A Tale of the Golden Bee Amusement Park

Scene 1: Boss Cat Restaurant << Scene 2: Golden Bee Amusement Park Scene 3: Lanqi and the Mysterious Black-Haired Woman Scene 4: Love Obstacle Corridor Academy Season 2 ... Midsummer, six in the morning in Ikerite, the royal capital of Hutton. Boss Cat Restaurant was not yet open for business. Only the faint sounds of preparation drifted through the ground-floor dining room. "Seriously, that's what I'm planning to talk about on my next broadcast," Antanas said, propping her cheek on one hand as she sat on a high stool by the bar. "I'll call it *How to Coast to Victory in Romance*. I bet the listenership will go through the roof." She looked every bit like a VIP guest who never had to wait in line. "Sounds like fun," Pranay replied with a gentle smile, his hands never pausing in their work. "Still, don't you have today off? Why didn't you sleep in a bit longer?" Even though Antanas no longer worked at Boss Cat Restaurant, she still had not moved out. "A rare day off should naturally be enjoyed by waking up early," Antanas answered matter-of-factly. "Besides, I wanted to hang out with Talia. A day just feels like it's missing something without her." Her gaze drifted leisurely across the restaurant. She didn't find Talia. Instead, her eyes eventually settled on a figure standing before a wall not far away. Lanqi stood with his hands behind his back. Perched atop his head was a sleepy-eyed little black cat. "Damn it, and yet..." Lanqi stood rooted before an enormous abstract painting. The artwork dominated the most prominent spot on the entire wall. Twisted lines and chaotic patches of color intertwined in a wild, uninhibited manner. Its core was a tangle of relentless grays and blacks, interspersed with jarring splashes of silver-white and amber, brimming with an utterly bewildering sense of dynamic motion. This was none other than the decorative piece Antanas had bought from who-knew-where after their return from the South Vantina Territory—*Twisting Dough*. He had been staring at the painting for five full minutes, trying to comprehend it from an artistic standpoint. Every attempt had ended in failure. The chaotic imagery never failed to accurately awaken certain memories buried deep within him, giving him a mounting headache. At last, looking as though he had given up the fight, he let out a soft sigh. "Boss Cat," Lanqi said in a hushed tone, addressing the furry creature atop his head that seemed almost fused with his hair, "why has this painting been hanging here for a whole year?" He truly could not understand. "Meow." The little black cat lazily twitched an ear in response. "Oh, weren't we away from Ikerite for half a year? By the time we got back, it felt like the customers had gotten used to it." Boss Cat slowly cracked one eye open and rubbed it with a paw. Besides, taking down such a huge painting would leave a massive blank space on the wall, and regular patrons might find it jarring. Man and cat stood before the painting, shooting the breeze. The three great demons over by the bar simply watched them. "Time really flies. It's already midsummer," Sinora remarked with a sigh as she slipped white bellflowers, freshly plucked from the backyard, into a glass vase at the corner of the counter. She adjusted the stems so they could greet the new day in their most graceful posture. She remembered that the series of farces surrounding Lanqi's return to the Southern Continent had begun in the summer as well. "After living in human society for a long time, our perception of time gradually adapts too. Naturally, that also accelerates the wear on our souls," Pranay murmured to himself. To endure the passage of vast ages, long-lived races originally slowed their souls and dulled their emotions—a self-preservation mechanism, in a sense. Since arriving in the Hutton Kingdom, he had been studying this phenomenon. Yet some demons paid it no mind at all. "If we don't use the Golden Bee Amusement Park passes Abigail gave us last time, they're going to expire!" Antanas pulled out several gold-foiled cards from somewhere and spread them across the counter. "Boss Cat, Lanqi, look what I've got!" She turned to call over to Lanqi and Boss Cat, holding up one card to catch their attention. The tickets featured a holographic sheen, with a pixel-block golden bee sparkling in the morning sunlight, and were stamped with the words: *Golden Bee Amusement Park · Summer Exclusive VIP Guest Passes*. "Meow, meow!" Boss Cat instantly drifted down from Lanqi's head. "Well? The weather is so nice today. Let's go have some fun after work! We can even head over to the duke's manor and invite Hubao and Ipha," Antanas suggested to the little black cat. Hearing the proposal, Sinora, who was changing the vase water, showed a flicker of hesitation. "But Antanas, my brother and I usually have to keep someone here to watch the shop. I'm afraid we won't be able to go." "Exclusive passes, meow!" Boss Cat had no idea what made them exclusive, but it sounded very impressive nonetheless. "Let's just close for the day! It's rare that it's the weekend, and Antanas is here too, meow." It hopped onto the counter, patted the surface with a paw, and made the executive decision. "Still, I'm afraid Hyperion won't be able to come," Lanqi said, walking over and glancing at the dates on the tickets. "Why, meow?" Indeed, Boss Cat hadn't seen Hyperion for the past two days. Sigrid, meanwhile, had always been elusive, which was probably just her nature as a wolf warrior. Since Lanqi hadn't explained until now, it likely meant Hyperion was off handling something important. "She accepted an international escort commission. It's not a secret, really." After a moment's thought, Lanqi erected a soundproof barrier and began filling them in. Two days ago, Sigrid had accompanied Hyperion to the City of Flowers. Ever since coming to the Southern Continent, Sigrid had never been to Palieu, the City of Flowers in the Kingdom of Posen. Hyperion had received an escort request. The clients were Countess Rosalinda and Professor Polao. They needed a powerful expert to safely transport two national-treasure-level paintings from the Kingdom of Posen back to the Hutton Kingdom. That sort of escort mission required an expert-level assassin to put minds at ease. "On top of that, Hyperion is thoroughly familiar with the Kingdom of Posen, having been brought to the City of Flowers frequently since childhood. She even considers those two paintings part of her family property, so she was undeniably the most reassuring choice," Lanqi concluded succinctly. "Why didn't Hyperion take us along?" Antanas asked, puzzled. All along, it had been her and Sinora protecting Hyperion. "To be honest, Hyperion doesn't need protection anymore. Besides, it wasn't that she brought Sigrid along as a bodyguard—Sigrid just wanted to tag along to the City of Flowers for fun," Lanqi said, shaking his head. Sigrid possessed boundless energy and loved nothing more than going out for walks. Thus, unstoppable as ever, she had signed up as part of the escort party heading to the City of Flowers. "Hyperion is already at Tier 7. If she harnesses Melogas's power, she can even clash head-on with the Tenth Progenitor operating at only a third of his strength. She's remarkably formidable now," Sinora explained to Antanas from the side. Back in Blood Moon City, facing the Tenth Progenitor, Ulysses, who had committed two-thirds of his power to his summons, Hyperion had fought Ulysses's remaining main body head-on for a prolonged engagement, securing a crucial window for their victory. "Of course, with Sigrid accompanying her, any conceivable problem solves itself. That escort mission is practically a leisurely stroll with an excessive surplus of combat power," Sinora added. "Why does Hyperion always get to ride the baby bus...?" Having said that, Sinora couldn't help musing over the thought herself. "Haven't you noticed? Hyperion's greatest trait is her luck. Calling her the favored daughter of the Goddess of Fate wouldn't be an exaggeration in the slightest. No matter how dire the predicament, an invincible Lanqi always shows up to bail her out," Antanas analyzed. "It seems accumulating virtue truly works," Pranay couldn't help agreeing. "Luck is part of one's strength too, meow," Boss Cat chimed in. "Though speaking of which, Duke Mikhail is the only publicly acknowledged Transcendent-tier combatant left in the Hutton Kingdom now, meow," it said after a moment, sounding a little concerned. "Having one is already quite impressive. Throughout history, any nation with five Transcendents was considered a mighty empire," Antanas said, offering Boss Cat a brief history lesson. None of the demons present had ever publicly disclosed their true tiers. As for the other renowned top Transcendent the Hutton Kingdom once possessed, his citizenship had been wiped out during the winter of the previous year. "Two years ago, when the Hutton Kingdom was at its lowest ebb, Loren was truly the only powerhouse who had stepped into the Transcendent realm. Wherever trouble cropped up, he had to rush to put it out, rarely able to stay in the royal capital of Ikerite," Lanqi sighed, gazing toward the south. Far in that direction lay his old home, the South Vantina Territory, and beyond that, the Creti Empire. As a colossal empire unifying the Three Ancient Kingdoms, Creti boasted over ten Transcendent powerhouses, an extraordinary feat rarely seen in the recorded history of the Southern Continent. That was why no one could have anticipated that the Creti Empire would face the crisis of collapsing from within. "In any case, there's no need to worry. Publicly speaking, Hyperion is now one of the pillar combatants of the Hutton Kingdom," Lanqi said with a wry smile. Whenever he thought of the past, he couldn't help feeling how swiftly times had changed. "Indeed. A quasi-Transcendent demon would have been considered a powerhouse even in the demonic realms of the external continent over a century ago. Demons of that caliber would have countless black magicians clamoring to sell their souls in exchange for power and protection," Pranay agreed. Tier 7 was the quasi-Transcendent rank; Tier 8 was the Transcendent rank. Texts from the Northern Continent often described Transcendents as: *Mortal flesh touching the divine realm.* "...Hubao wouldn't know the first thing about doing that. If she saw a black magician, she'd just cleave them with a sword," Antanas remarked. "Besides, the Hutton Kingdom has always maintained strict regulation over black magicians. Children are taught from a young age about their extreme danger, and that one must never make a pact or trade their soul with a demon." Cognitively speaking, Hyperion still regarded herself as human. She possessed none of the tricks or habits of a demon. As the chatter continued, someone in the restaurant suddenly went quiet. "..." "What were we talking about at the start again?" Lanqi deftly changed the subject. He fixed his eyes on the tickets on the counter. "Meow, meow! I hereby declare we're closing for the day! Let's go have fun at the Golden Bee Amusement Park!" Boss Cat shouted. Right at that moment, the restaurant's wooden door chimed crisply once more. Talia walked in carrying a paper bag stamped with a sea-salt cracker label—evidently a hot-ticket item she had queued up early that morning specifically to buy. "Did I hear something about a golden bee? An amusement park?" She happened to catch Boss Cat's announcement. A spark of brightness flared in her usually placid golden eyes. "Yes! The passes Abigail gave us last time," Antanas said, waving the cards toward Talia. "Then should I go call Ipha?" Talia handed the crackers to Antanas and prepared to head right back out the door. "Perhaps someone should stay behind to mind the shop. I can remain here," Pranay said out of the blue. His expression didn't shift in the slightest; he spoke completely naturally. "Come on, come along!" Antanas insisted stubbornly. "Yes, meow!" "Brother, it's a group outing!" "...Very well, then," Pranay relented. "..." Lanqi watched from the side, weighing his options internally. Seeing Pranay's reluctance, he suddenly felt a stronger inclination not to go to the Golden Bee Amusement Park either. "I—" Just as Lanqi was about to speak, Talia turned around, wrapped her arms tightly around him, and rubbed her cheek against his face without the slightest hesitation. "It's just the two of us again today," Talia murmured. Knowing Hyperion and Sigrid were away, she had grown far bolder and much more affectionate with Lanqi. "..." Seeing Talia's expectant look, Lanqi swallowed back the words at the tip of his tongue. Looking on the bright side... Today, neither Hyperion nor Sigrid was in Ikerite. At the very least, it wouldn't turn into a repeat of that multithreaded disaster. With that thought, Lanqi finally nodded. Seeing all the demons ready, Boss Cat eagerly switched into holiday mode. With practiced telekinesis, it flipped the sign hanging on the door from "Open" to the side reading "Sorry, Closed (Cat Nap)". "It's settled, then! We meet at the Golden Bee Amusement Park at ten!" Talia said, clapping her hands outside the door. ... Scene 1: Boss Cat Restaurant Scene 2: Golden Bee Amusement Park << Scene 3: Lanqi and the Mysterious Black-Haired Woman Scene 4: Love Obstacle Corridor Academy Season 2 ... In summer Ikerite, the mid-morning sunlight at ten-thirty already carried a noticeable heat. Yet that did nothing to dampen people's enthusiasm for flocking to this fountain of joy. Golden Bee Amusement Park, a comprehensive entertainment hub under the Ikerite Crown Group, was currently immersed in the peak hustle and vitality of summer. As one of the largest theme parks in the Southern Continent, it was divided into seven distinct thematic zones—from the steampunk-styled "Gear Town" to the myth and magic of "Fairy Forest," all the way to the maritime adventure of "Lost Ship Cove." Each area featured unique architecture, rides, and limited-edition merchandise, ensuring visitors enjoyed a brand-new