I Am a Salted Fish in the Interstellar Era - Chapter 30

“Finder’s keepers,” Feng Xiao shamelessly reached out his hand.

 

Lu Dongyan wasn’t going to be left behind either.

 

Luo Xiaci decided to go with the flow.

 

Shi Yu looked at the palm-sized box of lollipops, foreseeing that only one or two of them would belong to her.

 

She painfully fed these lollipop-consuming monsters one lollipop each. Li Wensheng seemed to suddenly take an interest in lollipops as well, leaning in and saying, “How about giving me one too?”

 

As if the candy wasn’t originally his.

 

Shi Yu, begrudgingly, handed out another one and then turned to a few people peeking behind Li Wensheng, asking, “Do you guys want one too?”

 

It turns out, people are creatures of conformity.

 

In the end, Shi Yu was left with only one lollipop in her hand.

 

She heartbreakingly stored the box of lollipops into her space bag. Just as she was about to unwrap the lollipop, a hand was placed on her shoulder. Shi Yu’s reflex was to perform a shoulder throw, but Gu Qianqian already started wailing, “You guys are eating lollipops without me?!”

 

Shi Yu paused her grip on his wrist, turned her head, and indeed, it was Gu Qianqian, expressing surprise, “How did you get here?”

 

Gu Qianqian, while bringing his hand forward, said, “My brother woke up, contacted Commander Xie, and Commander Xie had someone bring my brother here.”

 

Shi Yu looked behind him and indeed saw Gu Mingzhan, pale and supported by bodyguards. She offered a friendly smile to the good Samaritan, completely missing Gu Qianqian biting into the lollipop she just unwrapped and then running off with it.

 

Shi Yu’s lollipop was snatched away, she turned her head back, her eyes widening with fury, exclaiming, “Gu Qianqian! You actually stole my lollipop! Ahhh! I’m going to kill you!”

 

Shi Yu grabbed Gu Qianqian by the neck, shaking him furiously. Forced by the situation, Gu Qianqian spat out the lollipop, then handed the saliva-coated lollipop back to Shi Yu: “Here, take it.”

 

Shi Yu: “…”

 

Shi Yu turned away in a rage, determined to distance herself from these people.

 

Gu Qianqian, with a smirk of triumph, popped the lollipop back into his mouth, chasing after Shi Yu, “Fish! Don’t be mad! I brought pudding, do you want it? If not, I’ll just share it with the top students.”

 

Compared to lollipops, Shi Yu obviously preferred pudding. She immediately stopped, turned around, and while the others weren’t paying attention, dragged Gu Qianqian away, completely cutting off anyone else’s chance of ‘finder’s keepers,’ this outrageous behavior.

 

Gu Mingzhan watched the two walk away, hesitated for a moment, but decided to go find Xie Yuyan first.

 

–

 

The news of some soldiers from the Judgment Corps arriving at Sea Blue Star quickly spread on the Star Network.

 

However, except for Xie Yuyan and Xie Jiangsa, the core members of the Judgment Corps were all stationed at the Lierweya Fortress. Only members who joined the Judgment Corps later were sent this time.

 

Naturally, there was disappointment, but the Lierweya Fortress is too important to the Federation. The core members of the Judgment Corps couldn’t leave without the unanimous decision of the seven marshals and the head of state.

 

Curiosity about Y1121 on the Star Network increased, and so did the controversy over whether she was a member of the Judgment Corps, but no official statements were made to clarify.

 

Until an article titled “A Grain of Sand” appeared.

 

Su Jianxing cautiously wrote about Y1121’s situation on the battlefield, clearly analyzing why Y1121 couldn’t be a member of the Judgment Corps. He didn’t mention any information about Shi Yu, not even that Y1121 was a minor.

 

Su Jianxing believed it wasn’t right to disclose her information on the Star Network without her knowledge. He knew too well what some keyboard warriors would do, and some curiosity seekers might even use this information to track down Y1121, potentially causing her unnecessary trouble, which would be contrary to his intentions.

