Zhuang Zhou rummaged through the pile of garbage with Wen XiaoYun for an entire day.
He has never seen such a large scale garbage dump before and was slightly suspecting that an accident must have happened when he descended to arrive at such an uninhabited and desolate wilderness.
Halfway, he tried to figure out a way to leave by himself. However, after walking around for more than three hours, other than garbage, there was only more garbage.
There was no choice but to return to this man's side.
According to his observations, this man has been picking up things and fixing things all day.
Zhuang Zhou presumed that either this man was also stuck here, or he lived here.
Looks like he had no choice but to use the communication talisman.
The communication talisman was something that the High God had given to Zhuang Zhou before he left. He had three total. If he encountered issues, he could use the talismans to ask the High God for assistance.
But it was rare for little gods to use them during their intern training period.
The three talismans were equal to three pleas for help. Using it three times during the training period meant encountering three problems they couldn't resolve themselves. The intern would be judged unqualified directly.
But there was no other choice right now.
He already skipped work on his first day!
If he didn't leave here soon, he'd end up skipping work tomorrow as well.
Inside the escape pod, Wen XiaoYun finished his recording and discovered that the youth was still outside.
He put away his notes and jumped out.
Wen XiaoYun said in his deep voice: "You're not going back?"
As a native of this place, the youth should have a residence here somewhere.
After saying this, Wen XiaoYun remembered again that the other couldn't understand the common galactic language. He looked around and found the picture book he gave to the youth laying next to the other's feet. Clearly, the youth didn't read it.
Wen XiaoYun stepped forth and picked up the instructional picture book.
Zhuang Zhou naturally couldn't understand. Seeing Wen XiaoYun coming out of the escape pod, he subconsciously hid the communication talisman behind his back. Thinking again, he remembered that to outsiders, the communication talisman only looks like a normal piece of paper. Humans can't see the inscriptions on the talisman. Therefore, he immediately relaxed again and gave Wen XiaoYun an open smile: "Hello."
Although they couldn't understand each other's words, the youth's bright smile still made Wen XiaoYun take a second look.
The smell of this place was disgusting. There was dirty garbage piled up all over the floor. The youth was like a flower of life blooming in the midst of all this.
Not hearing Wen XiaoYun speak anymore, Zhuang Zhou started to spread out the communication talisman carefully. Making a pretense of sticking his hand into his pocket, he pulled out a lighter from his GanKun pouch.
Before the lighter ignited, Wen XiaoYun already walked over in front of Zhuang Zhou, his two long legs perfectly straight and powerful.
Zhuang Zhou raised his head and looked over at him. He saw the man's deep dark eyes staring at the lighter in his hand.
Zhuang Zhou's face immediately flushed red.
Even though the other didn't know, he still felt very embarrassed.
Taking advantage of the fact that the other couldn't understand him, Zhuang Zhou quietly justified himself: "I'm not a fire-type god...… so I don't have divine fire. Therefore, I can... I can only use a lighter to burn the talisman...…"
And plus, he was only a little God of Wealth still in training. His divine strength was very weak.
The fire lighter lit up the communication talisman. After the talisman burned, it transformed into a spiritual energy invisible to human eyes. The spiritual energy would transfer the message he wanted to send to the High God.
However, under Zhuang Zhou's expectant look, the spiritual energy floated in the air for a few seconds and then slowly dissipated without going anywhere.
Zhuang Zhou's eyes opened wide: "?"
Huh? Why didn't it work?
Wen XiaoYun, however, took a step back reflexively the moment the spiritual energy appeared.
He can faintly feel a very strong energy creating a ripple in the air, a force that was invisible and intangible.
Just as he was about to inspect this energy ripple some more, it disappeared.
He looked towards Zhuang Zhou, regaining a scrutinizing expression in his pitch black eyes.
Zhuang Zhou looked blankly into space. The failure of the communication talisman made him completely dumbfounded. Hesitating for a moment, he took out another talisman and lit it up once again.
