Yu Sheng spoke for what felt like a long time. By the time he finished, Little Red Riding Hood wore a thoughtful expression, as if she were deeply weighing the feasibility of his proposal. Snow White, on the other hand, looked confused. Her gaze bounced between the two of them several times until she finally burst out, “What are you talking about? Red, what’s this ‘Star-X Valley’ you mentioned?”
“Oh, that’s just a nickname I made up,” Little Red Riding Hood explained. “It’s actually the Otherworld place called ‘Nightfall Valley.’ I’m sure I told you about the situation there not too long ago.”
Snow White stretched her voice in a long, drawn-out “Oh,” then fell silent. Little Red Riding Hood turned back to Yu Sheng with a serious look. “I think this plan can work. Besides, I trust your Valley more than any other place. But… aren’t we putting too much on you?”
She seemed a bit uneasy. Yet Yu Sheng merely waved a hand with a cheerful grin, as though it was nothing to worry about. “It’s no trouble. My Valley is sitting there unused anyway, and I was thinking of remodeling soon. Actually, I was wondering how to ask the Special Affairs Bureau for more manpower. Now that you’re all coming, it’ll give me a reason to apply. Their budget will cover the costs.”
A faint smile appeared on Little Red Riding Hood’s face. She said no more, for all her gratitude was contained in that smile.
Afterward, they discussed a great many details about the transfer and isolation process. They talked about where the Cursed Children would sleep in the Valley’s temporary camp, whether Council caretakers should move into the Valley with them, how to handle shipments of supplies, and even how to keep the children’s education going. These were practical concerns—so practical that Yu Sheng admitted he hadn’t even thought about some of them, especially the issue of making sure the kids could keep up with their lessons.
Little Red Riding Hood was adamant. “They definitely need classes. We don’t know how long we’ll have to stay in that Valley, and our Orphanage has a rule: even in difficult times, we try to maintain a normal routine. Nobody’s allowed to just muddle through day by day.”
Snow White nodded with a thoughtful expression. “Right. And speaking of not knowing how long we’ll be in the Valley… in the end, isolating ourselves is only a short-term measure. We still have to solve this at its core.”
Yu Sheng snapped out of his own [Huh, never thought about tutoring] musings. He nodded at once. “Exactly. We must find a way to end the Dark Angels and the so-called ‘Fairytale Curse.’ The good news is that, from what we know, the Fairy Tale Otherworld’s ‘curse’ appears to share the same source as Dark Angels Anka Aila. If we eliminate the Dark Angels, the Fairytale influence should stop spreading.”
“Sure, the source is a Dark Angels. We definitely have to stay ‘optimistic,’” Little Red Riding Hood remarked with a sigh. Then she shifted the topic. “Anyway, let’s talk about the next step of the transfer. Once we leave, what happens to the Orphanage?”
Yu Sheng’s expression grew solemn again. They both knew some strange phenomena—like thorny shadows creeping along the walls or black silhouettes of a forest down in the basement—had begun appearing. But they still couldn’t be sure if that odd “invasion” came from the building itself, or from a Cursed Child who might already be chosen as a “vessel.”
“If those spooky shadows were caused by the vessel, then once all the kids are gone, the Orphanage should be safe,” Yu Sheng said, thinking aloud. “But if the Orphanage itself is tainted, that means this place still has some pollution. After all, ‘Fairy Tale’ made its home here for decades. Every building might be steeped in its influence. Who knows what else could be lurking in dark corners?”
“We’ll need to keep a team here to monitor the site,” Little Red Riding Hood agreed. “The Special Affairs Bureau can assign people, and you’ll need to keep an eye out. As for us…”
She trailed off. A hint of sadness clouded her face. After all, she had grown up here. Even though she understood the risk—that the children might already be contaminated—she still felt reluctant to leave the place she called home.
Watching Little Red Riding Hood’s expression, Yu Sheng almost said that the Dark Angels’ descent would take time, so the kids could come back and visit if they missed “home.” But [he decided it was too risky to promise such a thing]. When it came to the Dark Angels, it was better to avoid unnecessary danger. After all, not everyone was willing to treat life as cheaply as he sometimes did.
