The King of Black Fog

"There's an old saying that fits perfectly here—'Success or failure does not define a hero.' Whether we succeed or fail, our 'Ability' will grow."

"Success or failure does not define a hero." Li Changzhou felt a sense of sudden enlightenment, and a plethora of ideas quickly filled his mind.

"What about me?" Li Qianxia asked. "I don't think continuously staying in the factory making shoe pads will improve my 'Ability'."

Yang Qinglan laughed again.

"You're laughing at me!"

"No." Yang Qinglan composed herself.

Li Qianxia felt that the current Lanlan resembled her older brother quite well in the appearance of a couple.

"If you really have nothing to do, you can follow your brother." Yang Qinglan said.

"Wait!" Li Qianxia suddenly remembered something. "I've thought of something to do!"

"What is it?" Li Changzhou asked.

"The shoe factory is full of female workers lately, preparing to participate in a protest march. The reason is that men in the factory earn three dimes a day, while women only two, yet the women's work is no worse than the men's. I think the best solution is to calculate pay by the piece, indiscriminately favoring men over women is very unfair! I want to liberate women and become a pioneer of gender equality!"

Li Changzhou scratched the corner of his left eye with his right hand.

From his understanding of his sister, Li Qianxia was definitely just upset she was earning less.

"You have an objection?" The owl suddenly looked over with a swoosh.

"No." Li Changzhou lowered his hand.

"Hmph!"

Yang Qinglan paid no attention to the siblings' daily interactions and continued:

"Whether it's my studying Peking Opera, Changzhou managing Song City, or Qian Xia promoting gender equality and liberating women, these are all 'side businesses.' Our main focus is still the three tasks of the game."

"Mm-hmm." Li Changzhou nodded in agreement. "Currently, we have no intelligence, so the three of us can temporarily separate and gather information from different places and social strata."

"How should we stay in contact? I can't go out to watch operas every day, can I? I'm just a female worker who earns two dimes daily." Li Qianxia quickly assumed her role and was growing increasingly enraged with the unjust 'women earn two dimes, men three' reality.

Yang Qinglan had already considered this and directly answered her:

"From now on, every morning you'll visit me in the form of an owl to receive the intelligence, and at night pass it to your brother via 'Twins.' The next morning you'll bring his response to me—even with no new intelligence, we should maintain contact to ensure each other's safety."

"I've really become a letter-delivering owl! Did you know? The owl in Harry Potter is a Snowy Owl!" Li Qianxia, excited, flapped her wings, and feathers poked Li Changzhou in the eye.

Yang Qinglan sized him up. She would have never asked before, but today she did: "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Li Changzhou rubbed his eye. "I'm used to it."

"Let me blow on it for you." Li Qianxia's beak came closer.

"No, no!"

"Qian Xia!"

Both shouted to stop her at the same time.

The notes for "Araneiform Moth Style·Transformation" were crystal clear—since you're an owl, there's naturally the Instinct to eat mice, insects, small birds, and lizards, oh, and it's best not to relieve yourself just anywhere, especially not in front of acquaintances who know you're not really an owl.

Although Li Qianxia would neither eat mice nor relieve herself just anywhere, sometimes she would display some owl-like habits, such as turning her head or flapping her wings when excited.

If she were to see Li Changzhou's eyes—large, black, and bright—and peck at them on impulse...

After splitting up, Li Changzhou's footsteps felt much lighter.

"Master Li, I've inquired around. The Chun Emperor pretty much showed disdain to the Song Clan's eldest son; she definitely has a fancy for you," Liu De reported.

Li Changzhou smiled, "Having her interest is good."

Back in the private booth, Zhong Yingru was still asleep, with a strand of hair fallen close to her rosy lips, and her figure lying on the divan like a sultry serpent.

Li Changzhou ate, drank, and watched the rest of the operas.

When the Chun Emperor appeared on stage, he clapped loudly and praised the performance. The Chun Emperor flung her sleeve in the direction of his stand, and eyes painted with makeup hooked onto him.

Only after the opera was over did Li Changzhou wake Zhong Yingru.

"What happened to me?" Zhong Yingru supported her head with the tips of her fingers, her eyes barely opening.

"You might be anemic, and the sight of the corpse probably made you faint," Li Changzhou fibbed.

Zhong Yingru didn't ponder on it deeply. She felt no discomfort and didn't dwell on the matter.

The two left the Pear Garden one after the other.

Stepping out of the Pear Garden and emerging from the crowded area, Li Changzhou felt a sense of expanse in his chest.

"Boss Feng, Boss Feng! Please! My mother has already fainted from hunger; give us some food! I'll work like an ox or a horse for you!" A man clung to the hood of a car.

"Move him away!"

"You're courting death!" A bodyguard approached and slapped the man.

Despite being hit, the man struggled to crawl forward, his face streaked with tears and snot, his wide-open mouth stringing saliva between teeth, emitting the despairing wails of a pig.

A group of ladies and young ladies furrowed their brows, a mix of compassion and impatience on their faces, with a few treating it as if it were a show.

"Quickly get him out of here!" The steward of the Pear Garden ordered, keen to not spoil the mood of the esteemed guests.

"Wait a moment."

"What are you waiting for? Drag him away, and if he resists, break his legs!"

"Master Meng! Master Meng!" The steward's assistant desperately tugged at his sleeve.

Master Meng jerked his sleeve free, ready to smack the servant with an open palm but noticed the desperate signaling toward another direction. Instinctively, he glanced over.

That glance was like peering out the window of your 18th-floor apartment in the dead of night to find someone knocking, only to draw back the curtains and come eye-to-eye with a white apparition.