Chen Hao stared at the small black stone that had rolled out of the crack in the rocks, squatting on the ground for a long time without moving. A gust of wind blew, and the red grass swayed. Only then did he reach out and pick it up, examining it from all angles.
"This thing... is it for change?" he grinned. "Or is it a family heirloom?"
Nana stood to the side, a flash of blue light in her eyes. "No radioactivity, uniform surface oxide layer, doesn't seem like a product of natural fragmentation. I recommend keeping it."
"Does that mean it was specially chosen?" Chen Hao tapped the stone in his palm, making a crisp sound. "Goodness, I thought I'd only get a bottle cap as a souvenir, but it turned out to be an antique."
He stood up, dusted off his pants, and pulled the remaining half of an energy bar from his pocket. The aluminum foil packaging gleamed in the sunlight, and he squinted at first.
"One more time?" he asked Nana.
“You only have thirty-six left,” she answered crisply.
"Alright, I don't live off food anymore anyway, I maintain diplomatic relations by feeding it." He sighed, broke off a small piece, gently placed it on the flat stone, then took three steps back, put his hands in his pockets, "I'm not in a hurry this time, let's see if it has any other programs."
The air was still for a few seconds. The grass trembled slightly, and the gray shadow poked its head out again. Its short ears twitched twice, its nose twitched, and its gaze first fell on the food, then slowly rose and stared at Chen Hao's face.
"Why is it looking at me?" Chen Hao asked in a low voice. "I'm not a menu."
“It’s confirming it’s you,” Nana said. “The location of the person you swapped with last time is the same as this time, and the behavioral pattern matches 89 percent.”
"So it remembers what I look like?" Chen Hao couldn't help but laugh. "The fat face recognition system has been successfully activated."
The little animal finally moved out, its limbs flat on the ground, moving cautiously. It approached the rock, sniffed the energy bar, but didn't immediately take it away. Instead, it looked up at Chen Hao and its short ears twitched slightly.
"That look... it's kind of like the way the cafeteria lady looks at me when I swipe my card," Chen Hao muttered. "Both familiar and a little disappointed."
Nana recorded the data: "A sustained gaze lasting more than two seconds is a non-threatening social signal. It has categorized you as a security resource provider."
As soon as it finished speaking, the creature bit the energy bar and turned to run. But after taking just one step, it stopped, looked back, and then spat out a thin piece of something—silver-gray with a metallic sheen, like a piece of plant skin.
It pushed forward with its front paws, then darted back into the crevice in a flash.
Chen Hao was stunned. "It actually sold products?"
He quickly stepped forward, bent down, and picked up the object. It felt slightly cool to the touch, thin but not easily torn, with serrated edges, like a leaf grown in some kind of high-temperature environment.
"What's this?" He held it up to the light. "Alien chive peels? Can we use them to make dumplings?"
Nana took the sample and unfolded a miniature scanning array with her fingertips. "The fiber structure is unique and highly heat-resistant, suggesting it comes from a shallow underground heat-resistant vegetation community. The distribution area has not yet been marked."
"So," Chen Hao's eyes lit up, "it can not only exchange for goods, but also carry intelligence?"
"At present, we can only prove that it has been exposed to this type of substance." Nana put the sample into a sealed bag. "We cannot determine the collection method or route."
"Hey, don't spoil the fun." Chen Hao rubbed his hands together. "I've already thought of a name for it—'Intelligence Rat Project,' codename: Snacks for Maps. If it can really mark where there's shade and clean water, we won't have to stumble around blindly."
"The premise is that it is willing to continue exchanging," Nana cautioned. "Overfeeding can lead to behavioral dependence and even increase territorial awareness."
"Are you afraid that one day it will bring its relatives to block the door and demand protection money?"
"More likely, it will begin to actively set the conditions for the exchange."
Chen Hao was taken aback. "What do you mean? It can be bargained?"
“That possibility cannot be ruled out,” she said. “It didn’t take the food away immediately, but waited for your reaction. It was a tentative interaction.”
