Chapter 16: The Stray Dog
Achi arrived just as the treatment ended. He missed the dramatic redness on Yan Gui Xing’s chest, but that didn’t stop him from hearing Xiao Ting extravagantly praising its own treatment technology.
Yan Gui Xing, having heard enough of Xiao Ting’s self-praise, smirked, interrupting, “It’s because I suggested changing your hands into miniature treatment devices, otherwise, how would you be so skilled?”
Xiao Ting arrogantly snorted, disagreeing, “Other generals’ robots have been modified too, but none are as capable as me!”
Yan Gui Xing didn’t know where Xiao Ting got this confidence. In terms of robot modifications, the first person was still General Decimo from Rose Star, who modified his own robot first. Others followed suit after that.
Otherwise, who would have thought of combining treatment devices with butler robots?
Imperial treatment devices and repair pods were available in hospitals on every planet, but they were not yet common enough for every household to have one.
According to insiders, even the richest families treat their treatment devices with respect.
Treatment devices are usually used to treat irreversible injuries, such as scars from burns, or reattaching severed limbs.
Repair pods are mainly used at the front lines, where timely use can save the lives of dying soldiers.
For common illnesses, people still choose to see doctors and take medication.
Especially on Liuli Star, where medical care is exorbitantly expensive, people often avoid hospitals even for minor illnesses.
A tearful expression appeared on Xiao Ting’s round face, and it began to whimper. Yan Gui Xing didn’t bother comforting the whiny robot, waving his hand dismissively.
Xiao Ting turned its head 90 degrees to look at Achi, signaling for him to comfort it.
Achi had been single for so long because he was a brute, lacking in romance, not good at comforting people, especially not a destructive robot like Xiao Ting.
He looked at Xiao Ting in bewilderment, not understanding why it was staring at him. He touched his face, pulled at his black short-sleeved shirt, asking, “What’s wrong? Is there something on my face? Or am I wearing my shirt backward?”
Xiao Ting: “???”
Yan Gui Xing leaned against the sofa armrest, watching Achi and Xiao Ting’s interaction with an amused expression.
Xiao Ting, seeing Yan Gui Xing’s expression, knew its master wouldn’t help. And Achi, the blockhead, couldn’t get it either.
It glared angrily at Yan Gui Xing, then fiercely at Achi, its two small arms crossed, angrily declaring, “Master is bad! Achi is bad too! I won’t talk to either of you anymore! Hmph!”
After speaking, Xiao Ting turned around and rolled away, its round, cute back radiating anger.
Achi didn’t understand what he had done to offend Xiao Ting, turning to Yan Gui Xing for help. Yan Gui Xing, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, simply chuckled, showing no intention of explaining.
Achi could only silently mutter to himself, As the master is, so is the robot, asking, “Boss, you wanted me?”
He looked around, seeing only Yan Gui Xing and no sign of Mu Mu. He thought Yan Gui Xing had acted like a beast, leaving Mu Mu unable to get out of bed, concernedly asking, “Boss, should I call a doctor for Mr. Mu?”
Achi knew Mu Mu was currently Yan Gui Xing’s favorite, though he didn’t know how long the favor would last, but he still changed his address to show respect for his boss.
Achi couldn’t have imagined that Mu Mu, who wasn’t even among the best of Yan Gui Xing’s previous lovers, would become the official General’s wife.
Of course, that was a story for later. Achi, as an outsider, couldn’t imagine it, and Yan Gui Xing, the person involved, couldn’t imagine it either.
Yan Gui Xing understood perfectly well what Achi meant by suggesting a doctor. He thought Mu Mu had vanished because Yan Gui Xing had been too rough, injuring him.
He didn’t care what image he projected to his confidant. The smile on his lips vanished, his lips slightly downturned, his green eyes looking at Achi with resentful intensity.
“Call what doctor?! He ran away! Are you going to call a doctor to treat the air?”
Achi couldn’t believe that the person Yan Gui Xing was interested in had escaped right under his nose. His expression was a mix of shock and disbelief, like he’d been struck by lightning. He stammered, “Ran away? Boss, are you sure such a little cripple could escape right under your nose?”
Yan Gui Xing curled his lips into a sneer, “What? Do you want me to show you the security footage and let you study it thoroughly?”
When Achi saw Yan Gui Xing’s smirk, his back instantly turned cold. He straightened his expression, shaking his head vigorously, “Boss, I was wrong! I’ll bring him back right away!”
Just as he turned, he heard Yan Gui Xing sigh, “Bring him back? We’re Imperial soldiers, not pirates. We don’t resort to such crude methods.”
Achi, taking advantage of his back being turned to Yan Gui Xing, rolled his eyes and made a strange expression.
If he dared, he’d ask Yan Gui Xing if he had a clear conscience saying that. It was only because the pirates had been dormant for the past couple of years and the Zerg hadn’t dared to cause trouble during peacetime that they lived like a proper military legion.
In the past, under Yan Gui Xing’s leadership, they were even more unruly than pirates.
But these thoughts Achi dared only to think in his mind. After turning around and saluting, his rugged face remained stoic.
“Boss, what should we do then? Just let it go?” Out of sympathy, Achi hoped Yan Gui Xing would let it go.
After all, the boy had suffered enough and didn’t need to encounter such a formidable person as Yan Gui Xing.
Unfortunately, Yan Gui Xing’s dictionary didn’t contain the phrase, “only to be admired from afar.” What he wanted, he had to get; he’d look at it closely, look at it backwards, look at it from every angle, until he was tired of it.
Yan Gui Xing stood up, his bath towel precariously perched on his hips. He didn’t bother to adjust it, walking straight to the bay window, standing amidst the golden light, looking at the blue sky and green lawn outside.
“A stray dog doesn’t want to go home with you because it knows it can still find food to fill its belly, and a corner of the street to shelter from the wind and rain.”
“But if the stray dog can’t find food, has nowhere to hide, and is beaten to a pulp, wouldn’t it willingly go home with you?”
“Honestly, I’m curious,” Yan Gui Xing tilted his head back, his wet black hair cascading down, the sharp angles of his handsome face and neck creating a smooth curve in the golden light, like a swan awaiting sacrifice.
But anyone who has interacted with Yan Gui Xing knows he’s no weak swan, but a beast that preys on its chosen victims.
Now, his sea-green eyes fell on the luxurious golden swan chandelier on the ceiling; a charming yet creepy smile curved his crimson lips.
He said to Achi, “Achi, you will satisfy my curiosity, won’t you?”
Although Achi appeared stoic, he had been Yan Gui Xing’s adjutant for so long that he wasn’t truly an innocent man. Almost as soon as Yan Gui Xing finished speaking, he understood what Yan Gui Xing wanted him to do.
He silently mourned for Mu Mu for ten seconds, then began to quickly formulate a plan.
“Yes, Boss, within five days, I will show you the results.”