In a particular dimension, in a world where time existed, the descent of twilight was ushered in by the last rays of the sun.
Two tattered silhouettes – one tall, one short – could be seen.
The angled rays of the setting sun caused their shadows to grow greatly in length.
A man held a fang-shaped longsword and carried a sleepy golden-haired girl on his back. One could spot the double-layered chains wrapped under his incomparably damaged brigandine armor and a warped and distorted iron helmet covering his head. The sorry and unkempt state he was in was extremely similar to that of a tramp begging on the street.
He entered the mission hall at an unhurried pace and walked to the front of the counter, all while ignoring the different gazes he received from the other students there.
“You two, are you here to report on the completion of a mission?” The lady receptionist gave a professional smile, all while standing perfectly still.
“Mhm.” Ji Bai nodded.
“May I ask what the mission’s number is?”
Ji Bai gave her the requested number.
“Alright. Please wait a moment.” The lady receptionist flipped open a thick record book. Sticking her finger lightly on the surface of the paper, she began to carefully search for it.
“Is that the mission to explore the underground sewer within the border town’s territory?”
“Mhm.” Answered Ji Bai affirmatively.
“Alright. Please wait a moment.”
Some students who were spectating from the side began to get restless.
“Hey, hey. How did they end up like this just from an exploration mission? Are they for real?”
“Who knows. I reckon they didn’t take the usual path and fell into a septic tank.”
“Pfft…”
“Just from their state alone, I’d thought they had fought a battle against trolls.”
“The young girl he is carrying on his back seems to be hurt. What a pity for such a cute little girl; It must’ve been tough for her to be on the same team with such a useless fellow.”
“How noisy… Did something happen, obscene middle-aged man?” Lil’ Sha’s eyelids opened slightly, making her look like a half-awake koala. The unadulterated noisy voices in the surroundings had woken her up.
“It’s nothing. I’ll wake you once we reach your home.”
“Mhm…” Hearing Ji Bai’s voice, Lil’ Sha nodded and closed her eyelids in ease.
“Mhm, I got it. With this, the transaction has been completed.”
“Thank you.” Ji Bai took his helmet off.
“Wow, this guy is hideous.”
“Yuan’er, it’s very impolite to comment on others’ appearances…” A young girl tapped the forehead of the blabbering little girl beside her.
“Please state your names.”
“Ji Bai, Lil’ Sha. Please also transfer the remuneration for Ji Bai to Lil’ Sha, thanks.” Said Ji Bai calmly.
“That’s something I can do. But the mission details stated that this should’ve been a mission for four people… What about the other two?”
“…” Ji Bai remained silent for a good while. “They won’t be coming back.” he said afterward with his eyelids slightly lowered.
“…An extraordinary situation must have happened. Can you give me a brief report?” Ji Bai’s brief and succinct attitude had silently expressed the hidden meaning behind his words. The lady receptionist slightly nodded and didn’t inquire any further; This wasn’t the first time she had witnessed such a scenario. The unique characteristics of the school’s assignment meant there always was the probability that the number of students returning from a completed mission could end up lesser than when they set out; Even the possibility of a whole team being eliminated was within the realm of possibility.
After all, the moon knights were small in size, and the military forces they could gather were very limited.
“Is it possible if we complete it tomorrow?” Ji Bai shot a glance towards Lil’ Sha at his back, who had fallen into a deep sleep.
“Of course…Take it easy, student. At the least, you’ll have to take the share of your comrades and live on properly.” Seeing the slightly dejected look on Ji Bai’s face, the lady receptionist had a complicated expression on her own as she comforted him.
“…”
“Did you manage to bring their remains back?”
“…”
“What are their names and designations then?”
“Huo Lei, troll, a first-year in the order — Tomato Class. Xiaomu, human, second year in the order.”
“Thank you for the cooperation… In that case, I won’t be troubling you any further. Go back and take a good rest. Their points will be added together and passed onto you…”
“No need for that.” After saying this, Ji Bai turned his body around and walked out the door, disregarding the lady receptionist who was still in the midst of her sentence.
