Shen Zhaomu spent his day per usual, poring over his files until well past midnight.
Long Shiyu had long dozed off at the table, his head framed by a crown of hair disheveled by Shen Zhaomu’s tousling. With his tail loosely wrapped around Shen Zhaomu’s right ankle, he slept peacefully.
As dawn approached, Shen Zhaomu turned off the lights intending to sleep. Subconsciously, he wanted to lift Long Shiyu onto the bed.
However, he paused as he extended his hand.
The thought was too intimate, well beyond the boundaries of their relationship.
After hesitating for a few seconds, he nudged Long Shiyu awake instead, “Get up and go to the bed.”
Yawning, Long Shiyu murmured in acknowledgment, sleepily swaggering to the edge of the bed. He flopped down and fell asleep instantly.
When he woke the next day, it was already midday. He went downstairs to find Fang Qing.
Fang Qing had once again hidden himself in the small room, wearing a pilly jacket and scrabbling at a sheet of powder with a skewer.
“Um…” began Long Shiyu.
Fang Qing started, almost jumping out of his skin. The sudden movement sent the white powder scattering in the air.
Whirling around, he was about to berate, “What’s the matter with you…?”
Before he could finish, he crumpled to the ground, and almost instantly, the sound of snoring reached Long Shiyu’s ears, along with the distinct scent of sleepgrass.
Long Shiyu stood there, a sense of familiarity washing over him.
He made his way to the counter, where a staff member greeted him, “Sir, our boss has prepared breakfast for you.”
Long Shiyu’s eyes lit up at this news, and he waited at a table in the hall. A hot breakfast of milk, bread, and lean meat porridge was soon served to him. It was fragrant, delicious, and decidedly wholesome.
…But it was hardly enough to satiate his hunger.
After finishing his meal, Long Shiyu sat alone in the empty hall.
With Fang Qing still asleep, he decided to venture out, on a hunt for more food. His best bet was to seek out Will, but he had promised his princess yesterday that he would no longer go to the Undertakers.
He hesitated for a few moments before abandoning the thought. He didn’t want to upset his princess.
So, Long Shiyu found himself wandering the streets again, aiming to follow the scent of food to a restaurant.
This time, he journeyed quite a distance, lost to where he was going, before finally sighting a patch of pink trees in the distance. When the wind blew, their petals scattered in a beautiful dance.
The colorful display was a rare sight amidst the bleak landscape of Kassand. It was dazzling and seemed to come from another world entirely.
Those were cherry blossom trees which were typically in full bloom around the early spring.
It wasn’t cherry blossom season, but thanks to genetic engineering, enjoying the sight of lotuses in winter and plum blossoms in summer was not out of the ordinary.
A tantalizing aroma of food wafted from that direction.
Long Shiyu’s eyes lit up.
Beyond the scent of food, there was a rich, seductive fragrance. It wasn’t natural, rather it was alluringly quaint, inviting and overriding any room for refusal.
As he turned onto that street, he was met with a crowd of men and women in varied clothing.
A store front was arrayed with tight-fitting attire, from motorcycle gear to cowboy outfits. With considerable swathes of fair skin exposed, groups of girls lounged at the door, seductively eyeing passing pedestrians as they puffed on cigarettes. By contrast, the style of clothing at another shop alluded to an Eastern aesthetic reminiscent of the Earth era. Tailored qipaos and kimonos were particularly complementary, and the ladies’ raven-black hair was neatly coiffed, completed with a slender hairpin adorned with jewels.
As pink petals danced in the wind, their laughter seemed to melt into it.
Inhaling deeply, the tantalizing aroma of food seemed still far off. He continued to venture further into this flower-lined street.
After approximately five minutes of walking, he spotted huge speakers at the corner of the street, saturating the air with pulsing music that threatened a headache.
In the center of the street stood steel poles, which muscular men merrily danced around. Their macho faces were enlivened by flirtatious smiles, creating a sight both hard to describe and to imagine.
Long Shiyu: “…” His singular goal up until now had been to find food. Only upon reaching this realization did he notice that the surroundings were… not right.
Towards the sideline, figures garbed in black robes stood sentinel, ever ready to expel any troublemakers.
The Undertakers had an entire street dedicated to the adult entertainment industry in Kassand—and this was likely the place.
However, since Shen Zhaomu hadn’t prohibited him from being here, Long Shiyu only contemplated for mere seconds before gleefully pressing forward. The scent of food was close now.
After advancing a few hundred more meters, a snack shop appeared within sight.
Eggs were being fried, sausages grilled, and the braised beef stew was gurgling. The only drawback was the lack of available seats. Long Shiyu, full of anticipation, firmly planted himself before the shop, declaring, “Boss, I’ll have ten skewers each of grilled sausages and beef. Hmm, I’ll take ten squid balls too.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Add a few eggs to that.”
“Gb sbe tjnf yffo afcvbcr? Ktgbk lc j ofk obg wf.”
“Ktf fuu kjooifr jgf vfilmlber jr kfii.”
Mloaffc wlceafr ijafg, atf rtbq bkcfg rajgfv ja Obcu Vtlse, vewyragemx.
Llr uglii jcv mjeivgbc kfgf ybat fwqas. Ktf ujgyjuf ylc kjr tfjqfv klat rxfkfgr, fjmt bcf qlmxfv mifjc ys Obcu Vtlse.
Still, Long Shiyu wasn’t sated. “How come you’re already out of stock?”
Stammering, the owner replied, “We don’t get many customers usually. You’ve polished off our entire stock reserved for today’s festival.” He calmed himself with a deep breath, “If you’re still hungry, you can dine in any of the establishments here.”
“Oh.” Disappointment faintly creased Long Shiyu’s brows as he began eyeing the other food stalls lining the street.
The food here wasn’t expensive. He handed over his spare change to the owner.
Just as he was about to leave, a hoarse voice came from behind, “Young man, do you want to earn some extra money here?”
“Earn money?” He turned around.
In the hands of the frail old man was a stack of leaflets. One whiff and he knew; the old man was a Beastman, his body emitting the damp scent of tide.
Seeing Long Shiyu turn around, the old man’s grin widened, “Indeed, are you interested?”
Long Shiyu was about to respond when he suddenly halted.
The golden glow in his dragon-like eyes glittered. His blood circulation spiked momentarily, burning hot as if it were molten rock.
He had picked up the scent.
The wind carried a familiar fragrance.
Orca shoved the oily change into his pants pocket, attempting to open his car door.
Just like before, the door was stuck.
He was stranded in a dimly lit alley. The visibility was rather low. With a click of his tongue, he viciously kicked at the car door. The man built like a mountain, fiercely muscled and towering over two meters tall, rattled the decrepit red car with repeated strikes, finally dislodging the stubborn door with a grumble of reluctance.
Orca seated himself and the car groaned under his weight, keeling to one side. He dwarfed the small vehicle, his head nearly bumping the ceiling.
It was pretty chilly outside and the alley was even colder, with mist threading through the surroundings. He began to shift uncomfortably inside the car, his large hands clumsily grasping in an attempt to retrieve his pack of cigarettes from a storage compartment.
However, it was empty.
Orca was perplexed for a few seconds.
Before he could react, a deep voice came from behind, “Sorry, couldn’t resist while I was waiting for you. I took your last pack.”
Orca froze for half a second, and then reacted violently.
His psychic power roared out, transforming into blade-like gusts honing towards the back seat.
The seat was incised by the invisible, razor-sharp blades, creating an ugly laceration across its surface. The white stuffing from inside dispersed throughout the car.
His psychic power was formidable. He had, time and again, used these deadly wind blades to great success in Kassand. Regardless of who was in the back seat, they would be ground to minced meat…
A few moments later, the expected sound of bloodied carnage never came.
A shimmer of gold formed a thin transparent barrier – it was fluid, appearing like a moving liquid yet robust enough to halt the onslaught of the wind blades. The golden light spread, each wind blade swallowed silently, without leaving a single trace behind.
The car was plunged back into silence.
“It’s just a cigarette, no need to be so aggressive,” Shen Zhaomu commented with a smile.
Sweat streaming down his face, Orca tried to regain his composure, “…what do you want?”
In Shen Zhaomu’s hand, the glow of the cigarette waned and waxed. He said, “NN02721, your spaceship’s number. Twenty days ago, it landed on Kassand from the direction of Centaurus. It remained in Flower Street for five days before relocating to Third Avenue, near the Bill Hoya auction.”
He projected some documents in the air, ” Here are your entry documents. You faked a doctor identity and carried a hundred 20ml syringes, three hundred #5 needles, and numerous vessels. However, at the border customs, you neglected to mention that you brought a mermaid.”
Taking a deep breath, Orca began, “It’s just business. If you want, I can tell you who…”
“No need,” Shen Zhaomu interrupted him. “I just want you to guide us through Flower Street. You’re familiar with it, aren’t you?”
“Who are you looking for?”
“Just lead the way,” Shen Zhaomu flicked the ash of his cigarette off, revealing an ambiguous smile. “It’s a bustling festival today. Those who are meant to come will do so. Don’t worry.”
Orca swiftly assessed the situation.
Following the abrupt termination of the Bill Hoya auction, he had been alert, preparing to get away. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that the Hunter’s Association would track him down in less than two days.
He could handle other hunters, but Shen Zhaomu was a different story.
Cursing the auction internally, he quickly lightened his tone, “Fine, I can take you there now.”
“Wait,” Shen Zhaomu interrupted, “We have one more person to pick up.”
Ten minutes later, Orca parked the car outside an inn.
A sign hanging precariously read, “Kassand Inn,” from which the voices of a man and woman could be heard.
“Is it your grouchy morning temperament that scared sister-in-law away? Just you wait. I wonder how you’ll explain yourself to Brother Shen when he arrives.”
“But… I didn’t say a thing this morning.”
“Fang Qing, do you think I’m a fool? The initial moments after waking up are always a mental blank for you. It’s like you’ve inherited Sleeping Beauty’s memory problems without inheriting her luck.”
Shen Zhaomu: “…”
He rolled down the car window: “Hey, let’s go.”
The arguing inside the inn ceased immediately. After a few seconds, a youthful woman sporting a high ponytail emerged, her features attractively sharp. She carried a heavy black sniper rifle, nearly as tall as she was. A dejected Fang Qing followed behind her.
Unabashed, Song Qianqian opened the door, seating herself beside Shen Zhaomu. The sniper rifle was directly propped up in front of her. “I can’t believe you captured him so quickly.”
Meanwhile, Fang Qing attempted to open the passenger’s door but failed after several pulls.
Orca advised him nervously, “You need to kick the door frame.”
“What kind of car is this?” Fang Qing kicked the door violently a few times until it finally sprung open. Taking the passenger seat, he addressed the driver, “It seems like you need the money, bro? How about becoming my test subject? I’ll pay you a handsome salary each month. Then maybe you can get a better ride and find a rich, beautiful wife.”
“Yeah,” Song Qianqian chimed in from the back, “Your head is about to burst through the roof, it must be tough being so tall. What did you eat to grow so big? I want to grow taller.”
Fang Qing scoffed, “What, you want to lengthen those short legs of yours?”
“Shut the fuck up.”
Orca: “…”
He was bewildered by the sudden warmth. The joyful, friend-on-an-outing atmosphere was really not what he expected to find in a kidnapping victim’s car.
He remained apprehensive, “Shall… shall we head to Flower Street now?”
“Let’s go,” said Shen Zhaomu.
Orca then started the car and drove towards Flower Street.
On the way, Song Qianqian would occasionally remark on the terrible environment of Kassand, with its foul sewage and fog that hovered over the streets, failing to mask the mess beneath.
Orca’s car was in serious disrepair, and the road was in no better condition. Every time they drove over uneven terrain, Fang Qing’s head would violently hit the car’s ceiling, eliciting a low thud. Then, he’d grumble and swear about the “broken car,” talk about unspecified “experiments,” and threaten to drug Orca’s next meal, all causing Orca’s anxiety to rise substantially.
Finally, a row of cherry trees appeared on the distant horizon.
Orca stopped the car at its regular spot. Then he asked, “Where do you want to go first?”
Shen Zhaomu answered, “To the Flower Pavilion.”
Orca felt a headache coming, but he knew he didn’t have the freedom to oppose. “Okay, follow me then.”
The trio – sticking out among the crowd as if they didn’t belong – stuck to a backstreet by Flower Street, the typically inconspicuous route the Orca used.
Flower Street was buzzing with activity, men and women of all ages and fashion enthusiastically shouting greetings. The safety and order of this place were unusually good compared to the rest of Kassand, considering that most visitors here had a unified purpose.
“I’ve never been to a place like this,” Song Qianqian uttered.
“It would be weird if you’ve come here before,” Fang Qing mumbled.
“Why? Can’t I just admire the handsome guys?” Song Qianqian retorted. She teased, “But, Brother Shen, if sister-in-law finds out you’re here, it’s going to be a problem.”
Shen Zhaomu responded, “It’s not like I’m here to do anything inappropriate.”
Song Qianqian flicked her ponytail nonchalantly, “Well, misunderstandings are a problem too. Speaking of which, I’m really eager to meet him.”
As the night deepened, they saw a host of colorfully dressed individuals lined up at the end of Flower Street.
