Bai Yi got up very early today.
Today is a holiday, and there are obviously fewer people on the streets than usual.
Quite a lot of people got drunk at yesterday's Discovery Festival party, and I'm afraid they're still drunk.
As an alien base primarily focused on scientific research, alcohol is naturally rare. Therefore, many people like to seize this once-a-year opportunity to drink all their alcohol in one go.
Anyway, there is no need to worry about alcohol poisoning. Since drinking won’t kill you, then just drink until you die.
"Good morning, Miss Mason."
"Good morning, Uncle Abonong."
Bai Yi greeted every acquaintance he met on the street.
During his time at the base, he also got to know a lot of people.
Unlike what he imagined, there were quite a few non-staff members in this base.
These people are neither involved in scientific research activities nor are they armed guards of the base.
They are like ordinary people living on an alien planet, leading ordinary lives every day.
At first Bai Yi was puzzled by this, but as time went on, he discovered that these people were actually subtly influencing the entire base in an alternative way.
They live an ordinary life, obtaining daily necessities by cleaning the base's sanitary environment and managing the complex farm, and getting paid by selling items.
Bai Yi was surprised that such trade actually existed in this alien base. In his impression, consumables in such places should be specially supplied.
But Arel told him that this was to relieve the psychological pressure of the experimenters. They built an entire commercial street in the base, where all goods were sold.
By imitating the operation of the surface economy, these scientific researchers who are trapped inside the base and cannot see the sun all year round can release the accumulated pressure in their hearts, and it can also meet the needs of some people who miss their hometown.
In addition, free love is encouraged within the base.
Unlike the researchers who were transferred from various places, the ordinary people in the base had lived here for generations. Without special reasons, they could not leave the building where the review office was located.
The outside world is just a cold and deadly ice field to them. Even though they are in the center of the galaxy, the prosperous Galactic Alliance has nothing to do with them.
Arel told Bai Yi that these people had lived here at least fourteen generations ago.
Time has wiped out their desire to explore the outside world. Although they may feel novel about strange faces appearing from time to time, that's all. Almost no one thinks about things outside this world.
"That sounds a bit cruel, like a pet."
Bai Yi found a bench and sat down, and Arel sat next to him.
"Life is like this. How can ordinary people have the right to choose for themselves?"
Arel's tone was very calm, not at all like that of a teenager.
"Have you ever been on the surface?"
He asked Bai Yi.
Bai Yi shook his head.
"Those people are no more noble than those living here."
The two are in a park with an artificial sun dome that simulates the changes in climate and the rising and setting of the sun.
In the middle of the park there is an ornamental tree that serves as the main feature. This tree looks like a variant of willow, except that its leaves are pink and it emits a refreshing fragrance.
Arel pointed at the mutant willow tree that required three people holding hands to hug it.
“People on the ground are like this tree. No matter how many days they have lived, no matter how high their achievements are, they are all trapped here, trapped in the box of their own lives.”
"Can't they just go out?"
"Of course."
Arel's face was expressionless.
"You can get an excavator to dig up the tree with its roots, replant it in other soil, and then use nutrient solution and genetic injections to repair the damage caused in the process."
"but……"
Ariel stretched out her hands in front of her chest and gestured.
"Wouldn't it be more convenient to cut off this one and buy a new one?"
Bai Yi opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but he swallowed the words back.
"You really just came of age?"
"What else?"
Why does it feel like I’m in my seventies or eighties?
The two did not dwell on the issue any further; essentially they were just chatting.
Arel raised his wrist to look at his watch, then stood up from the bench and waved at Bai Yi.
"Come on, it's time."
"What are you doing at that time?"
Bai Yi was confused by his actions.
"Just follow me."
…
Arel led Bai Yi across the commercial street and took the elevator to the 12th floor of the building.
The interior layout of this floor is like a commercial office building. There is a long corridor after the elevator, and there is a door leading to other rooms at regular intervals on both sides of the corridor.
Arel led him deeper into the room, and after passing dozens of rooms, they finally stopped in front of one of the doors.
Bang bang bang.
Arel knocked on the door three times quickly.
"Dad, I brought someone here."
"The door is open."
The person in the room was a handsome young man, a little over two meters tall, not very tall, but still much taller than Bai Yi.
This is normal.
Due to Europa's extremely low gravity, the people living there are all very tall. Bai Yi's mechanical body, cast according to the standard height of an Earthling, can only compare with the little boys and girls in middle school here.
One of the reasons why Bai Yi doesn’t like shopping is his height.
It’s not because of inferiority complex, but because many older sisters regard Bai Yi as a cute little boy because of his height.
I wonder if there is any man who is 1.75 meters tall and would not feel uncomfortable being treated as a little boy by a group of two-meter-tall girls.
Not everyone controls Hachiya-no-Fu.
…
"I've told you so many times, during working hours, you have to call me Chief Inspector."
"Yes, yes, Mr. Censor."
The man stepped aside to let Bai Yi and the other man in. After closing the door again, he returned to his workstation.
Bai Yi sat opposite him, with a metal table between them.
When he saw the other person's eyes constantly scanning between him and Arnel, the man took the lead in explaining.
"Let me introduce myself. I'm Arelton, Arel's father, and the person in charge of this base. He should have mentioned me to you before."
"I did mention it... but I didn't go into detail. I didn't expect we would meet under these circumstances."
"Ha ha."
Arelton laughed twice.
"This kid is just rough around the edges. Don't bother with him. I called you here mainly to arrange the next trip."
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