"You catch on fast. You seem much more professional since the last time I saw you."
After all, much of this was news to Qingque, and Bai Ming had worried she might struggle to wrap her head around it all. To her surprise, Qingque simply arched an eyebrow, puffed out her chest, and declared with a look of pure pride:
"Hmph—naturally! Just look who you're talking to."
"Right, right. You're the model employee. Maybe I'll take you on an all-expenses-paid business trip sometime."
"Whoa, we get perks like that now?"
"You make it sound like I've ever mistreated you."
Bai Ming gave Qingque's forehead a playful flick. Just as she was preparing to show Acheron around the company and then head out for some fun across the Xianzhou Luofu, Qingque called out to her again.
"Wait, Boss! There's one more thing I forgot to tell you."
"What's that?"
"Lately, some Masked Fools and Mourning Actors have shown up at the company. They claim they want to follow you. I didn't think it was my place to make the final call, so I let them stay on as interns for the time being."
"The Mourning Actors? Why are they involved?" Bai Ming blinked, caught off guard.
She didn't have much of an impression of the Mourning Actors; back when she played the game, they hadn't exactly made a formal appearance.
In her mind, weren't they supposed to be the types who boycotted "cheap joy," viewing entertainment as mere "opiate of the masses"?
They were people who preached that one should temper the spirit through the endurance of sorrow.
They recorded, spread, and wept for stories worth grieving over.
Bai Ming actually had a decent opinion of them. They were a deeply empathetic bunch, even if they were a bit masochistic.
But just as Aha acknowledged them, she knew that joy and sorrow were two sides of the same coin; tragedy was just as essential to the meaning of life.
She respected their convictions. It was just...
She couldn't fathom why the Mourning Actors would choose to come here, of all places—joining a corporation with "Entertainment" literally in the name, backed by the Interastral Peace Corporation to boot.
"So, what are the Mourning Actors actually doing here?"
"They mostly applied for scriptwriting and copywriting roles. All they produce are tragedies. The only problem is they write with such raw, genuine emotion that everyone in the office—except for those few Masked Fools—has been a total wreck."
"Ah... I see. They want to use my platform to broadcast the stories and sorrow they've collected, don't they?"
Qingque pouted and nodded.
"I did some digging into the Mourning Actors through the IPC, and that's my best guess. I just wish these guys would tone it down a bit when they're writing."
Halfway through her thought, Qingque's tone shifted. "But more and more of them are showing up lately. Boss, this place isn't going to turn into a Mourning Actor convention, is it?"
"Well... technically, Celestial Sparrow Entertainment is a group I built from the ground up. In a sense, it really is a 'Joyous Land' hand-picked by the Aeon of Elation. It's only natural it would act as a magnet for people like them."
Hearing this, Qingque's face fell. She didn't have a grudge against the Mourning Actors personally, but she definitely had a problem with the mountain of soul-crushing tragedies they were churning out.
It was too much. If she had to look at that stuff every day, she'd end up depressed.
Amused, Bai Ming pinched Qingque's cheek, trying to smooth out her worried expression.
"Don't look so miserable. Just don't read them yourself. If they're that desperate to create, send them to write stories for the upcoming Simulated Life project."
"That's actually a great idea! But is it okay to put that many tragic stories in there? Weren't we doing this to find peace for the Sin Thirsters?"
"It's not mutually exclusive. The spirits have their own obsessions, but the rest of the world still needs content to fill it. Oh, and while you're at it, throw those Masked Fools in there to write, too. Tell them if their jokes can't outperform the tragedies of the Mourning Actors, they can stop wearing those masks."
Bai Ming paused, a smirk playing on her lips. "But, if they do a good job, I'll give them a chance to meet the Aeon of Elation in person."
She didn't know exactly what these Fools and Actors were after—whether they truly viewed this place as a holy land established by the Aeon's own hand—but as long as they were here, they weren't getting a free ride. They were going to work.
One side was great at staging jokes, the other at crafting tragedies. It was perfect.
She had been worried that if she really turned that world into an open-world game, people might find it boring.
"You got it! Mission accepted!" Qingque thumped her chest in a promise of success. Then, she remembered something.
"Actually, there's a really talented game producer among the Masked Fools. He's working as the producer for the 'Pokémon' project. It feels like a waste to just have him writing."
"Who?"
"A guy named Giovanni. According to him, he'd been thinking about making a pet-catching battle game for a long time. When he saw Pokémon, he rushed over to join us."
Bai Ming's eyebrows shot up. Hah, look at that. Running into an old acquaintance.
"Just handle the arrangements as you see fit."
"Understood! I'll contact you again once the execution plan is finalized, Boss."
With the business talk out of the way, Bai Ming led Acheron out of Qingque's office. The nitty-gritty of the implementation wasn't something Bai Ming needed to do personally.
