Chapter 98: Encountering Him

Chen slipped out of the main thoroughfare, his steps quick and silent as he ducked into a quiet, deserted alleyway. He pressed himself against the cool stone wall, the lingering hum of the city fading into a distant murmur. After a careful scan of his surroundings confirmed he was truly alone, a command flickered through his mind.

A soft, warm light radiated from his body, casting dancing shadows against the grimy brickwork. His figure rapidly shrank, the fabric of his clothes shimmering and reshaping itself into a pair of small shorts and a well-worn coat. The dark strands of his hair blazed into a striking, sunny blonde.

Now in Hook’s form, Chen looked down at his small, dirt-smudged palms and gave a couple of experimental hops. He could feel it instantly—a boundless well of youthful energy, a tiny frame thrumming with the need to run, jump, and cause a little chaos. It was a body that felt like it had an inexhaustible supply of strength.

“Hehe, Lord Hook, making a grand entrance!” he chirped, deliberately lowering his voice to imitate the proud yet mischievous tone of the real Hook from his memories. The novelty of it was exhilarating.

‘A child’s body is perfect for this,’ he thought, a grin spreading across his face. ‘Easy to move in, and it doesn’t arouse suspicion. How incredibly useful!’

He stretched his new limbs, getting a feel for the body’s unique strength and sense of balance. With his destination locked in his mind—the bustling vicinity of the Exalting Sanctum—he plotted his course. The flow of people there was dense, and information circulated like currency, making it the perfect place for gathering news and engineering a few “chance” encounters.

“Go, go, let’s set off!” he declared to his audience of one, providing his own sound effects as he strode forward on his short legs.

Like a small golden whirlwind, he burst from the alley’s mouth and blended into the sparse evening crowds of the Luofu.

Hook’s diminutive size was a massive advantage, allowing him to weave flexibly through the forest of adult legs. He occasionally bumped into pedestrians, earning a few kind-hearted scoldings or helpless shakes of the head. He paid them no mind; in fact, it only added to the realism of his naughty-child persona. As he ran, his large, curious eyes darted everywhere, comparing the magnificent Xianzhou streetscapes to the game map etched into his memory.

He had just scampered across an elegant arched bridge and was about to turn into an alleyway glowing with the warm light of countless lanterns—a place that screamed “snack street”—when it happened.

“Ouch!”

A small figure suddenly rushed out from the opposite direction, moving at a considerable speed. The two collided solidly. The impact sent Chen tumbling onto his bottom with a soft thump. Fortunately, cushioned by his new form’s resilience, it didn’t hurt.

He looked up, blinking, and saw that the person who had crashed into him was also a child. This boy was slightly taller than his current form, dressed in fine clothes embroidered with faint, elegant cloud patterns. Peeking out from between soft tufts of white-purple hair was a pair of small, exquisite dragon horns. His face was as delicate as carved jade, and at this moment, he was clutching his forehead, his expression a mixture of panic and apology.

“S-sorry! Are you okay? I didn’t mean to! I was running too fast…” the child stammered, his words tumbling out in a rush.

Bailu!

Chen’s eyes instantly widened. The gender might have been swapped to a young boy, but those dragon horns… that gentle, flustered temperament… those distinct features… it was definitely Bailu, no doubt about it! The little Dragon Lord of the Vidyadhara, the future five-star healer!

What made his heart pound even harder was what had happened in the instant they collided, the moment their skin made contact.

Deep within his consciousness, a triumphant chime echoed. A brand-new, brilliant golden icon blazed into existence!

[Bailu: Unlocked]

Five-star! It’s a direct five-star unlock!

Chen was momentarily stunned. He’d never had such a simple, straightforward unlocking process before. A head-on collision was all it took?

But… what a profit! This was an absolute, unmitigated win!

While his inner thoughts were a raging storm of elation, his face quickly switched back to the expression Hook ought to have. He rubbed his bottom, which didn’t actually hurt in the slightest, and pushed himself up from the ground. Planting his hands firmly on his hips, he tilted his small head up, doing his best to muster a proud and slightly offended look of dissatisfaction.

“Hmph! Lord Hook is fine, of course! A mere collision is nothing!” he declared, deliberately raising his voice in a perfect imitation of Hook’s tone. “But! You bumped into me and made me fall! You…”

He paused for dramatic effect, sizing up the nervous-looking young Bailu before him. A hint of cunning flashed in his eyes.

“…You must compensate Lord Hook!”

Bailu froze for a moment, clearly not expecting the other party to demand compensation. He blinked, his wide, clear eyes taking in the aggressive little blonde girl in front of him. He glanced down at his own empty pockets; having snuck out, he hadn’t brought a single coin. A blush of embarrassment crept up his small face.

“C-compensation? I… I didn’t bring any money… and, I didn’t do it on purpose…” His voice grew quieter and quieter as he spoke, and he looked utterly at a loss.

As the Vidyadhara Dragon Lord, his status was noble, but he had been restricted within the confines of the Alchemy Commission his entire life. His experience with the outside world—especially in handling childhood disputes like this—was practically zero.

Looking at his helpless, flustered appearance, Chen almost couldn’t hold back a laugh. He suppressed his amusement with a heroic effort and waved a dismissive hand.

“Fine, fine! Since you’ve apologized so sincerely, Lord Hook is magnanimous and won’t hold the compensation against you!”

Hearing this, Bailu visibly sagged with relief. A grateful and slightly sheepish smile bloomed on his face. “Thank you! You’re so kind! My name is Bailu, what’s yours?”

“Hook! Remember this name, for I am the great adventurer who will one day shake the universe!” Chen puffed out his small chest, boasting without a hint of a blush.

“Hook…” Bailu whispered the name, committing it to memory. He nodded, then asked with genuine curiosity, “Are you running around here alone? Where is your family? The Luofu hasn’t been very peaceful lately; it’s dangerous to run around by yourself.”

“Hmph, Lord Hook isn’t afraid of danger!” Chen retorted, seizing the opportunity to fish for information. “What about you, Bailu? What are you doing running out all alone? And in such a hurry? Could it be… you snuck out?”

Bailu’s small face instantly turned bright red. His eyes darted around nervously as he stammered, “I-I did not… I just… wanted to come out and find something good to eat… The food at the Alchemy Commission… is the same every day…” His voice trailed off into a weak mumble, his complete inability to lie on full display.

Chen understood perfectly. It seemed the gender swap hadn’t changed Bailu’s fundamental nature or his longing for a little freedom.

“Is that so?” Chen tilted his head with feigned innocence. He pointed a small finger in the direction behind Bailu and raised his voice. “Then those uncles and aunties running over there in such a hurry… they aren’t coming for you?”

“Ah?!”

Bailu whipped his head around in a panic. Sure enough, just around a street corner not far away, several adults in the distinct uniforms of the Alchemy Commission were looking around anxiously, their heads swiveling back and forth as if searching for something—or someone—very important.

[Elysian’s Note:

Having a good time with the story?

Every single bit helps immensely:

Thanks a ton for making this journey possible!]