Across Deep Space: Four Men and a Play

The next day, Xia Jiumeng received a call very early. At that moment, she was still sitting on the balcony, drying her hair and reading a book.

"Miss Xia, I'm Xue Ying, and I've brought the person to you."

"Okay, I'll be down right away."

Yesterday, she contacted Qin Che and asked him to send someone to the laboratory to bring back the mermaid Bantu whom she had rescued before.

This time she decided to take him with her to Tianxing City to participate in the auction.

She didn't want to be rescued at that time because the journey would be troublesome. Perhaps it would be much easier to communicate with a fellow mermaid.

When Xia Jiumeng got downstairs, she saw a black Hummer parked not far away and two people standing beside the car, and she walked towards it quickly.

"Miss Xia, this is what the boss asked me to give you." Seeing her coming, Xue Ying turned around, took a small silver box from the car and handed it to her.

Xia Jiumeng took it and opened it, only to see a silver-white pistol with dark red lines lying quietly inside, and two familiar metal balls beside the pistol.

"Okay, thank you."

She raised her eyebrows slightly, closed the lid and thanked Xue Ying.

"Hey, you're welcome. This is the boss's latest modified energy gun. The two small balls on the side are the Double Star 1, which is very popular on the black market. It's very powerful..."

Xia Jiumeng: That’s pretty good, but Qin Che seems to like weapon modification very much.

Maybe he will like the mechanical room. I'll take him there to see it when I come back.

"I see."

Xue Ying waved his hand, then thought of something and touched his head embarrassedly.

"Miss Xia, that..."

Xia Jiumeng looked at his sudden shyness and asked, "What?"

"Well... well, we've finished watching the combat tutorial at the training ground. Can you add some more content?"

"Yes, but the training ground's teaching system has a strength assessment. You can't see it because you haven't passed the assessment."

“Once you pass it, you’ll see new things.”

Xia Jiumeng smiled knowingly, wondering what it was.

"Is that so? All right then."

"Then Miss Xia, I'll go back first."

"Okay, Xue Ying, you go back first. Be careful on the road."

After watching Xue Ying leave, Xia Jiumeng turned to look at Bantu who was standing quietly beside her.

His whole body was tense at the moment, and he was looking around vigilantly, obviously not used to the external environment.

However, there are no obvious mermaid features on her body, and her exposed skin and limbs are no different from those of a human.

Not bad, it seems Dongyun did a good job of guidance.

"Don't be nervous, everyone here is an ordinary person, there's no real danger."

"Come with me. The train to Tianxing City leaves in the afternoon. Let's get on and have some rest."

It's still early, so I can take a short nap for a few hours.

……

After arriving home, Xia Jiumeng poured him a glass of water and motioned him to sit on the sofa.

"Please drink."

"I'm sorry, I didn't have time to explain it to you clearly over the phone, so I asked someone to bring you here. The truth is, we're going to Tianxing to attend an auction."

Xia Jiumeng pushed the small booklet introducing the auction items that was included in the invitation letter from the great gentleman in front of him and pointed to the mysterious item on the last page to show him.

Because the auction catalogue that the master gave her was different from the one ordinary people get, she was able to see all the items.

Looking at Bantu flipping through the pages, he continued, "There's a product over there that's said to be two live mermaids. I'm going to take a picture of them and I need an assistant."

"Those two mermaids have serious aggressive and suicidal tendencies."

"You are one of their people. When we enter the scene, I will arrange for you to approach them and calm their emotions. I hope you can complete this task well."

Xia Jiumeng listened and looked at Bantu seriously, "I don't want to spend a lot of money to buy two dead fish, understand?"

Because of Mr. Da's reminder, she changed her mind and brought Bantu with her, even though she had originally wanted to go to the auction house alone.

Bantu trembled all over as he looked at the two mermaids in the manual who were tied up with electrified chains and looked like they were no longer fish. His eyes were full of anger and hatred, and he wished he could kill all humans.

But he regained consciousness after hearing Xia Jiumeng's cold words.

"understood."

Bantu has been learning the rules of human society at the experimental base for some time, so it's a good opportunity to take him out and see the results.

Even though Xia Jiumeng is not at the experimental base, she has complete control and knowledge of everything there.

However, seeing that Bantu was in a bad mood, she was too lazy to comfort him. She just told him to sit on the foam sofa on the balcony.

The weather is nice today, perfect for some sunbathing and calcium supplementation.

Xiaoqi, who was sleeping in the master bedroom, was awakened by the sunlight outside the window. He looked at the empty bed and knew that his master had gotten up.

It pulled its body forward and stretched, then jumped out of the bedroom to find its dear owner.

Today the owner promised to take it out!

...

"Meow!!!"

"Hang up!"

"bump!"

The loud noise made Xia Jiumeng, who was carrying something, frown and stand up.

what happened?

"Bantu, what are you doing...

Before she could finish her words, she was stunned after seeing the scene in the living room.

The sofa was tilted, and the tea set and other things on the glass coffee table were scattered on the ground. Xiaoqi was standing on top of the sofa, breathing at Bantu, and his sharp claws had scratched the sofa to pieces.

The originally tidy and clean living room was now in a mess, as if it had been swept by a tornado.

Bantu was holding a clothesline as a "weapon" and confronting Xiaoqi at a distance of half a meter. His originally normal hands had become rough with dark scale-like patterns, and his neck and cheeks were covered with dark red scales.

The atmosphere between the fish and the cat was extremely tense, as if they would fight again at any time.

I helplessly held my forehead with my hands, it was enough.

"You two! Stop it!"

He went up to separate the two guys and gave each of them a big chestnut.

Ten minutes later, the fish and the cat were cleaning up with a big red bump on their heads, feeling aggrieved.

Xia Jiumeng sat on the straightened sofa with a black feather duster and watched them work.

I had only been there for a few minutes and had already made a mess in her living room.

She was lazy and didn't like to clean up. Every time Li Shen came, he would help her clean up, but she was still reluctant to make a mess. As a result, these two guys messed it up like this.

"Move quickly."

Bantu obediently picked up the snacks scattered on the ground and placed them neatly in the snack cabinet.

Xiaoqi used his two paws to hold the rag and wipe the stains on the floor. His ears, which had been standing high, drooped down listlessly.

After they cleaned up the messy living room and stood in front of her, she asked, "Why did you two fight?"

Xiao Qi was the first to speak aggrievedly, "Master, he was sneaking around so I had to step forward to stop him."

Bantu was surprised to hear that the cat could talk, but he calmed down when he thought of the three mice in the laboratory that could also talk.

Having seen so many strange things in the experimental base, he suddenly felt that it was nothing strange that this woman had a talking cat by her side.

"I didn't. It just came out of nowhere and jumped at me. I was just being defensive."

After Bantu finished speaking, he glared at Xiaoqi, showing his dissatisfaction and provocation.

Xiao Qi was also dissatisfied and made an offensive gesture again.

Xia Jiumeng got a headache seeing this. Fish and cats were indeed natural rivals.

He reached out and grabbed Xiao Qi into his arms, "Alright, stop fighting."

"It's almost time to get ready to go out. How are your things prepared?"

"We're about to leave, pack yourselves."

After she finished speaking, she glanced at Bantu, who understood and took out a palm-sized metal box from his suitcase.

Xia Jiumeng opened it and saw two metal balls with xj symbols on them and nodded.

The Double Star II is smaller in size than the Double Star I, and has a new range target locking function.

She also thoughtfully added her own tag.

She closed the box.

She didn't plan to provide the blueprint for this transaction, so she decided to try a different approach.

"Let's go."

Xia Jiumeng didn't take much with her, just a simple small backpack and went out with Xiaoqi in her arms.

Bantu followed and closed the door.

Xia Jiumeng had booked a car long before leaving the house, and took it directly to the suspended train station after leaving the apartment.

...

Tianxing City, station.

As Xia Jiumeng and his group walked out, they were greeted by a serious middle-aged man.

Xia Jiumeng glanced at him, her eyes narrowed slightly. "I remember you. Your name is Xu Qing."

"It's my honor that Miss Xia remembers me." Xu Qing was stunned for a moment and then smiled elegantly.

"Mr. Da has prepared a hotel for you to stay in. Please follow me."

After he finished speaking, he made a gesture of invitation.

Xia Jiumeng nodded slightly.

Half an hour later they arrived at Motesya, the most luxurious hotel in Tianxing City. Xu Yun handed them the room card and said goodbye.

"I have something important to attend to, so I'll take my leave now. Someone will come and take you to the auction tomorrow."

"The gentleman said he would like you to have tea on the rooftop after dinner. I hope you will do me the honor."

Xia Jiumeng took the room card and said, "Tell the old man I'm happy to do it."

Of course I have to accept the invitation from a big money sponsor.

Xu Qing got the expected answer, bowed slightly politely, got into the car and left.