As they walked out of the building and onto the bustling streets, Acheron watched the lively crowds and suddenly asked:
"Is it alright for us to just wander around like this? Should we really leave Madam Herta there by herself?"
"It's fine. Herta finally has a chance to go all out against another genius. Interrupting her now would be the real mistake. Besides, I'm keeping an eye on things. If anything actually goes wrong, I'll step in."
Bai Ming patted Acheron's arm, telling her not to worry. Herta was in the zone right now; disturbing her would only earn them a lecture.
Bai Ming paused and turned her head to look at Acheron. "Speaking of which, is there anything you want to do? I'll go with you."
"Me? If I had to say..."
Acheron furrowed her brows in thought for a moment. Then, the tip of her tongue flicked lightly across her lips.
"Since you helped me suppress the Nihility, I feel like my senses have been reviving. My sense of taste seems to have recovered quite a bit. Honestly... I want to taste more things."
"Oh... I see."
Bai Ming watched Acheron lick her lips.
For a fleeting second, she thought the gesture—paired with that usually stoic, almost cold face—was incredibly alluring. She wondered if Acheron's lips would feel cool to the touch.
In a moment of "slightly weird" intrusive thought, Bai Ming found herself comparing it to Herta's touch, which always felt much hotter.
Ahem!
Bai Ming cleared her throat, pushing the chaotic images out of her mind. She grabbed Acheron's hand and started pulling her toward the busy market district.
"Then let's go! I'm taking you to eat everything delicious."
"I want to taste the things that aren't delicious, too."
"Are you some kind of masochist?"
"Is that not allowed? To me, even a bad flavor is a novelty."
"..."
Bai Ming's retort died in her throat. Her initial surprise softened into a sympathetic sigh, which quickly morphed into a mischievous grin.
"Well, since you're practically begging for it... there's a certain Xianzhou specialty you just have to try."
"What kind of drink?"
Seeing Bai Ming's expression, Acheron knew it had to be something bizarre. But she didn't care.
She was telling the truth—since her taste buds had returned and she was in such a vibrant world, even a "bad" flavor was a fresh experience.
Compared to a life where everything tasted like wax, a bad taste was, in its own way, positive feedback.
"Mung Bean Soda!"
"...Why did you add that weird lilt to the end of the word?"
"It makes it sound more authentic!"
Acheron couldn't help but let out a quiet, helpless laugh. She didn't see the authenticity, but she certainly saw the silliness bubbling over.
Laughter aside, Acheron followed Bai Ming until they found the infamous Mung Bean Soda. Holding the glass of strange, murky liquid, the mere scent was enough to tell her this was no ordinary beverage.
Acheron caught the look of pure disgust on Bai Ming's face. Then, she raised the glass and took a massive gulp.
The bizarre liquid flooded her mouth.
Her taste buds immediately sent back a chaotic, incredibly strange report. Yet, Acheron only knit her brows slightly before swallowing the Soda without changing her expression.
She even smacked her lips afterward, looked down at the cup, and took another huge swig, draining the entire thing in seconds.
The stall owner was stunned.
"Whoa! You've got some unique taste, young lady! Even we Luofu locals struggle with this stuff. That's the first time I've seen a tourist chug it like that. If you haven't had your fill, how about another on the house?"
The owner was true to his word, quickly bagging up a large, extra-sized cup of Mung Bean Soda and handing it over.
Acheron hesitated for a split second before reaching out to take the bag. "Then... thank you, sir."
She walked away with Bai Ming, swinging the bag of Soda.
After a few steps, perhaps because she'd drunk it too fast, Acheron covered her mouth and let out a small burp that smelled purely of Mung Bean Soda.
"Ugh... the smell is everywhere."
Bai Ming wrinkled her nose and tried to sidle away, but Acheron playfully leaned in closer. She didn't just lean in; she made sure to stay close enough that Bai Ming's nose was filled with the scent of fermented bean.
"Why are you running? Didn't you recommend I drink it?"
"Eww—stinky! You jerk, go eat something normal to get the taste out of your mouth."
Bai Ming reached up and grabbed Acheron by the jaw, turning her face away to stop the "torture."
Acheron didn't persist. Instead, she chuckled and produced a peach from seemingly nowhere, taking small, dainty bites. She used the fragrance of the fruit to drive away the lingering tang of the Soymilk.
As she ate, she looked at Bai Ming with anticipation. "What are we eating next?"
"Why don't you just eat whatever you see? Everything is fresh to you anyway, right?"
"Mmh, that sounds good. And you?"
"I'm not that hungry. I'll just pick at a few things."
Acheron thought about it for a moment, then suddenly said:
"Then, how about later I make you something delicious from Izumo?"
Bai Ming's eyebrows shot up.
Oh, right! I almost forgot. Acheron shared a name with a certain legendary "Herrscher of Meals." She was bound to be an incredible cook.
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL