Chen Yue Zhi Yao Vol 1 Chapter 5

“If I work hard to become a great man, will there be a Fan Tong Jie in the future?” – Fan Tong
“Is that a day when people have to speak the opposite of what they mean?” – Luo Shi

 

 

To the Eastern City, Chen Yue Jie is a major holiday that happens only once a year. This is also a rare opportunity where the Five Attendants will accompany Queen Xi Ying to see the city’s fellow civilians. It’s said that the Western City also celebrates a similar holiday on this day, except it is not as highly regarded as in the Eastern City. This is also a reason why the two cities hold different att.i.tudes toward Chen Yue.

One could say the Eastern City depends on Chen Yue’s power, and thus glorifies it as an existence equal to the G.o.ds. As for the Western City, their current approach was to seal off the Chen Yue pa.s.sageway, preventing New Residents from entering. The two sides conflicted on this point and failed to make a consensus, causing open battles to be inevitable. However, even if they started fighting, the Western City still couldn’t reach their goal of sealing Chen Yue.

When they first discovered Chen Yue Bao Jing, each side took half of the matrix. Sealing off the Chen Yue pathway requires a complete matrix, so as long as Queen Xi Ying possessed half of it, the Western City wouldn’t be able to achieve their goal. This was unavoidable and the deadlock created unceasing clashes between the two sides.

Because the Western City made it their goal to seal off Chen Yue, the Eastern City inhabitants regarded the other city as “evil”. Naturally, the Western City thought the opposite. Contradictory opinions would cause those who are obdurate about their beliefs to demonize the other party. Continuing this way and brainwashing other people around them, feelings of animosity naturally multiplied by the day.

Nonetheless, whatever happened in the Western City was none of Eastern City’s business. The Eastern City would celebrate its important holiday, and its people had begun to prepare Shen w.a.n.g Dian since early morning.

The established agenda included worshipping at the Chen Yue Altar. The altar was situated on the borderline between the Eastern and the Western City, so the worshipping was really only done by the Queen and the Five Attendants, followed by some guards. Most people aren’t allowed to attend, not even to watch.

The place where the common residents went to was the road from which the Queen’s carriage left Shen w.a.n.g Dian, to the gates exiting the city.

In other words, the highlight of Chen Yue Jie for most people was the chance to see Queen Xi Ying and the other dignitaries. Although some are of a different opinion, most agree that this is a rare opportunity, and even become crazed about it. It is said that to see the Queen’s smile is the same as being blessed, and the person would live their entire year smoothly and peacefully. Alas, seeing the Queen smile is extremely difficult. Especially after the Five Attendants became Four Attendants, a layer of frost shrouded the Queen’s already icy appearance.

Once the carriage drove out the gates, it’d head straight toward the Chen Yue Altar. In the city, though, they’d lower the speed, in order for the citizens to cheer and adore. The personage would also be sitting on elevated seats of the carriage, so there wasn’t a problem with crowds blocking each other’s view. Everyone could see as much as they wanted.

Everyone excitedly antic.i.p.ated this day, but for Fan Tong, who was forced to do manual labor since five this morning, he was truly cloaked in smoke and miasma.

He heard Zhu Sha and Yue Tui were going to be in the audience in today’s event as well. If possible, he also wanted to wake up with them at ten, then hide in the crowds and chat about the Queen and the Five Attendants! Why must he wake up so early in the morning to help pave the roads for pedestrians and act as a human statue? He’s even in the same group as Mi Zhong!

“I’m actually in debt too, so I naturally have to work off my debt. Didn’t I tell you before?”

Being told that by Mi Zhong, he felt displeased. Quite displeased.

Who knew you were a debtor? Even if you owe money, that’s still not my business. How did you get into debt anyways? You look so slick, a totally wily old bird. You shouldn’t have died easily, right?

“How did you get into debt?”

“Hm– I was young and didn’t know any better, so I followed the fad and tried out different ways to die. Only New Residents can play like this, you know?”

I didn’t know, and don’t look at me like we’re really close, please?Subconsciously, Fan Tong wanted to show an expression of disgust.

