Chapter 110: Called “Boss” Too Many Times, Starting to Feel Like One…

Xie Jianxun felt a bit of a headache because Ela stared straight at him, just like he was watching a beloved little goldfish swimming through the air.

To be honest, everything else was fine, but that gaze sent chills down his spine—

Imagine a kid who looked only eight or nine years old staring at you like that. Anyone would feel their hair stand on end.

He raised his hand and partially blocked the line of sight.

Xie Jianxun thought for a moment and said, “If Mr. Idis agrees.”

Ela lowered his voice slightly, showing a hint of arrogance. “Of course he’ll agree.”

Sure enough, when they got home, after Xie Jianxun explained the situation to Yiwen, the mechanical arm glanced at Ela and silently headed into the workshop.

When she returned, she told them that Mr. Idis approved of Ela accompanying Xie Jianxun into the wilds.

Xie Jianxun said, “Then you have to stick close to me when the time comes.”

Ela nodded. “I’ll hold onto you.”

Xie Jianxun casually asked, “Yiwen, what about that egg I brought back?”

Yiwen dangled upside down from the ceiling, swinging in front of Xie Jianxun (she had recently taken a liking to this pose because even Mr. Ela, who was shorter, couldn’t catch her on tiptoes). She said proudly, “Yiwen has already placed it in a sealed tank in the display room, soaking in nutrient solution.”

Since the upstairs elevator was out of service, Xie Jianxun could only check on the expensive egg he’d bought through photos.

Yiwen said, “Its vital signs aren’t stable yet. Once they stabilize, it won’t need the nutrient solution anymore. Then I’ll bring it down to play with Xunxun.”

Idis’s Workshop.

The workshop lights were off, illuminated only by faint signal blue glows.

Idis sat inside a machine large enough to restrain a whole person. His profile was pale, eyes downcast, showing no sign of whether he was awake.

Ela stood beside him, deftly connecting the data cables to his body before pulling down the lid and sealing the rectangular enclosed tank filled with nutrient solution.

Yiwen lay sprawled on the workbench nearby, flicking her tail.

“Sealed so tightly?” she asked in confusion.

Ela shook his head and said offhandedly, “I’m going out with Xie Jianxun for a few days. The data cables stay here. If something goes wrong, you wouldn’t know how to adjust them anyway.”

Yiwen muttered, “I’m not that dumb. Hey, you’re going out to play with Xunxun!”

Ela glanced at her and continued with his work. “Mm. To find materials.”

Yiwen pointed her tail in another direction. “What about the mechanical puppet’s progress?”

“…”

Ela closed his eyes briefly, then opened them. “We’ll talk when I get back. Hopefully I’ll still feel like fixing him then.” He let out a cold laugh and said no more.

Yiwen said in horror, “Calm down! He’s just Xunxun’s boyfriend, after all!”

Xie Jianxun had no idea what was happening upstairs.

The Little Adventurer sat on the bed, taking inventory of the supplies in his Light Brain Space.

There were still quite a few items left from the desert adventure, but many had expired. He would probably need to clear them all out.

With that thought, he let out a long sigh, somewhat regretting that he’d bought too much before.

After a lackluster dinner, Xie Jianxun changed his outfit. He swapped out his overly student-like white jacket for an all-black ensemble and headed out.

But when he met Treasure Hunter Tuls, the man looked at him and still let out a sigh.

“Boss, you’re too good-looking,” Tuls rubbed his forehead. “Especially, uh, your eyes—they’re like they have built-in bulbs… Wait, how come it feels like there’s really a light source in there? Boss, are you a bionic person?!”

“…”

Xie Jianxun muttered, “Inherited from my parents. Nothing I can do about it.”

Tuls helplessly grabbed his hair. “It’ll be fine later. The interview definitely needs to be more serious.”

No sooner had he said that than he saw Xie Jianxun pull a pair of sunglasses from his pocket, slide them onto his nose, and smile at him.

The Little Adventurer said enthusiastically, “See, now do I look like a hitman?”

Tuls thought to himself: Truly, an emperor in rags still doesn’t look like a beggar.

They met at a café. The other side had brought only two or three people and, to make the boss comfortable, had thoughtfully ordered cake and coffee in advance.