It was time to get moving. They had to pack up the entire “Fairy Tale” organization and relocate to his Valley for protection.
After returning home from the Orphanage, Yu Sheng immediately called Director Bai Li Qing.
“They picked the second proposal,” he reported, seated on his living room couch. A notebook lay open on his knee, and he scribbled a list of supply requests and other details. “I’m writing down all the practical stuff we discussed. I’ll bring it straight to your office when I’m done.”
“Understood,” Bai Li Qing said calmly on the other end. A moment passed in silence. Then her voice came again. “They agreed that easily, did they?”
“…I guess that was within your expectations?”
“Special Affairs Bureau has worked with ‘Fairy Tale’ for years, so I know those children fairly well,” she replied in her usual cool tone. “Sometimes, they’re more reliable and efficient than some official Spirit Realm Detective groups. They often don’t notice it themselves, but it’s true.”
“So my worries were pointless, huh?”
There was another brief pause. Then Bai Li Qing continued in a mild voice. “Pointless fretting is part of being an adult. Perhaps they feel safe with you because you do care about those details. No matter how you look at it, the Cursed Children trust you. Once they move into your Valley, you’ll be the biggest ‘Guardian’ they have.”
“I understand,” Yu Sheng said soberly.
“Don’t betray that trust.”
“Good. After you bring me your notes, remember: I already have the first batch of supplies ready and the staff on standby. Just let me know when to send them.”
Yu Sheng glanced at the clock on the wall. “I’ll call you soon. First, I need to head over and ‘get things ready’ in the Valley. I have to clear out some space so they can settle in. It won’t take long.”
“All right. I’ll wait for your word.”
About ten minutes later, Yu Sheng, Irene, and Foxy stepped out of the fixed Teleportation Door in his basement and arrived on the “control platform” in the heart of the Valley.
That door in the basement stayed active and stable, so it didn’t cause the shockwave that his usual opened Gates did. It also meant he didn’t have to notify the Special Affairs Bureau every single time. At home, they all liked using it—especially Foxy, who often slipped through that door to feed the chickens out in the Valley.
Yu Sheng gazed around the platform and decided on the open ground near the surrounding woods as the best place for a temporary camp. After a long period of “recovery,” most of the damage left by the Hunger Entity was healed. The land was level again, and lush greenery covered the distance, with a small forest sprouting nearby. It was certainly nicer than the rocky land next to the mountains. Also, a channel of fresh water flowed along the edge of this open field, which could serve as a perfect water source.
Under Yu Sheng’s control, the soil began to shift and ripple, as if the ground itself were alive. Soon, a level surface emerged where temporary housing would stand. Nearby, a small raised platform grew solid enough to hold a generator, and a pit formed to host a water pump. A winding path marked the path of the water channel.
Standing at the edge of the newly revealed clearing, Yu Sheng half-closed his eyes. He sank his consciousness into the terrain. Like moving his own limbs, he molded the Valley according to a mental blueprint he had discussed with the Special Affairs Bureau.
Beside him, Irene and Foxy watched with wide-eyed fascination. Irene murmured, “I’ve read how people can watch a construction site for hours just to see an excavator dig dirt. Seeing this is even more mesmerizing. I could stand here all day…”
Foxy nodded eagerly. “Benefactor is truly gifted as a ‘Civil Engineering Immortal’…”
Irene shook her head. “You do realize your ‘Benefactor’ doesn’t enjoy that title, right?”
Foxy looked baffled. “Why not?”
She merely sighed. “Ugh, you wouldn’t understand even if I explained.”
Yu Sheng heard their banter but didn’t mind. Suddenly, he spoke up. “[I wonder if I should just skip the Bureau’s prefab cabins and let the Valley itself ‘grow’ all the houses.]”
He had barely finished his sentence when Irene cut him off. “Stop right there with that crazy idea!”
“Why?” he asked, honestly puzzled.
Irene folded her arms across her chest. “Those kids already have it rough, getting uprooted from their Orphanage. How would you feel if they end up living in a place that looks like it grew from the ground? If it ends up feeling like… a giant outdoor latrine, won’t that be awful?”
Yu Sheng found himself speechless. “…Okay, maybe we’ll do it the normal way.”
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation