Beginning with the Ubume Bird-Chapter 585 - 17: The Funeral Without Tears (Part Five)

Chapter 585: Chapter 17: The Funeral Without Tears (Part Five)

After the interlude, the funeral seemed to continue without any ripples.

The coffin was to stay in the memorial hall for a night before the burial at Beimang Cemetery the next day. Of course, there was no body inside the coffin, only some of Qin An’s belongings from when he was alive.

Chou Ci, still with stains and blood marks on his face, sat alone in his seat. It didn’t take long before Pan Hu walked over to him and handed him a cup of water, and they conversed about something.

Cha Xiaodao withdrew her gaze, subconsciously touching her smooth neck.

"You alright?"

Li Yan asked.

Cha Xiaodao pursed her lips in Chou Ci’s direction, "If that kid ever crosses me, I’ll flatten him."

No wonder she was harboring such resentment. She stepped outside to get some air and have a smoke when she saw Chou Ci covered in blood. She had intended to help, but who would have thought she’d end up injured instead.

Cha Xiaodao was extremely disgusted with Chou Ci’s appearance.

Not to mention the taboo of bringing disaster to one’s family members and involving innocents.

Talking about Chou Ci crying in front of the door was one thing, but when someone approached, he actually made the first move and injured the person, acting unreasonably like a mad dog.

"He’s not a mad dog, he’s a gambler. The kind that dares to wager his life."

Li Yan said, "At first, he unscrupulously tried to snatch the Lapel Flower from Kui Niu, even involving innocent bystanders. But the moment he was caught by Jiao Chong’s people because of this, he was finished. He wanted to find life in death, even turn the tables, so he didn’t run away. Instead, he made his way to the front of the memorial hall and put on this lively show. He bet that Zhu Jiuyin would protect him. His outbreak of violence was to escalate the matter, to draw attention from others."

Cha Xiaodao still found it hard to believe, "On what grounds did he dare bet that Zhu Jiuyin would protect him?"

Li Yan shrugged, "Anyway, the guy won his bet."

He looked at the scene with a smile, "A Six Ministries Walker who isn’t even a Proxy Traveler has stolen the limelight of the entire funeral. The Scales Lord personally stepped in to protect him, not even giving face to Zhao Jianzhong. The entire Yan Zhao Club was turning heads. We’ve become the background to his story."

"Pawns crossing the river have no path of retreat, but it’s different for you."

A voice suddenly interjected; it was a man in a suit with meticulously styled hair.

"My name is Zhao He, and I’m pleased to meet both of you."

The man in the suit said to Li Yan and Cha Xiaodao, "I’d like to have a word alone with Mr. Cha."

Li Yan and Cha Xiaodao exchanged glances. He took Lady Dan’s hand and said to Xiaodao, "Then, let’s go for a walk."

Xiaodao nodded and watched the two leave.

"What do you want with me?"

"A few days ago, when you went to Tiger Tooth Tower to seek revenge on Ding Ru, he made a phone call. That call was made to me."

Cha Xiaodao’s expression was calm, "So, are you here for revenge?"

"There’s no reason for me to do something so thankless and strenuous. I just want to know if the legacy of the God of Cookery, Yi Yi, is in your hands."

"That’s correct."

Cha Xiaodao knew there was no point in denying it.

"We are willing to pay a high price for that legacy. You’re already a Proxy Traveler, and you have no use for it. We can trade parts of the Taotie legacy in exchange. You should know that collecting all the parts is a necessary step to become a Six Ministries Walker."

"Sorry, but while Yi Yi is in my hands, I don’t plan to sell it. Proxy Travelers can’t use other legacies anymore, but that doesn’t mean those legacies are meaningless to them. You should be clear about that."

"..." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

The man in the suit pondered for a moment, "Then how about this, I invite you to join us."

"Uh, isn’t that a bit abrupt?"

"If your companion, the one called Li Yan, is willing, we extend the invitation to him as well, including his Mountain Spirit."

Cha Xiaodao narrowed her eyes, retorting neither warmly nor coldly, "You guys sure have a big appetite."

