Chapter 249

Chapter 249

If there was one thing Ji Xinghai excelled at, it was heeding advice.

Wang Jue, having once been part of the upper echelons with access to the most information, had stated that this field wasn't suitable for solo endeavors. There must be a reason for her statement.

If he were alone, Ji Xinghai would have been willing to take the risk; he loved excitement. But he wasn't standing here alone; he couldn't just think about his own enjoyment.

"Would you mind if I post this message on the bulletin board in the physical store?"

"It suits me perfectly."

The two had tentatively agreed to cooperate and were about to discuss details when a bald, handsome head popped up beside them: "How can such an important matter proceed without my involvement?"

The White Wolf had just taken a bite out of the weakened International Chamber of Commerce Center, feeling the joy of growing stronger. How could it pass up a fully mature version of the 'International Chamber of Commerce'?

Not only it, but even the Doctor and the Snake Woman cast interested glances.

They were anomalies, and evolving by consuming their kind was instinctual. Who wouldn't want to become more powerful? If they didn't, they wouldn't be here.

"Someone with high status and authority," Wang Jue pointed out.

"I am the King of the North District." Although some anomalies didn't acknowledge it, they couldn't refute it either; those who did were dead.

"A human with high status and authority," Wang Jue subtly refused again. As an anomaly known only to Extraordinary Ones, no matter how strong, she couldn't reach the level of 'high status and authority.'

White Wolf: ... Unhappy.

"To speak frankly, I've always been an internationally renowned surgeon, owning four hospitals and being an honorary professor at fourteen universities. I'm not some rural anomaly," the Doctor suddenly spoke, seemingly saying nothing yet everything.

The White Wolf fell silent, as did the Snake Woman. They were both rural anomalies.

Was it illegal to be a rural anomaly? That island was also home to anomalies; why start discriminating now?

"In fact, there's no need to rush. The island opens twice a year, corresponding to students' summer and winter breaks. Even after becoming an anomaly, this pattern still holds. There are two months until the next opening, during which entry is possible."

Wang Jue didn't mind sharing this information. Honestly, with humans fragmented by the white fog, achieving 'high status and authority' was nearly impossible unless one had abilities like Ji Xinghai's.

The anomalies pondered this, clearly not giving up.

The matter of Bird Island was temporarily settled. While Wang Jue, the former head of the anomaly handling department, was still around, Ji Xinghai asked for more information, such as navigable anomaly ships or anomalies that formed domains early in the fog era.

Wang Jue wrote down names and specific locations: "I have all this data. I'll send it to you via phone later."

"Thanks," Ji Xinghai replied, offering, "All purchases at the food store will get a thirty percent discount."

The White Wolf and the others, aware of the store owner's prowess, looked at the list differently. Those who never considered other anomalies as equals couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy.

This must be a 'Hell List,' right?

Afterward, the three parties parted ways, each heading on their respective journeys.

Ji Xinghai stayed in Door Market City for two days, quickly sealing off all the passages in the cracks and resolving many anomalies along the way. The sky over Door Market City became clearer.

On the road to the next city, Ji Xinghai received the data from Wang Jue. It was all internal information from back then, listing hundreds of large domain anomalies. He wondered how many remained and how much they had evolved.

Finally, she mentioned the anomalies' temporary plan to bind themselves to a human meeting the criteria, disguising their presence as accompanying members. This idea came from Ji Xinghai himself.

"Huh?" Ji Xinghai looked at Qin Yu, who also looked back at him.

Thinking back, he hadn't considered Qin Yu's situation when entering the anomaly domain, assuming they were considered a single entity.

He wasn't stupid; he understood they saw him and Qin Yu as a couple, like the pair bound to Bauhinia City.

For the first time, Ji Xinghai regarded Qin Yu with a gaze beyond mere sustenance.

Qin Yu, as an anomaly, silently endured the intense scrutiny, feeling the burning gaze on his skin, while the instigator remained oblivious.

"Ah, Qin, are you actually this sexy?" Ji Xinghai propped his face with one hand.

Qin Yu wore only light clothing, but his handsome face, determined expression, and muscular physique exuded vitality.

This was a conventional form of attractiveness, unaffected by whether he was human or an anomaly.

Qin Yu raised his eyes, looking at Ji Xinghai as if discovering something new: So this appearance does serve some purpose.

He had thought Ji Xinghai, with his character, wouldn't care about appearances, being easily drawn to interesting souls.

And Qin Yu knew he was somewhat dull, both as a human and an anomaly.

"I have no advantages," he thought.

Though Qin Yu wasn't sure what advantage he needed, he sensed a desire to remain valuable.

Ji Xinghai, despite not being fickle, certainly had a playful nature, sometimes childlike and cruel. Would he discard someone like an old toy once they lost value?

Ji Xinghai tilted his head slightly, reaching out to place his hand on Qin Yu's chest.

Qin Yu, emerging from death, had a half-real body. Beneath the flesh lay an intangible existence, devoid of heart and blood vessels, yet Ji Xinghai felt a heartbeat.

He remembered that initially, Qin Yu had no heartbeat, no breath, and no body temperature. When did he gain these? When did he acquire a human-like gaze filled with emotion?

"At this moment, your heartbeat should speed up," Ji Xinghai said seriously. "When nervous, humans experience accelerated heartbeats due to sympathetic nerve excitement."

"... I'm not human," Qin Yu said, though he mimicked humans, he wasn't one.

"I know, but I want to see."

Through the warm skin, the heartbeat began to quicken, as if a human engine were truly accelerating due to nerve excitement, warming the skin along with it.

Actually, Ji Xinghai didn’t know why he wanted to hear the sound of an accelerated heartbeat, but he was a bit different from Qin Yu—he was more impulsive and direct.

So when he first became interested in Qin Yu (as food), he bound him with a contract.

After that, Qin Yu held a book without turning a single page. Meanwhile, Ji Xinghai lay on the bed flipping through documents, marking routes to avoid missing anything. He acted as if nothing had happened, teasing the spring waters and looking innocent.

That night, they lay on two beds separated by an aisle, both asleep.

Only the food cart was awake, adjusting its temperature. The air conditioning carried the fragrance of nature, blowing silently, and the gentle air circled around the sleeping duo.

Ji Xinghai’s breathing slightly intensified. He opened his eyes and found himself lying in a small boat, with a cool breeze carrying the freshness of lotus leaves. The boat drifted through a pond of lotuses.

“...” Was this a dream?

Unlike most people, Ji Xinghai knew he was dreaming, but because it was strange for him to be dreaming, he did not break the illusion.

He hadn’t dreamed for many years. Why suddenly now?

Could it be... hinting at some danger in the future?

Ji Xinghai’s consciousness grew serious, and he rested his chin on his hand, watching himself on the boat.

The green lotus leaves and duckweed parted to the sides. The ‘Ji Xinghai’ lying in the boat sat up; his boat was filled with lotus pods and the remnants of eaten lotus seeds.

Red and golden carp emerged from the duckweed, circling the boat, moving left and right, intertwining.

There were only these two fish, chasing each other playfully.

The ‘Ji Xinghai’ on the boat casually picked a lotus pod, peeling the seeds while playing, looking quite content.

Ji Xinghai found it absurd. Why would his dream have such an incomprehensible plot? It didn’t seem like it was foretelling anything.

Was the main plot coming later?

The boat drifted aimlessly. All the lotus pods were peeled, and ‘Ji Xinghai’ lay back on the boat, hands behind his head. Suddenly, a white lotus appeared in the sea of green.

It stood quietly in the water. As the wind blew, the lotus nodded slightly, as if greeting him. A drop of dew clung to the petal tip, poised to fall.

The ‘Ji Xinghai’ who had been lying down sat up, reaching out instinctively.

One moment the lotus was dozens of meters away, the next he caught the falling dew drops on the petals. Crystal-like droplets rolled in his palm, like two tears.

‘Ji Xinghai’ broke the stem of the lotus, holding the large white flower close, closed his eyes, and fell back asleep in the boat.

“...” What did this dream mean?

Ji Xinghai’s consciousness tried to shake the sleeping figure, but he fell into the lotus pond, surrounded by a familiar refreshing scent. In the next second, he woke up.

Qin Yu, who should have been asleep, was sitting there, offering a warm cup of water: “I heard your breathing change.”

Ji Xinghai looked at him dazedly, not taking the water. He remembered whose scent it was.

“What’s wrong?” Qin Yu asked, puzzled.

“...Ah, nothing.” Ji Xinghai was still a bit dazed. His clever mind seemed to have gained some insight from the dream, but he couldn’t quite piece it together yet.

He took the water from Qin Yu and sipped it slowly: it was lethal, as he had almost forgotten the daily presence, but he was initially drawn by the scent—a scent that indicated deliciousness.

The lake returned to calm after the night. They entered a neighboring city and found an old flower shop with a peculiar domain.

It had been there long ago, not actively luring prey but not letting any wanderers escape. Despite being in a hurry, Ji Xinghai followed the rules and cleared the domain before inviting the shop owner to move.

As a reward for clearing the domain, the shop owner gave him a large bouquet of sunflowers: “For you.”

Ji Xinghai held the sunflowers, their bright yellow petals framing his face, the dewdrops shining like his eyes. He wanted to say he preferred the sunflower seeds, but thought it might dampen the mood, so he kept quiet.

Qin Yu stood quietly behind, and the shop owner seemed to give him a meaningful look before giving the flowers. Qin Yu looked at his reflection in the glass: could his expressionless face reveal something?

"Do you know what the meaning of a white lotus is?" Ji Xinghai suddenly asked.

"A white lotus... Its meanings include purity, fidelity, faith, and love. If it's white, it also symbolizes a pure heart and joy in love."

Ji Xinghai pondered this, then collected his thoughts and smiled, thanking the new employee: “Thank you.”

Perhaps influenced by this conversation, the new employee unlocked a new dish: Lotus Seed Pastry.

Layer upon layer of crispy pastry rested on a green lotus leaf-patterned porcelain plate, each petal slightly open, lifelike.

Lotus Seed Pastry:

Made with oil dough mixed with lard, the pastry unfolds like a lotus when deep-fried. Ground lotus seeds mixed with melted sugar are placed at the center.

A simple sweetness hidden in the ‘heart,’ bringing you joy, causing natural dopamine release, creating a sweet feeling akin to love, lasting 24 hours.

Price: 99 Mysterious Coin.

Ji Xinghai: ...

“Snap.” Curious, he gently broke off a piece, crunching it in his mouth. The petals themselves had no taste, only a crispy texture and a mild aroma of oil and flour.

As the small pieces entered his throat, a sudden good mood washed over him, like a breeze on his face, as if he had eaten something he had been craving, meeting all expectations perfectly.

Amazing!

Even though it was already in his stomach, there was an indescribable mystery, keeping it fresh and making him want to continue eating the otherwise bland fried pastry.

Is this the taste of love?

Impressive, the first time I’ve seen food that can make one experience the feeling of love. If it were a domain that continuously lowered mental state, it could be useful.

Ji Xinghai's eyes lit up, and he passed the lotus pastry, from which he had taken a petal, to Qin Yu: "Here, have a taste."

Qin Yu broke off a piece and put it in his mouth: "It's very delicious."