The day is gradually brightening.
A thin mist rises in the woods, drifting damply around. Dewdrops glisten among the grass and trees, reflecting the sparkling morning light that seeps through the gaps in the branches and leaves, resembling a scattering of glass beads on the ground. Early birds chirp lightly on the branches, flapping their wings from one tree to another. Their sharp, black eyes are alert, missing nothing.
The air, as if cleansed by the night, is crisp and slightly moist, mixed with the fragrance of grass and trees. It unconsciously relaxes both body and mind, making the disturbances of the night, such as zombies and wild animals, seem like a dream, distant and vague through the thin mist.
When the first ray of morning light falls between the branches, Shi Yuebai wakes up. He didn’t sleep much during the night, maintaining a light sleep state to be ready for any crisis.
Shi Yuebai hadn’t opened his eyes yet when he sensed a colorful phosphorescence flashing in front of him. He caught sight of a few butterflies fluttering their wings and disappearing into the shadows, leaving behind a trail of fine scales.
Without the filter of the night, the young offspring of the evil god appeared much cuter. Their fluttering away resembled a child caught peeking, hastily hiding their heads to avoid revealing their tails. They moved slyly but didn’t bother anyone.
Shi Yuebai chuckled, sitting up and waving toward the shadows. “No need to be afraid; I don’t eat children.”
After he said this, it took a while before a few butterflies hesitantly flew over, keeping a distance as they circled around him. Some stopped at the edge of his shadow, not greedy for his life force, just trembling as they sniffed, as if recording his scent.
The translucent, colorful wings of the butterflies, tinged with the clear and bright morning light, reflected a dazzling and enchanting brilliance.
Casey Cat, dazzled by the brightness, opened one eye lazily, and casually swiped his paw to brush away a butterfly perched on his ear. Although this young one had chatted with Shi Yuebai last night, Casey Cat didn’t seem to dislike it much. Sensing the butterflies fluttering around his shadow, he wasn’t angry. He intentionally shook his fur, watching the butterflies scatter in panic, finding it somewhat amusing.
He listened yesterday; this butterfly was called… um, Third Flora?
Indeed, such naming skills are on par with Shi Yuebai.
Casey Cat yawned widely, played with Third Flora for a while, and then decided not to go back to sleep. Licking his paws and scratching his ear, he gracefully leaped down from the tree. The landing was so light, like a falling leaf, that it didn’t even disturb the dewdrops hanging from the grass blades.
He tilted his head to look at Shi Yuebai lying on the tree branch, feeling a bit sorry for the branch that had to support his weight. Then, with an elegant catwalk, he walked to the tent, gently clawing the tent door a few times.
The tent was too small for two people, so Shi Yuebai gave it to his teammate with three young ones. Xu Yintang didn’t hesitate to claim a tent for himself, using the small bed mat for the little obedient one. Throughout the night, the sound of tentacles moving and rubbing against the tent fabric echoed in the darkness.
However, Casey Cat, who had just listened to the different frequencies of tentacle movement inside, also heard voices and laughter. People inside had definitely woken up, but like Shi Yuebai, they were reluctant to get out of bed.
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.
Ah, how could young people be so lazy? Not even a cat like himself would laze around.
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Qlat atf lcobgwjalbc qjrrfv ys Ktlgv Mibgj’r yeaafgois, fnfgsatlcu tjqqfclcu bearlvf atf afca kjr mifjg ab atbrf lcrlvf. Vbbc, j afcajmif qeiifv atf afca vbbg bqfc j ilaaif, jcv atf qblcafv alq bo atf afcajmif wfa Jjrfs Jja’r qjk, rtbkmjrlcu rtjgq affat jr j vfafggfca.
The teeth in the mouthpiece were clean and white, showing no signs of last night’s feast on black-furred zombies and a wild boar. Casey Cat even caught a whiff of the fresh scent of mint toothpaste. Suddenly, he knew what Xu Yintang, accompanied by the little ones, had been doing by the nearby stream for most of the day yesterday.
While on the other side, Shi Yuebai only sent him to the pet store even for a simple bath.
Tsk.
Casey Cat mentally cursed with a screen full of cat-language profanity, but on the surface, he gently touched the pointed tip of Little Darling’s tentacle with the pad of his paw, politely asking if he could come in.
Inside the tent, there was a rustling sound, as if a group of little lambs were having a small meeting to discuss whether to let a big bad wolf in. In the end, it was Xu Yintang, the sheep mom, who made the final decision. Little Darling’s tentacle then opened a small slit for Casey Cat to enter.
“Good morning, sorry to disturb.” Casey Cat pleasantly swayed the tip of its tail, displaying a polite and elegant demeanor, completely different from its fierce and cursing appearance yesterday.
