At first, I really did harbor a bit of wishful thinking, feeling that even if the enemy is Impermanence and wounded, there might still be a chance for to snatch a victory after fully unleashing my power.
But if the enemy not only possesses an Undying Body but also isn’t affected in combat by injuries, then honestly, what’s the difference between that and them being unwounded?
"Zhuang Cheng, are you preoccupied with sothing?"
Mazao is still holding from behind right now. She seems to have noticed that I’m deep in thought and asks with concern. Perhaps influenced by my current smaller appearance, her tone has beco quite gentle, truly like she has taken on the role of an elder sister.
I share with her the connection between soul-loss patients and the afterlife, as well as my thoughts on the afterlife and the Doomsday Era. She also falls into serious contemplation. But with the lack of clues at the mont, no matter how much we discuss, we can’t co to any clear conclusions.
As the evening approaches, the train finally arrives at the station.
Mazao and I leave the train station and enter Moon Concealing Mountain City. What cos into view is a town with the ancient charm of sothing from a textbook.
Just as I found online, this ancient town isn’t bustling with popularity, and there aren’t many pedestrians on the streets. Perhaps it’s also due to it not being the peak travel season. For my own purposes, I prefer that my destination isn’t swarming with crowds.
Moreover, I notice sothing odd about the air here. Even though this should be a cold northern town and it’s November, the air is sowhat warm, not at all like the cusp of winter. On the streets, you can see people who initially dressed in heavy coats, forced to take them off and carry them in hand.
I had specifically researched the recent temperatures of this region while on the train. At least before my arrival, the temperature here should have been about ten degrees cooler. It was the sa when I headed to Fufeng Base; that place should have been even cooler, yet upon arrival, I experienced no such sensation.
I’m more or less aware that the issue probably lies with , maybe my arrival caused the abnormal climate here.
Since it’s related to my power, it’s necessary to pay attention. But for now, I need to deal with the imdiate matters. I have to take Mazao to a hostel. Before coming, I had already reserved a place using a mobile app.
This ti, there’s no need to sneak Mazao into the hotel like last ti. With the power of Fake Water Moon controlling the Spirit, even if so things are a bit off, I can make others overlook them. Although I am not capable of such delicate feats yet, as long as Mazao is the one manipulating, it won’t be a big problem.
What’s more, the task of gathering intelligence can be handled by Fake Water Moon too. I plan to ask the locals for information about Moon Concealing Mountain, and also inquire about Hu Family Village that Dong Che wishes to visit.
I tried to look up information about Hu Family Village near Moon Concealing Mountain online, but couldn’t retrieve any useful info. The sa goes for Moon Concealing Mountain itself, only known for its scenic beauty, but devoid of any clear suspicious elents. The "Fireflies" that I had sent ahead to scout the mountain are still searching, with no clues related to Yinyue and Changan discovered yet.
Additionally, since I focused my attention on Moon Concealing Mountain, I hadn’t familiarized myself with this town at the foot of the mountain. Unfamiliar with the streets, Mazao and I could only move forward while consulting a mobile map app. Along the way, we happened to pass a few shops—so sold food, while others sold decorative hangings and the like. With the sun setting, antique lanterns began to light up along the streets one by one, presenting the nocturnal charm of the small town.
This scenery, vastly different from the neon-lit night city, causes Mazao to slowly widen her eyes in surprise and fascination.
Whether her past was spent in the Doomsday Era or the afterlife, it must have been an utterly desolate and lonely place. I want to take her to see more warm and vibrant sceneries, to witness her beam with happiness. Since we don’t have luggage to carry, it’s better to take her out for a walk first.
I naturally lead her towards a street that seems to have more pedestrians, seizing the opportunity to buy her so souvenirs. As we weave through the crowd, Mazao, appearing afraid to be separated, takes the initiative to hold my hand.
I clasp her hand in response.
We look just like we’re on a date, an involuntary thought arises, and then I sneak a glance at Mazao’s expression. She also happens to be looking at , and at the mont our gazes cross, she reveals a slight smile. I wonder if she harbors the sa idea as , or perhaps she doesn’t understand what "a date between a man and a woman" implies.
People occasionally glance over at us. I guess from the point of view of others, it must be a bit odd seeing a "twelve- or thirteen-year-old boy" and a thirteen-year-old girl like Mazao holding hands while walking down the street. Even if we put that aside, we probably don’t look like locals, and the fact that we’re on our own without any guardians might also draw attention.
I tried to look at us from an observer’s perspective and felt we didn’t look like a couple on a date. Currently, I’m a bit shorter than Mazao, so we might look more like innocent childhood friends, more like siblings perhaps.
In that case, even if Mazao knew what dating between a boy and a girl ant, she wouldn’t regard as a romantic interest at the mont. Rather than that, it might be better to find a spot where no one can see us to transform back. But if I were to change back, I would once again beco an "adult with a perverse fondness for little girls" in Mazao’s eyes, and she probably wouldn’t hold my hand so unguardedly like she is now. Honestly, it’s a tough choice.
Mazao seed oblivious to my internal conflict. Unconsciously, she moved half a step ahead of , her voice filled with emotion, "Little Bowl and I used to do this often."
"Do what exactly?" I asked curiously.
"Walk hand in hand like this," she answered. "But back then, there weren’t so many people around, and the streets didn’t glow. So I think it would be nice if I could walk here with her."
"So, am I a stand-in for Little Bowl right now?" I asked with concern.
"You’re not a stand-in for Little Bowl, nor for anyone else."
As she spoke, she stopped, and I stopped too. Then she circled around to my back and gently hugged from behind, her voice full of longing, "To , you’re truly one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable, willing to accept all of , incomparably important to ."
"Ah, um..."
It feels a bit heavy. I’m not talking about the weight. So this is what Zhu Shi used to complain about, my "emotional heaviness." I see.
But it doesn’t feel too bad. Well, in that case, I don’t mind reluctantly maintaining this form for a little bit longer.
Mazao returned to my side, and then took my hand again. Perhaps she sensed a bit of my earlier thoughts and asked, "Zhuang Cheng, are you planning on changing back?"
"I’ll stay like this and keep you company all day." I said.
She showed a delighted expression.
Afterwards, we strolled around for quite a while and bought so souvenirs, by which ti it had turned completely dark.
Mazao suggested we should probably end our shopping, after all, we didn’t co here just to have fun. I agreed with her and we moved towards the hotel we had booked, entering a restaurant with distinctive characteristics on the way to take care of dinner.
There were very few people in the restaurant, just one other custor besides and Mazao. But according to the reviews I found on a mobile app, it was a pretty good restaurant. After ordering, we waited for our al. In the distance, soone who looked like the Shopkeeper was chatting with what appeared to be a regular custor.
"I heard a tourist accidentally entered Hu Family Village on Moon Concealing Mountain."
This sentence drifted over to my ears from the counter.
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