Chapter 101

Yinwei and Sen Qiu escorted Xia You and her party aboard the battleship. Only after seeing the ship smoothly take off did they breathe a sigh of relief.

Naturally, Sen Shi stayed by Xia You's side. However, after searching the entire battleship, he hurried back to her and whispered, "My lord, the mercenaries haven't returned."

Sen Shi had learned from his own siblings about Xia You's dispatch of the mercenaries to collect energy stones. He was immediately filled with utmost admiration for her.

Calculating on his fingers, hiring each individual on the battleship was worth it.

While grooming a little black panther, Xia You glanced at the direction and distance of the battleship's travel and smiled, "We might need to fetch them."

Sen Shi: "?"

Two days later, as Sen Shi watched the last returning mercenary and checked the time, realizing it was just before the battleship was about to leave the Wanderer's Star System, he silently elevated Xia You's status in his mind.

His admiration doubled.

Once aboard, the mercenaries again congregated on one side of the battleship's main hall. Unlike before, this time they brought their companion beasts with them.

At a single glance, Xia You understood.

Even though the mercenaries had boarded the battleship earlier, they had left their companion beasts in their mechs or other modes of transport, following Xia You from a distance, ensuring a fallback option.

Now, bringing their beasts aboard clearly indicated their intent to seek Xia You and claim the promises made to them.

Xia You was quite pleased.

A gain was always good, leading to a win-win situation.

Sen, upon seeing the eagle with a blind eye yet radiating an intimidating aura, silently stepped aside, clearing a space next to Xia You.

Xia You took the small pouch held in the eagle's beak, scanned it with her psychic power, and found a high-grade energy stone. She gladly accepted it, looked down at the eagle standing proud with folded wings, and asked, "Two psychic calms—will you be keeping a tab or settling now?"

The brown eagle flapped its wings twice in response.

Understanding, Xia You reached out and held the dark tip of its wing.

……

Releasing the moist tip of the wing from her grasp, she looked distressingly at the companion creature sprawled out like a furry pancake on the carpet.

The previously intimidating and tall mercenary hurried over, cradling the creature in his arms, he spoke in a deep voice, "Thank you."

"No need for thanks," Xia You replied with a grin. "We're settled in silver and goods."

One after another, companion creatures lined up, handing over their energy stones and receiving a psychic calm.

Each creature had a small pouch.

Some held it in their mouths, others hooked it with their claws, and a few cradled it in their arms.

Some pouches contained high-grade energy stones, while others had premium low-grade ones—all according to Xia You's specifications.

The joy in Xia You's eyes grew stronger. As she collected fees while treating, she never felt as if she was running an overpriced underground clinic.

Lu Yinghuai glanced at Xia You, who seemed more interested in counting energy stones than petting the furry creatures, and felt that their little master had shifted from a plush enthusiast to a mini money-lover.

A little coal-black creature, seated beside Xia You, stretched out its paw. The paw tip scratched the surface of the sofa, and its leopard-like tail, being too short to wrap around Xia You's busy wrist, simply rested on her lap.

Being a money-lover isn't so bad.

Lu Yinghuai thought to himself.

However, in reality, Xia You was merely restraining herself from touching these seemingly dangerous companion creatures. She appreciated the energy stones as a distraction.

Because there were so many creatures, Xia You had to absorb a large number of energy stones multiple times, even using five top-tier primary energy stones towards the end.

Xia You faintly felt that, over these nearly two months, due to extensive energy absorption, her psychic power seemed to be overflowing from its reservoir.

It was an intriguing sensation—Xia You was confident that her next psychic level up would not be A+ or anything else, but surely S-tier.

Just a tad more catalysis is needed.

As this "rent collection" came down to the final companion creature, a hint of unmistakable surprise appeared on Xia You's face when she saw the last fluffy one.

It was a golden hamster the size of a fist. Noticing Xia You's gaze, it stood upright, its fuzzy body resembling a tiny furball.

The capybara had been the least aggressive companion creature Xia You had encountered, and now there was a mercenary whose companion was a hamster.

Xia You paused for a moment, rapidly replaying in her mind all the people who had come for their companions, finally settling her thoughts on one individual.

This was someone cloaked entirely in a black robe who hadn’t spoken a word since boarding the battleship. Their mercenary profile was nearly blank, with only a "D" listed under the name, even gender was unspecified.

But this person was the only one Uncle Zhou had emphasized, suggesting they were a top candidate to recruit.

D approached, crouching down, and a smooth, fair finger emerged from beneath the cloak.

The hamster on the carpet, clutching its little pouch, hopped onto D's palm.

The next moment, D presented the hamster and its pouch to Xia You, whispering, "Pay for one session now, transfer for the other."

Regaining her composure, Xia You took the golden hamster from D's hand, feeling its soft and airy weight, and couldn't help but be amazed.

To be among the elite mercenaries with such a companion form, one's character and capabilities must be unparalleled.

This was the first time Xia You had treated such a small-sized companion creature. When her psychic power delved into the hamster, she was genuinely stunned for several seconds.

This adorable and plush hamster companion had grey matter blockages inside, far more severe than any other creature Xia You had treated.

While White Tiger's massive form had a large amount of grey matter, there were at least gaps in it.

But this hamster was brimming with the grey substance, tightly clogged within, leaving no space even in its brain for Xia You's psychic power to penetrate.

In a situation like this...

Xia You's fingers, holding the hamster, trembled. She opened her eyes, looking at the cloaked figure before her.

"Have you seen enough?" D's voice was soft and gentle, ethereal, making it impossible to discern their gender.

After hesitating for a moment, Xia You nodded.

This was his first encounter with a patient suffering from such severe psychic disorder.

The mere fact that one with such an ailment could still be alive and even lucid was nothing short of a miraculous anomaly.

— Perhaps it's related to the companion creature's size and its racial attributes.

The smaller the size, the lesser the grey matter it can hold. Miss Capybara's size is even smaller than a sub-adult of her kind, which might have had an impact on her.

Xia You mused inwardly.

However, the issue at hand was more pressing.

Xia You placed the little pouch next to the hamster, stating plainly, "Psychic soothing will be of no use to you. I cannot accept this payment."

D seemed to offer a faint smile, "Keep it as a token of our meeting."

Xia You paused, taken aback.

Lu Yinghuai, who had been on guard since the beginning, also paused, his gaze softening as he realized something.

Seeing Xia You's refusal, D changed the topic, "Aren't you curious about who I want to transfer the other psychic soothing to?"

A thought struck Xia You. Moving the hamster to his left hand, he gently wrote the character for 'Zhou' on the sofa's surface with his right hand.

Although the leather of the sofa bore no marks, D still looked at the spot intently for a while.

Minutes later, D picked up their companion creature, placing it on their shoulder, stood up, and waved at Xia You, languidly saying, "Convey a message for me. I've repaid what I owed him. We're even."

A good part of a lifetime had passed, but at least the final favor was settled before his death.

As D departed, the other mercenaries seemed to take it as a cue, leaving one by one, yet each deliberately left their contact details for Xia You.

After all, who among the mercenaries would pass up a proficient healer available for trade?

The pouch D left felt heavier than the others.

As Xia You opened it, he found two high-grade energy stones and four premium beginner-level energy stones lying quietly inside.

Embedded amongst the energy stones was a dark badge, engraved with a majestic golden eagle.

Xia You carefully stored the pouch as it was, intending to deliver it to Uncle Zhou upon returning home.

Once all the mercenaries had moved out of the battleship's detection range, a seemingly battered mech quietly approached the ship.

An Jing, now out of her inspector uniform and dressed in a sharp shirt and trousers with her long hair flowing down, came to report to her new boss, Xia You.

Lu Yinghuai dismissed the holographic notification about the death in duty of the Captain of the Drifter Galaxy Inspection Team, glanced at An Jing, then curled his forepaws and closed his eyes.