 

Su Jianxing poured everything he wanted to say into the article. He wasn’t surprised to see agreement, rebuttal, and criticism following its publication. He just stated what needed to be said, and whether people believed it or not was not his concern.

 

In the days that followed, he continued to pay attention to this rising star of the Federation.

 

Su Jianxing had a premonition that as long as Y1121 could grow successfully, she would definitely become a pillar of the Federation’s future.

 

Apart from a group of people trying to link Y1121 to the Judgment Legion, another group speculated whether she was from one of the Federation’s seven major military academies, given her young voice. This speculation drew most people’s attention to the students of these seven academies.

 

However, none of the well-known female students from the seven academies had operations or a play style as bold and aggressive as Y1121.

 

But there are always some who are willfully blind, insistent on pinning their favorites, arbitrarily placing Y1121’s label on a female student from the Federation’s premier military academy.

 

That female student did not respond to the commotion, which went back and forth without reaching any conclusion.

 

As the founder of Y1121’s fan club, ‘Sweet Sweet Sweet’ explicitly refused to acknowledge any speculation, stating that until Y1121 herself appears with her number and mecha, no one is Y1121.

 

While the Star Network was abuzz with activity, Shi Yu and others were bitterly training in their mechas.

 

After suffering heavy losses from a previous supply drop, Shi Yu and other untrained individuals were caught and subjected to intense training.

 

During this period, the shelter suffered two attacks from the Zerg, but with the Judgment Legion’s members present, there were injuries but no fatalities, a first in the face of Zerg attacks, greatly boosting everyone’s confidence.

 

Members of the Judgment Legion scattered across various shelters on Sea Blue Star made it increasingly difficult for the Zerg to invade without suffering heavy losses.

 

Gradually, the frequency of Zerg attacks on shelters decreased, but conversely, any team venturing out from the shelters faced fierce attacks from the Zerg.

 

After her last return, Wen Ruoyan deeply reflected on her actions in front of Xie Yuyan. Shi Yu and other minors, along with those without combat experience, were temporarily spared from external missions, focusing mainly on guarding the shelter and training.

 

Shi Yu’s salted fish life was completely gone, but as a salted fish, it was impossible for her to become diligent. Given the chance, she would slack off as much as possible.

 

However, walking on thin ice often leads to trouble. Shi Yu was caught by Wen Ruoyan several times slacking off or sleeping. The first time was just a warning, the second time Wen Ruoyan remembered her, and by the third, the impression was so strong that she was singled out for one-on-one training.

 

Now, it was the sixth time.

 

The whip came down hard, without any mercy. Shi Yu awkwardly dodged, screaming exaggeratedly, her cries echoing across the training field. Initially, everyone couldn’t help but look, wondering just how fierce the major was to drive a girl to such a state.

 

At first, there was sympathy for Shi Yu, with some considering speaking to the major on her behalf. However, upon secretly watching her training, they saw her screaming loudly while effortlessly dodging the major’s whip, then starting to groan without cause.

 

Maybe the major should put in more effort? Or increase the speed? How about using two whips at once?

 

Wen Ruoyan lived up to expectations. Seeing Shi Yu dodging her whip while screaming exaggeratedly, she threw the whip with a twist, striking Shi Yu’s ankle hard and then pulling, causing Shi Yu to fall to the ground.

 

Hearing the thud, the crowd let out a comfortable chuckle before returning to their training with feigned composure.

 

Finally, another training session ended. Shi Yu half-hung on Gu Qianqian’s arm, groaning in pain, while Feng Xiao injected her arm with physiological repair fluid.

 

Only after the injection did Shi Yu whisper, “Can’t you be gentler? It hurts to get an injection. I heard experienced doctors can do it without causing pain.”

 

Feng Xiao gave her a silent look, coldly saying, “Sorry, but I’m not a doctor. I haven’t done many injections. How about we skip it next time?”

 

Shi Yu: “…”

 

Shi Yu: “My bad.”

 

She admitted her mistake obediently.

 

The young doctor’s temper was really bad. She was just casually complaining. How could he say something so cutting?

 

Despite being rigorously trained to exhaustion daily, after receiving the physiological repair fluid and a night’s sleep, Shi Yu would bounce back full of energy. Every time this happened, Shi Yu couldn’t help but marvel at the advanced medical technology of the interstellar era.

 

Seeing her instantly cower, Feng Xiao’s lips curled up slightly, a hint of smugness appearing on his face, which he quickly suppressed as if afraid someone else might notice.

 

People were chattering away when they encountered an ordinary-looking man with an average build walking towards them. He quickly passed by them.

 

Shi Yu paused for a moment, instinctively looking back to take a few glances at the man, then turned her head back amidst Gu Qianqian’s inquiring gaze.

 

She thought she had smelled a cold fragrance on the man, similar to that on Little Beauty.

 

But the man didn’t resemble Little Beauty in any way from head to toe.

 

After a brief moment of confusion, the soreness in her body made her lose interest in pondering over it.

 

It was just a faint scent of flowers; if Little Beauty could have it, couldn’t others have it too?

 

The group quickly returned to their resting room. Shi Yu fell asleep as soon as she hit the bed, and the others weren’t much better off.

 

After washing his face, Feng Xiao came out to see everyone sleeping like dead pigs. He silently sat on his bed, also planning to sleep.

 

However, he suddenly remembered something and decided to check his brain-computer interface, scrolling through the virtual keyboard. Soon, he saw the current situation of the spiders being tracked by the missile he had launched.

 

He had completely forgotten about this matter over the past few days, and Shi Yu hadn’t mentioned it either, so naturally, he didn’t think to check where the spiders had gone.

 

They seemed to have split into two groups, one staying in place and the other moving.

 

Feng Xiao located both groups of spiders. The stationary group was apparently at… the headquarters of Sea Blue Express?

 

Feng Xiao couldn’t find out what they were doing, so he turned his attention to the moving group of spiders.

 

This location?

 

Feng Xiao’s brows furrowed, just as he figured out the direction the spiders were heading, the shelter’s alarm sounded.

 

It was this shelter!

 

The people sleeping on the beds sat up instantly, and Lu Dongyan immediately put on his shoes and asked, “Is it another insect race invasion?”

 

With the alarm sounding but no announcements made, everyone was a bit confused but quickly ran outside.

 

Hearing the alarm, Shi Yu from the next resting room also rushed out. They exchanged glances, about to leave, when a person burst out from the end of the hallway.

 

His reaction speed was extremely fast, and he moved agilely, his body covered in a black mimicry exoskeleton, rushing out hurriedly.

 

Following him, a person in a silver-red mimicry exoskeleton also rushed out, shouting, “Everyone move aside!”

 

It was Xie Jiangsa’s voice.

 

Shi Yu and the others didn’t think twice before stepping back, but not everyone’s reaction was as fast. The person in the mimicry exoskeleton grabbed someone peeking out from a resting room, using him as a human shield.

 

Xie Jiangsa’s scimitar moved but then retracted, knowing that if he acted, the person in the black exoskeleton might survive, but the one he grabbed would surely die.

 

As he ran further away, Xie Jiangsa’s anger surged. Coincidentally, a leg stretched out, tripping the man in the mimicry exoskeleton, who fell with a thud. Immediately, a metal short blade was placed against his neck.

 

Without hesitation, he let go of the person he was holding, attempting to fight back, but four people swiftly pinned him down, two holding his hands and two his legs.

 

A girl’s casual voice reached his ears, “I advise you not to move. Even if you’re wearing a mimicry exoskeleton, I can still slit your throat. I’m not joking.”

 

Shi Yu casually squatted in front of the man, twirling another short blade in her left hand, the blade emitting a chilling gleam.

 

Xie Jiangsa never expected the situation to turn around like this. He was dumbfounded for a second, nearly stopping in front of the others.

 

Feng Xiao also took out a syringe and said to Shi Yu, “Cut him here, and I’ll give him an injection.”

