The Interstellar Queen of Scavengers

Chapter 1477: Chapter 1477: A Boy’s Aspiration

To prevent any sudden incidents on the garbage planet, Principal Hong decided that the team would remain for another 6 hours before departing.

Thus, Ji You and the others had 6 hours to rest and recuperate.

The spaceships that landed at the abandoned docking port today numbered eleven, all carrying immigrants from Yangjiao Star.

After announcing his decision, Principal Hong, uninterested in other matters, turned around and boarded his spaceship to rest.

Instead, it was Dr. Luo who seemed more active, engaging in conversation with others each time a ship landed, especially telling them about the recent black bear riots on the garbage planet, giving those who came to scavenge and collect a mental warning.

...

A Ke and Granny Chen decided to leave with Ji You and their spaceship, while Liu Ming, Uncle Liang, and other survivors learned that the abandoned garbage planet was no longer dangerous and wanted to earn a bit more.

Especially Uncle Liang and his companions, who had found a hidden, abandoned Mithril mine and originally planned to try their luck, but—

Moreover, a heartbreaking fact was that their team originally had eleven members, but only six survived, as five were killed by black bears.

Since then, the atmosphere among Uncle Liang’s group has been very gloomy, and the survivors’ spirits are low.

The five deceased were mainstays in their families, having relatives and friends to support. Losing them meant a huge blow to their families.

After the black bear riot ceased, Uncle Liang and his teammates prepared the bodies of the five to take them back to their families.

The spaceships bound for Garbage Planet 381 were all privately operated for profit, not charity, and if anyone wanted to transport corpses, they had to pay extra for luck. Despite this, Uncle Liang and his group decided to bring back their comrades’ bodies for a proper burial.

It’s not just Uncle Liang’s group, but Liu Ming’s as well.

Unless absolutely necessary, it has become an unwritten rule among those seeking fortune on the garbage planet to retrieve and properly bury their comrades. Nobody objects because they never know if they might be next.

Uncle Liang and the remaining five held bottles of cheap synthetic whiskey, silently drinking.

They had ten more minutes to rest before they had to venture into the jungle. This trip yielded nothing. Their aim was simple: at least earn enough for their deceased comrades’ funeral expenses. Hopefully, with some luck, they could earn a bit more to comfort their families.

Uncle Liang continued drinking silently, mouthful after mouthful.

A Ke, sitting beside Uncle Liang, whispered, ”Uncle Liang, can I try a sip?”

Uncle Liang looked at A Ke, saying, ”You’re just a child. How could you drink? It’s not any good stuff anyway.”

Previously, Uncle Liang had encouraged A Ke to drink, saying he was too young to appreciate whiskey, but today he suddenly said it was no good. It wasn’t the alcohol that was bad but the emotions involved.

A Ke muttered, ”I want to try it.”

”Here,” Uncle Liang handed over the bottle, advising, ”Whiskey should be tasted slowly, with small sips.”

A Ke accepted it as if not hearing, mimicking Uncle Liang’s earlier motion and taking a big gulp.

”Cough!”

The liquor burned his throat and made him choke, filling his mouth and stomach with bitterness, truly unpleasant.

A Ke took another gulp.

”Cough cough...”

He choked again, badly.

Uncle Liang was a bit helpless: ”Fool! Didn’t I say to sip it slowly?”

A Ke wiped the liquor from his mouth, saying, ”I... I thought I could do it.”

Uncle Liang laughed, ”You’re still young.” He paused as he thought of something and continued with a sombre tone: ”Qiangzi was foolish like you back then. He couldn’t drink, no matter how much he was taught, he never learned. In the end, he just gave up and said he’d save money for his bride.”

Qiangzi was the youngest among the five deceased.

Upon hearing this, A Ke fell silent.

Uncle Liang said, ”He just said he was getting married this year, with plans for the wedding on the 15th of next month.”

After that, Uncle Liang fell silent, his face hard and lips pressed tightly.

A Ke clutched the bottle, and after a moment, said, ”Uncle Liang, uncles, I drink to you all, wishing you a safe journey.”

With that, A Ke downed it in one go.

”Cough cough!”

”Cough... Cough!”

”Cough cough!!!”

The boy was coughing hard, uncontrollably, and due to the alcohol, his originally fair face and neck flushed red.

Finally, Uncle Liang and others’ heavy mood lifted slightly, and they laughed at A Ke.

Then.

It was time for Uncle Liang and the others to enter the jungle, everyone stood up, patted A Ke’s head, and headed in.

A Ke stood still for a while, stumbling back to Sister Ji You’s spaceship.

”Finished talking?” Ji You asked.

Still blushing, A Ke nodded firmly, ”Yes.”

Ji You patted A Ke’s shoulder, saying, ”Go rest, the spaceship will depart in 6 hours.”

”Sister.” A Ke whispered, ”To become as strong as you, how long does it take?”

He asked earnestly, clear-eyed, not at all resembling a drunk person.

Ji You smiled, ”Quickly. It took me just 2 years.”

A Ke: ”What? That fast?!!”

Ji You: ”Yes. The key is to have confidence in yourself, determination, endure hardship, and keep persisting.”

A Ke said, ”Okay.”

In the next moment.

”I... I’m very capable of enduring hardship. What I fear the least is hardship.” His shy smile revealed a faint dimple on his cheek.

——What I fear most is a lack of hope.

——But now, I feel I have hope! To protect myself, my friends and family, and countless others like me, that is my hope and strength.

A Ke didn’t say that aloud.

Ji You smiled, ”Yes.”

...

During the remaining 6 hours, Ji You and Chu Jiaojiao initially considered entering the jungle for some luck, perhaps finding some scrap, but after careful consideration, Ji You decided against it.

Whether the upcoming journey would be smooth sailing remained unknown; a very good mental and physical state was essential.

The meager income from scavenging and collecting pales in comparison to the safety of oneself and companions, doesn’t it?

After Ji You made her decision, Chu Jiaojiao and the others also agreed it made sense. So they packed a bit, returned to the spaceship, went to their respective cabins, and slept soundly.

Aside from Dr. Luo, everyone, including Ji You, was inside the spaceship.

Dr. Luo remained outside until all the passengers of the spaceship left, chatting with the captains of those ships for quite some time. Dr. Luo was gentle, graceful, and polite, always smiling; none felt uncomfortable or unwilling to chat with her.

Then.

Dr. Luo piloted a Mecha alone, slowly circling Garbage Planet 381 without finding any dangerous factors.

Upon returning to the dock, exactly 6 hours had passed, and the spaceship was about to depart.