Chapter 380: Happy Living, Underground

Chapter 380: Happy Living, Underground

The closer we get to the sounds of celebration; the more exasperated Gong looks.

The fact that even Jin Chin hasn’t really reacted to Gong’s clear distaste shows me that my previous announcement of what I had done is still fresh on everyone’s mind.

Rather than paying attention to Gong, they are looking ahead, toward the demihumans that would have been healed of their curse.

It’s curious that they aren’t looking at her too much on this... considering that she would be the same as them. Maybe they already recognized the signs of cultivation in her, seeing that they didn’t feel any natural disgust toward her, which would be typical to experience from the curse.

Despite my thoughts, the din of the crowd ahead only grows more and more rambunctious, with the occasional yelp of surprise punctuating the silence. Making my surrounding friends move ever so slightly faster to find out more, especially since they can’t use their senses.

The absence of which only raises their anticipation.

Of course, since I’ve been using my scan this whole time, I already know what... and who, is ahead of us. Personally, I was hoping she would drop in soon.

Right around one of the final alleyway corners, we finally see what all the fuss is about.

Sister Nuan.

But her current appearance and actions surprise even me.

Boooom.

“”“WOOOOO!”””

Like a pale blur, I can see her pitch-black hair wildly swings around, as she uses her impossibly lithe abilities to fight an entire team of kids in a game that is looking increasingly like soccer. Or as my friends across the pond would call it, football. Along with the crowd of far too excited fans, both calling out perceived faults and cheering their wins.

What really strikes me from this situation, though, is the huge, happy smile that is covering her face as she plays. Even in all the variety of times I’ve had with her, I haven’t seen her have nearly this much fun.

I can’t help but wonder how this all started. However, my question is soon answered by the sigh I hear from Gong.

“I told them to treat her with the utmost respect... but how did it turn into this? It seems like every time these kids meet someone, they challenge them to a battle of... whatever that game is.”

Ma’am. I believe this game is netball. And there’s plenty of people who would fight you if you insult the alternate sport of it.

Oh! They just made a touchdown.

Outside my purposely wrong inner monologue, Sister Nuan finally takes notice of our presence, doing almost three flips from her previous handstand, before running over to us with a wave at me.

A flourish that none of us was expecting, but one that brings a massive smile to my face.

As she comes over, I can see the change coming over her in real time, as she realizes how different she’s been acting from how we normally see her. Right as she finally arrives back at us, her normal poise and grandeur has reemerged.

Ah, excellent point.

Though I have a few things I need to check out first.

“You guys go ahead. I wanted to take care of a few things before I grab my stuff, as well.”

Everyone looks at each other before nodding, and moving with Gong to another location, with Gong giving me a meaningful look as she leads them away.

I’m a bit surprised by how no one asked what I would be doing... but at this point, I suppose they are already used to my antics.

I can only imagine what they think what I will be doing.

Too bad the dangerousness of what I’ll be checking out made it so I couldn’t even tell them.

The only person who doesn’t join them is Sister Nuan. Her face has already morphed from the one of cheer to another filled with seriousness. After all, she was the only other one that I knew could potentially handle the immensity of what I had discovered.

Something that I only realized once I realized that Gong had remodeled most of the area Ai, Lin, and I had previously wandered within. As there was one of a few locations that remained completely untouched.

One of which was the same bathing area that we had all washed in, and that Gong took my clothes in.

But if it simply remained untouched, that would be acceptable.

The problem is that the underground lake my scan first saw in that area was far larger than the area it actually encompasses.

When I was there first, I couldn’t see much deeper than the initial waters below, but now that my scan has grown enough... I can tell there is a presence far larger than anything else I’ve ever seen, sleeping within.

One that might be the source of the rivers, pools, and so called, flow-following scalefish, that were living within them. According to my scan, the scales of an ancient fish lineage spirit beast formed the scalefish. Telling me a lot about what we might be dealing with.

As soon as I found this out, I sent a message over to both Gong and Sister Nuan.

Gong first, because it was her place, and then Sister Nuan, because whatever is there far surpasses me right now. And even if she can’t do anything... I’ll at least have kept my promise to share more about things like this with her.

For everyone else, I’ll be letting them know soon, once we finish this scouting mission.

Racing silently through the countless branching areas of her base, we soon arrive back at the memorable hallway.

Which is when I feel the presence.

And it’s looking right at me.