"Goodbye, brother!"
"Thanks for the treat, brother!"
"Next time, hang out with us again, brother!"
At the entrance of the teahouse, Ellen and her three friends—bellies full and spirits high—waved goodbye to Jiang Ge before heading off together.
Before leaving, Ellen leaned in close and whispered, "Lycaon's near the riverside newsstand."
Jiang Ge nodded in acknowledgment and watched them disappear into the crowd.
During the meal, he'd overheard fragments of their conversation. One of Ellen's friends, the one with glasses, seemed to be the author of that outrageous Dan Heng and Blade fanfiction. From the sound of it, she wasn't pleased that Ellen had been telling people the two were enemies.
The bespectacled girl clearly knew her work was pure fantasy—something she had shared with Ellen out of trust and a bit of fan enthusiasm. But when Ellen suddenly mentioned a "friend" who supposedly knew both Dan Heng and Blade personally, insisting they were enemies, the girl's tone had turned cold.
After they left, Nicole approached Jiang Ge and quietly pulled him aside.
"Boss Jiang, I finally have a moment to talk."
"What's with all the secrecy?" Jiang Ge asked, curious about her cautious demeanor.
"It's about the Red Fang Gang incident. I know you're efficient, but I didn't expect that level of efficiency."
She still remembered waking up to the morning news—Sam had wiped out the entire Red Fang Gang overnight.
"I'm just curious," Nicole continued, folding her arms. "What exactly was the Red Fang Gang's target in that commission?"
Jiang Ge gave her a brief look. Technically, he'd taken over the full contract, and the Cunning Hares had already received their payment—so they didn't need to worry. Still, he couldn't fault her curiosity.
"A strange chip," he replied flatly. "I haven't figured out what it does yet, but I'll deal with it soon."
In truth, he already had an idea. The chip likely contained Fairy.
Back during the mission, the chip had been locked in a safe that required a passcode. Sam didn't bother with codes—he simply ripped the safe open by hand, took the chip, and left.
Now, that same chip was resting securely in the bookstore's safe, awaiting Jiang Ge's next move.
"I see," Nicole said, raising a brow. "Here I thought it might be some priceless treasure. Well, if you find anything interesting, remember—"
"Yeah, yeah. When have I ever left you out of the spoils?"
Surprisingly, that only made Nicole's excitement fade. Jiang Ge sighed, amused.
"Alright, that's settled then. Oh, right—we've got another job at noon. See you later, Boss!"
With that, Nicole waved and hurried off, dragging Anby and Billy behind her.
"Jiang Ge, thanks for lunch! Would've been better if there were burgers, though."
"Boss, don't forget to put in a good word for me with Brother Sam!"
Their chatter faded as they left. Jiang Ge just shook his head and pretended not to hear the last comment.
Only Corin remained beside him now.
"Well then, little Corin, shall we go greet Lycaon?"
"Okay, Mr. Jiang Ge. I'll follow your lead."
With their next destination set, Jiang Ge led her toward the riverside. It was a pleasant walk after a satisfying meal.
By now, Lumina Square was growing busy. More pedestrians filled the streets, and the hum of traffic echoed through the city. Jiang Ge greeted familiar faces as he passed by.
Soon, they reached the newsstand. From a distance, Jiang Ge spotted Lycaon—his tall, wolf-eared frame hard to miss—speaking with a young woman in a wheelchair.
Originally, Jiang Ge had planned to sneak up and startle him, but before he could get close, Lycaon's ears twitched. He turned smoothly and offered an elegant bow.
"Mr. Jiang Ge. What a pleasant surprise."
"As expected of Lycaon. Even when I step lightly, you still notice."
They exchanged a brief laugh. Then the woman behind Lycaon peeked out. She was beautiful—long black hair, refined features, an air of intelligence.
"Mr. Jiang Ge! I never thought I'd see you again!"
"Huh? You are… Miss Hailun?"
The name jogged his memory. Helen Godwin—a kind-hearted young lady from a well-off family who used to frequent his bookstore. She'd often chat with him for hours, even slipping him money for meals out of concern for his slow business.
She'd been a ray of warmth in those quieter days. But after he relocated the bookstore, they lost contact.
