Forge a path to success

Chu Hengkong said listlessly, "My original plan was to go see the water screen theater..."

"Damn it, Chief Inspector, please check the weather forecast before planning your date, okay? It's such a waste to sit in a dark water theater on such a beautiful Saturday. We should be going for a spring outing!" Ji Huaisu said.

“But I read in books that movie theaters are good for dates,” Chu Hengkong said.

Ji Huaisu leaned closer, blinking her eyes, and asked, "Why?"

"because--"

Chu Hengkong was speechless. He then remembered that the book recommended movie theaters because the dark environment allowed for closer interaction between people, and that if they watched a horror movie, the girl would scream and grab the boy's hand.

But Detective Ji doesn't seem to be the delicate, beautiful girl type; she's a passionate Allied soldier. What horror movie could possibly scare her? Even before heading to the Desperate Wilderness, she herself was a nightmare of the swamp. The reason they hadn't seen a single person after riding for so long was because all the locals were hiding from the Disaster Knights!

He had no choice but to make up an excuse: "Because it's easier to close the distance in a dark environment."

Ji Huaisu's lips twitched: "Ah Kong, I really didn't realize you were such a young boy before."

"I'm just trying it out as the book says," Chu Hengkong said expressionlessly. "Actually, I'd prefer to go to an amusement park or an aquarium, but neither of those exist in Huilong City."

"As for amusement parks... I heard from my father that there's a very famous amusement park in Jingsha City-State! It has card games, mechanical racing cars, Ferris wheels, and the like. If we have the chance to go, we can have a blast." Ji Huaisu was eager to try it out.

"Is the amusement park fun?" Chu Hengkong asked. He had never been to an amusement park before; the owner was never interested in such places, and he had never killed anyone at an amusement park during missions.

“I’ve never been there either, so I’m interested,” Ji Huaisu said. “You know what Huilong City used to be like; we basically had no time for entertainment. I haven’t actually seen many water screen movies since they came out. If there are any good ones, I might change my mind.”

The two then entered the forest. Ji Huaisu looked at him with a smile, and Chu Hengkong got stuck again.

What does this mean? Didn't you bring up the spring outing in the first place? Why are you circling back to talking about movies now? Is this implying he should stick to the original plan? Is it accusing him of being too easily swayed by the woman and lacking resolve? Is it that he's too insincere, just saying whatever comes to mind? Or was it just a casual remark? Or did he regret it because he didn't want to go on the date? Is he actually looking for an excuse to cause trouble?

In his limited sample database, once a date is arranged, things usually go smoothly and naturally... But novels, movies, and games never mention this aspect of dating!

While he was deep in thought, Ji Huaisu jumped off his bicycle and began circling the ancient tree. Completely abandoning his attempt to mimic a woman, he asked, puzzled, "What does this mean?"

Ji Huaisu leaped over and grabbed his head with both hands.

"So you mean we should choose a place that everyone is interested in for our date!" the girl grinned. "If the water screen show is interesting, we'll go to the theater; if not, we'll go wherever everyone's interested. The most important thing is that everyone's happy, so let's not think about so many irrelevant things, okay?"

"Oh, I see." Chu Hengkong realized he wasn't being picky and immediately felt relieved. He said naturally, "Then it's up to you from now on. I've always had a lot of fun going out with you."

"Damn, you suddenly said that... Ah Kong, you're actually an expert, aren't you..." Ji Huaisu said softly.

She turned her head, her face inexplicably flushed. Chu Hengkong was utterly baffled, thinking that this amount of exercise shouldn't have caused such a rapid increase in blood circulation. Could it be that Captain Ji had taken a short vacation and made herself regress?

"You should still find time to fight a few matches these next few days; your fighting skills are important," he said with concern.

"Ah Kong, shut up!" Ji Huaisu sighed heavily. "What are we going to do after the spring outing?"

"Huh?" Chu Hengkong looked bewildered. "You're asking me?"

Ji Huaisu smiled enigmatically: "Didn't you make a plan?"

Chu Hengkong decided to give up trying to understand; all the previous exchanges had shown that trying to comprehend women's thinking was pointless. He took out a piece of paper with the plan and read aloud: "According to the plan, we'll watch the first water screen show at 9:30, and after that, we'll walk ten minutes to the restaurant I booked at 11:30. After dinner, we'll go to the workshop area to do some crafts and shopping. I made a reservation at a newly built glass mansion; if the weather is nice, we can have afternoon tea there. Afterwards, we can go fishing, and in the evening, we'll go boating on the lake to watch the sunset."

