CH 39

【Roya Grand Circus' tent was set on fire and the boss suffered heavy losses.】

The boss looked at a group of thugs who committed arson and ferociously shouted: "You - these bastards! Son of a bitch! This laozi is going to peel your skin off!" (Blu: laozi - I, your father [used arrogantly])

The thugs showed crazy and lifeless smiles, snickering without saying a word, a hint of sapphire glinting in their dull eyes.

The boss still wanted to speak, but realized that something was behind him. When he turned his head, a monster's face came into view.

It was Franken, the monster who escaped from his cage while taking advantage of the chaos.

That night, screams resounded throughout Roya‘s venue. By the time the city guards had arrived, the formerly glorious and extravagant circus had fallen into ruins.

No suspects were found and everyone died in the fire. The city guards hastily concluded the incident without investigating properly.

Anyways, it was only the death of a few civilians, it didn’t matter at all.

In another corner of the city, a tall, indistinct figure in a black robe looked at the aristocratic girl playing on the street with bright eyes.

【It’s her! That kind lady! 】

——From 《Cthulhu’s Wrath》

Zhou Yu walked into the Alchemist’s Society and took out his verification of his first-year alchemy apprenticeship, indicating that he wanted to get a certificate.

Because he was coming in order to obtain a formal alchemist's certificate, Zhou Yu didn't hide his identity. When he entered the lobby, he lowered the hood on his head.

The staff at the front desk took Zhou Yu's identification, but her eyes were still trained on Zhou Yu's face and kept watching. She only returned to her senses after Zhou Yu frowned and expressed dissatisfaction, then beginning to absent-mindedly go through the examination procedures.

Soon, the examination procedures were completed and the staff at the front desk, who still hadn’t gotten over her astonishment, smiled: "Welcome sir, first-year alchemy apprentice, Cariell. To take the ranking test, please pay one gold coin for the examination fee."

Zhou Yu took out a gold coin and asked, "How long does it take for the certificate to be issued after the test is completed?"

The staff was still enchanted by his charm and replied diligently: "It usually takes about a week, but if sir is in a hurry, I can help you rush it. At that point, it would only take two days!" In fact, when facing first-year alchemy apprentices, there was no need to add honorifics with her status, but looking at that beautiful face, she couldn’t control her urge to worship him, and naturally gave him more of her respect than a normal apprentice would get.

Smiling at the red-haired staff member, Zhou Yu asked, "Can't you have it done by tomorrow?"

The blonde man’s bright eyes narrowed slightly, red lips curling up, his smile as pure as an angel’s.

The staff member blushed, infatuation shining in her eyes and somewhat stuttered, "Of, of course! You can come over tomorrow morning! Just be here before twelve o'clock!"

The smile on Zhou Yu's face deepened. After thanking her, he turned and left the lobby to go to the examination room. The staff behind him and some alchemists who came to do some work looked at his back in a trance.

Putting the test receipt in his pocket, Zhou Yu felt that this worrisome face was still occasionally useful. At least, it could save him some time.

Thanks to the inexplicable actions of the evil god, he felt uncomfortable staying in this city for one more minute, just wanting to leave and get far away from that  evil god.

In this world, the Alchemist Society’s examination process was very advanced. All of the exams were managed by steam engine powered robots. Although the error margin was a little high, it saved a lot of manpower and materials. Therefore, under the steam-powered robot’s instruction, Zhou Yu skillfully made the required potions and left the examination room.

In the examination venue, an alchemist responsible for supervising the operation of the machine, checked the exam candidates' potions as usual and verified the machine's score.

But when he - who was so proficient in this that he had become apathetic - walked in front of one of the robots holding a potion, he couldn’t help but freeze.

He fanatically looked at those few bottles of crystal-clear medicine.

"This! Such a perfect Breath of Life! I never thought I would be able to see such high-quality potions like this here in my remaining lifetime! Hahaha! Who? Who made it? I want to accept him as a disciple!" The white-haired old man picked up the potion while changing the student’s score to full marks, grinning. (Blu: I think Breath of Life is the name of the potion.)

Who said he couldn’t return to his prime? His apprentice could return to the empire’s capital in his place and prove to the world how great his alchemy was!

He must accept him as a disciple! He must make him learn his alchemy no matter what!

Zhou Yu, who had left, pulled his hood back on. He didn't like the feeling of holes being drilled into his back.

He didn't know why, but he didn't have any special feelings when he looked at his own face, while when others saw it, they would be in awe of his beauty. They would inexplicably stare at him, making him feel extremely annoyed.

Walking straight down the corridor, Zhou Yu wanted to borrow some books from the library near the Alchemist Society. When he walked around the corner, he happened to pass by a man with short gray hair. That grey-haired man passed by, on his wrist a watch from the Lord God that no one else could see.

Zhou Yu watched the gray-haired man walk away, froze in place and fell into a trance. 

The scenes flashing before his eyes were some familiar yet unfamiliar events from his last life.

Scene by scene flashed past, gradually piecing together a complete story.

The girl with long black hair fell miserably, pushed off the roof of a building and died, and turned into a malicious ghost. She retaliated against everyone until the whole city was reduced to a ghost realm.

The world was in chaos and the lonely ghost walked on the quiet street. The moment he lifted his eyes, he seemed to be looking at him through time and space.

Seeing the dullness in the spirit’s eyes, Zhou Yu shed tears without realizing.

Feng Xing? Is that ... Feng Xing?

Zhou Yu snapped out of his grief and finally understood the source of those visions.

This was the original “plot” of his previous life’s world, just like what the strange outsiders said. The him in that original world had already perished long ago, the bullied Feng Xing falling into the perpetual abyss.

【Thank you! I will give you a gift! 】Zhou Yu remembered the voice of the world consciousness he heard before he woke up.

After coming to this world, he didn't notice any change in his body, so he took that voice as a hallucination that happened when he was being reborn, but didn’t expect that everything was real, the world consciousness really gave him a gift —— Plot Perception. (Blu: Plot Perception makes sense because he was only aware of it after coming into contact with the outsider. Foresight wouldn’t fit because he doesn’t know what the plot is beforehand.) 

Plot Perception, as the name suggested, was the ability to perceive the operating laws of this world and it could also be said to be the ability to see the plot of this movie-based world.

Zhou Yu sighed. Sure enough, this world was another movie.

But this ability also had a limitation, that was, it could only be activated after encountering those outsiders.

After reading the terms of use, Zhou Yu vaguely understood the world consciousness’ intention in giving him a gift like this.

It hated those outsiders, hoping that Zhou Yu could destroy them, also hoping that Zhou Yu could receive the plot and have a way to protect himself.

Then, Zhou Yu recalled some of the plot of the world he was in currently.

Franken, who was hurt all over, curled up in a cage.

An insane Cariell.

A beautiful aristocratic girl as well as —— a mysterious island hidden in mist.

Those pictures seemed unconnected, giving Zhou Yu a headache.

He could still make guesses about Franken’s circumstances. Presumably, the original Cariell sent Franken to the circus. Looking at the pile of acrobatic props and cluttered environment in the background of that vision, you could see that Franken's situation was very miserable.

Carriell had gone insane, most likely due to having his creation-of-perfect-life experiment failing.

The remaining lady was a little familiar and seemed to have some connection with the original owner.

Then what did that island have to do with the plot?

Zhou Yu thought long and hard and still couldn't figure it out. His Plot Perception ability wasn’t giving him a response anymore. It seemed that it was because he hadn’t yet had enough contact with those outsiders.

Zhou Yu thought of it, turned around immediately and began to look for the man who had just passed by.

But now was the time when the afternoon sun was the best and many people were walking on the street till their shoulders and heels rubbed and bumped against each other. Zhou Yu - who stood in place a long time to digest the information - could no longer discern the figure of the outsider in the crowd.

The capital of San Lorenzo

The bustling street was full of traffic.

