"Meow, meow, meow! Lanqi, I want to play next time too!"
Boss Cat gazed out through the glass window as he spoke to Lanqi.
The seemingly boundless Golden Bee Amusement Park felt wonderfully novel to him.
Yet he understood that work had to come first. Lanqi couldn't possibly have the spare energy to take him around for fun today.
"Go find your Big Sister Bianca. She'd definitely be thrilled to take you around Golden Bee Amusement Park," Lanqi replied, utterly focused on mapping out new safe routes.
The War Gods who had accompanied Loren were also in Ikerite today.
However, by the emperor's instructions, they had been given free time today.
In any case, Loren couldn't get lost in Ikerite. Furthermore, from what Lanqi had learned through Abigail, the War Gods' itinerary included going as a group to watch a play at the Ikerite Opera House that afternoon.
"Meow, did Bianca and the others come?"
Whenever Boss Cat recalled that affectionate felinoid War God, he felt both comforted and intimidated. Cats weren't allowed on certain rides; he had to assume a human form to play on them.
Yet once he turned into a human, he feared Bianca would start saying weird things to him again.
"They're here. They arrived together with Loren. Since they're off duty today, everyone agreed to meet up later at the Ikerite Opera House. We'll finally be able to reunite."
Lanqi checked the time—just past eight thirty—and answered.
Accompanying the group this time were the Second War God, Saron of the Obsidian Seat; the Ninth War God, Ryan of the Amethyst Seat; and the Twelfth War God, Bianca of the Cat's Eye Seat.
As for the Tenth War God, Rubellite Julius, and the Sixth War God, Aquamarine Violet, who had originally been close to the Silver Moon Restoration Society: Julius was currently Creti's newly appointed commander-in-chief, heavily burdened with official duties, while Violet was still recovering from her injuries at the monastery. Neither had traveled to the Hutton Kingdom.
Having five War Gods arrive at once would have been excessive anyway. Perhaps only three spots had been allocated for this official trip.
"Then when are they leaving, meow?"
Boss Cat wanted to host these comrades who had braved life and death together with him in the Creti Empire. He wanted to invite them to his little kitchen and show them proper hospitality.
"Tonight or tomorrow morning. Their schedule is tight anyway, which is why Loren had to cram all his dates into today. If you want to invite them, you can ask them over to Boss Cat Restaurant after we see them at the theater later."
Lanqi spoke to Boss Cat as he sat inside a beverage shop at Golden Bee Amusement Park, waiting for Talia to return.
Fortunately, Talia would occasionally head off on her own to queue for food today, disappearing for over ten minutes at a time. That provided him with plenty of free moments. As they were chatting, Lanqi caught sight of a approaching silhouette outside the window and promptly broke off his conversation with Boss Cat.
Talia returned carrying two crêpes.
Stepping into the shop, she sat down beside the booth where Lanqi was waiting.
"Sorry, I dropped the crêpes on the floor halfway back and had to buy two more, so I kept you waiting. Lanqi, which one do you want?"
Holding a mango-cream crêpe and a matcha-cream crêpe, Talia asked Lanqi.
She seemed to struggle with making the choice herself.
So she let Lanqi pick first.
"I might not be able to finish so much. How about you eat both?"
Lanqi observed the look in Talia's eyes. She appeared to want both; whichever one he chose would leave her feeling hungry.
"Then take a bite to taste it, and I'll finish the rest."
A bright smile instantly bloomed across Talia's face as she held both crêpes out before Lanqi.
"You should just eat them. If I eat some, there might not be enough for you."
Watching Talia look so lively and bright, Lanqi noted that it was rare to see her this happy.
"Just one bite. At least taste them."
Talia felt that eating without Lanqi keeping her company made the food far less delicious. She nudged the crêpes closer to Lanqi's lips.
Seeing the cream draw nearer and nearer, Lanqi feared Talia might pull the kind of silky-smooth combo Sigrid always pulled. He stopped declining and took a bite of each, genuine satisfaction appearing on his face. "Delicious," Lanqi evaluated.
"Haha, you have to taste all the desserts I buy later!" Talia laughed and happily took a bite of the limited-edition dessert she had anticipated for so long.
If even Lanqi said it was delicious, it truly had to be good. Lanqi sat quietly by her side, waiting for her.
In this exhausting morning, watching Talia eat was his greatest spiritual comfort.
"Why are you looking at me?"
Talia touched her cheek, wondering if there was cream stuck to the corner of her mouth.
"Appreciating your peerless beauty."
Lanqi answered as if it went without saying.
"You brat, you've loved watching me eat ever since we first met! It's definitely not to look at my face!" Talia immediately called him out, reaching over to pinch his cheek.
Yet with both hands holding crêpes, she couldn't pinch him while gripping the food. She decided to let it slide.
"Look all you want then. I only let you look anyway. But if you want to watch, you'll have to feed me more." Talia turned her focus back to the sweet in her hands.
