Vol·22 [COVERS THE CITY-NEW TREASURE ISLAND]

The Volga crashed into the equally dark road.

In this vast, desolate wilderness where one might run to death looking at the mountain, far, far ahead lie brightly lit office buildings and a bus stop.

The GPS signal was intermittent, and the car's multimedia panel lost internet access, so I couldn't listen to music.

Jiang Xueming looked at the lights outside the window. The streetlights flashed by every few hundred meters, making him feel extremely depressed.

The Volga still resembles a submarine in the deep sea, about to surface. In the rearview mirror, one can see the shimmering lights twisting and deforming in the vortex as hot and cold air collide.

Xue Ming remembered seeing another car, covered in blood, coming from this strange city, about 400 meters ahead near the transformer cabinet—and then he rang the Summoning Bell.

The date is August 14th.

Four thirty-three in the morning.

The general office of the armed employees is located on the first floor.

Officer Jessica stamped the two passengers' identification documents with the "Clear" seal on the [Dead Puppet Agency] mission stamp, signifying the end of the mission.

"We're on holiday!" A Xing cheered, raising his hand.

9527 breathed a sigh of relief. This was her first time being summoned, and she hadn't expected it to be so simple.

As she was leaving, Jessica looked longingly at the two passengers, at 9527, and at the three little ones.

She followed them all the way to the station, leaving the weapons and equipment in the newly renovated office.

She helped Seventh Brother push the motorcycle onto the train's freight car. She also took the keys to the large truck from Seventh Brother, and her phone now had several new contacts—the contact information for vegetable farmers and vendors at the nearby trade hub.

To be honest, Commander Jessica was quite flustered. She hadn't been of much help along the way, and as for the duties of an armed employee, there wasn't much to do.

That Bu Liuxing could grit his teeth and, with a little effort, smash through a wall; even with a ruptured Achilles tendon in his calf, he could still kick someone's head off.

Needless to say, Jiang Xueming is another story.

The waiters at the station were efficient, good-looking, and so young!

So, so young.

"Hmm," Jessica thought back to her uncleaned office and dormitory, feeling that she had become increasingly lazy over the past thirty years.

"How about we spend some more time with Commander Jessica?" 9527 had sharp eyes and was very good at reading people.

"I'm hungry! There's McDonald's's at the station! Let's go!" Bu Liuxing's acting was so natural, without any technique, it was all emotion.

Jiang Xueming took Jessica's arm, showing that even the most cold-blooded person has a warm side. "Have some breakfast before you go."

Jessica followed in a daze, her mind filled with memories of the discipline the boss inflicted on his armed employees when she joined the station at the age of nineteen.

A good cat once said...

--Every armed employee on duty at the Spirit Calamity site is the primary ferryman for the souls of passengers and local residents. When passengers lose their way and residents suffer from the Spirit Calamity, the armed employees must take on the responsibility of guiding them and providing disaster relief.

But Jessica felt that she was hardly a soul ferryman; she was more like a soul slacker.

At this moment, she truly understood why the family, loved ones, and benefactors in the Sixteenth Building so desperately wanted outsiders to stay, to live in that community forever, and to continue living with them.

Only when it's time for the most heartfelt farewell do we realize how reluctant our minds and hearts are to part with these new friends.

The more she thought about it, the sadder she became, and tears welled up in her eyes.

After all, this isn't someone you see every few days; it's someone you might only see once in your entire life.

It's like boarding a train; every stranger you meet may be someone you'll never see again in this life or the next.

The four of them burst into the McDonald's's lobby, rushed to the counter amidst the strange looks from other customers, and ordered three meals.

Jessica didn't order any food because she wished time would slow down, just a little bit more.

Until the waiter started to get impatient--

--Until Jiang Xueming, who had previously worked as a waiter, ordered food for Commander Jessica.

"I'm going to the restroom, I'll be right back." Xue Ming led Officer Jessica to a seat by the window and then left.

The train outside the window slowly pulled away, bringing with it crimson steam and a fierce wind.

Jessica breathed heavily, remaining silent, trying to grasp every moment of reality and not think about anything that might distract her.

The aroma wafted from the kitchen. The diners remained silent, divided into groups of three or five, like isolated islands, quietly finishing their meals before continuing on their journeys to their respective destinations.

Bu Liuxing's eyes were fixed on the food serving area, filled with both patience and anticipation.

The waitress was looking down at her phone while simultaneously using Taobao to take a picture of a similar style of pyroxene ring on her hand. She was acting strangely, sometimes laughing, sometimes getting angry.

Jessica sidled up to Seven to take a look.

--There are many items on my phone that look similar to [Steel Heart], some cheap and some very expensive.

Seventh Brother gets angry when he sees cheap treasures, but laughs out loud when he sees incredibly expensive collectibles.

That feeling is very similar to the superstitious belief that a twitching left eye means good fortune and a twitching right eye means good luck.

--These people are really strange.

Jessica pursed her lips and tugged at 9527's sleeve, "Master, Master."

Seventh Brother turned his head and asked, "What's the matter?"

Jessica was very timid and respectful, greeting them in Japanese, "Will we... meet again?"

As soon as she asked that question, Jessica couldn't hold back at all. She burst into tears just like when you were a kid and got a 59 on a math test and went home to see your parents. It was that kind of complicated emotion—the feeling of not being able to pass a word problem even if you had just written one more equal sign.

"Uh," 9527 hesitated, then busied himself pulling tissues from the paper basket on the table to wipe away the tears of this seemingly young "old auntie."

"I have so much to say..." Jessica fanned her face to clear her throat; she felt her nose was stuffy and her eyes were burning. "I'm not very good with words; my Japanese is all convoluted and I can't express myself well in Chinese."

"Mr. Bu Liuxing!" 9527 immediately ordered, "Give our Commander Jessica a performance!"

After thinking for a while, A Xing suddenly pretended to be a school bully and made all sorts of strange hand gestures at Jessica.

"Yo yo yo! Jessica! Boss and I made plans to throw a party at the Tulip Bar when we get back! A large portion of the fun-loving people at the station will be there! ~Guess who we didn't invite?~"

9527 was completely bewildered. "What kind of lousy work have you done?"

"You bunch of bastards! Hahaha! Hahahaha!" Jessica immediately stopped crying, her spirits lifted, and she said fiercely, "You just wait! I'll definitely get my revenge! I'm going to have a party with everyone! I'm going to have a blast! I'm going to take pictures for you to see! You'll be so jealous!"

"We've got a deal! Ms. Jessica!" Bu Liuxing mimicked the cold and serious demeanor of Teacher Victor: "This is your [Tournament·Knight Duel] with me. The loser will be subjected to this kind of verbal abuse, similar to school bullying—oh my god, I can't hold it in anymore, hahahahaha! How did Teacher Victor manage to do that? How did he manage to say all those hilarious things with such a cool and collected expression?!"

9527 stared at Bu Liuxing with disbelief in his eyes, thinking, "Can someone really make a girl happy like that?"

Just then, Jiang Xueming returned carrying a tray in one hand and a takeout box in the other.

He first pushed the plate in front of Jessica and said something expressionlessly.

"A surprise for you."

Then push the packaging box over as well.

"A surprise for Nanami."

Those were two servings of freshly fried rice with eggs, not leftovers from the previous day.

9527 sensed something was wrong and quickly glanced at Jessica, ready to grab a tissue to cover her tearful eyes at any moment.

Jessica pursed her lips and clenched her two little fists, almost turning into the "super awesome" emoji from a rage comic.

"YA☆DA☆ZE! I don't know where you got this habit of making excuses to go to the bathroom but actually cooking! But... but it's so good! Well done! You did a great job!"

Six merciless diversion gates separated them.

Just like when Professor Victor parted ways--

--Ah A Xing waved his arms vigorously and shouted loudly.

"Sir! Commander Nanami! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! -- Remember! You're still young! You're far from becoming a gloomy adult!"

"Jessica!" Jessica turned around, a little clumsy from not quite used to her sisters' bodies, and shouted with the same volume and enthusiasm, "It's Jessica! -- You two should keep in touch! I! We have internet at home! I can surf the web!"

"Okay! I won't forget you!" A Xing shouted loudly, "Sir! Don't worry! If I had children, I would never let them become armed personnel! If they disobey, I'd break their legs! I wouldn't waste several lives like that!"

"Hahahaha!" Jessica burst into laughter, "Hahahahahaha!"

A Xing kept crying, and both of his hands were covered in something. Seventh Brother and Xue Ming each took care of the precious apple cheeks of this little darling.

"Sir! What's your zodiac sign?"

Before he could finish asking --

Jessica didn't answer, nor did she say goodbye.

They disappeared in a flash.

The three boarded the train for their return journey.

Jiang Xueming opened her phone and wrote it down on a notepad.

"We gave Commander Jessica many, many insignificant gifts."

"When I first met her, she seemed like someone who would be easy to deal with."

