Chapter 132 : Chapter 132
Chapter 132
Two weeks after the commission ended, Old Master Miao passed away.
When Ji Qing saw the news on the headlines, he did not find it surprising. As early as the moment Old Master Miao had appeared at the inn in Ding’an City, he had already felt a vague premonition in his heart. Now, that premonition had merely come true.
Xie Chang’an seemed to have gone to attend the funeral, though.
Ji Qing lowered his head and looked at the enlarged news photo. A trace of contemplation flickered across his green eyes.
Quite a lot had changed within the Dawn Society during this period.
Because of the BOSS' sudden order, members from every level of the Dawn Society had become active one after another.
As the fragmented tasks were assigned in pieces, this cold machine, which had existed for fifteen years, finally began to run in earnest today. Though the lower-ranking members of the Dawn Society did not know what had happened, they all understood that the organization was about to make a major move.
There were fewer mid-level members, and they knew more intelligence, but for the moment, none had betrayed them.
As for the upper ranks—the few people Ji Qing dealt with directly—they were all currently busy with the orders handed down by the BOSS. White Night was the busiest, Emerald came second, and Raven and Red Heart were tied for last, because those last two had to wait for White Night’s investigation to be completed.
Perhaps some members would betray them before long.
Ji Qing felt remarkably calm about that. If anyone really did betray them, then he would simply deal with them when the time came. In truth, he did not need that many people, and the Dawn Society did not need that many people to keep running either.
At that thought, Ji Qing let out a quiet laugh. “The way I am now is probably rather cold-blooded, isn’t it?”
The more he came into contact with the dark side of the wasteland, the more he felt that his thinking was gradually being assimilated by the wasteland—or perhaps by the mindset of the Aberrants. Ji Qing idly rolled his eyes and shifted his gaze to the wind chime swaying by the nearby window.
Ring, ring, ring…
A delicate glass wind chime gave off a crisp sound.
The view outside the window was lovely.
The gentle sunlight shone over the tender green willow leaves, and when the breeze passed through the willow tree, it produced a rustling sound. The small river beside it was clear and sparkling, and now and then, two or three wild ducks glided across the water, stirring ripples in their wake.
It was now high spring, and all things had come back to life.
Seeing this, Ji Qing rose and walked to the window, then lazily stretched. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the spring air rushing toward him while, in his heart, he analyzed and organized all the information he had gathered along the way.
Old Master Miao did not know how to trigger a Black Tide by human hands.
That was perfectly normal, because Old Master Miao had not been a participant in the Black Tide incident in Licheng, nor had he experienced it firsthand. Although he had indeed been a witness to the incident, at the moment the Black Tide occurred, he had not known there was a hidden scheme behind it. It had been his youngest son who secretly told him.
—So that he could serve as a witness in a future courtroom confrontation.
When Ji Qing thought of that, something in his heart was suddenly stirred. Although, to Miao Weiyong, his father had been an unqualified father, to Miao Weibo, his father had always been someone worthy of trust.
The time they had spent on each other was enough to make each of them the most special existence in the other’s life.
Ji Qing then gave further thought to the connection between the Aberrants and the Black Tide in Licheng.
By now, he could find no better hypothesis than this one: the Aberrants had been drawn there by a Black Tide brought about by humans. Even so, this hypothesis still contained many doubtful points. For instance, had It really come all that way only to take a single look? And why had no trace of It appeared in the news about the Black Tide in Licheng, or even in the Federation archives?
Moreover, the fact that “Ji Qing” had infiltrated the Federation specifically in order to find It was itself extremely strange.
It was as though… Ji Qing’s eyes suddenly darkened.
It was as though that Aberrant had always been hiding within human society, never once leaving it over the course of nearly twenty-one years, to the point that “Ji Qing” had been unable to find any trace of It through ordinary Aberrant methods.
That was probably why the revenge had never been able to move forward.
It was practically more human than he was, Ji Qing thought.
A vague sense of foreboding quietly rose in Ji Qing’s heart, but he chose not to dwell on it for now. No matter how much he thought about it, all he would get was confusion.