While they were casually chatting...
On the other side, Loren and Juliana had already walked through the Northern District and were likely approaching the Western District. Lanqi thought to himself that after staying here a bit longer, he would need to get moving westward with Tata.
He gazed out the window. On this energetic morning in mid-February, the central courtyard of Golden Bee Amusement Park was like an awakened secret realm, its special stage events drawing the eyes of countless visitors. Aside from the commercial artificial Shadow World launch terminal standing behind the most prominent stage, its mechanical facade was embedded with a colossal magical screen, surrounded by dancing lights. An event administrator dressed in a golden bee costume stood at the turnstile, holding a glowing sign—
[Golden Bee Amusement Park Artificial Shadow World Launch Terminal Limited-Time Event!]
[Love Hindrance Corridor Academy Season 2, Super Challenge!]
This challenge was designed specifically for couples, featuring an exceptionally lavish prize pool that attracted a long line of lovers on Valentine's Day. Completing it just once granted unlimited fun in Golden Bee Amusement Park for the entire day, providing more Golden Bee coins than one could ever spend.
"How malicious can they get, holding this event on Valentine's Day?" Lanqi couldn't help but grumble.
Last time, he and Talia had been forced to stumble into this challenge by mistake, which had resulted in both of them suffering immensely. If a real couple were to step up and answer the fourteen questions, they would have broken up on the spot.
"Meow, how is that thing still here?!"
Boss Cat also rested his paws against the glass, peering over.
In the central courtyard of the park's Northern District, magical machinery reflected a dazzling, mesmerizing luster under the park lights in this dreamlike plaza. Even Boss Cat was familiar with this apparatus.
Commercial artificial Shadow World launch terminals on the Southern Continent weren't exorbitantly expensive like the combat-training models; they were mainly used for research, entertainment, and public services.
It resembled the artificial Shadow World launch terminal on the seventh floor of the Ikerite Academy's Learning and Education Building. Its shell was forged from mithril and magic crystals, connected by pathways resembling living veins—both cold and pulsing with magical power—though it didn't stretch for over a dozen meters like the one at the academy.
Last time, when Lanqi had been coaching Loren and Juliana, he had taken the hit for Loren, blundering into the challenge with Tata to run a round of it themselves.
"That event was pretty interesting, actually. It gave us Golden Bee coins, an Animal Forest confectionery gift box, an annual pass to Golden Bee Amusement Park, treated us to crêpes, and even gave us a pair of couple's bracelets at the end."
Talia counted through their spoils from that day. When she reached the couple's bracelets, her voice mumbled down into a whisper. Saying it sounded as though she were admitting that she and Lanqi were a couple.
"Want to go for another round?"
Noticing her awkwardness, Lanqi playfully teased her.
"If we're going, we're going! What is there to be afraid of?!"
Provoked by Lanqi, Talia flared up impulsively.
Yet upon second thought, her momentum deflated, and she took a small nibble of her crêpe.
"Let's skip it today. After all, you have a performance this afternoon. Let's stick to something relaxing this morning so I don't wear you out," Talia murmured in rare concession.
She wasn't backing down out of cowardice; she had an important job to do and couldn't afford to run into Love Hindrance Corridor Academy with Lanqi for half an hour where no one could reach her from the outside.
"Actually, I wouldn't dare either. You win," Lanqi said, raising his hands in surrender with an open smile.
"Why?"
Talia looked at him, puzzled.
This guy had finally won an argument against her, yet instead of gloating and laughing at her, he yielded on his own accord.
"I really wouldn't dare. I don't want to get pinned to the floor by you again. In that artificial Shadow World, no matter how much I screamed, no help came. All I could do was let everyone in the amusement park watch me get straddled on the ground and tormented by you. It was way too embarrassing," Lanqi explained to Talia.
"So you know it was embarrassing too! Well, don't worry. I wouldn't bear to rough you up today anyway." Talia beamed with laughter upon hearing that. "Today, just let Master take you out to have fun."
She didn't know why, but whenever they stopped bickering and competing, their conversations became delightfully enjoyable, making her want to grow even closer to him. She had already planned out how to play today.
Unlike their hasty encounter at Golden Bee Amusement Park last time, she had spent days playing here with her little sister Iphatia. She was now a total pro at Golden Bee Amusement Park. Every entertainment zone offered unique games, such as the Giant's Challenge, mini-Shadow World gauntlets, sprint horse racing, and haunted house puzzles.
There were also casual pastimes like the Triple Triad card game and high-low betting, as well as throwing and rolling games like darts and bowling. In addition, limited-time challenges and festival celebrations were held periodically, offering distinct challenges and lavish rewards.
Talia and Iphatia had played through every single one.
Participating in any game yielded Golden Bee coins or limited-edition prizes, which could be used to purchase unique items within the park, including outfits, furniture, pets, and rare magical tools.