"But after spending so much time together, it's hard not to feel a sense of loss. It seems that in just twenty-four days, we've already incurred an inextricable debt of grievances—after all, I don't have any Brilliant Stone coins, and I'm not mentally prepared for the messy debt that Seventh Brother bought. I don't have the courage to ask about it."

"If what Commander Jessica said is true, then she really didn't save a single penny in these thirty years, and I have no way to pass on this debt. In the end, it's like this diversion gate—"

"--Asaka Jessica is a fugitive from a Western movie, a cunning femme fatale who abandoned her two unsuspecting partners to live her carefree life."

He pressed the save button, and when he looked up, he saw Seventh Brother grinning foolishly.

So Xue Ming asked, "Is there something on my face?"

Seventh Brother's face flushed crimson. "You looked so beautiful when you smiled just now."

Jiang Xueming didn't know how to answer that question.

So he stopped answering.

In this ambiguous yet warm atmosphere, she suddenly stood up and tried to run away.

"I want to leave for a while and go check out the VIP carriages, maybe try my luck."

A Xing excitedly followed, shouting, "Together! Together!"

"Then I'll watch your luggage." 9527 grinned, her little tiger teeth gleaming in the light of the railway signal lights outside the window—she rested her chin on her hand, looking at the scenery outside the window, completely unconcerned.

She knew that this little cake wasn't quite fully prepared yet, but there were plenty of opportunities—taking it slow would be faster.

Xue Ming and Liuxing went to other carriages.

Upon reaching the connecting passage between the second and third carriages, Jiang Xueming felt as if he had been taken off an execution ground, and cold sweat immediately broke out on his brow.

Bu Liuxing looked extremely anxious—he had never seen his elder brother Xue Ming so panicked before.

"What's going on? Ming Ge? Are there enemies? Is there danger? Why can't I Inspiration?!"

"Yes." Jiang Xueming frowned, glancing sideways at the car door behind him. "I felt like someone was gripping my throat tightly. Just now 9527, it seemed like she used some kind of evil magic on me. That feeling made me very uneasy."

Bu Liuxing didn't understand for a moment.

"Ah?"

"Besides feeling that deadly threat by Bailu's bedside, just now, that woman said a few words to me, and I could clearly feel my heart rate changing rapidly. It was terrifying, I was so scared." Jiang Xueming pulled A Xing along and quickly walked forward—as if some ferocious beast was locked up in the carriage behind them.

A Xing Xue Ming dragged him along, Ah Xing shouted, "Hey! Ming Ge! You... you've really fallen for him!"

"No, I suspect she poisoned me. Let's go to the dining car and get some White Lady's Coffee! Be careful when you're out and about!" Jiang Xueming's expression didn't seem like he was joking. "Before becoming a waiter, 9527 was, after all, a passenger who underwent three transformations. I wouldn't be surprised if she used some strange evil magic."

As he said this, he noticed the Steel Heart on his right ring finger was glowing, like a heartbeat—and then he took off the ring and hid it away.

As Jiang Xueming described, he did indeed make two cups of White Lady coffee in the dining car. Looking at the coffee can still holding more than half of the stock, he felt inexplicably grateful and regretted not having had a chance to Victor Teacher Victor more.

These weaker versions of the Universal Elixir are really effective. Although they are more troublesome to make, they can be used to treat wounds and poisons in a relatively safe environment, saving precious life-saving resources.

After drinking the coffee, Jiang Xueming could clearly feel his heart rate gradually returning to normal, and he became increasingly certain that the inexplicable palpitation was the evil spell that his wicked older sister, 9527, had used on him.

"Ming Ge, this must be very valuable, right? I understand if you're drinking it yourself, but why did you make an extra cup?" Bu Liuxing asked halfway through, then immediately understood. "Oh, oh, oh! It's a gift for the VIPs!"

Jiang Xueming nodded, holding his cup, and led A Xing to the golden door of the VIP carriage.

He knocked gently on the door, but no one answered.

He then grabbed the doorknob and pushed the door open to enter.

Inside the door, Mr. Victor was writing furiously, his face serious, completely absorbed in his work, unaware that the two little ones had wandered into the new studio.

"Oh!----What kind of writing technique is that? Teacher Victor actually uses both hands to write the story simultaneously? The words are coming out like a printer at high speed, clicking and popping!" Bu Liuxing's eyes were full of curiosity. "The teacher is working! My God! This is a live broadcast! I can't breathe! I want to see, I want to see!"

