Island – End of Nightmare

Chapter 4: And I Thought it was some Brave Hero

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To clear up a potentially confusing point, keep in mind that the narrative perspective is in first person even though Chen Luonian tends to overall narrate like he’s an observer. But little comments like “woman really do have to dress up” are actually his personal thoughts, if you haven’t noticed. Refer to (3) for few more examples if you’re interested.

ε-(´・｀)– [Table of Contents ] – c(＞ω＜)ゞ

(adfly) ε-(´・｀)– [Table of Contents ] – c(＞ω＜)ゞ (adfly)

Chapter 4: And I Thought it was some Brave Hero
>>Part 1

Huai Zhen’s outfit this time was completely different from last time. She had on a white, hand-knitted, partially see-through long skirt and smock. Inside that, she wore a tank top and miniskirt of the same color with short-heeled sandals. Underneath the knitted skirt, the beautiful lines of the legs were faintly discernible; outside of that 3 cm wide sleeve on her shoulder, small lotus-like arms appeared. On the left wrist dangled a thin silver chain bracelet, on the right she held a silver-white hand bag. The soft ends of her hair appeared to have layers which, as she approached, gently bounced from side to side.

She was white from top to bottom, except for the Blood Ice Ring on her left ring finger that occasionally flitted to show red through her outfit, causing contrast which made it especially eye-catching; in addition, that rare cla.s.sical style appearance combined with modern styled clothing brought out an entire new level of rarely seen style.

Chen Luonian inwardly cheered, woman really do have to dress up. Last time Huai Zhen’s appearance was already captivating, who would have thought that after dressing up she would become three times more beautiful. Maybe that time she still wasn’t sure what she should wear? Then again, what did she do for that one month before she showed up? Just steal money?

But this is also strange, why is everyone’s eyes all glued straight to her? Though Huai Zhen certainly is beautiful, but she’s still not beautiful to this point of practically being capable of causing the downfall of a city? Nowadays information flows easily, so the truth is that everyone has seen plenty of beautiful girls. If a handsome guy or beautiful girl showed up on the road…… such as Lai Yixin or Ye Weishan, usually people would just sneak a couple glances at most, and wouldn’t just stare stupefied like this.

After thinking of this, Chen Luonian moved his gaze to look at Lai and Ye, and couldn’t help but be shocked again. Why are these two also staring blankly? Could it be that they realized that she was a monster? ……but looking at their expressions it doesn’t seem like it.

“Hey.” Huai Zhen stopped in front of Chen Luonian and smiled sweetly: “Right now…… this is called school letting out right?”

“That’s right but, why are you here?” Chen Luonian asked in a low voice, flabbergasted, while glancing worriedly at Lai and Ye, only to see that they were looking at him with astonishment because they never thought that he and Huai Zhen would know each other.

“I figured you were about to be in danger, so I thought I’d come to absorb some.” Huai Zhen leaned close Chen Luonian’s ears and softly whispered, smiling.

“Huh? Don’t do it here.” Chen Luonian remembered the way Huai Zhen looked2 the last time she absorbed the breath, and couldn’t help feeling a little embarra.s.sed.

“I know.” Huai Zhen giggled, then turned her head to look to the side and asked: “Your cla.s.smates?”

“Yeah……” Chen Luonian looked at the still dazed Lai Yizin and Ye Weishan. He couldn’t help feeling astonished as he called: “Senior brother? Senior sister?”

“Ah.” Ye Weishan was the first to snap out of it and said: “Chen Luonian, this person…… is she your…… your friend?”

“h.e.l.lo.” Lai Yixin was also a bit fl.u.s.tered as he said: “I’m Lai Yixin! May I… may I ask……”

They don’t seem to have realized that Huai Zhen is a monster? Although Chen Luonian was able to relax slightly, but he still couldn’t come up with a way to introduce Huai Zhen. He panicked, only to see her open her mouth with a smile and say: “Nice to meet you two. I’m his older sister, my name is Huai Zhen. Did you need Luonian for something?”

Older sister? Chen Luonian shot a glance at Huai Zhen, but closed his mouth, standing back to watch how she intended to continue fabricating onwards.