The negotiations went smoothly, but they informed him of one thing upfront: because they had a lot of materials this time and the expedition spanned a wide area, they weren’t just escorting one boss.

Xie Jianxun took a sip of coffee—the one they’d politely ordered for him first—and also got a matcha Basque. The bitterness blended with the cheese flavor, creating an unexpected rich aroma.

“Another boss?” he asked curiously.

Wild Squad Captain Min Xingwen said, “You might not know this, but our Wild Squad isn’t entirely independent. We’re affiliated with a company. This time, the company boss asked us to take his son into the wilds to train the young master’s survival skills.”

Xie Jianxun pondered. “In that case, it shouldn’t conflict with me. I just want the materials.”

Min Xingwen replied, “Exactly. But we have to warn you in advance. That young master has a bad temper. If he takes a liking to the materials you want, we’ll try our best to dissuade him.”

“Since we’re adding an extra person last-minute, the squad will give you an 88% discount. How’s that?”

It was a reasonable arrangement. Xie Jianxun looked over the contract and called Tuls over to check it too.

The captain and his subordinates waited quietly for them to review. In the end, they reached an agreement and signed.

Seeing the new deal sealed, both sides breathed a sigh of relief.

Min Xingwen said proficiently, “Alright then, Boss. Add my contact. I’ll send you the list of essential wilderness survival supplies and some precautions.”

Xie Jianxun stood and shook his hand. For some reason, he felt like a spotlight was shining on him, as if he were some big company boss signing a major deal… It must have been from being called “Boss” too many times lately.

He steadied himself and smiled. “Pleasant cooperation.”

Before leaving, the captain called out to him. “Um, Boss, could you take off the sunglasses? We’re afraid we’ll mistake you later.”

Xie Jianxun obliged, removing the sunglasses and flashing them a smile.

His golden pupils glinted under the lights before he put the sunglasses back on.

“See you later.” He waved cheerfully. Tuls opened the car door for his boss to get in.

Once they left, the Wild Squad members sighed.

“You could tell from the voice he was young, but I didn’t expect him to be this young,” someone said. “So young and so rich—why not just sit at home and have people deliver the materials to him?”

In the air sedan, Tuls hurriedly said, “Boss, you might not have been to the wilds before. There are tons of mosquitoes and bugs biting, all kinds of insects. It can be pretty scary…”

Xie Jianxun tensed up immediately and turned his head. “Insects?”

Tuls blinked, not catching on. “Ah? Yeah, yeah, insects. The flying ones, fuzzy ones, bugs?”

It turned out he meant the wilderness critters, not the terrifying Insect Clan from Xie Jianxun’s memory.

He leaned back into the seat and relaxed. “Don’t worry. I’ve seen scarier things.”

Tuls figured the kid just lacked experience and couldn’t imagine the hardships of the wilds, so he didn’t take it seriously.

Skyscrapers towered into the clouds, their lights flickering past the car window.

Many iconic buildings were covered in neon electronic ads blanketing the sky, promoting the newly released Brain Domain Mechs.

Xie Jianxun glanced at them, then checked his Light Brain.

The new Brain Domain Mech cost three million per unit.

Xie Jianxun: “…”

Even though he could afford it, just looking at the price gave him a headache.

“Will anyone really buy them?” he wondered. “Aren’t there still lots of regular folks doing fieldwork who need them?”

Tuls shrugged indifferently. “They’re selling to the border planets. They need the combat power against alien beasts. The garrison forces will buy batches no matter the cost.”

“Though, the Nevi Group donated a batch of Brain Domain Mechs, specifically to border stars plagued by alien beasts. It earned them a great reputation—topped the news headlines for days.”

Xie Jianxun said sincerely, “If it really reduces casualties, that’s the best outcome.”

Finals week ended quickly, and students gradually began their breaks.

At the entrance to the Northwest Forest, a bunch of young people gathered for post-holiday team-building camping trips. They carried large and small bags, plus all sorts of camping gear, brimming with youthful joy like they were on a field trip.

Xie Jianxun’s rendezvous point was here too. The Wild Squad stood solemnly amid the crowd, clashing with the surrounding youngsters.

When he arrived, the entire Wild Squad was already assembled.

Everyone carried a medium-sized backpack strapped tightly to their bodies with three straps to minimize sway and reduce drag while moving.

