Chapter 72 — Cooperation (Part 2) Translated by Rook of Exiled Rebels Scanlations Shamal leaned heavily against Feisha.

Feisha really wanted to shake him off but in front of them was Jesse and behind them was Locktini, so he really didn’t dare. Actually, on this point, he misunderstood Locktini. Locktini couldn’t wait for the two of them to separate.

Shamal suddenly said faintly, “At that time, did I go too far?”

Feisha said, amazed: “What I find weird is, why would you think this is even a question?”

“…..”

“That should be a conclusion, right?”

“…..”

Feisha looked around him and realized that everyone was walking with single-hearted devotion. He then lowered his voice: “To be honest, is the person you like Jesse or Antonio?”

Shamal shook slightly, staring at the floor, eyes glittering and said, “Of course it’s Antonio. He’s my idol.”

Feisha sighed.

“Why do you have this kind of expression?” Shamal asked uneasily.

Feisha replied, “Nothing much. I’m only pitying Jesse, that’s all.”

Shamal lifted his head and looked at the solitary back of Jesse, walking by himself at the front. All kinds of instances from yesterday flooded his heart. It was like his heart was punched by a fist and all of a sudden, it twinged with pain until it felt like even breathing was difficult.

Feisha saw he had stopped walking and couldn’t help asking, “What’s wrong?”

Shamal dazedly snapped out of it, taking multiple deep breaths and then shaking his head, “Nothing.”

Feisha looked at him, looked at Jesse and seemed to understand.

Isefel pointed out meaningfully, “Only cowards fear the truth.”

Feisha straightened, immediately saying, “I’m not a coward.”

Isefel, “….”

Although the Black Star didn’t make a single noise, Feisha could tell that he was in a good mood right now.

Locktini suddenly said loudly, “What do you mean by that?”

Feisha jumped, slowed his steps and stared at him in bafflement, but he quickly realized that Locktini wasn’t talking to him. In the distance, where heaven and earth met, ten wizards dressed similarly to Jesse stood uniformly in a single row, looking at them expressionlessly.

However, to Locktini’s eyes, their expressionless faces seemed to look fierce and covetous, like they were tigers staring at prey (1). Locktini smiled coldly, “Waiting to catch a rabbit?” (2)

Jesse slowly turned around, a face full of teasing, saying, “So, the Second Prince of the Fairy World is actually a rabbit.”

Feisha saw that the anger burning like a fire in Locktini’s heart was about to materialize in his hands, and quickly said, “It’s a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding.”

Shamal opened his mouth and said, “These ten are the attendants to the banquet, I a.s.sume.”

Feisha was a little surprised. Who knew, after hearing the string of evil curses at Jesse, Feisha would actually hear a kind word.

Jesse slanted a gaze at Shamal. The expression of profound mystery made it hard to read his thoughts. “I’ll leave four of them to take care of the t.i.tan and the dwarf. The rest, exchange clothes with them.”

Layton’s eyes slid back and forth. Although he could avoid the risk of going to Crystal City, being left in the hands of the Witch Clan was perhaps a worse outcome. Who could guarantee that Jesse wouldn’t transfer his hatred of Shamal onto him? Weighing all the pros and cons, staying with Antonio and Feisha was still safer. At least no matter what happened, he would be taken care of. If he depended on Asa’s brain, he could only pray that his death would come quickly.

Thinking like this, he hurriedly said: “Gin and Hughes are our friends. How can I sit by and watch the rescue efforts?”

Asa wasn’t as clever as Layton. Hearing what he said, he naturally echoed, “Yeah. Let’s save them together!”

Jesse smiled and said, “If you can make sure you are all the same height, I’ll have no problems with it.”

Asa pointed to Locktini and Shamal and said, “But their ears are very conspicuous.”

Layton was looking at Asa with a whole new level of respect. He was usually so foolish and dense, but in critical moments, he was actually pretty quick-witted. Who knew?

Jesse said, “Their ears can be hidden in a cloak. Where do you plan to hide your two legs?”