Today’s earnings will settle ten strings worth of debt. The total amount of work would take about seven hours… so the wage in Eastern City is this low?

Counting it this way, if he owed two hundred strings, then he’d repay everything after a hundred forty hours. But in reality, he couldn’t count it this way. It was because Chen Yue Jie is a celebration, so in order to make its citizens happy, the city was extra generous in paying today.

According to Mi Zhong, the most common jobs that anyone can do pays about ten qians an hour.

Ten qians is a tenth of one string…

Ten hours make one string.

Two hundred strings of qian would then equal two thousand hours.

So his debt was some kind of astronomical figure!

Knowing this frightened Fan Tong. Only after relishing his petrified expression did Mi Zhong coolly tell him.

“That’s why you should find jobs that’ll earn you a good pay. Do you reckon gossip’s pretty sweet? Gossip about Lord Luo Shi can usually be sold for six strings. You have to find special buyers for Lord Wei Shi’s gossip, so the prices fluctuate. There’s too much gossip on Lord Yin Shi already, so information about him are worthless. If you have gossip on Lord Ling Shi, you can sell it for at least twenty strings! Those with more truth to it, you could even sell directly to me. I’ll pay forty strings!”

Mi Zhong crossed his arms around Fan Tong’s shoulders, whispering into his ear this sort of illegal conspiracy. Fan Tong thought his face was going to turn black.

Just how obsessed are you with Lord Ling Shi?

“Speaking of which, what about gossip about the Queen?”

He only wanted to ask out of curiosity, not so that he could sell it.

“The Queen’s gossip! You have good eyes! Because the difficulty to get this is so high, it’s basically priceless. And more importantly, it’s alright to sell gossip about the Attendants, aside from Lord Wei Shi being a bit dangerous, since the others don’t really care. However, if you sold gossip about the Queen and got caught, you could be sentenced to death and be killed by a soul purging weapon. I don’t lack money to such an extent that I’d have to resort to that. The risk is a bit too high.”

Queen Xi Ying is so strict. She must not like others talking about her.

“If you have any information on Lord Hui Shi, it should be very valuable as well, since no one knows where he went… If you have anything on him, no matter how much it costs, Lord Luo Shi would buy it.”

Fan Tong could tell how deeply Luo Shi cared for Hui Shi just from hearing Mi Zhong words.

“You guys have services selling gossip to the Attendants as well, huh?”

“Yes! For instance, Lord Wei Shi would buy gossip on Lord Yin Shi and Lord Ling Shi, given that they’re at wrong ends with each other. But who’d want to sell to him? That’s why I only sell him the useless information.”

Mm, seems like the New Residents hate Lord Wei Shi for being biased, and his popularity with the other Attendants aren’t very good either.

“Seeing as how Lord Hui Shi isn’t coming back, I wonder if the Queen’s going to choose a new Attendant…”

That’s still not the most important matter. Rather, I want to know why you’re still in debt, when you should’ve sold a lot of gossip already. Just how much do you owe? Were you the one who regenerated with pain greater than that of a woman giving birth?

It was almost time for the carriage to leave Shen w.a.n.g Dian. They had to stop their private conversation, obediently being human statues, and wait for the arrival of the Queen’s carriage.

The carriage departed Shen w.a.n.g Dian ten minutes behind schedule, but no one felt anxious while waiting, as if they’re already used to this kind of thing. Fan Tong even heard a voice behind him saying, “If they’re late, it’s probably all thanks to Lord Yin Shi being problematic again”, and other mystifying declarations similar to that. Speaking of which, of the Five Attendants, he still hasn’t seen Yin Shi and Wei Shi. When they show up later, he ought to notice it, and check them out.

At the very head of the carriage sat Queen Xi Ying herself, a cold beauty as expected. She was a figure of black elegance, and even the makeup on her face all used cool colors. Her long black hair hung loosely, only held by a servant girl kneeling beside her. She wore a silver head piece as accessory, and her entire body emitted the presence of a G.o.ddess who controlled all that was beneath her.

This strict and icy image truly displays a queen’s authority. If one stood face to face with her, it’d be difficult for a person’s legs not to become shaky from her gaze.

