"Smile~"
"Though your heart is aching~"
"Smile~"
"Even though it's breaking~"
It was a brisk, melodious classical song whose lyrics encouraged people to keep smiling even through adversity.
They had already heard several arrangements of it across multiple city-states in the Land of Evernight.
This was the oldest hotel in Little Night City, attracting not only generous, wealthy merchants but also serving as the premier choice for the grand lord to entertain distinguished guests.
Hector City, the beastfolk city-state situated in the deepest reaches of the Land of Evernight—also known as Little Night City—stood silently on the fringes of the vast, snowy expanse. It was as though the city sat at the very edge of the world, cloaked in eternal twilight.
Midday daylight was merely a fleeting intermezzo within the dark night, gone in the blink of an eye.
The heavy snow blanketing the ridges of the mountains turned them into a host of silent gray giants, wordlessly bearing witness to the passage of time.
Snowflakes drifted over the city-state year-round, wrapping it in silver, held tight in the embrace of the Winter Goddess.
At the plaza, the heart of the city-state, soared towering spire-like buildings exquisitely carved from dark stone bricks.
Snow cascaded down their conical roofs like silvery mantles, and crystal wind chimes hanging beneath the eaves swayed gently in the breeze, chiming pleasant melodies.
Inside the spacious, luxurious executive suite on the top floor, no matter how fiercely the wind and snow raged outside, the room remained bathed in soft, warm light.
Every now and then, the rustle of turning pages came from beside the tea table, where a magic phonograph played the song.
"Today is your seventh day since arriving in the northern realm of eternal night..." Boss Cat suddenly piped up.
"When you smile~"
"Meow, meow, meow!"
Seeing that Lanqi was ignoring it—the guy had merely turned up the dial on the phonograph, drowning out Boss Cat's voice—the cat grew thoroughly indignant.
"Lanqi! Your attitude is terrible, meow! I need to teach you a lesson, meow!"
Boss Cat rolled around on the sofa in protest.
If Lanqi kept ignoring it, it felt like its very existence would fade away completely.
"Boss Cat, you can't bully me. Is it really right for a Tier 8 like you to bully a Tier 6 like me?" Lanqi stroked Boss Cat's head, putting on a show of weakness.
"Put away that act, Lanqi, meow," Boss Cat muttered, instantly rendered speechless.
No.
It had to write a book too. When the time came, it would write a female-lead novel about a two-faced, manipulative young lady named Lanqi who meets an aloof, good-for-nothing prince named Talia, a kind-hearted half-demon duke's son named Xiu, and an overbearing Northern Continent bishop named Xigelei.
Just imagining this two-faced lady fearlessly reeling in suitors, only to end up in a chaotic confrontation when all three male leads found out, made Boss Cat itch to fast-forward straight to the part where Lanqi was broken down, crying and begging for mercy.
It would be well-deserved.
"Are you fantasizing about something very impolite?"
Lanqi tilted his head and stared at Boss Cat, sensing that it was thinking about something utterly chaotic.
"Nope, meow." Boss Cat shook its head in denial.
At that, Lanqi hesitantly returned to his book, no longer indulging the cat.
In the suite's kitchen, the oven was baking an enticing rice gratin, filling the air with a rich aroma.
Unable to bear the quiet, Boss Cat scampered back into the living room to chat with Lanqi again.
Xigelei was currently asleep in the bedroom, and Tata was cooking in the kitchen, leaving no one else to play with it.
As the city-state in the Land of Evernight closest to the Demon Realm, Little Night City had been heavily influenced by the Demon Realm in terms of magic engineering. The hotel was equipped with sound-isolating magic apparatuses just like those in the Demon Realm, so neither the cooking noises from the kitchen nor the music and chatter in the living room disturbed Xigelei's sound sleep.
Along the way, although Xigelei wasn't responsible for navigation, she had spent the entire drive in the back keeping watch over the snowfield road conditions and prowling monsters, allowing Lanqi to drive with ease.
Only Tata had spent the entire trip eating and sleeping, huddled together with Xigelei for warmth.
Xigelei doted heavily on Tata, buying her most highly recommended local delicacies at every city-state they passed through to feed Tata on the road.
She seemed to have completely embraced this retired version of Caliera, and had even come to understand Lanqi's joy in feeding small animals.
According to Boss Cat's observations, all those years ago Xigelei had already been a little girl with the makings of a female Lanqi. Since Lanqi was obsessed with Talia, Xigelei had naturally fallen under the same spell.
"Lanqi, Lanqi, why have you been so quiet this whole trip? When our Lan-Cat duo relied on each other in the Northern Continent, you could chat with me for hours every day." Boss Cat headbutted Lanqi as it asked.
"That's not true. Aren't I talking plenty right now?" Lanqi replied, feeling the soft black fur-ball repeatedly nudging against his side.
"Are you, meow?"
Boss Cat felt gratified that Lanqi required less and less work from it, but at the same time, it wondered what use it had left in this team.
Could even a Tier 8 divine beast face unemployment?
Tata could help Lanqi use the Counterfeit Slates just as well. At most, it had a few more high-tier wind spells, granting Lanqi four extra lives. But right now, there wasn't a single opponent capable of pushing Lord Lanqi hard enough to trigger his second life, let alone more.
*Click.*
The sound of a door handle turning drew both Boss Cat's and Lanqi's attention.
Looking across the room, they saw a bedroom door open, and Xigelei emerged, the ends of her hair slightly flipped up.
Sleep still hung in her eyes as she walked over to the dining table in a camisole nightdress, grabbed a bottle of snowfield glacial water, and chugged it down, clearly fresh from sleep.
"Xigelei, how many times have I told you? You're a grown girl now; you need to be a bit more mindful," Lanqi said to her, eyes fixed politely on his book.
Her flimsy, casual attire made it seem as though she didn't care in the slightest that he was sitting right there.
"What's wrong? Caliera and the little soot sprite won't mind," Xigelei replied, setting down the bottle and looking thoroughly rejuvenated. She asked Lanqi, "Or is the Lord Pope looking at me with *those* kinds of eyes?"
She deliberately strolled over and sat right next to Lanqi, pressing close like an innocent little girl, showing no regard for the difference between man and woman.
"Meow..."
Boss Cat couldn't tell whether Xigelei was testing or teasing Lanqi on purpose, or if she truly hadn't thought about it and still viewed herself as that little girl from twelve years ago who could be swept into Lanqi's arms with ease.
Even though Xigelei's proud figure pressed an unignorable softness against him, Lanqi quickly shifted away and took a seat on an armchair across from her, ceding the sofa to her.
"Xigelei, in my eyes you will always be a good child, but you also need to consider certain objective realities. For instance, you are now a complete beauty. Correspondingly, you should maintain decorum befitting such beauty and talent," Lanqi lectured gently.
"Mmh."
Side had intended to retort, but hearing Lanqi's tactful phrasing, she lost the desire to tease him any further.
Waving a hand dismissively, she went back into the bedroom, changed her clothes, and walked back out with her hands tucked into her coat pockets.
"Speaking of which, the last time we came to Little Night City, didn't we stay in a room just like this?"
Side rested against the armrest of the sofa, gazing at the falling snow within the darkness outside.
In the dreams of the past, she had sat on a chair at one end of a round table, leaning against its edge in sound slumber, while Lanqi sat quietly beside her, reading.
In this region, the rabbit-beastfolk residents of Little Night City had long grown accustomed to the endless nights and fleeting days, their rhythm of life thoroughly tuned to the pulse of darkness.
Thanks to the city-state's unique geographic location and abundant natural resources, it continued to draw scholars, hunters, explorers, and travelers seeking brief respite.
Apart from the rabbit-folk who ruled the city-state, demons were also a common sight in the city.
Far removed from human realms, this place was undeniably fraught with peril for any humans who lacked sufficient strength or an escort of bodyguards.