Even the ducal mansion now held quite a few new commemorative prizes.
"Lanqi, let me ask you something."
Talia swallowed the last bite of her crêpe and turned to Lanqi. She was just about to stand up and head to their next destination with him.
"Hmm? What is it?"
Still holding his coffee, Lanqi shifted his gaze from outside the window back to Talia beside him.
He felt as though Talia had suddenly remembered something—something that left her rather perplexed.
"It's like this. I have a friend whose boyfriend is secretly dating another girl while dating her. And that other girl happens to be my friend too. What on earth should I do?"
Talia poured out her troubles to Lanqi.
This bizarre situation could only be shared with Lanqi and Boss Cat.
"Cough!"
Lanqi nearly spewed his mouthful of coffee.
"Lanqi, what's wrong?!"
Talia hurriedly patted his back with concern.
"..."
Lanqi shook his head vigorously and raised a hand, utterly speechless. At first hearing, Talia's words sounded like she was handing down his death sentence!
Yet thinking it over, Talia wouldn't blurt out so directly that he was her boyfriend; she would definitely be far more bashful about it. Lanqi felt as though Talia could rip his heart out at any second.
However, her gentle pats carried no hint of a threat.
"Du-du-du-du-du..."
Boss Cat had already ducked behind Lanqi in sheer terror.
Hearing Talia's words, he had assumed the friend Talia spoke of was herself. But analyzing it carefully, she might truly have such a friend.
Just earlier, Almis had been on a date with Loren, and Juliana had also been on a date with Loren. To Talia, both were friends. Yet right now, Lanqi couldn't possibly decipher whether Talia meant this literally or was subtly hinting at him!
His brain was practically smoking.
He could only rely on logic to deduce and combine it with intuition to gamble.
"Tata, when you ride a magitech rail train and spot a white goat in the mountains, you cannot necessarily conclude that it is a white goat. Because on the side you cannot see, it might just be a black goat."
Lanqi collected his thoughts, placed his hands on Talia's shoulders, and looked at her solemnly.
"Therefore, do not be deceived by surface appearances. If you are willing to believe in your friends, do not disturb them. Let them handle their relationship themselves. Perhaps it is all just a misunderstanding?"
With his heart pounding like a war drum, Lanqi gave Talia his counsel.
"I see. Hearing you put it like that clears it right up. I won't dwell on it anymore."
Talia quickly brushed aside her worries. Taking Lanqi by the hand, she stood up and prepared to leave the shop. Lanqi made sense.
Almis was an old friend of impeccable character; Talia knew this well and would never suspect Almis of being a homewrecker.
Loren was equally trustworthy. The most honest man in their entire team could never pull off dating multiple girls with romantic intentions.
"It's wonderful that you're so open-minded and receptive to advice."
Lanqi breathed a sigh of relief, his heartbeat steadying as he followed Talia.
From Talia's reaction, he could roughly deduce that she had definitely stumbled upon Loren dating different girls. During the window when Talia had stepped out, Loren had met with Almis and Juliana respectively.
It seemed he had to be even more vigilant during the subsequent itinerary. He couldn't let Talia catch sight of Florence.
"How could I not be open-minded? I even gave up on restoring my kingdom, wanting only to stay in your Wilfort house," Talia said as she led him forward by the hand.
"When I first invited you to the Wilfort house, you were quite resistant," Lanqi chuckled, recalling that night in the library of the South Vantina Territory. Back then, when he offered to treat her to a meal, Tata had refused with full guard up.
"It's all your fault, all your fault! You were always bewitching me, leading me step by step to believe your words, until I couldn't even restore my kingdom anymore." Talia didn't look back, pulling Lanqi forward by the hand.
Even if, given the situation in the City of Flowers, the demons' restoration of their nation was an inevitability in the coming years, none of it mattered to her anymore. She only wanted to stay in the Wilfort house.
"Then future history books will definitely record me as the hero who stopped the demons from restoring their kingdom, haha," Lanqi laughed proudly.
"My, aren't you impressive? Will they also write that you tamed the Demon King and had her start a... with you?" Talia's words halted midway.
She couldn't bring herself to voice the rest.
She had gotten a bit carried away chatting with Lanqi just now; thankfully, she caught herself in time.
"Tata, let's head this way."
After stepping out of the shop, Lanqi surveyed the paths.
He knew Loren and Juliana had parted ways and that Loren was about to take Florence to the Southern District. Thus, he needed to head south, but the direction Talia was pulling him was toward the west.
"No, I want to take you over there for card duels." Talia was still waiting to mentor Miss Juliana. She had to go to the Western District.
She needed to stay close to Juliana so she could observe Juliana's movements and lend her a hand at any moment.
"Tata, how about we go have the Animal Forest limited-edition pudding fruit parfait? If we head south right now, we'll reach the central commercial district," Lanqi said, shaking his head and trying to dissuade her.
Talia had always let him plan the itinerary in the past; he hadn't expected her to be so keen on directing their route today.
"Can we go eat it a bit later? I promise I'll definitely go with you over there in a while."
Talia didn't let go of Lanqi's hand, still gesturing for him to head west.
"..."
Lanqi watched the seconds ticking away. Talia seemed completely set in her mind; he couldn't sway her with words. He absolutely could not afford to lose track of his schedule on his end.
He couldn't hesitate for even half a second longer.
He took a step forward. Just as Talia thought Lanqi was yielding to head west with her, Lanqi suddenly pressed her against the glass wall outside the beverage shop.
"Tata, I want to feed you that parfait right now. I want to see how cute you look eating it."
Lanqi gently raised his fingertips, cupping Talia's chin as he spoke to her assertively.
"Wha—! W-What are you doing?!"
Talia instantly panicked, her cheeks flushing bright red as she tried to pull back, only to find nowhere to retreat. Lanqi had to be teasing her again!
"Tata, you're so cute today that... you make me want to eat you instead of breakfast. So come with me right now. I don't want to wait."
Lanqi leaned closer and closer, murmuring to her.
"Aaaah!"
Hearing Lanqi utter lines she was least equipped to handle right here, Talia let out a whistling shriek like a boiling kettle. Had Lanqi lost his mind?!
Could lines like that be said to her in broad daylight in front of everyone?!
She felt as though everyone around them was staring, and even the waiters and patrons inside the shop were watching their shameless lover's display through the glass!
"Alright, I get it! I'll do as you say! I'll listen to you!"
Talia pounded his chest frantically yet feebly as she cried out. South it was, then.
Loren happened to have stepped away from Juliana anyway; it wasn't as though she had to rush to the Western District immediately.
"Meow, meow."
Surfacing in Lanqi's shadow, Boss Cat felt inexplicably moved. Lanqi truly went all out.
Tata's direction was rather difficult to steer today.
Yet to pilot Talia, Lanqi had truly thrown caution to the wind.
Thereafter:
At 8:45 a.m., Lanqi and Talia took a sightseeing airship from the Northern District to the Southern District.
At 9:02 a.m., they first arrived at the Sun Coast by the Southern District's entrance, taking photos with adorable little animals at the Crown Group Pet Plaza, feeding the pets, and playing together.
At 9:20 a.m., Talia wanted to head to the Western District again to buy drinks. Lanqi was abruptly dragged off by a suddenly appearing Sigrid to the Competition Plaza for an exhilarating chocobo race. Before Talia returned, Sigrid smoothly delivered Lanqi back to where he started.
At 9:34 a.m., after experiencing the rush of speed, the barely recovered Lanqi was still coordinating Loren's schedule when he arrived with Talia at the Game Plaza. Having apparently become a pro at Golden Bee Amusement Park's card duels over the past few days, Talia engaged in a casual two-player match with Lanqi here.
At 10:15 a.m., Lanqi left the Game Plaza with his brain operating on multiple threads. Just as they were preparing to leave the Western District, the Golden Bee Amusement Park's Champion Pompom Match happened to be underway. Talia invited him to team up and participate, leaping with all their might onto the pompom field. Though they failed to secure a ranking, the process brought Talia immense joy.
At 10:29 a.m., after some exercise, the two arrived at the rides in the Circular Plaza for a brief rest. Talia went off again to buy snacks, and Lanqi was once more dragged by Sigrid onto the Ferris wheel, taking in the panoramic view of Golden Bee Amusement Park as they slowly ascended.
At 10:46 a.m., after a short rest, Lanqi and Talia headed to the Performance Plaza to watch the magical Battle of the Colossi show, thoroughly immersed in the stunning spectacles and grand music.
At 11:15 a.m., after enjoying the show, they arrived at the Golden Bee Amusement Park Valentine's Limited-Time Restaurant to partake in a lavish couple's set meal, savoring delicious Kupo Nut ice cream.
Now, just past eleven thirty, they rode an airship back to the Southern District of Golden Bee Amusement Park, arriving at the Crystal Plaza near the South Gate.
The dazzling crystals in the plaza looked all the more enchanting under the sunlight.
A long line stood before the carousel ahead, while other couples simply took commemorative photos without queuing.
"Aba aba..."
Leaning against a bench near the distant Red Peach Garden, Lanqi tilted his head back as though his soul were escaping his mouth, barely keeping his mind running.
Talia had vanished once more, leaving Lanqi alone on the bench.
To him, these three-odd hours had felt countless times longer than his stay in Blood Moon City.
Not only was he playing his heart out with Talia and Sigrid, but he was also continuously mapping out new routes for Loren and instructing him on how to trade verbal blows with his dating partners in real time.