Now, here she was again—though her legs, once strong and graceful, were no longer the same.
"Of course, if it's inconvenient to talk about…" Jiang Ge began carefully.
"No, it's fine," Helen said gently. "It's been long enough. Do you remember the Hollow outbreak in Lumina Square?"
"I do."
"I was caught in it. The rubble crushed my legs, and Ethereal monsters closed in. I thought I was finished—until someone saved me."
"Who?"
Instead of answering, she blushed slightly and lifted a magazine from her lap, showing him the cover.
It was Dan Heng.
"Dan Heng," she said softly. "He appeared out of nowhere, defeated the Ethereals, and pulled me out. Before leaving, he told me, 'Don't give up. Hold on and live.'"
"I see…"
"After that, I lived on, remembering those words. Losing my legs hurt—but because of him, I learned to keep going."
As Helen spoke, her calm expression carried quiet strength.
Lycaon stepped forward and bowed slightly. "Apologies for interrupting, Mr. Jiang Ge. This Miss Helen is the person I mentioned to you earlier."
"Oh?" Jiang Ge raised an eyebrow. "So she's the fan whose room is filled wall-to-wall with Dan Heng posters?"
Helen flushed. "Ah—yes. But I wouldn't call myself a fan. When the pain was too much to bear, looking at his picture helped me find peace."
"I've also heard," Jiang Ge teased lightly, "that someone once tried to meet Dan Heng in person and got scammed."
"That wasn't me—it was my sister, Niya." Helen sighed. "She's mischievous but means well. She wanted to find Dan Heng to make me happy. No matter what I said, she wouldn't listen."
Niya. The name rang a bell. Jiang Ge remembered the lively little girl Helen used to bring to the bookstore—always pestering him and Ellen for stories. She must be around ten now.
"Oh no!" Helen suddenly exclaimed, glancing at her watch. "The company meeting's about to start! I'm so sorry, Jiang Ge, this was such a rare reunion…"
"It's fine," he said warmly. "Work comes first."
Helen smiled and handed him a business card. "My phone number's on here. Call me, okay? I'd like to hear your voice again."
Jiang Ge accepted the card and nodded. "I will. Take care, Helen."
Lycaon bowed once more, then pushed Helen's wheelchair away until they disappeared into the crowd.
---
Night, at the bookstore.
"Mr. Jiang Ge, aren't you going to rest yet?"
"I still have some things to do. You go ahead, Corin."
After Corin went upstairs, Jiang Ge sat alone on the sofa, reflecting on the day.
Ellen. Lycaon. Helen.
Sparkle once joked that if he ever stopped being "too nice" and used his talents to cause chaos across the stars, he could easily become one of the Masked Fools—an "Emanator of Elation."
It was tempting, in a way. But Sparkle's words were never without traps.
And besides—Jiang Ge didn't see himself as particularly kind. Yet there were still things he couldn't abandon.
"Maybe I'll try a draw. No harm in it. I should save up for the next self-select anyway."
Muttering to himself, he stood and went to the bathroom. Facing the mirror, he exhaled softly.
"Begin the performance."
"Congratulations, Master! You've drawn… a trash can!"
"Tch."
In an instant, Jiang Ge's reflection morphed into a trash can—an oddly handsome one, at least by Stelle and Caelus's questionable standards.
Bang, bang, bang! (Next one, next one!)
"Congratulations, Master! You've drawn… a Cat Cake!"
The trash can transformed into an adorable cat-shaped cake—though somehow, still a trash can.
"Meow, meow! (Cute, but next!)"
"Congratulations, Master! You've drawn… eh, see for yourself."
With that, the system fell silent. The Cat Cake shimmered and reshaped into a small humanoid form—short, horned, with a tail and a gourd hanging from her waist.
"Hehe, I see, I see now…"
She opened her eyes, looked around proudly, and declared:
"Treating patients? No problem! But…"
"I! Want! To! Have! My! Fill! Of! Fun!"
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A/n: While I am a new translator, I have a Patreon! While it may be a bit empty right now both this and the other book on my page has advanced chapters posted on patreon.
patreon.com/deadlygoober