experience on every visit throughout the year. The arrival of summer breathed seasonal energy into the park. Beyond events like the "Summer Fireworks Festival" and the "Foam Carnival Parade," Fairy Lake, usually just a scenic attraction, had been converted into a thrilling flume ride. Over in the south district beside Crystal Plaza, the open grounds now hosted the expansive Siren's Tear Wave Pool, where visitors in swimwear splashed amid artificial waves, banishing the midsummer heat. At this moment, on a bench beside the Giant's Challenge climbing facility in the Fairy Forest zone, several members of the ducal household sat resting after finishing a round of games. "No, no, if we follow this route through the west zone, it'll already be afternoon. But I want to take a nap at noon!" Iphatia said, blowing cool air onto herself with a magic device while engrossed in studying the park's guide map. Golden Bee Amusement Park covered vast grounds and featured an adjoining resort hotel. Their VIP passes included accommodations, allowing them to rest at midday before heading back out for more fun in the afternoon. "Let's head to the Sun Coast next. I heard the pet plaza over there has capybaras today, plus limited-edition beach barbecue." "I'd rather check out the Behemoth Airship in the west zone," Iphatia countered, pointing in another direction on the map. "The summer festival badges have updated! If you win three matches in a row, you can get a rare 'Heart of the Ocean' themed souvenir set. It's a collector's edition!" She was clearly far more interested in child-oriented challenges and rich rewards. The two demon princesses debated their next destination. Lanqi sat on the bench. His gaze drifted blankly toward the rotating mushroom house nearby, looking as if his soul had completely vacated his body. Thanks to the super fast-pass tickets, even attractions that normally prohibited skip-the-line privileges could be accessed once without waiting in queues. Antanas and Sinora had carried Boss Cat off to ride a roller coaster, dragging Pranay along with them. Truth be told, the moment Lanqi stepped into Golden Bee Amusement Park, he had felt thoroughly unsettled. He didn't even know why. "We're going to buy some snacks first. What do you two want?" Iphatia asked, having apparently reached a consensus with Talia, turning back toward Mikhail and Lanqi. "Lanqi?" Just as Talia was about to set off with Iphatia, out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Lanqi still sitting dazed on the bench. "What's the matter?" Talia asked, leaning in curiously. Lanqi slowly looked up. "Nothing... It's just that the moment I set foot in this park, it feels as though a man's voice keeps echoing in my ears," he whispered after a moment's hesitation, rising to his feet. "A man's voice?" Iphatia grew even more perplexed. She pricked up her ears, but heard nothing beyond the laughter of visitors and the mechanical roar of attractions. "Mikhail, can you hear anything?" "I can hear a great many voices." Mikhail listened as well, unsure of whom Lanqi meant specifically. "Though I might have a hunch... Was it someone very kind?" Over time, he had heard quite a few of Lanqi's stories, including the adventures of Lanqi and Boss Cat in the Northern Continent. "Who is it, Mikhail?" "Someone you don't know." "Hey, who? Someone you know but I don't?" Iphatia and Mikhail began bickering back and forth. Talia ignored them for the moment. "Let me listen. Lanqi, relax your mind and body." Talia cupped Lanqi's ears with both hands, pressing her forehead against his, sharing her perception with him to peer into his mental world. [...] [Child, sacrifice yourself. You cannot escape a second time.] [At the Golden Bee Amusement Park, you shall meet your destiny.] [I am waiting for you.] "..." Talia's expression instantly darkened. She understood what Lanqi was referring to better than anyone. It was Askson's voice. Even though *she* had been Lanqi's teacher first! "Oh my, looks like my little black cat is having a stress reaction," Talia teased, letting go of his head and crossing her arms to pay him back for always calling her a big grey cat. "A stress reaction?" Iphatia came over with concern. "Last time this boy was at the Golden Bee Amusement Park..." Talia paused mid-sentence. Remembering how Lanqi had looked on the verge of tears on a park bench last time, her heart softened. "Never mind. He's too pitiful. Just sit here and rest up." A trace of tender pampering crept into her voice. In the end, Talia couldn't bring herself to torment him any further. She reached out, gently slipped her arm around his waist, and guided him back down onto the bench. "Should I get you some water? Or