Chapter 1 A Trip That Just Happened

This was a trip that just happened!

The fear that something might change if they waited too long gave Jiang Xiao a perfect excuse.

Photos of Jiang Xiao and Han Jiangxue waiting in the airport departure lounge once again circulated in the news media, even trending on Weibo.

Jiang Xiao was now quite the traffic idol, with even trivial matters making the trending searches.

Jiang Xiao wondered if he had even paid for the trending searches. Did these media outlets have nothing more serious to report?

Wasn't the last time he trended just yesterday? The topic then was "Jiu Xing Du Nai king blocked in high-speed rail toilet."

...

The two world-class Star Warriors arrived in Sichuan Province on time at six in the afternoon.

The plane slowly landed at Shuangliu Airport. The siblings really didn't dare take the airport bus. There was no way around it; with these faces, they would easily attract a crowd.

Jiang Xiao could throw Han Jiangxue into the Grave of the Fallen Shadows, then disguise himself. This would be a perfect disguise, and would even save the price of a plane ticket.

However, Jiang Xiao would have to get fake identification in advance, and risk being discovered.

Jiang Xiao wasn't worried about his disguise Star Technique being seen through. After all, his disguise was of extremely high quality. The problem was that Jiang Xiao and Han Jiangxue's movements were on record with the Star Warriors of the capital and the pioneers.

Including Jiang Xiao's return to the capital from Central Province the day before yesterday. The Night Watch also had a record of it. Jiang Xiao didn't know who else was paying attention to him, so taking such a risk was unnecessary.

The siblings weren't going to do anything bad. There was no need for it.

In a word: he could, but there was no need.

The siblings took a taxi towards Wuhou District. There were so many fun places to visit both inside and outside Chengdu. Jiang Xiao wondered if he should take a stroll here after completing this mission?

It was just that this rain was a bit annoying. The pattering rain made Jiang Xiao want to cry, and he really wanted to join in...

Alright, it used to be that rain only came when Jiang Xiao cried. Now, when it rained, Jiang Xiao began to miss the days of his own tears.

Under the driver's enthusiastic introduction, Jiang Xiao noted some places to eat and play, and the taxi slowly stopped in front of a large building plaza.

Jiang Xiao, carrying his backpack, and Han Jiangxue, cradling Black and White Candle, were both drenched in the light rain, filled with confusion.

Even now, they still didn't quite understand what kind of address Principal Yang had given them. The person the siblings were looking for actually ran a hotel?

In front of the siblings was a 33-story building, but the hotel was on the 22nd floor. They didn't know what the other floors were for, making Jiang Xiao a little confused.

Jiang Xiao wasn't confused by the hotel's location, but by the manner of meeting, which always made him feel like a secret rendezvous?

Black and White Candle's reaction was quite interesting. It wasn't afraid of the rain. Instead, it wanted to break free of Han Jiangxue's arms and play in the puddles in front...

Jiang Xiao and Han Jiangxue jogged into the building, called an elevator, and waited patiently.

This was a tourist hotspot, full of tourists all year round. When the siblings entered the elevator, a fashionable backpacking couple also rushed in. The couple put down their packages, paused for a moment, and then the girl let out an almost violated scream: "Jiang Xiaopi!!!"

Jiang Xiao couldn't help covering his ears. Fortunately, the boy called out "Han Jiangxue," and the girl stopped her assault on Jiang Xiao, immediately turning to violently attack the boy.

This barrage continued until Jiang Xiao and Han Jiangxue walked out of the elevator, and the girl was still frantically scolding the boy: "How could you call out the name of another girl in front of me!"

The boy weakly said, "But... but didn't you call out Jiang Xiaopi too?"

The girl shouted, "I'm just a simple fan. Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. Men are no good."

Boy: "Including Jiang Xiaopi?"

Girl: "Including Jiang Xiaopi!"

Jiang Xiao grinned, looked at the slowly closing elevator door, and then was dragged away by Han Jiangxue.

Jiang Xiao looked at the door number, turned left, and walked straight ahead. The further he walked, the warmer it became. There were many decorations in the corridor, and the lights were softer, which was very different from the decoration of normal office buildings.

"Knock knock knock." Jiang Xiao came to an open doorway and saw a bar and rocking chair inside. Jiang Xiao knocked on the door, "Ms. Xie Jinyan?"

"Oh! Xiaopi!" A head popped out from behind the bar. Then, Jiang Xiao saw a pair of smiling eyes curved like crescent moons, "You're here so soon."

Jiang Xiao always felt that there was something wrong with his name. Not only was it naturally funny, but people always felt very familiar when they called his name.

Perhaps it was because Jiang Xiao was mischievous, and he had achieved some success. Most people across the country knew him, and his popularity with passersby was really good, with a kind of nationwide fan base.

For example, this thirty-something landlady called him Xiaopi this and Xiaopi that, so enthusiastically, with an uncontrollable fondness in her words that Jiang Xiao was a little embarrassed.

Xie Jinyan scratched her short black hair, glanced at the computer screen, seeming to be thinking about something, while asking, "Are you planning to go now, or rest for a night and go to the bamboo forest tomorrow?"

Han Jiangxue sat in the rocking chair, curiously looking at the landlady.

Jiang Xiao was also stunned. Were the people of Chengdu so awesome?

Could an ordinary hotel landlady in slippers arrange for the siblings to enter the bamboo forest?

Yang Chensan, oh Yang Chensan, you're a vice-principal, and a vice-principal of the Star Warriors of the capital! Look at the strength of this landlady!

Xie Jinyan looked down, clicked the mouse, and played another mahjong tile, because Jiang Xiao clearly heard the sound of "nine of bamboos" from the earphones on the bar.

Jiang Xiao couldn't help but grin.

