Chapter 26 2/2

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“Alright.” *Activity, activity.*

**Jiang Li:**

The reason why Desolate Star is a desolate star is multifaceted: remote, unimportant location, lack of resources, and so on.

This desolate star is characterized by endless rocks as far as the eye can see, making it impossible to run. Sharp rocks would puncture the skin if one were to fall.

Jiang Li transmitted decided to find a larger rock to sit on. Watching Cen Lang climb up the battleship’s side, he seemed eager to disassemble before repairing. Both disassembly and welding utilized lasers. Cen Lang wore a black protective helmet and advised Jiang Li, “Go inside and get some goggles to wear.”

“Okay.”

Jiang Li watched for a while, attempting to take a stroll into the distance. Cen Lang had chosen a good landing point, the only downside being the absence of visible water sources. Jiang Li wanted to see if he could find one.

Cen Lang removed a large, charred metal outer plate, tossing it on the ground with a clang. The internal frame was still intact.

He pushed himself up, standing on the frame, and checked Jiang Li’s position. One hundred meters is a bit far. However, Desolate Star had no life forms, so there was no need to worry about attacks.

Cen Lang continued to dismantle the sections, being a bit more forceful with the second piece. Another loud clang.

Cen Lang clapped his hands, stood up, and balanced on the narrow beam less than five centimeters wide. He glanced again at Jiang Li’s location.

Two hundred meters is quite far.

Cen Lang continued… and continued what? *

He took off the helmet, smiled helplessly, and gestured for Jiang Li to come out and stretch. What was the point of him fixing the battleship if Jiang Li lost interest? With a swing of his arm, Cen Lang slid down from the wing and headed towards Jiang Li. The rocks underfoot could shift, making it unsuitable for anyone outside the space force to run.

Jiang Li was crouched in a low area, attempting to move some rocks and dig to examine the soil’s moisture content.

While lifting a large rock, Jiang Li used a careful, skillful technique to clear the surrounding stones. In Cen Lang’s eyes, it seemed like “Jiang Li’s strength is really weak.”

He pressed on both sides and lifted the rock’s bottom, creating a gap. “See clearly? Any crabs?”

Jiang Li: “…”

“I’m looking for a water source.”

Cen Lang was puzzled. There was drinking water on the battleship, and with the threat of meteor showers, anything unrelated to survival was beyond his consideration.

“Sorry, you won’t be able to take a bath.” Knowing Jiang Li’s cleanliness habits, seven days without a bath would be uncomfortable.

Jiang Li: “Why apologize? I’m just looking around casually; having enough water to drink is sufficient.”

Just like when he was trapped in a foul ditch as a child, the first desire wasn’t to bathe but to hope the adoptive parents hadn’t left, giving him a chance to speak.

There were many things more important than cleanliness, such as healing Cen Lang in the underground city. Cleanliness always ranks below survival.

Cen Lang frowned, thinking he should provide Jiang Fu with a pleasant journey. If he couldn’t bathe every day, Jiang Li would surely find these days reminiscent of their time in the White Flame uncomfortable.

As spectacular as the Milky Way might be, no amount of top-grade A pheromones would help.

Forget it. If he won’t drink water, Cen Lang could help Jiang Fu wipe himself; at least there were clothes to change.

Cen Lang had originally planned to replenish some fresh food every time they landed at a base. Now, he had to rely on reserve supplies: biscuits, bread, ham, self-heating rice, and the like.

No water-boiled beef or stewed pigeon. Jiang Li secretly rejoiced; he also had bread, and the bill wouldn’t have to increase.

He cut a square piece of fabric from the bed curtain with scissors, soaked it a little, and handed it to Cen Lang. “Wipe your hands.”

Cen Lang’s hands were covered in black from the battleship’s charred hull, and he had no intention of washing them. “It’ll get dirty again tomorrow; no need to bother.”

Was this small piece of cloth enough to clean one finger? Maybe he should leave the water for Jiang Li to wash his hands.

Jiang Li insisted: “Hygiene is even more critical when you can’t bathe.”

Cen Lang: “…”

He was persuaded. Taking the cloth, he was about to wipe when Jiang Li suddenly said, “Let me help you.”

It was clear that Cen Lang’s method of wiping wasn’t sufficient with just one piece of cloth. Jiang Li took over and folded the cloth four times, using a small piece each time to slowly restore Cen Lang’s hand color. Cen Lang inexplicably felt a familiar and intolerable sensation, as if ants were crawling in his heart. It felt like he had been wiped like this somewhere else.

He couldn’t remember.

Jiang Li finished wiping with the cloth and rolled a cotton swab over it with alcohol. “You can dine now.”

Cen Lang brought out some useless items from the battleship, laid a cushion on the rocks outside, and designated an area for Jiang Li to move around.

The two had their meal on the cushion.

Jiang Li tore open his own bread and ate contentedly.

Seeing Jiang Li’s enjoyment of his own food decrease, Cen Lang couldn’t resist teasing, “Dr. Jiang, what if the battleship can’t be repaired and the food runs out?”

Jiang Li paused. “Oh, then we’ll wait to die.”

Cen Lang appreciated Jiang Li’s calmness even more. Imagine if there were someone crying and complaining by his side; he would probably be unable to resist strangling them. “Don’t you have any regrets? We drew so many top-grade A pheromones and didn’t use them.”

Jiang Li indifferently replied, “Regrets are for the living; there’s no need to think so much once you’re dead.” If he survived but failed to develop the adenoma drug, that would be regrettable.

Cen Lang asked, “Do you have anyone you care about?”

Jiang Li: “No.”

He looked at Cen Lang with cold eyes. “Can the battleship be repaired?”

Cen Lang, wanting to see Jiang Li lose his composure, wickedly said, “Maybe not. Look at it; half of its wings have been chopped off.” The battleship’s right side was bare.

Jiang Li took a bite of bread. “Oh.”

Cen Lang: “…”

Jiang Li thought seriously. If he were really about to die, he might tell Cen Lang about their child. Not for anything else, just to prove that the kid had both parents, and even in the next life, he wouldn’t be an orphan.