He decided to read the manga first.
Because of the order he had given earlier, he, as both the organization’s BOSS and one of its cadres, had been subjected to a “double interrogation” from the organization’s members. On the one hand, as the BOSS, he had to speak with White Night about how far the investigation had progressed. On the other hand, as a cadre, he had to obey the BOSS' arrangements and deal with urgent internal matters within the organization…
By the time things had reached this point, he had not read a single page.
“Ah…” Ji Qing could not help letting out a long sigh.
At 7:02 PM, in the Pure White Space.
Ji Qing opened his eyes inside a pure white room. Though he had hated this sleep-disrupting setup at first, by now, after so much time had passed, he had gradually adapted to this manga-reading mode.
Because he wanted to get to sleep earlier, Ji Qing directly clicked into the next chapter.
After the meeting before the commission officially began ended, the four of them followed Miao Miaonian to the processing plant to familiarize themselves with the details of the escort commission. On the way to the meeting room, they happened to run into the client, Miao Weiyong. That was when they learned that Miao Weiyong also knew Zhou Que.
After hearing Miao Weiyong speak to him, Zhou Que replied impatiently, “I lost any impression of you long ago. And who are you, anyway? What qualifies you to be remembered by me?”
All three of his teammates were startled upon hearing that.
But Zhou Que’s reply did nothing to dampen Miao Weiyong’s enthusiasm. He warmly invited them to have dinner together that night. Jiang Cuo privately concluded that, aside from Zhou Que, the rest of them had definitely only been invited along incidentally.
But how could that be?
Both Xie Chang’an and Jiang Cuo were filled with confusion, but Ji Qing already had the answer. The way Father Miao looked at Zhou Que was probably the same way he would look at a second son of his own. Many parents treated the childhood playmate of their own child next door with exactly that sort of attitude.
【Zhou Que’s mouth really shows no mercy.】
【I am dying of laughter. The moment Ji Qing put it that way, I understood instantly.】
【Ji Qing is amazing.】
【Miao Weiyong: What? So that rebellious child from next door has come? Come, come, Uncle is treating all of you to dinner.】
【So this really is going to be Zhou Que’s story, then?】
Yet the very next scene was Zhou Que leaving.
After learning the basic details of the escort commission, he immediately left, leaving the other four staring at each other in bewilderment. Jiang Cuo soon could not hold back any longer and asked Miao Miaonian about the truth of the matter, and Miao Miaonian hesitantly revealed part of it to them.
“The actual situation is just what Zhou Que said yesterday. He and I were childhood friends. But…” Miao Miaonian’s face turned troubled. “Later, because of certain reasons, my entire family moved to another city.”
“At the time, our contact was cut off… and that really was my fault. The move happened too suddenly, so I wasn’t able to tell Zhou Que about it.”
Jiang Cuo immediately turned toward Xie Chang’an. “Brother, I’ve discovered that Zhou Que is actually very kind-hearted!”
“I’ve discovered that too,” Xie Chang’an said.
Damn—they finally knew the reason now!
【Damn—】
【So something like this happened? Then isn’t it perfectly normal for Zhou Que to be upset?】
【So it wasn’t Zhou Que’s fault?】
【I feel like this definitely affected how Zhou Que’s personality was shaped. We really did wrong him this time.】
Why did everyone think it was Zhou Que’s fault? Ji Qing suddenly found the situation rather subtle.
At the time, he had been focused entirely on the difficulties of the commission and had not paid attention to the little thoughts of those two. He had not expected the manga readers to follow the same line of speculation as well.
Well, never mind, Ji Qing thought.
After all, the readers were viewing Zhou Que through Xie Chang’an’s perspective.
In the manga, Miao Miaonian’s face grew redder and redder as he listened. “I know this was my problem too! Stop repeating it to me! I already spent all of last night tossing and turning in anxiety without sleeping. Are you trying to make it so I can’t sleep tonight too?!”
