Chapter 48 New Products Appear at the Auction
They had discussed this topic before, and hearing Hillan's firm stance was not unexpected.
"You and Lippers are leaving in about half a month, and I'm the only one who has to stay for a while. I'm so bored being a bug."
Haibi sighed dejectedly, but quickly cheered up, "But I'll chat with you guys often!"
Hillland chuckled and nodded twice. They had known each other for two or three months and had a fairly good relationship. In the days that followed, they went about their business as usual, occasionally calling to check on Mouche, who was lying at home.
Time flew by, and when Hillland's deadline came to an end, Muche brought Ximoduo to visit him and see Hillland off.
Miaoche and Ximoduo pushed the stroller out; they happened to be free today and had even prepared some small gifts.
Mouche pushed the stroller over from a distance. A passing insect looked over curiously, but Mouche seemed not to notice, teasing the little insect and then running over as fast as he could, making Mino laugh with her mouth wide open.
He's been getting better and better at taking care of Ximoduo lately. As he pushed the stroller, he saw Mino drooling again and wiped it clean for him with a bit of disgust. "Luckily we made it in time. Ximoduo and I have been going out to play a lot lately, and we made a point of setting aside time to see you today."
Muche was pleased; he lowered his head.
“Your Uncle Hillan was the first to be released, let’s congratulate him.”
Mino's hand was taken by Mouche and shaken twice. "Congratulate your Uncle Hillland—"
Mino opened its mouth and made two gurgling sounds, as if it was trying very hard to say goodbye to Hillland, but the little bug's vocal cords were not well developed, so it could barely make a sound except for crying, and only saliva dripped down.
Hillland didn't initially have much of a feeling for the cubs, but Mino was so cute that Hillland couldn't help but play with Mino for a while.
"I won't linger any longer. Sersia is still waiting for me. We need to head to another star system. Let's get together again when we have the chance."
Haibi nodded vigorously, "You and your queen had a great time!!"
Lippers was relatively quiet. After saying a brief goodbye to Hillland, he and Haiby and the others watched them leave.
Hillland walked out of the correctional facility, feeling an instant sense of relief, finally experiencing true freedom.
After saying goodbye to each of the insects, he returned to Sersia's side.
Sersia didn't want to show herself, so she waited outside the correctional facility for the male insects to return. After Hillan entered, he placed the gifts they had given him on the shelf and then came to Sersia's side.
Hillland wrapped her arms around his neck from behind the chair, very gently. "This is the first time we've gone so far together, and I'm really looking forward to it."
Pinault is always hailed as a dazzling city, but its reputation is also synonymous with decay and darkness. 99 told him about the environment there, but even though it is dangerous, many insects still flock to it, hoping to gain a foothold.
Compared to the strict control exerted by other galaxies, the control exerted here is practically nonexistent.
The original text doesn't describe it much; it only uses a few short sentences to describe how terrifying this place is.
No one here has an identity; there are only predators and prey. Here, there are only two fates for those who go missing. One is to be used as nourishment and expendable resources, and the other is to have all their value extracted, and after death, their biological elements will be extracted for use in medicine and aristocratic healthcare.
Even in many unimaginable places, people generally assume that life and death are no longer the most terrifying things.
Sersia entered the command, stood up from the chair, and slowly embraced Hillan.
The other person seemed surprised that he would stand up and hug him so suddenly, and was momentarily stunned, but quickly smiled and rubbed his fingertips affectionately against Sersia's fingertips, hugging him and whispering, "I'm still happier with you."
After all, there's a big difference between a wife and a friend, isn't there?
Sersia was used to his clinginess, so she turned around and took the initiative to hug Hillland. Unconsciously, she also liked to do the same as Hillland, lazily rubbing her chin on his shoulder.
“There are disguise tools in the box.” Sersia reached out and gently tapped Hillan’s nape with her fingertips. “You need to get disguised before you arrive. Do you need my help?”
Hillan had already learned how to disguise himself, so when he heard Sersia say that, he naturally wanted Sersia to do it.
Hillland was delighted. "Then baby, please help me."
Sersia said "okay," and then pressed Hillan into a chair.
Hillland remained obediently still, letting Sersia's fingers move across his face. The biscuit next to him, which had been diligently cleaning, turned its head away and went to recharge itself upon seeing this, according to the records in the database.
Sersia didn't see the steward and didn't care. She looked into Hillan's eyes, which were pure and clear black, just as they had been when they first met.
Sersia paused for a moment while applying the glue. Hillland noticed Sersia's pause and smiled at her with his eyes crinkled.
Sersia was charmed by Hillan and naturally lowered her head to kiss him on the eyes.
Hillan couldn't describe the feeling. He saw Sersia preparing to leave and deliberately said unhappily, "Baby, are you just going to give me one kiss?"