Seeing that Xie Jianxun not only had his assistant Tuls but also brought a little kid, Captain Min Xingwen’s eyebrows shot up high.

Then he noticed Xie Jianxun had empty hands and an empty back—his eyebrows nearly flew off his face.

He strode forward first and said bluntly, “Boss, you said last time not to prepare your share, so we really didn’t.”

Xie Jianxun pulled out the necklace from around his neck and showed him the Space Optical Brain.

Captain Min, ever the experienced one, immediately shut up. But Ela, with his sharp eyes, noticed the hard drive attached to the Light Brain.

Min Xingwen whistled. “That’s pricey… Anyway, Boss, what about this kid?”

He was naturally referring to Ela, but fortunately, Ela wasn’t a real child.

Xie Jianxun introduced him seriously, “This is my bodyguard.”

Ela looked up. “Hello. I’m an Advanced Mech Engineer equipped with a Semi-Automatic Combat Mecha, responsible for certain security matters.”

His voice was mature and deep, instantly dispelling Min Xingwen’s prior assumptions. He just figured there was something special about the kid’s body.

“Fine, fine. No problem from me. We’ll head out once the last person arrives.”

He glanced at his Light Brain and gave a wry smile. Xie Jianxun asked curiously, “It’s time—someone’s still not here?”

Min Xingwen said tactfully, “It’s that young master I mentioned last time…”

Xie Jianxun got it instantly.

So the “other boss” hadn’t arrived yet.

Luckily, they didn’t wait long before the hum of an air sedan circled overhead and landed swiftly.

The downdraft tousled everyone’s hair. Tuls hurriedly pressed down on his own.

Once the vehicle settled, the Little Adventurer smoothed his hair, glad he didn’t have a style to maintain.

No one spoke as they watched a disdainful-looking young man step out, followed by two bodyguards who bid him farewell.

The young man irritably said, “You’re really not coming with me? What if something happens?”

The bodyguard replied, “Young master, the master said that after your break, you have to train in the wilds. This area’s not too dangerous, and there are so many people here. Nothing will happen. If there’s real trouble, just signal from your Light Brain, and we’ll come right away.”

The young man cursed. “So he’s just pissed I failed my classes and kicked me out, calling it ‘exercise.’ Bullshit! Damn it!”

Xie Jianxun suddenly felt a sense of kinship.

He remembered Xun Jia cursing like that before and couldn’t help laughing out loud.

The laugh drew the young man’s attention. He glared hard at Xie Jianxun and rolled his eyes.

“So green and still out here making money? You guys hiring child labor?”

Xie Jianxun said, “Hey, sir, first off, I’m almost an adult. Not child labor at all…”

The captain hurried to clear up the misunderstanding. “Hey hey, he’s not a squad member. He’s one of the bosses joining us this time.”

“Boss…”

The young man sized up Xie Jianxun, then noticed the real “kid” beside him. Like the captain before, his eyebrows arched high. “Boss bringing a child on a picnic? Not afraid he’ll bump or fall somewhere.”

Tuls stepped forward and glared at him.

The young man glared back. The two stood there silently like a pair of riled-up silly geese. Xie Jianxun held it in, barely keeping from laughing.

He leaned down and solemnly explained to Ela, “Wasn’t talking about you being a kid.”

Ela nodded cooperatively. “I know.”

In the end, the captain smoothed things over and gathered everyone at the entrance to check the map.

“Alright, alright, everyone look here. We’re at this position right now.”

The captain drew a circle, indicating their current position. “Then we’ll set off on foot from this forest, passing through the south of the Northwest Forest and the west side, before entering the southern part of the Mining District. Here, here, and here—we have to go around these spots because they’re Mineral Beast nests. We’re not fighting them.”

The young man snidely interjected, “I’m going there anyway.”

The captain held back, rolling his eyes at the young man behind his back, but continued verbally, “Then we’ll reach the crevice between the Mining District and the mountains. That narrow gap has plenty of Mineral Beasts, but they have a natural sense for special minerals, so their nests are likely built right at the entrances to the mineral veins.”

He put away his pen and nodded at Xie Jianxun. “Boss, the journey will take a while—we covered that in the contract.”

Xie Jianxun gave a thumbs-up. “No problem.”

