for a long time, Yinyin nodded heavily and said seriously, “I... plan to stay!”

Seeing her so serious, Chu Guang was slightly surprised. “Have you already decided?”

“Yes, I’ve decided. It was my father who made them that way, wasn’t it? Whether it’s Xiaoyang or everyone in the manor... If it’s as you said, until they are willing to walk out on their own, I’ll take responsibility to watch over them for a while.” Yinyin smiled faintly, tinged with sorrow. “Besides... my time has already stopped anyway. This is the only meaningful thing I can still do.”

“... I’ll let Frost know your decision. It should be glad you chose this.” Chu Guang nodded silently, then turned and left the pure white room.

...

Leaving the infirmary, he returned to the corridor. Just as he was heading back to the captain’s cabin, Little Seven’s clear voice reached his ear. “Master, Yin Fang has news for you.”

It had to be about the black boxes.

Chu Guang stopped by a porthole and spoke. “Patch him through.”

“Okiedokie!”

A pale blue holo-screen appeared before him.

Seeing Chu Guang safe, Yin Fang beamed.

“Those black boxes you sent me are fascinating! They’re completely broken, but I dug up some history of Singularity City that wasn’t recorded!”

“In the early Wasteland Era, they used ‘synthetic nutrients’ to solve food needs, and they’re probably the predecessor of nutrient paste. But maybe because their climate recovered faster, nutrient paste didn’t flourish there. Instead, 800 kilometers away, Boulder Town got their hands on it and never changed since.”

“Later, Singularity City switched to algae cultures, then insects. All these foods had one thing in common. They weren’t easy for humans to accept. Algae and insects, though much more easily produced than glucose or protein synthesis, required secondary processing before reaching the table.”

“I think that might’ve motivated their pursuit of mutant technology, at least partly. A stomach that can digest anything definitely improves survival odds. But the problems that came with it buried them.”

Compared to the loot from the Heart of Steel, he was more intrigued by Singularity City’s history, though there was still no sign of the coffee machine he longed for.

Chu Guang’s interest lay elsewhere. “Can the black boxes be repaired?”

Yin Fang’s excitement dimmed as he shook his head. “Almost impossible... The difficulty isn’t the technology behind it, but the industrial conditions. It’s not something a wrench and screwdriver can fix. They belong to a world two centuries past.”

Chu Guang nodded. He had expected as much, so wasn’t disappointed. “Then send them to a museum.”

“Mm...” Perhaps feeling guilty for being useless, Yin Fang added, “But Singularity City’s nutrient synthesis and algae cultivation are interesting. I’ll try to salvage what I can... If you ever want to build a space station someday, these might help.”

Well, that would take god knows how long...

Chu Guang chuckled, “I’ll leave it to you.”

Yin Fang scratched his head sheepishly. “No problem... By the way, what’s that noise on your side?”

Chu Guang glanced toward the infirmary, spotting familiar faces, and replied casually, “Your junior’s being noisy.”

Yin Fang blinked. “My junior?”

Chu Guang explained, “A D-class Researcher the Academy sent us. She’s a young woman.”

Back when Night Ten was paralyzed stopping the crashing Viper, his friends had nearly pulled the plug if not for her guarding him.

Later, she used the infirmary’s surgical table and reclaimed gear, along with some prosthetics from her research craft, apparently planning to save Night Ten.

Chu Guang, finding it interesting, had agreed. From the looks of it, it seemed the surgery was done?

Yin Fang raised a brow. “Wait, how am I the senior? I’m D-class too. I’m not that old!”

Chu Guang laughed just as another call popped up on the screen. “Alright, there’s another call. Talk later.”

“Alright, see you.” Though wanting to argue, Yin Fang let it go, not wanting to waste Chu Guang’s time.

Chu Guang tapped connect again. A flash of fiery red hair filled the holo-screen.

Her brows twitched nervously and spotting that her call had connected, Xia Yan stopped fussing with her bangs and coughed, “Are you... busy?”

Seeing her nervous expression, Chu Guang smiled. “Just finished. What’s up?”

She sometimes called, but she was usually calm. Why so nervous?