Even without mention of the pure black ta.s.sel, Fan Tong instinctively knew that she was definitely not someone you wanted to mess with.

Sitting behind the queen was Luo Shi, the guy Fan Tong had seen and talked with a few times before. Although today’s an important holiday, his clothes were the same as always. Then again, he usually wore high-quality clothing anyways, so it wasn’t unfitting.

From this angle, Luo Shi still looked delicate and pretty. Even that small fold locked between his brows lingered there, most likely because he still hasn’t thought the matter about Hui Shi through. That’s not something others can get their hands into though.

Following in order, Fan Tong saw the person he had met once before, Ling Shi. Only now, to his horror, did he discover that Ling Shi’s ta.s.sel is a grey-black color, only one sub-level away from pure black. He’s also one with a lot of influence.

That’s true. How could the rector of Fuzhou Xuan not be powerful?

Mi Zhong seemed to have already turned cross-eyed from staring at Ling Shi’s beautiful form, and naturally, Fan Tong didn’t want to deal with him. His line of sight moved to that other man next to Ling Shi.

Just by looking at him, that young man wearing a head of long black hair looked handsome enough to attract most of the female population’s attention. A striking appearance paired with a light smile, he’d more than likely strike down a good collection of girls. There’s no need for clarification. This man had to be Yin Shi, not Wei Shi. If Wei Shi looked like this, half the people who hate him would jump ship, that half being the females.

But this charming, handsome image was almost utterly destroyed when he started turbulently shaking Ling Shi’s shoulders while saying something in full excitement. Ling Shi immediately scolded him, thus reverting him back to his original state, but… no one’s blind here. Everyone saw it.

 

Yin Shi is Shufa Xuan’s rector, so he shouldn’t be weak… Eh? There’s no ta.s.sel?

 

Fan Tong looked at Yin Shi from head to toe. There’s really no ta.s.sel. No ta.s.sel to be found.

Not only did he not find a ta.s.sel, he couldn’t find Wei Shi either. No matter where he searched on the carriage trail, Wei Shi’s person was nowhere to be found. Although he didn’t want to speak with the love-possessed Mi Zhong, Fan Tong still called out to him.

“Mi Zhong, how come Lord Wei Shi…”

“Ah, who cares about Lord Wei Shi? He’s probably been murdered and had his corpse obliterated or something. It’s more important to look at Lord Ling Shi now. Go go go. Move aside.”

“…”

Even though they were both humans, and even though Fan Tong spoke correctly, they still could not communicate with each other. Fan Tong fully felt the girth of this harbor.

It was basically two different worlds between the civilian spectators and the people atop the carriages.

When the carriage troupe first came out, Yin Shi still docilely maintained his image, sitting upright and beaming congenial smiles. Not long after, though, his true nature began to leak out.

“Ling Shi! Look! So many pretty ladies are yelling for me!”

“…”

Being intensely shaken by him for a while, Ling Shi thought his hair had almost turned to a mess. With a darkening of the eye, Ling Shi proceeded to attack Yin Shi’s lower ribs at flying speed, causing Yin Shi to instantly shut up from the pain.

“We’ve only been out for only one minute! Don’t lose your image after just one minute! At least try to care for the others’ image!”

Although every one of Ling Shi’s words were severe, they were only said as loudly as Yin Shi and he alone could hear. As for whether or not the citizens underneath could read lips, that’s another matter.

Experiencing an act of violence, Yin Shi stayed obedient for a while, giving the smile that hosts give and displaying an air of elegance. But, in less than two minutes, that was ruined again.

“Ling Shi! Look! So many guys are drooling at you! Pffthahahahaha–“

While Ling Shi pondered on whether he should directly knock this guy off the car, Luo Shi also turned his head slightly towards them.

“Yin Shi, you’re noisy.”

Saying he’s noisy, Yin Shi’s words actually weren’t that audible amidst the cheers and cries of the crowds. However, to those on the carriages nearby, he spoke very clearly.

“Xiao Luo Shi, Why are even you…?”

Yin Shi put on a hurt expression. Luo Shi followed by turning his head back, ignoring him.