"Wow, you actually made a serious plan!" Ji Huaisu exclaimed. "Amazing, A Kong, I didn't expect you to have done so much preparation."

"I've always been very serious," Chu Hengkong said confidently.

He had reason to be confident because what he had said before were all basic contingency plans. Considering that unexpected situations often occur, he had also made several backup plans, including what to do if he was called to catch a criminal halfway through a date.

To ensure the date went smoothly, he prepared everything entirely on his own, without asking anyone for help. He knew all too well how outrageous his close friends could be in everyday life; his own plans might at most be criticized as boring, but if even one of them got involved, the date would inevitably turn into a disaster. This was the worst-case scenario he had to avoid!

Fortunately, Van Der wasn't interested in this matter... and Qingxia Qingye had no reason to get involved...

"It's almost time. Since you've made a reservation, let's go eat first," Ji Huaisu said with a smile. "By the way, Chief Inspector, with all the preparations you've made, have you considered how to handle the current situation?"

"Of course I... what?"

A heavy fog obscured the sunlight. The thick fog seeped through the leaves like water, making the obscured trees appear as towering ghostly shadows. Before we knew it, we could see nothing at all; the once bright forest now looked like a scene from a wilderness.

Chu Hengkong's confident expression froze on his face like an OLED screen burning out, and the communication crystal in his pocket began to vibrate violently.

Ji Huaisu took it out for him and pressed it with a smile.

"Something terrible has happened, Mr. Chu!" came the anxious voice of a girl with a broken heart. "I heard that the forest in the Bize District has recently been shrouded in a strange mist. If a couple goes in together, they must hold hands to get out. Please be careful and avoid that area!"

Ji Huaisu closed the communication, put her hands behind her back, and drawled, "It's clear, A-Kong, you've really done a lot of preparation~~~"

Chu Hengkong covered his face in silence, experiencing firsthand what it meant to be on the verge of collapse. He had never understood so deeply the feelings of the ancestors of the Guangshi family on Shura Island, for at this moment, he felt the same cry that the old men and women had uttered when they discovered that Miansheng had been stolen.

—You bastard, Guang Shi Qing Ye!!!!

Chapter 259 A Memorable First Date (3)

Chu Hengkong now really hopes that Fan De can be by his side, so that at least someone can help him vent all the nonsense he has to say.

What do you mean by "you can't leave the fog without holding hands"? Don't you think that's ridiculous? What kind of point of matter could have that ability? Your sister Huaisu may be a little slow-witted, but she's not an idiot. It would be strange if someone with such an obvious intention would fall for it!

And where did this fog come from? Isn't your Soul-Sealing Technique supposed to accelerate time and reverse the flow of time? Why is there such a large-scale fog?!

Ji Huaisu observed for a while, then clapped his hands: "I see. After ascending to particle level 3, the output increases significantly, and the Mist Concealment Technique can now be used for large-scale terrain interference. Well done, Xiao Ye~"

And you've only just made a move, and they've already seen through your scheme! Who gave you the confidence to lend a hand? Was it my suit?!

Ji Huaisu, supporting himself on his bicycle, cleared his throat: "Anyway, a huge problem has arisen, and to be honest, I'm a little hungry. What should we do, A-Kong?"

Chu Hengkong's face was ashen: "Wait a moment while I cut open the passage."

Ji Huaisu covered her mouth in surprise and turned her face away: "How could this be... You'd rather use violence than hold my hand? Sister Huaisu is so heartbroken... *sobs*..."

"Sad my foot! Your shoulders were shaking when you said that! In the end, you couldn't hold back your laughter and laughed like a black and white bear robot!"

Chu Hengkong forcefully swallowed the opinion that was about to slip out. He reached out to his partner and said as calmly as possible, "Miss Ji, would you do me the honor of...?"

Ji Huaisu leaned against his bicycle, hands on his hips, a sly grin on his face: "No way, no way? Ah Kong, you can't even handle this little bit of fog? How lame~~~"

Chu Hengkong now wishes he were a Wudingchen (a type of celestial being), so that he could easily use the earth-遁术 (earth-遁术 is a type of escaping technique).

"Miss Ji, you are truly the ultimate torturer. You're practically roasting me over a fire," he said in despair.

Ji Huaisu clutched his stomach and burst into laughter, while Chu Hengkong began to seriously study the principles of the earth-遁术 (earth-遁术 is a technique for escaping into the ground). Qingye, observing from afar, concluded after a while, "I think the situation is very favorable."

