Chapter 406

After following the cat for a short while, Raven unexpectedly spotted Shen Gonglin and Mei. At that moment, she had no time to pay attention to the cat. The mercenary looked at the two people in front of her with great surprise. Could this be what they call telepathy? She had just been thinking about keeping Shen Gonglin in the rebuilt island villa, and now he had appeared directly.

"... I was about to ask you that, senior, you've been missing for so long, and all you did was... tease the cat?"

Mei's expression was a little complicated. She had been worried that Raven might have encountered some danger, so Mei was in a hurry when she came looking for her. But she found this lady chasing the cat here. Had she disturbed her? Maybe she should give her some more time?

The image of the ruthless mercenary Raven had been completely eroded in Mei's mind; she not only enjoyed taking care of children but also loved playing with cats.

"...Please spare me, teasing a cat? More like being teased by a cat. If it weren't for it, I wouldn't be stuck here. So, cats are creatures... Hmm? Shen Gonglin, what are you looking at? Long time no see. You didn't even say hello. Your presence here means your Schicksal side's affairs should be resolved, right? New Archbishop?"

Raven rolled her eyes in annoyance. Mei hadn't seen her teasing the cat with any of her eyes. She was clearly being driven crazy by this little guy. If it weren't for it, she wouldn't have gotten lost or encountered all those strange things. After dealing with Mei, Raven turned her attention to Shen Gonglin. This guy didn't even greet her when he saw her. Honestly, he was even more annoying than that cat. Their relationship... could no longer be described as just ordinary friends.

"Oh, hello Raven... Sometimes, I really wish I could be a cat."

Shen Gonglin casually greeted the Raven, then his gaze was drawn back to the scene before him. The cat that had run past him earlier was now happily jumping into Pardofelis's arms, licking Pardofelis vigorously, making her giggle—on her face, waist, and neck... Shen Gonglin felt a pang of resentment; he wasn't even being treated as well as a cat. He had only just had his tail touched. He wanted to be like that cat, hugging the catgirl and cuddling her endlessly.

... Do you want to become a cat? You're clearly lusting after that catgirl's body, you're despicable!

Raven and Mei were speechless. They knew perfectly well what Jingu Shen Gonglin was thinking. They had already played with her, but this guy was still thinking about it. He really didn't want to be human. Meanwhile, Pardofelis, who was being stared at by the three pairs of eyes, felt embarrassed. This Canned Food was just too clingy.

Yes, that's right. The Canned Food Pardofelis was referring to was this cat.

"Oh, okay, okay, Canned Food, stop fooling around! Mei and her friends are still watching... Ouch, it itches! Stop licking!"

Unable to resist the clingy Canned Food, Pardofelis was pounced on by the cat and licked vigorously. Shen Gonglin looked at the cat with envy, while Raven stared for a while before turning her attention to Mei. This woman is not simple.

"... So, this is... your new friend?"

Raven glanced at Mei. This girl's ability to attract women was as strong as ever. It was no wonder she was a member of Shen Gonglin's group; their abilities were practically identical. For some reason, Raven's tone had become a little sour.

"I guess so, we met by chance on the road."

Mei didn't feel anything was wrong. She thought that being friends... well, she guessed it was fair, since Mei didn't dislike the other person's outgoing personality.

"Canned Food! Be good... Oh dear, is this the friend Mei is looking for? I never expected that she would be with Canned Food. This is truly killing two birds with one stone... No, it's fate, the arrangement of fate!"

Having finally shaken off the clingy kitten, Pardofelis stood in front of Shen Gonglin and the others. When she mentioned killing two birds with one stone, Raven subtly raised her eyebrows. After all, as Raven, she was quite particular about words related to birds. At this moment, Pardofelis casually glanced at Raven's chest. This necklace... Her business acumen seemed to have been awakened.

"Hello! I'm Pardofelis. People don't usually call me by my full name. Some people call me Pardofelis, and some people call me Pardofelis. It's fine either way, whichever you find easier to say."

She greeted Raven happily. Ever since Mei arrived, the whole Elysian Realm has become so lively. Faced with such a lively girl, Raven became interested in the name: Pardofelis. She seemed to have heard it in that shop.

"Pardofelis... you are the owner of the Elysian Realm Shop?"

"That's right, that's right, yes, the last of the thirteen, the weakest in Pardofelis Flame-Chasers the Dream Weaver, without a doubt!"

