“The Oceanic Phoenix Dung has already been delivered to the Jacks with dramatic effect flying from the sky.” The System stated and Jin pity the Jacks.
“Please tell me you didnt just flung dung into their backyard.” Jin said with some awkwardness.
“Negative. the dung that can be used to accelerate the growth of the Living Armour is extremely valuable. It had been secured properly before sending the reward to them. According to their expertise it will not be long until they fully grow.” The System replied which gave Jin an ease of mind.
“Your Secondary Optional Objective of reaching general sales to 5000 people by the end of November is still in progression, though System estimates User’s completion with a 93.6% certainty. As for the Partnership Mission, it has been completed beyond the System’s expectations. Transferring Pei and Kiyu into the possession of Original System Bellator Kraft.” The System stated once more and a large box magically flew from the ceiling and into the bathtub, causing a big splash that pushed all the foxes out of the tub since they could not hold on to the sides of the tub.
Jin and the others slowly waddled near the box while the System replenished the hot spring water and it revealed two shiny bullets in the crate. The bullets vibrated for a moment before flying onto Kraft’s hand. “What? I thought only one fox would be released? … System what are you playing at?” Kraft was slightly confused by the System’s rewards and then it struck Jin.
“Oh…I did ask the System to grant me the ability to defy psionic abilities so that the System could not read my mind…perhaps one of your released foxes is able to do that?” Jin asked as he went towards to Kraft while holding on his small towel to have a look at the bullets. They were crafted with an intricate design as if the bullets were meant to be an ornament, rather than used in battle.
Kraft thought about Jin’s reply and nodded before a rare smile surfaced on his face. He seemed to insert some energy into the bullets causing one royal purple fox and one pure pink fox out from his hand. The pink fox looked at Kraft for a while before turning her head towards Jin.
“Are you the new master?” Pei, the pink fox, spoke into Jin’s mind, which surprised him but he replied with a nod to keep his cool.
“Brilliant. Keep me away from that disgusting devilman.” The fox gracefully walked on water as if she was a celestial being. The other foxes who already gave way by being out of the tub, allowed Pei to gently lie on Jin’s lap when he sat down while she kept ignoring Kraft the whole time. Meanwhile, Kiyu was elated upon seeing Kraft and was extremely jumpy, causing a lot of splashes within the tub.
“This is a nice surprise. I thought Jin would need to convince her somehow to share her powers with him. But to think, that she would so easily accept anyone over me. Seriously just how much does she hate me…” Kraft had his mind occupied by Pei even though Kiyu was another one of the three foxes, who had been sealed and was now creating some havoc to get his attention. After Kiyu saw that Kraft seemed to be in a world of his own, she jumped onto his head and pounced on it. She did not stop until he carefully hugged her and whispered into her ear: “See, I did promise you guys, that I would get you back. I am sorry, that it took me so long…”
Zeru who was at the sideline patted Tsu and Kai while Pei became the attention for Jin. Kraft’s attention had also fully shifted to his freed fox. Jin felt a sort of tranquil peace that he had not felt for a very long time the moment Pei rested herself onto his lap. In response, he slowly stroked Pei’s fur. This made her also start to feel a sort of bond towards him. For some unknown reason, she felt as if she had found some long lost relative, even though she had never even seen him before.
“Come to think of it…if I remember correctly, Pei could be considered a distant Panda Clan member. She should have married into the clan at one point. She passed on and was turned into a Bellator at the request of the System. Could it be those two are somehow related?” Kraft thought to himself as he unknowingly let Kiyu bite his fingers.
“Maybe that’s why she feels so comfortable being with Jin? Too bad her soul was so badly damaged from the coup d’état on Zhou Lin.” Kraft having noticed their somewhat intimate interaction thought to himself.
Suddenly an idea appeared in his mind. If the System could resurrect that certain bastard, could it maybe help these damaged souls… Perhaps Jin could revive all of his foxes into proper bellators if the black sludge research went well. But even if it was possible, would that really be what his former comrades would wish for…
“I guess I should keep this as an idea for now.” Kraft smiled as he began to leave the hot spring tub along with Zeru. The foxes stayed for a while to relax a bit more. Usually they had to stay inside their bullets, so this was a rare opportunity to stretch their legs, before they returned to Kraft’s side with the exception of Pei.
