Chapter 19

A mercenary.

「Hello, I'm interstellar mercenary Wil... 」

A mercenary wearing a black hat, draped in a cloak, wearing a bird-beak gas mask, resembling an ancient-era doctor, yet also bearing a C-rank mercenary badge.

「A C-rank mercenary. 」

In the night lighting, he appeared especially grim and terrifying, but the comments scrolling across the screen were all 'friendly' words.

【Wil, where are you? Move the camera!】【WWWWWW Wil's streaming again? What are you doing this time?】

【I saw the streamer's update from the day before yesterday that they got a necromancer certificate; are they going to demonstrate necromancy today?】【Isn't necromancy long obsolete? Holy Paladin is number one!】

He ignored those comments; of course, wearing that mask also made it genuinely hard to see if he had any facial reaction to those comments. At this moment he slightly moved away from the screen, and the audience could see behind him was a forest.

At first glance it seemed ordinary, but in the comments someone noticed those tree species had unfamiliar features, and he then reached out in the next second to lift the camera, revealing three beams of light in the night sky, four 'moons', and other brilliant stars.

Then he realigned the camera to the forest and continued his unfinished words:

「Now I'm in Sector Three of the Fifth Star of the Net, many viewers should have noticed my update from two days ago—I got my necromancer certificate, so! 」

The mercenary stepped back from the camera, revealing the tombstone that his previous position had blocked.

「Today we're recording an unboxing video. 」

Having said that, he picked up an iron shovel with a powered jet at the tail and fiercely dug at the tombstone!

The next second the screen went black, and then a string of red text appeared on it:

【Detected severe fluctuation in the streamer's SAN value; broadcast interrupted; please viewers rationally choose which streamer to follow】

「Do you get it? 」

Switching the live stream back to the selection page, Aomo asked David.

「? 」

David's face showed a confusion that even Bi Ze could see.

「Many mercenaries earn extra pay by live‑streaming their missions; in the past this was usually a tool used by overly controlling employers to monitor mercenaries. 」 Aomo patiently explained.

Even in the next second, Bi Ze added: 「Confirm they're actually doing the task, not slacking off. 」

Seeing that even Bi Ze could give David a science lesson, Aomo truly didn't know whose sorrow this was between the two of them.

But sorrow aside, the explanation wasn't finished and still needed to continue:

「... but now, with the support of the Frontier Lighthouse Group, it has become a well‑known entertainment method across the Federation. 」

「So many mercenaries have taken the path of becoming well‑known streamers, or even video creators, 」 Aomo said, swiping the display on the terminal to switch from the live‑stream area to the video area, pointing at those various video‑creator IDs, 「cutting out content unsuitable for live streaming, or else giving a detailed explanation and processing of a special task; before live streaming existed, most space mercenaries used videos to confirm to employers that they had completed their tasks. 」

「Someone like you, a cyber mercenary, is even more so. 」

At this point, Aomo raised his hand and pointed to the pattern of the precision filler on David's face: 「Cyber mercenaries' bodies are convenient for loading information records; most famous mercenary streamers and video creators are cyber mercenaries, or have cyber mercenaries serving as teammates or assistants. 」

「Even... 」 Aomo's finger moved again across the screen, landing heavily on the account's homepage.

That account's name is:

「Overcast God‑Hidden Channel. 」 Da Xia subconsciously read out that name.

「Some cyber mercenaries neither stream nor prepare videos; they just post 'updates' all day, having fished the whole day! 」

「That's naturally unwelcome, but it still exists. 」

「Now! 」 Aomo covered the terminal with his hand, making the half‑air light screen vanish, and asked, 「Once again, what is your understanding of mercenaries? 」

「Have you ever worried that the law‑and‑order in the Jiemen District simply offers no ground for mercenaries to develop? 」

「Have you ever agonized over whether killing is truly needed in this world? 」

「I'm telling you now: eleven‑point‑zero‑zero light‑years away from us lies a newly discovered star system called the Frontier Wasteland Star System Ji Lieting, named after its first discoverer. 」

「There, planetary development is underway, and the two giant interstellar corporations Bei Dou Chi Hang and Xing Yuan Machinery Production Joint Body are lending support; they are recruiting interstellar mercenaries, all of whom are eager explorers with high ambitions. 」

By the time the conversation reached this point, Bi Ze's gaze toward Aomo had turned horrified, and it was hard to understand how he could know all this so clearly.