Out of sight, out of mind.

***

The journey back was smooth and uneventful.

Perhaps because companion creatures neither need to eat nor sleep, Miss Capybara was wrapped cozily in her little blanket, looking utterly peaceful.

Xia You watched the capybara, who remained motionless in one position on the sofa, feeling unexpectedly envious of such steady composure.

However—

"Chirp! Chirp chirp—"

Holding the little charcoal ball, Xia You stood by the door, witnessing the always-calm Capybara suddenly open her eyes. Her dark paws moving at lightning speed, she charged at the panda drawing on the table, launching a swipe at it.

The panda, reacting instinctively, raised its paw and hissed. Undeterred, the Capybara slapped again without any change in her expression.

The two little creatures began a swift exchange of swipes, their paws blurring like windmills.

Xia You: "..."

Lu Yinghuai: "..."

A soft hum came from An Jing behind Xia You.

Even if debts had been settled, she needed to vent the frustration of years spent hiding and the subsequent disruption to her earning plans.

The creature named Latiao, upon hearing the commotion, looked at the chaotic scene on the living room table and reeled back in shock.

What creature was brawling with the panda?

The White Tiger leisurely stepped out, accompanied by a kind-looking elderly butler.

"Welcome home, Sir and Xiao Yu."

La Tiao, seemingly oblivious to the fighting pair, rushed forward, rubbing himself affectionately all over Xia You, as if he wished to nestle his big head into Xia You’s embrace.

Lu Yinghuai, squeezed out, squinted his eyes, with his claws scratching the floor, producing a squeaky sound.

La Tiao instinctively tucked his tail between his legs.

Bai Hu raised her paw, swatting the clueless La Tiao once, then with a sweep of her paw, sent the sulking Lu Yinghuai back into Xia You’s arms.

— One lacks perception, and the other is inept — frustrating.

Lu Jiuzhu stretched his body and turned to walk towards the courtyard.

— Sunbathing might be a better idea.

Xia You watched Bai Hu’s retreating figure, feeling something had changed about her.

However, seeing Bai Hu lie down comfortably in the courtyard, belly up, Xia You started to have second thoughts.

It's just... as the former Marshal of the Empire, and now the Empress, if she indeed regained her sanity, shouldn’t she be... um... more composed?

As Xia You thought, she rubbed the approaching orange-black tiger head vigorously, stood up, and introduced An Jing to Uncle Zhou and La Tiao.

After the introductions, Xia You holding a small black ball, turned to Uncle Zhou: "Uncle Zhou, I want to try waking up His Highness from the hibernation pod forcefully."

A statement that could cause a ruckus elsewhere only earned a gentle and kind smile from Uncle Zhou, "Hungry? Why not eat something first, then we can proceed step by step?"

Right on cue, Xia You’s stomach growled. She quickly followed Uncle Zhou, saying affectionately, "Uncle Zhou, I’ve missed your Pineapple and Eight Treasures Duck Sticky Rice — I’ve been eating energy stones for three months!"

Hearing this, Uncle Zhou’s disapproving gaze immediately landed on Lu Yinghuai.

The old butler’s benevolent yet disapproving eyes seemed to convey silent reproach.

You couldn’t keep love going, nor made sure Xia You ate properly, what have you been doing all this time?

The Marshal, now used to this, skillfully tucked his head into Xia You's embrace, with his leopard ears folding downwards.

By the time the dining table was set, the two previously fighting furiously in the living room appeared to have reconciled and ambled over with a click-clack.

The panda cub sat on top of the capybara’s head, its fluffy tail sweeping across the capybara's body, holding half an apple in its embrace, then reaching out a tiny black paw towards Xia You.

Xia You took out the spatial device containing the modified hibernation pod and solemnly handed it to Tang Gao's paw.

Tang Gao handed the apple he was holding to Xia You, gave her a reassuring look, and with the steady cooperation of Miss Capybara, the bear and the capybara ambled out of the dining room.