After saying that, A Xing rushed to the workbench and wanted to squat down next to Teacher Victor like a conjoined twin.

At that moment-

Jiang Xueming felt a tremendous mental shock.

The WALKMAN on the table—that scarlet, Stubborn Fire Stone— began to burn, and a ball of golden-red flame spread out, condensing into a scorching solid in the air.

Unlike the "giant" mentioned by 9527, when Victor's Inspiration Pressure was completely released, Jiang Xueming only felt Hot Wind blowing towards her, carrying the aroma of fermented fennel leaves.

In the blink of an eye, A Xing's body seemed to have been hit by a tremendous shock, and he was thrown over by the scalding air. Xue Ming quickly caught the clumsy guy and hid outside the door.

The door slammed shut at the same time, the lock clicking loudly.

Eight heavy knocks came from inside the door, like bullets being fired.

The gold paint on the door cracked and shattered, revealing eight Chinese characters.

[During work hours]

[Closed to visitors]

"What is that thing?" Bu Liuxing was both surprised and delighted, as if he had found the most amazing fun in the world.

"I wonder if Professor Victor would only release that thing to deal with us when he's extremely angry." Jiang Xueming saw this.

--The phantom silhouette in the flames looked like a little red imp from hell.

Its blurry body emerged from the golden-red flames; in the distorted, high-temperature air, only the pair of ferocious horns on its forehead were clearly visible.

Its body was covered with tattered clothing resembling a shroud, and a shattered golden halo surrounded its head.

The two little ones dared not make any more moves.

They stood obediently outside the door, waiting, and heard the loud sounds of paper and pen clattering inside, along with music coming from the Walkman.

"You the road that I chose."

You are the path I have chosen.

"Come away with me to the final destination!"

Follow me to our final destination!

"Page by page I'm painting the story as we go!"

Page after page, I write this story on my journey!

"You and I will sail on and on no hesitation."

[You and I will continue our voyage without hesitation.]

"Wave by wave I'll take you to another zone!"

Wave after wave, I will take you to another region!

"I'm painting this song for you and I"

[I am describing this song, dedicated to you and me.]

"Uh," Bu Liuxing recognized the upbeat dance music as soon as he heard it outside the door. "Professor Victor is listening to New Treasure Island."

Jiang Xueming: "Can you jump? Do it again? Is it the teacher's homework?"

Bu Liuxing raised an eyebrow and smiled smugly, "I know a little bit."

In the studio--

--Victor wrote furiously.

The two pens are like exquisite diamond cutting tools, and the arms are like the mechanical arms of a CNC machine tool, swiftly leaving new marks on the manuscript paper.

As he neared completion of the manuscript, he didn't have time to wipe away his sweat. The rapid movement of his hands and the high temperature generated by his intense exercise turned the sweat on his skin into a wisp of hot steam.

Original Author: David Victor

The story of the Broken Hand is the title of this new book, placed at the end. He doesn't understand Chinese very well and plans to ask his students. He'll first do two translations, one in English and one in Japanese.

[The Bride Cut Into Sixteen Pieces]

[Sixteen に cut っ た flower wedding]

To be continued

As soon as Mr. Victor opened the door, he saw two students dancing outside and didn't quite understand their strange dance moves.

He joined immediately.

"Please, you two, use your brains! I need a really cool Chinese title." After dancing with his students, Teacher Victor earnestly requested, "What do you think this book should be called?"

Bu Liuxing muttered to himself, quoting both English and Japanese: "Should I call my wife 'Sixteen Unequal'?"

"That's a bit convoluted." Jiang Xueming analyzed logically, "The teacher wants a straightforward, passionate, and impactful translation, right?"

Victor sat back down at his desk, hugging his knees, looking somewhat anxious and reserved. "Yes, I think my Chinese is very poor. My ability to choose words and construct sentences is not very good, especially when it comes to naming new books and translating them into multiple languages, it always troubles me for a very long time."

"You can ask Seventh Brother, I'm not an expert in this area either," Jiang Xueming said truthfully, and dialed 9527.

After a series of explanations--

--Seventh Brother finally understood what kind of story it was on the other end of the phone, and he understood the living, Broken Hand and the tumultuous journey of searching for love.

This energetic young woman uttered a shocking Cantonese.

Victor was very satisfied with the name. "This is the name for the new book. It's excellent, very, very relevant to the topic. Although it has a bit of a cheap, mass-produced feel, it will still have a great impact and a fresh experience for readers."

The Chinese translation is --

--[The Wife Cut into Sixteen Pieces]