Chapter 538: Pinokangni Side Story: Check-Out (3)

"Hey, I knew you'd say that! At least leave me a bit—just enough to have fun in Pinokangni for a round!" Qing Que chuckled, "For this trip, I've used up all my vacation leave at once—Grand Diviner Taibu even thought I was going to visit the Zhu Ming Astral Express, never imagining I was actually invited to tour Pinokangni…hehe."

Xing noticed a blind spot, frowning: "Invited? Invited by whom?"

"I don't know exactly who it is, but I still have the message that invited me here. Want to see it? I'll show you."

Qing Que handed her phone to Xing, and there, clearly written, was a message:

【Four-Chi Holy Hall】 Opening membership, sincerely inviting all qualified guests from the galaxy to come to Pinokangni and enjoy the wonderful dream world.

As long as your net height is 141.5 centimeters or less, you can use this invitation to stay free of charge at the Daydream Hotel, with all travel and accommodation expenses reimbursed.

——

Absolute Zone Zero.

"141.5… No wonder Miss Qing Que looks… uh, so tiny!"

Inside Sui Bian Guan, Ju Fu Fu's eyes lit up, a flash of excitement at seeing a "kindred spirit" crossed her big eyes, but she subtly tried to draw a line, showing she might be just a bit taller.

But really, it's only a little bit.

Yixuan set down his teacup, pursed his lips and smiled: "Fu Fu, don't say that about her—I remember you haven't grown in a while either, right? Last time you were measured at 142—"

"Wait—! Master, don't say any more!" Fu Fu hurriedly fumbled to interrupt her master's speech, then earnestly emphasized: "How can I be compared to Miss Qing Que?! I'm still growing! But someone like Miss Qing Que, an Astral Express native, could never keep growing… Who knows, maybe I'll still get taller in the future!"

"Don't say that, Senior Sister, it's my fault." Pan Yin Hu eagerly took over the conversation: "It's because I didn't put enough effort into the meals, causing Senior Sister's nutrition to lag, so she didn't grow. Master, what if we each add a steamed bun and a bowl of noodles at night from now on?"

"Junior Pan… I think you just want to eat more yourself, don't you?"

"Um, Senior Brother… I think the focus of the discussion shouldn't be height." Ling, a bit embarrassed, pointed to the message on Qing Que's phone displayed on the canopy: "This kind of message looks like a trap no matter how you look at it—like luring Miss Qing Que over and then—"

Pan Yin Hu only then realized, clapping his hands with a slap: "Exactly! And using height as a screening condition is way too strange—what kind of criminal would target someone that short?"

"Right! Wait… no, that's completely wrong! It's not that short, is it?! Junior Pan?! That's just normal height!" Junior Pan's offhand comment instantly made Ju Fu Fu's cheeks puff out in anger.

——

"How about that? Great, right? As long as you meet the condition, the room fee is completely free." Qing Que had never been this proud of her height before, smiling narrowly: "Before I came, I carefully measured my net height—141.2 in the morning, 140.3 in the evening—pretty much perfect!"

"This is discrimination against tall people!"

"Uh… tall people already enjoy plenty of conveniences, so don't dwell on this."

Qing Que and Xing made a deal: as long as she doesn't tell Grand Diviner Taibu about today's affairs, half of the money she wins in Pinokangni will go to Xing. After helping her check in, Qing Que happily went off to dreamland to win money.

After seeing Qing Que off, Xing happened to spot Zhigengniao nearby, warmly went up to greet her, chatted briefly, and after they took a commemorative photo, Xing pulled out her phone—only to discover that the Qing Que she had just sent off had already sent her a long distress message.

"Xing! Save me, save me!"

"You lost everything that fast?"

"No… but my situation is even worse than that! Damn it, all because I was greedy for a small gain. If I'd known, I'd have been more careful! Anyway, Xing, come save me—I'm unfamiliar with this place, I can only rely on you, my good friend!"

"Hurry up, or I might really die! Come quick!!"

The situation was urgent, so Xing had to put down her lobby work, quickly enter a dream, and head to the Dream Hotel to rescue Qing Que.

As soon as she arrived on the scene, she saw countless Pipis swarming around Qing Que, seemingly forcing her to perform some strange evil ritual.

——

Psychic Powers 100%.

"What kind of weird cult ritual is this? And surrounded by so many Pipis… wait! Could it be that the 141.5 height requirement is actually for judging Pipis' height?"

Xiao Jiuwo was startled—hey, two of those Pipis look really familiar… aren't they the two people Xing previously helped check out? One of them is even Lao Aodi's nephew, right?

"Looks like that's right." Linghuan skewered an octopus ball with a toothpick, chewing as he said: "Speaking of… do these little guys really have any combat power? Holding such a weird ritual in private—could Lao Aodi possibly not know anything about it?"

To say he knows nothing at all—Linghuan absolutely doesn't believe it. Lao Aodi himself is also a Pipis, and the head of the Muxucao family; for something happening right under his nose, with his abilities and wisdom, there's no way he wouldn't know.

"What if it's… a case of 'dark under the lamp,' Master?" Longtao shoved an octopus ball into his mouth, cheeks bulging: "Maybe this evil organization is the one Boostio is investigating—they're able to hide so well precisely because they're backed by Lao Aodi."

"That makes sense… but these little guys don't look like much of a fight—just Xing alone could probably round them all up in one pot."

——

"Now, repeat after me—" Roy cleared his throat and said solemnly: "I—thank the Mandate of Heaven!"

"I—I…"

Qing Que was still hesitating, but the Pipis nearby had already grown impatient and urged: "What are you standing around for? Hurry up and chant with the Matriarch!"

"Yes! Say it! Say it!" The zealous followers nearby also started shouting.

Qing Que whispered: "I—I thank the Mandate of Heaven……"

Roy nodded: "Mm, I—thank my genes!"

"I thank… uh… genes?"

"I am the essence condensed from the universe!"

"I am the essence condensed from the universe—" Qing Que tried to imitate it with a straight face, but halfway through she couldn't help but burst out laughing "pfft," waving her hands: "—No, I can't—this line is inexplicably hilarious……"

"Mind your reverence! You're not reverent enough!" the followers nearby shouted in dissatisfaction.

Roy cleared his throat and continued: "I vow to halt growth!"

"I vow… to halt growth…" Qing Que realized what it meant, glaring at the little guy in front of her: "…This is way too cruel! I'm not even two hundred years old—I can still grow!!"