Fortunately, Lanqi had forged good relations right from the start in Little Stone City, leading every subsequent lord he visited to have a vastly improved first impression of him.
Once he restored their divine statues and conversed with the grand lords, he invariably earned their favor and full support.
As a result, the six-day journey from Little Stone City to Little Night City had been smooth sailing, free of unexpected trouble or turbulence.
The only minor hitch had occurred during the latter half of the journey, where the mountains grew denser: the two of them and the cat had run into a sudden blizzard, forcing them to take brief refuge in a cave and escape the threat of an avalanche.
Perhaps it was on that very day, watching him restore the statues with her own eyes, that Xigelei grew deeply fascinated by his painting tools and sculpted works while packing their bags. Lanqi had patiently explained the purpose of each tool, shared his personal techniques, and taught her how to appreciate the subtleties of art.
At any rate, they had spent most of that journey talking; whether learning or teaching, the time had seemed to fly by.
Looking back now, Side felt only a profound nostalgia.
Setting out on this journey once more brought an extraordinary sense of peace and comfort.
This trip wasn't nearly as rushed as the last one. There were no two million troops in the south, no precarious war, and no Blood Clan lurking in the snow. Peace had long since arrived, stripping the journey of any urgency.
Her peak physical stamina was far superior to that of the young girl barely ten years old in her dreams, and Lanqi no longer needed to visit lords and repair statues at every beastfolk city-state. Their schedule was remarkably relaxed.
Just as now, they could lounge in a warm hotel in the dead of winter, chatting idly while waiting for Caliera to finish cooking.
Everything was pure bliss.
"Yes. Last time, the grand lord of Little Night City arranged a room for us. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been anywhere left to stay," Lanqi said, putting down his book and looking toward Xigelei with a rare, faint smile.
As an independent city-state close to the Demon Realm, Little Night City was popular among Demon Realm merchants; it served as the starting point of the demon trade route and the terminus of the Polant Empire's trade route.
That journey with Xigelei had been unforgettable to him, leaving a deep impression.
"Back then, I really didn't expect your affinity with small animals to work on beastfolk too, meow. They all liked and trusted you so much," Boss Cat sighed wistfully as it climbed onto Lanqi's shoulder.
"..."
The living room fell quiet once more.
When Boss Cat looked at Lanqi's face again, it realized that his smile was slowly fading.
Wondering if it had said something wrong, it turned its head back and forth between Lanqi and Side.
Side looked at Boss Cat helplessly.
Boss Cat truly excelled at twisting the knife. Lanqi had seemed to have come to terms with the vanished rabbit-folk of Little Night City, but hearing Boss Cat's words shattered his composure at last.
Side remembered clearly.
Just like Grand Lord Algom of Little Stone City, who hadn't been particularly warm toward Lanqi at first, but later showed an adorable side like a little bear in front of him.
That hadn't been any sort of innate charm; it was simply that they sensed genuine sincerity and respect from Lanqi, and reciprocated with the same.
Naturally, Side understood how Lanqi felt after discovering the histories of several beastfolk city-states along the way.
Many years ago, the beastfolk lord of Little Night City had done a kindness for the Blood Clan. At that time, the Blood Clan was weak, with many hunted down by Wolf Clan vampire hunters. Unable to establish a foothold in human realms where day and night split equally, they had fled all the way to the Land of Evernight.
The deepest reaches of the Land of Evernight thus became their ideal hiding place.
Taking pity on the battered, bleeding vampires, and moved by their desperate pleas, the old lord of Little Night City shared the blood of beasts hunted from the snowfields, saving many of them—including Marquis Somerset, the future Eighth Progenitor of the Blood Clan.
Marquis Somerset had promised the old lord that he would repay the kindness one day.
Absurdly, the Blood Clan's way of repaying that kindness was for Somerset to personally slaughter every single member of the rabbit-folk in Little Night City years later.
Seeing the current prosperity of several beastfolk city-states along the road, Lanqi hadn't shown much reaction.
He had regained his usual calm composure.
