Under the glow of the streetlamp, Yu Sheng stood listening to Bai Li Qing describe how the random lump of iron Foxy had tossed out turned into a hammer that somehow awakened with a Machine Spirit.
Not far away, the Demon Fox Maiden crouched by the greenery, earnestly digging a hole, intent on burying a stone she’d picked up from somewhere.
Yu Sheng was too preoccupied with Bai Li Qing’s absurd tale to remind the Fox Girl not to vandalize public plants—because what he was hearing was truly beyond belief.
“The lab originally planned to immediately produce a series of items to test that material’s… ‘Spirit Imbuement’ characteristics, but since it might be extremely valuable, I halted their tests,” Bai Li Qing explained seriously. “The properties of that material puzzle us. Its composition is ordinary, yet it displays unbelievable energy activity after simple processing. We’re very curious about what exactly it is—and whether Miss Foxy can provide more samples.”
After a short pause, she added, “Of course, we will compensate accordingly.”
Yu Sheng rubbed his forehead thoughtfully. “That stuff… Foxy said it’s just reactor core residue, and it seemed pretty worthless—at least back where she’s from.”
After hearing that, Bai Li Qing fell into stunned silence for at least ten seconds. When she finally spoke again, her voice held a hint of suppressed shock. “Reactor?! Are you saying Foxy has a reactor inside her?!”
“Something like that?” Yu Sheng belatedly realized just how outrageous this sounded, scratching his chin. “Yeah, now that you mention it, it does seem a little… extreme?”
“…A ‘little’ extreme?!” It was the first time Yu Sheng had ever heard Bai Li Qing nearly lose her cool, her normally calm, indifferent tone suddenly rising sharply. “You call that just a little extreme?!”
There was another pause on the line, and Yu Sheng could clearly hear Bai Li Qing taking a deep breath to regain composure. seaʀᴄh thё NovelZone.fun website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
“So, your point is, Foxy can produce more of these metal ingots anytime—but needs some time to recharge?”
“Yes, that’s what she said. But maybe she has some stock left. I’ll ask her later—she’s busy right now.”
“What’s she busy with?” Bai Li Qing asked instinctively.
“Digging a hole in the flowerbed.”
Bai Li Qing: “…?”
Another awkward silence followed.
Feeling slightly uncomfortable, Yu Sheng coughed softly and stepped toward the Fox Girl. “Foxy, stop digging a second. I’ve got something to ask you.”
Foxy finally looked up from her enthusiastic excavation, eyes sparkling brightly in the dark. “What’s up, Benefactor?”
“You remember that lump of metal you left at the Special Affairs Bureau cafeteria after your meal?” Yu Sheng struggled for the right words, eventually settling on something vague. “Do you have any more of that? Also, how long does it take you to make another one?”
“It depends on the type of food consumed and my reactor’s usual power output,” Foxy blinked thoughtfully. “Usually about seven or eight days each? Though I still have a few stored away… They want more?”
Yu Sheng nodded. Before he could speak further, Bai Li Qing’s voice cut in immediately over the phone: “Tell her Special Affairs Bureau is willing to build a cafeteria just for her—she can have her own dedicated door straight to the serving window.”
Yu Sheng: “…”
Foxy continued blinking, clearly unsure what was happening.
Yu Sheng quickly relayed the situation at the Special Affairs Bureau.
Although Foxy usually appeared a bit silly, she was actually cleverer than most. After just a few words, she immediately understood, clapping her hands happily. “Oh, that’s just ‘Spirit Imbuement’! ‘Spirit Fox Dark Iron’ is commonly used to forge Artifact Spirits where I come from. It’s totally normal.”
Yu Sheng opened his mouth slightly, inwardly marveling—[of course Foxy thinks this is normal!]
Meanwhile, Bai Li Qing continued speaking calmly: “We should schedule a formal discussion sometime soon, about setting up a Special Affairs Bureau cafeteria specifically for the Hotel, as well as arranging an official long-term procurement contract with the Hotel for… What did she call it again?”
Foxy leaned in helpfully: “Spirit Fox Dark Iron.”
“Yes. A long-term supply contract for ‘Spirit Fox Dark Iron’.”
…
Irene stared intensely at Yu Sheng with her bright red eyes. Yu Sheng sat casually on the sofa, completely at ease as he faced the doll’s scrutiny.
Nearby, Foxy proudly spread out a heap of treasures she’d collected on their walk—a perfectly straight stick, an exceptionally round stone, and several oddly shaped screws.
The Demon Fox Maiden happily busied herself, utterly oblivious to the tense silence around her.
