Chapter 50: Fortune Telling
But she didn’t say much, simply raising her blade and chasing after it.
The small Polluted mouse saw Chi Wan coming with a large blade and lost its nerve, starting to scurry around everywhere.
Chi Wan chased after it.
Chi Che watched her chase the mouse with interest.
From time to time, he pointed out the direction:
“Over there.”
“To the left.”
“It turned.”
“There’s a rock ahead, be careful.”
In the pitch-black snake den, the petite Guide was led in circles by the agile Polluted mouse while carrying her heavy blade.
Finally, the Polluted mouse dashed toward Chi Che.
He called her name: “Guide Chi Wan, it’s coming for me.”
挺好的，咬死你得了，讓你裝！ (It’s fine, hope it bites you to death, you poser!)
Chi Wan was already exhausted. She muttered angrily in her heart, but her actions were reluctant as she carried the blade toward him.
Her slow, leisurely manner was the definition of quiet quitting.
Chi Che was amused by her appearance.
“It seems my little bodyguard wants to go on strike.”
Chi Wan ignored him, dropped the blade, and tried to use her energy to control the Polluted mouse.
Just as she had dealt with the giant snake earlier.
She gathered her focus and concentration. Her brilliant silver energy was even stronger than before, quickly lighting up more than half the den. Her perfect, flawless small face was illuminated by the silver light, looking holy and translucent.
Like a beam of moonlight. Chi Che’s originally lazy smile froze; for a moment, there was nothing else in his eyes.
“Success!”
At her surprised voice, he finally looked away, lowering his head to hide his rare moment of distraction.
“What’s a success?”
As he spoke, he looked down. The Polluted mouse was already nothing more than a corpse.
Chi Wan happily held out her palm toward him, explaining:
“I just sucked its essence out!”
And the System told her that sucking essences could also increase energy values and even improve Mental Power!
What kind of heaven-defying Ability was this? It was too strong!
Chi Wan was incredibly happy, but in Chi Che’s eyes, there was only that excessively white little palm held out before him.
It made him want to take hold of it.
He coughed lightly and held out his own palm, mimicking her.
In his palm, which was twice the size of hers, three Crystals lay—judging by their grade, they weren’t low.
Facing Chi Wan’s confused gaze, Chi Che simply chuckled.
“The bodyguard’s salary, paid daily.”
Chi Wan was suddenly a bit embarrassed.
Killing one small Polluted mouse and getting three Crystals? That was a bit too much of a “white-glove” deal.
She scratched her head sheepishly. Just as she was about to refuse, Chi Che anticipated her thoughts.
He spoke before she could:
“If you think it’s too much, then just be my bodyguard for a few more days.”
Chi Wan blinked.
With her current Grade B energy value, what could she possibly protect him from?
She pondered with a worried face whether she could provide him with an equivalent benefit.
Suddenly remembering the System’s reveal about his future ending, her heart skipped a beat.
This man was going to commit suicide in the future due to unrequited love.
Her impression of him throughout this journey hadn’t been bad. Giving him a few words of advice to try and save his life could be considered worth those three Crystals.
After all, she really did want them.
Under his deep and focused gaze, Chi Wan’s expression suddenly became much more serious.
“How about this? I’ll tell your fortune to repay you for the Crystals.”
Chi Che grew interested, a smile appearing in the depths of his eyes.
“Fortune telling?”
“Mhm. To tell you the truth, I am also proficient in the arts of fate. It’s just that it’s not well-known, and I don’t easily do it for others.”
As Chi Wan spoke, she glanced at the three Crystals in his palm and continued:
“But to repay you for your Crystals, I’ll tell your fortune.”
Chi Che stuffed the Crystals into her palm and actually sat down on a nearby rock to look at her seriously.
Chi Wan sat across from him, her small hands making some pretend gestures.
Under Chi Che’s deepening smile, she spoke seriously:
“I calculate that you will not lack wealth in this life. Your career will also be successful. However… there is a Love Tribulation in your fate.”
The searchlight swayed with her movements; the unsteady halo made her already fair face seem even more shrouded in a hazy glow.
“Oh? A Love Tribulation?”
He was a very good audience, listening intently. Beneath his sharp brow bones, his eyes, deep as a pool, reflected the swaying points of light. His excessively long fingers rested against his chin.
“Mhm.”
Chi Wan continued recalling the System’s words:
“You will meet a girl. You will love her to the point of wanting to live and die for her, losing both your money and power for her sake.”
Hearing this sentence from Chi Wan, Chi Che curled his index finger against his lower lip and laughed softly.
“I’m that devoted?”
“You probably can’t imagine it yourself either.”
Chi Wan shook her head and continued: “But she doesn’t love you.”
“Then what happens to me in the end? Do I die alone?”
Under the glow, his deep gaze actually held a hint of tenderness. Talking with her so casually, he seemed as vivid as a burning life.
Would a person like this commit suicide later?
Chi Wan’s sudden silence and distraction caused Chi Che to pull back his smile.
He leaned forward slightly, getting a bit closer to her.
“Judging by Guide Chi Wan’s expression, my ending seems very tragic.”
“Mhm.”
Chi Wan lowered her head, avoiding his gaze and pretending to be casual.
“So you must remember: do not be a ‘Love Brain.’ Love is certainly moving, but don’t hang yourself on a single tree. Learn to let yourself go.”
Chi Che’s deep gaze swept over her lips.
A thought suddenly rose in his heart.
But that thought flashed and vanished; it was too blurry, and he didn’t catch it.
He lowered his eyes, concealing his thoughts, and nodded slightly.
“Master Chi has a point. I have taken it to heart and will certainly be careful in the future.”
As he spoke, he heard a sound from the snake path. He stood up and unobtrusively shielded Chi Wan behind him.
Footsteps drew near. Qi Ye, wearing a brand-new combat suit, walked in.
Translator’s Note: “Love Brain” (戀愛腦) is a slang term we use a lot in China to describe someone who loses all rationality when they fall in love. I also used “Crystals” here for 結晶 (jiéjīng). In cultivation and sci-fi novels, these are energy cores.
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