Chapter 685 – Fruits of Midsummer (3k)
Listening to the report on the phone, Su Jiu slapped her forehead. She almost forgot about this. If her initial guess was correct, these freshwater Red Demon Shrimp were related to Amaterasu. Would investigating the Red Demon Shrimp yield other clues?
Suppressing her thoughts for a moment, she immediately had Shadow One send her the address. Then, thinking about tomorrow’s itinerary, she quickly said, “After separating from the people investigating the relics tomorrow, I’ll go there to take a look. You wait there first.”
“Mhm…”
Shadow One replied softly, but seemed hesitant to speak: “However, this place is quite peculiar.”
“Quite peculiar?” Su Jiu asked, confused.
After a pause, Shadow One murmured somewhat bewilderingly, “It’s close to a volcanic region. A few miles away, you can still see fire-attribute Battle General Monster Beasts fighting each other. But when you get here, it’s like a Peach Blossom Spring, with only fishing boats and vast fields of sunflowers.”
“Alright, observe further for any anomalies.”
Su Jiu responded, but her heart was filled with curiosity about this place. A place that could isolate monsters was likely the dojo of some great demon or held something that could suppress them.
The two chatted about inconsequential matters, such as the surrounding terrain, and then hung up. Lin, who had been watching Su Jiu, finally spoke:
“Do you have any strong liquor from Bear Country? This terrible cold reminds me of life there…”
“Liquor? You drink this stuff?”
Looking at the young girl before her, Su Jiu saw the hope in her eyes. She then turned to look out the window, where the rain was pattering noisily against the glass. If it hadn’t been shut tight, a little rain would have surely seeped in.
“Of course! Why wouldn’t I? That old woman often brought back liquor…”
Lin also returned to the sofa, curling her legs up, her head resting on her knees, slightly turning her head.
Her gaze also turned to the window. Although she was a monster, encountering her homeland’s chill in a foreign land still made her recall old things and old people.
She only had a strong cultivation heart, not a heart of stone. Moreover, her psychological age might not even be as great as Su Jiu’s. She could only grit her teeth and bear any grievances by herself.
Being chased by various factions, suffering severe injuries, being in debt, unable to return home, and drifting through life without an identity…
“Drink it sparingly, this liquor is very expensive.”
With a helpless smile, Su Jiu took out the liquor that Old Master Herb had packed. It was stored in a jade pot. Since it could enhance energy, she had been reluctant to drink it, thinking she would use it when needed later.
“You’re so rich, and you’re still stingy about a bottle of liquor…”
Pouting slightly, Lin took the bottle, flicked open the stopper with her finger, and fanned the air. Smelling the familiar aroma, she didn’t think much of it and downed it in one gulp.
“Gurgle gurgle…”
As the liquor entered her esophagus, her throat felt like it was being scraped by fiery blades. Her small ears instantly turned red, but Little Foolbird’s actions didn’t stop. Instead, she picked up the snacks from the table and started eating, her cheeks bulging.
This was the first time Little Foolbird had shown such strong emotions.
Looking at her quietly stuffing her face with snacks, Su Jiu sat down about half a meter away from her and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I just wanted to taste it.”
Lin paused for a moment, shook her head, and continued to drink the special vodka-infused liquor. She looked stubbornly out the window, and her purple eyes seemed to glisten with moisture, as if from the strong liquor.
Leaning back on the sofa, Su Jiu didn’t deliberately look at her face but followed her gaze, watching the cold rain hitting the window. “If you miss home, go back and see it in a few days after completing that mission.”
“I can’t go back. I left so many feathers that can be detected. As soon as I step into that country, the alchemy compasses specifically targeting me will appear frequently.”
Little Foolbird replied softly, seeing some things more clearly than Su Jiu. Sadness wasn’t about not seeing the future, but precisely because she saw the future. “Besides, don’t you want me to be your Beast Pet?”
Perhaps she would live as a Traveler until the day she died.
Or perhaps she would be a bird whose soul was free, hiding in a gilded cage, quietly watching the world outside the window.
“Do you want to, little Lin? Like E Huo, just eating and sleeping, with your private matters not interfering with you, and only helping when needed.”
Su Jiu smiled wryly. It seemed Lin wasn’t oblivious to her intentions. Often, pretending to be foolish was a form of self-comfort for Little Foolbird.
“Heh, depends on my mood.”
“Whoosh!” A gust of cold wind blew. Lin moved the liquor pot towards Su Jiu and shook it, indicating there was still half a pot left, clearly hoping the other would have a small drink too.
“Slurp!”
“Gulp…”
Su Jiu didn’t hesitate. She took the liquor and drank it in large gulps. In just a few seconds, the stimulating sensation, like chili peppers, made her fair neck turn red.
Suddenly, a figure rushed forward, like a kangaroo that had eaten妖树莓 (yaoshuimei – devilish raspberry/berry), soft and with a faint fragrance.