Because of Hyperion's appearance, Lanqi had been forced to scrap his original timetable, switching to improvisation and updating Loren's optimal routes and timestamps on the fly based on the evolving situation. Right now, he felt on the verge of fainting.
"Our Super Mighty Lan-Cat duo has finally survived this morning smoothly!"
Boss Cat trotted back to Lanqi's bench with light, dancing steps, leaping onto the seat to bump paws with him.
Having endured up to this point, it was nearly time to leave Golden Bee Amusement Park.
Lanqi had finally weathered the storm.
"Did we succeed?"
Lanqi scooped up Boss Cat, gazing at his dear friend.
"Yes, meow! Loren is about to lead Juliana out of Golden Bee Amusement Park. After lunch, it'll be time for the afternoon performance at the Ikerite Opera House!" Boss Cat said with high spirits.
Initially, he had thought Lanqi was engaging in reckless maneuvers today. But upon witnessing Lanqi's dedication, he had been deeply moved. This kid truly took hits for his friends; when he made a promise to a friend, he would give his life to see it through.
"That's wonderful."
Lanqi pushed himself upright, striving to clear his foggy mind.
There was still a crucial performance this afternoon. His nerves were walking a tightrope right now; he had to adjust his condition as quickly as possible and find a moment to catch his breath, or he feared he wouldn't hold out.
"Lanqi, your hair is all messy."
Boss Cat hopped onto the back of the bench, resting his paws on Lanqi's shoulders to brush his hair back.
He had watched Lanqi's remote guidance throughout the entire process.
After helping Loren chat with Florence, Lanqi's expression wouldn't change in the slightest. After helping Loren chat with Juliana, Lanqi's bangs would shift slightly. After helping Loren chat with Almis, Lanqi's bangs would be drenched in sweat. The laning pressure had been overwhelmingly immense.
"Why is the Ice Witch so formidable today, meow?" Boss Cat suspected appearances were deceiving.
He had assumed the Ice Witch's thoughts on romance were as simple as Hyperion's.
"As is well known, the biggest gap in the top lane is the jungle gap. If you have to focus on laning against an opponent of comparable skill while dividing your attention to lane against others at the same time, it's a blessing if your lane doesn't completely collapse," Lanqi said with lingering fear.
Even when facing the most dangerous adversary of his career in Bandera City on the northern border of the Protos Empire, he had never felt such suffocating pressure as he did today.
"And you could only weak-side solo under the tower while this cat had to roam to provide vision for you," Boss Cat said, petting Lanqi's head with pity.
On Lanqi's side, because Sigrid actively cooperated with him, she gave him the least trouble.
Talia always had ideas of her own, making her direction difficult to control at times, and her words often left Lanqi breaking into cold sweats.
As for Hyperion, she was completely elusive. All detection spells were useless against her; Lanqi dared not get too close to her, nor dared he stay too far, deploying his only support cat to report her coordinates.
Boss Cat had never seen Lanqi look so haggard. For once, it made him feel like a cat mother. Before they could converse further, Boss Cat nimbly leaped back into Lanqi's shadow.
Seeing Boss Cat's reaction, Lanqi roughly knew who had arrived.
"Thank you for your hard work. I had so much fun today."
Sigrid leaned in beside Lanqi, naturally resting an arm over his shoulder and drawing him slightly closer.
"As long as Lord Cardinal is happy," Lanqi replied with a faint smile.
"Still, why are you so exhausted today?"
Sigrid inspected Lanqi's eyes and touched his cheek.
Merely running two threads should have been effortless for Lanqi.
Compared to Lanqi, she should have been the more exhausted one. While dating Lanqi, she had also been helping the Ice Witch trade blows with a mysterious master—who definitely wasn't Loren, but rather a strategist Loren had enlisted.
"Didn't get much sleep last night," Lanqi blinked, trying to stay alert.
Sigrid stared at him thoughtfully, as though deducing something.
Lanqi had no reason to be this exhausted unless his computing power had been diverted to other threads filled with unexpected variables, causing his processing power to run short.
"By the way, Lanqi, besides dating me and Tata today, were you communicating with any men?"
A suspicion surfaced in Sigrid's mind, and she asked Lanqi tentatively.
"Yes."
Lanqi was taken aback, then came clean with her.
"Loren?" Sigrid pressed.
"That's right..."
Hearing Sigrid's uncanny deduction, Lanqi held his forehead midway through his answer. He, too, had put many pieces together.
Why helping Loren lane against the Ice Witch had been so exhausting, and why the Ice Witch's oppressive pressure had felt so familiar...
"Ehehe."
Sigrid raised a hand and tapped her own head.
She hadn't realized that she had actually been clashing against Lanqi the entire time. It turned out she was the primary culprit behind Lanqi's utter exhaustion.
They should have been evenly matched opponents, but because Lanqi had been juggling multiple other threads simultaneously, he had been caught completely off guard.
