Recap
Shen Chaomu pulled Long Shiyu behind him, the oil lamp flaring to life. Golden spears materialized, surrounding the knight.
“Ah, cough, cough,” the knight rasped, clearing his throat.
With surprising ease, he lifted the massive greatsword and hoisted it onto his shoulder. The metal clanged against his armor, and his voice boomed through the clearing. “Welcome, visitors! Harassed by the monkeys, were you? Hahaha!” He erupted in a hearty laugh. “Don’t worry, don’t be ashamed! Welcome to Tabu!”
Young monkeys clung to his armor, their fear forgotten. The knight’s laughter deepened.
“But my friends,” he said, his voice still booming, “could you tell me the time?”
Shen Chaomu, his golden spears poised to strike, glanced at his terminal. “Four in the afternoon,” he replied.
“Four o’clock already?” The knight’s tone shifted, his movements stiff and deliberate. “I’m afraid I can’t stay to chat. It’s time for afternoon tea. Have you seen the children? They’ve wandered off somewhere in the forest.”
Fang Qing carefully planted a few specimens in flowerpots and loaded them onto the robot. A disgruntled bird hopped around its cage nearby, wondering why this human was so obsessed with its saliva.
“Are you done?” Yang Zhiming asked, wiping sweat from his brow.
“Almost, almost,” Fang Qing replied, his eyes gleaming. “These are treasures, I tell you!”
They returned to the vehicle, where the setting sun cast long shadows across the plain. A lone figure in black armor squatted beside the RV, his armored warhorse munching on a carrot. The figure was…crying?
Muffled sobs echoed from within the helmet. It should have been eerie, but the sound was so absurdly comical that both Fang Qing and Yang Zhiming stared in bewildered amusement.
Long Shiyu, munching on an apple, watched with mild interest. Shen Chaomu, leaning against the vehicle, lit a cigarette.
“Are you sure about the current year?” the knight wailed.
“Yes,” Shen Chaomu confirmed. “It’s been a thousand years since the era you mentioned.”
“A thousand…” The knight stood abruptly, his armor clanking. “I have no concept of time! An insult to knighthood! Why have I awakened?”
“Mercenaries are active in this forest,” Shen Chaomu explained. “They woke you up.”
The Black Knight rubbed his helmet with the back of his hand, though the gesture was futile. “The last thing I remember is fighting for the glory of knighthood,” he said. “I missed… Could it be…could it be that I won that duel?” His voice held a note of hopeful disbelief.
“If you won, you’d remember,” Long Shiyu pointed out. “You probably lost and fell into a deep sleep from your injuries.”
The Black Knight resumed his muffled sobbing.
“Long Shiyu, maybe let’s not,” Shen Chaomu interjected.
He filled Fang Qing and Yang Zhiming in, omitting any mention of Shen Di. The mercenaries had inadvertently awakened the legendary Black Knight, a strange beast called a “Ghost.” But unlike Wilpan or the siren, the Black Knight hadn’t retained his full power. He was simply a slightly stronger monster now. Shen Di had likely miscalculated.
“That’s… unexpected,” Yang Zhiming said, stunned. “What should we do, Brother Shen? Should we hand him over to the association?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” Shen Chaomu replied, exhaling a plume of smoke.
“Why not ask if he’s interested in participating in my poison experiments?” Fang Qing suggested, his eyes gleaming. “I’ll pay him. It will be a glorious contribution to science.”
Long Shiyu continued eating his apple, unconcerned.
“Where…where are the children?” the Black Knight wailed, clutching his greatsword.
“What children?” Shen Chaomu asked.
“Doris and Cosimo,” the Black Knight replied. “They always wander off, and I have to find them before afternoon tea.”
“That was a thousand years ago,” Shen Chaomu said gently.
The Black Knight froze, his sobs ceasing. “Oh,” he mumbled. “It’s been so long. It’s not afternoon tea time anymore.”
His warhorse nudged him with its head, a soft whinny escaping its lips.
Night approached. They had found the Scorching Sun Epiphyllum and the plants Fang Qing needed. There was no reason to remain in the forest. They could reach a transportation hub further north and fly back to the city.
“Get in the vehicle,” Shen Chaomu instructed. “We’ll figure things out when we reach the station.”
“No, a true knight doesn’t ride in a vehicle,” the Black Knight declared, his voice regaining some of its former strength. “All knights ride horses.” He patted his steed. “Potato, isn’t that right?”
The horse whinnied in agreement.
“Your horse is named Potato?” Long Shiyu asked, incredulous.