He's going to cause trouble!
Sersia kissed him on the eye again. "Then can I kiss you again?"
He seemed to be deliberately teasing Hillan.
Even though she was asking if it was okay, she didn't leave. Instead, she remained in the same position, smiling as she looked at Hillan.
Hillland's ears began to turn red, and since his face wasn't completely covered, he inevitably looked somewhat comical.
He took the initiative to hug Sersia and kissed her several times. "Why don't you kiss me more? I have to take the initiative. Sersia, you've become so unreasonable!"
Sersia was caught in a dilemma by Hilland's coquettishness, and the two kissed until they were almost in the throes of passion before stopping.
Hillland held Sersia in his arms and nuzzled him with his nose. Sersia's bright red lips still bore the marks of kisses and were swollen, just like Hillland's, but he felt very happy.
"I would have done it if there hadn't been a shortage of time."
It's not enough to just do it briefly; it leaves you feeling stuck in this limbo, which is absolutely awful.
Sersia just smiled and glued the rest of the prosthesis on. "It's okay."
He checked to make sure it was glued on, adjusted its position, and then looked at Hillland in a low voice, "After you arrive, do you want to go home first or go to the auction? There's a very famous auction house here called Philiston Auction House, and they're having an auction today. They'll be selling a lot of unexpected things, but it'll be very dangerous. Would you like to go and take a look?"
Hillland was very curious. He had always read auction plots in fantasy novels, and the protagonists usually either encountered a crisis or had a miraculous encounter.
Hillland was genuinely curious, but hesitated, "If we encounter danger, will I cause you trouble?"
Sersia chuckled slightly, raised his hand to stroke the human, and whispered, "I will protect you."
The auction was a mixed bag, and Sersia was confident that she could guarantee Hillan's safety under different circumstances, and she had enough resources and conditions to say such a thing.
Given the living environment on Planet Pino, it might be a good thing to take him to see more of it.
Hillland's eyes lit up when she heard that. "Then I'll have to trouble Sersia. I want to go and have some fun."
Sersia hummed in agreement, then kissed the human on the cheek. She then set the route to the auction house.
Hillland then turned his gaze to the scenery outside the window. Pino Star was not far away, and he could vaguely see other spaceships heading to the same destination nearby.
The planet Pino, symbolizing danger and adventure, is a dazzling and psychedelic blue-purple. Upon closer inspection, one can see various magnificent and massive architectural complexes, exuding a strong sense of technology, which is very similar to the cyberpunk culture of Earth.
The spaceship arrived at its destination after an hour's flight. As soon as Hillan stepped off, he was scanned by the Judgment Robot. Only after their identities were verified were they allowed to enter.
It would only take another ten minutes to get there. When they saw the auction house, it was already surrounded by all kinds of flying vehicles. Sersia took out her purple-gold card, and after it was successfully recognized, Hillan and Sersia were put inside together.
Unlike typical auction houses, each location is a highly private cubicle, ensuring a high level of privacy.
Hillland went in and sat down, his eyes filled with curiosity and a desire to explore.
The cubicle was about 30 square meters, with a slightly sloping floor covered by an elegant and heavy carpet. Sofas and chairs were placed facing the auction hall, and the walls were decorated with precious wines and cabinets. In short, it was very high-end.
Hillland saw the exquisite food on the table and was tempted to try it, but after a few glances, she looked away. Although she thought the chances of being poisoned were slim, it was better to be cautious in this regard.
Sersia saw Hillan's actions and couldn't help but smile. He pressed the golden bell next to him and whispered some instructions. Soon, a neatly dressed insect pushed in a food cart.
Hillland was fiddling with the vintage gramophone on the cabinet. He hadn't expected that the Zerg would have one. After fiddling with it for a while, he noticed that some Zerg were pushing a food cart into the room.
The service bug didn't say anything, but instead started preparing food with fresh ingredients on the spot, while the food that was originally on the table was removed by the other service bugs.
Hillland's eyes widened. "Baby."
Sersia was sitting on the sofa looking at the auction list. He was aware of the commotion when these people came in, but he only slowly raised his head when Hillan called him. He smiled and said calmly, "Are you hungry? You can order food, and he will cook it for you."
Even a fool like Hillan knew it was Sersia's doing. He sat down next to Sersia as if nothing was wrong, leaning against him like a canary, his eyes shining, "Thank you, darling."
The chef worm's pupils dilated in shock at what it saw—hermaphroditism?!
He paused for a moment, then quickly suppressed his surprise and obediently started preparing his food.
Hillland kissed his chin several times, and as she leaned closer, she happened to see the auction schedule on the auction list, which surprised her.
"So many! Are all of these going to be auctioned?"
Sersia hummed in agreement, and the human head rested gently on his body. It wasn't heavy, and her breathing was calm and obedient as she looked at the items to be auctioned with him.