“Chen Jie Jie3…… We have some things we want to talk to Chen Luonian about, so we wanted to invite him to dinner.” Ye Weishan’s gaze contained both shock and admiration as she looked at Huai Zhen and replied.

“I just happen to want to eat with Chen Luonian too.” Huai Zhen said with a smile: “Can I also come along?”

“Of course.” Lai Yixin immediately responded.

Ye Weshan glanced at Lai Yixin, after seeing the dazed look caused by Huai Zhen’s appearance, who knows what she thought of it4.

“Then I’ll just toughen my skin and intrude5.” Huai Zhen pulled Chen Luonian’s hand, and smiled: “Let’s go, where are we going?”

“Not far, Weishan and I will lead you.” Lai Yixin while dazed, still remembered his manners, and started striding forward.

Ye Weishan shifted her gaze towards Lai Yixin and started walking, not saying anything more.

Chen Luonian walked while lowering his voice to ask: “You…… you……. where did you go this week?”

“You, what you? Call me Jie Jie! Why are you so emotional? Did you miss me?” Huai Zhen joked.

“Quit joking.” Chen Luonian didn’t have the mood to play along: “You didn’t trick me, did you? I feel like the way you talk doesn’t resemble the way people talked in ancient times at all.”

“With tourists chattering noisily at the side for decades, of course I got use to the modern way of speaking.” Huai Zhen said: “But some things really did require me to come out and experience before I could pick them up…… Ah, these two cla.s.smates of yours aren’t ordinary mortals, are they pract.i.tioners?”

“You can tell?” Chen Luonian just remembered and hurriedly said: “They’re monster hunters. Is it ok for you to meet with them?”

“Why wouldn’t it be ok? I’m not some low-level small fry.” Huai Zhen shot Chen Luonian a glare, pouting: “According human cla.s.sifications, you should call me a Fairy6.”

Fairy? Chen Luonian shook his head as his lips twitched and asked: “Fairies would swallow people?”

“Hey!” Huai Zhen pinched Chen Luonian’s ear and yanked it, saying: “You try having the thing you waited three thousand years for get s.n.a.t.c.hed away by someone conveniently pa.s.sing by and see if you don’t go crazy with anger? When I had half-swallowed you, I thought about it and decided to spit you back out in the end, so it already counts as being very merciful.”

“Hey, hey, let go……” Chen Luonian looked up to see that everyone around was watching him, and said with embarra.s.sment: “Fine…… You’re not a strange monster, you’re a Fairy Monster7.”

“Humph! That more like it.” Huai Zhen finally released Chen Luonian, nodded at the two in front and said: “Tell me what those two are doing?”

To clear things up early is also best, so as to lower the chances of Huai Zhen possibly slipping up in front of the two of them. Chen Luonian immediately started giving a simple explanation of what happened that day, of course not forgetting to mention that Lai Yixin had asked him to join to the monster subjugating group. Once he finished talking about the multiple monster incidents, the four had also arrived at their destination.

◇◇◇◇
Tucheng District is an inner city district in the southwestern part of New Taipei City8. It just happened to be situated right between the small town and the mountain region, and wasn’t very desolate, but also couldn’t be quite cla.s.sified as lively. At this type of place, the quite reputable Rainbow Leaves restaurant could be counted as already a pretty high-cla.s.sed choice.

The four entered the restaurant on the 2nd floor. Ye Weishan had already made reservations so the server didn’t question further, and immediately proceeded to lead the four to a small, half-closed off room. Inside was a long table, one that could easily fit around eight to ten people.

Lai Yixin said as he asked everyone to sit: “Some more people will be arriving soon, but it’s fine if we start eating first.”

The four ordered their meals, then Ye Weishan turned towards Huai Zhen and said: “Chen Jie Jie……”

“Just call me Huai Zhen.” Huai Zhen quickly cut in.

“Huai Zhen Jie.” Ye Weishan readily changed her way of address, then said: “I don’t know if Junior Brother Luonian has mentioned to you before, about the incidents that happened earlier?”

