CH 64

As the summer vacation drew to a close, Li Yi and another girl from Huaguo (China) stepped into a new phase of their lives, holding their one-and-a-half-month salary. When Li Yi left, Bai Xianzhi even accompanied him to the entrance of the alley, intending to offer a ride to the airport if he had too much luggage. However, before the words could leave his mouth, a black Volkswagen pulled up, and the car window rolled down to reveal a familiar face. The owner of the car whistled at Li Yi, causing Bai Xianzhi to immediately shut up. Alright, Li Yi’s boyfriend had arrived; he didn’t want to be a third wheel.

After seeing Li Yi off, Bai Xianzhi returned to the alley. Passing by a mahjong parlor, he noticed that Li Yi’s mother was still dominating the scene at a table. Bai Xianzhi let out a faint sigh.

Li Yi had left in late August. With the primary and secondary schools in S City starting their classes, the universities began their new semester a bit later. After waiting a few more days, mid-September arrived, and Bai Xianzhi found Feng Ye, hoping he could help with something.

The last time a streamer named Hudan33 had broadcasted in front of his shop at midnight, it seemed like they had caught sight of a Soul Clan member coming to retrieve a lost communication device. This incident had caused quite a stir on the internet. Although it had been quelled for now, Bai Xianzhi couldn’t help but think, what if more netizens came to Three Thousand Food House doorstep in the middle of the night? And what if, by some chance, they saw someone from the Three Thousand Worlds? How should they handle it?

Taking into account the uniqueness of the Hudan33 livestream that night, Bai Xianzhi had chosen this mid-September day and enlisted the help of Feng Ye. He wanted to know if anything would happen outside Three Thousand Food House entrance during days of high tide caused by the gravitational pull of the moon, like the full moon or new moon. Perhaps there would be a brief connection between the two worlds.

At 11:40 PM, Bai Xianzhi looked at the two sleeping little creatures, tucked them in, turned off the lights, and headed downstairs. Feng Ye had been waiting downstairs for a while. After exchanging a few words, they agreed to stand still in the same spot after exiting Three Thousand Food House gate and then enter the shop together at 12:10 AM.

At 11:55 PM, Bai Xianzhi and Feng Ye exchanged a glance and walked side by side out of the large gate of Three Thousand Food House. In that split second of stepping out, Bai Xianzhi felt an extremely slight dizziness, though it lasted only a brief moment. Perhaps it was just his imagination. He looked to his side, but the person who had been standing beside him was no longer there.

It was as if the mist had dissipated, and the ice had been broken. The things he had always understood suddenly became clear to him today. For the first time, he truly grasped the significance of the two worlds. Even though they were laughing and chatting just moments ago, once they stepped out of the gate of Three Thousand Food House, they would enter two separate worlds. As long as they didn’t return to Three Thousand Food House, they would never be able to meet. Even if Feng Ye was likely standing right next to him at that very moment, they wouldn’t be able to see each other because they were separated by two different worlds.

Suddenly, Bai Xianzhi felt a bit poetic. He chuckled to himself, thinking that he had been too busy lately, to the point that his mind wasn’t functioning normally. Clearing his mind of scattered thoughts, he took out his phone, checked the time, and looked around to see if he could spot Feng Ye’s figure.

After a dozen minutes, Bai Xianzhi stepped into the shop. The moment he fully entered the shop, he caught a glimpse of a figure suddenly appearing by his side. He turned his head and saw Feng Ye, who had also entered the shop. They exchanged smiles, and Bai Xianzhi scratched his head, saying, “Um, I guess I didn’t see you.”

Feng Ye lowered his gaze, looking at him, “I didn’t see you either.”

Bai Xianzhi half-smiled, half-concerned, “Maybe I guessed wrong. The person last time who could see Soul Clan members might have had another reason.”

Feng Ye nodded, comforting him, “Don’t worry too much. A brief connection between the two worlds isn’t an easy feat. Such a thing is unlikely to happen frequently.”

Bai Xianzhi nodded; that was probably the case. Since there was no way around it, he might as well make himself happy. He said to Feng Ye, “It’s quite late now, and you’ll be coming to the shop for class tomorrow. Why don’t you stay at my place tonight?”

Feng Ye blinked, looking a little stunned for several seconds before he spoke, “No, that’s alright. I’ll head back for now.”

With that, Feng Ye turned and left Three Thousand Food House. The way he looked, it was as if he was fleeing for his life. Bai Xianzhi was left puzzled. Wasn’t he just suggesting for Feng Ye to stay over? Why did his reaction become so intense?

On the Feng Clan side, Lin was flipping through childhood photos of the Clan Lord. He couldn’t help but feel amazed. This was the first time the Clan Lord had been called to a friend’s house so late. Ah, he wondered if he would stay overnight? It was already so late; surely his friend would stay over, right? The little Clan Lord had added another experience to his life! Lost in his thoughts, Lin received a message from the Clan Lord returning. He was so shocked that he quickly put on his shoes and hurried to the Clan Lord’s bedroom. At that moment, someone was combing Feng Ye’s hair. Lin approached carefully and asked, “Clan Lord, it’s so late. Did Boss Bai not stay over?”

The warmth that had subsided from Feng Ye’s face upon returning to the Feng Clan suddenly began to resurface. He feigned calmness as he looked at Lin, “He did, but I didn’t agree.”

Lin: “?? Why, Clan Lord? This is a great opportunity to strengthen your relationship with a friend!”

Feng Ye shifted his gaze lightly, “I feel it’s not appropriate…”

Lin was puzzled, “What’s not appropriate? It’s not like you would be sharing a bed—wait a minute, Clan Lord, you don’t think staying over means sharing a bed, do you?”

Feng Ye: “…”

Lin approached cautiously, “Surely Boss Bai has extra rooms?”

Feng Ye’s expression darkened, and he didn’t even look at him, saying coldly, “You, get out.”

….

Recently, a major event occurred in the Three Thousand Worlds. It was said to be significant, as it involved a unanimous agreement among all divine races to treat any violation of the Temporal Management Bureau’s regulations equally, regardless of the race. But in terms of impact, it seemed not much had changed. After all, the implementation was limited to a single city in each world, and for most of the population in the Three Thousand Worlds, this news was quickly forgotten. In fact, a large portion of the people believed that this regulation would likely fade from view before long, never to be mentioned again, as if it had never existed.

Could it really be possible for all races to be treated equally under the Temporal Management Bureau’s regulations? The powerful divine races—the Divines, Dragons, and Soul Clan—enjoyed special treatment wherever they were. This preferential treatment had lasted for countless years, and to suddenly change it seemed impossible.

No one in the entire Three Thousand Worlds held much hope for this development. Even Bai Xianzhi of Three Thousand Food House thought the intention behind it was good, but the deeply ingrained hierarchical views in the Three Thousand Worlds made top-down reforms appear extremely difficult. It was like the various reform efforts during the late Qing Dynasty that were hard to succeed.

Nevertheless, despite these thoughts, when facing Feng Ye, Bai Xianzhi still expressed his support. He just happened to provide Feng Ye with a colloquial version of “Records of the Grand Historian.” Well, who knows, if they encounter difficulties, perhaps they could find solutions within it. Even if they couldn’t solve the problems, seeing others’ failures might offer some solace.

….

Blood Clan, Maoxuewang (a type of spicy hotpot).

Sophie has been working at Mao Xue Wang (a type of hotpot restaurant) for several months now. Here, she works diligently, welcoming every customer and demonstrating a serious work attitude. Her hard work often earns her bonuses, and with these wages and bonuses, she has managed to buy herself a new house. She no longer lives in the old, rundown shack; instead, she resides in a small apartment. Even though she still lives in the western district, Sophie is very satisfied with her current life.

Recently, the employees at Mao Xue Wang have been discussing a new regulation in their city. This new regulation states that everyone is equal in the Three Thousand Worlds, and anyone who violates the rules of the Temporal Management Bureau will face the same punishment.

In other words, even high-ranking bloodline members will receive the same punishment as low-ranking bloodline members for committing wrongdoing?

This idea seems impossible no matter how you think about it.

Sophie doesn’t pay much attention to this matter. She tends to avoid trouble and wouldn’t dare to speak disrespectfully to higher-ranking bloodline members. She has no interest in trying out this new regulation.

However, unexpected events can happen. One day, Sophie is assigned to deliver dishes to a private room occupied by several high-ranking bloodline members. They are all quite young, carrying an air of arrogance and superiority from their privileged upbringing. Sophie avoids direct eye contact and carefully places a large pot of Mao Xue Wang on the table. As she is about to leave, one of the high-ranking bloodline members calls her over to help serve the dishes.

Anxious and afraid, Sophie explains that she has never done this before and is concerned about spilling hot soup on the guests. There are specialized staff members for serving the higher-ranking guests, and she could bring them over to assist. However, the person laughs and insists on Sophie serving them personally. The room’s door is closed, leaving Sophie with no choice but to serve the high-ranking bloodline members.

Serving Mao Xue Wang is not an easy task, as the dish is immersed in a hot and spicy broth and is quite delicate. Sophie’s experience of eating it herself, combined with observations of her colleagues, helps her navigate the task without major mishaps.

Nonetheless, with many guests and her lack of experience, Sophie makes a mistake. She accidentally spills scalding soup onto the arm of a female high-ranking bloodline member. The red soup stands out starkly against the woman’s fair skin. Sophie apologizes profusely and offers to clean it up, but she is suddenly slammed against the wall with great force. Writhing in pain on the floor, she sees the disdainful gaze of the high-ranking bloodline member and hears the cold words, “Low-ranking bloodline creature, despicable!”

A surge of power emanating from the high-ranking bloodline member overwhelms Sophie. Trembling, every fiber of her being tells her that this time, she might truly meet her end…

….

In hindsight, Sophie often reflects on her luck. The incident coincided with the trial of the new regulation, and she happened to be in the city where the regulation was being tested. The supervising officer for the regulation happened to be in the adjacent room, sampling Mao Xue Wang. The commotion caused by Sophie being thrown against the wall caught the officer’s attention, and she was granted a reprieve from her imminent fate.

Sophie will never forget the moment when the supervising officer, Lord Meng Fan, entered the room. His pristine white robes seemed to radiate a sacred light, and a red stain on the corner of his robe resembled a burning flame, purging all impurities in its path. His icy blue hair carried a touch of coolness in the air, symbolizing a position of authority that was both fearless like a flame and unyielding like ice, standing proud and aloof.

Meng Fan, the overseer sent to monitor the implementation of the bloodline regulation, endured the stains on his immaculate attire and looked at the gathered bloodline members with intense anger. He shouted, “What are you all doing? Are you here to dine or to fight?”

The individuals in the room were indeed high-ranking bloodline members, but in reality, they were insignificant within the ranks of high-ranking bloodline members. Consequently, they did not recognize Meng Fan’s identity. With their noses in the air, they looked at Meng Fan and sneered, “What’s it to you? Bloodline affairs don’t concern an outsider like you. While we’re in a good mood, you’d better leave!”

Meng Fan chuckled despite his anger. He remembered his role as a law enforcement overseer assigned by the Demon Lord Feng Ye. He forcefully suppressed his urge to fight and, eyeing the bloodline members in the room, he noticed Sophie struggling in the corner. He inquired, “What happened to her?”

Several bloodline members scornfully laughed, “This is the fate of those who offend us. We’ll give you a chance to leave, otherwise, you’ll be the next one to die.”

Meng Fan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and grinned with a slightly menacing expression. In a lowered voice, he commanded, “Very well. Guards, apprehend these individuals for me. They are suspected of intentional harm. Take them to the Temporal Management Bureau for interrogation.”

Several figures emerged from behind Meng Fan, each dressed in white robes and holding a metallic ring. They approached the high-ranking bloodline members, who attempted to resist but were mercilessly subdued. After being secured with the metallic rings, the individuals were removed from the private room.

Meng Fan instructed someone to attend to the injured and then gazed at the high-ranking bloodline members being led away. A gleam of determination flickered in his eyes. This was his first time enforcing the law, and it wouldn’t be his last.

The next day, news spread throughout the bloodline community that high-ranking bloodline members had been detained for intentionally harming low-ranking bloodline members. It was a carnival for the low-ranking bloodline members who had been oppressed, needlessly injured, and even lost their lives. In this extremely distorted society, they had struggled to survive, adapted to the unjust treatment, and believed it would never change. Yet, suddenly, the Temporal Management Bureau declared equality and introduced trial areas.

Who would believe this? Equality for everyone? Who would believe it? The high-ranking bloodline members didn’t, and neither did the low-ranking bloodline members. The world was one of survival of the fittest, where bloodlines determined everything. No one could change that. But today, they saw something different. The Temporal Management Bureau had detained high-ranking bloodline members because of low-ranking bloodline members!

What did this mean? It meant that the Temporal Management Bureau’s words were true, and they were serious! They were truly advocating for the low-ranking bloodline members and were willing to detain high-ranking bloodline members. Those who harmed the low-ranking bloodline members would face consequences!

Because of this incident, the entire bloodline community was in an uproar. Some high-ranking bloodline members wore grave expressions, while all the low-ranking bloodline members felt as if they had reached heaven. People cheered and celebrated in the streets. This was a victory for the low-ranking bloodline members, a release from years of oppression.

Coincidentally, a similar scene unfolded in trial areas across the Three Thousand Worlds. After the announcement of the trial decree, many disregarded it, but just as many actively demonstrated the power of the Temporal Management Bureau to the entire populace. They were showing everyone that the Bureau meant business. If you dared to break the law, they dared to apprehend you!

In recent days, discussions revolved around the Temporal Management Bureau’s trial areas. Bai Xianzhi was exhilarated as he realized he had underestimated both Feng Ye and the power of the divine race in the Three Thousand Worlds. He perceived the matter with the concepts of physical fitness similar to that of the Huaxia and the belief that four hands were stronger than two fists. Only now did he truly grasp the significance of the divine race. A divine race represented a small world. Under the absolute dominance of the divine race’s power, other worlds had no means of resistance. If the divine race were to unite and act, nothing in the Three Thousand Worlds could stop them.

Absolute power brought about absolute enforcement, yet sometimes, absolute power also led to the emergence of hierarchies. Bai Xianzhi felt a sense of unease. The divine race was the staunchest guarantee of the concept of equality, but simultaneously, it posed the greatest obstacle to its implementation.

—–

Author’s note: Oops, I’m late again. Sorry! [Scratches head.jpg]

Special thanks to the little angels who voted for me or provided nutrient solution during the period from August 20, 2020, 14:47:53, to August 21, 2020, 15:14:13.

Thank you for your support; I will continue to work hard!

1TL: YSIAD “You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you ”