Relieved, Xia Yan cleared her throat. “... Remember you said if I could make an exoframe for you, it would be great? I don’t recall your exact words, but that was the idea. Well, I tinkered in my spare time and... Well, I tried making one.”

Chu Guang froze.

No way?!

Seeing his stunned look, Xia Yan rushed to explain. “Creating an exoframe isn’t that crazy. The hardest part is the mini fusion reactor. Shelter 79’s black box can make them, right? So I used a Hippopotamus-2 portable reactor as the core, modeled it on the Federation’s T-10 Champion Exoframe system and armor layout. The experts at Camp 101 helped too.”

“But it’s just a side project, so its performance isn’t on par with prewar gear. Still, it’s usable. Check if it works. If not, toss it in storage. I didn’t spend that much time...”

Chu Guang cut her off with a wide smile on his face. “That’s amazing! Thank you! That’s the best news I’ve heard all day!”

Xia Yan blinked in shock. “Really?”

Chu Guang grinned. “Why would I lie? I’m just surprised that you had the skill all along...”

Blushing, she scratched her head with the welding gun. “... Of course I do. Don’t forget, I’ve always fixed my own gear.”

Chu Guang smiled. “I know. You’ve fixed plenty for us too. We still have piles of your handmade ammunition in storage.”

“Hehe.” Her grin grew wider. Though it looked a little awkward, anyone could see she was proud of herself.

Chu Guang couldn’t help but tease, “Actually, they’re in storage because they couldn’t be fired... So I left them there.”

“WHAT?! They couldn’t fire? Really?” Her reaction was explosive. “Impossible! Where are they?!”

“Relax, I’m just joking.” Chu Guang coughed, face turning serious. “On behalf of Shelter 404, thank you for your contribution. I’ll assign people to help test out the exoframe.”

“... Don’t make it so formal, it makes me nervous. It’s just a prototype and haven’t been tested in battle.” She muttered, fiddling with her welding gun, regretting telling him so soon.

The higher the hopes, the stronger the disappointment.

She had studied Prosperity Era knowledge at Shelter 101 for less than a year. Even with VR classes extending her hours, and her mechanical experience, she was still a half-baked mechanic at best.

But Chu Guang didn’t mind.

Half a jug of water was still water. The New Alliance had used plenty of half-assed gear. Even if inferior to the Champion or Dragon Cavalry, it was still nuclear-powered exoframe. At worst, it would be a mobile generator.

“A prototype is great! Taking the first step is the hardest! I’ve got nuclear fuel here and it’s the perfect time to test out your toy. Flaws can be fixed. We have time!” He smiled and added, “Honestly, more than the exoframe, I’m surprised by the changes that happened to you.”

She looked uneasy as she mumbled, “I’ve changed that much?”

Chu Guang sighed, “Of course. Before, I had to coax you to do anything.”

Remembering the past, Xia Yan flushed but snapped back, “Coax? More like ‘work or be thrown out’! Are you even human?”

Chu Guang chuckled, “Says the one who thought I hauled you to Shelter 404 to breed with you.”

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Her face flared scarlet and steam seemed to escape her ears. With a scream, she closed the connection.

The memory of that first embarrassing meeting consumed her. She buried her head in her hands with her fingers tangled in hair, wishing she could rewind time. “That bastard...”

It happened so long ago! Why the hell are you bringing it up now?!

But... If he really was that kind of man...

Her fingers curled and her blush didn’t fade, but the embarrassment turned into an odd tingling.

Strange.

“Work... I have to work...” Panicked, she shook her head, forcing the thought away.

Meanwhile, Chu Guang scratched his cheek. “Maybe that joke went too far.”

He admitted, recalling she had lost a leg back then. She was even hauled off by a stranger. It was natural to be afraid.

Little Seven’s voice chimed softly in his ear. “Maybe the problem wasn’t the joke, Master...”

Chu Guang sighed, “True enough.”

Just then, a scream rang from the infirmary. “Gaia!”

Gaia?!

Chu Guang blinked in confusion, recognizing only a player’s wail.

But the follow-up cry clarified it. “You ungrateful bastard! I went to such lengths to save you, and this is how you thank me?!”