Yet hearing this story, he had still offered a helpless smile.
When a person smiles for no apparent reason, they are either thoroughly bored, or bearing an unbearable sorrow.
"Are you all right?"
Xigelei sat down beside Lanqi once more, though this time she didn't deliberately press against him, maintaining a distance comfortable for him.
If she were Side, she might have embraced Lanqi to comfort him right now, but she was currently playing Xigelei, so she kept a respectful boundary for the moment.
"I'm fine. It's just that in this Blood Moon Ruined World, it wasn't so noticeable during the darkest turbulent times, but now, in this peaceful era heading toward the light, one feels a profound absurdity that leaves you at a loss for words."
Lanqi shook his head candidly, smiling again.
Yet Xigelei's concerned gaze didn't waver, nor did she look away.
She continued to stare intently at Lanqi until he grew slightly puzzled, leaning back against the sofa cushion.
"You can't hide it from me. Even if I can't read your mind, I can read your eyes," Xigelei said.
On the surface, this Shadow World didn't appear particularly difficult. Perhaps because Lanqi had gone above and beyond in the first three Shadow Worlds, this final one had turned into a bonus round.
Yet Side was certain that this Shadow World was the most agonizing of all for Lanqi.
Wanting from the bottom of his heart to save everyone, now that he saw how the dust of this era had settled, he was constantly experiencing the helplessness felt by Lankeluosi of the Black Sun.
Even though his personal abilities had already surpassed Lankeluosi of the Black Sun and he could do better than Lankeluosi at every turn, he still could not fight against the whole world or the turning gears of fate—just as in the real world, he could not simply end the war on the Southern Continent by sheer will and save every living soul trapped in suffering.
The stronger one's obsession, the more extreme they became once that obsession shattered.
No one knew what choice Lankeluosi had made at the end of the Blood Moon Ruined World, or in what manner he had taken his final bow.
Side had an uneasy feeling about it.
Because she felt that at the end of his life, Lankeluosi of the Black Sun had been enveloped entirely by extreme negative emotions, needing only a single trigger to detonate them all and drive Lankeluosi of the Black Sun to complete collapse.
Lanqi was now undergoing that very process.
[Mission Objective 1: Read the letter from old friend Caliera; travel to Purgatory City Pasqual in the Demon Realm. (Incomplete)]
[Mission Objective 2: Understand the state of mind of Lankeluosi of the Black Sun: 4.67%. (Incomplete)]
[Mission Objective 3: All challengers must survive until the end of the 21-day time limit. Remaining time: 14 days, 02 hours, 35 minutes.]
As a challenger herself, Side could also see this panel; Lanqi simply didn't know yet.
Side had been watching over Lanqi all this time.
Whenever she saw Lanqi's comprehension of the Black Sun tick higher, her heart ached as if she could feel it herself. She knew that beneath his calm exterior, he wasn't indifferent. His mind was constantly churning; he cared, he grieved, and he couldn't let it go.
As for what Lanqi would ultimately come to understand, that would depend entirely on his innermost self.
"If I change, will you beat some sense into me?" Lanqi looked at Xigelei and joked.
He felt it was time to lighten the mood. After all, this Shadow World was a journey down memory lane; they ought to just enjoy themselves together.
Even the song playing in the room told them not to forget to smile.
"No," Xigelei said, shaking her head with not a trace of humor in her voice. "If what lies ahead is hell, I'll go with you. I trust every decision you make, and I won't let you be alone."
She gazed at Lanqi as she spoke.
"..."
Lanqi froze for a second.
Those purple eyes seemed to ask him: *Don't you know me well enough yet?*
Just looking into those bright, sharp purple eyes, he could hardly tell whether this was Xigelei or that person he knew so well from the real world.
Soon enough, though, Lanqi shook his head.
How could an indigenous projection in a Shadow World suddenly turn into a real person? He had to be letting his imagination run wild. In moments like this, his subconscious must have started missing Side, making everyone look like Side to him.
Chapter 774