 

Shi Yu looked at the syringe dripping with medicine, subtly shrank back, and obediently used the tip of a knife to lightly make a cut on the back of the neck of the person wearing a black mimetic exoskeleton.

 

His mimetic exoskeleton was easily cut through. Shi Yu controlled her strength well, not injuring the person. Feng Xiao quickly injected the needle, infusing the liquid into the man’s neck.

 

In just a few seconds, the man felt his strength gradually fading, and his mental energy started to weaken. He couldn’t even maintain the form of his mimetic exoskeleton, revealing his original appearance.

 

Gu Qianqian couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise, “Wang Ze?”

 

Shi Yu was momentarily stunned; she recognized the person too.

 

Feng Xiao frowned and asked, “You know him?”

 

“He’s my brother’s bodyguard. How could I not recognize him? He’s been with my brother for two years, one of the ones who escaped with us last time. Don’t you remember?”

 

Feng Xiao thought for a moment and indeed found such a person in his memory.

 

However, since Wang Ze wasn’t injured at the time, he hadn’t had direct contact with him. Wang Ze had an ordinary appearance, the kind one would forget after a glance, so he didn’t pay much attention.

 

Seeing that a few people were sitting on Wang Ze and discussing, Xie Jiangsa, who had removed his mimetic exoskeleton, touched his forehead and said, “Young men, you’re going to crush him to death.”

 

The discussion abruptly stopped, and everyone sheepishly looked up.

 

Shi Yu also obediently put her hands behind her back, putting away the two metal short blades.

 

Xie Jiangsa picked up the limp Wang Ze from the ground to leave, and Shi Yu sneakily approached him, asking, “What happened? Why such a commotion?”

 

She didn’t feel out of place at all.

 

Xie Jiangsa glanced at her, then swept over the curious onlookers poking their heads out from various rest rooms, and patted her head with his free hand, “Little girl, go back to sleep. Don’t worry about it so much.”

 

After saying that, Xie Jiangsa walked away with Wang Ze.

 

Everyone felt as restless as if they had a cat inside, scratching intensely, yet they dared not approach to inquire further.

 

The person who had just been saved expressed his gratitude to them.

 

Shi Yu yawned, waved her hand at him, said no thanks were needed, mentioned she was dead tired, and turned back to her rest room.

 

The four people still standing in the hallway looked at each other, finding it hard to believe that Shi Yu was so easily dismissed by Xie Jiangsa’s words, but they still obediently returned to their rest rooms.

 

Seeing this, the others also went back to their respective rest rooms.

 

Ten minutes later, Shi Yu, having washed her face, came out of the rest room to meet four pairs of eyes.

 

Shi Yu: “…”

 

Well, everyone was waiting here!

 

“What are you doing here?” As Shi Yu spoke, she was about to close the door of the rest room, but Gu Qianqian forcefully pulled her out.

 

Feng Xiao said with a smile, “You just finished training, why are you coming out again instead of sleeping?”

 

Lu Dongyan followed up, “Most likely, she wants to leave us behind to do something unsightly.”

 

Luo Xiaci also calmly and objectively analyzed, “Definitely going to find General Xie.”

 

Gu Qianqian added from behind, “Actually, we thought about leaving you behind and going ourselves.”

 

Shi Yu: “…”

 

Aside from Gu Qianqian, the others had not spent much time with Shi Yu, so their understanding of her was quite superficial.

 

Shi Yu was like a salted fish; she would absolutely not inquire further about things she was not interested in. If she asked and got no result, she would typically give up, acting like a salted fish lying flat.

 

Before Shi Yu could swear she would never leave them behind, Gu Qianqian and Lu Dongyan quickly took her by the arms, one on each side, and hurried forward.

 

Shi Yu: “…”

 

Was it not her curiosity about what had just happened but rather the insatiable curiosity of these four that dragged her into this mess?

 

However, after searching around, they could not find Xie Jiangsa. Nobody knew where Xie Jiangsa was currently, and then they heard people discussing how Xie Yuyan, the commander, was attacked in the rest room and is now injured and unconscious.