Pig Girl

"Yes... Miss Heng'e... it's me..." Du Yu said awkwardly.

He had no idea how to face Heng'e now. He had not even fulfilled the one promise he had made her-to take good care of Da Yi.

"Wonderful! I don't know many people, and you're one of them. It's so wonderful to see you again." Heng'e smiled delightedly, as though she were meeting an old friend.

"Really... you seem so happy..."

"I am! It's strange, actually. The moment I heard the Legend Management Bureau had a new Operator, my heart fluttered with unease, as though I'd known this Operator long ago. They say the Legend Management Bureau goes back into the past to set legends on their proper course. I don't know why, but I thought of you right away."

Chang'e smiled and said, "That was when a bold idea came to me-could Brother Pang Meng have come from the Legend Management Bureau? Once I thought of it that way, everything made sense."

"But..." Du Yu asked in bewilderment, "Miss Heng'e, forgive me for asking something I shouldn't, but when did you last see me?"

"It's been... over four thousand years, I think..." Heng'e said after a moment's thought.

"Over four thousand years, and you've been in the Moon Palace all that time. Don't you feel lonely? After all, I didn't keep my promise. I didn't get Brother Da Yi to join you."

"Heehee." Heng'e covered her mouth and giggled. "Actually, I don't know why either. I used to spend every day in grief, resentment, loneliness, and anxiety. But a few days ago, I suddenly seemed to make peace with a lot of things. And recently, I discovered an incredible secret."

"A secret?"

"That's right." Heng'e grinned mischievously. "My husband has actually been here all along."

"Huh?" Du Yu felt a little frightened. Was this the opening of a ghost story? Had Da Yi's wronged soul been haunting the empty Moon Palace all along?

Heng'e waved a hand, and a plump white rabbit suddenly thrust his large face into the camera, giving Du Yu a mischievous grin.

"Is this... the Jade Rabbit?" Du Yu had read the legend. Everyone knew Heng'e had a Jade Rabbit by her side, but why was this rabbit's expression so casual, no different from a human's?

"Brother Pang Meng, you did it," Heng'e said. "Two days ago, I suddenly discovered four little characters on the neck of the Jade Rabbit who'd kept me company for two thousand years."

She picked up the Jade Rabbit and held him in front of the camera for Du Yu to look closely.

"The Moon Rises Bright?!" Du Yu exclaimed. "Brother Da Yi?!"

"Yes..." Heng'e said with a smile. "Perhaps my husband's appearance has something to do with that remaining half of the Immortal Elixir. No wonder the Jade Rabbit always understood my thoughts and shared my longings. I don't know whether he was Da Yi from the beginning or only became Da Yi because you appeared, Brother Pang Meng. But either way, I've gained so many beautiful memories of these past two thousand years."

"Is that so..." Tears streamed down Du Yu's face. The little rabbit grinned mischievously and gave him a thumbs-up. Seeing it, Du Yu murmured, "Wonderful... that's wonderful..."

"Mm." Heng'e smiled through her own tears. "So the two of us wanted to have a chat with you, but I accidentally started a video call. I've never figured out how to use these high-tech things."

"Hahahaha." For the first time since arriving in the underworld, Du Yu felt joy from the bottom of his heart. "Seeing you two like this makes me so happy."

"The Jade Rabbit being Da Yi is a secret," Heng'e said. "A secret no one knows except me."

The Jade Rabbit froze at that, then patted Heng'e and pointed at himself.

"Oh, right. My husband knows too. He may be able to take human form in a few years," Heng'e said. "So you have to keep our secret, Brother Pang Meng."

Du Yu smiled. "Of course!"

After ending the video call with Heng'e, Du Yu lay on his bed with a smile.

"This really is wonderful..."

It was getting late. Du Yu accepted a few friend requests, collected the red packet Xie Bi'an had sent him, then silenced his phone and lay down to sleep.

Thanks to that video call with Heng'e, Du Yu slept particularly soundly.

The next day, Du Yu made his way to the work area with practiced ease and met Dong Qianqiu. Zhongli Chun, however, was still being kept outside by He Suoyi. It seemed that "you cannot meet yourself within a legend" was a firm rule.

"We were pressed for time with Yi Shoots Down Nine Suns, so we didn't get to hold a planning meeting. We can do things more formally this time," Dong Qianqiu said.

Du Yu followed Dong Qianqiu and several staff members to a round table, where everyone began organizing their documents.

"Well, look at that," Du Yu muttered. "A round-table planning meeting too? This is getting more official by the minute."

"Enough chit-chat." Dong Qianqiu looked at one of the staff members. "Xiao Jin, introduce the outline of the legend."

The young man named Xiao Jin looked thin and small, but his eyes were exceptionally bright. He glanced at the documents in his hands and said:

"Zhongli Chun was the tall, powerfully built daughter of a general of the Qi Kingdom during the Warring States period. Born in Wuyan City in Shandong Province, she was also known as Zhongli Wuyan, Zhong Wuyan, and the Saltless Woman. From birth, she lacked four of the Seven Po. Of joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, hatred, and desire, most were missing; only anger, sorrow, and hatred remained. To set her mind right, her parents sent her to Ghost Valley Mountain to study under Guiguzi. She became his fifth disciple and the only female disciple he ever accepted. On Ghost Valley Mountain, Zhongli Chun mastered military strategy, politics, and martial arts. After completing her studies, she remained unmarried at home, still without a husband at forty. As the Qi Kingdom declined, she married King Xuan of Qi, offered wise strategies, and quelled rebellions, successfully rescuing the Qi Kingdom from fire and flood and becoming a legend of the region."

Dong Qianqiu nodded, then turned to another young woman. "Xiao Qi, explain the current problem with the legend to the Operator."

The young woman named Xiao Qi nodded and began timidly, "In this version of the legend, Zhongli Chun's father, a general, unfortunately died in battle when she was young. Her mother, Hua, was forced to take Zhongli Chun with her and remarry a scholar-official. Zhongli Chun's foul temperament earned her stepfather's intense hatred. She suffered prolonged abuse and was even nearly sexually assaulted by him. Fortunately, she could defend herself and keep him from getting close. But if this continues, she'll never be able to go up the mountain to study. She'll spend her entire life achieving nothing, and the world will never know Zhongli Wuyan."

"Is this stepfather human scum?" Du Yu asked angrily. But he quickly realized that Zhongli Chun had been born during the Warring States period, when seven states fought in chaos. In that age, what man or woman wasn't duckweed adrift in a turbulent world?

Never mind assaulting a stepdaughter-a scholar-official of that era might not even be punished for killing Zhongli Chun outright.

A stepdaughter brought into the household by a remarried mother probably ranked lower than a maid.

"Du Yu, do you have any questions about the outline?"

Everyone turned to look at Du Yu in unison.

"Not for now," Du Yu said. "I just want to know how many times I need to descend, and how long I'll have each time."

"There's no real difference between long-term and short-term legends, but each descent cannot exceed seven days. Generally, a long-term legend requires three to five descents depending on the circumstances, lasting one to five days each. You also cannot take canned souls with you. Otherwise, the operating costs for the Legend Management Bureau would be extremely high."

"All right." Du Yu thought for a moment. "I'll descend once first and see what's going on. Then I'll decide what to do afterward."

Dong Qianqiu looked at Du Yu with some concern. "Du Yu, there are an astonishing number of historical legends and anecdotes from the Warring States period, and they're all tightly interlinked. At critical moments, I hope you'll put the bigger picture first. To put it bluntly... even if Zhongli Chun had never existed, it wouldn't have much impact on modern society. So you absolutely mustn't act rashly for her sake and disrupt any other legend."

"All right, I understand."

As Dong Qianqiu connected various tubes to Du Yu, she said, "You know that injuries sustained within a legend carry over to your body, so be careful. The first descent into a long-term legend lasts only one day. Keep an eye on the time."

Everything was ready. Just as Du Yu was about to lie down on the machine, he suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, Sister Qianqiu, could you add two more things to that Crossing Starter Pack..."

Era: the chaos of the Warring States.

Location: Qi-Lu Land.

Household servant, A-Wu, descended.

Du Yu opened his eyes and found himself standing in a corridor of a sprawling residence. He wore coarse cloth clothing and held a bamboo broom.

"Well, look at that. I'm a household servant this time?" Du Yu looked down at his outfit. "Sister Qianqiu, can't you give me a role with a little status?"

"Roles with status can easily disrupt other legends. For an Operator, the less conspicuous your identity, the better."

"Sigh, fine." Du Yu tossed the broom aside. "Where's Zhongli Chun now?"

"Du Yu, watch your back."

Before Du Yu could react, someone kicked him hard in the backside.

"What the hell?" Du Yu sprawled on the ground and looked back. A burly, heavily bearded man stood behind him, glaring ferociously.

