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墨書 Inktalez
Oh, this mindset, this mindset that Cui Ming also had. When he encountered someone of the opposite sex who made his heart race, he would strive to outshine others in conversation, actively working to become the center of attention. He would boast about himself, and once his lies were exposed, he would blush and feel his heart race, resenting the person who uncovered his deceit, even if that person was a friend just joking around. This was not love; it was a strong desire for recognition, a feeling that only emerged when he met an exceptionally beautiful woman or after a few drinks.
Cui Ming flipped through the album, finding the images far more stunning than the photos he had seen before—perfect women. The first picture featured Liu Meier emerging from a swimming pool in a swimsuit. Many women believed they looked graceful coming out of the water, but in reality, it often resembled a sea lion splashing about. Some women trained deliberately for this moment, as the image of a lotus emerging from water was considered the most beautiful moment for women. Liu Meier appeared natural, controlling her movements without overdoing it, exuding a serene beauty—calm and effortless. Her lips slightly parted revealed hints of white teeth, as if she were smiling… Yes, this was a woman with an allure that could captivate most men. Such women were the targets for successful men to conquer and the goddesses that ordinary men fantasized about.
The second page showed Liu Meier reading, showcasing her intellectual and quiet side. The third page captured her playing beach volleyball, displaying her joyful and athletic side…
There was bound to be something suitable for him! Cui Ming quickly flipped to the last page to check the staff list. Indeed, the designer of the album was none other than Liu Meier herself. This realization sparked an impulse within Cui Ming to meet this woman—a feeling that shouldn’t have arisen in him, akin to suddenly craving a cigarette and then becoming addicted after indulging. The world was full of temptations; Cui Ming faced those he could resist with calmness while choosing to avoid those he found hard to resist.
Cui Ming closed the album. “Dina, is there any chance you could arrange for me to meet Liu Meier?” It was purely for work; he needed to confirm whether Liu Meier was a Half-Beast. However, it could also be an excuse. Cui Ming found it difficult to grasp his own intentions; perhaps this was a challenge?
“Reason?” Dina asked. Meeting wasn’t an issue. Dina currently held the position of head of the Ding Family while awaiting arbitration competitions. After all, with such status, if she accompanied Cui Ming to visit Liu Meier, she had to show some respect.
Cui Ming thought for a moment. “A lot… never mind; I shouldn’t complicate things for myself.”
“Liu Meier is currently in Twilight City and will represent the Liu Family at the Ye Family’s succession ceremony in twenty days.”
Cui Ming and Mi Xiaonan both froze at this revelation. “Succession ceremony?” They had been staying with the Ye Family for many days and hadn’t heard anything about such an event; moreover, there were no signs of preparation from the Ye Family.
Dina nodded. “The Ye Family’s succession ceremony is quite simple; it involves passing down a sword that represents the head of the family—an heirloom sword passed down through generations of Ye Family heads. After the succession, the former head will continue working until the new head marries and has children before officially taking on their responsibilities. The Ye Family has always believed that one must establish a family before assuming such duties; a man without marriage or children lacks the responsibility needed to be head of the family.”
Cui Ming nodded. “Ye Wen?”
“Correct,” Dina replied. “That has already been confirmed.”
Mi Xiaonan curiously asked, “Why not Yellen?”
“That’s just how complicated these noble families are.” Yellen held high prestige among the younger generation but was known for his low-key demeanor, especially in front of elders where he always complied quietly. In contrast, Ye Wen had a heroic spirit; he spoke his mind regardless of status. The Ye Family had formed two factions; Yellen voluntarily stepped back from becoming head of the family to avoid internal discord caused by succession issues. Yellen believed that Ye Wen was suitable for leadership primarily because Ye Wen listened to others’ opinions—he would argue when he disagreed but would never resort to underhanded tactics.
"Dina said, 'These past few days, Ye Wen has been responsible for hosting visitors like Liu Meier and Cao Yi. There might be some developments between Ye Wen and Liu Meier.'"
Cui Ming remained silent, gently stroking the beard on his chin while gazing thoughtfully out the window at the beautiful scenery. Suddenly, he came to a realization. Why was he worrying so much? Was he trying to make himself feel important? The alliance was filled with experts; it was better for him to just live his own life. Investigating the Fire Cult and then participating in the competition were the two things he needed to focus on. Liu Meier, the Ye Family, and himself were unrelated. Once he finished investigating the Fire Cult Practitioners, he should seek out Li Qing.
Dina noticed Cui Ming's contemplation and inexplicably smiled, leisurely enjoying the view. She truly wondered how far this man's thoughts had traveled. Wandering remarked to Dina that regardless of Cui Ming's cultivation level, he was an important person who possessed problem-solving abilities—an innate talent that could also be honed through experience.
Dina replied to Wandering that Cui Ming was quite selfish and would not sacrifice himself for the alliance.
Wandering asked Dina, "If Li Qing faced a difficult problem and sought Cui Ming's help, would Cui Ming assist?"
Dina answered, "Of course he would."
Wandering Path suggested, "In the future, if the alliance encounters tricky issues, we could ask Li Qing for help."
Dina sighed; in an age dominated by villains, she truly wasn't suited to be the head of the Ding Family. She knew Li Qing had already arrived and could meet today or tomorrow. Wandering had already planned to leverage Cui Ming's efforts in investigating the Fire Cult.
Just as she was thinking about this, a shadow suddenly darted out from the roadside, shattering glass and kicking Cui Ming in the face. He crashed through the car's windshield and flew out, tumbling along the ground. He heard Mi Xiaonan's excited shout: "Li Qing! I thought you were dead!"
