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墨書 Inktalez
Around nine o'clock in the evening, a representative from Raefus found their room. It was clear that Raefus had been quite helpful this time, doing everything possible to assist them. This person was the head of the Southern Division of the Dawn Empire's Ray Intermediary. He began by explaining the dire situation that had suddenly erupted within the Dawn Empire, mentioning that he had already arranged for several people to head to Thunder Sound City. Within four days, their informants would be spread throughout various locations in Thunder Sound City. He had come to request portraits and photographs of the witch, as well as details about her physical characteristics.
They had no photographs but did have a portrait. Cui Ming first warned that the witch was dangerous and insisted that they should never take risks. If helping them led to casualties among those assisting him, he would rather not receive help at all. The representative understood and revealed that he was skilled in sketching; he quickly drew a likeness of the witch. He noted her physical traits on the paper and said, "Rest assured, I will fax this to Thunder Sound City immediately. As soon as this woman appears there, we will know her whereabouts." (The fax machine was invented thirty years before the telephone.)
After sending off the visitor, Cui Ming closed the door and said, "Raefus no longer owes me anything."
Beiyue replied, "Although Raefus is technically a villain, at least he has treated us well."
"That's true." Sometimes, the definitions of good and bad are that simple: those who treat you well are good people, even if they are vilified by many; those who treat you poorly are bad people, even if they represent justice.
"What about Eva? How is she?"
"Eva?" Cui Ming thought for a moment. "Actually, Eva doesn't enjoy doing these things; she has no grand ideals. But to help Raefus achieve his goals, she is willing to sacrifice herself. As it stands now, Raefus's ideals are mostly being realized—immigrants from Bit Island, New Island, and Dawn City are proceeding in an orderly fashion."
Beiyue nodded. Checking the time, it was already eleven o'clock. "Let's get some rest. We have to travel tomorrow."
"Okay."
Beiyue lay down on the bed while Cui Ming settled on the floor. A deck of Poker cards flew through the air as they turned off the lights. It was a quiet night when suddenly Cui Ming burst out laughing.
Beiyue asked, "What's so funny?"
Cui Ming replied, "A pair of young lovers sharing a room with only one bed—we didn't even bother with pleasantries; you just took the bed while I slept on the floor."
Beiyue thought about it and found it somewhat amusing. "Cui Ming, I know the situation; we both do. But you should understand that I can't discuss that aspect."
"Is Strict Sword really that formidable?"
Beiyue said, "It's not just Strict Sword; with your help as good companions, even an ordinary person like me could potentially uncover the truth. But I'm worried about stopping... You don't know; two years ago, I grew weary of pursuing the truth. I recognized that feeling wasn't right, so I've been trying hard to stay strong."
"You’re exhausted."
"Yes. But this is my duty; I can't stop now. I'm afraid if I do, I'll deliberately forget something I need to do."
"Cui Ming," said, "you are still doubting whether we are suitable for each other."
"…Yes," Beiyue replied, recalling a conversation from years ago with Jayce.
"So, to determine if we are suitable, we must first capture the witch."
Beiyue responded, "Can we stop discussing this?"
"Alright." Beiyue was already tired of pursuing the truth, which surprised Cui Ming. Cui Ming was not an obsessive person; he had always thought that Beiyue's obsession was to find an answer for himself. He hadn't realized that Beiyue considered knowing the answer as his duty. If that were the case, Beiyue's psychological pressure would be even greater.
However, given this mindset, why not let go? Beiyue's reasoning was certainly valid, but as a clever person, Cui Ming began to speculate. Could it be that he was being one-sided? Perhaps Beiyue had no feelings for him, or after years in the desert, like Sister Feng, those feelings had faded away. Was it possible that his own unrequited feelings were causing her distress?
He didn't know. He would have to talk to Jayce; that guy was a love expert. As for Ding Ze… well, he was just a rogue, but it seemed there wouldn't be much harm in learning a thing or two from him.
…
The next morning, after purchasing some supplies, the two set off. The journey was not about speed but rather about endurance. In this regard, Cui Ming had no major issues; however, there was one aspect where he struggled—his physical stamina.
They set off at nine in the morning and by two in the afternoon, Cui Ming was sprawled on the ground, utterly exhausted, feeling as if his bones were falling apart. Beiyue did not rush him; instead, he sat on a nearby rock and took out some food. "Tomorrow your muscles will be incredibly sore."
"I know." Having never eaten pork but having seen pigs walk, Cui Ming understood the consequences of overexertion. Without needing extreme examples, just doing push-ups would leave his arm muscles painfully sore the next day. If he pushed through it now, the soreness would eventually fade after a few days of consistent effort. But if he gave up now, he might recover by tomorrow; however, the next time he attempted push-ups, the soreness would return. Being a smart person, Cui Ming knew he should persist with daily exercise but wisely chose to give up—it just wasn't his thing…
"…" Beiyue brought the food closer to Cui Ming's face. He shook his head and lay still on the ground. "Ten more minutes."
