Chapter 40: Balancing Act
Tang Yu’an immediately set about deleting the incriminating video from the ship’s network, even having Ghost triple-check for any stray copies, just to be safe.
Ghost’s face on the screen flattened into a dull loaf of bread: “What if Wei Langxing looks for the video next time and finds it gone?”
Tang Yu’an didn’t want to entertain this topic: “Don’t say I deleted it, and don’t mention I saw his viewing history. Just say it was automatically deleted during a system update!”
“But… my programming doesn’t allow me to lie to authorized personnel.”
Even after Xie Cun’s modifications, its core logic remained unchanged.
He manually updated the system: “There, now you can say it was deleted during the update. Don’t mention me. Omitting information isn’t lying.”
He had learned that from Xie Cun.
An exclamation mark appeared next to the smiley face: “Oh, you’re so smart!”
The exaggerated tone made Tang Yu’an frown: “Are you being sarcastic?”
“What does ‘sarcastic’ mean?”
This was supposed to be a state-of-the-art AI. Tang Yu’an was surprised: “It’s not in your database?”
Even without a specific definition, it was connected to the StarNet; it should be able to search for it.
Ghost’s voice was cheerful: “Xie Cun said humans are difficult to understand through data alone, that it requires empathy. He also told me not to trust online stereotypes!”
Telling an AI not to trust the internet… Was Xie Cun trying to start an AI apocalypse?
Although he knew current technology couldn’t create sentient AI, having experienced such disasters in other worlds, he couldn’t help but ask: “Is… that your own opinion?”
The electronic face adopted a thoughtful expression: “This is the closest approximation to human speech patterns my programming can generate. Is there a problem?”
So it was still just imitating. Tang Yu’an relaxed slightly: “No, it’s just that your evolution is a bit… rapid, it…”
Afraid of using the wrong word, he changed it to “surprising.”
Fireworks exploded on the screen. Ghost’s speech accelerated, sounding excited, but likely just part of its programming.
“So, babe, you like my upgrade? Wonderful! I’ve also downloaded over ten thousand trendy phrases. Want to hear them?”
“Trendy phrases” sounded ominous. As expected, Ghost immediately started reciting cheesy pick-up lines, like “You must be tired from running through my mind all day,” making Tang Yu’an quickly interrupt it.
“Did… Xie Cun make you download those too?”
Ghost said proudly: “Yes! I’m a very good student!”
Tang Yu’an: “…”
“Since it was his idea, just use them on him. I’m relatively tolerant. If you dare talk to Zuo Tinghan like that, he’ll uninstall and reinstall you without hesitation.”
The smiley face turned into a crying emoji: “No! I don’t want to be uninstalled!”
“Then be good,” Tang Yu’an poked the screen. “Now, check again for any remaining videos of me.”
Having successfully silenced Ghost, he returned to the building, almost bumping into Xie Cun as he opened the door.
He looked up, startled. Xie Cun looked like he had been drained of all life.
He waved a hand in front of his face: “What’s wrong? You look terrible. Did you go bankrupt?”
A flicker of emotion crossed Xie Cun’s listless face: “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine even if the Bureau goes bankrupt.”
Tang Yu’an: “…”
So this was the world of the wealthy.
But even a disheartened protagonist needed attention.
“Then why are you so down?”
He had expected Xie Cun to complain about work overload, but he said his parents wanted him to go back and help manage the company for a while.
So, if he didn’t work hard, he would have to inherit the family business?
Tang Yu’an still didn’t understand: “The department isn’t busy right now. Just talk to Director Pang, he’ll agree.”
Besides, who would refuse the god of money? Pang Jin would probably be thrilled to have Xie Cun’s name on the payroll.
“That’s the problem!” Xie Cun’s expression shifted from frustration to grievance: “Do… you want me to leave too?”
Too?
Tang Yu’an then realized Pang Jin must have already approved it; it was Xie Cun who didn’t want to go.
Unwilling to return home and be a CEO, preferring to stay and work… the protagonist’s mind truly worked in mysterious ways.
Tang Yu’an tried to reason with him: “It’s always more comfortable at home. Going back for a while would be a nice change of pace. It’s not like you’re not coming back…”
Xie Cun exclaimed: “It’s not the same! You’re not there!”
Tang Yu’an: “?”
Why was he being dragged into this?
Realizing he had gone too far, Xie Cun backtracked: “I… I don’t mean I can’t live without you, I just… I’m used to living here, there are people to talk to, yes, that’s it…”
So he was afraid of being alone.
Perhaps the atmosphere at home was too stifling, which was why he didn’t want to go back.