She gave her self-introduction with great energy, while Raven fell silent again. Raven really didn't know what to say about her self-introduction. The last seat of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers, huh? But judging from her appearance, she seemed quite proud.

"Alright, Pardofelis, the person we're looking for, and the cat you're looking for... are both here. Can you think of a way to get us out of here?"

Finally, we know who the Canned Food refers to. This girl kept it a secret, who knew she was looking for the cat? Anyway, the Raven has finally been found, the goal has been achieved, and we can go back now. Logically speaking, it would be most convenient to have Shen Gonglin, who has mastered the Herrscher of the Void's abilities, take them back. However, based on Mei's understanding of Shen Gonglin, unless it's an emergency, it's best not to let Shen Gonglin use the Herrscher of the Void's abilities.

When it comes to getting lost, Shen Gonglin is probably even better than that cat.

"Want to go out? That's easy. After all, we're business people, and we're quite adept at traveling around... But, hehe, we'll need your cooperation a little."

Chapter Seventeen: The Necklace is Lost

"Cooperate a little?" Mei frowned slightly, while Pardofelis in front of her showed an innocent smile. The cat girl glanced lightly at Raven's neck, then waved at Mei, it was just her habit.

"Well, strictly speaking, this is a trade secret, so... could you three please close your eyes and cover your ears, and not listen or look? It's not that I don't trust you! It's just... you see, this is my skill for making a living. If it were to be leaked by accident, that wouldn't be good, would it?"

Pardofelis scratched her head, a little embarrassed, and Mei nodded knowingly. Well, that's what it means to not trust them, but that's understandable. She wasn't too concerned about Pardofelis's methods for getting them out; as long as they got out successfully, that was fine. She would just do as she said.

"...We'll do as you say."

Standing behind Shen Gonglin, Mei covered his eyes, and Raven shrugged and closed his eyes as well. Seeing this, Pardofelis was very satisfied. Only by closing her eyes could she do what she wanted. Sorry, this is a businessman's instinct. This thing looks like it can sell for a lot of money.

"Alright, now let's get right to Pardofelis's special services. Stay tuned!"

In the darkness, Pardofelis's cheerful voice rang out, followed by a sudden, intense feeling of weightlessness. Having experience with spatial teleportation, Shen Gonglin was very familiar with this sensation and was quite used to it. At the same time, Pardofelis's already somewhat indistinct voice gradually faded away. Just then, Shen Gonglin suddenly felt his neck loosen, but before he could open his eyes, his consciousness had already shifted to another location. What... what happened?

"Phew, hehe, thanks for reviewing! Such a beautiful necklace must sell for a lot of money."

Only Pardofelis remained. The cat-like girl looked at the two necklaces in her hands with great satisfaction. Ah, this is the instinct of a merchant. Take things from others and then make them buy them back. She really is the most qualified merchant.

"You're back... It seems Pardofelis is quite reliable after all." After a moment of confusion, Shen Gonglin, Mei, and Raven returned to the Elysian Realm Hall. Raven explained to Mei what had happened during their separation. Led by that lost cat, she had wandered around the Elysian Realm several times, and this was the result.

"You said you saw a space that looked like a prison..."

After listening to Raven's story, Mei pondered deeply. This prison-like room made Mei think of many things, such as Chakravartin's reaction, Klein's reaction, and that place called the Darkest Place...

"Well, it felt like a prison... I don't know how to describe it, but from the moment I entered, I seemed to have already accepted that it was a prison. But in fact, there was nothing there, just pitch black, except for that mysterious woman."

Raven shrugged. Everything in this Elysian Realm was full of mysteries. There were just too many things that he couldn't understand, so Raven had started to get used to it.

"The woman... Raven, can you recall any more details about that woman?"

The fragmented information was too chaotic. Mei wanted to get more clues, so she tried to get Raven to recall more things. The place she had just been in, if Mei was right, should be the Deepest Place that everyone cared about. Everyone in the entire Elysian Realm was a riddle person. These truths could only be explored by themselves.

"Let me think... Before I completely lost consciousness, she seemed to say something to me, something about me not being the person she was waiting for... and then she handed me something... Ah, I remember now, really, how could I forget that pendant... Hey, where's my neck? No, where's the pendant on my neck?"

Feeling dizzy and lightheaded, Raven wondered how she could have forgotten something so important. She pointed to her neck, but the pendant that should have been hanging there was empty. What happened? It was supposed to be hanging there.

