Forge a path to success

The director promptly lowered the volume and placed the crystal at the restaurant entrance. A rather unsightly scene flashed before the citizens of the city for half a second before being automatically blurred into a mosaic. To protect the citizens' innocent minds, the unscrupulous uncle who had just set up the finish line at the entrance squatted in front of the crystal, forcing everyone to look at his hairy legs.

"Alright, the X-Men Marathon has come to a successful conclusion. Congratulations to Miss Hilland for winning the championship! After enjoying her rewards, Miss Hilland will receive fifteen days of detention and a pair of handcuffs!"

The crystal was adjusted upwards so everyone could see Jastry's face. The Third Pulse leader casually picked up the cream puff he had used during the show and was happily munching on it.

"You might not be able to hear very clearly in front of the water screen, but the background noise here is quite exciting, it's almost making you lose your appetite," Trek said. "Kids and parents, did you see that? When X is suppressed for too long, such terrible things will happen. So whether you are single or in a relationship, married or unmarried, an adult or a minor, you should all actively learn from the aircraft pilots."

The ghostly host rushed in to chime in: "Captain Trek, what is the pilot's connection to this matter?"

"Being a pilot is a very passionate profession. Their yearning for the beautiful skies makes them take off every week, no matter how busy they are." Trek picked his teeth with a toothpick. "Their daily routine is takeoff and landing. Takeoff and landing. This regular schedule ensures they never feel stifled. So everyone should take off on time too, otherwise you'll become a terrifying adult running naked in the street looking for a mate!"

"Wow, Captain Trek's insights are as sharp as ever!" The host clapped enthusiastically. "That concludes today's surprise live broadcast. Thank you for watching, and we'll see you next time!"

Chapter 277 Lack of Interest

"Ah Kong, Ah Kong, was that person really blown up in the end?" Ji Huaisu asked with great interest.

"No, the Divine Guard took him away in time. It would have been too much if he had been blown up," Chu Hengkong said. "However, I heard him scream quite pitifully, so he paid the price for carrying out a terrorist attack."

The bookstore was filled with the aroma of fried chicken. Everyone had a takeout box in hand, enjoying the fried chicken, hamburgers, sashimi, and cream puffs they had brought back. Trek swiped a sandwich from Vandal's box, eating as he spoke, "Excuse my rudeness, everyone. *smacks*... Every time there's a bill debate, *burp*, one of these unsightly incidents always happens..."

"Who is the person who has caused the most damage to the city's appearance? It's hard to guess." The Poison Otter stared at someone's beach shorts.

"It's so hot in Jingsha, wearing a three-piece suit to work is really too much of a hassle~" Trek said without batting an eye, taking Gulibo's sparkling water. "I have to thank everyone for their help this time. Detective Chu truly lives up to his reputation as an elite of Huilong City, his handling of the case is incredibly shrewd!"

Chu Hengkong's lips twitched. He thought to himself that this seasoned captain could say such things without batting an eye; his skin was truly thick-skinned. He asked curiously, "Does the bill debate refer to the enactment of a new legal code?"

“It’s a bit more complicated than that… Amending or deleting existing laws, adjusting policies related to daily life or the economy, and proposals regarding the future development direction of Jing Sha—all these miscellaneous things are collectively called the ‘Jing Sha Bill.’” Trek took a big gulp of sparkling water. “The general bill amendment process isn’t too complicated, but if a citizen proposes a completely new bill without any precedent, it needs to go through several lengthy and complicated ‘bill debates’ before it can officially enter the legislature and begin the voting process.”

"Is law such a complicated thing...?" Ji Huaisu exclaimed.

This wasn't because Captain Ji was ignorant, but because unlike the city-state system with its strong democratic atmosphere, the divine kingdom society based on the ancient dragon totem worship placed greater emphasis on efficiency. In ancient dragon cities like Huilong City, the drafting of laws concerning the overall direction of development was primarily led by the ancient dragon totem itself, while secondary laws concerning people's livelihoods were decided by the leadership after listening to public opinion.

