CH 3

Until evening, Su Zheyan returned with supplies.

Through the transparent cover of the capsule, he saw the little robot running around inside.

He didn’t know how, but it managed to loosen the tape on its body. However, it couldn’t completely remove it, leaving most of it stuck on its back.

The robot ran ahead, and the tape flew behind it.

As it passed by the right shelf, the tape stuck to it. The robot, still running forward, suddenly fell to the ground with a thud.

It struggled vigorously but couldn’t break free, becoming infuriated.

Su Zheyan stood quietly on the side, watching.

Chu Shici was in a bad mood. He tried to break the tape but ended up getting his hand stuck as well.

While fighting with the tape, he asked the system, “How long until the host comes back? I can’t stand it anymore!”

The system coughed a few times without saying anything.

Chu Shici got tired and sat on the ground, gasping for breath.

Just then, he heard a notification sound from the system in his mind.

【Vitality +1. Current vitality of the host, Su Zheyan: 6/100.】

Chu Shici was both happy and puzzled. “Did the host encounter something happy outside?”

The system appeared particularly guilty. 【M-maybe it’s not something he encountered outside.】

Chu Shici didn’t understand, so he decided not to think about it.

There were many strange things inside the capsule, and he planned to explore everything inside and out while Su Zheyan was away.

Chu Shici got up again and continued to struggle with the tape.

When he was completely entangled by the tape, he heard the system’s notification sound once more.

【Vitality +1. Current vitality: 7/100.】

Chu Shici was somewhat happy. “Is the outside world that interesting? Then the host should go out more often, and I can complete the mission even while lying down.”

The system wiped its sweat. 【I don’t think that would work.】

Chu Shici was stunned for a few seconds, then slowly looked up.

Through the transparent cover above, he could see Su Zheyan watching him with great interest.

He held an old-fashioned camera in his hand, watching and recording at the same time.

In the moment when Chu Shici and him locked eyes, the corners of Su Zheyan’s mouth seemed to lift slightly.

His facial expressions changed subtly and quickly, and Chu Shici wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination.

Unlike the previous mocking laughter, it seemed that the host had truly been amused by him just now.

Chu Shici tried to fight with the tape again, but Su Zheyan continued to watch him with an indifferent expression.

Only the “Vitality +1” in his mind proved that his speculation was correct.

…

In the end, Su Zheyan rescued him from the tape.

Perhaps it was his pitiful appearance just now that evoked sympathy from the host.

Su Zheyan not only didn’t bind him with tape again, but also put away everything in the capsule that could potentially harm him.

The system felt a little reluctant. 【If you continue to fight with the tape, will you earn more vitality points?】

Chu Shici shook his head. “It’s like telling a funny joke. The first time you hear it, it’s funny, and the second time you still find it amusing. But if you keep hearing it repeatedly, you develop resistance to it.”

The system pondered for a while. 【How about I provide you with a joke book, and you can recite jokes to the host every day? It might increase your vitality points when he feels happy.】

Chu Shici thought it was worth a try.

The space inside the capsule was too small, and Su Zheyan sat by the edge, dealing with the supplies.

Chu Shici bounced around inside the capsule, wanting to see what was happening outside.

Realizing that he couldn’t reach up there on his own, he looked up and shouted, “Su Zheyan! What are you doing? Take me with you!”

A hand reached in and lifted him out.

This was Chu Shici’s first time leaving the capsule.

He looked around curiously.

Su Zheyan placed him on the ground and let him play, instructing him not to disturb him while he worked.

There was a haze of black and yellow in the surroundings, and he could see tiny particles floating in the air.

Visibility was low, and Chu Shici ran forward for three or four meters. When he turned back, he could no longer see the capsule. He could only see a humanoid figure sitting on the ground, organizing supplies.

In the dense fog, faint and peculiar sounds could be heard. Some sounded like the buzzing of a chainsaw, while others resembled the clattering of high heels.

However, no matter what kind of sound it was, it shouldn’t be present in this place.

The system was frightened and trembling. Taking advantage of not being a carbon-based life form, Chu Shici ran towards the direction where the sound of high heels was coming from.

The source of the sound was empty, but the footsteps became more and more distinct.

As he approached, Chu Shici saw a shadow of a woman on the ground, slowly walking towards him.

There was no one, only a shadow, and the sound was coming from the shadow.

Chu Shici took a sharp breath, and even the antenna on his head stood up.

He was a robot now, and he wasn’t included in the diet of most organisms.

If nothing unexpected happened, this thing was coming for Su Zheyan, the living human.

Chu Shici quickly popped out his four wheels and ran back as fast as he could. He rushed to Su Zheyan’s side and grabbed onto his clothes.

The monster behind seemed to know that it had been exposed, and its footsteps became more urgent.

Chu Shici had just mentioned the monster when Su Zheyan, who had been silent all along, suddenly pulled out a dagger from his waist and stabbed the ground forcefully.

The shadow on the ground convulsed and twisted, and the sound of high heels became sharp and piercing.

Su Zheyan kept stabbing, and the shadow shattered and disappeared, with countless tiny grains of sand gushing out from the ground. They then floated into the air and merged with the dense fog.

Chu Shici was dumbfounded.

The system exclaimed in confusion, “I didn’t understand.”

Chu Shici also didn’t understand. He poked Su Zheyan and asked, “What was that?”

Su Zheyan didn’t answer his question and continued to lower his head to organize the supplies.

Chu Shici was impatient and couldn’t stand the difficulty of communication like this. He took a few deep breaths and told himself not to get angry.

