Encore: Stories and Accidents

Before seven o'clock in the morning, our Ming De got up on time.

It straightened up from its ornate cat bed, raised its paws high, and then slammed them down, silencing the alarm clock that had just rung its first note.

After removing his nightcap and pajamas, the BOSS still walked upright on both legs to the cabinet's washroom.

--The sinks are one big and one small. It stands in front of the smaller vanity mirror, takes out toothpaste and a toothbrush, and starts fiddling with the brush head with listless eyes, beginning to clean its mouth.

Its movements became slower and slower.

When it raised its head, the image of the Hunter King was reflected in its large, green eyes.

"Wow!~~~~"

The BOSS was terrified, shouting incoherently and dramatically.

"What are you doing here?! I'm not wearing any clothes! Now I'm not clean anymore!!"

The Hunter King also looked listless, like an emotionless digital life form. Her movements were stiff and mechanical. She fiddled with her toothbrush, spitting out foam from her Barry, and answered indistinctly.

"Boss, that joke is so lame."

Ming De didn't care. It shook off its previous boredom, climbed onto the large sink, gripped the small toothbrush with its little paws, and imitated the Hunter King's brushing motions.

The Hunter King looked up, and the other king followed suit.

Hunter King made a move, it followed suit.

Finally, Isoragi Chinatsu was amused by this adorable yet mischievous Little Kitty, and a few bubbles came out of her mouth when she breathed on it while getting her teeth cleaned.

The BOSS also spat out a few bubbles.

This time, however, the Hunter King had left some ammunition uneaten and didn't spit out all the cleaning fluid from her throat. After the BOSS finished spitting out, it was as if her competitive spirit had finally taken over her reason, and she pouted and blew out the last few colorful bubbles.

"Huh?!" The BOSS was extremely surprised, looking at the Hunter King with an incredulous expression.

Before work even begins, Ming De always manages to bring some strange and amusing amusement. This leaves the Hunter King bewildered.

Her memory is poor, which is due to the genetic engineering; her physical body was created for the gods of Shinto City. But at this moment, Aunt Qianxia doesn't think this is a bad thing.

She can no longer recall most of her memories from eight years ago, and can only understand what these long-term memories represent by repeatedly reviewing them through her diary.

She lacks long-term memory, so her thinking and personality differ greatly from those of ordinary people.

Knowing her own identity and position, she could only lock her thoughts within the time frame of the past few years, without any filter of memories.

You know, so many beautiful things have been left in the past.

--It's like the feeling of first love when you have a crush on someone in junior high school.

These memories grow and change along with our brains, and because of the many different versions of processing and the reinforcement of memories at different ages, they are given unique labels.

That's the allure of ghosts—a beautiful illusion living in the past, constantly deceiving our minds and making us mistakenly believe that that era was far better than the present.

It was both unfortunate and coincidental.

The Hunter King was created to provide a physical body for the ghost Shihara Momo. However, it seems she suffers from amnesia and is completely immune to ghosts.

No matter how many times the boss jokes with her, after a while, these cute little rituals will turn into new tricks. In a few months to more than half a year, she will completely forget the experience and rediscover the kindness and malice of the world.

--She will always be eight years old.

"It's a new day again!" Ming De opened his arms, asking the waiter to change his clothes.

The Hunter King asked, "What are you going to wear today?"

The BOSS gave a wicked smile, "Let's have some Japanese street style. I'm going to greet my War King; they just returned from Shinto City. That place is incredibly damp; we can't let cybernetic lifeforms outdo it!"

The Hunter King didn't quite understand, but he took the note from the BOSS and, following the leader's instructions, prepared a simple yet sophisticated set of children's clothes for it.

After changing its clothes, it circled the cabinet twice and finally became captivated by its own beauty. It shook its head and swayed in front of the mirror, its supple body like a nimble snake, grinning smugly.

"Hey hey! Longhua and Yuandu are two streets apart, go ask around and see who's the boss!"

The large mural for the Council of Five Kings has been replaced with the latest version, featuring the heroes from the last harvest season.

The ladies at the boardroom counter had just finished their shift when a burst of loud music started playing, and then they saw the boss start to go crazy.

The boss carried a WALKMAN, his bright yellow baseball cap tilted to one side, his ears standing straight up, a pair of square sunglasses on his face, a big gold chain, a small pocket watch, a baggy T-shirt, and construction pants. He occasionally uttered a few words of rustic, mixed Chinese and English, giving him a retro charm reminiscent of the rural-urban fringe.

While the new female employee was still wondering, the experienced supervisor had already skipped the formalities and started crowing.

"Boss! What are you doing, Boss?!"

"What's wrong with letting loose once in a while?!" Ming De responded to the source of the voice, taking off his sunglasses and giving a flirtatious wink. "KI☆RA!~"

The cat lovers in the front row of the boardroom counter were caught in a curse, frozen in place, unsure of what to say.

The older passenger who was still going through the procedures was even more of a heavyweight; his Madness Index skyrocketed, and then he tilted his head and collapsed into his companion's arms.

Hunter King: "Is this appropriate, Boss?"

"That's what a heartthrob is like!" Ming De laughed smugly. "I don't care at all!"

Taking the elevator, the good cat and its waiter arrived at the platform, waiting for Jiang Xueming and Bu Liuxing's return. In this moment of leisure, Ming De put down his WALKMAN and, to the beat of the music, prepared to dance with the Hunter King.

"Pretty girl! Come on!"

Hunter King: "It's impossible."

BOSS: "Oh! Don't be like that! Don't be shy!"

The Hunter King switched to Japanese: "It's really impossible."

The boss switched to Japanese: "Every day you don't dance is a day you betray life, Ms. Chinatsu!"

Hunter King: "This name sounds unfamiliar to me, BOSS."

So the BOSS stopped talking and just squatted down next to the Hunter King, not moving at all.

When a train passed the platform, the passengers stepped off the platform onto the metal plate. For a moment, they didn't recognize the BOSS. Only when they saw the Hunter King did they hurriedly nod to Ming De and leave the place in a fluster.

Until the train had gone far away and left the platform to go to maintain the railway.

"How should I address you?" The BOSS's tone was deep, and his voice changed to that of a middle-aged man. "The Arcane Library gave me an investigation report. The man who took you away from Shinto City is not Isoragi Meiku. The true leader of the Fēngfēng Battle Group's rapid reaction force may already be dead."

"This guy who infiltrated the Arcane Library is actually a clone. We collected his DNA sample. Your nominal father—based on his telomerase data sampling results—this academician of the think tank is a product of Shinto City."

"He led you out of Shinto City and back to the main family, back to the Igarashi family. From then on, you had family, parents, sisters, and brothers."

"Your social identity is Isoragi Chinatsu. Before every harvest season, my brain always seems to have a little malfunction."

BOSS poked the temple of the man in the baseball cap, then nudged the Hunter King's calf with his forearm.

"So how should I address you? Miss clone, whose memory isn't as good as mine?"

Hunter King: "Just call me Cat Tree."

The boss's tone also became weary and solemn.

"Originally, I used this title to refer to the closest and most trustworthy king when I developed Alzheimer's."

"In my weakest and most powerless darkest moments, their arms and hearts were a source of comfort. When I was reborn, it meant that another half-century had passed. Time would take away their strength, weaken their resolve and will, and even kill them."

"I don't want to accept any of this, you know that, Chika?"

Do you know what that feels like? Can you understand it?

"When I woke up again like a baby, the first thing I saw was an old, frail servant, on the verge of death."

"They were like my second parents, never harboring evil intentions when I was at my weakest, never trying to seize my authority or distort my morality. They continued to accompany me on this journey with the Spirit Elder and the other kings, through countless farewells and endless cycles of reincarnation."

"As more news came back from the TD unknown plot, more and more evidence showed that the person who was by my side day and night was not as calm, indifferent, cruel, and brave as people said, but just a forgetful little fool."

"At the time, I wondered if this job was too tiring for you."

Before the BOSS could finish speaking--

--The Hunter King immediately crouched down next to the Little Kitty and grabbed the boss's arm.

"Don't even think about firing me."

The boss beamed. "Hey! I knew it, I'm a heartthrob!"

"I'm waiting for you to drop your gold coins." The Hunter King mimicked the BOSS's smug, crooked smile and laughed. "Let's see who gets rid of whom."

The boss was utterly shocked. "WTF?"

"I learned it from the War King," the Hunter King said in a low voice. "He told me that if the BOSS says anything strange, he'll start to get dementia again, so I should use these two sentences to stimulate his nerves—it's good for his health."

The boss asked hysterically, "Do you really know what that means?!"

The Hunter King innocently replied, "It seems to be a blessing, but I don't understand Chinese very well."

Boss: "Alright. Okay. That works too."

The Hunter King asked in confusion, "Isn't that what you mean?"

BOSS: "You can't say that."

Hunter King: "Could it be that the War King is wrong?"

BOSS: "It worked really well; I woke up instantly."

Hunter King: "That's good!"

Boss: "So, would you like to dance with me?"

The Hunter King took a deep breath and exhaled after a long while.

Her fingers twirled around her hair again and again, ultimately unsure how to respond to her boss's workplace sexual harassment. But what could she do? He was the heartthrob.

What should I do?

The waiter immediately perked up, and Ming De Tom up and let out a ridiculous howl, just like a little cowboy finally kissing the super green tea Tootles, kissing his way from his arm to his cheek with such joy.

"Come on! Stand up!"

The Hunter King straightened his burgundy tuxedo and stood up with an air of composure.

BOSS pressed play on his WALKMAN, swayed his body to the music, opened and closed his arms, and danced the simplest dance steps. Even disabled people with limited limbs could learn this social dance while pushing their wheelchairs.

The Hunter King has excellent physical coordination. Having taken care of the BOSS for so many years, keeping in sync with the boss, like the little game of brushing teeth in the morning, is the easiest thing for her.

This time, however, she had to open her heart, let go of her shame, abandon her manners, and completely immerse herself in the music. This made her seem somewhat clumsy and powerless.

Just then, Bai Ziqing brought the children to welcome the head of the family.

Xiao Qi saw the Hunter King and the BOSS dancing strangely on the platform from afar. Her eyes lit up and she immediately wanted to transform into a gorilla to defend LeBron James and join in this performance art.

But then she thought about it; her children were all there, and she, as their mother, couldn't be too unrestrained.

Previously, the eldest son, Jiang Zhengyang, often went to play with the BOSS, causing the BOSS a lot of trouble, including but not limited to mysterious behaviors such as sleeping in the BOSS's den, eating the BOSS's food, and playing with the BOSS's stick.

Every time Da Bao was caught and taken home by the lobby manager, Xue Ming and Xiao Qi could only apologize repeatedly. Ming De had so many things to deal with every day, where would he find the time to play with the children?

So she immediately grabbed Da Bao's hand, becoming dignified and composed, no longer acting erratically as before.

The BOSS waved its paw at the family, gesturing, "Come on! You come too!"

Xiao Qi looked around nervously, as if she were a thief. "Really?"

Boss: "Like a little kid! Don't be shy! Today is the day to dance!"

Jiang Zheng was the most sensible of the babies. Seeing that her mother was embarrassed, she pulled her second and third brothers and ran to the platform together.

Xiao Qi quickly followed and joined the celebration, which made no sense and didn't need any reason.

Just like how shooting stars address their friends and family, everyone dances and calls out their own names.

There are no art police officers here, nor music theory experts; there is only happiness.

The boss has to look up to see Chinatsu's eyes and her arms swaying gently to the music. When she spins around, the scissor-shaped hem of her dress looks like a rose. When she returns to her original position, Chinatsu inexplicably starts to laugh.

