Vol.1 Obedience

In the Bu Family, Xiao Qi had just brought the children home when she heard the news that her husband was going on another long trip. She wasn't happy. She took Xue Ming to the glass greenhouse, away from others, and asked in a low voice.

Are you going on another long trip?

Jiang Xueming: "Hmm."

Bai Ziqing: "Going alone?"

Jiang Xueming: "I probably won't invite Meteor; it'll just be me."

Bai Ziqing: "To hell with that unknown area more than 180 kilometers outside of Mimir Hot Spring Market?"

Jiang Xueming: "Yes."

Bai Ziqing: "Have you discussed this with the BOSS?"

Just like in every movie, before our male protagonist does something big, there's always a nagging wife who comes to block his way.

When you're in a five-player squad and you're prepared to take on five opponents, your teammates will encourage you with signals and try to provoke you with all sorts of question marks.

Seventh Sister is different; she really steps up when something happens.

--Exploration missions involving unknown territories are extremely dangerous. Unless you are a VIP with deep expertise in a particular area, venturing into unknown territories without authorization is an adventure with a nine-out-of-ten chance of death.

"The boss approved the document for me; he trusts me." Jiang Xueming put his arm around his wife's shoulder and gently stroked Xiao Qi's face. "You have to trust me too."

"Just for a gun?" Xiao Qi frowned, not understanding Xue Ming's intentions. "You don't need to go to this extent. We're heading to Shambhala between July and September this year. If anything happens to you, Wuming can't take the responsibility."

"And"

At this point, Xiao Qi became emotional.

"You don't need to risk your life for this father and daughter! They need to learn to help themselves, don't they? Wouldn't it be better to let someone else handle this? Why not let Hasben and Quick Knife's field agents do it?"

"Quick Blade has already gone through far too much." Jiang Xueming thought of the torment that Brother Bei Chen had suffered. After the Quick Blade brothers retired, most of the lucky survivors suffered from mental illness. In the post-war peacetime, the organization did not need to expand and did not have many people available.

Besides that, there's another thing—

"--I saw my stick at the exhibition, but Berloberg didn't respond to me."

Xue Ming explained with utmost seriousness.

"This sword has fought alongside me for ten long years. The spirit that used to shine with an expression on its blade is gone. It was defeated by the swift ninja of Shinto City and seems to have fallen into a slump, never to be awakened again. The Arcane Library and the spirit mediums and prop specialists of the Celestial Pivot both believe this—we must bring it back to the Elf Holy Land."

"The clubs made by Ming De all possess spirits; they are the passengers' first teachers. They come from there."

As he said this, Xue Ming took out a rusty sword hilt from his doctor's bag. It was the remains of Berloberg, a scrap of iron from the White God's Sword.

It was once a poorly made work by Mingde, the Unworthy Work, but it was transformed into a gleaming blade by the hands of the craftsman of the Dead Puppet Agency.

Today, when Jiang Xueming grasps it again and calls to it, it offers no response, not even a hint of its usual quirky expression. Only the lingering warmth of about forty degrees Celsius at the hilt proves that this spirit is still "alive"—still residing within this piece of steel.

This "cold" weapon is the key to Xue Ming and Liu Xing's demon-slaying adventures. Its temperature exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius can destroy the armor of most carbon-based creatures in the underground world and can directly kill the Vita Imprint. It also contains a portion of Ming De's bones and is a symbol of the Senate, which must not be discarded casually.

Regarding the new Mingde remains, the purification process for the plague bones will still take some time. Xue Ming does not intend to give up the elven companions in the old items. In other words, Jamie and Benni's request is just a side quest. In order to cure Benni's illness, the Elf Holy Land may be able to provide some natural spirits to fill the poor girl's body - reawakening Berloberg is his main purpose.

"Alright then." After understanding the situation, Xiao Qi immediately said, "I'll go with you; I'm your attendant now."

"No!" Jiang Xueming immediately stopped him. "You are now the mistress of the Nameless Clan, and we agreed before that you cannot come with me unless I ring the bell myself."

To outsiders, the gunsmith's funeral had just been held, and no matter how much 9527 tried to disguise herself, she couldn't escape the eyes of the station's VIPs. Her identity was a symbol—if she got too close to Dr. Zhang Congfeng, the lie would be impossible to keep.

During the expedition, Jiang Xueming and Xiao Qi had discussed family rules.

Men should venture out into the world, while women must stay at home.

Children can lose a father, but they absolutely cannot lose both parents at the same time. If the mother also dies, Xue Ming it hard to imagine what the result would be if the abundant vital energy within these children were to possess such immense destructive power.

