Chapter 238 – Bell and Pi Pa
Translated by: YX
Edited by: XRCO, Earl and De Andre
The station was bustling with a motley of people dressed in disparate colours when Bell stepped out of the carriage. As she strolled down the crowded walkway, her anxiety soon subsided after she immersed herself into the familiarity of her hometown.
This was her hometown, Bright Ford City of the Qi Dong Star. Bright Ford City was the most prosperous city in Qi Dong Star, and was the most important and iconic business center. The human traffic here was concentrated and caravans come and go. The variety of goods sold here were many and varied, attracting a large quantity of merchants to come. This was due to the position of Qi Dong Star. Qi Dong Star belonged to the Southern Sky Forty two constellations, and was just an ordinary planet. But this ordinary planet, actually possessed numerous starry doors. These starry doors allowed it to link to six other constellations.
Naturally, it became the converging point for many travellers and boats.
Bell who was extremely familiar with the place, upon dropping from the carriage, disappeared into the sea of people.
Bell disappeared into the crowd for safety. She navigated the streets with utmost caution, always looking to her back to ensure no one was tailing her. The city area was renowned for prowling freedom hunters, who were always on the hunt for Onyx Soul Horses. Each Onyx Soul Horse possessed an abundance of secrets within their information system, which the hunters eyed for. It was a common hobby among the freedom hunters to capture Onyx Soul Horses to extract the secrets hidden within them.
In this brutally chaotic world, the slightest mistake could land you in danger. Most of the Onyx Soul Horses who Bell knew had been hunted down. It was not too long ago that Bell raised her level to the Silver level. Though her social status had risen, possessing the Silver level made her a more valuable prey for the freedom hunters.
Bell turned into an alley with individual households embedded into the sides of the walls. The alley was so narrow that only three people could fit at any time. But at least it was safe. Strolling along the narrow brick-paved path away from the crowd, she could hear the sweet tinkling sounds of the wind chimes hung along the doors of each household. Due to the city’s damp climate and a spring-like temperature all year round, potted plants teeming with flowers leaned along the sides of the walls. The fragrance of the flowers and the home-cooked rice emanating from the households invoked a tinge of happiness in Bell.
Bell tilted her head slightly and took a quick glance at a potted plant a few feet away. A minute mirror was protruding halfway out of the soil. It was facing the entrance of the alley. She placeed it there to ensure that no one was tailing her.
There was no one.
She was not careless this time, having walked a longer route before reaching the steps of her house.
She pushed the door open and shut it swiftly.
“Who is it?” a feminine voice called out from the room.
“It’s me,” Bell replied rather solemnly. She loosened her elbows, breathing a sigh of relief. She dashed to the inner room nested at the far end of the courtyard.
“Bell’s back!”, Pi Pa, her twin replied ecstatically. Besides her paler complexion and longer hair, Bell’s sister was so similar to her that no one could tell them apart. She looked lethargic and demure. She held a book tightly in her hand, still surprised at the presence of her sister.
Bell snatched the book away from her hands. “Didn’t I tell you not to read books when you are unwell?”
“I was bored, it was to spend the time away!” she showed her tongue.
Pi Pa had been sick since she was of a young age. Pi Pa seldom ventured into the outside world, aside from the few escapes she had with Bell. Reading was the only remedy to quell her boredom. Bookcases surrounded every corner of the room, with books piling up to the ceiling.
Bell sighed. “Just remember to rest your body ok?”
“Yes, yes! I will!” Pi Pa replied.
Bell took an apple that was placed at the center of the table. She rubbed the apple against her shirt and started chomping voraciously on it.
“It isn’t washed!” Pi Pa yelled.
She took another big bite out of the apple. “It is clean, don’t you thi…”
Bell dropped the half-eaten apple, grabbed Pi Pa by her waist and dashed to the back of the room. She gently pushed open a slit in the window. Peering out cautiously into the open, she could see several men who were wandering suspiciously outside the house.
Carrying Pi Pa by her waist, Bell shuffled gently across the room. Once she reached the side of a bookshelf, she pulled a hinge on it. The shelf swung open, revealing a dark tunnel. She gently lowered herself into the abyss as the shelf slammed shut behind her.
Moments later, the courtyard door smashed into bits and pieces.
Several men trained in martial arts stomped into the room. After sweeping around, and realizing no one was in, their faces turned dark.
One of the men found the half-eaten apple left behind by Bell, and said, “They just left, Search the place! There must be a secret passage somewhere!”
The men dispersed, checking every inch of the room and knocking the bookshelves over.
After two minutes, six passageways appeared in front of them.
Everyone looked surprised.
No one had expected Bell to be so meticulous as to install six different passages to throw off her pursuers.
Everyone’s gaze turned to the man who was assumed to be the leader, which way do we go?
The leader’s face turned green, he had spent so much effort and time to plan and find this place, never did he think that…..
This woman is so crafty!
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Bell reemerged from the end of the passage. She looked around intently for any signs of danger or suspicious individual. They were safe, for now. From a distance, she could hear a horse carriage approaching. Holding Pi Pa tightly in her arms, Bell quietly slipped into the carriage.
