Karl stared at Tingyun, shame flickering in his eyes as he looked down. He knew he couldn't apply the same rules from his world here, but what could he do? He didn't want to fight or risk his life for petty "victories" or "pride." He didn't need them. All he wanted was to live peacefully, without dying to something that defied the laws of physics.
"Sorry… it's just my world is completely different from here…"
Instead of scolding him, Tingyun gave him a light smack on the head with her fan. Karl looked up to see her smiling warmly.
"What are you sorry for, Karl? I completely understand you. You don't want die. That's normal — everyone fears death. What I'm saying is, you don't have to be a blind fool for the sake of your safety. Keep living, keep running away — that's fine. But blinding yourself on purpose? That's not ignorance anymore. That's incompetence."
She turned, taking a step forward before glancing back over her shoulder.
"Come on. I'll treat you to Booba Tea~"
Her light tone dissolved the tension, and Karl could only smile at her back before following.
"She's right… That's not ignorance, that's just me being blind. Ignorance is not knowing the truth — but I forced myself to be blind just to escape it."
Karl's thoughts followed him as he trailed behind her. Tingyun greeted children along the way, waved at strangers, and spoke with anyone who approached. It was strange how easily she seemed to brighten the streets just by existing.
Before long, they arrived at the Booba Tea shop. Both of them sat down with drinks in hand.
"You mentioned that your world is different from here," Tingyun said, tilting her head. "Do you mind sharing more, Karl?"
The sudden question made Karl pause mid-sip. He met her curious gaze.
"Well… to be honest, my world might sound boring." Karl laughed awkwardly, scratching his cheek, but Tingyun kept her eyes on him, clearly waiting for more.
"That's fine," she said with a playful smile. "When you said 'different,' it made me curious. Just how different is it compared to the Xianzhou?"
Karl nodded slowly, then took a deep breath.
"Well… there's no power or supernatural forces in my world. If they exist, they're just myths or special effects in movies."
Tingyun's eyes lit up with interest.
"Eh, really? No power? Like no one at all?"
"Yeah, none at all. My world is completely different — not just in technology, but in everything. There are no other races like here. No Vidyadhara, no Foxians like you, nothing. Just one intelligent race — humans."
Tingyun giggled, covering her mouth with her fan. "Karl, have you secretly read our history books to know all those races?"
"No, not really," Karl replied, sipping his drink.
But Tingyun leaned in slightly, curiosity sharpening. "Then how do you know them? Madam Yukong said you only arrived yesterday. And you said you didn't study our history."
Karl froze, his brain scrambling.
"Ah—! Uh— I just overheard some guards talking about Vidyadhara earlier! And, uh, maybe I saw some Foxians while walking here? You guys are… kind of hard to miss."
Tingyun simply smiled, letting him off the hook. "I see~ Then go on."
Karl let out a quiet breath of relief before continuing.
"Right… in my world, there are no wars against cosmic entities, no powers, nothing that bends the laws of physics. Only technology stands at the top."
He tapped his finger against his cup as he explained.
"If we want to make something move, we use formulas and equations. Take a wheel for example — if we want it to roll, we apply energy — what we call 'force.' That's all there is to it."
"Heh… that's amazing. Your world must be very orderly," Tingyun said, playfully shaking her cup so the pearls rattled.
"Yeah… and in that world, I never had to worry about being killed by something supernatural, or fearing for my life just by existing."
A faint look of nostalgia crossed Karl's face as he took another sip.
"Well then," Tingyun said suddenly, standing from her chair. "We still have time before I head off for my next job — probably another planet or region to set up a trade deal. Let's go."
She extended her hand toward Karl, waiting patiently for him to take it.
Karl stared at her hand for a moment, his chest tightening.
Part of him wanted to refuse — to stay behind, stay safe, keep his distance. He wasn't supposed to get attached here. He wasn't supposed to risk anything.
But another part of him — the part that heard Tingyun's words still echoing in his head — told him that turning away now would be no different than blinding himself again.
Karl let out a quiet breath, a small, determined smile forming on his lips.
"…Alright." He placed his hand in hers.
Tingyun's ears perked slightly, and a satisfied grin spread across her face.
"Good~! Then let's go, Karl."
And just like that, she led him out of the shop, her tails swaying behind her, while Karl followed — unsure if he was heading toward safety or danger, but no longer willing to close his eyes.
--------
By the time they were done, the sun was already leaning toward the afternoon horizon. They walked side by side, the soft wind brushing past them, gently ruffling Karl's and Tingyun's hair.
"Karl, don't you think you should get a haircut?" Tingyun asked, her golden eyes glancing at his long, midnight-blue hair swaying in the wind.
Karl shook his head firmly. "Cut? No way. I spent years growing this out. There's no way I'm cutting off years of hard work."
"Then at least tie it next time," Tingyun replied, her lips curling into a playful smile. She reached into her sleeve and pulled out the ribbon she usually used to tie her own hair.
"Turn around. I'll tie it for you," she said gently.
Karl froze for a moment, then reluctantly turned around, feeling oddly self-conscious as Tingyun's fingers gathered his hair. Her touch was light and careful, and within moments, his hair was neatly tied back.
"There, all good~" Tingyun said, stepping back to admire her work.
Karl lifted a hand to feel the tied hair, his face now clear and unobstructed. To him, his reflection was neither handsome nor ugly — just… him. And somehow, that felt fine.
"Thank you, Tingyun," he said sincerely.
Tingyun flicked open her fan, covering her soft giggle. "Hehehe~ no problem."
They resumed their walk until the scent of freshly steamed buns drifted toward them. A small shop came into view, steam rising from the baskets.
"Would you like some, Karl?" Tingyun asked, glancing at him.
"Are you sure? You've been spending money on me all day… it feels kind of wrong for me to just keep letting you pay," Karl said, scratching his cheek in embarrassment — though his stomach betrayed him with a loud grumble.
"It's fine~ Madam Yukong will reimburse me anyway," Tingyun said with a light laugh, already reaching for her wallet.
"Then… I'll trouble you, Tingyun," Karl said, giving in at last.
They bought four meat buns for Karl and two for Tingyun. The first bite made Karl's eyes light up — the bread was soft and perfectly steamed, even better than the savory meat inside. He ate with gusto, finally filling the hunger he hadn't noticed all day.
As Karl finished his last bite, Tingyun's gaze trailed over him — and this time, not just his hair.
"You know, Karl…" she began, closing her fan with a soft snap, "you can't keep wearing that uniform forever."
Karl glanced down at his blazer and slacks, still slightly wrinkled from yesterday. "Huh? What's wrong with it?"
"Nothing, if you plan to spend the next years looking like a lost student from another world~," Tingyun teased. "Come on, let's get you something that actually belongs on the Loufu."
"Wait, now?" Karl asked, blinking.
"Of course now. Besides," she said, her tails swaying mischievously, "I want to see what you look like in proper clothes."
Before Karl could protest, Tingyun had already taken him by the wrist, pulling him toward the bustling markets.
-------
Tingyun showed a lot of clothes to Karl that only natives to Loufu, but there is one clothes he found interesting. Taking a chance to try it without Tingyun's consent. He emerged with midnight-blue robe that matched the color of his hair. The outfit had a high collar and silver linings along the edges, with wide sleeves and a simple sash at the waist. A small silver ornament hung from the sash, and the bottom of the robe was marked with a pale cloud pattern. Black boots completed the look, giving him a neat and calm appearance.
"My~ you found something interesting there, Karl. It really does look good on you," Tingyun complimented as Karl stared at himself in the mirror.
"I look… cool? Not gonna lie, it feels like these clothes will be my one and only outfit forever. It just feels natural to wear them," Karl said, still admiring his reflection.
"Then let's buy it. After all, it suits you perfectly." Tingyun smiled, and Karl nodded in agreement.
Both of them went to the vendor and purchased the outfit.
Before long, they stepped back outside and began heading toward Tingyun's house. After a long day of exploration, the two of them fell asleep peacefully.