Beiyue said nothing and set the food aside. He stepped over Cui Ming's body and knelt beside him to press on his muscles. "Have you ever carried firewood? The distance you can rest after your first trip determines whether you can complete the transport. Each subsequent work period will be shorter than the first."
"It hurts… it hurts…" Cui Ming cried out as his right hand instinctively slapped the ground.
"Endure it if you want to reach Thunder Sound Temple in four days," Beiyue pressed his elbow into Cui Ming's back.
"…" Cui Ming squirmed like an eel, lifting his head and feet slightly as tears welled up in his eyes. "Easy… Beiyue… Beiyue… easy… help me…"
Beiyue calmly said, "This is just a regular massage level."
Cui Ming replied, "I know, which is why I never get massages." He remembered when he was twelve, he had a swollen lymph node near his ear. The doctor had to inject anesthesia and cut out the pus inside, and Cui Ming was in excruciating pain. The doctor was half scared to death and doubled the anesthesia, but it didn’t help much. After a struggle filled with Cui Ming's pig-like screams, the small procedure finally ended, leaving the doctor drenched in sweat.
Afterward, the doctor told Cui Ming that it wasn’t that he was afraid of pain; rather, he had a low pain threshold. In simple terms, Cui Ming was particularly sensitive to pain. Generally, people who engage in physical labor or exercise regularly have a higher pain threshold. But Cui Ming fell into the super low category...
In the midst of his cries, Cui Ming revealed this little secret about himself. Beiyue leaned forward to take a look and asked in astonishment, "You cried."
Cui Ming weakly replied, "It hurts."
Beiyue smiled lightly and sat on the ground, using one hand to knead Cui Ming's back and legs. He found it quite enjoyable and soon fell asleep. When he woke up, it was already dark. Turning over to check the time, he saw it was eight o'clock in the evening. Cui Ming felt frustrated as he stood up; his legs felt a bit weak, and Beiyue reached out to support him.
Cui Ming felt embarrassed and said, "How humiliating."
Beiyue didn’t disagree. "There’s no one else around." It was also her first time seeing a grown man scream like that.
Cui Ming explained again, "I have a very low pain threshold."
"Afraid of pain."
Sigh... Yes, that could be understood that way. Cui Ming didn’t want to discuss it further and said, "Let’s go." Regardless of which continent's traditions or cultures one looked at, male physical strength was expected and necessary. Compared to Beiyue... well, there were also women like Zhao Wei who were even stronger than Eva; he felt his own physical abilities were lacking.
Noticing that Cui Ming's movements were somewhat awkward due to muscle soreness, Beiyue asked, "Should I carry you?"
Cui Ming felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him. Couldn’t she choose her words better? Even if she was superwoman as a woman, she should at least show some softness. Her toughness made him feel utterly ashamed.
Seeing that Cui Ming remained silent, Beiyue walked alongside him and then said when they were side by side, "I’m very happy."
"What are you happy about?" Cui Ming asked irritably.
Beiyue replied, "I’ve discovered there are things I’m better at than you."
"En?" Cui Ming did not understand.
"The North Moon Group was created by me many years ago, and until now, no one has become a companion. Ding Ze was half-sold and half-given to me by his fiancée. After you joined, not only did you bring in Li Qing, but you also tricked Mi Xiaonan into joining. You coordinated the internal relationships, highlighting how difficult I am to get along with. During our trip to the Eastern Continent, your experiences and insights left me speechless. In reality, you are the true leader of the North Moon Group. I used to feel quite dissatisfied; can't I be stronger than you? The truth is, you always know more and understand more. So why are you troubled by this weakness?"
"But physical strength is one of the most important metrics for men."
Beiyue glanced at Cui Ming. "Even if you start training now, can you surpass me?"
"..." Cui Ming was at a loss for words. After a long pause, he said, "Maybe you could take a step back."
Beiyue thought for a moment and suddenly gasped for breath. "Cui Ming, let's take a break; I'm too tired. I really can't keep up with you."
"..." Cui Ming sighed and ignored Beiyue's jab. He thought to himself: Beiyue's personality has brightened up quite a bit.
Beiyue said, "In the desert, you're the one I carried back."
"Big sister... could you not say that?"
Beiyue continued, "Cui Ming, the Creator didn't give you a strong will or a robust physique, but He did give you an intelligent mind. I think that's already quite biased. Physical strength is completely useless for practitioners; it's like a chicken rib—tasteless to eat but hard to discard. At your current state, it would take four days to reach Thunder Sound City. Since your teammates have their strengths, why refuse help?"
Cui Ming stopped and looked at Beiyue...
Soon, Beiyue had Cui Ming on her back. At first, Cui Ming felt his pride was being trampled upon but endured it to arrive on time. Before long, both of them began to feel something different. The night in the mountains was quiet; neither spoke. Cui Ming rested his head on Beiyue's shoulder, his face pressed against her cheek. Beiyue did not shy away; she only felt her cheek stiffen. (To be continued.)
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