Chapter 529: Big Eyes Stare at Small Eyes

A startled shout came from afar.

The other people in the park also saw the scene.

"WTF! Did you see that! Big fox!"

"What big fox, that's a monster, right!"

"Monster? No way, that's a Heroic Spirit! I've seen it in an anime!"

"You've watched too many cartoons! Where would a Heroic Spirit come from in this world!"

"Then explain what that thing is!"

"I—I have no idea!"

"Quick, record it and tweet!"

"It's already being posted!"

"Mom, mom, look at the big fox!"

"Don't look! Run!"

The crowd began to scatter in all directions, their shouts blending together.

Ilya stood rooted, staring blankly at the Giant Fox.

It tilted its head upward, hovering in midair, its body ablaze with blue‑golden Flame.

The Flame lit up half the sky, tinting the clouds a strange green.

Perspective shift.

Bai Hang perched on a large tree's branch, the Ice Bow still drawn in her hand, but her gaze was wholly captured by the distant Giant Fox.

She opened and opened her mouth, finally managing only a single word:

"…ah?"

The Giant Fox was at least dozens of meters tall, its whole body burning with blue‑golden Flame, and just its upward‑tilted head made the hair on one's scalp stand on end.

Bai Hang blinked, then blinked again.

(If I'm not mistaken… that's Suiyang?)

She had seen Suiyang back when she was on Xianzhou.

Those creatures may change form, but their unsettling aura is unmistakable.

But the problem is—how did Suiyang end up here?

And that Giant Fox…

She suddenly recalled the earlier sight: that massive fox's illusion…

(Was that the true form of Suiyang? Or was it summoned by someone?)

She placed a hand on her temple, using a Command Spell to contact Jing Yuan.

"Jing Yuan, did you see that over there? That big fox! What's going on?!"

From the Command Spell side came Jing Yuan's voice, his tone tinged with a rare surprise:

"Seen it. Interesting."

"Interesting?!"

Bai Hang's voice rose a few pitches, "That's called interesting?! A fox that huge, and you call it interesting?!"

Jing Yuan didn't answer directly, merely saying, "Master, stay where you are and don't move. I have a situation to handle here."

"What is it?"

"That Berserker was swallowed."

Bai Hang was stunned.

"Swallowed? Swallowed?"

"Hmm." Jing Yuan's voice was calm, though Bai Hang could hear a hint of amusement, "Swallowed whole by a big fox in one bite. And now—"

He paused.

"The owner of that big fox is standing right in front of me."

Bai Hang's pupils narrowed slightly.

"What?!"

Jing Yuan sheathed his Golden Spear, stood in place, and looked at the green‑haired girl before him.

The girl wore simple casual clothes, looking completely ordinary.

She crossed her arms, staring at him expressionlessly, those claw‑shaped green eyes showing no emotional shift.

Behind her, the massive blue‑golden fox tilted its head upward, swallowing something.

Berserker.

The creature wasn't dead—Jing Yuan could feel its aura still present, suppressed by some force.

But in its current state, it couldn't break free to cause trouble for now.

Jing Yuan's gaze withdrew from the Giant Fox and settled on the girl before him.

"Huo Huo, miss, right?"

His tone was calm, as if making small talk.

Huo Huo said nothing.

She simply stared at him quietly.

That gaze was so calm it made one's skin crawl.

Jing Yuan smiled faintly.

"Don't be nervous, I mean no harm."

He took a step forward.

Huo Huo didn't move.

The Giant Fox behind him also didn't move.

Only those huge azure eyes shifted slightly downward, locking onto him.

Jing Yuan stopped in his tracks.

Perspective shift.

San Yue Qi crouched behind an upside-down trash can, expression complex.

Not far away, Sha Jin leaned against the wall, the golden weight in his hand still turning slowly.

A half‑smile curved on that face.

The two of them stared at each other with wide eyes and narrowed eyes for almost twenty minutes.

San Yue Qi's mind was ranting wildly.

(What does this guy even want? Why is he following me? Can't he speak straight? He just babbled a bunch earlier, like "Did you know when you were in Pinokanni," "Your train people are quite interesting," "How's that gray‑haired girl now"—how would I know! I've never even been to Pinokanni!)

Sha Jin looked at her face, which read "I don't understand but I won't say," and his mouth curved even deeper.

"Miss San Yue Qi."

He finally spoke, his tone calm, "Don't you think staying stiff like this is rather boring?"

San Yue Qi looked at him warily, "What do you want?"

"I don't want anything."

Sha Jin shrugged, tossing the weight even higher, "Just want to ask—this place, do you know it?"

He looked around, his gaze sweeping over the reversed signs and the empty streets.

San Yue Qi fell silent.

She knew.

In Rewind she had been here many times, even chased through the streets by Monkeys.

But on what basis could she tell this guy?

Sha Jin looked at her face, which read "I know but I won't say," and couldn't help a light laugh.

"Alright, then I'll ask differently."

He took two steps forward, stopped three meters from San Yue Qi, relaxed in posture, "Is this place dangerous? Are there enemies? Right now we're like grasshoppers on a rope—at least for now—don't you think sharing intel benefits everyone?"

San Yue Qi's mouth twitched.

(Grasshoppers on a rope? Who's on the rope with you!)

But one must admit, this guy makes some sense.

This place is extremely strange; wandering around alone isn't a solution.

Moreover, though he looks annoying, at least so far he hasn't made a move against her.

"... Alright."

San Yue Qi compromised, yet remained cautious, "I'll tell you what I know, but you can't interrupt me."

Sha Jin made a "please" gesture.

San Yue Qi inhaled deeply, beginning to organize her not‑very‑sharp language system:

"This place is called... uh, I don't even know what it's called, it's basically another world. The characters are reversed, there are no people, but there are Monkeys."

Sha Jin raised an eyebrow, "Monkeys?"

"Yes, Monkeys."

San Yue Qi gestured, "Yellow, tiny, with a tuft of banana‑like hair on its head. Especially annoying, runs everywhere, chases anyone it sees."

Sha Jin's eyebrows rose even higher.

"... Anything else?"

"Also..."

San Yue Qi thought for a moment, "There are also some black fellows, looking like shadows, that ambush. Very dangerous."

Sha Jin fell silent.

He looked at San Yue Qi's serious face, sinking into thought.

(Is she doing it on purpose?)

He glanced again at San Yue Qi's expression—those pink‑blue eyes were full of sincerity.

Sha Jin's mouth twitched.

(... Alright, she isn't doing it on purpose. She's simply… limited in language expression.)

He decided not to delve further into this matter.

"So this place has a lot of those… Monkeys?" he tried to summarize.

San Yue Qi nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes, yes! Lots of them! Big and small alike!"

Sha Jin rubbed the bridge of his forehead.

At that moment—

A clamor of noise came from afar.

The sound was chaotic, a jumble, like countless feet trampling the ground, mixed with some odd rustling.

The noise grew louder and nearer.

San Yue Qi's expression changed instantly.

Sha Jin also dropped his relaxed posture, squinting toward the direction of the sound.

The two exchanged a glance and simultaneously slipped into a recessed doorway at the street corner to hide.

San Yue Qi curled up in the innermost part of the doorway, Sha Jin stood half a step in front of her, turning sideways to look out.

The golden weight halted its spin between his fingers, gently cradled in his palm.

Footsteps grew nearer.

San Yue Qi held her breath, her heartbeat quick as drumming.

Then she saw—

Monkey Horde.