55 Days of Scavenging
The little robot was completely bewildered when it realized it was on a smuggling boat.
In interstellar space, only space pirates might need to smuggle themselves across.
Thinking of this, the little robot looked again at the crowd of humans around it.
Hmm... these humans don't seem like robbers or criminals.
No one in the entire cabin, men or women alike, looked strong; they were all skin and bones, and their spirits were low. The little robot even saw a woman holding a child in her arms.
This doesn't look like a bandit's den; it looks more like a refugee fleeing a famine.
The little robot felt that these people's current mental appearance was similar to that of the humans he had seen in his first world.
Well, there are still some people who are a little different.
The little robot looked at the man next to it.
The person who just spoke was him.
Although this human was also listless, it was obvious that his previous life was better than that of the others in the cabin. His current poor mental state was probably just a result of the unpleasant experience he had during his time in the cabin.
The little robot noticed that this human was different from the others. While the others' bundles were mostly wrapped in cloth, this person, although also wrapped in cloth, could tell that there was a box inside.
It's still an elegant suitcase with a lock.
The man held her tightly, even though he was pale and nauseous from the rocking of the boat and felt like he was going to vomit, his grip on the box didn't loosen at all.
The little robot made no attempt to conceal its gaze, and the man noticed it after only a short while.
The man looked in the direction of the small robot. Although the cabin was dark, those who had been inside for a while could still vaguely see some things.
The man breathed a slight sigh of relief when he realized that the person staring at him was a child of about ten years old.
Then he gave the little robot a smile: "Are you scared? Don't be afraid, it'll be over in a minute. The captain is experienced, there won't be any problems."
He clearly hadn't seen the little robot's state.
Even as the entire cabin swayed up and down and side to side, the little robot remained firmly on the ground, as if glued to the bottom of the ship, showing no signs of discomfort from the shaking.
His expression was completely calm, showing no sign of fear whatsoever.
However, the little robot now knows that it behaves differently from humans, so it doesn't show it.
Hearing the man's words, she gave a soft "hmm" in response.
Hearing the boyish voice of the little robot, the man felt increasingly relaxed.
He really is a teenager.
As the two talked, the swaying of the cabin gradually subsided.
Everyone in the cabin breathed a sigh of relief.
It seems we are safe now.
With the danger of being caught by patrol boats gone, the atmosphere in the cabin became more lively.
Those who vomited during the shaking were now cleaning up, their faces flushed with embarrassment. Those who didn't vomit were also relaxing and leaning back, trying to catch their breath.
Those who were quick to react had already started chatting in hushed tones.
"After we've evaded the patrol boats, we should be close to shore by now, right?" someone asked.
"Yes, it takes less than half a day."
"That's wonderful!"
"Yes, that's great. We can finally go back to our homeland. Foreigners' territory is no place for humans to stay."
"Who can argue with that? There were more than a dozen of us who went out back then, and now only I am left to come back."
"Huh? Everyone else?"
"No, it wasn't that. One of my brothers got sick on the ship that went there. About eight or nine of them were worn down by the foreigners. The rest couldn't come back for various reasons, or they didn't want to. I really couldn't stay any longer, so I decided to come back. I don't know if this decision was right or wrong."
"Yes, I've heard that things aren't very peaceful in China right now. I wonder where there's a safe place to go."
"But if you ask me, I still have to come back. After all, we look the same, while those outside have different skin, and it just doesn't feel familiar. No matter how hard I try to fit in, it's useless."
"Exactly. Before going there, I thought everywhere else was great, but after going there, I realized that my own place is the best."
The little robot heard the man beside it murmur, "Yes, it's always best to be where you are."
Perhaps because they were about to reach their destination and end this arduous journey, more and more people were talking in the cabin.
The little robot listened quietly in the corner, gathering information.
He soon learned the general situation of this world.
This place probably has a similar national structure to the modern entertainment industry he visited, only the timeline is about a hundred years ahead.
In terms of that world's timeline, this place is roughly during the Republican era of the JSG.
Foreign powers are eyeing us covetously, and the internal situation is also quite serious with two opposing forces at play. Beset by internal and external troubles, things are not yet completely peaceful.
However, under such circumstances, the overall trend in China was still moving forward. Students who had returned from studying in the West established modern schools with great success, and some talented individuals started industries, thus propelling the economy forward.
In some concession areas, the economic prosperity was no less than that of foreign countries. If one could find a job and settle down in these places, one could even live a good life.
In short, although the people in the cabin were worried, most of them still held hope and longed for a better life.
Even the man next to the little robot had a smile on his face as he listened to what these people were saying.
Clearly, he also believes that things will get better and better in China in the future.
Perhaps it was the little robot's silence that made people feel sorry for it, so the man deliberately spoke to him softly: "Young friend, are you thinking about the future?"
The little robot shook its head.
He doesn't "fantasize" like humans do. He also doesn't quite understand the point of fantasizing about the future.
The man was surprised by the little robot's calmness. If he had only struck up a conversation with the boy because he couldn't bear to see him all alone and feeling too lonely, he was now somewhat interested in him.
He continued, "So you've given up hope for life in China? Are you afraid that if you're too optimistic now, you'll be unhappy later and become depressed?"
The little robot still shook its head.