"Huh? My necklace is gone too? It must be quite valuable, how could it just disappear like that?"

At this moment, Shen Gonglin also exclaimed in surprise. He had felt something was off, and after checking, he found that the necklace around his neck was also missing. It was a gift from Anna. Even disregarding the girl's sentiment, the necklace's value alone was enough to make Shen Gonglin feel heartbroken. This guy was just a stingy and petty person. He usually got things from others, so how could anyone take anything from him? Who had the audacity to do that?

"Shen Gonglin, did you lose something too...? Me too. That woman gave me a gold pendant with a rather large sapphire set in it. She said it would help me bring the person she was waiting for to her, though I don't know what that means."

Unexpectedly, Shen Gonglin had also lost something, just like him. Raven rubbed his head, looking troubled. What should he do? How could he have lost that thing? Come to think of it, nothing unusual had happened since he got the necklace, so how could he have lost it?

"Shen Gonglin, don't worry, I have a clue. Also, maybe if we find Raven's necklace, we'll have a chance to visit that prison again."

Mei already had a hunch. Although the situation was still unclear, they happened to know someone who was very good at finding things. Although it was just a guess, Mei felt that she might know where the pendant was now. It seemed she had to go and look for her again.

Pardofelis should be back at her shop by now.

"Alright, Shen Gonglin and I will go over there from here. Raven, you don't seem to be feeling too well, so stay here and rest for a bit."

Having made up her mind, Mei told Raven to rest well, while she took Shen Gonglin to find the person who might know the clues to the necklace. She even stole Shen Gonglin's things. Did she think there were no adults at home?

"Okay, come back soon."

Raven didn't refuse. The well-built mercenary stretched and sat down on the sofa. She really needed to rest. After going to that prison, she felt indescribably tired.

Chapter Eighteen: The Snake Girl

Just as they were about to head to the Elysian Realm Shop again, an incredibly alluring voice suddenly rang out. Mei and Shen Gonglin saw a familiar figure rush in front of them in a flash. Then, Shen Gonglin suddenly felt as if she was being entangled. Then, lightning flashed, and Mei had already drawn her sword and pointed it at herself, or rather, at the beautiful snake coiled around Shen Gonglin.

"Mobius, let go."

Mei said in a serious tone, while Flame-Chasers, who was hugging Shen Gonglin, didn't care at all. His snake eyes looked very cold, but the smile on his face was unusually sweet. Look, who is this?

"Look who's here... Mei, the one who beat Mobius to Mei. Should I call you that now, my cute little guinea pig?"

The person who appeared was none other than the Flame-Chasers marked as infinity. Mobius was wrapped around Shen Gonglin. Although he was in human form, he always gave people the feeling of being entangled by a snake. Shen Gonglin was very uncomfortable with this state, but the girl's fragrance told him that she was a real girl. It seems that Mei and this Mobius do not have a very good relationship.

"And you, I thought I'd never see you again... Oh, she's getting anxious, she's getting anxious, how interesting!"

Mobius gently blew into Shen Gonglin's ear, and when she saw Mei's hand trembling with anger, she became even more excited. So this was how she could provoke Raiden Mei. Mobius was very annoyed by Mei's usual calm demeanor. She just loved teasing her and making her lose her temper. It was so much fun.

"Mobius ... It's rare to see you like this; it feels like it's been ages since I last saw you."

With her purple eyes scanning every weakness, Mei pondered how to strike without directly attacking Mobius's vitals while avoiding Shen Gonglin's attack. Why would this guy show up now? Such malice... truly worthy of her.

"Hmm, I've been quite busy lately, and I've been neglecting you without realizing it~ But... hehe, don't worry, my lovely little guinea pig, even if I don't come to see you anymore, you'll always be my favorite~"

Just by listening to these words, someone who doesn't understand might think that Mei and Mobius have a very good relationship. The Mobius girl winked at Mei, but Mei only saw malice in her eyes. She likes to call herself a guinea pig, and Mei has a very bad liking for Mobius, especially after seeing her hugging Shen Gonglin like this, which made her feel even worse.

Did she want me to stab her dozens of times? Mei wouldn't mind beating Mobius down again.

"Mobius... what are you up to now?"

"Hehe... Don't worry, I just came out to say hello. It has nothing to do with you or that little black mouse. It's just my own business. Besides, what you should be paying more attention to is what's happening in the Elysian Realm, right? Looking at you now... Could it be that she hasn't come to say hello to you yet?"

