Calamity Messenger

Chapter 369 - 302: This Moment, This Night

Yan Qing swore that the first time was an accident, the second time was purely out of appreciation for beauty, and the third time... the third time he really had no excuse.

What to do next, Yan Qing desperately recalled his scarce interpersonal experiences, only to sadly realize that compared to words and language, his main form of communication seemed to be using emoji packs. Even when talking face-to-face, he preferred sending images in chat software.

Saying ’sorry’ here was the safest choice, but surely the atmosphere would become awkward. What if he said ’thanks for the hospitality,’ could he casually brush aside this little incident? Yan Qing’s mind raced, imagining dozens of scenarios in an instant. At this moment, he experienced inner enlightenment, reaching an unparalleled level of intelligence, yet upon facing Pharmacist’s Wish’s clear, bottomless black eyes, he felt petrified as if stared down by Medusa, unable to utter a single word.

"Sorry," Pharmacist’s Wish calmly said, "I just went to fetch another book and woke you up?"

"No problem," Yan Qing instinctively replied, "I don’t mind."

Wait a minute, isn’t this conversation a bit off balance with Celestial Spirits?

However, Pharmacist’s Wish indeed glossed over the matter and continued reading the comic of "Primordial Dao Venerable." Although she didn’t lose her temper, Yan Qing was relieved, yet the issue was... his hand didn’t drop, still resting atop the snowy mountain peak without a hint of wavering.

What’s going on? Is it tacit approval or indifference? Since the moment Pharmacist’s Wish silently held his sleeve, Yan Qing couldn’t grasp her intention. Clearly, she exuded a generous and proud character regardless of danger, dazzling sharply without cover. Now she’s like a sheathed knife, unwilling to voice her thoughts.

Never mind, the urgent task at hand was to channel all nerve connection to his palm and thoroughly enjoy the sensation!

"The defensive tokens produced in Qi Kingdom include Evil Ghost Mask, Yaksha Mask, Ox Head Mask, with the feature of simultaneously being effective with other defense tokens," Pharmacist’s Wish suddenly said, "As for weapon tokens, they have strong regional characteristics, generally categorized as guns in the Guandong region, dancing swords in Guanxi, summed up into five major groups, including Cangzhou Spear and Nightless Long Spear..."

Pharmacist’s Wish suddenly started introducing the Qi Kingdom’s token information. Yan Qing blinked, perceiving it as her concern he might not recognize others’ tokens when reaching the Demon Gathering Land, yet clearly he couldn’t absorb anything, since he was using all his willpower to suppress the rebellion of his right hand, feeling like he was losing control!

Hmm?

Yan Qing blinked, noticing a flush arising on Pharmacist’s Wish’s elegant neck, like the sunset rising over the snowy mountain. Upon closer inspection, she wasn’t reading the comic at all, lingering over a scene of combat spanning two pages with three sentences for several ten seconds. Though her tone remained calm, her speech increased in speed, like a volcano about to burst.

Could it be... she’s actually nervous too?

Reluctantly, Yan Qing retracted his hand. Pharmacist’s Wish’s speech pace instantly returned to normal, concluding a few sentences before refocusing on the comic.

This minor interlude could have peacefully ended right there. However, Pharmacist’s Wish’s reaction was so interesting that Yan Qing’s brain twitched, various forms lost their forms, and his hand found its place back again.

"Zhou Kingdom boasts thirty-six scenic spots, I’ve visited the Ba River Bridge, Taibai Snow..." Pharmacist’s Wish suddenly began detailing her travel experiences.

Yan Qing retracted his hand; she introduced two sentences before slowly pausing. Then, he placed it back again, causing her to immediately start discussing popular comic series in Zhou Kingdom. Going back and forth several times, when Yan Qing placed it back the fifth time, she suddenly straightened her back and tightened her entire body, startling Yan Qing, fearing Pharmacist’s Wish was finally going to lose her temper. Yet for some reason, he didn’t feel scared but rather anticipated her outburst, with his hand staying put.

However, Pharmacist’s Wish held her words in, refusing to turn and look at him. Yan Qing seemed to feel her heartbeat quickening. After a while, she inhaled deeply, yet still said nothing, pushing herself into reading mode forcibly, her face flushed to the point of nearly dripping blood.

Worried she might suffocate, Yan Qing quickly withdrew his hand; predictably, her expression instantly softened, the blush receding slightly. Gazing at the Pharmacist’s Wish before him, who resembled a bullied little wife, a wild guess popped into Yan Qing’s mind: among Shang Xinlei and Pharmacist’s Wish, could it be that Pharmacist’s Wish was the one who was actually more timid and confused?

