If apples were the most delicious poison to Adam and Eve, then optical brains and mechas were Mu Fan's dreamland, one that haunted his soul. In the dead of night, he had imagined himself piloting a steel monster that belonged to men. He had imagined owning an optical brain that could communicate with others. But when he woke, looking at the tattered blanket draped over himself and touching his empty stomach, he was dragged back to reality.
But today! Mu Fan, who never slept in, lay in the corner under a tattered blanket, sleeping soundly! He did not wake until the harsh light of the star shone onto his face!
With a jolt, Mu Fan looked to his right. The Black Egg lay there quietly.
"Not a dream!" Mu Fan remembered. Last night, he had talked with Black for a long time. When he learned that his long-cherished wish could be fulfilled, he felt as though his heart might leap out of his chest. Black had listed the components it needed while Mu Fan drooled and dreamed about the future. That was how he had fallen asleep. He did not know when Black had stopped talking.
"Black!"
"Host."
"Call me Mu Fan from now on! And from now on, you're my friend!"
"Okay, Mu Fan." Black paused, as though accepting this new definition, or perhaps savoring the meaning of the word "friend."
Mu Fan used a shell to scoop up some relatively clean settled rainwater from the collection trough beside him. After washing his face, he said to Black, "Which component do you need the most right now? I'll go find it first!"
"An optical brain," Black answered quickly.
"What? An optical brain? Aren't you an optical brain?" Mu Fan's head began to ache. Even the lowest-grade optical brain cost fifty thousand Star Coins. Where was he supposed to get that kind of money?
"Correction. I am a superbrain artificial intelligence, codename Black, not an optical brain. I can exist within any carrier. I need an optical brain to connect to the current interstellar network, update and store my database, and transform my current form of existence."
"An optical brain, an optical brain... Fine, I'll make money!" Mu Fan gritted his teeth after hearing Black's answer.
"Black, you'll have to put up with this for now." Without waiting for Black's response, he carried over a pile of miscellaneous scrap and stacked it on top.
"Black will enter sleep mode for self-inspection and correction. Please awaken Black after Mu Fan obtains an optical brain." The electronic voice came from beneath the scrap pile, but it lacked its usual emotional tone. Black had already entered self-inspection.
The sky was still difficult to see clearly, gray and murky as ever. Small transport ships occasionally passed through the air, while Hover Cars periodically sped along the city highway stretching across the outskirts.
The factory was thirty kilometers from the district. The journey from desolation to decay, then bustle and prosperity, formed a stark contrast. Mu Fan ran for more than an hour, yet his breathing was not the least bit unsteady when he entered the city.
Mu Fan's goal this time was clear. He would first ask Old Man Bard, the owner of Bard's General Store in District 22. He had often helped out at the shop before. Old Man Bard was a good man, frequently giving Mu Fan rice balls to eat and paying him as well. Mu Fan was not going there for work this time. He wanted to ask the old man for advice. He needed money.
District 22 was not large, but it was exceptionally lively. As Mu Fan walked, people automatically kept a meter away from him. His shabby appearance made it obvious that he was one of the slum dwellers from outside the city. The people in the district considered themselves noble; even standing too close to him made them fear being mocked by others.
Hua Li Food City. As he passed the entrance, Mu Fan swallowed. Farther ahead was Xiu Zhe Equipment Shop, said to be one of the best outdoor equipment stores in District 22. Looking at the finely crafted daggers and Combat Suits hanging in the display window, envy showed in his eyes, and his fists clenched tighter.
He turned right at the intersection ahead, passed a grocery store, and finally arrived at Old Man Bard's general store.
"Old Man Bard." Seeing the old man leisurely smoking cheap tobacco behind the counter, Mu Fan politely greeted him.
"Oh, isn't this our boy Mu Fan? You finally had time to visit this old man, huh? You haven't come by in more than a month." When Bard saw Mu Fan, he smacked his cigarette holder and spoke with a cheerful grin.
"Yeah. I'd been working outside the city, so I never had time to come into town. I came this time because I wanted to ask you for advice." Mu Fan nodded.
"What is it, boy Mu Fan? Come in and sit first. Old Bard will tell you whatever he knows." Bard genuinely liked this sensible and hardworking boy.
"Old Man Bard, I want to know how I can make money as quickly as possible." Mu Fan looked at the old man with clear, bright eyes.
"Make money? How much do you need? Why are you suddenly asking that?" Old Man Bard was very surprised. He knew Mu Fan's circumstances. The money Mu Fan earned from odd jobs was barely enough to fill his stomach. Then the boy would occasionally buy books, making his life even tighter. Even so, Bard had never seen Mu Fan ask about ways to make money quickly.
"Did you run into some trouble? How much do you need? Old Bard has some savings." Bard truly liked the child and wanted to help however he could.
"Thank you, Old Man Bard, but this time is a little different. I need an optical brain, so I have to earn money. I can't take yours. I came to ask for your advice." Mu Fan politely declined Bard's kindness.
"Hm." Bard blew out a smoke ring. "Boy Mu Fan, you've worked for me many times before. There is one way to make more money. I know you're strong, but I still hope you'll think it over."
"What way?"
"A martial arts hall. Sparring partner!" Bard stared at Mu Fan seriously. "To put it bluntly, you'd be a sandbag! The longer you can last, the more you earn! But I must remind you—make sure to protect yourself. Some people in there strike very hard. I don't want anything to happen to you."
"Thank you, Old Man Bard." Mu Fan's eyes lit up. He gave the old man a deep bow.
"Don't thank me. If you can't hold on, come find me." Bard waved his hand.
"Okay, then I'll go." Mu Fan raised his head, turned around, and strode away.
"Hey, you brat! Wrong direction! Wrong direction!"
Mu Fan stumbled, spun around one hundred and eighty degrees, scratched his head, and gave an embarrassed laugh.
At the northwestern corner of District 22 stood an enormous five-story building. A uniquely designed wooden plaque hung above its entrance—Starfall Martial Arts Hall. In the interstellar era, humanity needed to drive and operate all kinds of machinery. The emergence of mechas in particular raised the requirements for human physical fitness even further. Martial arts halls, comprehensive training facilities combining martial arts and Fighting Techniques, had become popular again with the advancement of science.
The parking spaces outside were filled with Hover Cars, ranging from commoners' vehicles worth over a hundred thousand to high-end cars worth millions. Four burly men dressed in black martial arts uniforms stood at the entrance, adding a few more degrees of imposing presence to the building.
"Hey, kid, what do you want? Get lost if you've got no business here." One of the burly men glared viciously at Mu Fan as he walked straight over. With that oily machine scent clinging to him, he could not possibly be a normal paying customer.
"Is this Starfall Martial Arts Hall? Are you looking for sparring partners?" Mu Fan fearlessly met the man's gaze.
"You? Hahaha, a sandbag? We are! Come with me." After saying that, he turned and headed into the lobby.
Mu Fan followed the burly man, stepping into a place where rich people spent money for the first time. The moment he entered, he saw bold calligraphy and paintings lining both sides of the grand lobby. Ahead, beyond steel-reinforced glass, was an incredibly spacious Training Field. There were strength-testing machines more than twice a person's height, as well as rows of equipment for physical training. It was still morning, so there were not many people inside.
"Stop staring. This is the ordinary training area. The martial arts hall instructors aren't here. Sandbags like you are on the second and third floors." The man in black teased this quiet boy. Every country bumpkin who had never entered a martial arts hall was shocked at first sight. Did this foolish kid think being a sandbag was easy? Recently, a young master had come from the central district of Luoqie Star. He struck especially hard and had already crippled three sandbags.
"Thank you!"
"The person you'll meet later is one of our hall's mid-level managers. Let me warn you, kid—Sandbags getting crippled is commonplace. Once you sign the contract, you can't leave." The burly man in black glanced at the polite boy in surprise and dropped his teasing tone. The suspension elevator chimed as it arrived at the fourth floor. "We're here. My name is Man Kun. Good luck."
(P.S. The title was too long, so I had to shorten it. The third update is dedicated to Alliance Leader He Bai Yiduo!)
(Thanks to reader Xiao Yue of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya for the reward.)
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