I opened a shop on the Astral Train-Chapter 8

Hook glanced at the medicine in Clara's hands.

"I see. Hook will help you find more!"

Clara quickly waved her hands. "No, no, I can't trouble you! I can do it myself."

Hook wiped his nose with a determined look. "It's fine! You're an honorary member of the Mole Party. If one of us needs help, we all pitch in!"

Without another word, Hook began rummaging through the pile of junk, searching for medicine.

Kids who grew up in the lower city were experts at finding things.

A few minutes later, Rios glanced toward the restaurant.

"Hook, eat first. You can look for more later."

Hook popped his head out from behind a crate. "Is the food ready?"

Rios nodded. "Yes. Bring your little friend, too."

He stepped over, grabbed Hook by the collar with his mouth, and lifted him out of the pile. Clara hesitated, shaking her head.

"No, it's fine. I'll eat back at the settlement."

Rios didn't give her a choice. He scooped her up and placed her on his back alongside Hook. "Let's go. You're eating with us."

The mechas continued their search for medicine as Rios carried the two children toward the restaurant.

Inside, Yuri stepped out of the kitchen with a large pot of steaming chicken soup. The aroma filled the air.

"Wow, you two have a sharp nose. Just in time—I just finished cooking."

Then, he noticed Clara.

"Oh? Who's this? Have you eaten yet? Come have some fresh chicken soup."

Clara inhaled deeply, her stomach tightening at the rich scent. What was this? Even her favorite grilled crab didn't smell this good!

Rios set the children down and moved to the side to rest.

Hook, grinning, pulled Clara toward the dining table. Standing on a stool, she peered into the pot, eyes gleaming with excitement.

Yuri gently pressed her down. "Sit still. I'll serve you some. Don't fall."

He ladled steaming soup into three small bowls and placed them on the table, handing the only two chicken legs to Hook and Clara.

As for why there were only three bowls? Well, Rios didn't eat meat—no matter how strong he was, he was still a deer.

Hook eagerly took a spoonful, sipping the soup. The moment it hit her tongue, her eyes lit up.

"Wow! What kind of water is this? It's amazing!"

She gulped down more, spoonful after spoonful, until—

Cough! Cough!

She started choking.

Yuri patted her back. "Slow down. Eat some meat, too. Here, have your drumstick."

Hook nodded, grabbing the chicken leg and tearing into it hungrily.

Yuri understood. In the lower city, Hook had been lucky to carve out a path for herself. She had strength—enough to return safely from Rivet Town time and time again.

But most weren't so lucky. Many kids risked their lives searching for supplies in areas overrun by Rift monsters, all for a single meal. If they were unlucky, they never came back.

Yuri glanced at Clara. She was sitting stiffly, hesitating.

"What's your name, little one?"

Clara perked up. "Hello, big brother. I'm Clara. I'm from the Mechanical Settlement, and I'm Hook's good friend."

Yuri smiled. "No need to be so formal. Since you and Hook are friends, just call me Brother Yuri. No need to be distant."

Clara hesitated, then nodded. "Okay... Brother Yuri."

Hearing her call him that, Yuri grinned. "That's better. Now, drink your soup. No need to be polite."

Clara fidgeted. "Thank you for your kindness, but... isn't this really expensive? I shouldn't take it."

Yuri chuckled. "Nah, your brother Yuri has plenty of food. Supplies aren't a problem for me."

Clara still shook her head. "Brother Yuri, I'm not a little kid anymore. In the lower city, food is scarce. I know how valuable this is."

Yuri leaned back. "That's where you're wrong. I'm not from the lower city. If you don't believe me, ask Hook."

Clara turned to Hook, who nodded, mouth stuffed with chicken.

Clara's brows furrowed. "Then... Brother Yuri, you're from the upper city? But I heard from Mr. Swarovski that even they don't have much food."

Yuri chuckled. "Nope, not from the upper city either. I'm not even from this planet."

Clara blinked. "From... outside the planet? Mr. Swarlow mentioned something like that before..."

Yuri pushed the bowl of soup toward her. "Drink first. I'll show you something fun later."

Clara hesitated for only a moment before finally taking a sip.

Like Hook, once she tasted it, she couldn't stop.

Unlike Hook, though, Clara ate delicately, savoring every bite.

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Now full, Hook leaned back against Rios, rubbing her stomach. "Ah~ So full~ I've never eaten this much before!"

Clara nodded. "Mm. This was delicious. Thank you, Brother Yuri."

Yuri, sitting by the door browsing the system's store, smirked. "Anytime. Come see me whenever you're hungry."

Then, he perked up. "Oh, right. I have something good for you two."

He bought two extra-long standby mobile phones from the system shop and handed them to the kids.

"Here. These are called mobile phones. They can be used for..."

And so, Yuri taught the two how to use them.

Clara picked it up quickly—she had some mechanical knowledge, after all. Hook, on the other hand, struggled. He barely grasped how to make a phone call, and within five minutes, had already forgotten.

An adult and two children lay sprawled across Rios' back, playing with their new phones and chatting.

Rios, watching the three lounging on him, lifted his head slightly. A warm flame flickered outside the door, shielding them from the bitter cold beyond.

Clara played with her mobile phone with great interest, especially the communication app, which delighted her.

She had even added a new friend who went by the name of "Jade."