The gentlemen had walking sticks in their hands, straight-backed and noble-mannered; the ladies with folding fans in their hands were small and graceful, every move elegant and supple. The passing hawkers lowered their voices, afraid of offending the aristocracy.

A young blond miss stepped out of a carriage using her servant’s shoulders, watching the bustling street with excitement.

"How wonderful! I almost went mouldy staying at home all the time! Hey! Don't follow me! Otherwise, I’ll have your heads cut off!" The aristocratic girl put away the smile she just revealed, yelling at and warning the attendants who wanted to watch over her, her heart somewhat irritable.

Since being tested and was revealed that she was a good seedling that was able to use magic, she’d always been held at home to practice magic by her family. But she didn't really like these things very much. At the beginning, she still felt that it was very novel and managed to learn some, but as she spent more and more time learning these things, the more dull it got. She was really bored to death.

This time, while her father went out to inspect the fiefdom, she finally had time to spare. Naturally, she didn’t want these servants to follow her.

She wasn’t stupid, naturally understanding that the attendants were the Baron’s eyes, specifically used to supervise her studies, but this time she came out to have some fun and relax a bit, so how could she let them butt in?

Looking at the followers who didn’t leave her vicinity, the young noble miss was irritated at first and then felt sly. While the attendants weren’t paying attention, she quickly ran into a nearby alleyway. In those twisting and winding alleys, she quickly lost her retinue.

"Phew! I'm exhausted! Haha, hmph, wanting to fight with me! Can't even catch up to me!" The aristocratic girl was engrossed in being proud of herself, not realizing that she was completely lost in those narrow, dark alleys.

Soon, when the excitement passed, she wanted to leave this place but found that she couldn't find the way she came in from at all. Every alley looked the same, making people unable to get their bearings.

The civilians nearby saw that this girl was dressed like an aristocrat and were too scared to open the doors, afraid of getting in trouble. The noble girl also hated those dirty houses and had no plans to ask for directions.

Talking to those dirty commoners would just make her feel ill!

"This beautiful lady, it looks like you're having some trouble?"

The noble girl heard a magnetic voice sounding from behind, and - her ears turning an embarrassed red - turned to face the owner of that voice.

He was a man as handsome as the sun god.

Those charming eyes looked at her with a smile, which made the girl who hadn’t yet seen the world blush.

"Yes, yes, I accidentally lost my way."

"Then, may I have the honor of taking such a beautiful lady home?" The man bent down, gave a gentlemanly bow, and extended his hand to the noble girl.

The aristocratic girl's face turned even more scarlet and she whispered, "Of course, sir."

The soft, white palms fit naturally into the thick, bronze-colored palms, and they looked particularly good together.

Hiding in the shadows, Casey looked at this scene expressionlessly, nails drawing blood from the palms of her clenched hands.

Andrew, you’ve always been like this, showering me with affection, but not minding other girls throwing themselves at you... I've already….had enough ...

In the distant sea, the sleeping deity gradually awakened. He opened his deep, sapphire eyes and looked at an island sitting upon the ocean’s waves.

I will build the most beautiful palace for you, and give you everything you want.

So why do you still not call my name?

The god remembered that he had met with his lovely little human in a dream just now, and the huge tentacles sunken deep in the seabed moved slightly, causing a stormy disruption above.

Do you not like these? (Blu: this sentence is worded fine.) (S: it just means that Cthulhu thinks Zhou Yu doesn’t like his tentacles u//w//u)

The immortal who had lived for tens of thousands of years felt depressed for the first time. He didn't know how to make his beloved human happy.

On the island, the zealous believers watched the clouds change in an instant, seeing the turbulent sea throwing up huge waves. They kneeled and sang prayers one after another, hoping that their God would quell its anger.

These cultists naturally thought that their God was getting angry because they did not complete the mission they were given. So they sent more manpower to the continent and ordered them to capture the sacrifice that their God wanted and to bring it before their God.

The cultists on the mainland received the same instructions and they immediately hastened their speed.

These people in black robes with strange patterns on the back of their hands walked through the desolate fields, passing through forests full of beasts, and finally reached their destination —— the Tolian Empire.