Chen Hao looked down at the black stone and silver scales in his hand and suddenly laughed, "Well, so I'm not a customer, but a supplier. This business is quite legitimate."
He thought for a moment, then took out the last small piece of energy bar from his pocket. Instead of placing it on the rock, he put it directly on the ground not far from the crack in the rock, then stepped back a few paces and sat down cross-legged.
"Come on, little boss." He patted his knee. "Today's special offer: buy one get one free. Welcome back again."
A gust of wind swept across the ground, stirring up a speck of dust. The crevice remained silent, as if no one were inside. Almost a minute later, a head slowly peeked out.
This time, it didn't rush towards the food. Instead, it looked at Chen Hao first, then at the energy bars on the ground, and finally its gaze fell on his empty hand.
"Is it checking if I still have any stock?" Chen Hao chuckled. "Such strong professional habits."
The small animal cautiously approached, lowered its head to bite the food, and was about to turn away when it stopped. It looked back, then raised its front paws and scratched at the ground a few times.
A small patch of sand was cleared away, revealing an even smaller black pebble underneath. It was only the size of a grain of rice, but darker in color, with dark purple veins on its surface.
It used its claws to push the stone to Chen Hao's feet before quickly retreating back into the crevice.
Chen Hao's eyes widened. "It...it even wholesales?!"
Nana had already crouched down to scan it. "The composition is similar to the previous piece, but it contains trace amounts of rare metal elements. It may be a fragment from a different vein."
"So it really has a stable 'supply'?" Chen Hao picked up a small pebble. "Could it be that it lives next to the mine and works as a part-time miner?"
“A more reasonable explanation is that there are multiple resource points within its area of operation,” Nana stood up. “And it is trying to establish a stable exchange chain.”
"So that means," Chen Hao squinted, "that as long as I have food, it can bring me things back?"
“The premise is that trust is maintained,” she said. “If the supply is interrupted, the relationship could break down.”
"Understood." Chen Hao stuffed both stones into his pocket and patted them. "From now on, I can't go out empty-handed. I have to be like a mobile convenience store."
He stood up, stretched, and turned to look at the lake. Steam rose, and the lake still reflected a blinding light, but his attention was no longer there.
"Do you think it might bring something big next time?" he wondered. "Like a solar panel, or a hand-drawn topographic map?"
“The possibility is extremely low,” Nana said. “Its cognitive level is insufficient to understand the value of human tools.”
“But it knows aluminum foil packaging is valuable,” Chen Hao retorted. “Otherwise, why would it always choose the ones with the outer casing?”
“It prefers reflective materials,” she corrected, “but that doesn’t mean it understands their purpose.”
"That's still better than some people," Chen Hao muttered. "My ex would even open the instant noodle seasoning packet and smell it before he dared to eat it."
Nana didn't reply, but simply adjusted the scanning angle and continued recording the surrounding activity.
Chen Hao sat down against the rock, rummaged through his backpack for a water bottle, took a sip of the warm liquid, and frowned. He looked up at the direction of the sunshade, then glanced at the crack in the rock.
"You know..." he suddenly began, "If I put an energy bar in there now, will it think I'm proposing?"
“It’s impossible to assess the emotional symbolism of this behavior,” Nana said calmly. “But based on existing models, it’s more likely that you’re replenishing your inventory.”
"So, in its eyes, I'm just an automatic restocking machine."
"To be precise, they are designated drop-off points."
Chen Hao sighed, reached into his pocket, and touched the two stones. As his fingertips traced the smooth surface, he suddenly felt that this escape wasn't so bad after all.
At least for now, he has his first alien customer who will give him change.
He stood up, walked to the crevice in the rock, bent down and put the last small piece of the energy bar in, which just barely got stuck at the entrance.
"It's all packed up," he said. "We'll be open for business again tomorrow."
He straightened up, clapped his hands, and turned to leave.
Just then, a slight rustling sound came from the crack in the rock.
He stopped in his tracks.
A furry head slowly peeked out.
It's not that animal.
It was another one. Slightly smaller, with grayish-white fur, and larger eyes, staring at him.
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