"Isn't that amazing?! My waiter!"

The Hunter King's forehead was covered in a fine layer of sweat as he answered loudly, "Yes! It's truly amazing!"

The BOSS said with great enthusiasm, "A long, long time ago! A long, long time ago!"

"Music and dance existed even before written language."

"People used dancing to perform sacrificial rituals; nobody knew why, and nobody cared why."

"Simply moving your legs and twisting your waist can open the door to your heart—it's incredibly powerful magic!"

They were simply dancing, not caring what the audience thought.

But here, the romantic story turns into a laughable and tragic accident.

As BOSS said, it specifically selected some very simple, upbeat dance music so that even people with hemiplegia can participate in this carnival.

David Victor pushed a wheelchair made by his students onto the unlit dance floor, completely unconcerned about the astonished and strange looks from the Red Stone People.

He was simply trying to prove something; the high-raised footboard and the thick casts on his legs seemed to tell a silent story and an accident.

Mr. Victor asked in a serious tone, "Why are you all looking at me like that?"

The boss was seething with anger, but he had to hold it in.

--It's probably meant to say something like, "[Victor, your leg got broken by the waiter again]," an old joke related to the Kong Yiji style, but at this moment, none of that matters.

Because the train has already entered the station, this time it is indeed the nameless heroes who are returning to the Nine Realms, returning to the side of Ming De.

Once again, the romantic story is escalating into an even more tragic accident.

Jiang Xueming was the first to step off the train. He saw his eldest son dancing with the boss from afar, and his expression turned serious. He looked like a stern and unsmiling father, which was both endearing and displeasing.

When he returned to the solid platform and stood before Jiang Zhengyang took the initiative to protect the BOSS, acting as if the villain was the one who had accused him first.

"This has nothing to do with the good cat! I'll take responsibility for my own actions! Dad, please don't blame it!"

Jiang Xueming didn't know what to say. This child had always been like this, and when it came to telling strange things, he was much better than his father.

Before Zhengyang could finish his righteous speech, he immediately pulled his second and third brothers in as shields.

"I know! I know you're angry, Dad! But..."

"You're a grown-up! Adults shouldn't bully little kids, right!?"

Jiang Zhengyang pushed his second and third brothers in front of him.

"--You can hurt me, but you can't hurt my brothers!"

The boy's expression changed instantly, from a tense look to a grin.

"Please don't touch me, okay?"

Xue Ming covered her face. "Hahahaha!"

Xiao Qi covered her face, not knowing what to say, "Hahahahahaha!"

This incident escalated again under Luo Ping'an's guidance, and the reason is quite simple.

The Daoist priest crept up to Ming De, feeling guilty, and whispered among himself.

"Boss Cat, something unexpected happened during our trip to Shinto City."

Ming De: "It's alright, I understand. The journey is arduous and long, so losses are inevitable. Just name your price."

Luo Ping'an dawdled for a while, and finally pulled out half a flying sword and the broken Hunting Goddess from his wide sleeves.

"It wasn't a big deal, just all of the nameless man's clubs. Except for my apprentice's club, which didn't get a chance to cause any trouble—or rather, didn't get a chance to be loyal, so it survived—almost everyone else was wiped out. As for Mingde's remains..."

The boss blinked and interrupted, "What do you mean?"

Luo Ping'an took out three Coca-Cola bottles from his pocket, unscrewed the caps, and showed them to the BOSS.

"Could you please grow three more? Then I can redeem the prize?"

The BOSS immediately transformed into a look of utter despair and utter hopelessness.

Bu Liuxing burst into laughter as soon as he got out of the car.

The boss, enraged, shouted, "What are you laughing at!"

A Xing immediately stopped smiling, but the corners of her mouth still couldn't help but curl upwards.

Boss: "You're clearly smiling! Stop pretending!?"

After thinking for a long time, A Xing finally came up with a suitable excuse.

"I'm getting married, Boss!"