“Cough, cough, cough. I know it was embarrassing on my part too. So… please do not say it so loudly…”
【Hahahaha.】
【That is true. Please, you two little children, do not be so noisy. （sits obediently）】
【I am dying of laughter. Has the Valedictorian still not shaken off his One Carrying Three team-mom identity?】
【We want the team mom, we want the team mom!】
In the manga, Ji Qing asked Miao Miaonian in puzzlement, “Why did your family move away in the first place?”
Miao Miaonian then explained the reason his family had left Central City, though he himself did not know the finer details. The conversation between both sides soon returned to the commission itself, and Miao Miaonian explained the route and the situation as he knew it point by point, while the three of them asked questions from time to time.
The manga thoughtfully displayed the route from Huangtie City to Ding’an City and also showed the terrain along the way.
【This sounds a little difficult.】
【It feels like this is going to take a very long time… How long is this volume going to last…】
【At this rate, these four are going to get familiar with each other whether they want to or not.】
【So by that logic, can our Chang’an finally become acquainted with the Valedictorian?! （excited）】
“…And yet, no.”
Ji Qing unconsciously revealed an awkward yet polite smile.
In the manga, the conversation between Ji Qing and Miao Miaonian continued.
Ji Qing quickly reminded his two teammates, “This afternoon and tomorrow, remember to check your equipment, and buy whatever supplies you need. If you have any questions about the commission itself, try to ask them now.”
Xie Chang’an’s expression turned complicated after hearing that.
He was exactly like one of those people who had already taken on leadership roles countless times and had long since grown used to giving orders… Xie Chang’an’s thoughts instantly tangled together as a tiny angel and a tiny devil both voiced their opinions inside his mind.
Meanwhile, Ji Qing asked Miao Miaonian why they would be staying in Ding’an City.
【So there really was something suspicious there?】
【To be honest, Ji Qing really does not seem like someone from an ordinary family. Just look at the commoners in Class S. They are basically all there to serve as foils to the Noble Houses. Even Jiang Cuo is actually connected to a Noble House…】
【So, a hidden identity?】
【Has that not been obvious all along? Anyone connected to Li Yuan, even if only through the protagonist’s one-sided connection, is definitely going to have an extraordinarily special background. And the most outrageous part is that Ji Qing already has buffs like being the Valedictorian, being first in his grade, having mysterious origins, and so on.】
【Sigh…】
【Compared with Zhou Que’s story, I want to see Ji Qing’s more. （honestly）】
【Stop thinking about it, stop thinking about it—
That old thief is definitely going to keep it hidden until the very end before revealing it to us. Damn that old thief.】
When the topic turned to the “awakening of Abilities,” the atmosphere at the scene changed drastically.
Miao Miaonian let out a long sigh. “The awakening of an Ability is like the only drawing of lots in one’s life… I drew a middling lot, while all of you drew lots rarer than the rarest top fortune.”
“Yet I’m F-rank,” Xie Chang’an said.
“A top fortune, huh…” Jiang Cuo gave a mocking laugh. “I rather envy you. At least your father is still by your side… How nice. Your parents have never said that they regretted giving birth to you, that your Ability was complete trash, and that you would never amount to anything in the future, have they?”
“Jiang Cuo?” Xie Chang’an said.
【Huh? Huh—】
【Jiang Cuo is angry? What happened?】
【Wasn’t it said that Jiang Cuo has a very good relationship with his father? Then why did things suddenly turn like this? So is the pressure actually coming from his mother’s side? He is already an S-rank Ability User, and they are still putting him down and pressuring him like this—what is that even supposed to accomplish? （furious）】
【It does not really sound like that to me.】
【I actually think this is pretty normal. Family bonds are not something so simple. They are something much more complicated. Everyone tends to imagine family too simply. A mixture of love and hate is the norm for most people.】
In the manga, Jiang Cuo left soon after saying that.
That left only Xie Chang’an, Ji Qing, and Miao Miaonian at the scene. Xie Chang’an felt confused about it, while the two behind him continued discussing the commission. Ji Qing’s eyes were curved with quiet delight, clearly because he was pleased by Miao Miaonian’s cooperation.