-----------
The next morning, Karl woke up groggy and headed straight to the bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face, chasing away the last traces of sleep, then grabbed his toothbrush, squeezed some toothpaste, and brushed his teeth until he felt fully awake.
Stepping back into the room, he found Tingyun already dressed in her usual striking red-and-white outfit, gold ornaments and tassels swaying as she stood by the table with a stack of papers in hand.
"What's that?" Karl asked, curiosity pulling him closer.
"Just a pile of files I need to review before boarding," Tingyun replied without looking up, her amber eyes scanning each page.
Karl leaned over to peek, but all he saw were neat, complicated scribbles. "Uhh… what even is that? Not even a doctor could read that—actually, wait, doctors can read that kind of handwriting." He grinned, half-joking.
Tingyun laughed softly. "Then I suppose I'm more of a doctor than an Amicassador."
After a few more minutes of reviewing, Tingyun finally set the papers down and rubbed her temples. Karl frowned.
"What's wrong?"
"It's nothing," she assured him with a faint smile. "Just a slight headache from the client's order. Nothing special." She picked up a separate slip of paper and quickly scribbled something down. When she finished, she gathered the documents in her arms.
"Karl, I'll be going now. I'll see you next week~" Tingyun said casually, her tails swaying as she made her way to the door.
"Yeah. See you." Karl waved, watching her leave before letting out a quiet sigh.
"Shame… I really wish I could spend more time with her," he muttered to himself.
------
Just then, the communicator device Madam Yukong had given him lit up and buzzed. Karl quickly picked it up and placed it to his ear.
"Pleasant morning, Madam Yukong," he greeted, straightening instinctively.
"You too, pleasant morning, Karl. Anyway, I've come to contact you that your job will officially start now. You can head to Aurum Alley's entrance, there your manager will give you instructions on what to do. Good luck." Yukong replied to the other side of communication.
"Ah yes, thank you Madam Yukong." Karl nodded as he bid his farewell to Yukong who only said a few good luck words.
"Welp, this is it. A job no less than being eighteen. What luck..." Karl muttered under his breath as he made his way toward Aurum Alley.
Waiting for him was his new boss — a middle-aged man dressed in a plain brown shirt, shorts, and slippers. His appearance was anything but formal, just a casual worker like any other.
Karl took a deep breath, steeling himself, and walked toward him nervously.
"Hey! You the one Madam Yukong recommended?" the boss asked, giving Karl a quick once-over.
"Ah—yes, that's me. Please take care of me for the time being," Karl said, bowing his head slightly out of courtesy.
"Yeah, sure. Here, grab this and get started."
Before Karl could even react, the boss shoved a broom into his hands.
"Everything in Aurum Alley is your responsibility. This place is always packed with customers, so it's your job to keep the streets clean. That's all. Good luck."
With that, the boss turned and walked away, leaving Karl standing there, broom in hand, completely speechless.
"...What a laid-back boss." Karl let out a dry laugh. "So this is it, huh? The infamous nine-to-five job memes. I used to joke about them... and now I'm living one."
He sighed, shoulders slumping, before finally starting his first day as Aurum Alley's janitor.
------
By the time the sun began to dip below the horizon, Karl let out a long sigh and leaned on his broom. His first day as a janitor was finally over.
It wasn't glamorous — sweeping dusty streets, hauling trash bags, and shooing away the occasional curious critter — but it was peaceful. No one shouted at him, no one threatened him, and nothing tried to kill him.
"Not bad for a first day…" Karl muttered, wiping sweat from his forehead. His school uniform — no, his new clothes — were slightly dusty, but still much better than being splattered in blood or bruises from fighting.
As he walked back to Tingyun's home, he glanced up at the sky.
"Tingyun's probably halfway to that other planet by now…" He smiled faintly. "Guess I'll just hold down the fort until she's back."
When he reached her home, the quiet atmosphere felt strange without her cheerful presence. Karl collapsed onto the couch, exhaustion catching up with him,
--------
"Sigh..." Karl exhaled heavily, stretching his hand toward the ceiling as though he could somehow reach the sky beyond it.