“Ah! Ignoring me! Towards one’s own teacher, this sort of att.i.tude isn’t cute at all!”

“Ling Shi, can you shut him up now?”

“I tried over a hundred times.”

“Then can you knock him out?”

“I can’t fight in a public event. That’s too unmannered.”

Although Ling Shi had done so earlier, no one probably saw it under the protection of those big sleeves, so that didn’t count.

“Yin, can’t you hold it until we pa.s.s the gates?”

“Ah? What?”

After Yin Shi finished saying what he had to say, he continued to wink at the beautiful girls in the ma.s.ses and completely failed to notice what the others were saying.

“…You’re really not going to hit him?”

Luo Shi’s face twitched.

“You hit him. I won’t stop you.”

Even if Ling Shi said that, there’s still no way Luo Shi could do it. If he really were to, there was still the question whether he could hit him or not.

Luckily Wei Shi felt a little unwell today and took leave, or if he also sat in the carriage, Wei Shi definitely wouldn’t give way to such churlish behavior. The two of them would argue subsequently, making the scene all the more unbearable to watch.

Something like this happened five years ago. In the end, Yin Shi immaturely cast Shufa to shave a chunk of Wei Shi’s hair off. Wei Shi fought him in anger; Ling Shi watched; Luo Shi was overwhelmed. Finally, Xi Ying awarded each person with a slap to the face, and the two calmed down under the Queen’s fury.

Wei Shi’s hair had naturally grown back by now, but that didn’t mean that the face he lost, and the fact that he was put to shame, could easily be forgotten. There was a lot of tension between these two already, so putting them in the same car together honestly made others worry.

Yin Shi’s personality is more easygoing. If he said he doesn’t mind, then he really doesn’t mind. Even if he did say he’ll get back at you, Yin Shi more than half the times forgets about it in the end. As for Wei Shi, he’s the begrudging type. Annoying a narrow minded person accomplishes nothing, so Ling Shi and Luo Shi usually just watched from a safe distance. If Yin Shi wanted to crash himself into a cactus, that’s his problem.

The journey to the Chen Yue Alter was a difficult one, every year. Today they had to leave ten minutes behind schedule, because Yin Shi was not only late but had even carelessly teleported to the wrong place. At any rate, Yin Shi was the type of person who would stupidly muddle up things that people generally don’t mess up. Granted, everyone had gotten used to this after a.s.sociating with him for so long, but, rather than purely adapting, everyone continued to hope that Yin Shi would change a bit.

After they uneasily toiled through this road and left the gates, the carriages also gained speed. Logically, no matter what improper thing Yin Shi did shouldn’t matter anymore, but he actually quieted down, feeling bored from the lack of the crowds’ attention.

It was impossible to keep him quiet when it was necessary, yet once the pressure was gone, Yin Shi became an obedient angel. No one knew what to do with him.

“Haah, I’m so bored. I don’t know what to do.”

Yin Shi sighed. He always found riding a car very boring, very quickly.

Please don’t do anything––! Luo Shi and Ling Shi simultaneously cried inside.

“Ling Shi, have you done anything fun lately? After we’ve finished, we should head over to Void s.p.a.ce Area 2! I heard people found new species of moshou there. I want to catch one and see for myself.”

“Have you forgotten the commotion you created the last time you rode a moshou home? Yin Shi.”

“I’ve learned from past mistakes. This time, I brought ropes with me, so it should work out much more smoothly. See.”

Yin Shi took out the ropes and showed them to Ling Shi. There was no longer anyone who wanted to ask him why he carried this sort of thing on him.

“Your heart was never on the ritual and only cared about going out to play…”

“Life is too boring. You can’t blame me. The ritual’s the same every year, isn’t it? There’s no originality at all.”

“The meaning behind this ritual’s existence isn’t so that you can have fun.”

“Ah, Ling Shi, the clouds are so pretty today, look.”

Communication was impossible.

“Yin, you can’t be saved.”

“Ah, don’t say random things that’d make Xi Ying get the wrong impression of me.”

Actually, Xi Ying, who was sitting in front the whole time, probably heard every line from beginning to end.

It’s just that her face still had her usual stern, icy appearance, and remained silent.

“Or, we could ask Ying if she wants to join us in catching moshou? Do you think she’ll go with us?”

“If Ying would go with you, I’ll be a woman starting today.”

“Eh? Then the chances are pretty high, aren’t they? Xiao Luo Shi, could you help me ask her?”

“…”

“…”

Luo Shi and Ling Shi both were speechless.

“Ling Shi, you’re really not going with me? I thought you were free?”

“Even if I have nothing to do, I don’t need to go with you.”

“Come help me and I’ll take you to Void s.p.a.ce Area 1 to catch tabby cats next time.”

“…Do you still hope that I want you to take me and catch tabby cats?”

To be able to a.s.sociate with Yin Shi for so long in peace, Ling Shi’s patience wouldn’t be a normal level either.

“More importantly, when did Void s.p.a.ce Area 1 start to have tabby cats…”

Luo Shi couldn’t hold it and mended the question. Just from hearing the name of the location, one could tell that place can’t produce tabby cats. The beginning of Void s.p.a.ce is already a highly dangerous magnetic field, not to mention the life forms living there. As a Natural Resident who can’t revive, only Yin Shi would run rampant in that area.

Promising someone to catch tabby cats where there aren’t any, that in itself had no insincerity.

“Ah, are there no tabby cats in Void s.p.a.ce Area 1?”

Stunned for a moment, Yin Shi lowered his head to think quietly.

“Then what was that thing I caught last time…”

So you can’t even identify a tabby cat?

No one had the energy to say that sentence anymore.

“Ling Shi, you’re really not accompanying me? It’s really difficult for me to do this alone.”

“If you only put in a bit of effort, how could there be any problems”

“It’s really tiring.”

“You want to go play yet you still complain that it’s tiring? What do you want me there for, to be your mule?”

Yin Shi looked, looked for a few seconds, and then scratched his face with his fingers.

“You just have to help me hold the moshou down and let me wrap it around with rope, that’s all.”

“Go die.”

Finding Ling Shi to play this kind of thing, of course the issue would end here.

“You can find Luo Shi, why don’t you ask him?”

“Xiao Luo Shi? Then I have to be even more serious and get even more tired.”

In other words, he has to mult.i.task and protect Luo Shi as well. Naturally, Luo Shi felt unpleased once he heard it, but he didn’t rebut right away.

“Luo Shi, act like a spoiled child and tell him to take you. Say, ‘Yin Shi–––– I’ve been wanting to go to Void s.p.a.ce Area 2 for a long time now. Take me there, won’t you?’ Like that. Try saying it.”

Ling Shi prodded Luo Shi. Because he knew Yin Shi’s weak points, creating some trouble for him like this only made Ling Shi feel joy without tire.

“Ah! No! That’s cowardly! Ling Shi you have no shame!”

Yin Shi promptly refused in horror. Luo Shi shined a fake smile and spoke.

“You think I can say that out loud?”

“You say it once and I’ll tell you where Hui Shi went.”

“……!”

Luo Shi’s expression instantly changed. Yin Shi also turned grim.

“Don’t use something like this to joke with Luo Shi.”

Ling Shi didn’t say much. He simply looked to the front and changed the topic.

“We’re almost there. Prepare to get off.”

On the outskirts of the altar lay a barrier protecting Chen Yue. Their transportation was unable to pa.s.s through this barrier and had to be left outside. They were forced to tread the rest of the way on foot from there onwards. Those who had accompanied the Queen had now taken the responsibility of being her bodyguards.

After descending from the carriage, Ling Shi had become aware of an anomaly with Yin Shi. He appeared to be missing something, but it was more than just one something.

“Yin, where’s your plate?”

A plate is something only “Shi” have the right to wear. The plates also acts as a person’s identification, carved with the beholder’s name. Each plate is unique to its owner. For instance, Ling Shi's plate was created from a black-blue stone embedded with tiny sparkles, while Luo Shi’s plate is made from a green stone that grasps a sense of transparency.

“Hmm…”

Yin Shi looked at himself and replied without delay.

“I lost it.”