"Sorry, Lanqi. Don't blame me, okay? I didn't know it would make you so tired," Sigrid said, wrapping her arms around Lanqi's arm and shaking it in apology.
"I have no reason to blame you. Neither of us knew. Who would've thought that while Loren came to me, the Ice Witch also sought you out? I should be the one apologizing. I promised to spend time with you, yet I had to work on the side," Lanqi laughed.
"Tata is almost back, so I'll vanish for now. See you at the theater this afternoon."
Sigrid stuck out her tongue. She knew Lanqi wouldn't blame her; she was mostly concerned because Lanqi truly looked too worn out right now. She gradually eased her grip and let go of Lanqi, bidding him farewell.
"See..."
Before Lanqi could finish saying "See you this afternoon," he felt Sigrid suddenly lean in close.
"Sneaking a bite!"
Planting a peck on Lanqi's cheek, she ran off with a playful giggle. She never left empty-handed.
As she ran, she blew a kiss toward Lanqi, hoping to soothe his fatigue.
"Honestly... a cardinal shouldn't sexually harass her Holy Son," Lanqi shook his head helplessly, though a smile touched his lips. He was powerless against his superior.
"She's getting bolder and bolder with you, meow. That makes twice she's kissed you today!" Boss Cat poked his head out of the shadow again, sprawling beside Lanqi.
From the moment Lanqi failed to resist this morning, Boss Cat knew Sigrid would push her luck even further.
"It's fine. There were things I originally intended to make clear to them anyway. I just planned to settle matters regarding the future after finishing this final task today." Lanqi looked down at his palm, speaking with an easy expression.
He and Boss Cat enjoyed a rare moment of idle banter. Before long...
Talia returned to the bench holding two cups of ice cream.
"Tata, you're back."
"Mm."
Before she could even ask Lanqi which cup he wanted, she sat down and locked her eyes onto Lanqi's face.
"..."
Talia raised a finger and touched Lanqi's cheek.
"What is it?"
Creeped out by Talia's silent scrutiny, Lanqi turned his head to ask her.
He admitted that with the morning's schedule drawing to a close, he had let his guard down slightly from that high-strung state. But nothing should have gone wrong.
"Why does it look like someone just kissed you?"
Talia inspected him closely.
Though faint, Talia felt as if someone had left a mark on Lanqi's cheek.
"?"
Lanqi's heart and lungs ground to a dead halt.
He hadn't expected Talia to be so sharp at catching stray cats, transforming into Chief Gray Cat in an instant with terrifyingly keen observation.
Talia also possessed lie detection; before her, one could only speak the truth.
Yet his brain was turning so sluggishly, like rusted gears, that he couldn't even formulate how to answer her.
If he couldn't find a window to rest before the afternoon's play began, he feared he wouldn't be able to maintain full computing power on stage.
Just as Lanqi was racking his brain...
"It was me, meow! I pounced onto Lanqi's shoulders and was messing around with him just now!" Boss Cat declared hurriedly.
"..."
Lanqi was struck dumb for a moment.
He stared blankly at the little black cat shielding him.
It was as if Boss Cat were desperately guarding his happiness.
To have a friend like Boss Cat in this lifetime—he truly had no regrets.
Yet in the past, he had constantly manipulated the cat into dirty work. Guilt surged into his heart, devouring him completely and hollowing him out from left to right.
"So that was it."
Learning it was Boss Cat, Talia let it go.
Aside from Boss Cat, no one nearby would suddenly initiate such intimate contact with her Lanqi.
"Phew."
Lanqi let out a sound that was half sigh, half chuckle. He felt an inexplicable sense of peace.
It turned out that sometimes he really ought to listen to Boss Cat instead of being so aggressive. Happiness had been within arm's reach all along; true bliss lay in simple peace.
In the distance, Lanqi watched Loren leading Juliana out of Golden Bee Amusement Park's South Gate. With this, the morning's work was practically over.
Though this morning's tribulation was nearly surmounted, he was so drained he just wanted to close his eyes and fall asleep.
His brain could barely turn anymore.
"..."
"..."
Right at that moment, Lanqi's nearly closed eyes snapped open, staring into the distance in disbelief.
Far behind Loren and Juliana...
A figure was following them with a face full of sorrow and suspicion.
Lanqi covered his mouth.
He knew Hyperion was also spending the day at Golden Bee Amusement Park, but he couldn't comprehend why Hyperion was sneakily tailing Loren and Juliana.
Hyperion was pulling out a communication magic card, preparing to contact someone.
Lanqi glanced at Boss Cat beside him.
Boss Cat shook his head frantically, his head turning into a whirlwind of black dough.
When he had been scouting vision for Lanqi earlier, Loren had consistently avoided the zones where Hyperion was located under Lanqi's route planning. Now, just when Loren should have smoothly exited Golden Bee Amusement Park, Hyperion had successfully tracked down Loren's position.
It was as if Hyperion had deduced Loren's movements through some other method.