There was no one inside.
Half an hour later, Bell spotted a long-distance carriage stationed at the side of the road. Although it wasn’t luxurious, the box car offered a spacious room for the both of them.
“This carriage will travel towards Mensa Star of the Mensa Constellation. Estimated time of arrival will be 92 hours. Have a safe trip everyone.”
The carriage’s captain voice rang throughout the room.
“It’s a pity that I don’t have my books. I haven’t read most of them yet.” Pi Pa sighed.
“It seems like I was tailed since the very beginning. It was too careless of me.” Bell apologized.
Pi Pa shook her head lightly. “Bell is hardworking and has to brave the dangers. It was me who dragged you down.” Pretending to be calm, she added, “Hee, hee. So where will our new house be now? Mountain Mist Star?”
“Nope.” Bell shook her head again. “It is Three Spirits City.”
“Spirit Region?” Pi Pa sounding surprise. Pi Pa knew that Bell disliked the spirit region.
Bell folded her legs and took a fruit from the table. “Today was a stupid mistake that nearly cost me!” She shouted at herself.
“Ah!” Pi Pa cried out as her face turned pale.
Pi Pa was startled by her sudden outburst. After seeing her in shock, Bell went over to console her “Don’t be startled. Can’t you see I’m alright?”
Pi Pa patted her chest light. “You scared me back there!”
“Anyway, from today onwards, I will have another boss to report to. Though it isn’t something bad, at least I can stop rushing now.” Bell replied.
“How is your boss? Is he a good person?” Pi Pa asked curiously. Pi Pa knew Bell was rebellious. Though there were many solicitations from people, she was never the one who would accept a person easily.
“He is quite generous.” Bell replied while voraciously eating the apple. “Oh, and around the same age as us.”
“Ah! A scion from a wealthy family. “ Pi Pa eyes brightened up. “But Bell, I thought you hated these kind of people?”
“Cough…cough…” Bell coughed so hard that her eyes seemed to be falling out.
“Being a scion isn’t bad.” Pi Pa gave a glance to Bell and rambled on, “Next time Bell can stop drifting from place to place then.”
Only moments after did Bell realized what was being said, “Don’t sputter nonsense!”
“Hee hee. You look so cute just now, Bell!” Pi Pa chuckled.
“Stop making fun of me will you.” Bell said helplessly.
After a while, Bell’s face turned slightly more solemn than before. She pondered. ”Come to think of it, he is the weirdest person I have ever seen. He is around the same age as us and physically strong. I just read the new weekly Immortal Martial News, and he was featured inside of it, saying that he had just formulated a unique martial art technique.”
“Unique…mar…martial art technique?” Pi Pa stammered.
Since young, Pi Pa had been together with Bell, analyzing and processing any new information on martial art techniques. Pi Pa knew what an unparalleled martial art technique was.
“Yeah! The Fire Scythe Ghost Claw was just ranked as a unique martial technique on The Board of Unique skills.” Bell replied.
“What? Fire Scythe Ghost Claw? Isn’t that the martial art the Honorable Martial Group already had? If I remembered correctly, it was formulated by a person known as the Ghost Claw Nong.” Pi Pa exclaimed.
Pi Pa could never forget that this was what Bell admired the most.
“Yes. This is the martial art technique. In the hands of boss, it became a unique martial art technique, NO.199281.“ Bell agreed.
“Though it is last in its place, it is still a unique martial art technique.” Pi Pa praised. “To be able to turn an ordinary martial art technique to a unique martial art technique sure is a feat.”
“Yes! The boss also has a grandmaster machine engineer at his side!” Bell exclaimed.
“Grand…grandmaster engineer!”, Pi Pa was surprised. “Who is the grandmaster? Ah Tu Er? Guan Zhi Mo? Or Ya Fan?
“Nope, it isn’t.” Bell replied as she looked at Pi Pa, who was still in shock. “It is a lady called Sai Lei.”
“Sai Lei? I have never heard of this name before.” Pi Pa shook her head.
“Yes, even I have never heard of it before, but she is definitely not a fake because I have seen her works before. She combined Martial Spirits and Mechanical techniques to create an entirely new mechanical weapon called the Sky Tiger, which is the most powerful mechanical weapon I have ever seen.” Bell stated seriously.
“Wow! She sounds powerful!” Pi Pa replied.
Bell felt helpless. Pi Pa had always viewed grandmasters highly due to their high skills and techniques because she loves to read.
“If you saw boss, you will understand. It is hard to explain how he manages to come out with such a big foundation.” Bell shook her head. “I managed to obtain Golden Star Blood, but it was too late to let you use it. It seems like you will have to wait till we reach Three Spirits City before I can let you use it to see its effects.”
“Ok.” Pi Pa nodded in agreement.
Pi Pa knew the efficacy of Golden Star Blood was of little use to her. She had even told Bell about it. But Bell was stubborn. To Bell, to let Pi Pa use Golden Star Blood was of utmost importance.
This was the result of being dependent on one another and the concern one would show to the other after being together for so long.
Pi Pa gave Bell a warm smile.