No one has ever been exposed to such an inefficient process as voting since childhood, after all, no one has ever heard of anyone thinking they are smarter than the Dragon God.

"It's simple in your Huilong City. Whatever Ji Qiufeng says goes. That's why the Candlelight Pantheon is so efficient." Trek complained bitterly. "Don't tell anyone else. After working in the Senluo Pantheon for a long time, you might even have the thought of defecting to the Empire from time to time. There are no wrongful convictions, the execution is high, and talent is put to good use. I really envy that kind of workplace."

"Hello, is this the Attorney General's Office of Mansa Starburg? Hello, I would like to report a civil servant of the city-state for defecting to the enemy..." The Poison Otter editor picked up the conch shell and whispered.

"Why is this otter so rude to me?"

"Captain Trek, shouldn't you first reflect on your own conduct?" Gulibo complained. "By the way, has the matter with the store manager been settled?"

"I was just about to say that, but the store manager seems to be having a lot of fun."

The bookstore manager, Big Seal, was in a particularly good mood after a hearty meal and a fun marathon. He was now comfortably lounging in the large pool on the first floor of the bookstore, looking like a huge, grayish-black lump of flesh.

Ji Huaisu secretly took a piece of fried chicken and went to the edge of the pool. The sea seal's eyes lit up immediately. Its head stretched out from its round body like a long bridge. Only then could everyone see its neck.

Ji Huaisu exclaimed excitedly, "Clap your hands!"

The large seal raised its paw and patted its belly repeatedly.

"Sweetie, roll over~"

Ji Huaisu tossed the fried chicken in. The seal caught it in its mouth and rolled around happily in the pool.

Manager Ji slapped his eyes shut, his face contorted with unbearable pain.

"This guy thinks he's still a little seal weighing around 100 kilograms," commented the venomous otter.

Van der rubbed his eyes: "If I remember correctly, it's a point mass of 5."

"A seal with a mass of 5 is still a seal, right?" Chu Hengkong walked to the pool. "Manager, how about this? Could you do me a favor?"

The seal gulped down the fried chicken and then lifted a writing tablet in a backstroke motion.

[Just to confirm one last time, what's the name of the person you're looking for? We might have heard of them.]

"Vilbert Velus".

Ji Huaisu was slightly surprised: "Velbert, that sounds like a woman's name."

For some reason, Chu Hengkong seemed quite happy: "Yes, it's a very nice name."

Ji Huaisu couldn't understand this guy's mentality at all, and could only guess that the gangster godfather was probably a refined guy, just like his name suggested, and didn't care about having a nice name. She saw the big seal flip the sign over:

Never heard of it...

Chu Hengkong wasn't surprised: "The boss is a very cautious person. I don't think she would use her real name directly, which is why she had to put up a missing person notice."

"But we can't really help with the missing person notice," the sea seal said, looking worried.

Chu Hengkong was genuinely surprised. The animals in the city-state were all excessively easy to talk to; they wouldn't hesitate to lend a hand even to strangers they'd only met once. With Gulibo's influence, he expected his request for help to be successful, but he never expected to be turned away by this adorable seal.

The big seal turned the sign around, revealing a new sentence: "[Detective Chu used to be a formidable assassin, and now he's a well-known legend. I imagine he must have many enemies?]"

"...Indeed there is."

He had killed all his old enemies on Earth before leaving, but with Shax as a precedent, who knows if other assassins might be reborn in the Shrouding Realm? And there are still many heretics in the Shrouding Realm who covet his life. If he leaves the righteous stronghold of the city-state, he can be said to have made enemies everywhere.

The big seal looked like it had been expected: [Detective Chu is looking for someone, but he has more than one enemy. So, after this missing person notice is published, who's more likely to see it first, your enemy or your former boss?]

“An enemy.”

The sea lion put down the writing tablet, and the editor, the poison otter, continued, "Detective Chu is highly skilled and daring, so he is naturally not afraid of his enemies coming to retaliate. But I think those enemies probably know even better how powerful the detective is. If they are determined to avoid confronting you, but are also determined to take revenge on you, they will probably shift their target to the person you are looking for."

“If you can’t deal with the police officer, you can target his family. That’s a common tactic used by thugs.” Ji Huaisu pondered. “If I were A Kong’s enemy, I would keep watch near Jing Sha after receiving the news, to see if there was a chance to catch his boss… But Jing Sha is a large area, and there must be more than one way out.”

“Take a look at the map when you have time, girl.” Vande rolled his eyes. “South of Jing Sha City-State is the desperate front line, the place where the Allied Forces and the heretics are fighting tooth and nail. The only way to get to Jing Sha safely is by sea. Although Jing Sha has many sea routes, there’s only one sea route into the city that we’ve taken. If those Earth killers really want to mess with us, they really have a way—they can just go out to sea and be pirates for a while.”

Chu Hengkong frowned deeply. He knew everyone's concerns were valid. Those from the unorthodox sects had no bottom line, and there weren't many with a conscience among the people on Earth. They would target the boss, but the boss…

The boss is utterly incapable of fighting. She was never someone who should be on the battlefield. He couldn't even imagine Violet standing before the outsiders; she should be sitting in her office, in the passenger seat of a luxury car, arranging the next few hours or even a day's worth of actions with a few words, and then sipping red tea while waiting for his good news.

"Dude?" Van der patted him on the shoulder. Chu Hengkong knew his expression wasn't good.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, “I just realized things might not be as good as I thought. The boss might…”

“They might be relentlessly searching for clues about you on some unknown dusty island, but things aren’t going smoothly.” Ji Huaisu encouraged him, “Don’t be too pessimistic. You’ve been following this gangster boss so devotedly for so long, how could he be killed so easily! What you need to think about now is how to find him.”

"Posting missing person notices is too unsafe; I need to find another way—"

"No, no, the missing person notice itself is good, but you should use a more tactful way of saying it."

Trek put down his sparkling water bottle and leaned against the seal pool. He pursed his lips and whistled an unfamiliar folk song, leaving everyone looking at him with bewilderment.

"How is it?" Trek pushed up his sunglasses.

"Your ventriloquism is quite good," Chu Hengkong offered a forced compliment.

“Even with extensive experience, this is the best you can offer, since you’re not familiar with this little piece. If you let the otter over there comment, it would say I’m overestimating myself, because this short excerpt is from the classic Salamanra Symphony, and my skill is clearly inferior to the orchestra.” Trek chuckled mischievously. “And if you let my wife comment, she’d say I’m being indecent. Because I often play this piece on our dates, making her bob up and down in the treetops.”

Chu Hengkong's eyes lit up: "I understand..."

Trek pointed his guns at him with both hands: "You're looking for an old acquaintance, aren't you? Then there must be something between you two that you both know. Go write a song! Or write a long poem in code. The Seals would be happy to publish it, after all, no one but you can understand the implied meaning."

"We often receive feedback from readers on behalf of the authors," Poison Otter added opportunely. "So it's common for enthusiastic readers to come to the bookstore to exchange ideas."

This is indeed an excellent idea, far more suitable than an abrupt missing person notice in a magazine. Chu Hengkong has no shortage of material; having worked together day and night for nine years, there are countless things only he and his boss know. The only problem is his lack of creative talent; expecting him to compose a popular piece is asking too much.

Fortunately, they are in the third vein, where there is no shortage of creators, and one of the most famous singers in the immersive music scene happens to be standing next to them.

Sriel was engrossed in flipping through this month's new works when he turned to meet everyone's gaze, his expression unchanged: "Composing poems is indeed one of my strengths. You are always welcome to share any good stories with me."

"What price would you like to offer if Mr. Sreyer were to write a song?" Chu Hengkong asked.

