"Do you want to go to the amusement park again?" Ji Huaichu asked.
"…Huh?" Mu Anqi was a bit stunned. Again? Does General Ji know that her last game was at the amusement park? "The Everything Amusement Park?"
"Yes." Ji Huaichu nodded slightly. "When it's not during the Nirvana Game, its facilities operate normally."
"You can bring Xia Fenghua and Mu Xiaobai," Ji Huaichu said.
Mu Anqi had initially wanted to refuse, but after Ji Huaichu's explanation and mentioning the children Xia Fenghua and Mu Xiaobai, her heart was stirred. The Mu Xiaobai might know what an amusement park is, but she definitely hadn't experienced one. Thinking of this, Mu Anqi felt that going to the amusement park to relax wouldn't be bad. But… "Aren't you going, General?"
Ji Huaichu looked at Mu Anqi. The little money tree should have rested well these past few days; her complexion was fair with a hint of red, and she exuded an indescribable delicate beauty. Her eyes were clear, looking straight at him; when meeting his gaze, they were slightly shy but did not look away.
Then Ji Huaichu raised a faint smile and agreed: "Then let's go together."
"Are we going on horseback?" Mu Anqi's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Shall I go get Mu Xiaobai and Xia Fenghua now?"
"A carriage or an airship—you can choose," Ji Huaichu said. "The Shattered Mirror Continent isn't ancient times. You can go invite them now."
Mu Anqi: "…Okay."
Sorry for the intrusion. It's my own ignorance!
Mu Anqi felt her face warm a little, but General Ji remained very calm, so she didn't feel so embarrassed. She followed the general into the Taiyin main city and heard her say, "I'll go back first to handle something. You go find them."
"Okay!" Mu Anqi nodded obediently and walked toward Mu Xiaobai's house. Obviously, the trip to the amusement park was a spontaneous idea from General Ji. Mu Anqi thought that with the general's territory being so large, she must normally prepare in advance for going anywhere—what if a sudden black mirror vortex appeared?
She stopped and knocked on the door.
It was Xia Fenghua who opened it again.
Mu Anqi thought that perhaps none of the general's monsters had many children around, which was why Xia Fenghua liked to come play with Mu Xiaobai. Hmm, but being with Mu Xiaobai was indeed very pleasant; her serious personality was especially cute.
"Hi~ Sister Mu! I heard you got an S-rank in this game, congratulations~" Xia Fenghua smiled sweetly as she spoke.
"?" Mu Anqi stared at Xia Fenghua. "How did you know I got an S-rank?"
Xia Fenghua: "…"
Xia Fenghua: "I guessed."
Mu Anqi showed a smile. "Do you think I'd believe your guess?"
"…Ah, you're here to see Mu Xiaobai, right? Sister Xiaobai, Mu Anqi is here!~"
"Little Xia Fenghua," Mu Anqi tilted her head, her expression sincere. "What kind of blessing do you want?"
Xia Fenghua: "I… don't deserve this."
Xia Fenghua sighed, her small face full of helplessness. "Didn't you get the general's token? Don't you know the effect of the token? The general can use it to teleport directly and also communicate with you through it. So, do you really think… this token is just an ordinary token?"
"The fact that you got an S-rank was told by the general. After your game ended, I was curious and asked the general about your situation. The general praised your progress and told me."
"I see." So the token is really that powerful? Isn't it basically like carrying a summonable "nuclear boss" with you? Mu Anqi then realized that her earlier excitement…
"Aren't you coming in?" Mu Xiaobai came out, looking puzzled.
"I am." Mu Anqi said the word and glanced at Xia Fenghua. "You come in too."
"…Call me Xiaohua~" Xia Fenghua said in a sweet voice. "Sister~"
Mu Anqi: "…Let's get to the point. We're going out together later."
"Then let's go."
Sitting on the sofa, sipping a cup of hot tea and chewing on a piece of cotton candy, Mu Anqi quietly explained General Ji's recent suggestion.
"Amusement park?" Xia Fenghua looked utterly incredulous. Why would the general suggest going to an amusement park? "Is the general going?"
"She is."
Xia Fenghua's world collapsed.
Compared to Xia Fenghua, who found it hard to accept that "General Ji would actually go to an amusement park," Mu Xiaobai's reaction was very calm. She looked at Mu Anqi and asked, "What is an amusement park?"
"It's a type of entertainment venue with lots of fun and interesting facilities," Mu Anqi answered. "Later, you can try all the attractions there."
"Are there many visitors in the amusement park?" Mu Xiaobai tilted her head and touched the white paper on her face. "Can I really go?"
"Of course you can." Xia Fenghua snapped back to reality and replied, "That's the Taiyin amusement park. The visitors inside are all monsters. Players are only received when a game instance is active. Mu Anqi just finished the game, so the amusement park won't be open to players so soon. Oh, and while not receiving players, tickets are 20% off!"
"You really know a lot," Mu Anqi couldn't help but marvel. She looked seriously at Mu Xiaobai. "You're great. You're free. As long as you want to go, you can go."
"Then I want to go," Mu Xiaobai replied. "Thank you both."
Mu Anqi also showed a happy smile. She leaned on the sofa. Since Xia Fenghua knew so much… "When your amusement park isn't receiving visitors, is it in normal mode?"
"Normal?" Xia Fenghua looked a little puzzled. "We're monsters. What's fun about ordinary facilities?"
"But General Ji said…"
"Oh." Xia Fenghua pursed her lips. "With the general's ability, it's easy to modify the operation of certain facilities." Xia Fenghua stared at Mu Anqi, feeling very jealous! General Ji had never invited her to the amusement park before, nor treated her this way! Why?!
Just because she followed voluntarily while Mu Anqi was recruited by the general? That's not fair! Little Xia Fenghua puffed out her cheeks in anger and stuffed two pieces of cotton candy into her mouth.
"Don't you dislike sweets?" Mu Anqi raised an eyebrow slightly.
"?!" Xia Fenghua got even angrier. She grabbed a handful of cotton candy and shoved it into her mouth. "I just want it!"
Mu Anqi: "…"
In any case, the trip to the amusement park was successfully set.
Seeing General Ji again at the main city gate, Mu Anqi couldn't help but glance at her a few more times. She never expected that General Ji could have such a cute side.
So, General Ji likes sweets. What a… hobby that contrasts so sharply with both her persona and status.
Even though she had discovered this adorable side of General Ji, when she was actually in front of her, Mu Anqi only dared to steal a few glances at her handsome face, not daring to say anything or make any remarks. As soon as they left the city gate, Mu Anqi saw the luxurious airship, with a red-and-black base color and a large, roughly written character "Ji" on the belly.
In front of General Ji, Xia Fenghua behaved very properly as well. After glancing at Ji Huaichu with a hint of grievance earlier, she had been caught by her. When the general asked what was wrong, Xia Fenghua didn't dare speak honestly and could only say politely, "It's just that it's the first time going to an amusement park with you, General, so I'm a little nervous."
The only response she got was a casual, "Oh."
Once on the airship, Xia Fenghua tactfully introduced the airship's facilities to Mu Xiaobai, since Mu Xiaobai had obviously never ridden one before.
"The Shattered Mirror Continent is really big," Mu Xiaobai said, looking down at the ground from the window.
"After all, so many monsters and spirits live here," Xia Fenghua said. "Actually, it's not too bad. The world I lived in before was pretty big too, and I could even explore other planets."
"That's nice," Mu Xiaobai said.
The two of them admired the scenery. Mu Anqi, a country bumpkin, had never ridden an airship either. But she felt too shy to comment alongside Mu Xiaobai, who had already expressed her admiration. Mu Anqi cautiously looked at Ji Huaichu and held out a lollipop in her hand. "General, want some candy?"
Ji Huaichu, who had been meditating with her eyes closed, first glanced at Xia Fenghua upon hearing this, then smiled faintly. "Give me the hard candy."
"Okay!" Mu Anqi quickly produced a bell-shaped hard candy and gently launched it into the general's hand. After doing this, she remembered the matter with Guan Si. With a thought, she condensed a red envelope of 1,000 in her hand and presented it with both hands to Ji Huaichu. "General."
Ji Huaichu tossed the candy into her mouth and accepted the red envelope. "Have you decided what to play later?"
"Mm, Mu Xiaobai hasn't tried anything before, so I thought we could just go along and try everything," Mu Anqi considered for a moment before answering. "But there are some attractions I don't want to try, so it's good for Xiaohua to accompany Mu Xiaobai."
Xia Fenghua: "?"
"You like cats?" Ji Huaichu asked, recalling Mu Anqi's behavior in the game.
"Uh, I like them quite a bit. Fluffy little animals are cute, and they feel nice to touch," Mu Anqi said, looking a little embarrassed. But even in ancient times, people kept cats as pets—like tanuki pets. "Cats, dogs, I like them all. But I've never had one." Back then, she felt she couldn't take responsibility for a small life. If she got one on a whim and then, because of school or work, left the care to her parents… that wouldn't be good.
"I've raised quite a few hunting dogs," Ji Huaichu said with a hint of nostalgia. "And I've also raised eagles."
"That sounds really cool," Mu Anqi said. "I've never seen a live eagle." Not the ones online or in pictures, but an eagle in real life… Mu Anqi thought seriously and realized she probably never had. Even in a zoo… she didn't think she'd seen one.
"There are plenty in the Underworld. You'll have a chance to see them later," Ji Huaichu said, staring at Mu Anqi. "Many of the beasts in the Underworld are quite cute in animal form. You—?"
Mu Anqi's intuition tensed. She sat up straight, her expression serious. "I am forever loyal to the general!"
Ji Huaichu smiled faintly, a radiant light shining from her.