Then, same as before, a spiritual energy invisible to the human eye floated in the air for a while, like it was looking for directions. After searching for a while and not finding where to go, it slowly disappeared.
Zhuang Zhou: "???"
What?
Why was the communication talisman lost as well?!
The strong energy appeared and disappeared abruptly once again. Wen XiaoYun gave Zhuang Zhou a heavy glance. Even though he knew the youth couldn't understand, he still couldn't help but ask: "What are you doing?"
Wen XiaoYun didn't receive a response. Instead, he saw the youth staring blankly into the air, like he had received a huge shock. Even the corners of the youth's eyes were red, like he was on the verge of crying but was stubbornly holding it back.
Wen XiaoYun said in a cool tone: "You're a big boy, don't cry randomly over everything."
Of course Zhuang Zhou didn't cry. He was only having a slight mental meltdown.
Even the communication array was lost.
He was going to continue skipping work…. He was going to lose his job.
To fail to arrive promptly because he had gotten lost, leading to absenteeism and a loss of employment……
He was going to be the biggest joke in the realm of Gods!
Wen XiaoYun gazed at the youth standing back facing him, looking completely pitiful like a small abandoned animal. Even the little flick of hair on his head exuded a small pitiful aura.
Wen XiaoYun expressionlessly reached out and pressed the flick of hair down with his hand.
"What, what are you doing?" Covering his head, Zhuang Zhou turned to look at Wen XiaoYun, like a startled little animal.
Wen XiaoYun drew back his hand like nothing just happened.
Zhuang Zhou stared at him for quite a while. Seeing that he wasn't planning to move anymore, Zhuang Zhou slowly scooted to the side and continued to feel sad.
Wen XiaoYun gazed at the back of youth in thought.
B-324 is an abandoned trash planet. According to the records, B-324 has been abandoned for over 50 years already. All intergalactic travel has been closed to this planet.
A planet would only be abandoned if it had high radiation unsuited for human habitation. B-324 was originally a planet used to process trash anyways.
However, the intergalactic population was high, while natural resources were low. It was impossible for the recycling system of the planet to keep up with the speed that humans created trash. The garbage piled up more and more on the planet, especially the radiation produced from waste from energy resources. This planet was already unsuited for human life.
Therefore, the crew responsible for processing trash on this planet was recalled. The traveling route to this planet was completely closed to allow the planet's self-purification methods to breakdown the radiation naturally on its own.
B-324 was from a remote galaxy anyways. With the closure of travel routes, it became abandoned completely.
In the past few decades, there have been many battles between the Empire and the Alien Insects. There have been some spaceships that run into trouble and the people end up unaccounted for.
At first, Wen XiaoYun thought the youth was a descendent of someone who had accidentally gotten stranded on this abandoned planet. Because there was no way to travel back, they directly became a resident of B-324.
These kinds of people were not rare after all.
However, Wen XiaoYun suddenly realized that he had overlooked something previously.
Even as a descendent of someone who got stranded here, he should still understand the common galactic language.
Also, he shouldn't have no trace of radiation on his body.
Wen XiaoYun has been here for 8 days. Even his body was affected by the radiation already.
And also the energy that the youth just created...…
Just who was he?
And where did he come from?
Wen XiaoYun pensively hid his suspicions at the bottom of his heart.
Zhuang Zhou spent a period of depression by himself. Then a heaviness fell on top of his head as a warm palm covered over his soft fluffy head.
Zhuang Zhou raised his head to look towards the man: "Do you need something...…"
Wen XiaoYun pointed at the escape pod behind him and said in his baritone voice: "Go sleep in the escape pod."
Well aware that the youth didn't understand the intergalactic language, Wen XiaoYun deliberately slowed down his talking speed and even made a sleeping gesture.
Zhuang Zhou understood the gesture and was briefly stunned.
It was pitch black everywhere, not even the stars could be seen. There was only a small lamp, emitting light in the darkness.
Zhuang Zhou gave the other a glance and slowly climbed into the 'escape pod' following Wen XiaoYun.
Normal escape pods can only hold one person. Wen XiaoYun's was a little special, able to contain two people.
After being forced to land, Wen XiaoYun used the resources he found in the garbage dump to reconstruct the escape pod slightly. It was expanded from its original size and used as a tent right now. The design of the escape pod was no longer recognizable. It looked a bit eccentric.
However, Zhuang Zhou was quickly enthralled. He looked around all over curiously.
Gaze following the other man around, Zhuang Zhou saw him take off a long transparent tube thing from the wall. There was green colored liquid inside. It was stuffed into his hands.
Zhuang Zhou blinked, asking with a confused expression.
"A nutritional supplement." Wen XiaoYun made a 'drinking' gesture: "Drink."
Zhuang Zhou repeated his pronunciation: "Drink?"
Wen XiaoYun gave an "En".
Zhuang Zhou memoried this pronunciation. Was the other man inviting him to drink the beverage?
Zhuang Zhou touched the bottle, but he didn't drink immediately.
Seeing Zhuang Zhou imitating himself, Wen XiaoYun pointed at himself and then said: "Wen XiaoYun."
Zhuang Zhou also pointed at him and repeated after him: "Wen XiaoYun?"
Wen XiaoYun: "En."
Zhuang Zhou nodded seriously: "En."
One was a name. One was a confirmation. Zhuang Zhou memorized this.
He placed the nutritional supplement into his pocket. Although he was in a downcasted mood, he still gave the man a smile, saying: "I will drink it in a bit. Thank you."
Wen XiaoYun roughly understood what he was trying to express and pondered with furrowed brows.
This youth must eat very rarely. That's why he's so reluctant to consume the food immediately……
That was expected. How can an abandoned planet like B-324 have normal food?
Why else would he be so scrawny, with such little arms and legs.
Wen XiaoYun didn't say anymore. He laid down directly and closed his eyes.
He even made space for Zhuang Zhou.
However, Zhuang Zhou didn't lay down and sleep as well.
He looked at the 'beverage' in his pocket and then looked at the sleeping man, patiently waiting.
After waiting quite a while, when Zhuang Zhou figured that the man was probably asleep by now, he sneakily climbed out of the escape pod.
Although it was pit-black everywhere, Zhuang Zhou wasn't scared. He was a god after all.
Arriving next to a mountain of garbage in the darkness, Zhuang Zhou carefully pulled out an incense burner, three incense sticks, and two candles from his GanKun pouch.
Last, he placed down his own Divine Image.
He took out that bottle of nutritional supplement and placed it in the place of tribute.
After doing all of this, he took a deep breath and lit up the candles. Placing them to the side, he then lit up the incense.
After burning the incense, he first inhaled a mouthful of the aroma and then earnestly kowtowed three times in front of his own Divine Image, mumbling something under his breath.
Suddenly, a low deep voice traveled over from behind him: "What are you doing?"
Zhuang Zhou didn't understand, but he jumped in fright, almost dropping the incense in his hand.
Hastily turning around, he immediately saw that at some point, Wen XiaoYun had started standing behind him.
Wen XiaoYun's gaze shifted from the incense in Zhuang Zhou's hand to the incense burner and candles. Last, it landed on the Diving Image and the bottle of nutritional supplement.
The longer he looked, the more complicated his expression became.
Zhuang Zhou: "......."
He, he just wanted to make an offering to himself, that's all……
Although he didn't have Godhood, he was still a god.
When a god eats human food, they can't taste anything.
Only by offering it as a tribute can he finally sample the essence of the food thoroughly.
There, there was no one else here……
He can only make an offering to himself, alright……?
~~~~~~~~~
The author's notes---
Zhuang Zhou: I must be the most pitiful God of Wealth!