Chatting with Jade filled Clara with joy. This kind sister told her all sorts of fascinating things about the universe—stories of major Aeons, celestial fleets, and intergalactic corporations.

Clara, in turn, shared Belobog's struggles, explaining the hardships of the lower city. To her surprise, Jade promised to help.

Clara beamed. Jade was such a good person!

As they played, a commotion sounded at the door. Several "traffic lights" came running over on their short mechanical legs.

Seeing the mechas, Clara suddenly remembered why she had come out in the first place.

"Oh no! Clara lost track of time! I still have to find medicine for everyone in the settlement!"

Panicked, she tucked away her phone and rushed toward the door.

Yuri noticed her urgency. "Clara, don't worry. Were you looking for medicine?"

Clara bit her lip, guilt welling up as tears pricked the corners of her eyes.

Yuri's voice softened. "Why do you need medicine, Clara? What's wrong?"

Clara sniffled. "Lately, the monsters have been attacking more often. Many people in the settlement are hurt. Clara wants to find medicine to treat them."

Yuri considered her words, then a thought struck him.

The Mechanical Settlement likely had plenty of Stellar Jade, and Svarog held the most influence in the lower city.

Yuri quickly accessed his system and spent 100 star coins to purchase 10 bottles of Golden Wound Medicine.

"Here, Clara. This is Golden Wound Medicine. It's good for healing injuries."

Clara's eyes widened, and she shook her head frantically. "No, no! This is too valuable!"

No matter what Yuri said, she refused to accept it. She already felt bad enough that Brother Yuri had treated her to such delicious food. Taking medicine this precious? Impossible.

Yuri sighed, then noticed a small gemstone pinned to Clara's clothes.

"Clara, how about this—you trade me your Stellar Jade for the medicine?"

Clara unpinned the gemstone and examined it. "This?"

She had found it by chance while searching for medicine and had kept it because it looked pretty.

Yuri nodded. "That's right. Your brother Yuri deals in this business. If you have Stellar Jade, you can trade it for a lot of supplies from me."

Clara hesitated. "But... isn't this just a decoration? It's not useful for anything."

Yuri chuckled. "Most people don't know what it's for, but for me, it's very valuable."

He placed a box of medicine on top of one of the mechas. "A box of medicine like this can be exchanged for just one Stellar Jade."

Clara's eyes lit up. She had plenty of Stellar Jade back home! If this was true, then she could trade for so many supplies!

"Really? Brother Yuri, are you sure?"

Yuri ruffled her hair. "Of course."

Clara beamed. "I believe you, Brother Yuri! Do you have time? I have a lot more Stellar Jade at home!"

Yuri lifted Clara onto Rios' back, then did the same with Hook.

"Lead the way."

Three people and one deer set off for the Mechanical Settlement.

Far away, inside Pierpoint Company's headquarters...

Jade scrolled through her phone with a hint of amusement.

The screen displayed her chat history with a user named "Beibei Village Bunny."

"Interesting. I didn't expect a civilization to have survived for so long under star core erosion—especially one that still owes the company a debt."

Across the room, Topaz, playing with her piggy bank, perked up. "Oh? A place like that still exists?"

Beside her, Sand Dust, who had been idly shuffling chips, also showed interest. "That place owes the company a lot of money, doesn't it? And the interest isn't exactly low."

Jade smirked, her fingers gliding across the screen. "Technically, this debt is probably a lost cause. According to the company's records on Yarilo-IV, they don't have the means to pay it back."

She paused, then added, "After 700 years, the interest alone has eclipsed the original amount."

Topaz sat up. "Another chance for a solid performance, then. How about letting me handle this one?"

Jade chuckled. "You'll have to ask Diamond."

Sand Dust, however, wasn't as optimistic. "If we don't handle this right, the company will hold us accountable. Can Topaz really pull it off?"

Jade leaned back in her chair, sipping her coffee. "Don't worry. I trust her abilities. Besides, I'll be there when the time comes."

She turned toward Sand Dust. "What about you? What's your plan for the Pinocchio matter?"

Sand Dust gave a confident grin. "Don't worry, the dice have already been cast. I've got a solid plan. But... I might need to borrow something from you and Topaz."

Jade's expression sharpened slightly. She rested her chin on her hand and studied Sand Dust intently. "You realize how dangerous this is, right? You remember the oath we made when we obtained that item?"

Sand Dust swirled his glass of wine, momentarily lost in thought. "Of course. It's more important than life itself."

Jade sighed, then straightened. "Are you sure about this?"

Sand Dust raised his glass toward her with a smirk. "If you want to catch a big fish, you have to use strong bait."

Jade stirred her coffee slowly. "True. While the oath matters... the results matter more."

Sand Dust chuckled. "Then it's settled. Cheers—to King Amber!"

Jade took a slow sip of her coffee. "Yes. Everything for the Amber King."

Back in the Mechanical Settlement...

Under Clara's guidance, the group quickly reached their destination.

With Clara leading the way, they passed through security with ease.

In the hierarchy of the settlement, Svarog held the highest authority, followed closely by Clara.

The sight that greeted Yuri and Hook was worse than expected. Compared to Panyan Town, the Mechanical Settlement was in an even more dire state.

At least in Panyan Town, people had houses.

Here, all they had were tents.