Xie Jinyan finally finished playing mahjong, raised her head, and looked at the siblings with a smile. Her eyes finally fell on Black and White Candle. The more she looked, the more she liked it. Her attitude was excellent: "My husband specifically told me that when you two arrive, you can call him directly. If you want to go to the bamboo forest, he has to come and pick you up in person, otherwise you won't be able to get in."

"Oh, oh." Jiang Xiao nodded. Was this landlady's Mandarin so pure?

While thinking, Jiang Xiao turned to look at Han Jiangxue.

Han Jiangxue, holding Black and White Candle, said, "Although it's late, but... if it's not too much trouble, let's go now, shall we?"

"No problem." Xie Jinyan picked up the phone, dialed directly, and took out a room card from the drawer, swiping it on the disk.

She held the phone between her ear and shoulder and handed the room card to Jiang Xiao, "Turn left, go straight, last room, put your things down first and wash up. It'll take him more than an hour to come pick you up."

Jiang Xiao: "..."

Everything arranged so clearly!

Jiang Xiao finally knew how valuable his face was. No ID card or Star Warrior identification needed, and they just gave him a room.

Jiang Xiao looked at Han Jiangxue, shrugged his shoulders, turned around, walked out of the room, went all the way to the end of the corridor, swiped the card to open the door, and it was a different world inside.

It was actually a family room, with one large bed and one small bed, a washing machine, a kitchen counter, and a bathroom, all fully equipped.

"You go first." Jiang Xiao said casually.

Han Jiangxue also waved her hand casually, and the space shattered. She took out a suitcase from inside, put Black and White Candle on the table, and rummaged for clothes.

They were indeed wet from the rain, so she should take a bath and change her clothes...

Han Jiangxue took her clothes and walked into the bathroom. Black and White Candle also trotted in after her, making Jiang Xiao envious~

Jiang Xiao came to the window. The view here was very good. Looking out, there were thousands of lights and tall buildings.

Jiang Xiao leaned out and looked down. The streets below were full of traffic. He could even see...

That should be a restaurant?

Jiang Xiao thought to himself, the more he thought about it, the hungrier he became...

Two hours later, the siblings were ready. They had changed into dry clothes and were playing with their phones when a knock came at the door.

"Knock~ knock~ knock~"

Jiang Xiao turned over and got out of the small bed, ran to open the door, and saw a gentle and refined middle-aged man, fair and clean, with rimless glasses, quite the scholar.

The man looked at Jiang Xiaopi, smiled, and extended his hand, "Hello, I'm Fang Hui, responsible for taking you into the bamboo forest."

"Hello, hello, thank you for your trouble." Jiang Xiao said quickly.

Han Jiangxue walked over holding Black and White Candle and said, "Shall we set off now?"

Fang Hui nodded and said, "Of course, you... this is?"

Fang Hui stared blankly at Black and White Candle, and said in surprise, "So this Black and White Candle is yours? Not the Night Watch's?"

Jiang Xiao: "What?"

Fang Hui looked at Jiang Xiao, "A while ago, the Northwest Star Beast Research Institute updated the Star Beast database and posted some interesting Star Beast data: a mutated form of the Crimson Gold Candle."

Jiang Xiao scratched his head and said, "Ah, haha, yes, I only got this little guy back a while ago. They wanted to study it, and I couldn't refuse. Fortunately, they gave it back to me. I am indeed a member of the Night Watch."

Fang Hui wasn't interested in whether Jiang Xiao was a member of the Night Watch. He looked up and down at Black and White Candle, and said hesitantly, "May I..."

Han Jiangxue held Black and White Candle, stepped forward, handed it over, and said, "It's very shy, don't scare it."

Fang Hui patted Black and White Candle's bouncy body and sighed softly, "Sure enough, it's cool and refreshing, so interesting."

"Mmm." Black and White Candle shrank into a ball, although it was already a ball...

Jiang Xiao tentatively asked, "Shall we go?"

"Ah? Ah! Let's go." Fang Hui handed Black and White Candle back to Han Jiangxue apologetically, his eyes full of reluctance, and led the siblings out.

When passing by the office, Fang Hui said something in the local dialect. Xie Jinyan, wearing a headset, poked her head out from behind the bar and waved at the siblings with a smile.

Jiang Xiao also gestured at the room card and said, "We'll take that room. We've left our things inside. We'll play here for a few days when we get back."

Who would have thought that Xie Jinyan seemed to have heard something in the headset, immediately buried her head, and stared intently at the computer, completely ignoring Jiang Xiao...

...

The siblings got into a Geely Emgrand. Jiang Xiao then belatedly realized that this guy didn't seem to be a military man?

Through their conversation along the way, Jiang Xiao learned that Fang Hui was a staff member of the Southwest Star Beast Research Institute, and Chengdu was the headquarters of the entire Southwest region's Star Beast Research Institute.

Because the properties of the bamboo forest's other dimension were quite special, there were troops stationed there, but most of them were guarding the military camp outside.

Unlike all the other dimensions Jiang Xiao had been to, there weren't many soldiers stationed inside the bamboo forest's other dimension, but there was heavy guard on Earth.

It was obvious that the focus of guarding the bamboo forest's dimensional space was definitely not inside the space...

Along the way, Fang Hui even joked that the bamboo forest's guard army and the Night Watch should be the most comfortable and relaxed corps in the entire Xia.

The climate was pleasant, the sun was warm, the breeze was gentle, a sea of bamboo. That other dimension had been open for two full years, and the number of fights that had occurred inside could be counted on one hand...

The atmosphere was incredibly harmonious!

If the soldiers in the other dimension didn't have extremely strong self-control and train hard every day, it was estimated that they could become a happy, fat, otaku army after staying in the bamboo forest for two or three years...