“You mean the Special Affairs Bureau is really willing to spend a fortune or regularly supply tons of resources just to get their hands on those iron lumps Foxy throws away?! And to guarantee enough production, they’re seriously thinking about building a private cafeteria for that silly fox—even letting you open a Door directly at the serving window?!” The little doll’s eyes widened incredulously. “Hey, are they insane?”
“What iron lumps? They’re called ‘Spirit Fox Dark Iron’ now.” Yu Sheng corrected her gravely, his expression utterly serious. “Even in Foxy’s homeland, those are rare spiritual treasures. In this world, they’re even more precious—they can reliably awaken a Machine Spirit, you know…”
The little doll listened in a daze, dropping onto the couch. “Huh? Really?”
But almost immediately, she jumped back up, glaring at Yu Sheng indignantly. “Wait, that’s not fair! How come the leftover scraps she spits out after eating are treasure-grade materials Special Affairs Bureau happily pays for, while my earnest cooperation with their crystal testing ends up discovering some ‘Anti-Irene’ crystal?! I knew it—this whole world is against me!”
Yu Sheng sighed, sympathetically patting the little doll’s head. “I know. You have my deepest condolences.”
Irene stared up at him, thinking for a moment, before generously waving her hand. “Alright then, fine—I won’t be mad.”
This time, Yu Sheng was the one caught off guard. He blinked, momentarily speechless. [Since when did this doll’s mentality get so good?]
After successfully soothing Irene with vague reassurances, Yu Sheng smiled helplessly and turned toward Foxy, who was busy organizing her pile of spoils beside the tea table. “Still not finished sorting yet?”
The Demon Fox Maiden raised her head, delightedly displaying two wooden sticks in her hands. “Benefactor, look! Don’t these sticks look exactly like two swords?”
Yu Sheng glanced down, thoughtfully stroking his chin. “Actually… you’re right, they really do…”
“Then these will be our matching swords!” Foxy generously handed him one of the sticks, quickly gathering the scattered mess of trinkets into her storage tail. In moments, everything was neatly put away.
Yu Sheng stared blankly at the stick he’d just received—another peerless wooden blade added to his collection.
His eyes inevitably drifted toward Foxy’s storage tail. Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, he murmured aloud, “Honestly, I’ve always wondered how exactly your tail manages storage. You always toss items directly inside without much organizing, yet when you take things out, everything’s perfectly tidy…”
“I do organize it!” Foxy immediately protested earnestly. “Though… though maybe not very well. But really, it’s not that messy inside… Oh! Benefactor, would you like to take a look inside?”
Yu Sheng, still contemplating the mechanics behind Foxy’s tail and how it differed from his usual method of opening Doors, took a few seconds to process her words. When he did, he was stunned speechless. “…What?”
“Benefactor, do you want to come inside my tail and take a look?” Foxy repeated cheerfully. “I’ve never invited anyone inside before! Ah, wait—Irene’s picture frame that one time doesn’t count.”
Yu Sheng opened his mouth, closed it again, and eventually conceded defeat. Clearly, his imagination was still limited compared to the Nine-Tailed Fox’s worldview. But just as he started to become genuinely curious, intending to accept the invitation, a sudden shout from the window interrupted their unusual conversation.
“Hey! Yu Sheng! Quick, look outside! It’s super foggy!” Irene exclaimed loudly.
Perhaps because of their recent rescue mission in that mist-filled Otherworld, Yu Sheng’s spine immediately stiffened at the mention of “fog.” He jumped to his feet, rushing to the window to join Irene.
The little doll was already perched on the windowsill, pointing out at the street beyond the glass.
Thick, heavy fog filled the view outside, like some viscous, flowing substance. It had swallowed the entire street, distorting even the distant glow of streetlamps into unsettling shapes that wobbled and bent, as though seen through an unnatural lens. The entire scene gave off an ominous, eerie vibe.
“What the heck?!” Yu Sheng blurted out, rushing over and peering anxiously at the fog-filled street alongside Irene.
“When did this happen?” he asked sharply, turning to the doll.
“No idea,” Irene replied helplessly, equally confused. “I just glanced up a second ago, and it was already like this. It definitely hasn’t been long—one of my bodies looked outside just as night fell, and it was totally clear then.”
“Benefactor, this fog…” Foxy had come up behind them, speaking cautiously. “It looks just like the fog we saw when Zheng Zhi was trapped—but this one’s thicker, heavier, and gives off a more ominous feeling.”
Yu Sheng frowned deeply. He turned abruptly, marching toward the front Door and shoving it open forcefully, intending to quickly check the situation outside.
Beyond the Door, Wutong Road’s old street was calm, the night clear and peaceful. The streetlamps cast a gentle glow over the quiet neighborhood. Above, the night sky stretched overhead, clear and tranquil.
There was no trace of any fog.
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
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