“Yes. Isn’t it a wonderful name? I thought of it while drinking potato soup.”
“It is good soup,” Long Shiyu agreed.
“You two are on completely different wavelengths,” Shen Chaomu muttered.
They now had an unexpected companion for their journey, though they couldn’t trust him fully yet. The RV rumbled through the tall grass, the Black Knight and Potato trailing behind, their figures a strange juxtaposition against the modern vehicle.
Ten minutes later, a message flashed across their terminals. Another monster riot had erupted on the planet Komu. The legendary Cerberus, a three-headed hellhound with venomous snakes for fur, was suspected to be involved. Chief Qiu Ruowen was already en route, prepared to join the fight.
“Brother Shen, will you be transferred there?” Yang Zhiming asked, concern in his voice.
“I don’t know. We’ll have to wait for the notification,” Shen Chaomu replied. “Uther is already there. It’s unclear how things will unfold.”
“There have been so many riots lately.” Yang Zhiming glanced at the Black Knight trailing behind them in the rearview mirror. “Everyone seems to be waking up and causing trouble. How can those mercenaries be powerful enough to find so many legendary monsters?” He was unaware of the monstrous man orchestrating the mercenaries’ actions.
Shen Di, a veteran of countless battles against strange beasts, was perhaps the foremost expert on their kind.
“It’s not just human interference,” Shen Chaomu said, stroking Long Shiyu’s hair. “We’re approaching the peak of an ‘outbreak period.’”
The recent surge in strange beast activity was alarming. Experts attributed it to the prolonged reign of the current Beast King. A new king’s ascension meant an undisputed period of dominance, their power unmatched. But the longer they held the throne, the more challengers emerged, causing instability. These challengers craved power and experience, leading to widespread conflict, both amongst themselves and against the Alliance.
The previous outbreak period, caused by the old Dragon King’s extended reign, had been curtailed by Akasa Mo’s ascension. Their battle had been one of legend, the world itself shaking beneath their clashing powers.
But this current outbreak was escalating, fueled by Shen Di’s machinations. And Akasa Mo, unlike his predecessor, seemed unwilling to quell the unrest. The current Dragon King’s behavior was an enigma that Shen Chaomu had yet to unravel.
At this rate, a new king might emerge before they even found Akasa Mo.
“I’ve heard rumors that Qiu Ruowen shouldn’t be going on missions anymore,” Yang Zhiming remarked.
“She shouldn’t, especially not to the front lines,” Shen Chaomu agreed. “But the association won’t replace her unless absolutely necessary.”
Qiu Ruowen was a legend, her decades of service to the association marked by countless achievements. She had been chief for six years, a steady hand during turbulent times. Her presence on Komu had undoubtedly calmed the hunters there. No one else could inspire such confidence.
“Still, she’s not young anymore,” Yang Zhiming said with a sigh. “And she has her share of old injuries.”
The conversation drifted to other topics.
They reached the transportation station. As they boarded the aircraft, the Black Knight panicked. “What is this iron-skinned box that flies?” he exclaimed.
“An aircraft,” Shen Chaomu replied. “They had spaceships in your time.”
“That’s different! A spaceship is a spaceship. I’d never ride in one of those. But how can there be a vehicle that flies on the surface? It’s too dangerous! I don’t understand its power source.” He turned to his horse. “Potato, wouldn’t you agree?”
The warhorse whinnied derisively.
The Black Knight reluctantly boarded the aircraft, clutching his greatsword, his voice trembling. “A brave knight is fearless,” he muttered unconvincingly.
His horse, much calmer, continued munching on carrots.
Two hours later, they arrived back at the inn. A group of orcs, led by Bai Yiyi, her antlers gleaming beneath her dark golden crown, waited for them. They seemed to be in a hurry.
“Keep the knight on board,” Shen Chaomu murmured to Yang Zhiming.
Bai Yiyi, her usual gentle expression tinged with arrogance, approached. “Why can’t I be here?” she asked, a subtle challenge in her voice. “This is my home. You are the guests. I heard you were returning. I’m simply passing by. Aren’t you going to welcome me, Mr. Shen?”
“Welcome. Goodbye,” Shen Chaomu replied flatly.
Bai Yiyi, unfazed, continued, “I have business to attend to. No time for tea and pleasantries today.”
“Are you going to Komu?”
“No. Let’s leave the three-headed dog for now. It seems you haven’t heard; the wildfire has started. On the dwarf side, in the Western Hemisphere.”