A sharp pang shot through Lanqi's brain.
What on earth was going on?
Why was Hyperion tracking Loren, and how had she guessed Loren's path?
Wait—could Hyperion have already witnessed Loren's dates with the Ice Witch or Florence in the park? Or...
Hyperion's demeanor today also looked as though she were supporting someone, just like Sigrid.
Then all the logic clicked into place.
Lanqi plunged into a cosmic vortex of thought.
If Sigrid was supporting the Ice Witch, could Hyperion be supporting Florence—which was why Florence spoke in that distinctly Hyperion-esque tone, where provoking her felt like punching cotton?!
And the reason Talia had asked him that question about a friend earlier was that she had seen Loren dating Almis? Was Talia helping Juliana?!
Lanqi felt as though he had plunged into a temporal rift. He saw cornfields, snow-capped mountains, the sun and planets, standing amidst the vast and magnificent universe, traversing mysterious and profound light-years. From the origin of the cosmos to the birth of the first underwater organism, from universal gravitation to the mass-energy equivalence equation, all the world's knowledge streaked through his mind.
Lanqi could no longer make sense of it. All he knew was that in places he hadn't noticed, the lines were practically blowing up!
He had to intercept Hyperion; he couldn't let her keep following Loren and Juliana!
Lanqi prepared to stand up and dash toward Hyperion.
He had to stop her from connecting that communication spell!
Yet before his feet could exert force, he sensed Talia staring at him.
"Where are you trying to go?"
Talia effortlessly detected the movement of Lanqi's body.
"..."
A drop of sweat rolled down the side of Lanqi's forehead. Time in his eyes seemed to freeze at this very instant.
Under these circumstances, Tata could not meet Hy. Otherwise, Talia would definitely misunderstand that it had been Hyperion sneaking a kiss on him just now.
Furthermore, the situation on his end was minor. If he went to find Hyperion now and Talia met Hyperion, the truth regarding Loren would inevitably be exposed. They would corroborate each other's accounts that Loren was dating multiple women today!
If he kept staring at Hyperion, Talia would quickly notice Hyperion too, and then go over to regroup with her.
If he ignored Hyperion, Loren's secret could explode at any second. Sending the cat over wouldn't solve the problem either; he had to personally intercept Hyperion and explain everything to her.
Yet it was already too late.
A dead end.
Lanqi's heart pounded faster and faster.
From the very beginning, the moment those multiple threads intersected and tangled—the moment he initiated it without realizing—destiny was already throwing off sparks, yet he had remained entirely oblivious.
Running six threads wasn't terrifying; what was terrifying was when those threads crossed and connected with one another.
With every subsequent step, the more he took, the more mistakes he made. He was already mired in a bizarre loop and an abyss.
At this point, if no one helped him untangle this chaotic mess of threads, it would blow completely open.
And the moment everything fell apart would either be right now or in the near future. Paper could never wrap fire. No matter how he struggled now, he was merely delaying failure for a brief while.
Lanqi's heart grew colder and colder.
Was he going to fail just like this?
Wouldn't that mean he had not only failed to help Loren, but owed Loren even more?
Desolation and unwillingness washed over Lanqi's heart.
"..."
In that moment, Lanqi could only gaze toward the north—the direction where his faith had perished.
He had never believed in gods or buddhas; he believed only that that man was a legendary sealing master who could smile in the face of all peril, never uttering a peep even if his head were lopped off.
*Old Sang, I am out of options. Please guide my way.*
*[Child, sacrifice yourself.]*
A voice like shifting sands seemed to whisper beside Lanqi's ear.
It sounded like an auditory hallucination in his mental world, like Askson's legacy left to him, or like a summons from the depths of hell.
Lanqi snapped back from his reverie to reality. Away from the dense crowds, a gentle winter breeze lightly brushed against his cheek. The noisy chatter of playing children, the music of performers, and someone's laughter and singing all drifted over here.
He had already made up his mind on what to do.
Just as Lanqi resolved that even if he blew himself up, he would go intercept Hyperion...
He suddenly saw a figure emerge from the crowd, rush up to Hyperion, and tickle her waist. Startled, Hyperion spun around and assumed a vigilant combat stance.
Only when Hyperion focused and got a clear look at that figure did she lower her guard.
"Sigrid, why is it you?"
Hyperion couldn't fathom why Sigrid was also at Golden Bee Amusement Park today, all on her own and dressed so dashingly.
"It was just so boring passing the time this morning! But then I managed to find you! Shouldn't we sisters go have a proper blast together?" Sigrid pounced forward to hug Hyperion, demanding playfully.
"Wait, Sigrid. I don't have time to play with you today. I have something very important to handle right now, and there's a performance this afternoon, so I'm really sorry," Hyperion declined with a serious expression.
Yet Sigrid acted as though she hadn't heard a single word.
"Come on, Hyperion, play with me!"