"I... wanna go home..." he muttered, voice low and heavy with homesickness. His mind wandered, as it always did — back to his old world, to the house he once called home, to parents who cared and friends who were always there.
The image of the Longinuslanze Testament came unbidden to his mind. In the next moment, the spear materialized in his right hand, its cold surface grounding him. He traced its smooth shaft with his thumb, staring at the weapon in silence.
"Beautiful..." he whispered. The holy aura it gave off soothed him, easing the tightness in his chest.
Karl twirled it in his fingers like a reflex, muttering softly, almost to himself, "Longinuslanze Testament — the spear that pierced Jesus Christ."
The weapon spun once, twice, then Karl tossed it lightly into the air. It broke apart into shimmering particles, vanishing as though it had never been there.
For a long while, he stood there with his hand still raised, staring at the empty space. Slowly, he let it drop and closed his eyes. His thoughts kept moving, circling, running in every direction — and yet his body stayed perfectly still.
"Goodnight... Tingyun..." And fell asleep.
--------
[A week later]
Karl had gotten used to the rhythm of Aurum Alley by now — sweeping in the morning, scrubbing the benches after noon, and shooing away kids who tried to sneak into the shops at night. His hands were sore at first, but the blisters had already faded, leaving his palms rough but steady.
He leaned on his broom, staring at the bustling alleyway. The smell of fried buns and brewed tea mixed with the chatter of customers, blending into a background noise that no longer felt foreign.
"Funny…" he muttered under his breath. "A week ago, I just wanted to go home. Now… I just want to know what Tingyun's doing right now."
He shook his head at the thought, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
When he passed by the steamed bun shop, the vendor waved at him casually. "Yo, janitor kid! Good work as always!"
Karl raised a hand in return, chuckling softly. "Guess I'm becoming a regular here…"
That night, after finishing his shift, he sat on the roof of a quiet shop, staring at the stars above Xianzhou. The Longinuslanze Testament briefly flickered into existence in his hand before fading away again.
"…I'm still alive," Karl said to himself, almost like a prayer. "That's enough for now."
------
A month later, Karl continued his job as a janitor — sweeping the streets, memorizing every turn and corner of Aurum Alley, and greeting the shop vendors who had started to recognize him by name. Sometimes he played with the kids who hung around, sometimes he just stood by the stalls, nodding to customers as they came and went.
Now, broom in hand, Karl worked his way through the bustling alley. His thoughts wandered as the bristles scraped against the pavement.
"It's already been a month since I came here. This place is way more beautiful than anything I ever saw on my phone screen. And Madam Yukong still hasn't kicked me out of Tingyun's house…"
He smirked at the thought.
"Not that I'd want to leave. No way am I leaving my future wife's house. Honestly, I should be thanking Madam Yukong for forgetting about me — thanks to that, Tingyun and I have gotten closer. We eat together, go out when she's home, even shop together. Oh, and that festival..."
Karl chuckled to himself, remembering the sight.
"Tingyun in a kimono… yeah, that was something else."
His dreamy grin was suddenly interrupted by a shout.
"Ah! Karl's making a weird face again! Ugly!"
A Foxian kid's voice jolted him back to reality.
"Right! Karl really needs to stop making that weird face!" another chimed in, and soon the whole group was teasing him.
Karl groaned, resting his broom on his shoulder. "Brats. What are you all doing here again? Didn't you just throw a water balloon at me yesterday? My hair was soaked for hours."
"Nothing~! We came to play!" they said in unison, eyes gleaming with mischievous innocence.
"Sigh… I can't. I'm still on duty right now, maybe next time."
The kids immediately booed, stomping their feet.
"No way! You've been sweeping that spot for ten minutes — you're totally free!"
"Right, right! Come play with us!"
"Karl must be scared if he won't play~!"
Karl pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in defeat.
"Ugh, fine. What are we playing?"
"YAY!!" The kids cheered, celebrating their small victory while Karl could only watch, resigned to his fate.
By the time the sun set, Karl was completely worn out — sweaty, tired, but strangely at peace. Life here was starting to feel… normal.
When Karl returned home, he noticed the warm glow of Tingyun's house lights. Smiling, he quickened his pace, jogging to the door.