“Talking about money! Too vulgar. One thing should be dealt with at a time.” Sriel put the new book back on the shelf. “I, the poet, have been troubled lately. The atmosphere here is not good. There are many ugly things about being impetuous and seeking favor, and few practical, thoughtful, and virtuous people. This spirit originates from the vast ocean and is poured into the brush of calligraphy and painting. One mushroom can be worth ten years of hard work, and the hard study of the cold window is meaningless.”

Sriel pulled something from his pocket and tapped it on the bookstore counter. Everyone looked closely and saw that it was a short, white mushroom.

The poet curled his lip at Chu Hengkong: "Want to try some?"

Chu Hengkong, a practitioner of unorthodox methods, was completely unafraid of poison and swallowed the mushroom whole. He tasted it and said, "Its exterior is plump but its interior is hollow, pale white and spotless yet tasteless. It would be a shame to adorn a hallway with it, and a pity to see it being used in the kitchen."

After Chu Hengkong finished speaking, he stared in disbelief. Everyone in the bookstore looked as if they had seen a ghost.

The poet laughed heartily, pointing at him with his hand: "If you can find out the true nature of this mushroom, I'll help you!"

Chapter 278 A Flow of Inspiration (1)

As lunchtime ended, Miao Nu, a bookstore employee, took a roll of drawing paper out of a drawer.

The basic framework was already laid out on the paper, depicting the sunrise over the valley. Miaonu mixed the pollen and began to apply the colors. It didn't know how professional painters did it, but it planned to start by painting the rays of the sunrise—those pale yet intense and fiery colors, one of the most beautiful images in its memory. It intended to use a pale yellow base, then add a thin layer of white to create a delicate effect.

The pen scratched softly, but Miaonu unconsciously pouted. It couldn't achieve the desired effect. To be precise, its drawings weren't very good. The more it wrote, the further the drawing strayed from the scene in her memory.

It angrily put the pen aside and paced around the room a few times. Perhaps it should use a pale yellow instead. Add a touch of fiery red. Then it picked up the pen and started drawing again.

Even worse.

Miaonu put down its pen. It cautiously looked around, then opened the small drawer like a thief. Inside lay several white mushrooms, which it ate.

My hand moved naturally, choosing a crimson hue I'd never imagined. The pen moved with exceptional efficiency, outlining the sunlight with just a few strokes. When I came to my senses, the corona was finished. It differed slightly from my initial design, but it was undeniably beautiful… much more beautiful.

Miaonu picked up the drawing paper, its eyes shining. It kissed the back of the paper and put the unfinished drawing back into the drawer. It would be finished in another afternoon; it would definitely be a beautiful painting.

·

Back to the present, everyone in the bookstore stared at the white mushroom, with Chu Hengkong's eyes filled with particular horror.

“Sometimes I have the urge to respond to him with a limerick…” he struggled to organize his thoughts, “but I won’t do it because I can’t make one up.”

“Dude, you just made up four lines,” Vande said.

"That's what Mushroom said." Chu Hengkong spread his hands. "Once the idea came to mind, the words naturally emerged. I just had to recite them."

"Are the mushrooms from your Jingsha region really that amazing?" Ji Huaisu exclaimed in surprise. "What's the principle behind it?"

Sriel shook his finger: "The poet knows nothing about the origins of this thing. If he weren't completely ignorant, why would he ask for help?"

He slung his small guitar over his shoulder and walked towards the door, bowing slightly as he left: "We must not allow these unhealthy trends to continue; I hope the detective will use his abilities!"

Ji Huaisu was completely bewildered: "What exactly does this poet mean? I heard him say something sarcastic earlier, as if he really dislikes the appearance of this mushroom."

The editor of the Poison Otter magazine sneered repeatedly: "This mushroom is naturally not very appealing."

"Isn't this a great thing? Even Ah Kong can become a poet after eating it. With this, everyone can create."

“Miss Ji, please correct your wording.” The Poison Otter said indifferently, “Using the word ‘creation’ is not quite appropriate. We don’t usually call eating mushrooms ‘creation’.”

The otter editor's eyebrows shot up. Even its usual sharp tongue was mostly used in jest with friends, but when it came to this mushroom, it became serious and reluctant to discuss it further. Chu Hengkong noticed that while the otter editor was speaking, a small animal that had been slacking off on the second floor shrank back.

He carefully memorized the shop assistant's appearance, but didn't make a fuss. He simply asked, "How much do you all know about these mushrooms?"

"About a month ago! It started circulating in small circles, saying it was a food that was very helpful for creative work," said Bangbangji. "More and more poets and painters are using mushrooms lately, and from the bookstore's perspective, we can't comment on this stuff. You know, it's a sensitive topic—and quite a few people are actually using it."

"I have a general understanding." Chu Hengkong picked up Fan De. "I'm going out for a walk."

“Let’s go together, it’s perfect for a walk after dinner,” Trek said.

·

The small white mushroom first appeared about a month and a half ago. Its debut was at a literary salon, where a writer from the Crustacean tribe claimed that the new mushroom had given him "significant inspiration" and made his writing "exceptionally efficient." This enthusiastic poet shared the mushroom with his pen pals at the salon, and their reactions confirmed its effectiveness.

This is not a common scam like honey that boosts your mood or crystals that bring good luck, nor is it a dubious drug that stimulates the nerves to "provide inspiration." White mushrooms themselves are non-toxic, harmless, non-addictive, and free from external contamination. Those who consume white mushrooms immediately gain highly efficient expressive abilities; this wondrous inspiration can help them achieve self-expression through poetry, painting, and even music, all at no cost.

Such wondrous effects were unheard of even in the city-states, and the white mushroom thus became very popular among creators, who called it the "inspiration mushroom."

“When the Inspiration Mushroom first appeared, I had the Fourth Vein Captain do an analysis and investigation,” Trek said. “Based on the information we have so far, this mushroom is harmless for the time being. Of course, it could be used for malicious purposes, but all tools can be used to harm people. We cannot ban a popular form of entertainment based on theoretical suspicion.”

"I'm already surprised that this thing is only circulating on a small scale; it should be spreading rapidly in theory." Chu Hengkong flipped through the report.

"The yield of Inspiration Mushrooms isn't very high, and besides, we've been doing some work," Trek gestured to him. "Well then, Uncle Trek, you can go back to your drinks now. Let me know when you have some findings from the investigation!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he vanished without a sound. Chu Hengkong suspected that this person's ability was related to space; otherwise, there was no reason for him to appear and disappear so mysteriously every time. He tossed the stack of reports to Van der, the covers of which were printed in large red letters: "Internal Document, Strictly Prohibited from Dissemination," but Trek clearly didn't take them seriously.

Vande quickly flipped through the report: "Trek's control is surprisingly good."

"How to say."

"The time, place, and owner of the Inspiration Mushroom's first appearance, its distribution channels over the past month, and all citizens currently holding the mushroom... basically all the information you can think of is in this report," Vande said. "That old guy was prepared all along. He couldn't make a move himself, so he was just waiting for you, a righteous citizen, to meddle."

“Civil servants are always inconvenient to operate openly,” Chu Hengkong said. “Let’s find a nearby target and see if this matter is worth getting involved in.”

"1.8 kilometers to the northwest, Wave Leaf Square."

The artistic atmosphere in Wave Leaf Square is exceptionally strong, with musicians playing impromptu music and painters sketching portraits everywhere. The artists' popularity varies drastically: the most popular painters are surrounded by queues of tourists, while less popular painters sit alone with their easels unattended.

Just as Chu Hengkong arrived, a young man with a goatee picked up his easel, ready to leave. His expression wasn't the usual dejection of a down-on-his-luck artist; instead, it held a hint of anger, the purpose of which was unclear.

Chu Hengkong raised his hand to stop him: "Aren't you doing business anymore?"

"Please move aside, thank you," the painter said somberly. "Anyway, nobody wants me to paint for them."