Chapter 489: Monkeys?

Perspective shift.

San Yue Qi and Lin stood at the entrance of the Mapo Tofu Shop, staring dumbfounded at the street outside.

A stream of traffic surged.

People came and went.

Everything was as normal as it could be.

"... We... are back again?" Lin's voice floated.

"It seems so..." San Yue Qi's voice was equally floating.

The two exchanged a glance, but before they could be glad—

a massive force surged from ahead!

Bang!

Something slammed hard into them!

Caught off guard, the two fell backward, rolling into the shop!

Ouch—!

Pain, pain, pain—!

San Yue Qi reacted fastest; while rolling on the ground she already drew her bow, nocked an arrow, flipped up, and pointed the arrow tip toward the doorway!

The doorway was empty.

There was nothing.

Lin also struggled to rise, a gem in hand, watching that direction warily.

Who?!

No one answered.

Only a sound—

Jiaojiao.

came from the floor at the doorway.

The two looked down.

On the floor at the doorway sat a... monkey?

Short yellow fur, round black eyes, and a banana‑shaped tuft on its head.

It squatted there, tilting its head at them, its mouth opening and closing:

Jiaojiao!

San Yue Qi froze, feeling oddly familiar.

What is this... thing?

Lin also froze.

Monkey?

The monkey, seeing the two stare at it, let out another "Jiaojiao," then leisurely stood, taking tiny steps, and walked into the shop step by step.

With a flick of its tail, it pulled the door shut again.

Then it sat there, its tail swaying, looking quite relaxed.

San Yue Qi and Lin stared at each other.

"It… it came in?" San Yue Qi asked uncertainly.

Lin furrowed her brow, staring at the monkey.

Could this be… a Familiar of another Master?

Familiar?

Well, a summon that magi use for scouting, messaging, and combat support.

Lin's expression grew serious, "If this is the enemy's Familiar, it means we've already been discovered!"

San Yue Qi's nerves instantly tightened!

Without a word, she drew her bow and fired an arrow!

The Ice Arrow shot through the air, straight at the monkey!

The monkey's reaction was astonishingly fast!

It let out a "Jiaojiao," its body flashing to the side, the Ice Arrow skimming its body, and with a "shhh" it lodged into the floor!

A hole was shot through the floor.

The monkey leapt onto the nearby counter, turned to look at San Yue Qi, eyes widening, mouth opening wider, and emitted a string of:

Jiaojiao Jiaojiao Jiaojiao Jiaojiao Jiaojiao!

That voice, that expression, were clearly—

mocking.

San Yue Qi's anger flared instantly!

A monkey dares to mock me?!

Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh—!

Seven or eight Ice Arrows shot out in succession, chasing the monkey all over the shop!

The monkey dodged left and right, leapt up and down, as agile as a spring!

It jumped from the counter to the chandelier, swung from the chandelier to the shelf, flipped from the shelf to the windowsill, then rolled from the windowsill to the floor; every arrow skimmed its body, none hitting.

"Jiaojiao Jiaojiao Jiaojiao Jiaojiao!" it shouted while dodging, its voice growing more smug.

Lin could no longer watch.

She pulls three gems from her bosom, aims toward the Monkeys' direction, and hurls them forcefully!

"Try this!"

The gems explode in midair, bursting into dazzling red light!

"Boom!"

The area‑wide blast covers the region where the Monkeys are located!

Dust and smoke billow!

San Yue Qi grips the bow tightly, Lin stares at the plume of smoke.

The smoke dissipates.

The Monkeys crouch in place, unscathed.

It even extends a hand, and points a middle finger at them.

Lin: "…………"

San Yue Qi: "…………"

The two fall silent.

They were despised by a Monkey.

They were given a middle finger by a Monkey.

Can they tolerate this?

"Lin, step aside." San Yue Qi's voice is surprisingly Calm.

Lin instinctively steps back one pace.

San Yue Qi inhales deeply, murmurs softly:

"Za—Wa—Lu—Duo!"

Time, pause.

The whole world falls into death‑like silence.

Floating dust solidifies in midair; Lin remains frozen in the retreating stance, and the Monkey is also frozen in place, middle finger still raised.

San Yue Qi swiftly draws the bow.

One.

Two.

……

Twenty.

Thirty.

She shot dozens of Ice Arrows in one breath!

All the arrows hover in midair, tips aimed at the Monkey, dense and countless, almost sealing off all its evasion space!

San Yue Qi looks at her masterpiece with satisfaction.

Then she scans the surroundings, trying to see if any other enemies remain—

At that glance, her pupils suddenly contract.

In every corner of the shop.

At least seven or eight pairs of eyes stare at her.

Those eyes are round and exactly like the Monkey's.

(Oh no!)

Time's up.

"Snap."

Time resumes its flow.

Those dozens of Ice Arrows hovering in midair fire toward the Monkey at the same instant!

"Tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk—!!!"

The dense rain of arrows completely engulfs the Monkey!

It doesn't even have time to scream, gets turned into a wasp nest, then with a "Poof" sound, becomes a banana, falling to the ground.

Lin can't help but cheer:

"Yay! See if you still dare to be arrogant!"

But her cheer lasts only a second.

Because she sees San Yue Qi's expression turn very sour.

"San Yue Jie… what's wrong?"

San Yue Qi gives no answer.

She only signals Lin with her eyes—listen.

Lin perks up their ears.

Then she hears.

"Jiao."

One sound.

"Jiaojiao."

Two sounds.

"Jiaojiao Jiaojiao Jiaojiao—!!!"

Countless sounds!

Those sounds came from every corner of the shop, rising and falling, merging into a scalp‑tingling sea of "Jiaojiao"!

Then, from those corners, one monkey after another burst out!

In the blink of an eye, the shop had a dozen‑plus monkeys!

They widened their eyes, stared at the two people in the middle, and kept shouting "Jiaojiao" nonstop.

Lin swallowed a mouthful of saliva with difficulty.

"… San Yue Jie."

"Mm."

"These monkeys… seem a bit many."

"Mm."

"They… won't attack us, will they?"

San Yue Qi hadn't had time to answer when she saw those Monkeys all at once pull something out from behind them—

Bananas.

Each monkey held two bananas, raised them over their heads, and aimed at them.

San Yue Qi: "…"

Lin: "…"

"What… can these bananas do?" Lin's voice trembled.

The next second, those Monkeys began hurling bananas wildly!

Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh—!

A dense rain of bananas pelted the two of them!

San Yue Qi's pupils narrowed, and she made an instant judgment!

She scooped Lin in her arms and whispered the name:

"Cafeteria Spicy Sauce!!!"

Time froze again!

The sky‑full of bananas solidified mid‑air, the Monkeys frozen in their throwing pose, becoming a yellow sculpture.

Carrying Lin on her back, San Yue Qi rushed toward the doorway!

She flung open the shop door—

Outside were two split giant boulders and an empty street.

Mirror World.

But San Yue Qi could no longer worry about any of that!

She barreled out of the shop with Lin on her back, slamming the door shut behind her!

Time kept flowing!

From behind came a thunderous "Bang bang bang bang" — the sound of countless bananas smashing against the door!

San Yue Qi, still bearing Lin, sprinted away without looking back!