He reflected on their living environments, growing increasingly convinced of his hypothesis. Shang Xinlei grew up in a deep and affluent home, her father had three wives, and her mother was merely a concubine. Even with elder siblings doting on her, Shang Xinlei inevitably led a constrained life. So once she matured, she broke free like a canary escaping a cage, transforming into the female thief of Jiangnan City, yearning for a free life.

Outwardly, she appeared as a gentle maiden like soft water, but inside she burned like fire, a Female Knight who expressed both affections and temper straightforwardly.

In contrast stands Pharmacist’s Wish, losing her mother early and receiving military education, never living her life as a young girl. She’s lived as if a head wolf on the grassland all these years.

Though head wolf thrives in the wilderness, fiercely hunting and wisely guarding territories, when seeking intimacy, it realizes its vaunted fangs and fur serve no purpose.

Even the thought of intimacy brings shame to the head wolf, whose outlook allows only kin and followers to draw close. If they are kin, it cares for them tenderly, protecting kin is the order of the grassland; if followers, it leads them decisively, commanding subordinates is the duty of the grassland. Kin and followers, all possessions of its own, close approach comes naturally.

But if the other is neither kin nor follower, the head wolf breaks its long-held survival rules if wanting closeness, reasoning why it should act eludes it.

So it opts for the simplest, feasible method without breaching its worldview: retracting fangs, smoothing fur, sticking with them. The education received forbids drawing close to those beyond control... though close approach would not resist.

"Black Wolf?" Yan Qing tentatively asked, "Pharmacist’s Wish?"

"Mm."

"Do you wish I’d stay a bit longer here?"

"Why would I wish you’d stay longer?" Pharmacist’s Wish countered.

"Because I’m the leader, you’re a follower, you’ll need my consent for using [Immortal Wander] and [Unity Lock] in the future." Yan Qing said seriously, "So you better work on relationship-building with me."

Pharmacist’s Wish pondered momentarily, sighing helplessly, "To think I, dignified Duke Jin, have resorted to flattering others."

"You’re unwilling? Then I’m leaving."

"No way," Having a reason ready, Pharmacist’s Wish swiftly restored her formidable stance, pressing Yan Qing backward, "We won’t meet for the next five days; let’s stay a while more lest the relationship weakens."

She reached for the bottle on the bedside table, uncorked it, drinking directly, ignoring the trickling drops. Wiping her mouth she handed the bottle to Yan Qing, "Fancy a drink? It’s Chang’an’s Drunken Immortal Brew, I like it."

"I’m not much into drinking," Yan Qing said.

"Oh." Pharmacist’s Wish withdrew the bottle.

Though her response seemed calm, expression unchanged, Yan Qing keenly sensed her low mood. Likely her first time actively sharing what she liked with him, Yan Qing took the bottle, took a sip, and said under Pharmacist’s Wish’s surprised gaze, "Not bad, but I’m unaccustomed to drinking, can accompany just one sip. I prefer Jiangnan’s iced Five-flower tea, will bring it next time for you to try."

"Alright." Pharmacist’s Wish’s lips slightly curled, exuding allure amidst glances, "Is it the texture or flavor of Drunken Immortal Brew you dislike? Zhou Kingdom’s finest texture is Qin Chuan’s Kulai Xi, the best flavor being Qishan’s Monkey Fruit Wine..."

Holding Pharmacist’s Wish, Yan Qing quietly listened to her discussing differences among Zhou Kingdom’s regional wines, discovering Pharmacist’s Wish had such an ordinary side for the first time.

But thinking deeper, it was the heavy pressure previously borne by Pharmacist’s Wish—whether being wanted by Zhou Kingdom or battling for Foundation Establishment heritage at Shu Dao Mountain, or devising to save Rabbit Heroine, recently interrogated by True Man of Locking Dragon over her Maid... Until two days ago when Yan Qing offered a way for them to escape Zhou Kingdom, she finally set down that massive burden.

Yan Qing felt stirred, realizing although Pharmacist’s Wish and Shang Xinlei maintained cold attitudes lately, the reasons were distinct. Shang Xinlei’s coolness derived from the incident two days ago, feeling hard-pressed face-wise; Pharmacist’s Wish’s lay in the struggle to express emotions without proper reason for contacting Yan Qing—thanks, concern, worry had all been used, yet impossible to stick close like Rabbit Heroine to Yan Qing, leaving her at a standstill.

If Yan Qing’s five-day training trip didn’t provoke her feelings, Pharmacist’s Wish mostly would continue at the same pace until discovering new reasons for seeking Yan Qing’s embrace.