Asa, “…..”

Layton silently thought, ‘an idiot is still an idiot. Even if his mind is bright every now and then, that brightness is still only the light of a firefly. Under the luminous moon, it could only dimly turn pale.’

Antonio wrinkled his brow, looked at Layton and said, “Are you strolling around by yourselves, or are you following him?” He showed his distrust so straightforwardly and plainly, he actually left Jesse speechless.

Layton hesitated.

Asa said, “We are unrelated to him in any way. Why go to his house?”

Hearing what Asa said, Layton also couldn’t shamelessly say he wanted to go. “Since this is our first trip to Genesis, walking around to look at the view is good, too.”

Feisha and the others gazed at the bare mountain, silent.

Jesse, “Do you need a guide?”

Having a guide and being a guest of the Witch Clan, what’s the difference? Layton refused diplomatically.

Jesse didn’t press the issue. “Since it’s like this, change your clothes first.”

“Where do we go to change?” Feisha blurted out.

Everyone stared at Feisha oddly. Feisha gave a forced laugh and said, “Eh, back where I’m from, we have changing rooms or toilets and things like that for changing clothes.”

Jesse said, “It’s only a cloak. Even if you don’t take off your clothes, you can still put it on.”

Out of the ten wizards, four stepped out quickly, taking off their cloaks and handing it to them.

Feisha saw that they were wearing thick changpao underneath (3) and couldn’t help laughing, “You really don’t need to take off your clothes to wear this.”

Antonio and him were the first to wear the changpao.

Shamal also didn’t hesitate. But under Jesse’s attentive gaze, his movements were a little slow, a little shaky.

Jesse waited until they were all cloaked and said, “Crystal City is heavily guarded. When the time comes, be quiet.”

Feisha saw his severe expression and purposely joked, “But we can sneeze, right?”

Jesse lifted his eyebrow, “Yes, but please sneeze in the way of the Witch Clan.”

“…..”

—–

Jesse knew Genesis like the back of his hand. He managed to find a shortcut between two mountains that led directly to Crystal City.

Feisha stood on the mountain top, gazing from afar at the huge city that was a distance away from a village and shock lingered in his heart for a while. The huge crystal that Isefel had talked about that supported Crystal City’s shield looked like a parachute. It towered over the city and protected the Crystal City and its inhabitants.

“Aren’t they afraid it will fall down and smash them?” To him, the supports holding up the huge crystal were a little slender.

Everyone: “…..”

Feisha snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the distance between the mountaintop and the foot of the mountain, sighing, “Are we going down from here?”

Jesse, “This is a shortcut.”

“Is there a parachute?” He wasn’t asking for a helicopter and other high-tech things like that. He was only asking for something that had the slightest chance of survival.

Locktini said, “I’ll bring you down.”

Feisha glanced hesitantly at Antonio. Ever since he knew the thoughts Locktini had towards him in that area, he tried as far as possible to avoid him. What if he owed him too many favors, and Locktini wanted Feisha to devote his life to him in return, then what would he do?

Antonio bluntly said, “It’s not convenient for me to bring someone.”

At that moment, Shamal and Feisha were in the same boat. Just when Shamal wanted to open his mouth and help, he saw Jesse look at him like he was smiling and yet not and it made Shamal swallow his words.

Antonio couldn’t be bothered to notice the thick undercurrents between them. He simply turned into a wolf and leapt down.

Shamal glanced sympathetically at Feisha and then rode the wind down. Jesse brought the six attendants who followed closely behind him. Only Locktini and Feisha were left on the mountaintop.

Locktini crossed his arms and looked at him, “Do you want to keep standing here or follow me down?” Although it was a question, his expression said he was very calm and confident about the answer.

Feisha thought for a moment and said, “How about I go down with Asa and Layton? Anyway, I don’t know any magic. Even if I follow, I’ll only slow you down.”

Locktini’s face darkened in an instant, “Whatever you want.” As he said that, he rode the winds and drifted down.