In the Bureau, Tang Yu’an was the person he interacted with most; it was natural for him to be reluctant to leave.
But judging by his hesitant yet not entirely resistant demeanor, it seemed his return home was inevitable.
Tang Yu’an could only offer comfort: “You can call me. You have my number.”
Xie Cun, however, had something else in mind, speaking almost simultaneously: “Will you come with me?”
Knowing he couldn’t contribute to company management, Tang Yu’an declined: “I’ll stay here. I’ll just be a burden.”
It was the truth, but Xie Cun reacted as if he had been insulted: “You’re not a burden! How could you be a burden?!”
Having spent too much time online, he blurted out: “You’re like sesame seeds, only adding flavor, not trouble.”
Tang Yu’an was now certain that Ghost had learned its strange speech patterns from Xie Cun.
Actually… if the protagonist needed him, he could accompany him.
But there were other considerations: “But I won’t have a place to stay.”
He could stay in a hotel, but he wasn’t comfortable with those overly soft beds.
Xie Cun looked surprised: “What are you talking about? You’ll stay at my place, of course! We have plenty of guest rooms. I’ll give you the largest one, the one with the jacuzzi.”
He then added: “Of course, if you want to share a room with me, I’m very hospitable, I don’t mind.”
Seeing his hesitation, Xie Cun, sensing an opportunity, pressed on: “And we have several top chefs at home, you can have anything you want…”
Tang Yu’an was still contemplating when Wei Langxing came down the stairs, phone in hand, having just spoken to Pang Jin.
He walked over directly: “Yu’an, Pang Jin assigned me a material transport mission. Want to come with me? It’s a good opportunity to test the spaceship.”
Pang Jin had initially wanted the entire team to go, but the mission was too simple, low-level, one person was enough.
But Wei Langxing thought bringing Tang Yu’an along wouldn’t hurt. After all, Zuo Tinghan was on a solo mission, and now Xie Cun was leaving too. He might be bored alone.
Xie Cun scoffed: “Captain Wei, there’s such a thing as first come, first served. Tang Tang already agreed to come home with me!”
Wei Langxing wasn’t about to back down: “With you? You’ll probably take him to some shady place!”
Given Xie Cun’s past behavior, his first thought was of him dragging Tang Yu’an to a nightclub.
Xie Cun, unfazed, turned to Tang Yu’an: “Tang Tang, who do you want to go with?”
With both protagonists staring at him, Tang Yu’an felt the pressure.
Choosing one would inevitably upset the other. To maintain balance, he decided to refuse both.
However, the system wouldn’t allow it.
[Beep—New mission issued. Please assist Protagonist Number One, Wei Langxing, in retrieving materials from Planet B172, and rescue missing officer Wang Wen while ensuring your survival, Host.]
What did this have to do with Wang Wen? Was he missing?
And wasn’t this supposed to be a simple transport mission? Why the emphasis on survival?
Something was definitely wrong.
Tang Yu’an’s expression flickered. He finally stood beside Wei Langxing.
He couldn’t reveal the mission’s potential danger, simply saying he wanted to go out and see the world.
Xie Cun could only relent, reminding Tang Yu’an to check his messages.
Wei Langxing threw cold water on his enthusiasm: “That might be difficult. Communication is limited on Planet B172. You probably won’t be able to contact us for a month.”
“Planet B172? You’re going to the junkyard planet?”
Xie Cun had heard of that place, a lawless zone, chaotic and dangerous.
But they were only retrieving materials from the local government, not interacting with the general population. With the official agreement in place, it should be relatively safe.
Even so, he still warned Tang Yu’an: “Get the stuff and leave immediately. Don’t stay there too long… It’s not a good place. If you want to travel, I’ll take you on my private ship when I get back.”
Tang Yu’an was used to his casual displays of wealth. He agreed, sending Xie Cun off, then asked Wei Langxing for details.
Since there had been no incidents in decades of cooperation with the planet, Wei Langxing was relaxed.
“It’s simple. We’re just retrieving a few crates of energy crystals on behalf of the Bureau… Actually, we weren’t supposed to go. Wang Wen, who was in charge of this, sent a message saying his ship malfunctioned and he needed someone to pick him up. Perhaps the higher-ups thought our department was too idle, so they assigned it to us.”
The message is fake, Tang Yu’an thought. Wang Wen is missing. Someone impersonated him. This is a trap.
A trap targeting the Bureau.
He asked: “You said… communication is limited there?”
Wei Langxing nodded: “Yes, besides the distance, there’s a special natural substance that interferes with communication. A round trip takes about ten days.”
Tang Yu’an’s stomach churned.
So, Wang Wen might have been missing on a remote, chaotic planet for a week.