The dry climate of the former dwarf lands made them prone to fires. If the flames reached the orcish forests, the unique vegetation would make containment difficult. The last wildfire, decades ago, had been a disaster.
“In our culture, wildfire is a bad omen,” Bai Yiyi said, tucking a stray strand of white hair behind her ear. “The last few coincided with monster riots. This time will be no different.”
Shen Chaomu, unwilling to argue, simply nodded. “I’ll be here for a while. I’ll assist if needed.”
Bai Yiyi smiled, her charm failing to mask the underlying threat. “Thank you, Mr. Shen. How considerate. But perhaps the fire will be contained before any riots occur.”
She paused, her gaze lingering on Long Shiyu for a moment before she turned to leave, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
Long Shiyu, oblivious to the undercurrents, focused on peeling an orange.
“What should we do with the knight?” Yang Zhiming asked. “Should I contact the association?”
“Wait,” Shen Chaomu said, rubbing his forehead. “I forgot about Bai Yiyi. This won’t end well.”
Bai Yiyi, like Qiu Ruowen, was uncompromising when it came to strange beasts. While the association had a trial process for less dangerous creatures, often influenced by prejudice, these two women were notoriously strict. Shen Chaomu, known for his impartiality, often adapted his approach to the situation. Uther was elusive; no one knew his stance. Bai Yiyi, as head of the Tabu branch, oversaw the trials, and her methods weren’t always entirely transparent.
“What do we do then?” Yang Zhiming sighed. “He’s a hot potato.”
Shen Chaomu was lost in thought until Long Shiyu tugged on his arm. “I’m hungry,” he announced.
“Me too,” the Black Knight chimed in from the vehicle.
They found a small room near the Green Inn for the knight and his horse. Yang Zhiming, taking precautions, installed spiritual sensors that would trigger an alarm if the knight left.
“I have no objections to surveillance,” the Black Knight declared, “but you cannot doubt my honor. I would never accept charity.”
The inn’s kitchen sent a feast: potato soup, grilled sausages, chicken wings, and a cheese pizza. The warhorse received five carrots.
“Delicious,” the Black Knight proclaimed.
With the situation temporarily stable, Shen Chaomu headed for his room. Long Shiyu trailed behind, slurping noodles from a bowl.
They encountered Black Sickle in the lobby. He had been with Romeo, who was diligently refining the treatment method. Shen Di’s corrosive spiritual power was unique and destructive, requiring extensive research.
“I’ll collect the epiphyllum from you,” Black Sickle announced. “I’ll return to Romeo tomorrow morning.”
“I’ll bring it to your room,” Shen Chaomu said. “But why have you been breaking the televisions? Fang Qing has received several complaints.” He had also heard the occasional muffled explosion and a string of curses emanating from their room.
“The settlement is using the televisions to learn your language,” Black Sickle replied defensively. “There’s a price to pay for progress.”
The mantises, accustomed to soaring through the skies, had never bothered with other languages. Only Wilpan and Black Sickle understood Alliance Standard. To avoid exposure, they had remained confined to the inn, spending most of their time watching television and educational programs.
“How did you break them?” Shen Chaomu asked, incredulous.
Long Shiyu, his mouth full of noodles, explained, “Before I left, I saw them poking the TV screen with their scythes, hissing and changing channels. The remote was shattered.”
“So I left them a helper.” Long Shiyu looked at Shen Chaomu with pride. “Wasn’t that helpful?”
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Shen Chaomu muttered.
As they climbed the stairs, Black Sickle chattered about the glory of his settlement and their intelligence, boasting that mastering this “simple language” was no challenge.
“We’ve decided to demonstrate our progress to you two aliens,” he announced.
Reaching the fourth floor, they could hear the television blaring from the mantises’ room. As Black Sickle approached, the sounds of excited chittering and flapping wings grew louder.
And was that…singing?
Shen Chaomu’s sense of foreboding intensified.
“They’re eager,” Black Sickle said, his voice filled with pride. “Once we master this new language, humans will tremble before the might of our settlement.”
He opened the door. A swarm of mantises surged out, their excitement palpable.
“Fuck your mother fuck your mother” They exclaimed loudly, flapping their wings, “fuck your ancestors”
“Bastards sons.”
“Son of a bitch, you’re all sons of a bitch.”
It was very lively.
Shen Chaomu: “…”
Shen Chaomu: “…………”
He looked at Long Shiyu, who had a ⊙▽⊙ expression.
Black Sickle was shocked, then became extremely angry: “Damn dragon, what have you done to our great settlement?”
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T/N: XD
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