The distinctive spicy and fragrant flavor of Rui de Star still lingered in their mouths as the Shakespeare set sail from the second stop, the planet Aurige, now far behind. The metallic, iron-red planet was unique in its own way, but due to human over-exploitation, the entire planet’s environment suffered severe damage. Once famous for the Gold Valley, it had become a poverty-stricken star, relying on fragile small flowers that grew on its metal surface to attract tourists after the environmental degradation.
The population of Aurige had declined from a peak of around a billion to just over two million in just a century.
After passing the Metal Planet, the third stop, Yale Star, also gradually faded from the view of Ryan and Auston. This planet, with its air filled with a pungent sulfur smell, required protective suits for landing. The population here was even smaller, with only about two to three hundred thousand people. They made a living by collecting the pungent air and separating useful gases. They were all workers employed by the same factory. The reason this planet was chosen as one of the tourist stops was the perpetual presence of colorful halos in the air. Despite the thick colors, they had a light and silky texture, resembling a living oil painting. The rotating brown light orbs were stars, and the flowing colored gases were wisps of clouds, akin to Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night.”
If someone becomes too engrossed in admiring the scenery and neglects their protective mask, inhaling a large amount of the pungent gas, hospitalization is the lighter consequence. Severe cases involve burning and scorching of the lungs, leading to death, making it the norm.
Beauty and danger coexist.
Wealth is inseparable from danger.
Who would have thought that these seemingly toxic gases, after refinement, could be used in cosmetics, becoming a secret to maintaining human beauty?
After the third stop was the fourth stop, the planet Gray. There isn’t much to say about this planet. After the tourism experiences on the first two smaller planets, passengers were eager for a regular and enjoyable journey. They wanted to see the sky blue over the lake, the subtly verdant grasslands, enjoy air without distinctive odors, and feel the warm, comfortable sunlight—just that, nothing more.
Spending an entire day on Gray, everyone boarded the Shakespeare for the night. When they woke up, they had arrived at the fifth stop, Beland, the largest planet in this journey. As a Second level planet, it had a population of over two billion and boasted a flourishing economy and a unique culture—ice sculpture culture. In the streets, squares, and courtyards, ice sculptures, ranging from several meters tall to small and delicate, occupied every corner. They stood individually, in pairs, or in groups, depicting various themes from mythology, reality, and more.
Beland’s Ice House Bar is worth a visit. Dropping chunks of ice into the beer and enjoying it in the warm, summer-like atmosphere is undoubtedly a top-notch experience. For those seeking an extra thrill, they can add an explosion of sweetness with honey. The combination of ice-cold beer and sweet honey is a pleasure known only to the imaginative people of Beland. The honey comes from their next destination, which will not be revealed here for now.
Having made an appointment to meet Fan Lanting, who lives in the capital of Beland, at the Blue Moonlight Bar at half-past nine in the morning, it’s still early as it’s just past seven. Before heading there, Ryan and Auston have something to take care of – delivering the so-called “Musician” Evan to the police station. The 5000 stellars reward is not a small fortune. Of course, Ryan and Auston don’t lack the money, but seeing Evan wandering around the cruise ship makes them uneasy. After all, he’s an interstellar child trafficker, specializing in stealing children.
In the era of low birth rates across the stars, it’s quite normal for couples married for many years to not have their own children. The anxiety of declining birth rates has given rise to a distorted industry that floods the black market. Children under the age of five are the most popular “products” on the black market.
Evan had seamlessly integrated into the staff of Shakespeare, earning the trust of everyone from the captain to the ordinary cleaning crew with his silver tongue. Ryan had initially investigated this “musician” and discovered that he had been working on the cruise ship for five years, diligently and professionally. The bands he led received high praise from tourists, and he had been selected as the outstanding employee of the year twice.
Given this background, even if Ryan waved the bounty in front of those people, it wouldn’t garner any help. On the contrary, it might raise suspicions. To address this, Ryan decided to have the Shakespeare undergo routine maintenance while docked at Beland. This provided an opportunity to apprehend Evan when all personnel on the ship, including both guests and crew, disembarked.
This type of tourist diversion was much more interesting than playing around on various small planets.
“He went to the east alley.” Auston, wearing a black mask, quickly scanned the entrance of the bar street and swiftly identified their target.
Auston had been educated with a focus on the big picture—how to issue commands, deploy surveillance throughout, and achieve objectives in a commanding role. This endeavor of personally hunting down an adventurer was his first, and his dark eyes shimmered with excitement, a passion he hadn’t anticipated.
Following Evan from the cruise ship, Evan had the advantage of knowing the terrain well. After disembarking from the cruise ship and making a circuit within the docking port, he disappeared from their sight. It took Ryan and Auston half an hour to locate him again. At this moment, Evan was holding a white swaddle, a baby he had apparently stolen from somewhere. If Evan managed to escape, the child would vanish into the vast crowd, making it incredibly difficult to retrieve.
“Let’s keep up; we must control him before he can release the baby.” Ryan said, glancing at the east alley. His mental map quickly came to life, and he speculated, “Evan is heading to the bus station.”
Ryan and Auston exchanged a glance, their understanding unspoken but evident. Without a word, they simultaneously sprinted toward the east alley. One significant difference between the interstellar-era bus station and those from ancient Earth was the type of energy vehicles used. Besides this, the bus station remained as crowded and diverse as ever, making it relatively easy to transfer a baby in such a bustling environment.
Forget about real-name ticketing and ticket inspections; infants held in their parents’ arms didn’t need to purchase tickets. Harshly put, they were precious luggage in their parents’ hands, often overlooked. There had been proposals in the past to require infants to have tickets and go through inspections, but it faced opposition from a large number of people who heavily relied on buses as their primary mode of transportation. Whether in the present or the past, bus tickets were inexpensive and the preferred choice for many middle to low-income individuals who sought a convenient and fast travel experience rather than wasting time on ticketing for infants.
The two entered the alley but were a step too late; Evan, familiar with the surroundings, had already left.
“Let’s go!” Auston wasted no time, lifting his long legs, heading straight for the station. A slight vibration at his wrist signaled a message on his silenced personal terminal. Adjusting it to read, Auston’s pupils contracted sharply, and he said in a low voice, “The baby is missing.”
“I received the same message.”
Beland was the home of the Stark family, consisting of Graydon Stark, his wife, and their baby. Just that morning, they had bid farewell, and the plump and cheerful Graydon had invited Ryan and Auston to visit whenever they had the chance. In the short time they spent together, everyone enjoyed each other’s company. The baby, a lovable little one who ate and slept well without fuss, was growing a little each day. Auston felt like every time he saw the baby, it was a new version of him. They had just said their goodbyes in the morning, and within an hour, the child had disappeared!
Ryan and Auston continued walking, and as they did, Ryan initiated a video call with Graydon. The call was quickly answered, indicating that Graydon was waiting with his personal terminal. As soon as the call connected, the visibly sweaty Graydon spoke rapidly, “We are at the police station right now. We’ve filed a report, but, but…” Graydon had to articulate the cruel reality they were facing, “but the police investigation will take time. If we delay a bit, the baby might be lost forever.”
“Don’t panic. Explain the whole process of the baby’s disappearance,” Ryan’s calm and soothing voice had a reassuring effect, transmitted through the network to Graydon’s ears. Graydon, visibly distressed, calmed down noticeably.
Graydon looked at the video call screen displaying Ryan and felt a sense of stability. It was as if Ryan was a guiding light, a deity in the world. Graydon believed that as long as he shared the details with Ryan, they could retrieve the baby. Graydon closed his eyes and took a deep breath before explaining, “After we got off the spaceship, Herman and I found our small starship in the parking port. We equipped ourselves and boarded the ship to go home. Our parking spot is quite remote, about a thirty-minute walk. When we found the starship, someone approached us asking for directions. I wondered why someone would come to such a secluded place for directions, but I still told him how to get there. Just after I finished, Herman and I lost consciousness. When we woke up, the nanny robot was destroyed, and the baby in Herman’s arms was gone.”
The domestic assistance robot attempted resistance to protect the child but lacked effective combat capabilities. It was easily overcome.
Upon discovering the child’s disappearance, the Stark couple immediately reported it to the police. The police responded swiftly and checked nearby surveillance footage, but surprisingly, they couldn’t trace the kidnapper through the cameras. It was evident that the perpetrator was familiar with the surveillance locations, deliberately avoiding detection in blind spots.
The police were currently questioning Herman, inquiring about any potential enemies or adversaries. Graydon had already gone through the interrogation. After the questioning, he stood in the corridor, feeling lost and helpless. Suddenly, he thought of Ryan and Auston, the mysterious and powerful friends he had met during their journey. Perhaps they could help find the baby. Graydon, like a drowning man grasping at a last straw, decided to reach out to Ryan and Auston via text message instead of initiating a video call. Even in this desperate situation, he retained a trace of rationality inherited from his distant ancestors—seeking assistance but not wanting to unnecessarily disturb others.
After narrating the entire process of the child’s disappearance and their response, Graydon anxiously stared at the screen, hoping that Ryan and Auston could work their magic and swiftly locate the missing child.
Ryan furrowed his brow slightly. They were dealing with a child trafficker, and now Graydon’s child had gone missing again. There are no 100% coincidences in the world; most are orchestrated by someone. Ryan had a working hypothesis that he could almost confirm as a fact: Evan, working as an ordinary band leader on the Shakespeare, was likely scouting for “goods” while waiting for the opportune moment to execute his plans. The baby became his chosen target, and given the number of people on the cruise ship, there were likely more missing individuals. The “musician” Evan, listed on the bounty board for 5000 star coins, couldn’t possibly abduct a child on every run; there must be more to it.
A cry of surprise came from Graydon’s side, confirming Ryan’s suspicions. “Another person has reported a missing child. I think I’ve seen them; they were on the cruise ship.” The camera panned, capturing his hurried steps towards the commotion. Fragmented voices accompanied by cries reached Ryan and Auston’s ears. Subsequently, Graydon’s face appeared on the screen, dark and alarmed as he looked into the camera. “It’s from Shakespeare. They’ve lost a three-year-old girl. They were about to leave the dock to hail a cab, and in the blink of an eye, the child was gone.”
Similarly, the police couldn’t find the suspect’s figure in the surveillance footage.
The police had now confirmed that this was a premeditated and well-executed operation by an experienced criminal gang. The choice of Beland over a smaller planet was likely due to the larger population, providing the perfect cover to make someone disappear in the crowd.
Ryan nodded toward Auston. It was confirmed; Evan was the perpetrator.
“Another report just came in.” Graydon’s expression had shifted from alarm to intense anger. “Two families, a five-year-old boy, and a six-month-old baby girl. These damned traffickers! May they rot in hell!” He wished he could catch them right away and tear them apart. “How dare they, how dare they do this in Beland! This is the capital of a second-tier planet, with police and military presence. Have they lost their minds?”
The experienced Ryan and Auston considered another layer of the situation. Anyone daring to challenge the authorities had a specific purpose. It could involve interests at the higher echelons, perhaps a group of audacious and ruthless pirates hiding among them. Regardless of the possibilities, they needed to take this seriously.
Finding out who was behind this wasn’t the top priority now. Their immediate concern was locating the children about to change hands. Exiting the alley and navigating through a few more streets, they arrived at the capital’s bus station of Beland, a second-tier planet.
Before ending the video call, Ryan instructed Graydon, “Tell the police that ‘Musician’ Evan has been spotted at the capital bus station.”
“‘Musician’ Evan?”
“He’s a notorious interstellar trafficker. Just tell the police, and they’ll understand.” Without further explanation, Ryan quickly relayed his message and, alongside Auston, entered the bus station.
Being a second-tier planet, Berland’s capital was undoubtedly densely populated, with the capital city housing the largest population on the entire planet. The capital bus station, characterized by its artistic, sail-shaped architecture, served as the hub for thousands of buses departing daily to destinations worldwide. The station bustled with a remarkable flow of people. Standing at the entrance, Ryan and Auston were jostled by the incoming crowd. Ryan deftly avoided the commotion, grabbing Auston’s waist, and guided him to a column where they could talk amid the noise.
Ryan, leaning close to Auston’s ear, spoke amidst the clamor, “I’ll go find the station manager and request access to the surveillance footage. There shouldn’t be any issues; we’ll just say we lost our child and need to check the cameras.”
Auston replied, “I’ll go.” In situations like these, his biggest advantage over Ryan was his identity. At this moment, they didn’t need to worry about exposure; saving lives took precedence.
After a moment’s thought, Ryan agreed, “That’s the quickest and most convenient way. I’ll roam around; maybe I’ll bump into them. Evan shouldn’t have left the bus station so soon.”
“Alright, stay in touch.” Auston nodded, and the two of them went their separate ways.
Despite the lack of a festive atmosphere, the station was still bustling with people coming and going. There were those exiting, those entering—elderly, children, individuals hurriedly carrying luggage. The cacophony of music, children’s cries, and parents’ soothing voices filled the air. The scent of oranges, the aroma of instant noodles, and the lingering fragrance of tea eggs being boiled in a small supermarket pot created a sensory experience reminiscent of a bygone era on Earth.
Yet, this fleeting nostalgia vanished upon observing the floating displays, holographic projections, and robots weaving through the crowd. This was still a station in the interstellar age.
Wearing a mask similar to Auston’s, Ryan calmly surveyed his surroundings. His gaze casually scanned the faces, comparing each one with the bounties he had memorized at a glance.
Up to now, there hasn’t been any discovery of a person resembling the individuals in the bounty notices. Unless the contact chosen by Evan has not yet caught the attention of the Imperial authorities. Trained by the system, Ryan can determine if a person is the one he’s looking for even with 80% facial disguise; therefore, any disguises are virtually ineffective against him.
He has two hypotheses: Evan’s contact is an experienced individual not yet wanted by the police, or it’s a newcomer who hasn’t made a name yet. Of course, the possibility that he simply hasn’t spotted the person in such a large station cannot be ruled out.
A young man with a black suitcase by his side looks suspicious; a timid woman emerging from the restroom with wandering eyes is suspicious; three men and two women leaning against the wall, glancing around while speaking, are suspicious; the elderly person coughing incessantly is suspicious; the child peddling e-cigarettes all over is suspicious. Even the station service robot passing by must have something wrong!
Just at that moment, Auston, who has exposed his identity to seek the stationmaster’s assistance, relayed his voice through the personal terminal to Ryan’s ears. In his calm and composed tone, he said, “Ryan, the robot that passed by you has an incorrect walking pattern. The child is inside its belly.”
Ryan’s gaze swept over the robot before settling on the surrounding crowd. His eyes slightly chilled, his muscles instantly activated, and a dagger slid from the sheath strapped to his forearm into his right hand. The siren, initially distant, grew nearer as station security received instructions and policemen emerged from the duty room, brandishing guns aimlessly through the crowd.
This is bad!
They’ve alerted the snake.
Ryan knew it was too late. He quickly said, “They’re about to act.”
No sooner said than done, Ryan rushed out. His speed left a series of afterimages behind him. With a loud crash, the robot swiftly changing its route was knocked down. Upon closer inspection, the robot’s belly had been opened, revealing a white-swaddled infant in Ryan’s arm. The child was peacefully sleeping but appeared unusually unconscious—precisely Graydon and Herman’s son, Baby.
“Ryan, behind you.”
Auston’s prompt seamlessly aligned with Ryan’s movements. The attack from the elderly man aimed at Ryan failed, and each strike targeted Ryan’s vital points but missed.
The old man let out an angry roar, threw away his cane, and turned to retrieve a gun from his seat. There’s a security check upon entering the station, and seizing a weapon requires disassembling it to smuggle various parts in as luggage. Putting it back together would take some effort.
“Haha.”
A youthful laugh tinged with mockery came from the 10 o’clock direction. It was a young man who appeared to be around eighteen or nineteen, a bright red pimple on his forehead and a few scruffy chin hairs that he apparently chose not to shave. At his feet was a large black suitcase capable of holding a child. The young man made a shooting gesture toward Ryan, winked mischievously, and emitted a “bang” sound.
The sound echoed as the station’s service robot, knocked down by Ryan, flipped back into position and transformed into combat mode. Its cylindrical body had silent treads at the bottom, a round head on top, and two arms that looked like inverted exclamation points, giving it an appearance similar to a humanoid with extra hands. The robot, previously dressed in a service uniform, lost its cute and friendly appearance, replaced by a cold and lethal demeanor. An electronic synthesized voice resounded, “Eliminate. Eliminate. Eliminate.”
The two circular arms extended straight, hands retracting to reveal dark openings with glowing red lights, and faint mechanical noises accompanied the motion. Ryan squinted as he identified the sound of bullet loading – this robot was equipped with machine guns.
The big student flashed a brilliant smile at Ryan and suddenly shouted to the surrounding crowd, “Gunfire! Run!” The stunned crowd began to react, screams erupted, and chaos ensued as people scattered in all directions, creating another layer of trouble for Ryan.
From the moment Ryan knocked down the robot, retrieved the child, to the elderly man’s attack and the subsequent robot riot, only about twenty seconds had passed – a few breaths of time. The people around hadn’t fully grasped the situation.
The big student by the black suitcase raised an eyebrow, calmly manipulating the robot. Meanwhile, three other service robots, located about a hundred meters away, changed direction and started approaching Ryan.
Ryan chuckled, utterly fearless. This puzzled the big student, who stared at Ryan with curiosity. Wasn’t he aware of the current situation? How could he still laugh? Maybe he’d lost his mind from the fright?
Ryan’s laughter stemmed from confidence. Standing still without any apparent special movements, he suddenly lifted his leg and exerted force. His right leg, brimming with power, kicked the robot that was loading bullets. Crack! A teeth-gritting sound followed as the robot’s round head flew out, hitting the old man who was assembling a firearm. The crafty-looking old man let out a painful groan and fell to the ground.
The biggest drawback of service robots was their loosely connected heads and bodies, designed for a cute appearance.
Calm and composed, Ryan, seemingly in control of the situation, made the big student widen his eyes. Slowly standing up, the big student’s gaze crawled up from horror within Ryan’s line of sight. The connection between the service robot’s head and body wasn’t supposed to be so fragile, and besides, he had secretly reinforced this modified robot. It would take more than three hundred pounds of force to achieve the feat of sending the head flying with a kick.
“Is this guy even human?”
The big student voiced the thoughts of the elderly man lying on the ground. He, who had traversed the galaxy for over a hundred years and was still adept at killing, was easily taken down? They were all starting to question life.
“Ah!”
The cries of pain and screams from the direction of the restroom woke up the big student from his stupor. He shrugged, saying loudly, “You’re too amazing. I can’t face you directly. Goodbye~ Have fun with my baby.” Controlling several service robots, he hadn’t had time to modify them, and they lacked lethal weapons. Still, they could cause significant trouble for the man.
One man against four hands – no matter how powerful that man was, what use was it? He might be able to handle a thousand soldiers alone, but could he deal with a group of people?
The smell of blood continued to spread in the waiting room. A timid woman unexpectedly brandished a large machete, attacking anyone in sight without mercy. Three men and two women leaning against the wall also joined the carnage. The snowy-white blades descended, lifting to reveal a coat of fresh red blood. It was a one-sided slaughter.
The mischievous boy selling electronic cigarettes chuckled, opened one and tossed it to the ground, creating a dense smoke that obscured the view.
In this chaos, with the police approaching, they didn’t care. The provocation of the police sirens only intensified the nerves of the criminals, and they went all out inside the waiting room. As the big student had said, even though Ryan was formidable, facing four hands was still a daunting task, and he couldn’t prevent all the atrocities. The student was undoubtedly a genius in manipulating mechanical conveniences, controlling a total of twelve service robots, including the one Ryan had taken down. The service robots had basic combat capabilities, making them tricky opponents.
With the child in his arms, Ryan leaped out of the encirclement of the robots. He faced an oncoming attack from the old man’s cane. The force behind the swinging cane was tremendous, creating a whooshing sound through the air. Dodging the attack by crouching low, Ryan spun in place, avoiding the old man’s strike once again. The enraged old man shouted a stream of profanities, cursing vehemently. Despite the explicit and offensive language, Ryan remained unaffected, showing no emotional response.
However, when it came to family, Ryan was not one to stand idle. His icy gaze shifted towards the old man, treating him as if he were already dead. The old man, having exhausted his profanities, suddenly felt a chill down his spine. Halfway through another vulgar word, he found himself unable to speak. A warm sensation in his throat was swiftly replaced by cool air rushing in. In a moment of confusion, he realized that he had missed the rest of his life. Placing a hand on his neck, he felt the warm blood flowing out, resembling the gentle sound of spring water. When did he manage to strike back? The sluggish mind of the old man couldn’t comprehend it. The last reflection in his dilated pupils was Ryan’s indifferent expression.
In the distance, the big guy who had been spectating while enjoying potato chips and sipping on interstellar cola exclaimed, “Holy crap!” Looking around, his keen intuition told him that escaping was the best course of action.
Not only were the few individuals near Ryan causing trouble, but he also encountered a formidable opponent—an imposing and silent giant, towering at two meters tall. He moved through the chaos like a bulldozer, crushing everything in his path. A man’s scream pierced the air as he recklessly collided with the giant. The silent behemoth swiftly caught the man’s head in his massive hands, resembling a basketball being held.
Splat!
The sound of a watermelon splitting echoed, and blood sprayed in all directions, creating a gruesome scene of red and white.
The silent giant discarded the convulsing body he had been holding and walked towards Ryan, who was entangled with the annoying fly-like station robot while holding the child. Weakened by the burden of the child, Ryan couldn’t swiftly deal with each robot. Although he had managed to shove one aside, others were closing in. It wasn’t feasible for him to kick every one of them instantly.
As the station robot behind him crashed to the ground, making a clanging sound, the giant easily grabbed the back of Ryan’s vest. With a firm grip, he effortlessly lifted Ryan into the air. Simultaneously, the giant’s other hand reached for Ryan’s leg, preparing to break it.
In the nick of time, hurried footsteps approached from behind. Auston, witnessing the situation, leaped into the air, aiming to strike the giant’s head.
A double release due to missing last week’s update. Once again, Happy New Year!!! Consider supporting me by buying me a Ko-fi. One additional Chapter for every 5 Ko-fis. Thank you for your love and support!! Love you all!! See ya👋
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152