I am the Ruler of the Kingdom of Mysterious-Chapter 247 - 215: Returning to the City

January 27th, Lunar calendar, the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth month.

Sang Que rested at home for nearly twenty days, accompanying Sang Wan, while also observing any anomalies in Sang Wan after writing the beginning of that story.

During this period, Sang Que went to the Deceit Dynasty twice to deliver food to Xia Chan and Xuan Yu.

He Buning and their group have been on the road, and if everything goes smoothly, they should return to Wangshan City today.

Sang Que and Sang Wan prepared everything needed for the New Year at home, and the Great General even received a festive red collar.

They ordered several dishes from a restaurant for the New Year’s Eve dinner, all ready for pickup on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve.

Neither of them are skilled at cooking, so there’s no need to trouble themselves.

"Mom, everything’s been sorted. I’m going out for a bit, will return tomorrow night for the New Year, remember to invite Grandma Xu over. Tell her not to cook, it’s too tiring."

Sang Que placed the frozen dumplings and glutinous rice balls into the fridge, shouting toward the study.

Woof! Woof woof!

The Great General barked as Sang Que saw Sang Wan emerge from the study, holding her phone with a grave expression.

"What’s wrong?"

Sang Que approached and took the phone from her mother.

[’Pen Cultivator’ wishes you a happy New Year in advance, may your family be united!]

"The group leader of the Story Relay group?" Sang Que was shocked, checking the sender’s number, but it was blank.

Sang Wan frowned, "Actually, shortly after you went over there last time after finishing the story’s beginning, I received another invitation to their group. I declined, but I feel they’ve targeted me."

Sang Que comforted her mother, "It’s okay, Mom. I’ll think of a way over there, maybe find some method to track their location. Once I advance to Ghost Level, I’ll wipe out their base, and I have to visit the Southern Ocean too."

The Story Relay group and the Nanyang Golden Child are major threats to Sang Que in the modern world.

Sang Wan nodded, "Alright, you should go."

Sang Que patted the Great General’s head and went back to her room to change clothes.

...

Deceit Dynasty, Wangshan City.

Upon returning to Wangshan City in the morning, He Buning sent Xiao Liu to take Xia Chan home, while he took Xiao Wu directly to the Evil Suppression Bureau.

In the conference hall of the Evil Suppression Bureau, Cui Cheng and one of his Day Travel Captains, Lu Da, were already under the left wall, beginning to tally all bizarre cases that occurred this year within the city.

A cloth was hung in front of them, depicting every street and alleyway in Wangshan City. Cui Cheng read a place name from the book, while Lu Da marked a dot on the map with a vermilion brush.

Lu Da had experienced the Gambling Ghost case with Sang Que; he was also a trusted aide of Cui Cheng.

"Why isn’t Granny Zhuang here?"

He Buning asked Cui Cheng as soon as he entered. This task was usually performed by Granny Zhuang and the two Colonels together.

Marking a red dot on the map and comparing it with maps from the previous two years could visually show whether the city’s bizarre incidents had increased or decreased this year.

Excessive increases or decreases were problematic, requiring timely investigation to ensure citizens’ peaceful New Year celebrations.

Cui Cheng yawned, "Granny Zhuang has been ill for about ten days, unable to get out of bed. She’s really old now, afraid she... alas!"

He Buning instructed Xiao Wu beside him, "You go check on her."

"No need to go, Wei Ziyan is there taking care of her, she’ll start taking over Granny Zhuang’s duties after the New Year." Cui Cheng said.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Wu acted as if he hadn’t heard and still turned to leave to check on Granny Zhuang.

Cui Cheng closed the book in his hand, "Hey, you brat! Can you not hear me?"

He Buning approached, looking at the map on the wall. It seemed similar to last year for now, but he felt the red dots were too orderly?

"How long until it’s finished?" He felt the incomplete drawing might be the cause, better to wait for completion to recheck.

"I don’t know!" Cui Cheng shouted angrily.

"Then take your time drawing, I’ll check on the Evil Ghost Bureau and return this afternoon."

Cui Cheng: ........

Once He Buning walked away, Cui Cheng finally reacted.

"I’m your equal, not a subordinate of yours, show some respect for your seniors!"

Lu Da couldn’t help but laugh beside him, which earned an angry stare from Cui Cheng. Lu Da hastily took the book from Cui Cheng’s hand, "Colonel, perhaps you should rest awhile, I’ll handle this."