【Xie Chang’an really is an idiot.】
【Facepalm.】
【But Ji Qing’s thinking really was right. Out of everyone present, Xie Chang’an is the only orphan, so it is normal enough that he would be a bit foolish.】
【Tsk, tsk, tsk. That does make sense.】
【As always, I have to sigh over how well that old thief shapes his characters and their backgrounds. Every person’s motives can be traced back to their own past experiences. Xie Chang’an is what a real orphan should look like. What kind of orphans are the ones in those other mangas supposed to be?】
【Exactly. That is so true.】
【What exactly did Ji Qing figure out that made him this happy? I feel as confused as Xie Chang’an.】
Naturally, it was because he had learned the whereabouts of the person who knew the truth, Ji Qing thought with a smile.
Although Father Miao and son got along quite pleasantly, he still had to admit that what Old Master Miao had said was true: neither of those two had much in the way of guile. Ask them a few questions, and they would spill the information themselves. Rather than entrusting the youngest son’s secret to them, it was better to keep it from them.
Ah, what a real pity.
Ji Qing shook his head with lingering regret.
In the manga, Ji Qing and Xie Chang’an left the processing plant.
At the entrance, Ji Qing suggested that Xie Chang’an return to the inn first, while he planned to stroll around Huangtie City. Xie Chang’an became even more bewildered after hearing that. What was there to stroll around in Huangtie City? Had they not specifically looked into that yesterday?
Xie Chang’an tentatively asked, “Then bring me with you?”
“Rejected,” Ji Qing said.
“If I find any useful information, I’ll post it in the group chat for all of you. And besides…” Ji Qing’s expression turned cold once more. “Do not be overly curious about other people’s daily lives. My relationship with you is not that close.”
“Wuu—”
A wave of sorrow erupted in Xie Chang’an’s heart.
【Pitiful. Xie Chang’an is pitiful.】
【I thought their relationship had improved, but it turns out it still has not? （dazed）】
【Xie Chang’an: I thought so too, QAQ】
【Come on—
The Valedictorian was obviously planning to spend some time alone, or perhaps just go out for a walk. If you still want to follow him under those circumstances, of course he would dislike it.】
【The protagonist really has no sense of social timing.】
【Do not even mention it. Ever since I found out that Zhou Que is better than the protagonist at reading social situations, I have felt completely shattered. Usually, a character who behaves in a straightforward and simple way in daily life, yet is unexpectedly sharp-minded and able to sense the atmosphere of a team, ought to be the manga protagonist, should they not?】
【Do you think Zhou Que looks like a protagonist?】
【Do you think Xie Chang’an’s intuition is really that poor?】
【To be honest, Zhou Que in this volume really does feel a bit like one, though the earlier Zhou Que did not. As for Xie Chang’an… while this character setting does not really resemble the traditional protagonist type, his identity, background, and personality really are extremely “protagonist-like.” （obedient）】
【Now that you put it that way, I feel like those two might actually get along. （uncertain）】
“That really is true,” Ji Qing said, unable to help praising the comment.
But it was precisely because of that that he felt Zhou Que and Xie Chang’an’s bond could still grow deeper. Yet because Zhou Que had practically followed Ji Qing throughout this commission, while Xie Chang’an had mainly stayed with Jiang Cuo, for now he could only look forward to what came later.
A little regrettable, but not all that regrettable.
That chapter of the manga ended with “Xie Chang’an’s sorrowful cry,” while the next began with “Ji Qing appears in the commercial district.”
The manga first reviewed Ji Qing’s earlier conversation with Miao Miaonian, focusing especially on Ji Qing’s troubled reaction when he heard Miao Miaonian say that he did not know the Shao Family. In the narration of that chapter, the manga revealed Ji Qing’s thoughts at the time and explained the relationship between the two of them—
Shao Huayu and Zhou Que were close cousins.
Ji Qing was troubled. Miao Miaonian had met Zhou Que when they were seven or eight years old, and after that, he parted from Zhou Que when they were nine or ten. If Shao Huayu had only formally come into contact with Zhou Que after Zhou Que turned ten, then everything could be explained. But why had that meeting only happened after he was ten?