The captain took a deep breath and turned back to the other ‘boss.’ “Here’s the deal: the big boss said you have to follow our commands completely, Mr. You Liang.”

The young man turned away, refusing to look at them. “Whatever.”

The captain took that as agreement and ignored the discordant elements. He rolled up the map and instructed everyone to line up and enter the forest.

Once everyone was ready, the captain came over specifically to Xie Jianxun. “Boss, there aren’t many dangers at first—it’s mostly the long climb. If you feel off anywhere, just tell us right away. We can take a break; no problem. Don’t push yourself and get hurt.”

Xie Jianxun signaled that he was fine and lowered his head to ask Ela, “Can you keep up?”

Mr. Ela had short legs and a small stature—they took one step, and he had to take two. It was quite taxing.

But he still nodded. “No problem.”

Tuls, on the other hand, looked more glum. “Climbing mountains… My stamina isn’t great. Sigh, whatever, the boss is paying so well.”

Xie Jianxun said lightly, “Mr. Tuls, I don’t mind if you put your bag with me.”

He shook his Space Optical Brain, and the Treasure Hunter Tuls’s eyes lit up. He sidled over fawningly, thanking him repeatedly. “Oh, how embarrassing.” Before he finished speaking, he’d already handed over the bag to Xie Jianxun.

From the other side, the young man You Liang let out a loud scoff, clearly mocking Xie Jianxun for hiring a completely useless assistant.

“Don’t stop for breaks after just a short walk,” he raised his voice. “Then why bother coming out to the wilds at all?”

That was what he said.

But after climbing the mountain steps for half an hour, You Liang was the first to call for a stop, panting heavily.

Xie Jianxun was delighted to discover that his stamina had improved greatly. He wanted to share it with Ela, but then he saw You Liang tap his wrist. A pitch-black exoskeleton emerged from behind him, fitting tightly to his body and propping him up.

Suddenly, he wasn’t panting anymore, and climbing the steps became effortless.

Seeing everyone looking at him, he didn’t bother hiding it and even seemed a bit proud. “You think I’d come out to the wilds without any prep? I’m not that stupid.”

Xie Jianxun heard Tuls sigh beside him. “Rich people’s toys… exoskeletons…”

You Liang boasted, “Military exoskeleton—it greatly enhances limb strength. This is the new model Mr. Idis just upgraded mid-year, specially supplied to the military.”

With the exoskeleton supporting him, walking was eight hundred times easier than before. His complexion improved immediately, and he casually jumped two or three meters with ease.

“Look at this—the fine structure, the sturdy support and power output… Ah, as expected of the City Lord’s Mansion’s mechanical consultant…”

As he spoke, the Wild Squad members exchanged glances, unable to hide their surprise.

The captain had only said a young master was joining the squad without saying where he came from, but from the tone, it sounded like he was from the City Lord’s Mansion.

After parading in front of everyone, You Liang didn’t retract the exoskeleton and urged the group, “Had enough rest? Let’s go—there’s still a long way to cover.”

Xie Jianxun rotated his ankle and felt Ela tugging his sleeve.

His assistant was always quicker with actions than words. Xie Jianxun chuckled and bent down. “What’s up?”

Ela said stiffly, “I brought an exoskeleton too. Improved the aesthetic flaws—better than his. Are you tired?”

His voice wasn’t quiet—in fact, it was quite clear.

Xie Jianxun didn’t get it. “A little tired… Oh, no need for it yet!”

But Ela had already pulled out the exoskeleton device. Xie Jianxun then noticed he had a Space Optical Brain too—probably a work model configured by Idis for his assistant, given that Advanced Mech Engineers weren’t short on cash.

Without another word, Ela grabbed his arm and forced the button device into Xie Jianxun’s hand.

You Liang heard the commotion and turned back, stunned.

“What? Impossible. Mine’s already the latest version. Where’d you get a newer one?”

As he spoke, Xie Jianxun’s view darkened. When he looked up again, You Liang—now equipped with the exoskeleton—leaped lightly right in front of him.

The exoskeleton boosted him to two point three meters tall, enough to look down on the one-point-seven-meter Xie Jianxun and the device in his hand.

Xie Jianxun was lightly tugged backward as he heard Ela say, “Picked it up from Idis this morning.”