Inside, Tingyun was already in the kitchen, wearing an apron as she prepared dinner.
"Perfection..." Karl thought, momentarily frozen as he stared at her.
"Welcome back, Karl~" Tingyun called, waving with a smile that somehow felt brighter than the lamplight.
"I'm back, Tingyun!" Karl said eagerly, stepping inside. He carefully slipped off his shoes, swapped them for slippers, and made his way to the table.
"When did you get back?" he asked, sitting down and breathing in the savory aroma that filled the house.
"And did you make this? Smells amazing!"
"Just this morning," Tingyun replied with a satisfied little nod. "And thank you~"
Karl glanced at her again — the apron, the relaxed way she sat across from him, the gentle warmth in her gaze. Something in her expression had shifted lately, softer and sweeter, like she was enjoying this quiet routine just as much as he was.
Karl nodded sweetly and said, "I see, Welcome back, Tingyun. How was your work?" His gentle voice entered Tingyun's ear, a hint of redness appeared on her face and a beat of her heart echoed her ears.
She shyly looks away for the moment before calming her self done, "okay, Tingyun. What happened to you?! Why are you acting like this!" She thought to herself before looking at Karl's gentle eyes,
"Hm! It's been good, Karl~" Tingyun said with a small smile.
The table was set with bowls of rice, glistening braised pork belly, and a plate of dumplings still steaming. Karl dug in eagerly, savoring each bite.
The two of them ate together, chatting about their day, trading small jokes, and sometimes falling into a comfortable silence broken only by the clinking of chopsticks. By the time they were done, the table was empty and both of them leaned back in quiet satisfaction.
Karl stood first, stretching his arms. "I'll help clean up."
Tingyun blinked at him, clearly amused. "My~ you're quite the gentleman tonight."
"Hey, it's the least I can do. You cooked, after all," Karl replied, gathering the bowls.
Together, they moved around the kitchen, washing and drying dishes side by side. It wasn't anything grand — just small, quiet teamwork — but to Karl, it felt oddly comforting. When they finally finished, Tingyun gave him a light tap on the shoulder with her fan.
"Thanks for helping, Karl. It's nice having someone around."
Karl smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah… it's nice."
"Well then, I should take a bath first, do you mind?" When Tingyun said those words, the blood in Karl's body went towards his face.
"Uh—uhm, yes! Go ahead! I'll head to my room then!" Karl bolted off before Tingyun could respond. She chuckled softly to herself, then slipped into her own room to change into a bathrobe. The robe clung to her voluptuous figure like damp fabric as she stepped into the bathroom. Soon, the sound of running water echoed through the quiet house.
After a while, Tingyun emerged from the shower, wet hair dripping onto the floor as she made her way back to her room.
Just as her door clicked shut, Karl came out of his room carrying a towel and some extra soap. Without a word, he went into the bathroom to take his own turn.
Minutes later, he emerged with only a towel wrapped around his waist, water still beading on his skin. Moving quickly, he slipped back into his room and changed into a pair of pajamas.
Karl slumped at his bed, he reached his hand upward and Longinuslanze Testament came to existence, he once again played with it like a toy.
"Right... I still haven't tested this one yet if it is a genuinely real Longinuslanze Testament wielded by Reinhard Heydritch or it simply took its appearance but nothing out of the ordinary. Not like I'm willing to check it out." With that, the spear once again disappears into particles like a firefly. He briefly closed his eyelids and slowly... Fell asleep.
After all, once a person wielded the power for the first time, the yearning for normal life were bound to be shattered by fate itself.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA HOW FUNNY!" multiple voices echoed through the empty space or was it simply there? No one knows, the laughter of it simply too loud that anyone who hears it made their souls trembles, not from fear, not from unknown, but it simply tremble. It defies the logic of "How", and went straight to the "It".
A/n: with that, it has come to an end. Really, I tell you, I completely missed the fact that Tingyun eyes was supposed to be greenish-yellow, but then I simply wrote it to amber or gold, which completely my mistake. Anyway, thanks for reading!