Huai Zhen switch her gaze and replied: “Regarding encountering monsters?”

“Since Huai Zhen Jie also knows, than it’ll be easy to explain.” Lai Yixin smiled.

“Mm.” Ye Weishan nodded, continuing: “Yixin and I, as well as the two that defeated the monster at Banqiao Station, are all disciples of the same sect. We know how to defeat monsters, and it is also our job.”

“So it’s like that.” Huai Zhen nodded.

Ye Weishan continued: “That day Junior Brother encountered monsters three times consecutively. Within that, twice Yixin and I luckily made it in time, the other time at Banqiao Station another team handled it…… Actually all three times were extremely dangerous. If any one of us were late, he probably wouldn’t have made it.”

Actually it was four times. But the lizard in the last time was swallowed by this particular monster, Chen Luonian stole a glance at Huai Zhen.

But Huai Zhen actually said, with her eyes wide: “Monsters really exist? When I was listening to Luonian, I still only half-believed it.”

What an actress! And My G.o.d, when you yourself is a monster. Chen Luonian admired such ability, but couldn’t help inwardly shake his head and secretly laugh.

“They really exist.” Lai Yixin took over and responded: “According to what we know, there’ll be an increase in numbers, and they’ll even grow increasing stronger.”

“Ah…… Then what are we supposed to do?” Huai Zhen asked.

Ye Weishan didn’t answer, instead continued with the earlier topic: “The odds of three monsters appearing in one day are very low, and the odds for Junior Brother to encounter them are even lower. Although this certainly could be chalked up him being unlucky, but considering it another way, it might be because of some reason that we don’t know of? Perhaps he might have a physique that attracts monsters? Even though this possibility is really low…… But if it’s true, it would be very valuable.”

“Valuable?” Huai Zhen was faintly startled, and asked with a serious expression: “Why?”

“Because in order to deal with the changing situation, we have to hunt down even more monsters as quickly as possible.” Ye Weishan said: “If there really is this sort of physique, then we don’t have to constantly run all over the place to search. Of course it’s very valuable.”

“Hunt monsters? For what?” Huai Zhen seemed like she didn’t understand, faintly creasing her brows.

Lai Yixin took over and said: “This is because only captured monsters can……”

“Yixin!” Ye Weishan frowned and softly said: “This matter……”

“Ah.” Lai Yixin started, then apologized, embarra.s.sed: “Sorry, I forgot for a moment.”

“Huai Zhen Jie, regarding this point we really can’t elaborate……” Ye Weishan’s face showed apologetic expression as she said: “The Fraction has strict rules, we can’t speak about certain things to outsiders.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Huai Zhen switched topics to ask: “Then what do you guys plan to do?”

“Yixin hopes to convince Junior Brother to join us.” Ye Weishan said: “Last time Junior Brother had already refused once. This time we had planned to try and discuss it with him properly one more time, but who would have thought we’d happen to meet Huai Zhen Jie…… ”

“Is Huai Zhen Jie interested in joining?” Lai Yixin suddenly asked.

“Me?” Huai Zhen laughed and replied: “But I don’t know how to do anything.”

“You’ll know once you learn.” Lai Yixin smiled.

“Let’s stop talking about me, weren’t you guys originally looking for Luonian?” Huai Zhen leaned back on her chair with a smile and said: “How come it turned to asking me?”

Lai Yixin didn’t keep pressing, turned his head with a smile and asked: “Junior Brother, what do you think?”

Chen Luonian took a breath and said: “I think……”

“Isn’t this really good?” Huai Zhen suddenly opened her mouth and said.

“What?” Luonian was shocked dumb.

“Joining is good, you should join. So it’s decided, right?” Huai Zhen looked meaningfully at Chen Luonian.

“Really?” Lai Yixin happily exclaimed.

Chen Luonian saw that Huai Zhen’s gaze contained some implication of warnings and hints, but he couldn’t just swallow it like this, and immediate said: “What joining is good? I’m not interested.”

Huai Zhen’s brows slightly creased. She coldly gave Chen Luonian a glare, then pulled him up while saying to Lai and Ye with a smile: “Please excuse us, we siblings need to discuss something in private for a moment.”

Even though Ye Weishan felt it was unexpected, she could only reply: “It’s fine, please go ahead.”

“Discuss what?” Chen Luonian asked, stunned.

“Come on.” Huai Zhen dragged Chen Luonian outside.

◇◇◇◇
Chen Luonian felt that the pair of jade hand that were dragging him had extraordinary strength, he couldn’t not follow her outside. The two turned into the aisle before the restrooms, seeing that there was no one around, only then did Huai Zhen swear in a low tone: “You stupid idiot, why didn’t you just accept it? How dare you make me lose face!”

“I can’t agree to this kind of thing just to give face.” Chen Luonain self-righteously declared: “I don’t want to fight with monsters.”

“You really are weird. Do you actually have a lot of nerves or are you actually just cowardly?” Huai Zhen couldn’t quite understand Chen Luonian.

“I’m cowardly, fear pain, hate trouble.” Chen Luonain said with a humph: “So I don’t want to risk my life fighting monsters.”

“Then why do you rush up every time you encounter a monster?” Huai Zhen laughed as she asked.

“That was due to my thinking being muddled after a rush of blood getting to my head. If I was thinking clearly I wouldn’t have rushed up.” Chen Luonian frowned and said: “That’s why I need to stay away from that sort of situation even more.”

“I don’t care if your brain has a problem or not.” Huai Zhen curled her lips: “Haven’t you sensed it by now? That everytime when the sun and moon switch places the Hun Dun Yuan Xi will become hard to contain?”

“That’s right, I was wanting to ask you about this.” Chen Luonian said with alarm: “Doesn’t that mean you should suck some away?”

“I can suck a bit, but the amount I can possess is related to this world’s Yuan Xi concentration, so I can’t suck away too much.” Huai Zhen said: “Even though a portion can be refined into power, but that can’t be sped up……”

He was starting to get lost again. Chen Luonian was dazed for a bit before asking: “Can you just tell me the bottom line?”

“The bottom line is that once your Yuan Xi replenish completely, monsters will start appearing around you again, especially at dusk.” Huai Zhen said: “The reason why I came to look for you today was because of this. I was worried that if I didn’t suck some away, you’d be swallowed by some other monster.”

Chen Luonian blanked out for a moment: “My G.o.d! What you mean is…… even if you absorb some, there’ll still be monsters coming after me?”

“You finally get it.” Huai Zhen jabbed Chen Luonian’s forehead with her finger and said: “You don’t want to learn how to protect yourself, are you wishing to die? If you die, where will I go to absorb the Hun Dun Yuan Xi? It’s not like I can constantly be your bodyguard. Now there’s actually someone vying to teach you, isn’t that perfect? Even though you probably wouldn’t be able to get that strong…… But on one hand there’s someone to protect you, and secondly you’d even be able to learn a bit of self-protection so it’s not a bad deal, stupid!”

“Oh.” Chen Luonian blankly asked: “So I have no choice but to join?”

“That’s right.” Huai Zhen said: “Finally get it?”

ε-(´・｀)– [Table of Contents ] – c(＞ω＜)ゞ

(adfly) ε-(´・｀)– [Table of Contents ] – c(＞ω＜)ゞ (adfly)

Chapter 4: And I Thought it was some Brave Hero
(1) I think this is pretty important since it’s the t.i.tle and all but I can’t find a site that tells me what 猛漢 means. I know it’s been used by groups in games, in movie t.i.tles, and in books, but no translations of it exists! So, after looking at the context, I’ve decided on ‘mad man’. Even though I want to use idiot hero… but too bad, mad man seems to be a closer translation.
(2) Rather than her expression, I think it’s implying the position they were in.
(3) Chen Jie Jie = Chen’s Big Sister, it’s a way of addressing people you don’t really know personally. Jie Jie means older sister. It’s used between family, relatives, as well as by people completely unrelated as both a sign of respect or flattery. For example, if you meet an unfamilar lady who’s obviously older than you but doesn’t quite look like a grandmother, calling her Big Sister instead of Auntie is usually a pretty good choice.

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