“No problem, I’m awake anyway.” Xu Yintang sat up from the soft and comfortable little bed, letting Little Darling retract the tentacles that filled the entire tent to make room for the guest.
Casey Cat politely thanked and sat gracefully with its tail wrapped around its paws. Its bright golden eyes widened, assessing the young man nestled in the tent.
Xu Yintang, just awakened, hadn’t had a chance to freshen up and was loosely dressed with a few strands of messy hair. He absentmindedly rubbed Second Treasure, who was reluctant to get up, and when his eyes met Casey Cat’s, his deep and dark pupils reflected a sleepy confusion.
If the creature called Shi Yuebai was a wild creature in the mountains turned spirit, then the one before him was clearly a water spirit coming ashore. Casey Cat felt strangely nostalgic, warm, happy, and sad emotions stirring in his heart just by seeing him. It was as if, upon seeing him, there was an indescribable sense of familiarity.
He wanted its fur to be rubbed by those hands, to have its paws kneaded, and he couldn’t help but make purring noises in its throat.
Second Treasure immediately sensed that Casey Cat was thinking about eating peaches. Ignoring the cajoling and coquetry from its mom, it entered full competition mode, glaring fiercely at Casey Cat with its five wide-open eyes, as cold as the winter wind when facing an enemy.
Casey Cat nonchalantly swallowed its purring sounds, licked its paws, and changed his position to show off his silky and beautiful fur in front of Xu Yintang.
Second Treasure, focused on the thought of peaches, forgot about its siblings’ warnings and was soon lured by Little Darling’s playful tentacles, engaging in play with Casey Cat.
After observing for a while and confirming that the cat had come to visit and play with the children out of boredom, Xu Yintang stopped paying attention to them. He rubbed his face, put on his coat, and left the tent to freshen up, pointing the way to Shi Yuebai, who had jumped down from the tree.
Compared to the two who had rested well and looked refreshed, Boss Zhao and his group, who had spent the night with their eyes wide open, were haggard. When Xu Yintang knocked on their window to ask if they wanted breakfast, they responded with a chorus of startled exclamations.
Third Thief, who had more experience and courage, managed to calm down after forcing himself to stay calm throughout the night. He comforted Boss Zhao that this mission was dangerous, having skilled helpers was a good thing, and even offered to share the spoils with Xu Yintang and Shi Yuebai. With their abilities, if Boss Zhao were to only give them a commission and nothing else, it would be said that he was stingy.
After negotiating the division of benefits, Boss Zhao’s unsettled heart finally settled a bit. When facing Xu Yintang and Shi Yuebai again, he appeared more at ease. After eating a few pieces of compressed biscuits to fill his stomach, he pulled Shi Yuebai and Xu Yintang aside and chatted about their promising futures, displaying a bit of the youthful confidence they had when they set out.
Having finished breakfast, they took out their luggage from the car and packed up their gear for the journey up the mountain. Knowing the danger of this trip, Boss Zhao was well-prepared with not only guns but also plenty of explosives. His bodyguard, Ah Wei, was skilled in handling these big fireworks, and with two ounces of gunpowder in his pocket, he had a bit more confidence. Seeing a strange creature’s head poking out of Xu Yintang’s collar didn’t scare him as much as before.
“This is Second Treasure.” Xu Yintang introduced Little Darling and Second Treasure to everyone, with Third Flora hiding in the shadows, ready to strike.
Except for Shi Yuebai, who was off-limits as per the mom’s instructions, Third Flora had already built nests in the shadows of the other people. It left behind many butterflies and cocoons. As long as these people dared to have any ill intentions toward Mom, its butterflies could immediately suck the mischief out of them.
Boss Zhao distributed modern equipment to everyone, and Third Thief also brought out some good stuff prepared by his ancestors, such as cinnabar, glutinous rice, and black dog blood, and distributed them among the group.
While distributing, he carefully observed the reactions of Xu Yintang and Shi Yuebai. He found that Shi Yuebai’s black cat, licking its paws, remained unaffected. A hint of human-like mockery flashed on the cat’s face. The bald creature that crawled out of Xu Yintang’s collar showed no fear of these items at all. It even went over and licked a bit of black dog blood, making a disgusted sound, indicating that it tasted terrible.
Before officially heading up the mountain, Boss Zhao took out his silk map and reiterated the upcoming route for everyone. Their destination was not the summit but a spot halfway up the mountain, where an old crooked-necked locust tree stood. The group of tomb raiders had dug a hole there, directly connecting to the peripheral chamber of the tomb.
From the foothills, the fog was particularly thick at the halfway point, as if the entire mountain was surrounded by a protective waistband. However, as they followed the mountain path for just a few minutes, the dense fog poured down like a heavy rain. In an instant, the surroundings became a white expanse with nothing visible, and the air became so damp that one could wring out water. Breathing felt stifling with the surging humidity.
