Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Let’s Go Bathe Together

"The three of us are Mixed Breeds. Mixed Breeds, understand?" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Barto said, hopping off his stool and placing a large package on the table.

Gu Ning wrote: We can pay more rent.

’If I just shoot a few more videos, I could do more than just pay rent—I could buy a house. A house in Zone 19 can’t be that expensive, right?’

Thinking this, she conveyed the idea to Barto.

"Buy a house?" Barto looked at what she had written as if he’d heard the funniest thing.

"The fact that we can live in the industrial park instead of the outer districts is all thanks to your current job and Cook’s brother."

Gu Ning didn’t understand and looked at him in confusion.

Seeing that Gu Ning knew nothing, Barto dragged his booster chair over to her, hopped on, and met her gaze. "No matter which zone you’re in, buying a house requires some very complicated procedures. First, you need your ID and proof of employment. If you’re a Mixed Breed, you need a representative from your clan to act as a guarantor, and you must have at least one relative accompanying you as a guardian."

"If you go more than two months without a relative supervising you, you’ll have to find someone else from your clan to continue as your guarantor. If there’s no one to look after you, the house you bought will be repossessed by the Mixed Species Administration and rented back to you. You have to submit a monthly physical examination report to the Mixed Species Administration, and they’ll even send someone to check on your condition. If you have any negative marks on your record, like rioting or injuring someone, you’ll be thrown into the Mixed Species Management Center."

After explaining, Barto asked Gu Ning, "Do you have anyone in Zone 19 who can act as your guarantor?"

Gu Ning shook her head. ’The conditions for a Mixed Breed to buy a house are way too harsh.’

Barto snorted. "Zone 19’s regulations may be looser, but without a guarantor, you can forget about buying a house no matter how much money you have. If someone dares to sell you one, they’re definitely just trying to scam you. They’ll sell it to you, immediately report you to the Mixed Species Administration, and then squeeze you for even more money. Understand?"

Gu Ning wrote: Is it like this in other zones?

Barto said, "Don’t worry. As long as you and Cook don’t have any negative records, when you go to other zones, they’ll use your genetic test reports and a behavioral assessment to decide which areas you can live and work in. If your test results are excellent, you could even go to the Central District. But not many Mixed Breeds can reach that test level."

Barto propped his head on one hand and looked at her, suddenly asking, "Do you know what your aberration value is?"

Gu Ning’s heart skipped a beat when he asked that. Her mind raced, and she wrote: Less than 50%.

Barto said, "You don’t look like a Mixed Breed with an aberration value over 50%."

He pointed at Cook. "Him, on the other hand? Definitely over."

"Starting today, you need to eat one Purification Crystal Stone every two or three days." Barto said as he opened the package on the table. "Don’t think you can skip the Purification Crystal Stones just because you don’t show any signs of regression. Only by using Purification Crystal Stones and Inhibitors on a regular schedule can you maintain your aberration value. By the time you feel yourself regressing, it’s already too late."

Gu Ning picked up a Purification Crystal Stone, felt its hard texture, and silently put all the Crystal Stones back into the bag.

’There’s no way I’m eating this. I’m not a real Mixed Breed. If I ate it, I’d probably get a stomachache.’

"Here’s the thick quilt you wanted."

Barto untied the large package, and a thick, soft quilt immediately unfurled, covering the entire table.

Gu Ning’s eyes lit up. She felt the thickness of the quilt. ’This should be warm enough for the nights.’

Just then, Barto pushed a square box toward Gu Ning. "Here, there’s this thing too."

Gu Ning looked at Barto inquisitively, thinking, ’What is this?’

Barto said, "Open it and see for yourself."

Gu Ning opened the box with a curious expression. Inside lay a small, silver-gray ball about the size of a billiard ball.

Seeing the object, Gu Ning froze for a moment, then took the small ball out, surprised and delighted.

’It’s the mobile camera equipment I wanted!’

She glanced at Barto, then picked up her pen and started writing furiously on the paper. Before she could finish, Barto said, "You were asking all over the black market for this thing yesterday. I just had to ask around a little to find out what you wanted. You think you can hide anything from me?"

Gu Ning stopped writing and gave an embarrassed smile. Below her unfinished sentence, she wrote: Thank you, little fox.

Barto hmphed and crossed his arms, looking at her. "If you want something, just tell me. I can get you anything... except for female stuff."

Gu Ning toyed with the small ball in her hand, thought for a moment, and then drew a circle with a question mark on the paper.

Barto glanced at her drawing and said, "Asking me why I didn’t ask you what you wanted this thing for?"

Gu Ning nodded.

Barto asked, "Well, are you going to tell me?"

Gu Ning obediently kept quiet.

Seeing her silent response, Barto laughed. "Since you don’t want to tell me, what’s the point in me asking?"

He waved his hand and said, "I don’t care about your business. Just don’t cause any trouble for me. All I care about is making money. Remember, if you want to buy something, come to me first. Also, when you get money, you give it to me. Purification Crystal Stones are very expensive."

Gu Ning puffed her cheeks out slightly. ’Oh, right... I’ve already given Barto a lot of money!’

Barto went to his storage box in the corner of the living room and rummaged for clean clothes. While searching, he said to Gu Ning, "Get your clothes. We’re going to bathe together."

Gu Ning: "..." Huh?

Barto turned to look at her. "What are you spacing out for? There’s hardly anyone in the public bathhouse right now. If we wait, it won’t be less crowded until after ten. Water and electricity are supplied on a timer during the winter. If you’re late, there won’t be any hot water left."

Gu Ning quickly waved her hands at him in refusal.

’Hot water or not, there’s no way I’m going to the bathhouse with them!’

Barto, holding his clean clothes, walked up to her and Cook and sniffed. "How long has it been since you two bathed?" he said with disgust. "You both stink."

’I give myself a sponge bath with cold water every day,’ Gu Ning thought. ’The smell must be coming from Cook.’

’Him...’ Gu Ning sniffed in his direction. He really did stink.

Before Cook got injured, he would always go to the public bathhouse by himself. After he was hurt, she was the one who helped him wash.

It made her blush from head to toe.

It seemed Cook hadn’t bathed at all since that time she’d gone to the public bathhouse. He reeked of wet dog.

Barto urged Gu Ning to hurry up and get her clothes.

Gu Ning found a set of clean clothes for Cook, had the two of them go wash, and also handed Cook an iron bucket.

Barto looked at her, confused. "Are you making him bring water back for you to wash with? Can’t you just go yourself?"

He thought Gu Ning was worried about being ostracized by the Beastmen and said, "The three of us will be together. No Beastman would dare to come near us."

’With three Mixed Breeds sticking together, what kind of Beastman would be bored enough to pick a fight?’

Gu Ning didn’t bother explaining. She just pushed the two of them out the door and then shut it.

Barto stood at the door, feeling more and more that this Gu Ning character was a bit odd. He turned his head and saw Cook carrying the iron bucket in his mouth. He smacked him on the head. "Stupid dog, use your hands!"