The book only recorded cases’ names and locations, without actual details, making it easy to flip through.

*

After dropping Xia Chan at home, Xiao Liu wanted to go inside for a drink but was chased away by Xia Chan.

Xia Chan hadn’t noticed the collapsed kitchen in the courtyard had been repaired, with several scholar’s robes hanging to dry. After entering the courtyard, she went straight to the donkey cart, resting her chin while staring at the box inside.

She looked for a while, then opened it.

Sighing, she closed it!

Looked again, opened it.

Frustrated, she closed it!

Grumble~~

Her stomach growled loudly, Xia Chan angrily gave the box a slap, prompting Xuan Yu to stretch, stand, and go out to find food for Xia Chan.

As Xia Chan lifted the lid for the third time, Sang Que emerged from inside.

"Sis..."

Xia Chan was about to call out in surprise when her hair immediately curled up to cover her mouth, remembering Sang Que’s warning about not being discovered.

Tears welled in Xia Chan’s eyes as she spread her arms to hug Sang Que, but she ended up hugging not her sister, but the basket Sang Que held.

Inside were freshly air-fried chicken and fries, and Xia Chan attacked the food like a starving tiger, opening the basket to start eating.

"Eat slowly; it’s all for you."

"Mm mm!"

Sang Que exited the donkey cart, the Black Donkey started calling out upon seeing her. Traveling twenty days from the southwest’s Tianliang City back to the northeastern Wangshan City, ordinary caravans would take over forty days.

Who knows how hard it worked to lose so much weight, it had slimmed down significantly.

Sang Que saw its sturdy, healthy hooves and nodded, "I’ll go buy you something to eat after this."

Sang Que surveyed her surroundings and noticed the dried scholar robes in the courtyard, pausing slightly, then realizing Liu Tianyou must have arrived.

Sure enough, she hadn’t entered the house yet when Liu Tianyou, the young scholar she hadn’t seen in nearly half a year, walked in holding a basket from outside.

"Miss Sang!"

Liu Tianyou was still that weak-looking young man incapable of carrying or lifting, holding a basket in one hand and a book in the other, all while reading.

"We just returned, how long have you been here?"

Liu Tianyou entered, setting down the basket, smelling a delicious and enticing aroma wafting from the donkey cart’s compartment, but he felt awkward asking since he was staying in Sang Que’s courtyard.

"I’ve been here just over ten days, Uncle Yushan is about to get married. I shouldn’t stay at his place, um... I’ll go find an inn shortly."

Liu Tianyou, roughly the same age as Sang Que, lived there when she was absent, but now with Sang Que and Xia Chan, two unmarried ladies, it wasn’t appropriate for him to stay as an unrelated man.

Sang Que had become accustomed to people’s narrow-mindedness in this world over the past half year, so she didn’t comment.

"No rush. You mentioned Uncle Yushan is getting married, to whom?"

Liu Tianyou smiled, genuinely happy for Kou Yushan, "Come, I’ll show you."

"Little Chan, do you want to come with us?"

"Little Chan is busy, Little Chan won’t go!"

Sang Que followed Liu Tianyou out of the alley they lived in. Tomorrow was New Year’s Eve, and every household had decorated their exteriors, replaced old peach charms, hung red lanterns, with children playing and laughing in the snow.

The peace and prosperity of Wangshan City were unparalleled elsewhere in Qinzhou, and having just witnessed suffering in other regions, Sang Que felt a tad bitter watching this scene.

Liu Tianyou led Sang Que to the main street in the west of the city, pointing to the central location at ’Yun Ji Pastries’ shop, telling Sang Que, "It’s that lady over there."

Though it was after lunchtime, a line still waited at the shop entrance, buying various pastries.

A plainly dressed woman with a cloth head wrap smiled warmly, packing pastries for customers with nimble hands, saying something auspicious to everyone.

It was Yun Niang, whom Sang Que had previously seen at Kou Yushan’s doorstep.

Sang Que smiled knowingly; it was wonderful for Kou Yushan to settle down and thrive, enjoying life.

"How about Uncle Yushan, he’s not working today, right?"

The Evil Suppression Bureau doesn’t take time off for the New Year? Poor workers, indeed!

"Mulan, you’re back."

Kou Yushan’s voice came from nearby.

Sang Que turned her head, seeing Kou Yushan, dressed in the uniform of a Day Traveling Envoy, pressing his sword in its sheath, walking over with a cheerful smile.