Chapter Four: The Mysterious Glass Bead My Name is Black Cat

Qi did not go to examine the corpse of the great brown bear. Instead, he leapt onto a tree trunk and looked down at the kneeling girl, a faint smile on his lips. “Young lady, what brings you so deep into the mountains?”

Startled out of her fright, the black cat tilted her head in confusion, then sighed and patted her forehead in resignation. “A language barrier is a serious problem… Hello? Sir, do you understand Japanese?” she asked in her mother tongue.

Qi frowned in puzzlement; he could not understand the words the girl spoke, nor had he ever heard such a language before. With his memory and experience, he would have remembered if anyone had spoken this tongue, so he was certain it was not spoken in any neighboring country.

As they stared helplessly at one another, the object tucked inside the black cat’s pocket began to emit a gentle white glow, instantly drawing both of their eyes. The black cat hurriedly pulled it out—it was the very culprit that had brought her to this world: the beautiful glass bead.

“What is this? A glowing immortal’s treasure?” Qi asked in curiosity. Sensing no danger from it, he remained relaxed and made no move to defend himself.

As he finished speaking, a line of strange characters appeared above the glass bead. Qi did not recognize them at all, but the black cat was overjoyed—these were the letters of her own country. Glancing between the bead and the text, realization dawned: the bead had a translation function. Though somehow, it felt oddly like chatting online.

“Hello. First, allow me to introduce myself: my name is Black Cat. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” The girl finally rose to her feet and gave Qi a slight bow, displaying impeccable manners.

“Ah, hello. I have no family name—just Qi. May I ask why you are in these deep mountains? And to think this bead can translate between two languages—it is a marvelous treasure indeed.” Qi found the situation quite amusing, as if they were conversing through written words.

“No family name?” the black cat murmured softly. Then, with a complicated expression, she asked, “Qi, may I ask… Is this still Japan? Or perhaps China? We’re… still on Earth, aren’t we?” By the end, her eyes were brimming with tears, gazing at Qi with a look full of hope and desperate pleading. She yearned for an answer that would not shatter her completely.

Qi seemed to understand the longing in her eyes. After a moment’s thought, he replied, “This is a mountain range in the eastern part of the Moon Kingdom. When I was studying, I once heard a great scholar speak of his travels across the continent. He visited many lands, and perhaps among them were the places you mention. If you do not mind, once I have finished my business, I could take you to find this scholar and inquire about your homeland’s precise location.”

Upon hearing the answer she had dreaded, the girl’s eyes reddened and tears flowed uncontrollably. “Hinata, Tamaki… sisters, I can no longer look after you. May you both live happily ever after.” Forcing back her grief, she adopted a theatrical tone, “I dwell in the distant realm of darkness, and the path home now lies at my feet. Do you have urgent business here?”

Qi hesitated, then offered his condolences. “My sympathies, miss. I entered these mountains seeking immortality, hoping to ask some questions of an immortal. I did not know if the immortal would see me, but now that I have encountered this demon beast, I can use it as a gift and perhaps secure an audience.” He spread his hands, explaining his purpose plainly. Though he had seen much of the world’s darkness and ugliness, as a gentleman schooled in the classics and a general who had fought on the battlefield, Qi adhered to his principles. While he was not the type to declare that a real man has no secrets, he had nothing to be ashamed of and thus spoke honestly—not because the girl’s beauty and tears moved him.

“An immortal? A denizen of the Celestial Realm of Huaxia?” The black cat was clearly startled. “I must admit, I am curious to see whether the immortals of Huaxia resemble the false angels of my world. May I accompany you?” She had not expected immortals to exist in this world, and since she had no way of returning home, perhaps learning immortal arts was a worthwhile pursuit. Unfamiliar with this world, she judged that staying with this youth was the wisest course for now.

Growing accustomed to her peculiar manner of speech, Qi considered for a moment and then agreed. “Very well. I would not feel at ease leaving you alone in these mountains or wandering outside. For now, please accompany me. I’ll take care of this foolish bear and we can be on our way.”

“In my demonic realm, the essence of magical beasts is found in their brains or bodies. Is it the same for demon beasts here?” the black cat suddenly asked.

Qi was taken aback—he had read accounts of such things in various chronicles. Retrieving his throwing knife without hesitation, he cut open the great brown bear’s belly and extracted a pale yellow demon core from where its energy resided, delighting in the discovery. He then sliced off the bear’s paws and several pounds of its finest meat, leading the black cat—who covered her face, unable to bear the bloody sight—back toward the spot where he had previously roasted a whole lamb.

When they returned to the campfire with the black cat, they found, as expected, that the roast lamb had vanished—eaten, no doubt, by some lucky creature. Fortunately, his pack remained untouched; the banknotes, jewelry, and clothing were all accounted for.

After arranging a stone for the black cat to sit on, Qi began to prepare the bear meat by the nearby stream. The black cat hesitated a moment, then joined him at the water’s edge to clean her soiled skin and black gothic dress. Only then did Qi notice the scrapes on her elbows and knees, beads of blood welling as she rinsed them with cold water, wincing in pain.

Qi pondered for a moment, set aside the bear meat, and quickly vanished into the forest. Startled, the black cat instinctively raised a hand to her mouth, fearing her cries might attract wild beasts.

In the dense, leafy depths, even daylight could not dispel the gloom. With Qi gone and the black cat motionless from fear, silence fell abruptly. The occasional cries of unknown insects and beasts echoed from the darkness, feeding her growing dread. Had the boy abandoned her, thinking her a burden? Was there another powerful demon beast lurking nearby? Her imagination ran wild, anxiety mounting. The only comfort was the sunlight glinting off the stream, a little brighter here than elsewhere, and the cheerful babble of the water.

Suddenly, a dark shape darted from the forest, and the tense black cat could not help but scream. The shadow, too, was startled.

“What’s wrong? Why did you scream, miss?”