Foxy drifted into slumber almost instantly. Just moments before, she had been chatting eagerly with Yu Sheng, her eyes alight with curiosity and anticipation. It seemed the excitement of a new environment might keep her awake, but in the blink of an eye, the only sound filling the room was her soft, steady breathing.
Irene sat at the edge of Foxy’s bed, watching the slumbering fox spirit.
“She really can fall asleep in a heartbeat,” Irene whispered. “She’s already dreaming. Looks peaceful enough.”
“She probably hasn’t had a good night’s sleep in a long time,” Yu Sheng replied, instinctively lowering his voice. “I was worried she might not sleep well here. After all, it’s a sudden change of scenery, and where she was before didn’t even have a proper bed.”
Standing up, Irene walked over to adjust Foxy’s blanket. “She must feel safe here,” she said thoughtfully. “She told me foxes have impeccable instincts…”
Before she could finish, Foxy rolled over in her sleep. In a blur, the tails that the fox girl had tucked away before bed suddenly burst out with a whoosh. Irene, bent over to fix the blanket, yelped as she was catapulted backward by the fluffy onslaught, smacking into the wall along with her sketchbook.
“Whoa!” Yu Sheng exclaimed. He dashed over to where Irene was sliding down the wall and scooped her up. As soon as he did, the doll began a tirade of colorful language.
Meanwhile, Foxy remained fast asleep. She mumbled something incoherent, then shifted into a more comfortable position. Hugging two of her tails like a plush toy, she let the rest envelop her, replacing the blanket that had been flung aside. In mere seconds, she had curled herself into a fluffy fox ball.
“That blasted tail monster!” Irene fumed, clinging to Yu Sheng’s arm. “I was just trying to help her, and she—ugh! You know what? Don’t bother buying her a blanket tomorrow. Clearly, she doesn’t need one!”
“Does a bruised ego count?” she huffed, climbing up to perch on his shoulder. “If I still had my original body, I wouldn’t have to put up with this nonsense. You have no idea how powerful I used to be. I was… Well, I was amazing!”
“Sure, sure, you’re amazing. I believe you,” Yu Sheng said, humoring her as he carried her back to his room.
Surprisingly, Irene didn’t snap back at his teasing. Noticing her uncharacteristic silence, Yu Sheng glanced at her. She was staring off, deep in thought.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked.
“I’m thinking about how you want Foxy to help you fight,” Irene said seriously. “It seems you’ve decided to keep dealing with the Otherworld from now on. Not just getting caught up in incidents, but actively seeking them out?”
Yu Sheng didn’t answer immediately. His silence spoke volumes.
“Why?” Irene pressed. “You’ve already rescued Foxy. There’s no real reason to dive back into trouble. Sure, people who’ve encountered the Otherworld are more likely to run into it again, but you could choose to work with the Special Affairs Bureau. They could teach you techniques to avoid the Otherworld. Many people do that and live safely for years. At least, it’s more stable than being a spirit detective or an investigator.”
Yu Sheng pondered for a moment, then looked at her with a hint of mischief. “What if I said it’s because I’m curious? The peculiarities of the Otherworld intrigue me. Maybe I’m just looking for a bit of excitement.”
Irene immediately tugged at his hair. “Are you serious? You’re not messing with me, are you?”
“Okay, okay! Partially serious,” he admitted, gently pulling her hands away from his hair.
She eyed him skeptically.
“Curiosity is part of it, I won’t lie,” Yu Sheng said, his expression turning earnest. “Do you remember that night when we opened door after door? The sights we saw beyond them—do you remember?”
“…I do,” she replied softly.
“I remember them vividly,” he continued. “So many distant places. We even talked seriously about that glowing mountain. Irene, don’t you want to see them? The city floating in the sky, the birds soaring over the canyon…”
“And the tied up senior brother hanging from the rafters,” she added with a smirk.
He chuckled. “Yes, and him too. Whether those places are somewhere far away or part of the Otherworld, I’m genuinely drawn to them. I’ve opened so many doors, and I can open them again anytime. Knowing there’s such a vast world beyond our city, could I really just stay here and live a ‘stable life’ like you said?”
He took a deep breath. “As long as I keep opening doors, I’ll keep encountering those wonders. And that door has already been opened.”
“I guess that makes sense,” Irene conceded, thoughtfully smoothing his hair back into place. “If I were you, I’d probably be even more reckless.”
She paused, then asked, “What’s the other part of your reason?”
Yu Sheng hesitated, his eyes distant as memories surfaced.
He recalled the sunlight filtering through old alleyways, the rosy sky, clouds drifting like rivers—a small seaside town that felt both familiar and dear. ꭆΑNȯ𝔟ËŠ
“There’s a place I want to find,” he said quietly.
He felt her tiny hands still.
“I have a feeling…” Irene leaned down, her crimson eyes searching his face. “You’re planning to go somewhere, and you don’t intend to come back, do you?”
He met her gaze, a hint of guilt creeping in. “…I just want to find that place, to see it. I’ll come back.”
“Promise?” she asked, skepticism evident in her voice.
“Promise,” Yu Sheng nodded firmly. He paused, then repeated more earnestly, “I promise.”
She studied him for a moment. “You seem sincere,” she finally said, tilting her head. “Alright, I’ll believe you—for now. Not that I could stop you anyway. You’re the one who can open doors… But enough about that. Since you’ve decided to deal with all this chaos, have you thought about how to start? Are you going to be a spirit detective? Take on cases that might involve the Otherworld? Or become an independent investigator, poking around for clues in every nook and cranny? Or maybe… randomly open doors every day and jump through them blindly?”
“Let’s skip that last one,” Yu Sheng laughed, waving his hand. “I’m not afraid of danger, but I’m not that reckless. If I stumble upon something I can’t handle and can’t escape from, that’d be the end of me.”
“Fair enough. Glad to see you haven’t lost all sense,” Irene grinned. “So, spirit detective or investigator? Detectives usually take on cases—steady work but with some restrictions. Investigators rely on toughness and guts—freedom of action but often facing big ‘surprises.'”
Yu Sheng thought for a moment. “What about Little Red Riding Hood? Which is she?”
“Definitely a spirit detective,” Irene replied. “She takes outsourced jobs from the Special Affairs Bureau, and she’s a student working part-time. But she mentioned she’s part of some organization called ‘Fairy Tale’ or something.”
“An organization, huh?” Yu Sheng mused. “Do groups like that need to register officially?”
“Probably?” Irene shrugged. “How should I know? I’ve forgotten most of that stuff. But I’d assume so. With the Special Affairs Bureau overseeing things, gathering a bunch of skilled Otherworld professionals without registering might be considered an ‘energetic but illegal social group.'”
She paused, then eyed him suspiciously. “Wait, are you thinking of starting your own organization? There’s just the three of us right now, and Foxy doesn’t even have an ID card—not that I do either. So basically, you’re the only one here who officially counts as a person?”
“Seems that way,” he admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Oh man, where am I going to get Foxy an ID card?”
“Maybe ask the Special Affairs Bureau next time they contact you?” Irene suggested. “They might help with something like that.”
“Are they even the right department for that?”
“True,” Yu Sheng conceded.
He ruffled his hair, only to realize another concern. “Wait a minute, Irene, are you planning to stay in my room tonight?”
“Obviously! My room is super creepy!”
“Says the creepiest one here. Go back to your own room!”
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation