Chapter 100 Appreciating the Beauty of One-Sided Views

As the music began, Ji Huaisu put on his earplugs, his movements incredibly fast. Half the people in the market reacted the same way, stall owners and tourists alike immediately plugging their ears. A few who didn't have stock on hand used merchandise instead, and the stall owners were understanding and didn't get angry.

The other half reacted in the opposite way, fidgeting restlessly, trying to put the earplugs on but then hesitantly putting them down. A chubby hamster grasped at the miniature earplugs, hesitant. Its pink fur companion shrieked, "Put them on, put them on! Do you want to be left without money for food?"

"But if I put it on, I won't be able to hear it." The hamster said miserably, "I think I should just..."

"What's more important, the song or the money?"

The little hamster made up his mind and said through gritted teeth: "Song is important!"

It tossed its earbuds to its companions and began dancing to the music. The other half, not wearing earbuds, acted like hamsters, tapping the beat, swinging their arms, and swaying to the music. The spectacle was like a Disney princess appearing in another world, and everyone within a hundred miles with breathing capacity joined in the song and dance.

Chu Hengkong was amazed. Ji Huaisu poked his arm, his voice amplified by his earplugs: "Do you have to try it yourself before you're satisfied?"

He put the earbuds in his pocket: "I want to see what this trick is."

"But what should I do?" said Vander helplessly, "I have no ears!"

"Then what do you use to listen?"

"Skin, what else?"

Its tentacles swung rhythmically, making it a true squid DJ. Chu Hengkong bought a piece of cloth and wrapped its head, which effectively suppressed the tentacle drums. But Vander then began to walk and spin in circles, like a country woman obsessed with ballet, making Ji Huaisu laugh so hard that he held his belly.

They followed the circling Fander northward, listening to the music, until they arrived at a small bar east of the market. This unassuming little place was surrounded by a crowd of listeners, and enchanting music was emanating from the bar. Behind the dirty window, a dark figure held a harp and sang joyfully:

“From Longmian Peak to Jingluo Prefecture, from the Holy Sky City to Mansa Star Castle.

I have seen the most dazzling starry sky and visited the most remote dust island.

Always looking at different nights, thinking about the same confusion.

Everything has a beginning, so where should our story begin?"

The man's voice was incredibly beautiful, a beauty universally recognized regardless of gender. The song had the audience clapping their hands in unison, and Chu Hengkong nodded along. He made his way through the crowd and into the bar, where he caught a glimpse of the poet. He sat by the windowsill, holding a harp as dark as the night. He had a lean build, a sharp nose, skin like black pearls, and a face as handsome as his voice.

The dark-skinned man drank his beer with great pleasure and continued to sing:

"Why not follow the ancient epics and find out the truth?

Let’s start with the talkative person outside the story.

That man was cunning and treacherous, eager for quick success and profit, and he always had nothing in his hands. He would run away easily when encountering trouble.

Unfortunately, God was blind and gave him a handsome face and a good voice, so that he could sing long poems and play little tunes.

Sometimes I travel far, sometimes I take a short rest, I wander all year round and sometimes I carry out a mission.

I have seen the mountains on the top of the mountains and the seas under the sea.

That man's name is Sreel, and he sings a song every day on time. The content is all up to you, whether it's about human geography or epic legends!

Thrail opened one eye and waved to the group, "What would you like to hear today, dear friends?"

"Tell us about geography!" squeaked a squirrel. "I want to continue what we talked about last time, about the changing seasons."

The one-eyed man, drinking beer, tossed the squirrel aside. "Don't listen to him. Let's get real exciting! Tell me the secrets of the great battle!"

"It's harmful to fate and too unsafe," the waitress protested. "As far as I'm concerned, legendary stories are still more interesting."

"This is great!" "Tell us about the legend." "Let's open everyone's eyes!"

The tavern echoed with a harmonious voice. The poet plucked the strings of his harp lightly, his tone teasing: "Look at this impatient audience. They want to get straight to the point when listening to the song. They don't pay attention to the environment or the place names, and they don't ask about the motives or the background. They just want to listen to the eye-catching conversation. Unfortunately, this is our business. The story should be what the audience likes-"

He touched the strings of his harp and plucked the melody with both hands, creating a joyful dance of butterflies. He then tapped his feet three times and sang, "Legends are songs from the mouths of poets, and dreams from the hearts of men. For a mortal to become a legend, there must be a reason."

If we talk about cleverness, we must talk about the "Secret Messenger" of the former Kingdom of God, whose writings and songs were praised by the Dragon God; if we look for strength and toughness, we can talk about the exploration journey of the "Humble Walker", whose fists are indestructible and his staff can defeat demons and monsters; if we look for lone heroes, there is the "Strange Gunman" who sneaked into the Otagulin alone and took down the three evil demon brothers with three shots; if we look for viciousness and strangeness, we can talk about the contractor of the great demons, who can make clouds and rain with a flip of his hand;

If you rack your brains, abandon your fate, and insist on exploring the darkness, please close your eyes to the sound of the piano. Beyond the fog, at the bottom of the shadows, in the nightmare city where misfortune has sunk, you will see despair and the end of the road. That is the cruel and tyrannical 'King of Nightmares'..."

The melody gradually slowed, the poet's tone eerie. His music possessed a genuine power, as terrifying demons and monsters seemed poised to crawl from the notes, setting the timid animals trembling. Suddenly, the poet grinned, "And yet, today's protagonist towers above all others! He possesses a plain appearance and humble origins, not a visitor of some renown. He lacks a striking brand, no instantly recognizable characteristics, and has barely visited any islands in his long career..."

Some listeners were already impatient: "What magical power does he have that allows him to surpass these famous guys?"

"This matter requires caution. Please allow me to be vague..."

The poet drew out his words, whetting the audience's appetite, before whispering, as if to reveal a secret: "With his skillful hands, he overthrew an immortal machine."

Gasps echoed from inside and outside the tavern. Sirel laughed heartily and said, "You're familiar with that man's name. You know his achievements. He's the Chief Inspector of Huilong City, 'Silver-Armed War Ghost' Chu Hengkong!"

He suddenly disappeared from his seat and appeared behind Chu Hengkong like a shadow, handing him a beer. "Are you interested in sharing your personal experience with everyone?"

Everyone's eyes were focused on the deity. Chu Hengkong remained calm and took the beer with his tentacles: "I'm not good at telling stories, so feel free to do as you please."

"Ah~~ It seems the Chief Inspector doesn't like to brag!" Sreel chuckled. "I really have to say thank you to him. This kind man doesn't steal the poet's job. Please enjoy, 'Song of the Silver Arm'!"

He leaned against the wall and sang Qisu's recently composed song, sharing the entire story with everyone. The poet's narrative was extremely skillful, briefly brushing over the details of Chu Hengkong's arrival in the town, focusing entirely on the truth about the undead and the final battle. He chose his words with extreme care, not mentioning the outsiders, the empire, or even technology, nor did he name a single town resident. He simply spoke of the terrifying power of the machinery, the unity of the people, and the detective's wisdom and bravery, making the battle at least three times more tortuous and exciting than the actual event.

As the song played, the audience alternately gasped in surprise and held their breath. At the end, everyone cheered and applauded, the roar of applause practically blowing the roof of the tavern off to the sky. Sreel pulled out a small bowl that looked like a rice bowl and waved it toward the crowd, "How much do you want?"

It was like entering a storage vault, opening a treasure chest. Those who had listened to the music and danced, whether they were small animals or aliens, mutators or ordinary people, threw out all their valuables. Some scattered beads like money, ripping off jewelry and throwing them forward. Some, feeling guilty for being short of money, even threw away their own spears and axes.

The poet's small bowl held a secret. No matter what relics or treasures it might have been, they were all collected. He slyly held the bowl in front of Chu Hengkong and banged it loudly: "Inspector, give me some, give me some?"

Fander took off, dragging the silver-eyed book with him, wishing he could throw himself into the trap with it. Ji Huaisu pulled it back, and Chu Hengkong placed a large pearl in the bowl. "You sing really well."

"That's only a few, how mediocre!" Sreel sat back by the window and plucked the strings. "The performance is over for now. The poet needs love and alcohol. We're done for today. See you again if we're lucky~"

The audience dispersed upon hearing this, all of them feeling pained as if waking from a dream, regretting their empty wallets and bags. However, no one bothered the poet, demanding his money back or another song. Ji Huaisu took off his headphones and slammed the table, "Sirer! I warned you not to cheat again!"

"Don't be like that, Captain. We're all doing this voluntarily." Sriel wasn't ashamed, but rather proud. "Business is like love. It's a willing fight, a willing fight."

Ji Huaisu sneered repeatedly: "More than one girl has come to report you for using photos to deceive people."

"That's because they don't know how to appreciate it!" The poet stood up and protested fiercely. "These days, in this world! Only people without taste will harp on tiny errors. People with good taste should appreciate the beauty of the whole!"

Chu Hengkong took a quick look and immediately understood the source of the "cheating" protest. Si Ruier indeed possessed an exceptionally handsome profile, his looks arguably the best in the world. However, his face lacked depth, his eyes were set very close together, his nose was exceptionally narrow, and his head resembled a triangular prism. This resulted in the poet looking quite similar from the front...

A dark fish.

Sreel straightened his face, and with that fish-like face he was very excited: "Someone's eyes have obviously changed! Just now they were admiring the handsome guy, but now they are mocking the clown!"

"You misunderstood." Chu Hengkong tried hard to suppress his laughter, "I never admired you from the beginning."

"Is this the point of misunderstanding?! You are so heartless! You don't understand aesthetics at all..."

"You're right!" Vander agreed vehemently. "The aesthetic sense of humanoid life forms is truly bizarre. I still don't understand what's beautiful or ugly about it."

Si Ruier clapped his hands in emotion: "This person's eyes and conversation are extraordinary. I can tell at a glance that he is a well-educated literary talent."

"Mr. Sreil, I'm your loyal reader. I often read your masterpieces when I was in school!" Vander danced excitedly, "Please sign it for me!"

Si Ruier plucked the strings, and a dark note floated out, exploding like a soap bubble, transforming into a handwritten signature in black calligraphy on a white background. Fander held the signature, acting like a big fan of a celebrity. Chu Hengkong searched his memory for the name and discovered it was indeed a famous figure: Qi Su had sung some short poems and limericks from Si Ruier's "Thirty-six Lines of Strange Things in the Forest."

He placed the beer glass in front of the poet and smiled at him: "No matter how good a singer is, he shouldn't use illusions and tricks to cheat the common people out of their money."

"It's just a random little fantasy song. It's harmless to a small shrimp, but it's just for fun for a master." Sreel leaned against the windowsill, feeling confident. "If the inspector wants to reason with you, I have something to say. It's only natural for those who are inferior to others to suffer in silence. If you go forward knowing there will be trouble, you will only bring disaster upon yourself."

"You're cheating people out of money and you think you're justified!" Ji Huaisu sneered.

"You have a point." Chu Hengkong nodded, "But this is our job, so please return the extra money."

"Wow! Want to fight?" Sreel hugged the harp tightly. "No, no, I'm a poet, I don't do fighting! If you want money, you can..."

He pulled out a wooden envelope like a magic trick and waved it towards Chu Hengkong: "Please exchange it for your obligation."

(End of this chapter)