Volume 12 - CH 8

Chapter 8: Mission Probe

Location: Taiwan Time: 4:41 PM

After returning to the room, I got bored and stayed for a bit, opening the TV and flipping through a few channels before turning it off again.

The five-colored rooster head was downstairs eating and Senior hasn’t come back yet.

Does probing need so much time? I remember when I went with Senior on the Beast of Scroll mission last time, he only looked around for a while and left. How come this time he still hasn’t returned when it’s been nearly an hour already?

…It’s probably impossible for Senior to get lost, right…He’s like a person with automatic navigation; he seems to have a very clear understanding even in a place he’s never been to before, so these two words “getting lost” are simply a huge joke for him.

Just when I was imagining all sorts of things, there seemed to be a sound from outside the door.

Not a knocking sound, it was as if a small object had crashed into it, several times in a row.

Could it be there’s a kid playing outside?

It was just someone passing by to get to their room. Just when I was about to close the door, I suddenly keen-sightedly saw a tiny round blue thing rolling with all its might in a spot a bit far from here in the corridor.

Why is there a ballfish on the ship!?

Shouldn’t that thing be following the waves as it strives to climb the hull? Why would it appear in the cabin’s inner aisle?

I wonder if this type of fish can be away from water.

After locking the door, my first thought to quickly throw this thing that other people couldn’t see out of the ship so that it can go back and meet up with its companions hadn’t even caught up yet, when that strange round fish rolled a couple of times again, rolling directly toward the stairs.

I quickly chased after it, and before I could reach out to grab it, the ballfish completely turned and rolled down the stairs. According to the fact that round things won’t stop rolling, that tiny round blue ballfish soon disappeared on the other side of the stairs.

Is it that hard to catch!?

Aren’t fish supposed to gasp lethargically when they’re on land, and then wait to be grabbed and set free by a kind-hearted person or be grabbed and set into a pan by a bad person? What’s with how energetic you’re behaving!?

It’s to show that you’re fresh, huh!?

Looking at the water stains imprinted on the stairs, for a second, I honestly didn’t really want to bother with it, but after thinking about it, it’s still better to get that thing out. After all, the fish didn’t have water and might actually die.

While thinking, I followed the stairs down.

After passing the fifth floor, the further down I went, the quieter it became. The number of public facilities decreased the lower it was, until in the end, they were nearly all guest rooms. It was so quiet that not even a shadow could be seen.

For some reason, when I continued through an area with a lot of rooms, I seemed to have heard a faint mechanical noise.

Is it because this place is closer to the ship bottom?

The entire underground guest room area was silent and abnormal.

Looking at the similar and closed doors side by side, I suddenly sensed a weird pressure. For some reason, I subconsciously felt that it was best to quickly leave this place and not stay too long.

There seemed to be something in this space.

When I took a step back, a feeling of stepping on something abruptly came from the back of my foot. Like stepping on cotton, as soon as I stepped down, water spurted out, and the bottom of my pants immediately became cold.

Hastily turning around to look, I saw that the ballfish I chased before was just lying beside my foot and had even been stepped on by me. Its entire round body was half-flattened. Two mung-bean-sized things appeared in a spot that I wasn’t sure was its head or not, looking up at me.

“Uh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were here.” Oh no, the fish probably wouldn’t die if it’s half-flattened, right? I wonder if splashing it with some water can turn it back.

I bent down to pick up that round ball that was the size of two hands. In fact, it wasn’t disgusting and felt like I was just holding a wet sponge ball. Nor did it have scales, the whole thing was completely bare and soft.

The fish in my hand looked up at me with its mung-bean eyes, then abruptly issued a “chirp” sound, very much like that type of plastic toys kids play with.

After getting a good hold of that fish, I looked left and right. Sure enough, there was still no one around, just a bit of sound coming from who knows where, “I, I’ll take you to be set free first.” This place gave me a really creepy feeling. The corridor that was originally supposed to be very bright looked a bit gloomy, causing one to be slightly uncomfortable. I dragged along that ballfish as I bit the bullet and began to move toward the stairs behind me.

The moment I turned my head, I suddenly heard a very loud door slam, and with a boom, the whole corridor echoed with this tremendous noise.

Immediately turning my head, I didn’t see any room’s door open, nor did I see anyone appearing in the corridor.

Could it be I misheard it just now?

But that sound was really tangible; it was clearly that feeling of someone slamming the door hard.

Act, actually, I probably misheard it.

Shaking a little as I held that ballfish, there were goosebumps continuously breaking out all over me. Then I turned my head again and stepped on the first stair step–

Ping—

This time it wasn’t the sound of a door slamming, but rather the sound of glass breaking.

Impossible, impossible, I couldn’t possibly have heard the sound of something breaking in the room, because this ship’s rooms were soundproofed! If I heard something, it must be that I just misheard it, so I absolutely couldn’t have possibly heard the sound of someone breaking something in the room.

Right! It was all an auditory hallucination!

This time I didn’t dare to turn my head at all, I held the ballfish as I rushed up a floor. Who cares if there’s a sound of someone slamming the door or breaking glass; they all have nothing to do with me! They’re simply auditory hallucinations and don’t exist!

After rushing up a floor, I gasped for breath. This floor was a lot brighter and I could also see a few people chatting in the corridor, completely different from the gloomy atmosphere below.

Ah…this is the feeling of the human world.

“What are you doing here!?”

“Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh—-”

Someone suddenly smacked me hard behind the stairs leading below!

“You’re so loud! Shut up!”

A familiar smack slapped down on the back of my head. I stopped making noise in less than half a second, because I almost bit my own tongue and it hurt so much, I couldn’t call out.

Turning my head, I saw Senior standing on the next two steps on the stairs and coldly looking at me: “Let go. If you keep squeezing, that ballfish is going to become a dry fish.”

Once he said that, I noticed that because I was startled just now, I subconsciously tightened my hands hard. The ballfish in my arms that had its fluids squeezed out became even flatter, then the entire front of my top was drenched.

“I, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Hurriedly apologizing to the ballfish that was currently glaring at me with its mung-bean eyes, at the same time, I found that the people who had been chatting in the corridor just now were watching us.

“Get over here.” Grabbing my arm and going up the stairs, Senior had a cold look on his face and didn’t say anything.

After I’ve been dragged back to the room by him, he suddenly took the ballfish and went into the bathroom.

Cautiously following, I saw Senior putting water in the bathroom’s washbasin, then throwing the flattened fish into the water. Less than a few minutes later, that fish became round again.

Turns out that really is a sponge fish that can rehydrate itself!

As soon as the ballfish was saved, I immediately sneezed, only then realizing that my clothes and pants were still wet.

“Why did you go to that floor?” Taking the ballfish out and throwing it on the ground to roll around as it pleased, Senior opened his mouth to ask me this.

“Uh…I saw this fish rolling down there, so I wanted to pick it up and set it free.” Swallowing, I gingerly answered, then walked to the luggage pile at the side, watching Senior while wanting to find clean clothes as replacement.

“You didn’t see that there was a ‘no entry’ sign at the stair entrance of that floor just now?” Staring at my movements, Senior directly sat down on the chair nearby.

No entry?

I think I honestly didn’t see it, since I walked down while looking at the water stains on the ground. It was probably because my head was lowered that I didn’t notice that “no entry” thing.

Wait a minute, since there was a “no entry” sign, then that means that there was actually no one staying on that floor of guest rooms below?

I suddenly felt a chill. Since there’s no one staying there, then the sounds I heard just now shouldn’t exist at all…

“What sounds did you hear on that floor?” Kicking away the ballfish approaching his feet, Senior asked.

“That…sound that was very similar to a door slamming and a sound of glass breaking.” Pulling out a clean top and pants, I took off my clothes that were basically already wet and replaced them, “Senior…Is there a problem with that place…”

In fact, I really wanted to heard a negation.

“Yes, but I’m not sure why.” Immediately interrupting my extravagant hopes, Senior said this: “After I went down and walked around in a circle, I arrived at an even higher floor and simultaneously sensed the power of several different types of talismans. There were some strong ones, some weak ones, as well as some completely useless ones mixed together; it looks like a lot of people had probably already tried to alleviate this ship’s problem before we came.”

“This ship’s problem?” As soon as I thought of those mysterious sounds from just now, I started to feel creeped out again.

“Nn, as of now, it’s still unknown since the different talismans sent out will affect the original thing. So I plan to try investigating again tomorrow, and maybe when necessary, I will have to return to the Guild.” Pulling down the rubber band that tied his hair and tossing it on the ground, Senior watched as the ballfish immediately rushed over to eat the rubber band, and seemed to be thinking about something.

Eh? The ballfish eats rubber bands?

I indeed saw that wet sponge swallow down the whole rubber band and even lift its head up to look at Senior with its mung-bean eyes, before being kicked away by Senior.

Speaking of which, it turns out its food was rubber bands and not seston at the bottom of the sea?

“Ballfish do eat seston, but they like rubber bands a lot.” Turning his head, Senior told me: “However, he can’t be fed too much of that, or else his skin will assimilate with the rubber.”

Which means that it will change from a sponge fish into a rubber fish?

Looking at that ballfish that was still rolling around on the floor, I had the kind of thought that it’d be better to set it free quickly.

“If you want to set it free, just open the balcony and throw it out.” Pointing to the small balcony outside of the VIP room, Senior told me this.

“Oh, okay.” Picking up that sponge fish, I opened the balcony. As soon as I opened it, the entire icy air current outside immediately poured in. I shivered then forcefully threw the sponge fish into the sea outside.

Not even the sound of water could be heard, and just like that, the ballfish disappeared into the ocean.

Such a mystifying thing.

“Other than those two sounds, did you sense anything else?” Another question came from Senior, who was currently deep in thought.

“No.” Closing the balcony, I shuddered. It really is cold outside. No wonder the lucky classmate would say that the New Year prizes that send you out to sea are very thoughtless; it’s seriously cold enough to make one’s scalp numb.

Senior once again didn’t say anything.

With nothing to do, I could only sort out my luggage a little. I remember that I seemed to have read about which floor has an automatic washing machine somewhere in the guidebook. I’ll try asking my mom and the others later how they’re going to deal with their clothes.

Then I remembered something else: “Um…Senior…”

Black eyes turned to look at me.

Swallowing, I braced myself for getting smacked on the head, “I want to send the desserts to Miao Miao and them but I’m afraid I won’t be able to do the array properly. Can you help me!” Saying that, I immediately covered my head.

Unexpectedly, Senior actually didn’t make any move.

“There are six boxes, so…Ahaha…” I don’t want the desserts to get stuck inside a wall halfway there either…

After looking at me for a long while, Senior slowly opened his mouth: “You think I’m an express delivery service?”

Wu! I just knew he won’t be happy!

“Um…If not, then it’s fine…” I should have asked when Senior’s in a good mood.

“Bring them.”

“Eh?” Did I hear that right?

“If I change my mind, you can send them yourself.” Frowning, Senior snorted.

I hurriedly brought those six boxes of dessert over, “Uh, then I also want to say that I’ll buy more if I see any souvenirs on the ship.”

Standing up, after motioning me to bring the things to the table, Senior took out a transparent crystal and drew a small array on the table, “Who are you sending them to?”

“Nn…Miao Miao, Chifuyu, ah, this box of toasted rice balls is for Ryan.” Who knows if it’s because of luck, there was actually a box filled with those mini toasted rice balls. The whole colorfulness looked very pretty. The rest were mostly pastries and New Year food, “I also want to give Restua…” Restua had sent me desserts before.

Then I realized that six boxes didn’t seem to be enough, because I wanted to send Yido and them too, as well as the class rep, senior Geng, Ran, senior Gasai and the others.

Oh no, what should I do?

It’s not often that I find something tasty…

With a “peng,” the door was opened again, “Yang~look what I brought!” The five-colored rooster head’s voice rang out happily.

I turned my head and saw him carrying a heap of lunch boxes as he came in.

“You want to continue eating inside the room?” Looking at those boxes that were at least a dozen, I broke into a cold sweat that his stomach might burst.

“No way! I’m helping you get some! How can those miserly six boxes be enough!?” The five-colored rooster head shouted in an unresigned tone like I’d misunderstood him, “You ungrateful person, I worked like a horse outside, fighting to bring you them and I was even treated as if I’ve been eating too much by you. I honestly don’t know what I owed you in the last life…”

“Ziray, I really can’t thank you enough!” I immediately cut off his nonsense, otherwise if I ignore him, he’s certainly going to talk a lot.

The five-colored rooster head put the boxes aside. Adding the original six, this is definitely enough to send now. Almost everyone I know is accounted for.

“Is it enough? If it’s not enough, I can go to the kitchen again.”

“Eh!? You took them straight from the kitchen?” Looking at the dozen lunch boxes that he brought over, I was given a fright.

“Yeah, just now when I was happily eating there, a chef who probably made desserts came over, saying how it’s been a long time since he’s seen someone eat so much. He was very happy to ask me to go eat in the kitchen and mentioned something about how there were a lot more different ones there.” The five-colored rooster opened one of the boxes, and sure enough, inside were different pastries that hadn’t appeared in the restaurant at all, “He even told me to take some and go back, so I just helped myself to them.”

The chefs here sure are strange; there are even those who become happier the more someone eats?

But I guess the waiters probably had a lot of black lines down.

“Then alright, who do you want to send them to?” Standing beside me, Senior issued a question.

“Nn…Miao Miao, Chifuyu, Ryan and Yido, Yado, Leido and the others, senior Gasai, Restua and Andy…” I counted on my fingers, then watched as one box of desserts disappeared at a time in the small array. Roughly after I finished counting, the desserts had more or less disappeared as well.

After the last dessert box vanished without a trace, the array on the table also followed suit.

“That’s it.” Knocking on the table, Senior told me.

“Oh, thank you Senior.” Good thing Senior’s here, or else who knows whether I would have been able to send these things out.

Glancing at the time, it’s almost evening already. It should be about time for us to be called to eat, right?

But I just ate some snacks and I’m not that hungry right now.

A sudden noise outside interrupted my thoughts.

The five-colored rooster head, who was the closest one, smoothly opened the door. Standing outside was a ship attendant, a different person from the miss who led the way for us but with the same cordially smiling expression: “Would the three of you like to dine at the restaurant or in your room?”

I was a bit stunned.

VIP rooms have such good service! You can even go directly to your room to order your meals!

Sneaking a peak at Senior, I didn’t dare to take it upon myself to decide.

“We can go eat at the restaurant ourselves.” The five-colored rooster head broke into a grin and said this.

“Alright, then if you want to enter a club, a special public area or a formal restaurant, please be sure to wear formal clothes.” The attendant very kindly said this sentence before leaving.

The five-colored rooster head was frozen for half a second.

“Bastard! How are my clothes not formal!?” He shouted outside the door.

Basically, your clothes, from that head to the shoes on your feet, are all not formal. I can understand why that attendant said this.

No one wants to see a juvenile delinquent wearing a Hawaiian shirt and flip flops appear at a formal occasion.

Slamming the door, the five-colored rooster head sulkily threw himself right on the soft bed.

To be honest, I was actually a bit tired already after having fun for the whole day today. It looks like after eating dinner, I’ll probably fall asleep immediately, directly sleeping till the next day?

Just when the three of us had each claimed a side to rest, for some reason, I suddenly felt as if a strange tremor heading for the bottom of the ship was coming directly toward us. My entire feet on the ground seemed to have that fluctuation.

An earthquake? Wait a minute, there shouldn’t be an earthquake onboard, right?

“It seemed like something was passing through beneath.” The five-colored rooster head rolled once, lying on the bed and looking at the floor.

What would pass through beneath the ship? Could it be a whale?

“It hasn’t been that long since we set sail and you want to see a whale.” Senior let out a very contemptuous sound.

…I was just thinking, and maybe there really will be one.

The tremor passed after a while and soon the ship became steady again as if nothing had happened at all.

Right after the ship shook, a certain white thing that hasn’t appeared in a long time but suddenly appeared now popped up next to my hand, directly leaping in front of Senior.

The ghost child that hasn’t been seen in a long time enters the scene!

“Tong Lang, is something the matter?” Probably also surprised as to why the ghost child would appear here, Senior looked at the ghost child floating above and asked.

“I* bring a message from the patrol division: you may need this information, so have the intelligence team find out in a timely manner.” Saying that, the ghost child opened his mouth wide, and a black ball as big as a fist fell out of his mouth.

[T/N: He’s referring to himself in a very formal way]

Immediately catching that very heavy-looking black ball, Senior looked it over for a moment and smoothly put it aside on the table: “Did the patrol division say anything else?”

“Nothing.” Saying that, I don’t know if it’s my misconception but I think I saw the ghost child glancing at me, but it doesn’t seem that way either. Then he appeared to bend down to talk to Senior about something. The two of them used a language that I didn’t understand. Clearly it was something pretty important.

I secretly went closer to the five-colored rooster head and whispered: “Do you know who the patrol division is?” That name evoked some kind of curiosity in me.

The five-colored rooster head glanced at me, “Patrol division isn’t a ‘who.’ That’s the name of an unit affiliated with the Guild. It’s probably similar to monitoring, coming and going so mysteriously that it makes people a bit annoyed. They’re people who specialize in monitoring the robe-levels’ missions.” He paused and thought for a moment, “Actually, I’m not that sure either. Anyway, it’s just an unit. The people in it, varying from white robes to black robes, all deal with administrative affairs.”

Monitoring unit? Such as monitoring whether cases are done correctly and the like?

I suddenly remembered that there seems to be the matter of getting money deducted and having it immediately entered into the accounts if a mission goes wrong or something. Turns out in addition to the school’s accounting department, the Guild also has this monitoring unit?

“I heard my third brother say, those who get into the patrol division are all impassive evil spirits. He’s not that fond of dealing with the patrol division himself, but in some ways, the patrol division is a necessary unit.” The five-colored rooster head shrugged and told me the general idea of what he knew, “This is all I know.”

The patrol division are impassive evil spirits?

For some reason, there was a second when I equated the patrol division with the Sir Justice Bao in my memory.

[Justice Bao (Bao Zheng) is a symbol of justice, integrity]

“Other than that, there seems to be an unit for dispatching missions too. Yang~if you’re very interested, you can go test for a robe level. You’ll know everything by then.”

“I’m sorry but I still want to live.” Telling me to test for a robe level, isn’t that the same as telling me to first go into a cremation fire and turn into ash flying in the wind on my own, henceforth vanishing from the world!?

“Then if not, you can go defeat someone with a robe level and you’ll be able to replace him.” The five-colored rooster head started to give rotten ideas.

“I’m very satisfied with the current situation, thank you.” Telling me to defeat someone with a robe level is even worse than turning into ash, okay!? Look at the people with robe levels around me. Whether it’s Chifuyu, Ryan or senior Gasai, they’re all first-rate experts. I’ll probably lose my life before I can even touch them!

“Tsk, if you can successfully get in, you’ll be able to get a lot of information.” The five-colored rooster head said in a very regretful tone.

Why do you want me to infiltrate them and get information!?

“Chu, are you going to die if you don’t think so much for a second?” Senior, who was clearly finished chatting with the ghost child already, turned his head back to glare at me.

…It’s a habit…I used to get bored when I often got injured so I just exercised my brain.

I’ve already said that you can not listen!

“Then I will take my leave first.” Perhaps finished handling his own matters, the ghost child disappeared quickly.

Senior stood up, putting that black ball into the backpack he’d brought: “Let’s go. It’s time to eat dinner.”

Eh?

I honestly rarely see Senior being so proactive to find food.

Walking over to pull the door open, I finally understood why Senior would suggest eating.

After opening the door, I saw two people, who were about to raise their hands to knock on the door, put their hands down, “Let’s eat dinner together, kids.”

It was said that Dad and Mom who came for their second honeymoon were currently smilingly standing in the doorway waving to us.