She firmly grasped Hyperion's arm, shaking it while pointing toward the roller coaster.
"B-But..."
Hyperion was still trying to look back over her shoulder.
Seeing Loren and Juliana walking farther and farther away, she was on the verge of losing their trail, yet Sigrid kept pressing closer.
Sigrid's hands swiftly cupped Hyperion's cheeks, turning her gaze back so that she could only look at her.
"Sister, are you unwilling to play at the amusement park with me?"
Sigrid's eyes shifted back to the innocent demeanor of Siggy Yellow, wheedling toward Hyperion.
"S-Siggy!"
Though Hyperion knew full well this was Sigrid, she felt as if she had tumbled into a dream at this moment.
Only in dreams had she ever had the chance to fantasize about having fun at an amusement park with her little sister Siggy.
"Sister, Sister!" Sigrid pleaded repeatedly.
"Alright, alright, I'll play with you, my Siggy Yellow!"
Hyperion finally lost all rational resistance, hugging Sigrid and deciding to play with her little sister.
Just like that, completely stripped of her defenses, Hyperion was dragged away by Sigrid.
Without looking back, Sigrid waved a hand toward Lanqi, briefly regaining her cool, dashing aura.
This was as far as she could help Lanqi.
By the distant bench...
"..."
Lanqi stared blankly at Loren and Juliana smoothly exiting Golden Bee Amusement Park.
In a brief moment, he experienced a tangle of shock, surviving a catastrophe, relief, and excitement.
Just when he had thought all was lost, Sigrid had saved the day.
*Sigrid, my beloved wife.*
No one had ever given him such a sense of security. He wanted to tell Sigrid just that.
Today could still go on.
It wasn't over yet.
He had to see his mission through to the end.
"Lanqi, are you crying?"
Talia placed her finger at the corner of Lanqi's eye, finding it slightly moist.
She had heard from Antanas that the afternoon opera was profoundly moving, and that the lead actor would put a hundred percent of himself into it, ensuring a magnificent show.
Yet before the afternoon performance had even arrived, his tears were already ebbing and flowing.
"Meow, meow, take a rest."
It was Boss Cat's first time seeing Lanqi this thoroughly exhausted in body and mind.
Any slight disturbance now could become the final straw that broke the camel's back.
Even the Great Love Poet had never seen Lanqi suffer a mental breakdown, but today was likely the closest he had ever come.
"N-No."
Lanqi raised his sleeve and dabbed the corners of his eyes.
There was no time for a post-mortem review; he had to plan for the next moment immediately.
Having survived this morning at Golden Bee Amusement Park, filled with variables and surprises, the afternoon would be much smoother.
Though it seemed difficult that he wouldn't be able to direct Loren during those two hours at the Ikerite Opera House, in reality, it was vastly simpler than this morning. Loren only needed to shuttle between three private boxes—an ordeal equivalent to a simplified version of Golden Bee Amusement Park. Lanqi trusted that Loren could handle it.
The only tricky part would be the moment the performance concluded. Loren would have to escort Florence, Juliana, and Almis out of their respective boxes across three separate time windows.
Otherwise, the theater corridors would be packed during the curtain call, making it impossible for Loren to lead all three out smoothly. With so many eyes around, being discovered then could easily result in getting cornered by the press, turning into a massive scandal for the Creti Emperor.
Still, it didn't matter. Lanqi would be on stage. He would pour everything into a flawless performance, ensuring the media's attention stayed firmly fixed on him and the leading lady, allowing the show to land smoothly without triggering any turmoil.
This was his final duty.
"Lanqi, you look too exhausted. How about I take you somewhere to rest for a bit?"
Talia felt that after running around Golden Bee Amusement Park this morning, Lanqi looked as if he had endured centuries under Immortal Eternal Punishment, giving off the impression that he was about to shatter.
"I need to head to the theater early. I'll probably have to prepare backstage, where I might be able to catch a quick nap." Lanqi shook his head, his eyes holding only a resolute brilliance.
It was the exact same look Lancrosse had worn when marching to his death.
"Then I'll escort you to the theater."
Talia happened to be planning to watch Lanqi and Little Hy's performance this afternoon anyway.
The Brierda Opera House was just across the bridge on the other side of the Yarra River in Ikerite's Northern District, reachable in no time.
After finishing lunch with Lanqi, she would take him to prepare for the performance. She could then enter early to wait for the opera's formal opening, or head backstage to look for Little Hy.
"Mm," Lanqi agreed.
"Lanqi, don't die, meow..."
Boss Cat looked at Lanqi, praying for him.
He knew how much peril Lanqi had navigated this morning and what kind of pressure he had shouldered. The brain was an organ that burned an immense amount of physical stamina; Lanqi's brain was likely on the verge of burning out right now. Yet he was still holding on.
He only hoped Lanqi could endure through the afternoon as well.
Chapter 880