day10
Laoshi Star is like a cold and hard giant beast.
Unlike most planets that are neat, bright and technologically advanced, the buildings here are compact and messy, with chrome bars and electric cables crisscrossing.
Old and mottled power lines stretched between each building, cutting and piecing together the picture. All you could see were cold, gray metal blocks, no green plants, no floating cabins, and no holographic giant screens standing as landmarks. Occasionally, you could see air-driven cars that had been eliminated in the last century shuttling through the charred streets, running over energy lines made from abandoned mecha wreckage, and machine fragments that were not uncommon in recycling stations.
The old-fashioned neon lights that have also been abandoned by the times are popular here, dotted on the walls, accompanying this steel world stretching far into the horizon and finally merging with the gray-black sky.
Laoshi, a gray planet abandoned by the universe in a corner and outside the interstellar laws.
Because it was originally a recycling and processing planet for the discharge of waste, it is also called the garbage planet. After several changes, it has now become a lawless area. Various unidentified people in the universe will conduct some shady transactions here. Black auctions, ancient beast fighting and other activities are also popular here.
Fanlan has a small part-time job here.
An artist's eyes do not only see one color. Whether it is the prosperous and lively Pengmi Star or the cold and gloomy Laoshi Star, in Fanlan's eyes, they all have irreplaceable unique flavors.
“Ding Dong——”
The old door deep in the alley was pushed open. The fat female insect who was dozing off raised her head and was delighted when she saw who was coming.
"Mr. R, you haven't been here for a long time."
"Good afternoon, Laurie."
Fanlan lifted his hood, revealing his face covered by a black mask and his dyed black hair.
His eyebrows and eyes were also made up, with dark brown contact lenses, and the eyeliner made his eyes sharp and narrow, making him look a little wild. His brows became higher and his nose bridge became straighter, giving him a more aggressive look than his original appearance. In addition, his height was higher than the average male insect, so everyone who saw him would have a preconceived idea that he was a thin and handsome female insect.
"There's nothing you're interested in at the recent auction, but someone is offering a high price for an original painting from the Qingyuan period. Take a look..."
Fanlan placed several paintings from the space button on the table and handed them to Laurie.
He has a small part-time job here - restoring ancient paintings and handing them over to the middleman Lowry to sell or auction.
Restoring original paintings sounds like a fairly normal job that fits the identity of an art student. However, since the transaction takes place on a garbage planet, it means that it is not legal.
The paintings that Fanlan restored were not ordinary landscapes or portraits.
What he restored was some destroyed history of the times.
As mentioned before, the Zerg society has gone through thousands of years of development to achieve what can be called a balanced and harmonious civilization. However, as a competitive race with more females than males, the development of the Zerg was not smooth and peaceful. On the contrary, three or four thousand years ago, it was a long and bloody history.
Invasion, massacre, forced reproduction, reproductive resources, fratricide... male Zergs once faced extinction. Records of these histories are preserved in various books, contemporary paintings, utensils, sculptures and other products, which were collected and destroyed on a large scale after the Zerg entered the civilized era. The detailed history in modern history books seen in schools now all starts from a time point of about 4,000 years. The time before that is collectively called the ancient century. The historical language is general and vague, and most of them are empty records of how the Zerg was born and how the social system changed.
What Van Lan restored were paintings from ancient times that had been destroyed but accidentally left behind some fragments or written records.
A considerable number of collectors who are well versed in history will pay for this, including Van Lan himself. He restores the original paintings and sells them, and also buys antique objects, books, utensils, etc. of related significance.
"By the way, sir! Are you free to take a tattoo order today?"
Fanlan thought about the arrangements for later in the day and since he had no important appointments to attend, he nodded, turned around and went inside to prepare the tools.
Laurie happily called and said respectfully after the call was connected: "Lord Famier...Yes, the tattoo artist who had taken a fancy to the tattoo work before is here."
Tattoos are a form of body art that has become even more rare and niche due to the rarity of painting.
Nowadays, most people who want to get tattoos can only choose to use machines to print them by themselves. They can choose any pattern they want. As long as they can think of it, the machine can generate it, and the finished pattern is standard and standardized. Only in extremely rare places does the technology of manual tattooing still exist.
Fanlan happened to have mastered this technique. When he was fifteen, he faced a mirror and tattooed an Ouroboros on the tail of his clavicle. Occasionally, when he felt itchy, he would help other insects in need with tattoos, usually done by Laurie. Tattooing is not something that the general public does, and it is not popular on most civilized planets. However, it is quite popular among some outlaws in the drifting universe.
The doorbell rang again, and Vanlan heard Laurie's respectful voice.
The female insect that came in through the curtain was very tall, with broken eyebrows, gray eyes, wolf-tail black hair, and a cross-shaped scar on her lower jaw. Fanlan could sense the strong smell of blood on him. It was not the smell of real blood, but the dangerous smell peculiar to a creature that had experienced many killings.
Lai Chong and Fan Lan looked at each other, and Lai Chong raised his eyebrows: "Are you Mr. R?"
Fanlan retracted his gaze and continued to put on his gloves: "What kind of pattern do you want?"
"What pattern do you think would suit me?"
Fanlan looked at him again, his eyes moving across his face, neck, torso, and arms. Famier had an odd feeling as if his body was being peeled open. His pupils shrank slightly and he licked his lips unconsciously.
After a moment, Fanlan smiled slightly.
"Then leave it to me."
———————
There was a dense tingling sensation on the lower back, which was not severe. For the thick-skinned female insect, it was no different from a mosquito bite.
Famir was lying on the operating table with his face tilted. From his angle he could just see the tattoo artist's focused eyes. Mr. R had tied up his long black hair before starting, and a few unruly strands of hair fell on his forehead.
Fingers in leather gloves pressed against his skin, their presence sometimes stronger than that of a needle. Famir recalled that he had not put on gloves when he first entered the room. The hand was white, slender, with distinct joints, not like a female insect's hand, but more like a cold jade object.
I was thinking aimlessly until I heard the tattoo artist's cold voice behind me: "Okay."
Famier stood up and looked at himself in front of the mirror.
From his lower back to his side, it slants downward and disappears into his hips along the mermaid line.
There appeared a moon pierced by a heavy sword.
——————
Fanlan pulled up his hood, said goodbye to Laurie, pushed the door and left the small shop in the alley.
"Mr. R."
He turned around and saw Famir leaning against the gray stone wall beside the shop door with his hands in his pockets, smiling at him with interest.
"You're pretty hot." said the gray-eyed female.
"Will you sleep with me?"
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