【Damn—】
【That is such explosive information! I finally understand why those two are so close now!】
【So they were not childhood friends, but cousins?】
【Xie Chang’an—you got played, Xie Chang’an— （tearing my throat out）】
【I am dying of laughter. I used to wonder why Shao Huayu worked so hard to clean up Zhou Que’s messes, but who knew there was this layer to it too? Xie Chang’an, just accept it already. You are the only one here with no connections, no resources, no status, nothing at all… （muttering）】
【This protagonist really has it rough.】
【Yes, yes.】
Those readers really did have an interesting way of thinking, Ji Qing thought.
After all, Xie Chang’an truly was the perfect embodiment of someone who would charge ahead with nothing but a miserable life to lose. Although he still had quite a few friends, those friends of his—such as Gu Lingxue—likewise had no connections and no resources… Ah, wait. Li Yuan barely counted as one, perhaps.
In the manga, Ji Qing smoothly found Zhou Que.
Although Zhou Que was in a foul mood, after seeing who had come, he simply slumped back down onto the table. After the two of them exchanged a few casual words, Ji Qing suddenly asked, “But before that, can you first tell me when exactly you met Shao Huayu?”
Ji Qing then told Zhou Que how he had come to know this and how he had reasoned it out.
Zhou Que answered, “That is perfectly normal. Because my parents died young, I only learned at the age of ten that I had cousins. Before that, I probably really was an orphan. No… I was not all that different from one, at any rate…”
【…How miserable.】
【Wait, does that mean not one of the three has a whole family?】
【No way. Is it really that tragic?】
【You are wrong! Because Ji Qing probably does not either!!! （very loudly）】
【Me, with an unhappy family, and you, with an unhappy family—when will this cycle of mutual misery ever end? But I feel like among the wasteland’s noble families, there are probably very few that are truly whole… judging by their average lifespan and death rate… （looks away）】
【Could it be that Xuexue is the happiest child in Class S? Surely not?】
【A bunch of little bitter gourds huddling together.】
【Is the main plot actually just a massive clearance sale on bitter gourds?】
“You people really are amusing,” Ji Qing said with a laugh. “You toss out metaphors at the drop of a hat. Ah… but I do not know about the others. ‘Ji Qing’ is also probably a bitter gourd.”
All that talk of a twenty-one-year revenge plan and a long, drawn-out wait… although Ji Qing himself felt it was still acceptable, the readers were definitely pulling miserable faces over it.
In the manga, Zhou Que placed his hands on his waist smugly when speaking of his own strength.
The topic between the two quickly shifted to the relationship between Zhou Que and Miao Miaonian. Zhou Que said frankly, “Although my relationship with him really was very good back then, to put it another way… I should probably thank him for leaving without saying goodbye.”
“If he had not suddenly disappeared, I would not have been able to take the opportunity to leave the Zhou Family and go live with Brother Huayu and the others.”
Zhou Que spoke very slowly, but Ji Qing suddenly found the answer in his heart.
It seemed Zhou Que did not need help. Even without anyone helping him, he would be able to sort out all the crucial points himself and walk out of it calmly. That was because Zhou Que had already met people who were good enough.
That chapter of the manga ended with “Ji Qing listening quietly.”
【It feels like Ji Qing is simply acting as a bird mom.】
【Ji Qing has always been a kind of team mom anyway {deranged} {talking nonsense} {shouting wildly in support}】
【So he specifically came out to find Zhou Que?】
【I see now. After reading this chapter, I understand. No wonder he would not let Xie Chang’an follow him.】
【Xie Chang’an, you great idiot.】
【Zhou Que is rather adorable. I never understood it before, but now my heart is pounding wildly.】
【I feel like Zhou Que’s character can basically be summed up as: a foolish child with no real scheming mind, who is easily used by others as a pawn. Somehow, that gives off a strangely similar feeling to Xie Chang’an… （mixed feelings）】
【They really are a little alike.】