"Who is Mr. Da?" Bantu asked curiously.

"An interesting old gentleman."

"Let's go. There's nothing to do today. Let's rest early."

Xia Jiumeng threw Bantu's room card to him, refused the waiter who came forward to help get things, and left with Xiaoqi in her arms.

...

"Master, you don't seem to like that mermaid."

Xiaoqi lay on the sofa and wagged his tail.

"I don't like people with ulterior motives."

Xia Jiumeng answered without even raising her eyelids.

When a person who wants to escape suddenly becomes honest, it is not because he has faced reality, but because he has found something more profitable.

Mermaids are not stupid, they just don't understand the world on land. However, after such a long period of study and contact with Bantu, they must have become much more cunning.

She gave him many opportunities to leave the laboratory, but this guy still worked honestly, making it hard not to doubt his intentions.

She still remembered how desperately the guy tried to escape at first.

"The master is as sharp as ever, but what is he trying to achieve?"

"He has big plans. He wants to use me as a springboard."

Xia Jiumeng smiled sarcastically.

A research genius who made a deal with the mermaid and completed the transaction at all costs, staying by her side is much better than running away.

At least, when his tribe has more people in the future, he can take the opportunity to take back the mermaid token he traded with her.

As for her fate, who knows.

Intelligent creatures in human form all have human nature, and human nature is the most unpredictable.

"The mermaid is so shady, I told you I don't like him!"

"Normal, humans are not much better."

Compared to Xiaoqi's indignation, Xia Jiumeng didn't feel anything.

All races are similar, some are good and some are bad, and there is nothing to complain about.

"What's there to worry about? His cultivation is too shallow and he poses no threat."

"Besides, I'm here to rescue the mermaids anyway, so there's nothing wrong with having an 'obedient' assistant."

No matter what Bantu's plan was, there was no way he would succeed with her.

She kicked it off and picked up Xiao Qi.

"Snapped."

The room that was brightly lit just now was instantly plunged into endless darkness.

"Let's go have some tea."

...

Wearing simple casual clothes, holding Xiaoqi, he went straight to the exclusive elevator on the left and used the room card to light up the button for the top floor.

As soon as the elevator opened, a waiter bowed respectfully and greeted, "Hello, Miss."

"Please follow me, the master is waiting for you."

"Ah."

After walking with the waiter for a few minutes, we stopped in front of a solid wood carved door. The waiter knocked lightly a few times and heard a "come in" sound from inside, then he gently opened the door a crack.

"Please."

Xia Jiumeng walked in and saw the great gentleman wearing a black satin Tang suit sitting on the other side of the tea table, looking at her with a smile.

"Miss Xia, long time no see."

"Please take a seat."

After that, he poured her a cup of hot tea.

"Try this year's new tea."

"Thank you."

Xia Jiumeng picked up the teacup and took a sip.

As soon as the tea entered her throat, Xia Jiumeng felt a rich aroma penetrate her nose, followed by a light bitter taste. However, this bitterness was quickly replaced by a sweet aftertaste, leaving a lingering fragrance in her mouth.

“Good tea, with a sweet aftertaste and rich tea aroma.”

Mr. Da smiled and said, "This is a special supply of top-grade black tea this year. The annual production is extremely small. I only share it with distinguished guests like you."

"You're welcome, sir."

"You're welcome. The prices for the items this time are quite high. Miss Xia, have you prepared the funds?"

Xia Jiumeng knew very well that the master's words were clearly a test for her.

All the money from the last transaction of Shuangxing has been used to buy Bantu, and I am afraid that my identity has been clearly investigated by the master.

How could a 'small hunter' like me have such strong financial resources?

Xia Jiumeng smiled slightly, calmly took out a small and exquisite metal box from her arms, and gently pushed it in front of the master.

"Sir, you know my friend is very interested in mermaids. I heard there was another mermaid this time, so I came to help take a look."

"I just happened to bring her new creations for you to take a look at."

The big gentleman chuckled, took the box, and examined it carefully.

I saw some faint light flickering on the surface of the small silver box, as if there was some special energy fluctuation.

Looking at the metal button in the middle of the box, he carefully pressed it. With a 'click' and a slight mechanical sound, the lid slowly folded open, and two small balls, no bigger than ping-pong balls and emitting a faint starlight, suddenly appeared before his eyes.

"This is......"

Xia Jiumeng smiled and explained, "This is the Double Star II. It has more advanced functions than the Double Star I and is equipped with a target locking chip. Its power is more than five times that of the Double Star I."