“Little Lin’er…”
With her temples entwined, Su Jiu felt a bit flustered. But soon, a more intense pain in her neck cleared her mind. A slightly hoarse voice echoed in her ears: “I’ll bite you to death, you con artist, you always bully me…”
“Hiss—You’re actually biting? Are you a dog?”
Su Jiu gasped in pain, feeling Little Foolbird trembling on her chest. She wanted to hug her, but could only awkwardly place her hands on her shoulders and pat her gently.
“…”
Their positions seemed to remain static for about a few minutes before the teeth tightly biting Su Jiu’s neck slowly loosened. When they finally let go, the metallic tang of blood filled the air between them, quickly spreading with the aroma of alcohol.
“I will definitely repay the debts I owe, and you are not allowed to restrict my freedom.”
Lin hugged the only person she could confide in, her gaze directed at the rain streaks outside the window, her eyes slightly blurred. Driven by alcohol, she didn’t know what she was thinking.
Although signing a contract with the girl before her would surely lead to a bright future, even reaching a higher position, her self-reliant heart told her she shouldn’t be so weak.
At least try before admitting defeat, right?
“Alright, alright. After this mission, you can go do whatever you want. Just repay your debts on time.”
With a sigh, Su Jiu knew Little Foolbird was being pushed too hard. Coupled with the cold weather, nostalgia was turning her into “emo Lin.”
However, Lin’s unusual behavior also made Su Jiu realize that perhaps the other was just a fruit of midsummer, not yet reaching the harvest season. If forced to pluck and taste it.
Well… it would be sour… and bitter.
In any case, it wouldn’t be sweet.
“Don’t force me…”
Muttering indistinctly, Lin’s tense body suddenly went limp. She leaned slightly against Su Jiu’s face, lost in thought, and soon soft snoring sounds began to emerge.
They remained like this, embracing, for half an hour, doing nothing but holding each other.
The next morning, the cold air, along with some light drizzle, seeped in through the gaps in the window. The cherry trees by the roadside had been stripped of their blossoms by the storm, and in the gray misty sky, they emitted a rustling sound.
“Waa…”
Feeling a few drops of rain on her face, Su Jiu slowly woke up. Looking at the gloomy outdoors, she felt a dull headache.
Last night, she seemed to have had a few drinks of medicinal liquor from Bear Country with Lin, and after the alcohol kicked in, they had said some rather mushy things.
“Has Little Foolbird… left?”
She then turned to look at the other pillow by the bed. It was empty, as if Little Foolbird had completely left. This left Su Jiu with a strange sense of emptiness.
“Hey! Didn’t we say we’d explore the relics today? The students next door are already up, waiting for you to wake up.”
Subconsciously, she wanted to pick up her phone to find the other’s QQ number, but soon a figure emerged from the bathroom. Su Jiu followed the sound and found Lin, who had changed her outfit.
She was wearing a long, slim sweater with a black kitty pattern, paired with hot pants and white stockings given by Su Jiu. The sweater perfectly covered the gap between the hot pants and her thighs, leaving only the sheer white stockings that invited imagination…
As if noticing Su Jiu’s gaze, Lin lowered her head, then blinked and explained: “That maid outfit smelled strongly of alcohol, so I didn’t wear it. But I put on white stockings, so this should be enough, right?”
It seemed that after venting her emotions last night, Lin had returned to her usual clumsy yet slightly cunning Little Foolbird persona.
“Hehe… enough, enough.”
Hearing the other’s serious explanation, Su Jiu couldn’t help but find it amusing. Little Foolbird seemed to have a peculiar charm, and she immediately got up to wash up, also changing into a similarly portable outfit.
Then, Su Jiu pushed open the main door and indeed saw a group of students already gathered near the corridor, looking ready to go. The first person she saw was Lin Chujiu, who came to meet her.
“Didn’t we say we’d gather at 7:30? Classmate Su Jiu, it’s already 7:40.”
Su Jiu scratched her head apologetically, “I had a bit too much to drink last night and couldn’t wake up in time.”
The other party looked speechless but only made a comment before continuing, shaking her phone. “We’ve already called enough cars. They’ll take us to a place three kilometers away from the relics.”
“Three kilometers away? Not directly?”
Su Jiu pulled Lin, who had been hiding behind the door, out and was curious why they were only dropped off that far.
“Directly? We can’t reach it directly…”
Lin Chujiu shook her head, her previously speechless expression gradually becoming solemn. Her gaze shifted from the corridor window to the gray sky, and she said softly:
“Last night’s heavy rain, combined with the mysterious geological activity, caused a massive landslide. Cars simply cannot pass through. Moreover, a corner of the relic’s interior seems to have been exposed, and we roughly know who built it.”
Without waiting for Su Jiu to ask, Lin Chujiu paused and continued, “The patterns on the relic are very similar to the totems of Izanami and Yamata no Orochi. According to historical records, it is highly possible that some secrets about Yamata no Orochi are hidden within. As for what they are…”
“Our joint exploration team speculates that it might be the lost torso bones of that dancing Empress Ina Ba Mio.”