Damn! This Fate Card couldn't stop for a second. Cui Ming sprinted after the slowing car and peered into the passenger seat where Li Qing was munching on squid skewers. Cui Ming said, "Senior Brother, what’s going on? It’s been years since we last met; is this kick a sign of our deep bond?"
"This kick is punishment for your disappearance of two years and eight months. Two years is one thing; what about those extra eight months?" Li Qing replied. "You don’t know how Mi Xiaonan cried her eyes out, thinking you were really dead."
"Is that so?" Cui Ming glanced at the back seat.
Mi Xiaonan sat up straight with a serious expression: "I didn’t."
"Absolutely not," Li Qing countered. "You left tear stains on your letter to me; Ziyue Express delivered it already—don’t act too obvious."
Mi Xiaonan blushed and firmly declared, "That was water."
"Water? You're writing letters outdoors on a rainy day?" Li Qing said as he took out his backpack and handed a skewer of squid to Cui Ming, then offered one to Mi Xiaonan. "This is the best squid in Sharon City. I ran into Ramadan while buying it. The boss had closed up to go to the temple to prepare food, and I had to check three temples before I managed to get some. How is it? Tastes good, right?"
Cui Ming nodded, opened the back seat, and sat down. "Did you prepare this specially for me, Senior Brother?"
"You think too much of yourself. At that time, I didn't even know you were coming."
"Senior Brother, have you become a hunter?"
Li Qing paused and sighed. "No."
"What happened?"
"My hunting mission was to team up with a female hunter to track down someone who had Void Power and bring him back to Alliance Headquarters for questioning."
"You didn't catch up?"
Li Qing replied, "I did catch up. I chased him all the way from the edge of Dawn Desert to Pirate City. But he wasn't a bad person and said he had something very important to do, so he couldn't come with me to the Alliance. He promised that once he finished his business, he would come find me at the Alliance. He was very sincere, so I agreed. Then everything went wrong; I failed the assessment and deliberately let the target escape. If it weren't for the Wandering Gang backing me up, I might have lost my qualification for the assessment."
Cui Ming recalled that two people with Void Power had gone into the desert at that time to break a Mage's seal. Throughout the continent, it was only known that prophets possessed Void Power; who could the other person be? Were they good or bad? Would a good person really associate with a prophet? Cui Ming asked, "You just believed him like that?"
"Hey, Junior Brother, I believed you just as much back then."
Ha... speechless.
After not seeing each other for a long time, they chatted excitedly. Because of his failed mission, Li Qing's new task was to investigate Fire Cult Practitioners. Cui Ming felt it was only right to help out. Before they knew it, the sun was setting in the west. Li Qing rubbed his stomach and asked, "Are you hungry?"
"No," Cui Ming and Mi Xiaonan replied.
"I'm hungry," Li Qing said. "Dina, find a place to park. I brought a barbecue grill; I learned a technique for marinating beef from a royal chef in Dawn Empire. I'll show you how it's done in a bit."
"Almost done," Dina said. "Twenty more minutes."
...
The campsite was at the end of a small road, next to a stream that had once been the only water source for nearby villages. Of course, it was no longer needed, but the water was clean, making it convenient for barbecuing by the water's edge. Li Qing hadn’t changed much; he still wore baggy shorts and a tank top. As soon as he sat down, he tossed aside his tank top and began grilling meat. However, Cui Ming noticed that this guy hadn’t improved his skills at all and pushed Li Qing aside.
So, Mi Xiaonan helped out while Li Qing wandered around, occasionally running over to ask if it was time to eat yet. After receiving a negative answer, he would wander off again. This was a familiar scene; Ding Ze should have been lounging not far from the fire, while Beiyue sat on a rock by the stream reading.
"Where are Beiyue and Ding Ze?" Cui Ming asked, feeling nostalgic.
"Beiyue is chasing a vampire. This vampire is a practitioner from the Ding Family's branch who has learned magic and can absorb Force from Force Users through touch for his own use. So far, this vampire hasn’t committed any evil acts. The Alliance wants to bring him back for evaluation. Because of this, Beiyue has been cautious and let him escape twice. They should be near the Dawn Empire now, with Wei Wei accompanying Beiyue. However, evaluators cannot assist trainee hunters; they are only responsible for their safety," Li Qing explained. "As for Ding Ze, that lazy guy hasn’t been heard from in a while. The last news we had was shortly after your disappearance; he went to the ancient human settlement in the Western Continent's Northern region and then vanished."
"Ding Ze's dream is to become an archaeological explorer," Cui Ming remarked. "Mi Xiaonan, go report your thoughts to your brother Li Qing."
Li Qing turned around. "What’s going on?"
Cui Ming replied, "This guy is from the Balance Sect."
PS: There are various types of colds: viral colds and bacterial colds. Traditional Chinese medicine categorizes them into wind-cold type, wind-heat type, and summer-heat type. It’s been a strange month; first I had a viral cold, then just a few days later I caught a bacterial one, and two days ago I got hit with a wind-cold type. There are still ten days left in this month; I wonder if I can collect stamps for both wind-heat and summer-heat types as well. It’s said that collecting five stamps in one month can summon a divine dragon...
PS2: Just sharing my experience: viral cold comes with sneezing, runny nose, and body aches; bacterial cold brings headaches, coughing, and fatigue; wind-cold type causes soreness in thigh and calf muscles along with chills (to be continued).
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