"Have you lost your mind, brat?" the man cursed. "Not doing your work, and throwing your broom aside too?!"

"Who are you?" Du Yu asked irritably.

"Who am I? Have you really gone mad?" The burly man stared at Du Yu, dumbfounded. "Do you even know where you are?"

"This is Zhongli Chun's residence," Du Yu said.

"Zhongli Chun?" The burly man hurried over to inspect Du Yu's head. "Did someone beat you senseless? Who hit you?! Your big brother will stand up for you!"

Du Yu's eyes darted. "Big brother?"

An idea came to him. He pressed a hand to his forehead and slowly crumpled.

"A-Wu! What's wrong with you?!" The burly man rushed to support Du Yu.

"Brother... I don't know what's wrong with me either... why can't I remember anything..." Du Yu said weakly. "Have I lost my memory? Am I going to die?"

Tears suddenly streamed down the burly man's face. "A-Wu, it's all your big brother's fault! I shouldn't have beaten you... and I never should've brought you here to work as a servant! If we'd stayed home and farmed, you wouldn't have ended up like this!"

"Brother... I have only one wish before I die... I want to see Zhongli Chun... she and I... we've already... already... ah!"

The burly man sobbed, snot running from his nose. "A-Wu, I understand everything you're saying, but who on earth is Zhongli Chun..."

"What did you say?" Du Yu sprang to his feet. "What a waste of acting. Doesn't Zhongli Chun live here?"

"A-Wu... you..." Seeing Du Yu's sudden dying rally, the burly man was too shocked to speak.

"Come on, Brother. Really? That madam who remarried and brought her daughter with her-her daughter's name is Zhongli Chun."

"Huh?!" Shock was plain on the burly man's face. "That Pig Girl?!"

"Pig Girl?" Du Yu was puzzled.

He thought for a moment and decided to play along.

"That's right... Pig Girl." After a moment's thought, Du Yu nodded. "She and I have long been in love and pledged ourselves to each other in life and death. No matter what, I have to see her."

"In love with Pig Girl... pledged in life and..." The burly man looked at Du Yu worriedly. "Oh... heavens, why did my little brother have to come down with such a strange illness..."

"Enough talking, Brother. Hurry and take me to her."

Unable to dissuade Du Yu, the burly man led him across the front courtyard, past the main hall and a side courtyard, and straight to the rear kitchen.

The burly man opened a small door at the back of the kitchen. A pigpen had been built beyond it. He stooped and went inside.

Du Yu had a bad feeling, but followed him in anyway.

The moment he entered, a foul stench hit him. These pigs ate, drank, urinated, and defecated in this tiny space all day long, making the smell exceptionally revolting.

"Oh, if it isn't A-Da and A-Wu. What brings you to the Pigsty?" A filthy-looking man asked, scratching the flab around his waist. "I'm about to feed them. Don't get yourselves dirty."

With that, the man picked up a wooden bucket and tipped it into the middle of the pigpen. A heap of rank, rotten food mixed with all sorts of nameless weeds and wild vegetables spilled out and spread across the ground.

Du Yu barely managed not to vomit. Feeding this stuff to pigs was mistreating even the pigs.

The pigs in the pen showed no distaste, swarming toward the pile of stinking, rotten food.

"Brother... why did you bring me he-"

Before Du Yu could finish, a human figure darted out from a corner of the pigpen, shoved several pigs aside, and rushed into the sticky pile of food, grabbing handful after handful and stuffing them into her mouth.

It was a frail little girl whose face looked about fifteen or sixteen. She wore a ragged garment, and her entire body was smeared with mud and pig excrement, giving off a foul stench. As though she couldn't see anyone around her, she ate without looking up.

"Zhong..." Du Yu was too shocked to speak. "Miss... Zhongli..."

"A-Wu, you're saying... you and this ten-year-old Pig Girl are already in love?"

"Ten?!" Du Yu had never imagined that Zhongli Chun, who looked like a teenager, was only ten.

"You..." Du Yu slowly approached and, without caring how filthy she was, grabbed her to stop her. "You're a person! You're not a pig! You can't eat this stuff! Look at me. Do you still know your name?"

To Du Yu's surprise, the moment Zhongli Chun saw him rush over, she clenched her teeth and glared fiercely at him, as though guarding her food.

"Du Yu, danger!" Dong Qianqiu shouted. But before Du Yu could react, Zhongli Chun punched him in the chest, sending him flying.