“Lost it? Do you realize how many cases a year are about people who use your plate and steal your ident.i.ty to commit crimes?”

Ling Shi frowned, immediately raising a problem on another matter.

“Where’s your ta.s.sel?”

Yin Shi looked at himself once again, realizing the issue.

“Ah, I lost that too.”

“… Can you look after the things that symbolize your ident.i.ty and status a little better? Do you know how many times you’ve lost them already? If you keep losing things, issuing new ones probably isn’t the best answer, now is it?”

Ling Shi couldn’t help but nag a bit. Yin Shi waved his hands with no feeling of repent whatsoever.

“Ah, so annoying, Shut your mouth in front of my majesty, geezer.”

“…”

In a situation where the Queen could clearly hear him, he still publicly used such an honorific on himself, completely unafraid of being disrespectful. Only he could act in such a manner.

Although the conversation was increasingly becoming more and more outrageous, Xi Ying continued to ignore it. To be honest, the Queen’s apathy had worsened over these past two years. One would wonder if she’s simply cold or if this was sign of a lifeless heart.
When she arrived at the inner level of the Chen Yue barrier, Xi Ying halted and then turned towards those behind her.

“Wait for me outside.”

It was like this every year. Once they had reached the inner barrier level, only the Queen entered. The rest of them had to wait outside for Her Majesty to finish the ceremony before escorting her back.

“Ying, come back quickly, okay? I’m super bored.”

Of course Yin Shi’s declaration was ignored. Xi Ying unemotionally blinked her eyes and walked inside.

“Ling Shi, my heart feels cold. Ying is being so distant.”

“I’ve heard this sentence at least a hundred times before. Aren’t you sick of saying it?”

“Xiao Luo Shi, my heart feels cold. Ling Shi is being so distant.”

“Do you need a Driven Fire spell?”

Looks like Yin Shi wouldn’t be receiving any comfort here.

Shortly after Xi Ying entered the inner level, Yin Shi yawned and suddenly turned his head in a certain direction, then began to speak with Ling Shi.

“Ling Shi, we should return to the barrier’s outer level. Let’s go.”

“Mm.”

Whatever Yin Shi noticed, Ling Shi noticed it too. Luo Shi felt nothing in particular and puzzlingly asked.

“Then I…?”

“Ah, how about you wait here for us. Otherwise, Ying would feel lonely if she sees n.o.body here when she comes out.”

Who would be lonely? Are these guards not people?

Most likely everyone wanted to correct him, but if they did, they’d feel as idiotic as him. It became a situation fit only for silence.

By the time Yin Shi and Ling Shi returned to the outer edge of the barrier, the carriages’ guards were already nervously facing people who were obviously from the Western City. Seeing Yin Shi and Ling Shi arrive, they finally breathed sighs of relief.

It was natural that they would be nervous. Even if they didn’t know what the important figures of Luo Yue looked like, they still understood those proofs of ability dangling from the waists of those two people, who were currently sitting atop some sort of special beast.

Three gold threads and two gold threads.

These were the Western City’s top two ranks. Not to mention, there was another reason they were a cause of fear.

In the group, a youth of a rather young age had his face concealed under cloth.

A person who had three golden threads and had been known to always hide his face… With these two characteristics, the people of the Eastern City automatically recognized that legendary monster.

It was the Emperor of Luo Yue, Englar.

“Ah, are the people from Luo Yue going to perform a ceremony at Chen Yue Altar this holiday as well? Although, it probably won’t be as grand.”

Yin Shi looked over, casually uttering the words.

Even His Majesty Himself came, and yet you say that it won’t be grand?

Many people had that question but didn’t know how to voice it. It was true that they looked much plainer in comparison. The Eastern City made an imposing group with its Queen, Attendants, and various accompanying guards, while they only had two people.

“Yin Shi, it’s you again.”

The guy next to the face-covered youth said in displeasure. His hair color was a darker gold, his eyes a beautiful jade green. His face was handsome, but the expression on him looked as though everyone owed him millions’ worth of money. Yin Shi really wanted to try giving the guy a few millions and see if his face would change a bit, but of course, this sort of thinking was immediately shot down by Ling Shi.