"Mobius said sarcastically," Mei said, taking a deep breath to calm herself and avoid being swayed by her emotions. This was the mindset needed to communicate with Mobius. Moreover, Mei also somewhat concerned about what Mobius said. It seemed that all the Flame-Chasers in this Elysian Realm knew that someone was about to appear, and this "someone"...

"Who is she?"

Mei spoke up, but Mobius clearly didn't intend to answer Mei's question. The Mobius girl touched her lips; her thin, cherry-like lips looked very alluring. It seemed that the little white mouse's worries were indeed because she hadn't been there before. Well, she wouldn't tell her then.

"Hehe, alright, little guinea pig, don't look at me like that. I'm not telling you. If I expose her tricks before the show even starts... I don't want to argue with that magician over something so trivial... My lovely little guinea pig... Let me see how she makes you look foolish!"

Mobius clearly had no intention of answering Mei's questions, so Mei could only sigh inwardly. She shouldn't have had any expectations; it seemed there was no need to continue communicating with her. She should just focus on what she needed to do first.

"Shen Gonglin, we should go."

Mei said something to Shen Gonglin, and Shen Gonglin understood what Mei meant. To be honest, he was also quite annoyed by Mobius's riddle-solving skills. There is only one appropriate way to deal with this kind of riddle-solving person.

"You're a riddle teller, aren't you? Here's a whack, so keep on with your riddles."

Shen Gonglin suddenly tilted her head back and slammed it into the Mobius's nose. The pain made the girl hide on the ground and tears welled up in her eyes. This guy is so cruel! How could he treat a beautiful girl like this? He has no manners at all.

"Ouch... Your nose is so hard, it hurts so much. Hmph, you think you can make me lose my mind like a little dumpling? How naive! Let me tell you, I grew up eating big meat buns... So, Mei, am I a good girl?"

With a disdainful glance at Mobius, who was squatting on the ground, Shen Gonglin swept her gaze over the girl's meager chest, which was only about the size of the Class President and Bronya. Did she really think she could control herself with that? In front of Mei, Mobius had no advantage over Mei at all. Mei Shen Gonglin demanded a reward from Mei, and Shen Gonglin could only twitch her lips and hug Shen Gonglin. Little dumpling?

Mobius certainly fits that title.

As for herself, she must be the "big meat bun" that Shen Gonglin was talking about. Honestly, this guy really knows how to talk nonsense, making Mei a little embarrassed.

"Okay, okay... we should go now, we should go find a certain thief."

After saying that, Mei took Jingu Shen Gonglin's hand and walked past Mobius. The girl who had been covering her nose earlier finally realized, "Little steamed bun..." Mobius subconsciously looked down at herself, and then she sadly realized that she had no way to refute it. Shen Gonglin was right. Her size really could only be described as a "little steamed bun".

Damn it, if it weren't for dying so many times and my body degenerating into this state, the nickname "Big Meat Bun" would definitely be mine. Look at how smug the little white mouse was just now. Don't worry, one day I'll make her cry so hard she won't be able to cry anymore!

Chapter Nineteen

Continuing deeper into the Elysian Realm, Pardofelis's shop should be on the Elysian Realm level. If I'm not mistaken, Shen Gonglin and Raven's things were probably taken by that sly cat. Right now, Mei feels like a parent taking one brat to another to ask for their goods back. And speaking of which... there are quite a few brats in this Elysian Realm.

"Shen Gonglin, Mobius ... that guy always gives me a bad feeling, that kind of hidden malice, or rather, she never intended to hide it at all. If you come into contact with her, you have to be careful."

Mei warned Mei Shen Gonglin in this way, but she was still quite afraid that Mobius might be interested in Shen Gonglin. After all, those kinds of yandere girls are quite scary, scary in every sense of the word. Some people seem to have a thing for that, so Mei was also quite afraid that Shen Gonglin might have that kind of hobby. You see, that Tokisaki Kurumi, the spirit who occasionally appears next to Shen Gonglin, seems to give people a yandere feeling.

"Hmm... Mei, don't worry, I don't like that type. You need to be more confident, at least you have to live up to your figure. Look at your chest, your waist, and this... Don't worry, Mei, you are a complete savior to Mobius."

Shen Gonglin clearly misunderstood. He reached out and patted Mei's pert little bottom, a gesture that made the girl blush slightly. However, she didn't push Shen Gonglin's hand away; she just glared at him slightly. Who was talking about such things? Besides, she had never lacked confidence, okay? How could a little dumpling like Mobius compare to her? She was talking to Shen Gonglin about something else entirely; who was talking about this?

