TCPUAAV Chapter 13

 

 

09 took a few minutes to get accustomed to his new body.

 

Ruan Shiqing applied lubricant to his joints, and the previously stiff movements became smooth. With a step back, one knee slightly bent, one hand on his chest, and the other behind his back, 09 bowed his head and performed an ancient salute. “Thank you for giving me a new life, sir.”

 

“You’re welcome. Consider it a thank-you gift for teaching me the Interstellar Common Language.” Ruan Shiqing tapped the virtual screen of his smart terminal and connected its network to 09. “Most of your functional modules are damaged, and it will take time to repair them. However, I’ve reconnected you to the network, so you can start learning on your own.”

 

Robots in the interstellar era had highly advanced autonomous learning capabilities.

 

While the damaged functional modules could not be immediately repaired, it didn’t stop 09 from serving as Ruan Shiqing’s new assistant. A wealth of information flowed from the holographic network into the robot’s storage.

 

09 sighed contentedly. “It feels wonderful to be filled with knowledge again.”

 

He quickly browsed through the holographic web, setting keywords such as “housekeeper,” “household management,” and “nanny” to filter relevant books and stored the data into separate partitions. The gradually filling storage reassured him—an entire section dedicated to household knowledge meant he wouldn’t risk unemployment!

 

Leaving 09 to his own devices, Ruan Shiqing began working on repairing the functional module boards. Their intricate structure had been violently damaged, and he still didn’t fully understand the principles behind such sophisticated electronic components. He had to learn from online resources while carefully exploring repairs on his own.

 

Meanwhile, 09 busied himself tidying the workspace. He cleaned the workbench, sorted the leftover materials, and disposed of the waste. After thoroughly organizing the workshop, he paused to study the remnants of his old body. After some thought, he approached Ruan Shiqing with the scraps in hand. “Sir, may I bury these remnants under the vines in the yard?”

 

The display on his head blinked, mimicking human eyes, as two yellow indicators flashed.

 

Recalling that Ruan Shiqing had allowed him to handle the remains as he pleased, Ruan nodded with a smile. “It’s your body. You’re free to decide.”

 

09 cheered softly, thanked him, and carried the pile of parts out to the yard. He selected a particularly lush corner beneath the Fallen Star vines, carefully dug a hole, and solemnly buried his old body there.

 

Autumn had already arrived, and soon clusters of golden Fallen Star fruits would fall into the soil, like stars diving into the embrace of the galaxy.

 

Having completed this significant act, 09 dusted himself off meticulously. As he prepared to return indoors, he noticed a shadow lingering near the gate, moving stealthily.

 

???

 

Alert, 09 straightened his posture and approached the gate. “Sir, you’ve circled my master’s shop five times. Is there something I can help you with?”

 

Startled, Luther stepped back but relaxed slightly upon realizing it was a small robot, barely reaching his waist. Sheepishly, he pointed to the sign on the door. “Is this a repair shop?”

 

In truth, Luther had already visited more than ten repair shops, but each quoted exorbitant prices after hearing his issue. Left with no choice, he had come to this unfamiliar shop hoping for better luck. Unlike the rough and cluttered repair shops lining the street, this one was clean and tidy, with plants growing in the yard—more like a refined residence than a repair shop. That incongruity had made him hesitate at the door several times before finally mustering the courage to ask.

 

“Yes, sir, you’ve come to the right place! My master’s repair skills are exceptional,” 09 responded enthusiastically. Now connected to the network and boasting a richer vocabulary, he was an energetic salesman. “Take me as an example. Just ten minutes ago, I was a pile of scrap metal. Thanks to my master, I now stand before you!”

 

To emphasize, 09 performed a 360-degree spin, showing off his shiny new body from every angle.

 

The intricacy of the golden robot impressed Luther. Skilled repair shops capable of handling such delicate items were rare; most could only manage simple household appliances or transportation vehicles. Intrigued, he followed 09 inside.

 

The little robot scurried ahead, its small and quick steps filled with vigor. “Sir, we have a customer!”

 

Hearing this, Ruan Shiqing emerged to find a young man standing nervously in the middle of the room. Tall and dressed in worn clothes, the man had slightly dark skin but bright, lively eyes, reminiscent of a resilient wild animal.

 

“What do you need repaired?” Ruan Shiqing asked.

 

Seeing the clean, well-dressed young shop owner, Luther’s heart sank. He didn’t look like a skilled repairman. Still, having come this far, Luther hesitated briefly before explaining, “I bought a second-hand hovercar recently, but it won’t start. Could you take a look?”

 

The other repair shops had all claimed the engine was likely broken, quoting prohibitively high prices. With the hovercar race approaching, Luther had spent most of his savings on the vehicle and couldn’t afford a new engine.

 

“Where’s the hovercar now?” Ruan Shiqing asked.

 

“It’s at my place. It’s too heavy to move and can’t start, so you’ll have to fix it there,” Luther explained.

 

“Alright, wait a moment. I’ll grab my tools and follow you,” Ruan Shiqing replied. He instructed 09 to prepare the toolbox and went upstairs to inform the little mermaid and the pup that he was stepping out.

 

The little mermaid nodded obediently, assuring him that he would watch over the house. Fish were indeed troublesome—once on land, they couldn’t even leave the house. No wonder merfolk spent their lives on Sijialan¹Coincidently, it has characters of jewels and blue/indigo plants so I assume the planet is completely covered by water/is blue lol Star without venturing elsewhere.

 

Rong Heng shot a glance at the little mermaid and trailed after Ruan Shiqing.

 

“You need to stay home too,” Ruan said, noticing the little one following closely behind. He scooped him up under the arms and gave him a playful shake.

 

Rong Heng: ?????

 

Why can’t I go? I’m not like the mermaid—I have legs and can walk.

 

But Ruan simply carried him back, placing him on the cushioned windowsill. “Daddy has to work and can’t bring you along.”

 

Previously, with no permanent home and the pup’s injuries being severe, Ruan couldn’t bear to leave him behind. Now that things had improved, it wasn’t practical to take the little one everywhere.

 

“…” Rong Heng slapped his hand away in protest.

 

Fine, I didn’t really want to go anyway, he thought, flopping onto the cushion and turning to stare out the window. Only after Ruan Shiqing left did he glance back at the staircase, bored.

 

The little mermaid surfaced for a moment, stole a glance at Rong Heng, and happily started blowing bubbles in the water.

 

On the way to Luther’s house, Ruan Shiqing searched online for information about hovercar racing. He quickly learned that the annual High-Speed Hovercar Race on Planet B3024 was about to begin.

 

This ancient sport, with a history spanning over a thousand years, featured hovercars equipped with anti-gravity mechanisms and two independent jet engines. The vehicles were incredibly powerful and fast, reaching speeds of up to 1,500 kilometers per hour. The races were fraught with danger, frequently resulting in accidents. Because of the extreme risks, the sport had been explicitly banned by imperial law.

 

Yet, on remote planets like B3024, the sport remained immensely popular. The annual autumn race on B3024 was accompanied by a booming gambling industry, forming a mature and complete ecosystem around the event. With the registration period for this year’s race fast approaching, many aspiring participants were already preparing their vehicles.

 

Luther was evidently one of them.

 

Ruan Shiqing refrained from commenting on the dangers of the sport. Once they arrived at Luther’s home, he performed a thorough inspection of the hovercar.

 

The vehicle was clearly old, having passed through countless hands before reaching Luther. The paint was peeling, and the control cables had exposed metal wires. When Ruan climbed in and attempted to start it, the jet engines roared and the cabin trembled violently, emitting a deafening hum—but the car didn’t budge.

 

After several tests, Ruan jumped out of the car and announced, “The control cables and engine are severely worn but still operational. The issue lies with the anti-gravity generator.”

 

“Once you replace the anti-gravity generator, the car will be drivable. However, I don’t recommend using it for racing—it’s too old to handle high-speed competition.”

 

Luther, who had initially been skeptical of the young repairman, was surprised that Ruan identified the problem in just ten minutes. The anti-gravity generator was far less expensive to replace than the jet engines, making this result better than he had expected.

 

Relieved, he said, “Then please replace the anti-gravity generator for me. How much will it cost?”

 

Ruan thought Luther hadn’t understood his warning and reiterated, “This hovercar is extremely old. Racing with it could lead to serious accidents.”

 

Hovercar races reached speeds of hundreds of kilometers per hour; any malfunction could be fatal.

 

“Accidents happen every year,” Luther shrugged, smiling nonchalantly. “Racing high-speed hovercars is a gamble with one’s life. Aren’t you from the ancient human race? You should understand how I feel. For people like us, who refuse to live on our knees, gambling with our lives is the only option.”

 

Compared to the robust evolvers and Beastkin, Ancient Humans were physically the weakest. Many jobs excluded them outright. To earn the same wages as others, they had to work several times harder.

 

Though the Empire proclaimed racial equality, the discrimination and exploitation Ancient Humans faced were truths only they understood.

 

Luther patted the old hovercar and said quietly, “Technically, Ancient Humans aren’t even allowed to participate in these races. Our physical strength, endurance, and sensory range are all weaker, making it difficult to handle the speed. But the race organizers don’t record your race at registration.”

 

Grinning, he added, “If I don’t try, how can I prove Ancient Humans aren’t the weakest?”

 

 

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For a moment I thought Rong Rong was going to sneak out regardless and come with Ruan Ruan lol

 

Thanks for reading!

 

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  Coincidently, it has characters of jewels and blue/indigo plants so I assume the planet is completely covered by water/is blue lol