Ch19 - [Leaving Langdon street] Young people nowadays… can really play.

The one man and one bug that appeared abruptly in the middle of Langdon street caused a disturbance. Although Sirius’s subordinates already sealed the entire street, they didn’t relocate the customers already inside the shops. Therefore, some people noticed them.

“What’s that? A new car in the shape of a bug?”

“The eight legs look a bit lifelike.”

“Huh? I think it looked at me……”

“…… Alive?”

The Honored Prince, who unlocked the ‘bug riding technique’ for the first time in his life, already felt dead inside. He patted the bug’s head and said: “Be good. Put me down.”

Xi Jin panted heavily, little eyes brimming with hot tears: “What did you inject into me? So, so hot aah……”

Nalun narrowed his eyes: “It was only a normal catalyst. Don’t pant it into some other effect.”

Xi Jin: “Ah, but it’s really…… very hot, so uncomfortable……”

Nalun: “……”

Accompanied by some censored noises, they turned the corner. A sour, stinky smell assaulted Nalun’s nose. This entire street was actually used to collect and gather garbage.

With a rumbling sound, the huge bug beneath him fell into a pile of garbage, like a small collapsing mountain.

“Ugh…… so painful.” With heavy breaths, the voice of a youth sounded beneath Nalun.

The big black bug had vanished, replaced by a youth with light, soft blond hair and white skin as pale as milk. Inside this area of filth, there was a contrasting sense of holiness.

The catalyst finally worked. However, Nalun felt nothing inside. In fact, he was even a bit bewildered.

Why was the youth naked after changing back?

— A butt naked youth yelling in pain with a suspicious masked man riding on top of him.

When the janitor walked in leading a cleaning robot to do his work, this was the deranged scene that greeted his eyes.

He immediately pulled out his personal comp to call the police. However, he heard the suspicious, indecent guy say to the youth: “Xiao Chong, we were seen by someone.”

“Ah!” The youth immediately screamed and hugged the man’s arm, trembling: “What are we going to do?”

Nalun held up his handcuffed hands and indicated for his little companion to open it for him.

The Metal-devouring bug’s eyes instantly brightened. He opened his mouth and bit down on the metal handcuff. With a “KaCha KaCha, ” he finished the meal in seconds.

All of this was blocked by Nalun’s body. From an outsider’s point of view, they could only see the man patting the youth on the shoulder and offering a few words of comfort. Soon after that, the man also took off his outer coat and wrapped it around the naked youth.

After finishing all of this, the man turned his head and looked coldly towards the janitor who had accidentally walked in on the scene.

The janitor: “……” Young people nowadays… can really play.

He silently prepared to leave. He didn’t walk far when he discovered the masked man giving chase.

“What……. what do you want?”

Nalun stopped the janitor, quickly whipped off his belt, and bound his hand. Then Nalun started pulling off the other person’s clothes.

The janitor: “…….”

Not long afterwards, a youth with his head lowered and wearing a janitor uniform walked out of the garbage collection area leading a cleaning robot behind him– because the smell of the working area was too pungent, the uniform even came with a mask.

Logically speaking, with this kind of head to toe assembly and a slight attention to detail, it’d be hard for something to go wrong. However, the youth just looked too timid. Black eyes darting around sneakily, his entire person emitted a sense of cowardice.

The patrolling soldier noticed he didn’t seem quite right and walked over to ask: “Are you okay?”

Jumping in surprise, Xi Jin was so scared he stammered, unable to get any words out.

The soldier increasingly felt there was something wrong with him and asked: “Have you seen a bug and a man wearing black?”

Xi Jin shook his head like a rattle drum.

The soldier narrowed his eyes and said: “Don’t be nervous…… I don’t mean any harm.”

Xi Jin trembled even worse, still unable to say anything.

The soldier suddenly raised his voice: “Just what’s going on here?”

With a loud ‘Wah’, Xi Jin cried out, saying: “Mister police officer, I shouldn’t be working despite being underaged! But I need to take care of my very sick mother. And I need to pay back debt for my gambling obsessed father. I’m only doing this because I have no other choice! I’m begging you. Please don’t arrest me!”

The soldier fell silent for a moment: “…… Child labor?”

Xi Jin sobbed, his wet eyes filled with innocence.

The soldier silently pulled out his wallet and gave him paper money.

–The personal comps of underaged individuals didn’t have the ability to accept any payments, but cash could be used anywhere.

“Your conduct here is against the law……” Seeing the youth’s exposed eyes about to drop tears, he immediately expressed clearly: “If it’s really difficult, you can go to the local agency and apply for welfare. The Empire wouldn’t let a child shoulder all of these life pressures. No matter what, child, you have to stay strong.”

The youth cried tears of gratitude and sobbed: “Thank you, Mister police officer!”

The soldier: “…….” They weren’t exactly the same department as the police, but this child seemed to have a strange attachment towards this name.

Seeing Xi Jin avoid the questioning after that daunting experience, Nalun, who was hiding in the dark, felt rather impressed.

–A child with good acting skills can’t lose out in life.

Nalun didn’t have any more fears and worries and focused on how he could escape as well.

With a serious face, he squatted in the pile of garbage, pulled out his personal comp, and started searching. Seeing a mall nearby, a pensive look appeared in the depth of his eyes.