However, this time he did speak up: "The country will definitely get better and better in the future; there's no need to rely on wishful thinking."
This is a conclusion drawn by the little robot based on the historical development of the modern entertainment industry.
This inference is unlikely to encounter any problems, provided that no drastic changes occur during the process, such as "a giant meteorite falling from the sky," "the appearance of aliens," or "the end of the world."
Therefore, there was no hesitation in the little robot's tone.
However, the man, unaware of the details, felt a surge of pride upon hearing the little robot's resolute words.
Yes, if even a young boy so firmly believes in the bright future of his motherland, what is there for him to hesitate about!
Besides, wasn't it also to achieve this vision that I went through countless hardships, even resorting to smuggling, just to return to this land of my country?!
The man knew that not only himself, but also many comrades he knew and didn't know, were working hard in their own ways for the same ideal.
This generation works hard, and the next generation, like teenagers, will continue to work hard. The country will eventually take off.
The man hugged the thing in his arms even tighter.
.
Time passed quickly, and when the little robot felt the ship's speed gradually slowing down, it knew that it should be approaching its destination.
A noise came from the other end of the stairs.
Amid the tense atmosphere in the cabin, the small door was opened from the outside, and a thin crew member waved to everyone.
"Get ready, everyone. We're almost at our destination. You'll need to disembark early and take another small boat. Be careful and don't disturb the others on board."
Clearly, everyone in the cabin recognized the crew member, and upon hearing this, they all quickly began packing their belongings.
Seeing that everyone else was carrying bundles of varying sizes, the little robot, not wanting to stand out, secretly took something from the warehouse under the cover of darkness, quickly made a bundle, and carried it with it.
He doesn't have much else in his warehouse right now, but he has plenty of metal coins, magic scrolls, and magic items. He even took a few of the little robots.
The cloth he used for wrapping wasn't as worn or patched as the others, so he could only grab a piece of clothing he had previously acquired from the ancient world and wrap it up haphazardly.
The fabric was also grayish-blue; at first glance, it could easily pass for something else.
Anyway, when the little robot carried it and caught up with the human group, no one noticed that his bag was strange.
Soon, the hundred or so people in the cabin were divided into two small boats and sailed off in two different directions.
The little robot sat on one of the boats, looking in the direction the big ship was heading.
It was past dusk, and the lights on the shore could be seen in the distance.
It appears to be quite bustling.
The man who happened to be on the same small boat as the little robot also looked towards the shore and said, "That should be the concession of the Kingdom of John."
The little robot looked at the man.
The man smiled and extended his hand: "Young friend, my surname is Ren, Ren Wenhan. It's fate that we meet."
The little robot looked at the man's friendly smile and then at his outstretched hand in greeting.
He had seen this gesture in human etiquette.
So the little robot took the hand and shook it.
She introduced herself in a man's manner: "My name is Na Jitong."
A hint of surprise flashed in Ren Wenhan's eyes, then he suddenly realized.
Indeed, this young man's white hair doesn't look like it was dyed on purpose, so it's highly likely he's not of Chinese descent.
Therefore, it is natural that the surname is a compound surname.
"Young friend Ji," Ren Wenhan said, waving his hand up and down.
Ren Wenhan then chatted more and more freely with the little robot: "So, little friend Ji, do you have somewhere to go after you get ashore?"
He noticed this as he disembarked; the young man was all alone, without any relatives, friends, or even anyone he knew. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone off on separate boats without saying hello to anyone.
Ren Wenhan couldn't help but want to take better care of the other party.
Of course, it must be said that the young man's resolute words on the ship earlier were the biggest reason why Ren Wenhan took care of him.
Ren Wenhan felt that a young man who could so firmly believe that the future of the motherland would definitely be good must not be a malicious person, and he must be able to get along with him.
Upon hearing Ren Wenhan's question, the little robot shook its head: "Whatever."
Where can he go? We'll see when he gets ashore. He can just find a place where he can easily pick up trash.
In an era with a certain degree of order but without a completely established order, it must be easy to pick up trash, right?
The little robot hasn't experienced it firsthand, so it's not entirely sure.
But Ren Wenhan interpreted these words as meaning that the young man had nowhere to go.
His pity grew stronger.
Alas, given the current state of affairs, so many people are displaced. I imagine the young man must be in the same boat.
The future of the country depends on these young people. Although I can't save all of them, I'll help one if I can.
Thinking this through, Ren Wenhan suggested, "If you don't have anywhere to go for the time being, why don't you come with me?"
"Once we reach the shore, my men will come to pick us up. Come back with me then, young friend. Although my place isn't wealthy, it at least provides shelter from the wind and rain. If you don't like it, you can leave once you find a suitable place. What do you say?"
The little robot stared into the man's eyes for a moment.
Do humans just like to pick up random people?
However, he eventually nodded.
At the same time, he upgraded the level of this man named Ren Wenhan in his program.
Hmm... let's move him to the "temporary boss" level.
The small boat rocked gently, getting closer and closer to the shore as darkness fell.
The other people on the boat could see the reeds on the shore, which were taller than a person.
This remote, overgrown place was perfect for these illegal immigrants to land.
The crowd cheered softly.
Only the little robot had a serious expression.
He vaguely heard some strange noises coming from the wind.
It was in the reeds they were about to approach.
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