This auction will be held in three rounds, with hundreds of items up for auction. But after looking at all the items, it's clear that the insects are mainly after three things.
The blocking agent, a genetically deformed male insect, and Pofal's latest warship.
The blocking agent is said to have been developed from discarded samples stolen by a defector from the research institute. After being sold to this research institute, it was developed into a new generation of the agent. However, only four doses were made, which consumed a lot of raw materials. It can restore female insects that are in a state of mental disorder and make them no longer subject to the male insect pheromones.
The genetically mutated male insect was found on a junk planet, but it's unclear exactly where the mutation occurred. As for the last one, it goes without saying that the top-of-the-line warships favored by smugglers, whoever ends up in their hands possesses an extraordinary amount of confidence and capital, not to mention the role this weapon of war plays in such situations.
The auction officially began, and the previously dimly lit auction hall started to light up. It was at this moment that Hillland finally saw the complete picture of the auction hall.
The cubicles were very tall, located on the third floor, offering excellent views. The nearby cubicles clustered together like a honeycomb, getting smaller towards the edge. You couldn't see inside any of the cubicles, only their exteriors, making it completely different from a typical auction.
The first item auctioned was a gemstone necklace salvaged from the seabed. It was so beautiful that the entire necklace was so dazzling it could almost blind someone.
The starting bid is four million Star Coins.
The form did not show the starting price for any item, so Hillan was quite shocked when he heard that the first item cost millions.
99 was also curious about the culture of this world, so she popped up and watched it with Hillan.
Because auctions are highly private, they cannot see other people's reactions and bids; they only know that the final price was seven million.
“I’m curious to know who the insectoid bought this,” Hillland whispered to 99. “I remember that in novels, the protagonists always use high transaction prices to show off their wealth and feelings. It’s unlikely that male insectoids would buy this from female insectoids. I feel it’s the other way around.”
99 sneakily went to their backend to check the login information, then excitedly whispered, "Host, you're right. It really was bought by the female insect for the male insect, but we don't know it, and there's no such character in the original text."
So they started eating the melon seeds with gusto.
"They're actually fighting! 01023 and 01024 are rivals for the same man. Ever since they came in, the two insects have been cursing each other over male insects..." Before she could finish, the system screamed, "Holy crap, they're kissing!!!! Ahhhhhh, I'm messed up, I'm blocked."
When Hillland heard this gossip, his eyes widened in shock. He realized for the first time how gossipy he was, and he was frantic. "Listen to me again! Listen to me again!!"
Hillan was eating peacefully when Sersia noticed him pause in his eating and asked, "What's wrong?"
Hillland realized what was happening, poked the food a couple of times, then looked at the chef next to her and winked.
Sersia understood, and slightly raised her chin, gesturing for the chef to leave.
Once the door was closed, he excitedly announced, "01023 and 01024 are two female insects, and they're kissing right now. Wait a minute, I'm still waiting for the gossip."
Sersia thought she had misheard, and soon 99 came out with a radiant face.
"I'm back, let me continue."
Amidst the mosaic and a cacophony of beeps, it gradually came to understand their relationship. In a daze, it realized, "They've got it wrong. The name they're talking about is another female insect. 23 is an exceptionally beautiful female insect, while 24 is a bit cold and aloof. 23 likes 24, but he thinks the other female insect is 24's plaything. He curses 24 as a slut who engages in lesbianism and says he's disgusting. 24 gets angry and kisses him directly, saying, 'You're a slut who engages in lesbianism now too.' They've been kissing for a while and are now confessing."
99 gets an electric thrill when he finds pure love. "To put it simply, that female insect is the child of 24 comrades. They go in and out together because they think that female insect lives in his house."
Although Hillland felt it was wrong to call her a slut, he still couldn't resist. He didn't forget to tell Sersia, so he picked up his personal terminal and sent her a message.
99 landed on his shoulder, watching him edit the past, and excitedly added, "Their kissing was so satisfying, it felt like the kind of love story where the sea is filled with hatred and the sky is filled with passion, but in this world, a lesbian relationship would probably end with both of them dying."
Hillland typed the message and sent it to Sersia. After reading it, Sersia stared in shock, scrolled through it a few times to make sure she wasn't mistaken, and then slowly said, "Hermaphroditism isn't uncommon here, but those who choose hermaphroditism usually die even faster. They're very brave."
The higher the rank of the female insect, the more prone she is to mental breakdown. Without the comfort of a male insect, their mental state becomes more fragile and their organs gradually fail.
Sersia hesitated for a moment, her icy blue eyes trembling slightly. "How did you know, Lord?"
Hillland and 99 both stopped abruptly. 99 grabbed Hillland in a panic, almost screaming, "Oh no, what do we do? Can he accept my existence?"