———–
“Boss, we did receive the dung and boy it is massive!” Gold, the leader of Jacks sent a text and picture to Jin which caused him to laugh as he was browsing his phone a little in the tub. (All hail waterproofed Zamzung phones although technically it had been modified by the system.)
“Yea, the living armour plants…That is definitely one thing I have to explore urgently. If not for that piece of living armour, who saved my ass against the dantian poison corruption, I would not be here taking a bath so casually.” Jin thought to himself as he began to walk out of the tub.
As he was taking a shower to clean off the herbal medicinal bath he was in, he realised someone else was still around. “Is this another one of Kraft’s illusions…?” Jin bitterly laughed at himself as he saw a naked teenage girl with a fluffy pink tail showering herself. Her body was petite, and her long neon pink hair was slightly curled at the edges.
“Hmm?” For some reason, Pei who had been a fox just minutes ago suddenly became a fox girl and was not afraid of Jin at all.
“Sorry… I didn’t mean to stare. It’s just the first time I saw erm one of Kraft’s foxes turn into a humanoid form.” Jin mumbled an apology as he quickly turned his head around and continued to wash his hair. He had been totally oblivious to the fact that Kraft had any female foxes in his skulk.
“Relax. Even though I have just been released, I am not that desperate to go for you. Besides, I had a husband before. Even though my memories of him are somewhat hazy, my love for him will never cease.” Pei said as she continued to wash her hair and subsequently her tail in peace.
“System had decided to test out the results of the Black Sludge with ex-Bellator Pei, now known as Fox Bullet Pei. She has agreed to participate in the experiment as a method to try and break out of Kraft’s fox bullet form, even though it constitutes a risk of her soul being corrupted while outside the protective formation of the bullet.” The System noted and it had already caught on Kraft’s idea on using the black sludge soul research.
“So could you tell me a bit more about that guy? What is this Zhou Lin made out of that he was powerful enough to destroy nine bellators?” Jin asked casually. He only blinked before he found himself at the mercy of Pei’s claws aiming at his carotid artery.
“Never ever speak of his name so lightly. He is a monster equivalent or maybe worse than the Banned Emperor. All he cared about was power. Fucking hypocrites… to think that we were crazy enough to all worship him as the Saviour of the Panda Clan when he was resurrected.” Pei released her claws and walked back to her showering area.
“So… You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” Jin tried to calm the tense situation between Pei and him, but all he heard was a sneer. He started to guess, why exactly those three could have been deemed ‘troublemaker’ if this was the way they interacted. Though it was probably his own fault speaking of such a forbidden topic in front of her.
“The System will admit that it has erred by using a tabooed high quality soul to resurrect Zhou Lin. Please accept the apologies from the System. Therefore it was decided to use its results from the Black Sludge Soul research to compensate for your loss. System hopes to have an amicable relationship between System, the User and bellators.” The System replied to Pei who kept her silence.
However, Jin could clearly feel the aura of death emitting from her and decided to quickly wash up before exiting the terrace house. Shortly after, Pei turned back into her fox form, but now it became as small as the digital pets that Jin’s customers had following them around.
“Well guess, I can always claim that this an exclusive pet of mine, even though it seems strange seeing me with anything but a Panda…” Jin thought out loud as he went out of the house. Listening to him Pei simply changed her form into a blessing bracelet with pinkish orbs right beside the tattered storage watch he was wearing.
“Wow…to think you can do more than just change your size and appearance. Thank you for changing your form just to suit my everyday life. So I guess this means you are fulfilling your duty of protecting me wherever I go.” Jin laughed as he could feel the bracelet suddenly glow, perhaps a response to his words.
“I will not let another Panda Clan Member fall for the System’s stupid tricks. No one should ever be dumb enough to resurrect Zhou Lin ever again.” Pei told him in his mind before she kept quiet for a long time. Jin felt that the System, Kraft and Pei were not precisely speaking their mind about this whole Zhou Lin issue. Unfortunately, it would be impossible to ask them about it, without risking any serious harm to himself.
“No matter how I see it, the Panda Clan just has too many skeletons in its closet. Since they aren’t willing to share any of it, I shall not care about anything and continue with my business. As long as I don’t accept the resurrection all should be fine.” Jin tried to think positively as he reached his shop.