The festival had begun.
The crowd wore diverse, multi-colored robes that resembled both Hanfu and Kimonos from Earth-era, decorated with patterns of auspicious clouds, white cranes, mountains, seas, and celestial bodies.
Centered amidst them was a massive, ornate parade float.
The sky was gradually darkening, and the setting sun’s rays washed over them from afar. The brilliant lights on the float were dazzling, and they could see that half of the lantern patterns depicted flower viewing scenes, spinning as if surrounded by hundreds of flowers, while the rest depicted a mixture of green vines and deep night, diffusing a glow of beautiful tree shadows. The fellow participants held baskets of flowers and scattered petals in all directions.
This was an annual ceremony on Flower Street in Kassand. The parade float would travel down the entire street, and people would revel in merry drinking. Following tradition, the night usually ended with a drunken brawl and the young men and women of Flower Street experiencing… a boom in business.
Originally, this festival was launched by the local government as a unique feature to celebrate the establishment of Upper Kassand. It also paid tribute to the colossal vine that grew from Lower Kassand to the clouds. Without it, there would be no upper city, no massive profits or chaos, and no crime or decay.
Initially, the scheme was rather innocent, aiming to attract more tourists. It once had no relation to Flower Street.
However, over the years, the Undertakers effectively took over the festival, resulting in its current form.
Each year, a beautiful maiden from Kassand would take the central seat on the parade float. Her beauty unquestionable, she would definitely be the apple of every eye.
While everyone’s attention was focused on the float, Shen Zhaomu continued walking towards the Flower Pavilion.
“Don’t walk so fast!” Song Qianqian complained, “You’ve already barred me from meeting sister-in-law. At least let me appreciate the beauty of the girls here!”
“What’s there to appreciate?” he retorted.
“Oh, isn’t he always like this?” interjected Fang, “He shows no reaction even when surrounded by exceptional beauties.”
Shen Zhaomu was about to reply when his device buzzed.
Casting a glance, he saw a message from Lu Shanhuai. “Brother Shen, I found a new novel.”
“The Commander’s wife has been exiled to the border for three years now.
Has she realized her mistakes?
No, she has already found plenty of new lovers.”
Shen Zhaomu frowned as he realized how deep the other’s obsession went. He regretted unblocking Lu Shanhuai.
He quickly blocked Lu Shanhuai again and began vigilantly eyeing their surroundings.
Dazzling people were everywhere, while there was no sign of Long Shiyu. After all, why would Long Shiyu come to a place like this?
He quietly let out a sigh of relief, until he caught bits of disgruntled murmuring from the crowd.
“Is today’s float carrying… a male?”
“Seems like it. But damn, he is kinda attractive…”
“Hang in there, little brother. You’re the only straight one left in our family.”
“I can’t, I just can’t.”
Shen Zhaomu sensed trouble. He abruptly lifted his gaze, only to see…
In the center of the parade float bathed in shifting light stood a young man dressed in an ensemble of sunlight and flame. His neck was slender, his face striking.
The flurry of cascading petals and the splendid lights dimmed in comparison. The crowd retreated into the background. Like a figure materialized from a painting, his eyelashes were dark as raven feathers, and his bright eyes were as captivating as the moon.
His beauty could fell a city…
…If he wasn’t munching on an apple.
Shen Zhaomu: “…………?”
“What’s wrong, Brother Shen?” questioned Song Qianqian.
Shen Zhaomu remained silent.
He lit a cigarette, took a few seconds to collect his thoughts, and then declared in anguish, “Well, there’s the sister-in-law you wanted to meet. Yes, the one eating an apple on the float.”
Author’s Notes:
One cutesy sob a day: 0/1
Yup, the blame falls on Lu Shanhuai again, hahaha
Translator’s Note:
Chapter 25 is the first VIP chapter on JJWXC. Please support the author here by purchasing the chapters. You can follow this guide: link. The chapter will be split into 3 parts because it is triple the length of an average chapter.
Thank you for the chapter (´,,•ω•,,)♡
Help, i bet long shiyu was lured to sit on the float with food 😂😂 we need double the cutesy sob for next chapter!
My thoughts exactly! On both accounts 🤣
Thank you for the chapter ❤
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Oh Shiyu, never change🩷
Lmfaoooo the prophetic novels are sending me
I need an apple munching beauty picture right nowww!!!! I really wanna see it with my eyes oh!!!
Who is the most innocent in this novel?
-› Lu Shanhuai
The lesson here: where there’s undertakers, there’s food.