He is no longer alone. His family not only possesses wealth but also intangible power. Even though the name of the gunsmith is dead, for the four siblings Jiang Bai, Jiang Zhengyang, Bai Zhenzhen, and Zheng'er, their starting point is far beyond that of ordinary people, and the energy they possess is enormous.

Without parental guidance, can these children be led to the right path by Meteor and Victor as their godfathers and foster fathers, or by Master Daoist Master Ping'an's physical discipline? It's impossible. The curse of materialism will turn these children into demons first.

Similarly, while the woman ventured out, Xue Ming would stay home unless summoned by the Summoning Bell; it was a reciprocal arrangement. This was a customary rule between the couple during the war years. If one of them died and couldn't defeat the Madness Butterfly, Jiang Xueming's children could follow in their footsteps, becoming new warriors under the education of a single-parent family. If both parents died, these children would likely lose their fighting spirit and fall completely into the abyss of despair.

"I understand, I get it." Bai Ziqing finally relented. "Don't worry about things at home."

Xue Ming took out the other four Steel Heart and handed the rings to his wife. At first, he was a little confused as to why Lingweng had just forged eight rings, and these ordinary platinum rings could be divided among the four children—now there seemed to be a new explanation.

"They're gone."

Xiao Qi didn't say much. Just like before the journey to the Dead Puppet Agency, she held a lunchbox and told her husband to continue practicing his skills and building up his strength, so that the emaciated Doctor Zhang could be transformed back into the strong and healthy Jiang Xueming.

She didn't speak, but followed her husband out of the compound and to the gate. After walking about a hundred meters, she first walked slowly, then took Xue Ming's arm—she used to be unable to hold hands with him because holding Xue Ming hand would subject her to the influence of Fragrant Dream. Even during intimate moments between husband and wife, Xue Ming had to wear gloves, which almost drove this female hooligan crazy.

She later saw Xue Ming get on his motorcycle, and she quickly ran a few steps, but began to pant. She finally realized that she was thirty years old and could no longer run more than 800 meters at full speed continuously.

She yelled, "You fucking get me a different car! Motorcycles are banned in Hong Kong!"

Xue Ming finally snapped out of his daze, drove the motorcycle back to the gate, and exclaimed, "Oh! Oh oh oh!"

Xiao Qi didn't know what to say. This motorcycle was her tool for grocery shopping. She usually drove around the southern part of the city and didn't go to the Hung Hom Cross-Harbour Tunnel. This area was always congested, so using a motorcycle was much more convenient.

"Be careful." Xiao Qi handed the Volga's car keys to her husband.

Xue Ming got the key, opened her arms, and wanted a hug.

Xiao Qi immediately cheered up; she was like a child who had received candy—happiness is always so simple.

Xue Ming and her lover embraced and kissed tightly. At that moment, Fragrant Dream, holding the arm of the ruthless killer, floated beside the lovers.

The two cats were also embracing each other, their spirits corresponding to their physical forms, seemingly never wanting to be separated.

SCK took a deep breath into SD's cat mouth, and the once clear eyes of the Fragrant Dream instantly became cloudy, as if they had been sucked dry by a malevolent force. The cat immediately turned gray and old, and the catwoman gave it a flirtatious wink, and the old cat immediately became energetic and radiant.

Only when the poor Fragrant Dream turned into a foolish donkey, and the catwoman in the pink leather jacket played with the steel cat's lips and teeth, pulling out its tongue, rolling it around, flattening it, and finally flicking it back in, was it satisfied and happily crawled back into Xiao Qi's body.

Xiao Qi and Xue Ming watched this scene, unsure of what to say.

Sometimes they don't even recognize their own hearts; they say one thing and mean another.

It seems that Bai Ziqing has been thoroughly captivated by this cold-faced demon, but the lighthearted comedy expressed by the spirits completely contradicts this logic. Fragrant Dream are manipulated by the ruthless killer, or perhaps they are mutually attracted, showcasing this ambiguous little game.

Every time Xue Ming sees her lover, she feels like she's always twenty-one. "Let's go!"

"Okay!" Xiao Qi grinned, "Just ring the bell if you need anything!"

Xue Ming closed the car window and gave a reply.

"I can ring the bell the fastest in the world, and I can scream for help faster than anyone else, so don't worry."

Let's return to Mimir Hot Spring Market, back to the freight station's departure point. There's a direct line from here to the outskirts of the Elf Holy Land Sanctuary, a large settlement.

Before setting off, Xue Ming took Jamie and his daughter to a VIP studio, who was also a specialist from Mimir Hot Spring Market to explore the unknown lands of the Elf Holy Land.

The freight station made a special metal case for this VIP, which contained many books.

Jamie and Benni were immediately dazzled by the various food-themed paintings as they entered. Xue Ming was also curious about what kind of companions the boss had arranged for them on this trip.