Shi Yuebai gathered everyone and led the way. The mountain path was rugged, with strange and jagged rocks, and the thick fog obscured visibility. Even someone like Third Thief, an old hand in the Jianghu, dared not step lightly.
However, Shi Yuebai walked with unparalleled ease. His steps were as light as if walking on flat ground, much like the black cat leading the way in front of him. If he didn’t have to consider the speed of Boss Zhao and the others, he might have reached the summit long ago.
Xu Yintang, responsible for the rear guard, also felt no pressure. Although Third Flora’s butterflies were limited in their range of exploration in the fog, the terrain around them could still be clearly conveyed to Xu Yintang. It wasn’t a particularly high or steep peak. Following behind the panting Boss Zhao was like taking a leisurely stroll after a meal.
After climbing silently for nearly half an hour, Shi Yuebai suddenly spoke, “Something is coming.”
Before his words could fully settle, the sound of ghostly wails and wolf howls erupted from all directions. Numerous shadows in the fog writhed, emitting spine-chilling, low growls. Greedy and menacing eyes glowed red, like flickering ghostly fires. The air was filled with a strong stench of decay.
Casey Cat’s eyes gleamed with golden light, leading the charge toward the dense concentration of red lights. Shi Yuebai’s figure followed closely, disappearing into the fog. Xu Yintang took a step forward, and the tentacles from his pocket wrapped around Boss Zhao and the others, emitting sharp, fierce cries from their mouths in a display of unwillingness.
“Don’t move.” Xu Yintang held onto the now limp Boss Zhao, putting this paying employer at the center of the tentacles for protection. Although this instance was called the Immortal’s Burial Ground, in reality, as long as they received their commission, it counted as clearing the stage. In other words, if Boss Zhao regretted and backed out now, it didn’t matter. As long as the money was paid, the employer was like a god.
So, before setting off, he and Shi Yuebai quickly divided their roles. He was responsible for protecting Boss Zhao from dying on the way, and Shi Yuebai took the initiative to deal with the monsters, zombies, and roadblocks along the way, providing the three little ones with some fresh food if possible.
As for Boss Zhao being entangled and screaming by Little Darling’s tentacles, and even fainting with his eyes rolled back…
It was still better than him getting scared and eaten by something popping out from underground.
Xu Yintang took a step back to avoid the giant snake that emerged from the ground. Before Little Darling’s tentacles could lift, a sharp sound cut off the snake’s head. Shi Yuebai’s figure reappeared in the mist, and he effortlessly threw a wild beast to the ground. His movements were agile as if wrestling with two doughs.
The ground trembled slightly, taking away several just-emerged black-haired zombies along with it. The foul-smelling, dark blood splattered in all directions.
The golden eyes of Casey Cat shone brightly, seemingly still not satisfied, licking its paws.
Shi Yuebai’s figure once again appeared in the team like a ghost. His breathing was steady, and his expression was indifferent. Except for the blood that dripped from his fingertips, the lingering scent of blood in the air seemed unrelated to him.
“We should head in that direction next.”
Boss Zhao remained unconscious, so Xu Yintang had to take out the map from his pocket to study the route and confirm their location, pointing in the direction marked with a red dot on the map.
Of course, the handkerchief used earlier was also pulled out, and handed to Shi Yuebai to wipe his hands.
Author’s note –
Casey Cat: Shi Yuebai! You can’t! [Loud meows]
Blueon and other powerful characters can easily clear D-level instances, making this a cheerful picnic instance [not]
The children are so cute ☺️
Thank you for the chapter! ❤
Awww, what a lovely little hiking trip with family and friends <3
How embarrassed do you think blueon will be when he realizes that he didn’t recognize The One he’s been searching for since he was a child😂?
Thank you for the update ❤️💯
Gosh I love the cubs 😭🧡
Thank you for the chapter
#cheerful family picnic
Here, I return your handkerchief… gently stares into the distance (which being immersed in fog is not that far distant)… lmao!
Thank you for the chapter! Just a note, but I’m pretty sure Casey the cat is male just like Shi Xuebai (this chapter even includes a little note about his balls, apparently), so all the ‘she/her’ pronouns in this chapter are off.
maybe it’s like Third Flora, or similar? I think Casey has always been referred to with feminine pronouns. If I remember correctly, Casey is Shu Yuebai’s familiar, so maybe the body matches the gender of the witch, but the soul might not? Or… you could be right and it’s just a typo XD
I didn’t pay attention, I’ll fix it when I have some time.
So sweet!~ they’re all getting along like a nice little family☺️❤️
I think you just need to buy Boss Zhao’s handkerchief. Otherwise, don’t you have napkins from KFC?!?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING AWESOME!!!
Thank you for your translation 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