"Where did you get that idea?" Van der held up his leopard-gazing tube. "All I see is a poor man being tortured to the point of unbearable pain by you."

"Look how harmonious the atmosphere is between them." Qingye clenched her fist. "The respectful and polite atmosphere they had before is exactly the same as usual. The purpose of a date is to take things a step further, to bring their hearts closer. You see, Mr. Chu is very embarrassed now, which means that the breaking of the usual distance has made him uncomfortable. That's the purpose of the ice-breaking operation!"

"Breaking the ice? Where did you learn that from?" Vande stared wide-eyed.

"My family's business often uses ice-breaking tactics when organizing blind dates, and the managers say it works very well."

"Damn it, this is a wicked team-building activity that's poisoning the hearts of office workers! Don't bring the taint of the dark corporate culture of Shura Island into real-life dating!"

"Whether they're corporate slaves or livestock, as long as they're effective, they're good livestock." Qingxia waved her hand. "But I see that the current developments aren't quite in line with our expectations."

"Huh?" Qingye looked closely. "Oh no, someone's cheating!"

Deep in the jungle, Chu Hengkong was trying to dig a hole with his divine slash when Ji Huaisu pulled him up and conjured a large water ball with one hand.

"Alright, alright, I'll let you off this time. Watch me instead." She pushed the water balloon forward. "Take this move, the Illumination Wave Ball!"

"Please stop naming your moves."

The water sphere spun and soared into the air, engulfing the surrounding mist like a giant vacuum cleaner. As it sucked in the mist, the light elements within the sphere were activated, illuminating a path through the forest. Ji Huaisu hopped on his bicycle, ringing the bell as he pedaled furiously: "Let's ride out now!"

"Can't I take you by flying? Do we have to ride bicycles?"

Chu Hengkong reluctantly followed on his bicycle. The two moved incredibly fast, reaching the edge of the Mist Concealment Technique in just a few seconds. But just then, a dark sword shadow flashed at the edge of the mist. The two riders slowed down more and more, finally coming to a stop right in front of the boundary line.

"What? I can't move at all!" Ji Huaisu exclaimed in astonishment. "Could it be... the Space-Time Heart-Shattering Technique!"

"I'll remember this grudge. You just wait and see, Qingye." Chu Hengkong said expressionlessly.

In the distance, Qingye triumphantly sheathed her sword, her scarf fluttering in the wind from the blade.

"Discipline knights do have a knack for elemental control... but my Wuxiang Reversal Style will not lose!"

“Do you think this is a duel? Don’t win, lose!” Van der said.

"This is the Heart-Binding Technique directly passed down from Master Nightwalker. Don't even think about escaping with your little tricks." Qingye pointed her short sword at the jungle. "You won't leave here today without holding hands!"

"You think you can use your night-walking skills for this? I bet you haven't been killed enough in the wilderness, you unfilial descendant."

Vande secretly prepared to use hypnosis, thinking he could at least subdue the two silly girls and prevent them from truly messing things up. But upon closer inspection, he immediately put down his leopard-gazing tube with a smile: "Oh dear, the Guangshi family has lost face this time. They'll have to apologize to their ancestors in their dreams tonight~"

"What did you say? Your eyeballs—how could this be?!"

A heart-wrenching scream escaped Qingye's lips; her methods seemed to have failed. But what could be the reason? Could it be that Chu Hengkong finally couldn't resist using Godslayer or Deathwing? No! Following Fan De's gaze upwards, one could see the couple's method of escaping the trap. It was precisely the illuminating wave sphere that floated in the air, aided by the power of the Boundless Dust.

The sword arc used for the prank failed to reach such a height; this was a miscalculation on Guangshi Qingye's part!

The knight's laughter echoed from afar: "Goodbye, Miss Lighttime, Who Can't Fly, Nightfall~~"

Qingye knelt weakly on the ground, clutching a handful of shameful dirt.

"Damn gravity...!"

“They’re just spouting things that only the depraved would understand,” Qingxia said.

"I must evolve to point mass 4... I must...!" Qingye was full of fighting spirit.

"Okay, good luck, Xiaoye. Leave the rest to me." Qingxia flapped her wings and took flight. "Now it's time to dance in the air!"

Van der used hypnosis: "Get down here, you idiot!"

"Guwa!" Qingxia's plane crashed.

Ji Huaisu flipped over in mid-air, bouncing the water ball like a trampoline.

"Wow, dating is so much fun!"

"Haha." Chu Hengkong chuckled dryly, thinking to himself that this date was probably going to fall apart.

·

Five minutes later, the live snake market.

The manager of the "Blue Holiday" restaurant glanced at his watch again; it was almost 11:30. Although it was up to the guests to arrive early or late, the fact that no waiter had appeared at the door yet was making him a little anxious.

Blue Holiday is a local upscale restaurant brand in the entertainment industry, with 7 branches in Shenzhen. The Huilongcheng branch is the newest one, which just opened last month. The restaurant attaches great importance to this new location, and has specially created a special menu based on local ingredients, and has sent its original staff to the location.

The manager, a veteran in the restaurant industry, knew all too well that the first three months after opening were crucial. Without a good reputation within those three months, even the best skills would struggle to gain a foothold. But if they could make a strong first impression and maintain high quality, future development would be assured. Today, he was likely entertaining the city's most distinguished guests; their satisfaction would directly determine the restaurant's future success, making it impossible for him not to be nervous.

Just then, the restaurant's reservation crystal rang. After listening for a few moments, the manager quickly instructed the waiters, "Open the dome! Don't panic!"

The toy soldier waiters, covered in rusty water, still wound up the clockwork and did as instructed. The semi-circular dome of the restaurant opened, and a water balloon-like droplet fell into the direct sunlight.

The manager, thinking of the arrogant spoiled brats on Shura Island, had prepared himself for a bucket of cold water. But just before landing, the water bullet suddenly shrank, turning into a glistening ice bead in the girl's hand. Chu Hengkong landed first, leading his partner to the table to sit down.

"At least I made it on time." He looked at the manager. "Sorry to trouble you."

"Our establishment frequently hosts distinguished guests by air, and we have considerable experience in this area." Seeing that this guest wasn't a difficult young lady from a wealthy family, the manager breathed a sigh of relief. "What would you two like to drink?"

"Two glasses of iced sweet wine, and make sure his glass is less sweet." Ji Huaisu rested her chin on her hand. "I guessed you'd arrived a little early."

"Of course, I'll only bring you to restaurants that I'm satisfied with," Chu Hengkong said. "I've ordered some dishes beforehand, you can take a look at the menu."

“You knew more about fine dining than I did back in the day, so I trust your taste in food.” Ji Huaisu turned her head. “Let’s serve the dishes Mr. Chu ordered.”

The manager acknowledged and withdrew, pouring sweet wine for the two. Ji Huaisu's eyes lit up; her wine was "Green Tin" from the Swamp Estate. This brand originally mainly produced inexpensive wines for laborers' entertainment, but after the situation in Huilong City improved, it also began producing mid-to-high-end brands for the central courtyard. Chu Hengkong's wine, on the other hand, was "Golden Butterfly" from the city-state, touted as an expensive wine that never disappoints.

"This is wonderful!" she said, swirling her glass. "It feels so high-class!"

"You're the city lord's daughter, okay? In the Middle Ages, you could be called a princess, 100% upper class." Chu Heng laughed. "You've been captain for too long and forgotten your place."

"It's just my nature. I can't stand living a life of luxury." Ji Huaisu made a face. "Hey, if you said my father, I mean my biological father, oh wait, my old man is also my biological father..."

"Your biological father." Chu Hengkong helped her choose the appropriate words.

"Oh right, do you think my biological father might have named me something like 'Princess'?"

Chu Hengkong recalled the knights' clothing style and move names, and felt that they were indeed quite similar to those of Europe on Earth.

“If he were a king, you might actually be called a ‘princess’,” Chu Hengkong said. “If he were a nobleman, you might be a ‘duchess’. If he were an ordinary knight, you would be called a ‘noble lady’ or ‘Miss’.”

“That sounds quite interesting.” Ji Huaisu slumped onto the table. “It’s a pity I haven’t even found a single hair on my family’s head. I thought I might get some clues in the wilderness, but that bastard Vansalar never said a word until he died… And I forgot to ask Chongming before I left, sigh…”

She rolled around on the dining table like a frantic golden ball of fluff. Chu Hengkong watched with a smile, suddenly feeling that this scene was strangely familiar.

"Wait a minute," he called out. "Stop, hold this position and don't move."

"?"

Ji Huaisu was leaning over the edge of the table, her chest bulging against the tablecloth, her small pendant glittering. Chu Hengkong's mind flashed back to a scene he had "personally experienced" not long ago: a knight buried under rubble and Miss Ji at this moment overlapped. The same golden hair, the same expression, and the exact same pendant design.

"Damn it," Chu Hengkong muttered to himself, "I cursed your dad out earlier."

"what???"