Naturally, the languages spoken by The Western City and The Eastern City are different. While New Residents could communicate perfectly thanks to Chen Yue’s influence, the Natural Residents must learn the other city’s language in order to understand them.

Right now, that golden-haired male was speaking in The Western City’s tongue. Whether he could actually speak The Eastern City’s language or not, he wouldn’t speak in someone else’s tongue and communicate, especially with the two cities’ unfriendly terms with each other.

“Yin, what is he saying?”

Yin Shi seemed to understand a bit of The Western City’s language. Ling Shi knew nothing, since he felt that there was no need to talk with people from Luo Yue. If anything didn’t fit to his eye, he’d just finish them.

“Ah, he’s saying he’s really happy to see me.”

Lord Yin Shi, could you not translate the words however you want just because Lord Ling Shi doesn’t understand? All of the Eastern City’s New Residents, who could understand everything, felt this way.

“You’re lying.”

Ling Shi didn’t need to know the language to know that was a lie.

“Ah? Then he must be saying he’s really happy to see you.”

Yin Shi blinked his eyes and replied as so.

“Lord Ling Shi, allow me to translate for you!” was the collective thought of all the New Residents. However, taking initiative without an order was considered disrespectful, so they refrained.

“I feel unhappy just listening to you…”

Ling Shi’s expression fell cold, then glanced at the golden-haired youth. He and his enemy actually shared the same feelings for once.

He already felt unhappy, so the other side must feel even worse.

“Forget it, I don’t want to know what he said.”

“Ah, you don’t want to know? But I really want to translate.”

Yin Shi looked incredibly disappointed. The look made Ling Shi want to punch him.

“No need. Just kill them all.”

Ling Shi’s reply was direct enough. The New Residents listening from the side sweated a body of cold sweat.

“Ling Shi, don’t resort to violence and killing so easily. That’s not good.”

Yin Shi actually made a stern face and scolded him. That made Ling Shi feel furthermore displeased.

“Is this how Ye Zhi’s Queen teaches her subordinates? They clearly know our King is here, yet they have no manners at all?”

The golden-haired youth seemed to be able to understand a bit of the Eastern language, but he still spoke using the Western language.

Ye Zhi is what The Western City’s commonly called The Eastern City, the same way they called the other side Luo Yue.

“Oh, but he has to be the real deal this time for that to happen, you know? Just how many times has Englar used subst.i.tutes? Anyone could wear an embroidery of three gold threads. He hasn’t brought out Tian Luo Yan or Aifroa. Doesn’t seem convincing enough.”

Yin Shi quickly replied in fluent Western tongue, mostly because he wanted the other to understand him. He didn’t think “speaking The Western City’s language to the Western City is an insult to The Eastern City”.

But this time, Ling Shi couldn’t hear what he was saying.

“Does Ye Zhi’s Queen always come in full armor to the Chen Yue Altar?”

The golden-haired male icily smiled. He meant to say, couldn’t they say the same for The Eastern City, since Xi Ying hadn’t worn Qian Huan Hua or brought Skies with her.

“Ah, that’s a good question. Wait a moment, let me think…”

“Boss, could you not neglect me and start chatting with the enemy?”

Ling Shi mercilessly slammed a pat on Yin Shi’s back.

“Ah! Ouch! You violent geezer! You were the one who said you didn’t want to hear or need me to translate!”

“How dutiful of you. Then I say I want to hit you now, so stay quiet obediently and let me beat you up.”

“I’m sending a complaint! I’m going to tell Ying! You call me Boss and yet you don’t respect me at all!”

“I think you should keep a check on yourself instead of complaining, Boss.”

“I’ll remember this!”

Something like “I’ll remember this” should be said to one’s enemies, not one’s comrades, right?

“If you guys have nothing to say, then we’ll be going in.”

The golden-haired male didn’t look like he wanted to deal with their ridiculousness anymore either, clearly wanting to draw a line between them.

“No, Ying is inside, so you guys can’t go in. This is a matter of status, unless you can prove to us he’s really Luo Yue’s Emperor.”