Hillland almost burst out laughing, but he said seriously, "Don't use that tone."
99 then realized that what it said sounded like it was referring to Hillland's mistress.
The system suddenly stopped working.
After speaking, Hillan fell silent for a while. It wasn't that he hadn't thought about making things clear, but making things clear would only make Sersia feel anxious and fearful about the upcoming separation.
He was still afraid that Sersia would find out he would leave one day. It was a good opportunity to be honest from the beginning, but he didn't take it.
Hillland poked at the food. He knew that many unpredictable things might happen after he said it, but he still said seriously, "It was the system that brought me here that said I came here to complete a mission."
Sersia calmed down; with just that simple sentence, he understood the unspoken meaning behind humanity.
His fingers tightened slightly as he gripped the knife and fork. He didn't ask what task he had to do, but simply asked softly, "Are you finished?"
Hillland was somewhat stunned. He knew that Sersia had guessed it, but he didn't know exactly what task he was supposed to complete.
Hillland sighed. He had already prepared his words and was organizing his thoughts. He put down his knife and fork and said seriously, "It's not finished yet. I need to make sure the main couple can be together properly."
Sersia is now very calm. "Who is the main character?"
Hillland quieted down, knowing that what he said might have unpredictable consequences, but he was also selfish. Just as he was about to speak, 99, who had become an old hand at product marketing, whispered in Hillland's ear, "If the mission is completed well, I will have the power to bring Sersia to your world."
99 nodded seriously, "It's important to be honest with your partner, so feel free to speak up."
Let's just not turn this pure love product into a rifty, hateful couple.
She cried bitterly.
Hillland almost lost control of his expression. He coughed twice and said, "It's Lou Wen and Philis."
In an instant, Sersia thought of many things. If the protagonists needed help to be together properly, then it meant that there were obstacles between them.
Who is this obstacle?
So, is it him?
Hillan put down his knife and fork, walked over to Sersia, reached out and pulled him into his arms, gently rested his chin on the top of Sersia's head, and gave him a soft kiss.
“I will leave here after the main characters are happily together,” Hillland sighed. “My home is never here, but I will not abandon you.”
When Sersia heard the first sentence, countless thoughts flashed through his mind, but after hearing the second sentence, he quieted down and waited for the human to continue.
Hillland said very seriously, "If the mission is successfully completed, the system can send you and me home together."
Hillland blinked. "Would you like to meet my parents? They'd probably love you."
99 could see it clearly; Sersia, who practically had the intention of destroying the main characters written all over her face, instantly went limp like a cat.
His ears were red, and he looked up, his light blue eyes calmly gazing at Hillan. "I think..."
Hillan blinked, smiled with her eyes crinkling, and kissed Sersia several times on the forehead.
Sersia is so incredibly cute!!!
After the existence of the system was revealed, they passed the time by watching the auction and listening to gossip.
Having been at the center of the power struggle, Sersia knew many of the insects' dirty secrets. He picked out a few harmless ones to reveal in order to avoid the risk of exposure.
After enjoying the gossip, the first round of the auction quickly came to an end. The last item for the day was a genetically mutated male insect.
When he was carried up in a cage, Hillland could even hear gasps of alarm coming from the nearby cubicles.
The male insect was completely naked, with only ordinary long golden hair. He was taller than the average male insect, with a delicate body and a beautiful, translucent silver-white tail hook.
Hillland asked, somewhat puzzled, "My hometown?"
99 said with absolute certainty, "No!!!"
After keeping everyone in suspense for a while, the auctioneer finally revealed the details of the genetically mutated male insect under the eager gaze of the crowd.
"This male insect possesses rare female sexual characteristics! He has female wings!!!"
After saying that, an insect walked forward with an electric shock device. The curled-up male insect was unaware of the danger until the electric shock device stimulated the tender and fragile wing roots on its back.
The male insect was immediately drenched in sweat, and what should have been a bare area instantly sprouted a patch of silver-blue wings.
It seemed the pain was too intense; the wings were sickly shedding scales, and those close enough could even see the refracted cold light, which was extremely, very beautiful.
Upon hearing this, everyone in the room was shocked. They had read the original text countless times but still couldn't find this character. Hillland was deeply moved and began to worry about the fate of this male insect.
There must be a great many insects that want such a male insect.
Indeed, the starting bid of 30 billion star coins did not deter the madness of these insects. When the prosecutors saw the price soar to 80 billion, they were grinning from ear to ear.
At that moment, someone bid 120 billion, instantly silencing the otherwise excited crowd.
The auctioneer repeated the price of 120 billion three times, and the male insect was eventually bought by insect A3047, which was next to their compartment.
The system immediately checked, then returned in a daze, "Next door is the master of the Pino Star dungeon, Seldon."
A particularly sharp, brightly colored, and resplendent female insect.
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