However, since Shen Gonglin Mei that, Mei felt quite happy.

"Just be careful... Pardofelis's shop is just ahead, be quiet and don't move around... We'll talk about it next time."

Mei opened Shen Gonglin 'Mei hand and could already see the small shop in the distance. Pardofelis was indeed there. Mei adjusted her state and the girl regained the aloof attitude that Herrscher of Thunder should have. Now, except in front of Shen Gonglin, Mei basically maintained this appearance. As soon as she approached the shop, Mei saw the necklace displayed on the shelf.

Just as the Raven described, there was also the heart-shaped pendant hanging next to it, the one Anna gave to Shen Gonglin. Mei had also seen it before. So it really was stolen by this cat girl.

"Hey, isn't this Shen Gonglin and Mei- nee? You're here again! I thought you'd rest for a while after I dropped you off in the lobby before coming here. I didn't expect you to be here so soon. What are you planning to look at today? To be honest, I just finished taking stock of the store's inventory and found some rare items that were left over from a few years ago. I'm about to sell them at a low price. Do you see anything you want?"

The proprietress, Pardofelis, sitting on the shelf, greeted the two cheerfully. The girl's calm demeanor showed no sign of the embarrassment of being confronted by the owner. This Elysian Realm was full of talented people, each with Flame-Chasers personality. As for Pardofelis... Mei didn't know how to describe her.

"Let me see... Hmm, that's right, there are indeed some things here that interest me, such as that heart-shaped necklace and this gold pendant, which are quite unique."

Mei immediately spotted the item on the shelf. After all, it belonged to Shen Gonglin Mei. She knew it very well. To be honest, seeing Shen Gonglin always wearing gifts from other girls around his neck, Mei sometimes felt a little jealous. But since she didn't have anything suitable to give him, she could only acquiesce. Fortunately, Mei didn't seem to have any feelings for that girl named Anna, so Shen Gonglin just put up with it.

"Wow, Mei, you have such good taste! These two pendants were some of the best-selling items back then. I hesitated for a long time before finally keeping them. Legend has it that there is a tragic love story behind these Mei. If you and Shen Gonglin buy them, they will be perfect for you."

Pardofelis made up a story. Mei didn't know anything Mei the Raven necklace, but she said that the necklace Anna gave to Shen Gonglin was the best-selling item back then... and some other ridiculous, tragic love story. Mei was starting to feel annoyed. Pardofelis's behavior reminded Mei of the shady merchants she used to encounter while shopping, always saying things like, "This is the best-selling item. I never bought it before, but I'm giving it to you because we're destined to meet..."

Is this kind of rhetoric commonly used among businessmen?

"Oh, really?"

Shen Gonglin wanted to rush up and take the necklace back, as it was a gift from Anna, but Mei stopped him. She wanted to see what other tricks Pardofelis had up her sleeve.

"Yes, yes, whether it's Flame-Chasers or his successor, everyone should have bought those things that seem useless but just feel strangely familiar, right? That's what you call a connection. You should never miss an opportunity like that, or you'll definitely regret it later."

Pardofelis, true to her business acumen, rattled off sales pitches. "Do you like this? If you do, hurry up and buy it! Otherwise, you'll definitely regret it if someone else buys it. I'm just trying to be helpful."

"Indeed, it does look quite familiar. Putting aside this heart-shaped pendant with the initials 'Nana forever loves Rin' engraved on it, just look at this... I recently promised Raven that I would help her find her lost pendant, a gold pendant with a sapphire inlaid, exactly the same as yours."

Pointing to the pendant over there, Mei was practically an open secret, but Pardofelis remained calm. This was nothing to a qualified businesswoman; one had to be thick-skinned to do good business. A qualified businessman must have the composure to remain unfazed even when faced with adversity.

"Uh... Ah? That's such a coincidence! I didn't expect Raven to like pendants like this too. You have good taste! You have good taste! It seems everyone has the same aesthetic sense when it comes to beautiful things."

Pardofelis continued her rambling with a smile on her face, while Mei watched Pardofelis's performance with her arms crossed. What else did she want to act out? Let's act it out together.

"Hmm, what a coincidence."

Without saying much, Mei just quietly looked at Pardofelis. The girl's gaze made the cat-like girl's skin crawl. Mei, it seems she's not so easy to fool.