Part 4
Ning Yunyi, oblivious to all this, boarded the starship with the group. Three days later, they arrived early at the Desert Planet and checked into the same hotel as before.
The receptionist still recognized Godefroi and was quite enthusiastic.
After Ning Yunyi settled into his private room, he planned to find Harlo after dark to see if he had left the Desert Planet. If he was still here, he could fish for information about the Base.
Harlo was the boy who had helped Ning Yunyi and Zong Hao sneak into the Base to rescue Lady Zong.
The boy had accepted his star coins in exchange for help. Now that so much time had passed and the money was in hand, Ning Yunyi didn’t know if he was still around. If not, heād have to find another boy at the club to ask.
Ning Yunyi left the hotel alone at night, still dressed in black. He didn’t need to hide his identity as strictly this time.
He went directly to the club, booked a private room, and requested a boy. Once the boy arrived, Ning Yunyi produced a handful of gold coins and scattered them on the table.
The boy was stunned by the display of wealth, his face breaking into a wide grin. “Sir, you are truly generous! Is all of this really my tip?”
Ning Yunyi nodded. “But before that, I have some questions. If the answers are unsatisfactory…”
The boy, clearly a veteran of the trade, nodded quickly. “I understand, I understand! Ask anything, sir. If I know it, Iāll tell you everything.”
Ning Yunyi pushed two gold coins toward him. “First question: has anything unusual happened at the club lately? For every unusual event you tell me, you get a gold coināprovided I find it actually unusual.”
The boy clutched the first two coins. Once he confirmed they were real, he spoke up immediately. “The boss has been scowling lately, saying he lost a massive deal. He even cut our benefits. Does losing a big deal count as unusual?”
Ning Yunyi pushed another coin over. “Continue.”
The boy mentioned two more minor club events. They weren’t what Ning Yunyi wanted, but he paid for them anyway.
Finally, the boy said, “If we’re talking unusual, besides those things, do the people in our club count?”
Ning Yunyi tilted his chin. “Anything unusual or any sudden changes will do.”
The boy wasn’t sure what he was after, but looking at the gleaming gold, he spoke. People in their line of work were always short of money, and he was no exception. He gritted his teeth. “Thereās this… everyone who works here, male or female, is here because of a family tragedy or some desperate situation. We had a boy here, the best-looking of the bunch, named Harlo. I don’t know what kind of luck he stumbled into, but he suddenly quit this high-paying job. He said a distant uncle sent word and they were going to another planet to find him. But once you’re in this business, the boss is ruthless. He wouldn’t let him leave so easily, so he used ‘procedure’ as an excuse to stall him. And guess what happened next?”
Beneath his mask, Ning Yunyiās brow furrowed with an ominous premonition. “What?”
The boy lowered his voice. “The boss had someone tail Harlo for two days and discovered he had suddenly come into a fortune of ‘ill-gotten gains.’ He was going to take his father, who injured his leg mining, for treatment, and get medicine for his sick sister… That money came out of nowhere. Does that count as unusual?”
Ning Yunyi: “It counts. How did you find out? The boss told you?”
The boy shook his head. “One of our big-mouths overheard the boss discussing how to get his hands on that money. He leaked the news, saying Harlo must have… done something unspeakable to sell himself. Now everyone knows.”
Ning Yunyiās frown deepened. A large sum of money, and now the entire club knew. There was no guarantee no one had told a guest. Without the power to protect himself and with two sick family members to care for, Harlo was currently like a choice piece of meat. Plenty of people were likely eyeing him.
Ning Yunyi pushed all the gold coins over. “Do you know Harloās home address?”
The boy thought it was strange but answered honestly. He watched as the mysterious guest dropped another handful of coins and stood up to leave.
The boy was overjoyed. He scrambled to gather the coins, deciding not to tell a soul about tonight. He wasn’t stupid; if word got out, heād likely be robbed.
Ning Yunyi left the club and immediately headed toward the address. However, Harloās home was far from the club and would take some time to reach.
Meanwhile, in a hollowed-out cave in the slums, Harlo sat clutching his secret fortune. He hadn’t dared to change their residence yet for fear of the boss finding out and blocking their departure. He had signed a contract of indenture; he wanted to take a “leave of absence” first to leave the planet, treat his father and sister, and then find a way to buy back his freedom later.
Harlo thought of the beautiful future ahead and felt that life finally had a purpose. He tucked the blanket around his sister, a small smile playing on his lips. With the money, he had secretly bought the best medicine, and his sisterās complexion had improved significantly over the past few days.
His father sat nearby under a dim light, assembling bionic toys. He earned 1 star coin per piece; it was slow work and low pay, but his father didn’t want to be a burden. 1 star coin could at least buy a tube of basic nutrient solution.
Harlo felt for his father and walked over to take the parts away. “Itās dark already. Do it tomorrow. Once the boss lets me go in a couple of days, Iāll take you both to another planet. The Healers there are better. After your sister is cured, Iāll buy you a mecha-leg…”
His father shook his head. “Just treat your sister. My leg is already like this. Mecha-legs are expensive; why waste the money?”
Harlo knew he was worried about the cost. “How is it a waste? As long as you two are okay, our family will only get better and better.”
Just as he spoke, a mocking voice rang out from a corner: “Is that so? Hahaha! A little plaything who sold his soul thinks he can leave the Desert Planet for the high life? What are you dreaming about?”
“Yeah, look at him, even wanting a mecha-leg. He really did strike it rich.”
“What do you think he did to get that kind of money? Enough to afford a mecha-leg… those things aren’t cheap!”
“Who cares how he got it? Since we’ve run into him… it belongs to us now, haha!”
Harloās face turned pale. He immediately shielded his sister. She had been woken by the noise and huddled into a ball in fear. “Brother…”
Harlo pulled his sister close and retreated toward the corner where his father was limping over. He stared uneasily at the group of men who had barged in. “Wh-who are you? What are you talking about? I don’t understand.”
The leader, a man with bleached yellow hair, tsked. “Look at him, still lying. Don’t blame us; blame your boss. If it wasn’t us, it would be someone else. This is the Desert Planet slums, and your boss has spread the word about your fortune everywhere. Now… everyone wants a piece of the pie.”
Harloās heart sank. He tried to stay calm. “You… you must have heard wrong. If we really had money, why would we live in a shanty like this?”
Yellow-Hair didn’t have the patience for talk. “Go, find those gold coins. If they try to stop you… kill them all.”
This was a lawless land. If one or two people died and the place was burned down, who would ever know? Hahaha! They could only blame their own bad luck. To stumble into such a fortune but lack the life to enjoy it… Well, no matter. He would enjoy it for them.
Harlo realized he couldn’t protect the money. He said desperately, “I’ll give you the money. Just let us go, please? We’re just an old man, a cripple, and a child. We just want to live.”
Yellow-Hair smirked. “Fine. Where is it?”
Harlo patted his fatherās hand comfortingly. The cave was small; if they wanted to search, they would tear the place apart. He couldn’t hide it for long. It was better to give it up and hope theyād let them go.
Harlo pulled out the box containing the gold coins. It hurt to lose it, but if they were dead, the money wouldn’t matter anyway. He had to let it go.
The moment he brought it out, Yellow-Hairās lackeys snatched it. As the lid flipped open, their eyes widened. The sheer quantity of gold was dazzling. Everyone was stunned. “Th-this much? It’s all gold coins?”
Heavens, they had expected a lot, but this was millions of star coins!
Harlo and his family huddled together. He tried to muster his courage and said uneasily, “You have the money. You should leave now, right?”
Yellow-Hair exchanged looks with his men and suddenly grinned. “We should. But… you and your sister are coming with us. You’ve got good faces; youāll fetch a good price. As for the old man, kill him. Go, grab them, let’s move!”
Harlo was furious. “How can you go back on your word? You promised…!”
Yellow-Hair burst into laughter. “Listen to him! Heās trying to talk about honor with a thug? I said I’d let you go a second ago, but Iāve changed my mind now. What are you going to do about it? Better yet, why don’t you tell me where you got these gold coins? Tell me who gave them to you, and maybe Iāll reconsider.”
Harlo clamped his mouth shut, staring at him with hatred. If it came to it, heād fight them to the death to let his sister escape!
Yellow-Hair stepped forward and grabbed Harloās chin. “Not talking? Looks like you haven’t tasted pain yet. Let’s see if you’re still stubborn after a few cuts.” He took a small knife from one of his men, preparing to strike where it wouldn’t be seen.
Suddenly, an abrupt, eerie voice rang out from the shadows of a corner:
“If he won’t tell you, how about I tell you myself?”
Translator’s Note:
Hi everyone! I’m back with another update.
- Yellow Monthly Rose (é»ęå£): While “Monthly Rose” (Yueji) is often translated simply as “Rose,” it specifically refers to Rosa chinensis. In Chinese culture, it represents longevity and hope, which is why Ning Yunyi chose it to symbolize “new life.”
- Gold Coins (éåø): Remember that in this Interstellar setting, digital “Star Coins” are the norm. Physical gold coins are a relic of the “Ancient Blue Star” and are incredibly valuable not just for the metal, but as collectibles.
As always, thank you for reading and for your support! If you’re enjoying the story, feel free to leave a comment. It really helps me stay motivated! Happy reading! Also, some terms might have changed. Someone else picked it up and changed translators. š Ā
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