maybe something to eat—a little sugar might help?" Talia asked softly. "Pfft." Lanqi was briefly amused by Talia's fussing, and his complexion improved considerably. "No need. Go ahead and have fun. I'll just sit here for a bit." He shook his head, offering her a reassuring smile so as not to spoil their outing. "How can I just leave this child here alone..." Talia muttered, still lingering anxiously. "Go enjoy yourselves. I'll stay behind to look after him. We can all regroup later using the communicator app," Mikhail offered, sitting down beside Lanqi. He didn't want Iphatia's long-anticipated park trip ruined. Besides, he wasn't hungry anyway; slacking off here was far better than standing in line to buy sweets. "Uh." Considering Mikhail possessed the vast medical expertise of a top-tier physician, leaving Lanqi in his care was unquestionably the safest choice. After a moment's hesitation, Talia finally set her worries aside. "Then Mikhail, I leave Lanqi in your hands!" Talia instructed earnestly. "Take good care of my brother!" Iphatia chimed in. "You're not even pretending anymore, are you?" Lanqi muttered, thoroughly speechless. "Hehe!" Iphatia puffed out her chest, resting her hands on her hips. "Adaptive!" she declared proudly. With that, Talia and Iphatia could no longer restrain their excitement. Eagerly turning toward the food court, they vanished into the bustling crowd. Ordinarily—like in the Creti Empire or Palieu, the City of Flowers—Lanqi would pair off with Talia, while Mikhail accompanied Iphatia. Yet today had yielded an unusual arrangement. Talia and Iphatia had gone off to play together. While Mikhail stayed behind to accompany a traumatized Lanqi. Staff dressed in golden bee mascot suits were high-fiving and taking photos with guests. On the rides behind them, retro arcade graffiti numbers flashed periodically. The breeze blew warm, carrying the sweet aroma of popcorn and ice cream from afar. Yet Lanqi felt none of that joy. That day—the morning at the Golden Bee Amusement Park, followed by the afternoon at the Ikerite Opera House—had been far too long. Returning here brought every scene flooding back into his mind. "Are you all right?" "I'm fine..." "..." Mikhail studied Lanqi for a moment. "Since today's passes allow unlimited re-entry, and sitting here is rather stifling, why don't we go take a stroll outside?" If the location triggered the stress reaction, changing locations was the simplest remedy. "Where to?" Lanqi asked, looking up with curiosity. Mikhail didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned his gaze beyond the amusement park's perimeter wall. Looking past layers of treetops and architecture, he peered toward a colossal structure clearly visible even from several kilometers away. It was a grand complex of multiple skyscrapers. Set against the clear midsummer sky, dark glass curtain walls reflected a dazzling radiance, resembling a mountain range of platinum crystal towering in the heart of the city. At the summit of the tallest central tower, a signature crown-shaped structure gleamed brilliantly— The Ikerite Crown Casino. "The Ikerite Crown?" Lanqi asked in astonishment, following Mikhail's gaze. That was his good friend Frey's most frequent haunt. Golden Bee Amusement Park was itself a property owned by the Ikerite Crown. The Crown Group was the largest comprehensive entertainment and hospitality giant in the Hutton Kingdom, its business empire holding a near-monopoly on the capital's high-end consumer market. Built along the Yala River, the "Ikerite Crown" complex approached the scale of a small city. The conglomerate functioned like an intricate golden clockwork, encompassing luxury hotels, star-rated restaurants of the Southern Continent, luxury shopping malls, international convention centers, and its core, most illustrious feature—the Crown Casino. Lanqi had never set foot there. Not because he disliked it, but simply because he had never needed to. Yet compared to the amusement park before him, which demanded constant mental fortitude just to endure, that reportedly quiet and luxurious realm felt far less off-putting. He was merely curious why Mikhail had suddenly suggested going to the Ikerite Crown. "Do you remember Viscount Ferrat Salvensen?" Mikhail asked, pulling his gaze back from the distant skyline and looking at Lanqi. "I remember. When Hyperion and I took the entrance exams for Ikerite Academy, he was one of our proctors," Lanqi recalled after a moment's thought. The impression the viscount had left on him was someone lacking professionalism, with an arrogance that subtly bled into his speech—hardly the conduct of a qualified educator. And he had a notoriously foul temper.