Reaching out a finger and pressing a few buttons, he made a call.

“Nalun?”

A familiar, annoying voice sounded once again.

Calling Sirius twice in one day, this was practically record-breaking.

However, this time, Nalun used his own voice.

“It’s me. I want to talk to you about what happened yesterday.”

Sirius didn’t reply immediately, as if he was pondering Nalun’s intentions. After a moment later, he finally said: “Go ahead.”

“Ilia is very important to me. Although her nature is naughty and mischievous, stubborn and unreasonable, and even a bit disrespectful towards elders……. I can’t deny that she’s my niece. I still love her.”

Nalun took a deep breath, mulling over his emotions: “Yesterday night after returning, she talked to me about what she had experienced during the attack again…… The situation at that time was dire. If you weren’t there, something terrible might have happened.”

Sirius said nonchalantly: “She’s safe now. This thing has already passed.”

“Just because it passed, doesn’t mean it didn’t exist. Sirius……” He paused for a few seconds: “Thank you.”

Sirius: “……”

What did he hear just now?

Nalun continued to say very speedily: “Regardless, this matter deserves returned gratitude.”

Sirius: “En. I know.”

Nalun said: “Then…… if it’s convenient, we can have a meal together?”

After saying these words, everything afterwards became smoother. In order to prevent rejection, Nalun said swiftly: “I’m already on the road to LuoRi Volcano. I hear there’s a restaurant nearby that tastes pretty good.”

He asked while already knowing the answer: “Oh right, where are you right now?”

Sirius took a long time before replying.

Nalun felt very understanding of this. After all, a person that never had a good relationship with him was suddenly inviting him to a meal. Anyone would feel suspicious.

“Langdon street.” Sirius stated the location.

Nalun originally thought it would take even longer for Sirius to respond. He even got ready to be rejected. However, he had never imagined in his dreams that the other would directly give the location.

He recovered very quickly and continued his performance.

“What a coincidence. I’m also on this street.”

Sirius: “……”

Nalun: “The commotion on the street just now, that can’t be related to you, right?”

Sirius: “Slightly related.”

Nalun: “Do I need to wait inside the shop until the disturbance is over before meeting up with you?”

Sirius seemed to be considering it. After a moment, he replied: “Right now I……”

Nalun didn’t let him finish: “Working together all of these years, I don’t think we’ve met alone before.”

Sirius: “Where are you?”

Nalun gave a location.

Sirius replied: “I’ll come pick you up.”

Nalun ended the call and smoothed out his disheveled hair. Then he took down his mask, rolled it up with his large coat, and threw them into the pile of garbage. Last, with a natural expression and composure, he returned onto the street.

Strolling into the mall, he changed into a clean pair of shoes. Recalling the ‘AiJia Grass” smell that Sirius mentioned, he turned to the perfume counter and sprayed some on himself to cover up any likelihood of exposing himself.

Ten minutes later, Nalun, who was in the resting area of the mall, finally saw the person he was waiting to pick him up.

“A small greeting present.” He handed over the well-prepared gift and asked in a completely natural tone: “I thought you were still at LuoRi Volcano. Didn’t you say the onsen party would continue until noon?”

Sirius accepted the Honored Prince’s present. The wrapping of the box was very exquisite: “Something happened so I left early.”

Nalun expressed his regret: “How unfortunate.”

He pointed at the present, saying: “In order to buy it, I went to the mall halfway. Yet when I came out, I saw the bug that attacked Ilia. You guys let it escape?”

These questioning words revealed the conflict between the two of them.

Only this way would it make people think: Nalun’s sudden expression of goodwill was only to humiliate Sirius close up.

Outwardly, this invitation was to express thanks, however…… With Sirius and his relationship, people would be more willing to believe that: After the Honored Prince Charvey saw the insect, he impulsively used expressing thanks as an excuse to secretly ridicule Sirius about this matter.

Truth and lies, Nalun didn’t even know if he reached the result that he wanted.

Sirius’s expression was calm and composed, not revealing any flaws.

“It has been rescued by someone.”

Nalun furrowed his brows: “Letting the bug infiltrate the clubhouse previously was already inappropriate. Now it even managed to escape……Forget it. I hope this matter can reach a conclusion soon.”

Sirius: “Hopefully.”

This nonchalant reply ended this topic: “Didn’t you say we’re going to eat? Did you pick a place?”

Nalun smiled: “Of course.”

En route, they bumped into Diya, who was in a hurry. Nalun even greeted him actively.

Diya had an extremely strange expression. He looked back and forth between Nalun and Sirius. Finally, his gaze landed on the gift box in Sirius’s hand. Stunned, he looked as if he was engaging in a complicated mental activity.

Diya: “You guys……”

Sirius said coolly: “Langdon Street is all yours.”

Diya: “I……”

Nalun said: “That shop’s barbecue is very good. I think you’ll like it.”

Sirius nodded his head: “Sounds delicious.”

Diya: “……”

Under Diya’s gaze, Nalun sat into Sirius’s car.

With a slight shake of the car, the scenery on the two sides started to recede.

Nalun rested against the soft seat and secretly let out a breath of relief. At the same time, a strange feeling of smugness rose in his heart– Successfully getting into Sirius’s car and leaving Langdon Street openly in broad daylight, he practically wanted to praise himself for his resourcefulness.