Hearing the golden-haired youth’s words, Yin Shi automatically paused his squabble with Ling Shi and replied firmly.

“How can our King be inspected by the subordinates of our enemies? Or should I say, what right do you have to ask us for proof?”

How insulting would it be if the Western City’s Emperor had to prove himself just because the Easterners were doubtful of his ident.i.ty?

“I heard Luo Yue’s Emperor is being controlled by his subordinates anyways. Why don’t you tell him to show us proof?”

Yin Shi always said things casually, but this time, he actually flavored the words with an insult to the other side’s king. The golden-haired male’s expression changed.

“I demand that you apologize to His Majesty for such uncouth behavior!”

“Why? In case he gets in a bad mood and won’t use his blood to revive you the next time you die? But the one here isn’t the real king anyways, so what are you afraid of?”

“You–“

When the verbal argument was about to become physical, that face-covered youth who hadn’t spoken a word since the beginning suddenly made a hand motion to stop the golden-haired man.

“Let’s go, we’re leaving.”

His voice was pushed very low, so low there didn’t seem to be changes in tone. Hearing his instructions, the golden-haired young man glared widely, feeling averse and not understanding why they had to tolerate those Easterners. Still, he followed orders. The golden-haired youth directed the flying beast he rode on and turned around to the other young man’s direction.

“We won’t let you go so easily next time!”

At the same time he finished his sentence, the two beasts they were riding on started flapping their wings, leaving in the direction in which they came.

“Ah, Ling Shi, what do you think would happen if we snapped their control ropes with a rock right now? It sounds really interesting.”

Although Yin Shi didn’t like killing and murdering, he found little pranks truly appealing.

“Why don’t you try it?”

Ling Shi wouldn’t stop him from things that scheme against the enemy. It’d be even better if they fell and broke all their bones, saving their time from having to kill them the next time they meet. How bothersome would that be?

“But what if he fell and died? He probably wouldn’t accept my apology. I’d better not.”

“…”

Who cares if the enemy died or not?

“Lord Yin Shi, is that really not Luo Yue’s Emperor…?”

A New Resident finally took up the courage to ask. Yin Shi always had a good personality and never really puts himself on a pedestal. A simple question doesn’t hurt.

“Hm? I don’t think he is. He wasn’t imposing enough. An Emperor who’s had the ability to slaughter thirty-thousand people on his own even five years ago, logically, people should shiver once they see him. But I didn’t find that person earlier scary at all. Ah, but master fighters are also adept at hiding their ability, so it was uncertain really. Nothing happened in the end anyways, haha.”

If something did happen, then that’d be too late you know.

“Ling Shi, Ling Shi, let’s go to Void s.p.a.ce Area 2 and capture some moshou. Let’s go.”

“…Ying is still inside. Not to mention, have you forgotten that I’d already rejected you?”

To meet someone like him, Ling Shi felt genuinely helpless.

◎ Fan Tong’s Afterword

And that’s how I pa.s.sed the first major holiday of Eastern City – by selling labor.

If I simply celebrated the day, I would feel much happier, wouldn’t I? Sadly, I guess the phrase “The skies never listen” is engraved on my body. Although my business was to help others change their luck back then, I just can’t change my own–––––

Speaking of which, it’s been half a month now. Everything’s still slowly sinking in. My ability to adapt is very strong. I’m not some kind of greenhouse flower, don’t look down on me.

What green house rice bucket… that just destroys the feel. Would people put a bucket of rice in a greenhouse?

Is there a need to put a rice bucket there? You think I don’t have this kind of common sense? How rude.

I only know of one holiday in The Eastern City right now, Chen Yue Jie. I wonder what other ones there are?

…It couldn’t be that I’d have to do manual labor every time there’s a holiday thanks to my debt? That’s just too sad, isn’t it? Can’t they just let me celebrate a holiday once! Ah? I can celebrate once I clear up my debt in ten years? By then, the holidays wouldn’t feel fresh anymore! The first time is very important! Do you get me! The first time!

If you don’t get it, whatever. I didn’t expect you guys to. All my firsts have already been ruined by fate, the first time I died, the first time I went to school, the first time… Whaaa…