The lady receptionist heaved a sigh as she looked at Ji Bai’s departing silhouette. What awaited her next were some things she needed to handle. Student casualties were no trivial matter. The problem within the border town’s sewers was the same as well.
…………
“Obscene middle-aged man.”
“Mhm, you’re not asleep?”
“I can’t sleep.” Lil’ Sha’s hands were wrapped around Ji Bai’s waist. Her cheeks were tightly pressed against his back, like those of a koala hugging a tree.
“We’re almost at your house.”
“Will there be a vacant chair in class tomorrow…”
Ji Bai’s footsteps stopped.
“From how I see it, this might not be the case.” Ji Bai looked ahead with the corners of his mouth slightly raised.
“…Huh?” Lil’ Sha tilted her head.
“Ouch, my waist! The water flow was just too strong. The collision nearly broke my bones apart…” A tattered and dilapidated troll was rubbing his head, as he made his way towards them with an awkward gait.
“…”
“…Oh-ho! Isn’t this my human brother and little catgirl sister?? The two of you have returned!? That’s great, I was still worried…”
“I-It’s a ghost! Let’s run for it, obscene middle-aged man!”
“Eh, there’s a ghost? Where’s it? How come I don’t see it?” Huo Lei touched his head in confusion after looking around.
“Aren’t you the ghost?!”
“Huh? Speak some sense, little catgirl! Aren’t I still standing here all fine and dandy? Look, I even have a shadow…”Huo Lei touched his big pot-like head and pointed under his feet.
“Eh??… You… Didn’t you drown, uncle troll?” Lil’ Sha hid her body behind Ji Bai’s back. From time to time, she would take a look at Huo Lei.
“I’m still alive and well! The lower part of the underground canal leads directly to the backdoor of the sewers. Holding my breath, I was washed up not too long after…”
“How big is your lung capacity exactly?”
“Ha! What we trolls are most proud of are our physique and the capacity of our lungs!” Huo Lei conceitedly gestured at his muscles.
“I’ll make up for the liquor I owe you.” Ji Bai walked forward and patted Huo Lei’s chest.
“Wahaha! No need to hurry…”
“Hmph~ I knew it. How could a troll die that easily…” Lil’ Sha pouted.
“That reminds me. Sister Xiaomu, she…”
Silence filled the area in an instant.
Ji Bai quietly took out a lock of hair from his pocket.
A few drops of moisture dampened his back.
As someone who was clueless when it came to consoling others, Ji Bai didn’t say anything and only lightly patted the tiny hands that were wrapped around himself.
“Did she have any friends and family?” Ji Bai slightly lowered his head.
“I’m not sure.”
As far as everyone was concerned, the time they had known Xiaomu was extremely short. Before they could get to know her, however, they had been eternally separated from each other, never to meet again.
What she had experienced prior to their meeting, who her friends and family had been, as well as her preferences and hobbies; The three of them had never even bothered to find them out from her.
“Let’s bury it.”
……………
“I’ll just send you off here since I’m not allowed to go any further. You’re capable of heading back yourself, right? ” Ji Bai stopped as he saw the large words ‘Men are prohibited’ written on the residential area meant for VIP students.
“…Oh.” Lil’ Sha wanted to say something but hesitated.
“I’ll watch you get up there.”
Feeling the gaze emanating out of his shattered helmet, Lil’ Sha turned her body around in relief and walked towards the floor and room she lived in.
………….
After two days, the sewer exploration mission was complete.
However, this was far from over for Ji Bai. If things went as expected, the next day, people from the mission hall would show up at his door to look for him. They would then ask him to do a detailed report on the whole sequence of events.
However, this was not what he was focused on. As far as Ji Bai was concerned, the biggest harvest the trip has brought him was the information he had extracted from the mouth of the remaining troll.
Engaging in fraudulent activities and collusion with trolls; Judging from Lan Yu’s conduct, he had truly not let down the first impression that Ji Bai had from him.
Perhaps, the Chivalric Order of Radiant Knight was truly in need of a large cleansing this time.