The host’s affinity towards him was too low right now, and considering his own introverted nature, it was normal for him to be ignored.

After calming down, Chu Shici pointed in another direction and said, “There’s the sound of a chainsaw over there.”

Su Zheyan glanced at him and said, “Just a Cutter. Go play on your own and don’t disturb me.”

Before his words could even fade, a dark figure swiftly crawled out.

It was about half the size of a person, with a black and red body. It looked like a centipede, covered in dense saw-like teeth.

As it crawled, the teeth on its body emitted a buzzing sound. It was annoying and unsettling to listen to.

Chu Shici saw Su Zheyan’s eyelid twitch, a slight bulge on his forehead, and his handsome face filled with annoyance.

With a grim expression, Su Zheyan stood up and walked towards the Cutter, holding a big knife.

Watching the chopped-up centipede, Chu Shici solemnly said to the system, “Before going to sleep at night, I’ll tell him jokes. Remember to activate my pain suppression.”

“I will, I will.”

…

Although Chu Shici didn’t spend much time outside, he had already witnessed the horrors of the desolate planet.

Monsters were everywhere, with bizarre and mismatched appearances that gave a strong sense of patchwork.

Tiny grains of sand in the air would periodically fall to the ground and transform into shadow attacks on living beings.

In this open space, it seemed like Su Zheyan was the only one who needed to catch his breath, as the shadows came to attack him.

As Su Zheyan casually killed a shadow, he caught a glimpse of his little robot rummaging through his backpack.

The small creature pulled out a thin iron nail from the backpack and vigorously stabbed it into the shadow on the ground.

It was clear that the robot had some attacking ability, but the damage was low, like that of a gua sha master1. It took nearly a hundred stabs to puncture the shadow. As a gush of sand particles surged out, it push him into mid-air, startling the robot.

Su Zheyan rescued him, and the robot stood in the palm of his hand, holding the nail and energetically saying, “You’ve been busy all day, take a break, I’ll stand guard for you.”

Su Zheyan didn’t show much of a reaction. He saw the disappointed expression on the robot’s smooth metal face.

However, this time it wasn’t that he didn’t want to answer, but rather he didn’t know what to say.

He rummaged in his backpack and took out a battery, offering it to Chu Shici as a reward.

But the model doesn’t match, and the robot can’t consume it.

Chu Shici sadly touched the empty space in his chest, while Su Zheyan silently put away the battery.

After two hours, the sky completely darkened.

The desolate planet was especially dark at night, with visibility reduced to almost nothing.

Su Zheyan packed the supplies into the capsule and prepared to go back to rest.

He looked around, wanting to bring the robot inside as well.

But that little thing had disappeared somewhere to play, and despite searching several times, he couldn’t find it.

Chu Shici hung on Su Zheyan’s belt, swaying back and forth.

He looked puzzled and asked, “What is the male lead looking for?”

The system shrugged and said, “I don’t know either.”

Chu Shici hadn’t eaten all day and felt hungry and uncomfortable.

He patted Su Zheyan’s thigh and looked up at him, asking, “If you want to find something, tell me, and I’ll help you look for it.”

Su Zheyan paused and looked at his expression, which seemed particularly complicated.

The transparent capsule slowly closed, and Chu Shici curiously asked, “How did you get in? Aren’t you going to continue searching?”

Su Zheyan:…

He didn’t want to answer.

The robot always seemed full of energy. When he saw that Su Zheyan ignored him, he went to study the pile of supplies.

He pulled out a piece of blue fabric from the supplies and looked up, asking, “Can I take this?”

Su Zheyan had originally planned to use that piece of fabric as a handkerchief, so it was optional.

He waved his hand, and the robot hugged the fabric, dragging scissors, and went into the bottom shelf of the bookcase.

When the robot was seen again, it was wearing a blue cape.

Su Zheyan endured for a while but couldn’t help asking, “What are you doing?”

The male lead took the initiative to speak to him, which surprised Chu Shici. He explained, “It’s uncomfortable to be naked. I want to wear clothes.”

Su Zheyan nodded and continued with his dinner.

Chu Shici watched as he took out a can, opened it, and scooped out a spoonful of white creamy substance, which he put into his mouth.

He leaned closer and saw the bottom of the can, which read, “[Nutritional Cream (Coconut Flavor), for adults only, suitable for all genders].”

Chu Shici was filled with question marks in his mind. “Is this all you eat?”

Su Zheyan took out another white bottle from the pile of supplies.

On the bottle, there was a line of text: “[Nutrient Liquid (Red Wine Flavor), suitable for alphas].”

Both packaging boxes had the unified emblem of the Empire, a lightning symbol.

Su Zheyan seemed exhausted. He hastily finished his meal without even taking off his clothes, then laid down and fell into a deep sleep, not giving Chu Shici a chance to tell him jokes.

With the mission target fast asleep, Chu Shici climbed onto his chest and prepared to curl up and sleep in his pocket.

After lying on his side for a while, he skeptically asked the system, “Have you noticed how slow his heartbeat is?”

“I’m not human, so I’m not quite sure. But he’s alive and well, so he must be fine,” the system replied.

Chu Shici listened carefully again and noticed that Su Zheyan’s heartbeat was becoming slower, almost disappearing completely.

If it weren’t for the sound of breathing in the capsule, he would have thought that the male lead had been poisoned.

As usual, the system reported the data to him. “Vitality level: 8/100. Keep up the good work.”

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(A gua sha stone is a traditional Chinese medicine facial and body massaging tool)