On the other side, the conversation between Pan Hu and Chou Ci was also drawing to a close.

"You don’t have to worry too much about Jiao Chong causing you trouble for now. The situation is tense, and as long as you can get into the Yan Zhao Club, he won’t be able to touch you. However, if you can’t get in, you’ll have to fend for yourself."

Chou Ci looked up at Pan Hu, "Thank you, Miss Yang."

Pan Hu smiled, "It’s nothing. If you encounter any difficulties, just call the number on the business card."

"Uh, Miss Yang,"

Chou Ci was somewhat uneasy, "I want to thank Mr. Zhuo in person. After all, if it weren’t for him, I might already be dead. Could you, perhaps, help me arrange an introduction?"

Pan Hu quietly watched Chou Ci for a while, her gaze making Chou Ci’s heart bristle with unease.

"Let’s talk about it once you’re in the Yan Zhao Club."

As Pan Hu turned to leave, something else seemed to come to her mind, and she looked back, "Oh, right, when Jiao Chong stopped you from speaking earlier, what were you going to say?"

Chou Ci opened his mouth, "I just wanted to..."

"You can say whatever you want, but you need to be aware of the limits. Even Jiao Chong, with his status today, wouldn’t dare to question the decisions of Zhu Jiuyin as wrong. Do you understand what I mean?"

Chou Ci nodded.

After Pan Hu left, Chou Ci withdrew his gaze, lowered his head, and immediately fell into a violent shiver, excitement, fear, and retrospect, all of which left him breathless and even caused his limbs to twitch slightly.

"I’m still alive! I’m really still alive!"

"I, I can even go to the Yan Zhao Club!"

Chou Ci swallowed and shakily stood up, wanting to go to the restroom to wash his face and calm down.

In just a few days, he had experienced the joy of successfully assaulting Proxy Traveler alone, the panic and despair of being hunted by Jiao Chong, the madness of fighting to survive after the escape. And now, a deep tiredness and an almost transcendent sense of unreality."

Splash, splash, splash

Chou Ci’s face and the back of his hands were all wet, he looked at his reflection in the mirror, it took a long time before he cracked a smile.

He haphazardly wiped his hands across his chest and pushed the restroom door open. A massive fist loomed in front of him, growing larger and larger, and as searing pain and the tangy scent of blood overcame him, he saw through a daze a man with a cold face, angry eyes, and a blue scarf.

He instinctively raised his right hand, but before he could react, a crisp whistling sound interrupted him, followed by his fingers being forcibly bent backwards by the other person.

The pain had not even left his throat when a succession of heavy punches hammered into his stomach.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The mirror, fogged up with water vapor, faintly reflected Yang Zheng’s furious assault on Chou Ci, each punch landing heavily on Chou Ci’s face.

Blood splattered everywhere, and after a while, Yang Zheng lifted Chou Ci by the collar, holding him half in the air. Chou Ci did not resist; he simply tried his best to open his swollen eyes and stare at Yang Zheng’s face.

"I’m going to tell you three things, listen carefully."

Blood streaked down from Yang Zheng’s fist.

"First, Mr. Qin likes to help out the younger generation, but there is a rule: he will teach anyone anything for no more than forty days. The higher the disciple’s aptitude, the shorter the teaching period. Beyond forty days, he loses patience."

"Second, you’re playing with fire, and this fire will burn you to ashes! Before you think about being a pawn for someone else, first check if you’re qualified enough!"

"Third! If you ever dare to use Mr. Qin’s name to swindle and bluff again, I will skin you alive. Don’t believe me? Just try it."

Chou Ci’s consciousness began to blur, but he couldn’t stop laughing, staring with amusement at the furious face before him.

Yang Zheng released his hand, letting Chou Ci’s body slide down against the wall.

He gave Chou Ci a last, vicious glance before turning and leaving. The sound of his leather shoes treading on the wet floor was particularly crisp.

Chou Ci, with a bloody nose, grinned, watching Yang Zheng’s retreating figure, venom brewing deep within his eyes.