Feisha stood blankly at the mountain top and it was quite a while before he could say, “What a personality.”

Isefel said, “The one with a personality is you, no?”

Feisha replied, “I only subconsciously rejected him.”

Isefel was silent.

Feisha saw the s.p.a.cious and uninhibited area around him and then looked at the tiny black dot at the foot of the mountain and gloomily said, “Now what?”

Isefel said, “Call my name.” Feisha felt a little sweetness in his heart (4) and was just about to open his mouth when he heard Isefel add, “Walk a bit further away before you call.”

Feisha was stumped for a moment and then immediately realized, “You don’t want Jesse to know?”

“Yes.”

Feisha obediently walked a few miles away before facing the sky and shouting loudly, “Isefel!”

His voice had just died out when he felt himself being lifted up and then he was soaring through the sky.

Isefel was above him. Sunlight shone through those black wings onto his face, but it wasn’t strong at all. It was like wearing a pair of sungla.s.ses: the sun’s brilliant rays were dimmed. Isefel’s hands were like a magnet pressed against his waist.

Although Feisha couldn’t feel any warmth from those hands, his heart was feeling very warm and comfortable. Isefel’s swoop was fast but steady, so that Feisha didn’t feel any discomfort at all. Once he touched the ground, Isefel immediately vanished.

Feisha disappointedly said, “Did you have to go so fast?”

“Conserving energy,” Isefel said concisely.

Feisha could hear the hidden meaning behind his words. Was he saying that after things developed, not only would he need to be present, but there would be a big fight?

Isefel seemed to sense his fluctuating mood and said calmly, “Do you remember what I said to you before you left?”

“Uh-huh.”

—Although I won’t be able to leave Noah’s Ark, the Black Star can condense my energy. It should be enough to protect you and ensure your safe return.

—Definitely.

Isefel said, “Those words will always be true.”

Thus, Feisha carried a chest full of warmth and sweetness, bouncing energetically as he ran to catch up with Antonio and the others. As he caught up with them, Locktini happened to come down from above. Seeing that he was standing safe and sound amongst the others, Locktini immediately became so angry his face turned ashen.

Shamal looked at him, looked at him again and then curiously asked, “How did you come down?”

Feisha’s mind whirred twice, “Actually, I learned how to ski in the past. So, just now, I tied two pieces of wood to my feet and tried skiing down. Who knew, it actually worked. Haha… Only, I couldn’t control the direction well, so I skied a bit far.”

Shamal suspiciously asked, “Really?”

“Yes, yes.” Feisha nodded while giving him a meaningful look.

Shamal understood thoroughly, immediately going along, “Who knew skiing is so useful? You must teach me some time.”

Feisha patted his chest and said, “No problem.”

—–

T/n:

(1) Original: 不过他们的面无表情，落到洛克蒂尼眼里就成了虎视眈眈 Bùguò tāmen de miàn wú biǎoqíng, luò dào luòkè dì ní yǎn lǐ jiù chéngle hǔshìdāndān. This is kinda hard to translate so I changed it quite a bit. It means something literally like, ‘but their expressionless faces, falling into Locktini’s eyes, became menacing glares/covetous looks (like a tiger)”. It basically means Locktini thought they were looking at Locktini and co in a menacing/opportunistic way and it’s also to continue the pun about predator/prey. (2) Original: 守株待兔吗 Shǒuzhūdàitù ma. This means literally: ‘waiting to catch a rabbit?’ In Chinese, this is an idiom that means someone is being opportunistic. (3) The word here is: 长袍 Chángpáo, also known as changsan. It is a type of traditional Chinese garment worn by men. It’s long, like a robe/long tunic or shirt. You’ll see it a lot in those palace C-dramas. Here’s more info/pictures of it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changshan (4) Original: 心里头一甜 Xīnlǐ tou yī tián. It means ‘there was a bit of sweetness in his heart’. It means he’s really happy. In Chinese, ‘sweetness’ is often used to describe feeling pleased/happy, especially in situations where someone just did something really nice for you.