Chapter 8

If the apple was the most delicious poison to Adam and Eve, then the optical brain and the mecha were the dreamland that Mu Fan yearned for. In the depths of night, as he lay in a deep sleep, he fantasized about driving the steel monster that belonged to men, and about possessing an optical brain that could communicate with others. But when he woke up, looking at the tattered blanket on his body and touching his empty stomach, he was pulled back to reality.

But today! Mu Fan, who never slept in, was sound asleep under a tattered blanket in the corner! He only woke up when the glaring light of the star shone on his face!

With a start, Mu Fan looked to his right, and there lay the black egg, quietly.

"It wasn't a dream!" Mu Fan recalled, having communicated a lot with the black egg last night. When he learned that his long-held wish had finally come true, his heart almost leaped out of his chest. The black egg kept listing the components needed, while Mu Fan, drooling, fantasized about the future. He fell asleep without even realizing when the black egg stopped talking.

"Black!"

"Master."

"Call me Mu Fan from now on! From now on, you're my friend!"

"Alright, Mu Fan." Black paused for a moment, as if accepting the new definition, or perhaps savoring the concept of 'friend.'

Mu Fan scooped up some relatively clean rainwater from a nearby water trough and washed his face. "What component do you need most now? I'll go find it for you!"

"Optical brain," Black answered quickly.

"What? An optical brain? Aren't you an optical brain?" Mu Fan was flabbergasted. Even the lowest-grade optical brain cost 50,000 star coins, and he had no idea where to get the money.

"Correction, I am a superbrain AI, code-named Black, not an optical brain. I can exist in any carrier, but I need an optical brain to connect to the current interstellar network, update my database, and transform my current form."

"Optical brain, optical brain. Alright, I'll earn the money!" Mu Fan clenched his teeth after hearing Black's response.

"Black, I'll have to inconvenience you for a bit." Without waiting for Black's opinion, he piled a bunch of miscellaneous scrap on top of the black egg.

"Black will enter hibernation and self-diagnostic correction program. Please, Mu Fan, wake me up after you obtain the optical brain." The electronic voice from the pile of scrap lacked emotional tone, as Black had entered self-diagnostic mode.

The sky was still gray, with small transport ships occasionally passing overhead, and hover cars zipping along the highways that spanned the outskirts of the city.

From the factory to the city center, a 30-kilometer journey, the contrast from desolation to decay to bustle to prosperity was stark. Mu Fan ran for over an hour, his breathing not the least bit disordered as he entered the city.

Mu Fan's goal was clear: to visit Old Bard, the owner of Bard's General Store in District 22. He used to help out in the store frequently, and Old Bard was a kind man who often gave Mu Fan rice balls and some pay. This time, Mu Fan wasn't there to work but to ask the old man for advice; he needed money.

District 22 wasn't large, but it was bustling. As Mu Fan walked, people automatically kept a meter's distance from him, his tattered appearance clearly marking him as a poor person from outside the city. The self-proclaimed elite of the district would avoid him to avoid being mocked.

Passing by the Huali Food City, Mu Fan swallowed hard. Continuing on, he saw the Xuzhe Equipment Store, one of the top outdoor gear shops in District 22. Looking at the finely crafted daggers and combat suits in the window, he felt a twinge of envy, his fists clenching tighter.

Turning right at the next intersection and passing a grocery store, he finally arrived at Old Bard's general store.

"Old Bard," seeing the old man leisurely smoking cheap tobacco behind the counter, Mu Fan greeted him politely.

"Hey, is that our Mu Fan? You finally have time to visit me. You haven't been around for over a month," Bard said, chuckling and tapping his pipe.

"Yes, I've been working outside the city, so I haven't had time to come in. I'm here to ask for your advice," Mu Fan nodded in response.

"What's up, Mu Fan? Come in and sit down. I'll tell you anything I know," Bard genuinely liked this sensible and hardworking young man.

"Old Bard, I want to know how to earn money the fastest," Mu Fan looked at the old man with clear eyes.

"Earn money? How much do you need? Why are you asking this suddenly?" Bard was surprised. He knew Mu Fan's situation; the money he earned from odd jobs barely covered his basic needs, and he often bought books, making his life even tighter. But even so, Mu Fan had never asked about quick ways to earn money.

"Are you in trouble? How much do you need? I have some savings," Bard genuinely liked the boy and wanted to help him as much as he could.

"Thank you, Old Bard, but this time it's a bit different. I need an optical brain, so I have to earn money. I can't take your money; I came here to ask for your advice," Mu Fan politely declined Bard's offer.

"Hmm." Bard blew a smoke ring. "Mu Fan, you've worked for me many times. There's a way to earn more money, but I know you're strong, and I still hope you'll consider it carefully."

"What way?"

"Martial Arts Hall, sparring partner!" Bard looked at Mu Fan seriously. "To put it bluntly, you'll be a punching bag! The longer you last, the more you earn! But I must warn you to be careful. There are bound to be people who hit hard, and I don't want you to get hurt."

"Thank you, Old Bard." Mu Fan's eyes lit up, and he bowed deeply to the old man.

"Don't thank me. If you can't handle it, come back to me," Bard waved his hand.

"Alright, I'll go then." Mu Fan straightened up and walked away.

"Hey, you brat, you're going the wrong way, the wrong way!"

Mu Fan stumbled, turned 180 degrees, scratched his head, and laughed.

...

In the northwest corner of District 22, a massive five-story building stood, with a unique wooden sign hanging at the entrance: Starfall Martial Arts Hall. In the space age, humans needed to drive and control various machines, especially mechas, which required higher physical fitness. Martial arts halls, combining martial arts and combat techniques, became popular again with the development of science.

The parking area at the entrance was filled with hover cars, from low-end civilian models to high-end luxury vehicles. Four muscular men in black martial arts uniforms stood at the entrance, adding to the building's imposing presence.

"Hey, kid, what are you doing here? If you have no business, get lost," one of the men growled at Mu Fan, who reeked of motor oil, clearly not a regular customer.

"Is this the Starfall Martial Arts Hall? Do you need sparring partners?" Mu Fan stared at the man fearlessly.

"You? Ha, a punching bag? We need one! Follow me." The man turned and walked into the hall.

Mu Fan followed the man, stepping into the wealthy people's consumption area for the first time. As soon as he entered, he saw a grand hall with powerful calligraphy and paintings on the walls. Beyond the steel-reinforced glass was a vast training ground with towering strength testing machines and rows of fitness equipment. It was still morning, and the place wasn't very crowded.

"Stop gawking. This is the regular training area. The martial arts instructors are not here. You sparring partners are on the second and third floors," the man in black teased the silent Mu Fan. First-timers were always amazed, and this country bumpkin thought being a punching bag was easy? Recently, a young master from the center of Luo Jia Star had come, and he was particularly ruthless, already injuring three sparring partners.

"Thank you!"

"Wait, I'll introduce you to one of our middle-level managers. Let me warn you, getting injured is common for sparring partners. If you sign the contract, you can't back out." The man in black, surprised by the polite young man, dropped his teasing tone. The elevator dinged, indicating the fourth floor. "Here we are. I'm Man Kun. Good luck."

**********

(PS: The title is too long, so I had to shorten it. Three updates for the new sponsor Bai Yiduo!

Thank you to reader Lianggong Xiaoyue for the tip.)

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