"Don't touch other people's things." Jamie scolded his daughter Benni as he pulled her along, and they found a place to sit down.

Xue Ming explained to the two guests, "This VIP is a gourmet from the Mimir Hot Spring Market. He's responsible for our food safety and planning our travel route. I'm not familiar with this area, so he'll take care of our food, lodging, and transportation along the way."

Approaching the workbench, Xue Ming took a business card from the table.

"--His name is Oscar, he's from the same hometown as me, and he has a Chinese name, Zhou Jun. You can call him Brother Jun, or you can call him by his English name."

Just then, a cough came from outside the tin-roofed box house, as if the main character was about to make his appearance.

"Ah, well."

First, a thick northern accent popped out, and then half a wolf's kiss was seen sticking out of the door.

This "handsome guy" squeezed through the door, his ears drooping, and he looked exactly like a hybrid of a monster and a calamity beast.

He was dressed in a navy blue suit. The BOSS had arranged for him to be a guest, which was why he was dressed so respectably. The symptoms of his bestiality were not severe. His hands and feet still retained a human shape, but his head and chest had become highly wolf-like.

Benni was terrified, her face turning pale. She could smell a strong pheromone emanating from this VIP—he was the offspring of the Qingjin Wolf Mother. For a hybrid of the Calamity Beasts, even just his breath gave her an unbearable headache.

"Doctor Zhang, right?" Oscar Jun greeted him warmly as he entered, offering a handshake. "Oh, these two are the patients?"

Xue Ming pointed at Benni: "Just this one, there aren't two patients."

"Hey hey! Look at my memory, I hate looking at documents the most, sorry!" Jun quickly laughed it off, one hand behind his head, the other still tightly gripping Doctor Zhang's fleshy hand, seemingly a little unhappy about touching the glove.

This wolf mother's child is quite special. Unlike 3301 and Bloodhound, he cannot transform back into human form. He was originally a wild beast, and like Anna's alter ego, he gradually transformed into a human-like dog by consuming White Lady's products.

If the nameless military dog lives long enough, one day it too can become like Oscar, drinking White Lady's soy milk and turning into a hybrid of a monster and a monstrous creature.

Looking at this handsome guy, he's a good 2.4 meters tall, a burly physique left over from his time as a wolfhound. He looks just like a werewolf from mythical legends, but his eyes reveal a kind of innocence untouched by the harsh realities of society, a foolishness uncorrupted by intelligence. The whole dog-headed man is very easygoing; he was about to take off his shoes as soon as he sat down, returning to the studio as fresh and natural as returning home.

"Um, when do we leave?"

Xue Ming said, embarrassed, "I thought that Qingjin's child should also be Qingjin."

"Hey! My mom raised me naturally after giving birth to me," Oscar said, hugging one leg as he recounted his family history. "The wolf mother had so many cubs, how could she possibly feed them all! Don't be shy! My adoptive parents are both from the North! They're so kind to me! Doctor Zhang, where are you from? If you're not in a hurry, how about we find a bathhouse and have a good chat?"

"Uh, I'm from Brenwell," Xue Ming replied awkwardly, finally realizing his mistake. "Stop scrubbing me, let's leave today."

"Um, well, that girl..." Oscar pointed at the shivering Benni: "I didn't turn on the air conditioning in my room, why are you shivering?"

"Perhaps it was your spiritual pressure and pheromones that triggered her reaction; she had already lost a part of her spiritual body," Xue Ming explained.

"Oh! Look at my brain! I'm so forgetful all day, all I think about is food!" Oscar slapped his forehead and quickly went to the locker to find a spirit garment and wrapped it around Benni.

Little Benni finally showed signs of improvement, and under the protection of the spirit garment, she gradually regained her senses.

Xue Ming then casually mentioned Oscar's background.

"--Are you Red Stone People?"

"Of course," Oscar said with a hint of pride. "Me! A real man fights! Of course, it's the Red Stone People!"

Xue Ming: "Oh, I originally thought that a unit with a lapis lazuli hybrid blood transfusion like yours would work in Balason. I didn't expect to find one in Mimir Hot Spring Market."

Before Xue Ming finish speaking, Oscar, with his impatient nature, immediately interrupted.

"--Isn't this just a stereotype? Although my family didn't quite agree, saying that ancestral laws can't be changed. When they took me back, I was still a puppy! Women weren't allowed to sit at the table to eat unless they were civil servants. I thought to myself, what kind of outdated tradition is this? After I got human form, I insisted on trying out the Red Stone, and so, the Spirit Elder sent me here!"

"Hehe... heh." Xue Ming laughed awkwardly.

"Hey! Let's not talk about that." Oscar quickly stood up and served tea and water to everyone, showing no VIP airs whatsoever, but rather the attitude of a friendly older brother. "Have it while it's hot. This is a local insect sap drink from Mimir/Mim, a new product I recently developed. It's non-toxic; I've tested it with Soul Power."

Jiang Xueming brought over a steaming hot drink made from insect residue. Looking down, he saw several bubbles rising from the yellowish mud. When they burst, he could even see bursts of psionic energy. He couldn't help but feel a little ashamed.

The mission briefing's partner information reveals this VIP's psionic traits. Oscar's Soul Might isn't particularly suited for combat—its unique ability is the capacity to discern the basic attributes of ingredients, a trait that's crucial in the Mimir Hot Spring Market.

This VIP is stationed here to help the locals distinguish the meat of the calamity beasts and taste various poisons and foods. On the journey to the Elf Sanctuary, there are many descendants of mountain trolls. By making good use of poisons and foods, Oscar can turn bad luck into good.

The documents and books in the container are recipes, food ingredients, poisons, and methods of cooking that Oscar has recorded over the years.

The Lapis Lazuli Guards are all excellent cooks. Jason Megan's culinary skills reached a new level after becoming a Lapis Lazuli. Their noses are more sensitive than humans', and they have superb skills in controlling the heat and selecting ingredients.

"What are you standing there for? Drink up!" Oscar, getting a little annoyed when he saw that none of the guests were responding.

Jiang Xueming set an example by smelling the fishy, pungent smell of protein in the cup, holding his breath, and tilting his head back to drink it down.

The taste was strange; many chitinous shells were ground into powder, like mud flowing over the tongue. They squeezed between the lips and teeth, and along with the surging tide of psionic energy, they rushed into the gaps between the teeth, as if giving the teeth a thorough cleaning operation inside and out.

The sticky insect slurry went down his throat, leaving a slightly sweet taste on the tip of his tongue, then turning bitter in the middle, and finally intensely spicy at the back of his tongue, causing Xue Ming's eyes to turn red. After finishing the entire bottle, he felt a rush of wind through his ears, from his nasal cavity to his ears, and then to the tear ducts in his eyes, as a strong, gust of wind blew out, making him feel much more refreshed.

"Giggle giggle da da da da giggle giggle giggle giggle giggle."

Xue Ming was about to speak when she realized her tongue was no longer obeying her commands.

"Giggle giggle giggle crunchy crunchy."

It was a strange sound, like a mallet knocking on a door.

"You've learned a new language," Oscar explained. "Our first stop on our way to the Elf Sanctuary is to have a good chat with a bunch of ladybugs—this is the insect-language drink I made."

Jiang Xueming looked surprised, feeling a numbness and pain in her tongue, and sweat pouring down her neck.

Oscar took out a bottle of all-purpose lotion, which was a 5% concentration of White Lady's products. He fed it to Xue Ming, and soon Xue Ming was able to speak again.

"This is amazing."

"Hey! A piece of cake!" Oscar felt incredibly smug. "I have other amazing skills too! You guys better keep your eyes peeled in the coming days!"

Before Jamie and his daughter could even take a sip of their drinks, another dog's head popped out from outside the metal box.

That's Oscar's wife, and also a lapis lazuli wolf.

"Why! You didn't wash the dishes!"

Upon hearing the command, Oscar immediately stood up straight, his back creaking as he jerked from his chair, his head nearly hitting the metal box.

"Your sister-in-law wants you to wash the dishes?" Xue Ming asked with a puzzled expression.

"Hey! Let me tell you, this is how she shows she loves me!" Oscar, the handsome guy, immediately explained, "Me, a grown man! Would I do something so degrading? Who am I!? A VIP of the Abyssal Railway! Me? Washing dishes? Humph! Humph!"

"Hasn't the weather been particularly dry lately?"

"I know my wife knows my hands have bad skin, so she moisturizes them for me."

Oscar explained as he moved toward the door.

He responded to Dr. Zhang Congfeng's questions with an air of seriousness.

"Normally at home, I'm the head of the household, so my status is very high! If I tell her to go east, she wouldn't dare go west! You guys wait a minute! I'm going to get a hand treatment and I'll be right back. I'll demonstrate one for you now!"

"Lani! Lani!"

Oscar clung to the doorframe, calling out his wife's name.

"Lani! The tailor shop at the west end of town! What kind of dress do you like? I'll buy it for you right now! Go try it on! Right now! Immediately! Go try it on!"

Mrs. Lani immediately replied, "Okay, honey!"

Oscar immediately turned around and flashed a confident smile at the guests.

"Did you see that?! Did you see that?! Did you see that?! That's what you call obedience! Isn't that amazing? Isn't that amazing, Jun-ge?!"