Chapter 1412
It turns out I'm worth this much.
“Target withdrawn.” Xincheng reported into his headset. “Ye Rui, make a note of this. This woman has joint reversal marks on the soles of her feet. She’s probably a Pitt alien.”
"Received." Ye Rui's voice came through the earpiece. "Also, Xincheng team member, could you please turn off the speaker? My monitoring equipment is making static."
"No! Momentum! Do you understand momentum?!"
Cui Ming, standing beside him, felt this for the first time.
With a lively character by my side, it doesn't seem so bad.
-
Horii's shift on the weekend.
This scientist is clearly more considerate than others, or rather, more adept at using technology to solve problems.
"Instructor, I have developed a portable force field generator."
Horii took a disc out of his bag, pressed it on the ground, and with a hum, a light blue halo appeared within a two-meter radius around Cui Ming.
"What can this thing do?"
"If a creature enters the force field, and it is a known alien race, a voice message will be automatically played to expel it."
"...What voice?"
"I recorded it." Horii adjusted his glasses, a look of pride on his face. "The content is as follows: 'Warning! You have entered a high-risk area of TPC! Please evacuate immediately! Otherwise, armed expulsion will be initiated!'"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a "passerby" accidentally stepped onto the edge of the force field.
The disc immediately emitted a piercing alarm: "Warning! You have entered a high-risk TPC area! Evacuate immediately! Otherwise, armed expulsion will be initiated!"
The "passerby" was so frightened that he jumped three feet high, spilling his coffee all over the ground, and ran away in a panic.
Cui Ming looked at the retreating figure and recognized the smell of coolant.
"...Another Pitt alien?"
"Hmm, the third one." Horii looked down at the data. "Not bad today. My voice is 37% more intimidating than the loudspeakers in Shinjo."
"Can't you guys be normal for once?"
“This isn’t normal, Instructor.” Horii looked up, his eyes serious. “Do you know what price your gene sample is fetching on the black market right now?”
"How many?"
"Enough to buy three asteroids."
"..."
“So,” Horii put the disc away and patted Choi’s shoulder, “endure it, for the sake of humanity.”
"Why do you all love saying that..."
-
A month later.
TPC executives held another meeting.
Sawai looked at the latest report with a complicated expression.
"How's the effect?"
"Alien approach incidents have decreased by 68%," the intelligence officer reported. "But..."
"but?"
"But complaints have increased by 200%."
What complaint?
“The aliens have filed a complaint.” The intelligence officer coughed. “They say that TPC is discriminatory and hinders normal social interaction. Several people have even jointly signed a letter requesting that the Space Human Rights Organization intervene in the investigation.”
Sawai: "..."
Yoshioka: "..."
The meeting room remained silent for a full minute.
Then Yoshioka slammed his fist on the table: "They have the nerve to complain?! I haven't even complained about their sexual harassment yet!"
"Calm down, Captain." Sawai rubbed his temples. "Looks like we need to change our strategy."
"What strategy?"
"...Let Cui Ming choose a proper 'shield' himself."
"What do you mean?"
“What I mean is,” Sawai’s expression became subtle, “that we arrange a public, legal relationship for him that aliens can’t interfere with, so that those guys can completely give up any hope.”
Yoshioka paused for two seconds, then slowly looked out the window.
Outside the window, Megumi Kijima walked down the corridor carrying documents, her back straight as a pine tree.
"...You mean?"
“I mean,” Sawai said with a sly smile, “that certain relationships should be made public, confirmed, and reported in the news.”
"..."
"Anyway, they all know that Cui Ming has a wife, they just aren't sure who it is. Now we're laying our cards on the table, so they can give up on that idea."
Yoshioka was silent for five seconds, then gave two thumbs up.
"You're better, really."
-
When the news reached Cui Ming's ears again, he was drinking the milk that Tom had just brewed.
It's chocolate flavored, and they say the recipe has been improved so it won't corrode the spoon.
"public?"
“Public.” Megumi Kijima stood in front of him, arms crossed, her expression businesslike, but the tips of her ears were slightly red. “TPC’s decision is for the greater good.”
"..."
Cui Ming put down the milk and stared at Ju Jianhui for three seconds.
"Did you already have this planned out?"
"Yes."
"From when?" "From the day you were followed by the seventh Pitt alien."
Cui Ming sighed, then suddenly laughed.
It wasn't a perfunctory, forced curve; it was genuinely funny.
"Fine, let's make it public then."
He stood up, pulled his scarf up to cover half his face.
"Anyway..."
"Anyway what?"
"Anyway, I've wanted to do this for a long time."
Megumi's ear tips turned even redder.
Outside the window, in a corner, a Pitt alien scout watched this scene and silently put down his camera.
"The target confirmed the relationship with senior TPC personnel, rendering the strategy ineffective."
"……retreat?"
"retreat."
The scout disappeared into the shadows, while the commercial street remained bustling.
Daigo stood three meters away, holding up an LED sign, looking bewildered.
"Instructor, do I need to lift it again?"
"Hold it up." Cui Ming didn't even turn his head. "Hold it up until the news broadcast ends."
"...How long would it take to hold that up?"
"Three days."
"Three days?!"
"Or we can wait for the next alien race to come and try."
Daigo held the sign even higher, and the LED lights flashed like police lights.
In the distance, Angie and Elsa returned carrying shopping bags. Upon seeing this scene, they both burst out laughing.
"Has Cui finally figured it out?"
"I guess so, I was forced into it."
"So, does that mean we won't have to help him fend off unwanted suitors anymore?"
“What’s the point of blocking any unwanted suitors?” Elsa slung the bag over her shoulder. “From now on, we’ll be responsible for blocking any aliens who want to ruin his family.”
"...Isn't that even more?"
"Yes, that's why I'm even busier."
The two exchanged a glance and sighed simultaneously.
Then he laughed.
These days are getting better and better, and there's more and more hope for us.
I just don't know which race will be next.
I heard that recently on the black market, the price of Cui Ming's gene sample has risen to the point where it can buy five asteroids.
The Pitt aliens have retreated, but there are still the Mefilas aliens, the Nackle aliens, and even a strange organization that calls itself the "Cosmic Blind Date Association."
Anyway, the real excitement is yet to come.
Cui Ming, holding the hand of Ju Jianhui, walked ahead, her scarf fluttering high.
That back view looked quite dashing.
If you ignore the gun at his waist that he's always ready to draw.
"Instructor, are you still nervous?" Daigo asked from behind.
"Nervous my foot."
"Then why are you tapping your fingers on the holster?"
"...a sense of rhythm."
"Rhythm again?"
"Shut up and hold up your sign."
"..."
The commercial street was bathed in sunshine and bustling with activity.
The aliens' spying has temporarily subsided, but everyone knows this is just the calm before the storm.
The hawks and doves of TPC, unusually, reached a consensus and toasted each other in the meeting room.
"For the greater good of humanity."
"For Cui Ming's sake, so that he may have peace."
"So... could you perhaps use a less embarrassing method of protection next time?"
"...We'll talk about it next time."
Anyway, let's drink it for now.
Let's worry about tomorrow tomorrow. (End of Chapter)