But he didn't dare to speak, so Aomo continued.

「There will be a need for killing, for combat, and in the early stages of development a city foundation fitting the cyberpunk definition will inevitably arise—like Night City—making it the ideal new home for you who come from Night City. 」

Having said that, Aomo again looked at David, whose forehead was already beading with sweat: 「But you, and your companions—are you willing to go? 」

「Is it necessary? 」

「Morrison! Are you back yet! 」

「I'm here—why are you shouting so loud! 」

In the evening, Morrison was slumped sideways on the sofa, his whole person a sorry sight of having his energy drained by work; upon hearing Aomo's shout from the entryway he actually jumped up, and indeed the cause was simply that Aomo had shouted too loudly.

A white‑collar worker just worn out by work couldn't take this stimulation.

With a business trip looming, Morrison—who originally did escort, protection, and combat work—was forced into clerical duties, running around various departments all afternoon to verify documents; the result was that after finishing he was practically turning ash‑gray.

As things stand, Morrison and Aomo are still quite complementary in their respective strengths—namely, martial ability and clerical work.

However, compared to the knowledge learned in school, what Aomo excels at is more evident in his research on Uma Musume races.

The gathering of public information, in the hands of those with keen insight, holds the power to turn decay into marvel; Aomo likewise has to admit that this work is dull but effective.

Relying on the forum posts in his folder, the athletes' schedules on the race websites, and the video information from the 【Uma Musume Continent】 program that broadcasts the trainees' daily routine in documentary form, Aomo, even without ever having visited Torasen Academy, can roughly grasp most of the faculty and students' names, how close they are, and their family backgrounds.

He doesn't need to deliberately build a database; using his own memory and that crystal in his mind to retrieve data, those publicly accessible facts can be retained.

And a very small portion consists of private information of uncertain veracity.

Having come this far, to go on would be impolite.

In fact, this fully proves that Ailisuzhi's concern for him is justified; although Aomo didn't break the law this time, it's still rather creep‑inducing.

At such a time, his understanding of certain Uma Musume likely exceeds even their own self‑understanding.

Of course, reaching this point truly is over‑exertion; thus, barring any accident, Aomo would not think of proactively approaching any Uma Musume.

Last time was exactly that sort of accident.

After that incident, Aomo returned home without much emotional fluctuation; it was only when the topic came up at the dinner table that Morrison learned it had even happened.

However, this time Morrison noticed the undisguised lightness on Aomo's body; figuring there must be another 'surprise', he asked:

What good thing happened?

What he actually thought was that the college entrance exam results had come out, finally letting this guy relax; after all, he had previously heard him say that the exam environment was truly like being locked up in prison, and every time after finishing the exam and slipping away, he had a feeling like 'no prison guards around, a little break for a while'.

"Simply put..." He brought today's ingredients to the table; Aomo pondered his wording a bit, and said, "A friendship now has a clearer space for cultivation,"

What kind of simple is this? I completely don't understand.

David decided to go look for a target, and he said his companions also have new goals in this world.

Sounds like everyone's happy, huh; what's that got to do with you?

Just a little push, and he felt quite a sense of accomplishment.

After saying that, he walked to his room, flung the satchel still in his other hand onto the bed, then picked up the ingredients on the table and headed to the kitchen.

Hey, you still haven't told your scores, right?

Although he wasn't worried, since the other had just passed in front of him, Morrison still decided to ask like a guardian.

Do I even need to ask? Of course there's no problem.

Aomo curled the corner of his mouth into a disdainful smile and tossed the terminal in his hand at him:

It's on the first page of the browsing history; look it up yourself.

After saying that, he fully entered the kitchen.

This kid... really is a bit different now......

Morrison recalled having seen that smile before, when a certain gambler doubted his evaluation of Umamusume; at that time, after the race ended, he crushed the opposition with facts, and Aomo had the same smile.

That kind of arrogance that only appears in the display of professional ability has finally shown up elsewhere as well.

Of course, the most important thing is that the kid shows that cheerfulness because of others' affairs.

Should one say it's the power of friendship that's great?

But Morrison thought, feeling a bit uncertain.

After all, the kid also mentioned David's companions.

Seeing others encounter good things, he himself also becomes happy; this little devil really has always been that kind of person.

Completely unlike a little devil with demon blood.

But because of that, it's quite low‑maintenance.