The Record of Unusual Creatures

After lunch, Hao Ren asked the Nangong couple about their plans.

“I’m sure the old place where you lived was definitely gone,” Hao Ren held the Nangong couple to sit on the couch and talk about their plans. “And you guys are unfamiliar with this world now, you need to learn a lot of things. So I suggest that you stay here. Although the house is little old, there are still enough rooms for you two. Furthermore, you two have separated from your children for so many years; you should spend more time together.”

There was an empty room in the house, which was initially cleared out for Rollie but she just stubbornly refused to sleep in—and certainly much less to be willing to make her own bed. She still insisted on sleeping on the mat in the living room. No one in the house could handle this cat; naturally, the room is vacant as a result.

The Nangong couple glanced at their children. Of course, they would like to be with their children. However, the old couple were a little cautious. Nangong Wudi placed his hands on his knees. “Is this… all right? You have been so kind to us and we already owe you so much. We would not want to bother you again.”

Ayesha also nodded. “Right. We can bring Wuyue and Sanba back to our house. I know the house is gone, but we can rebuild it.”

Lily made a sound by knocking on her notebook. She said without looking at them, “Don’t think about it. I just checked; the place where you used to live now have been developed into scenic spot, you have to pay sixty bucks just for the entrance fee, and most famous attraction is the circular hole on the rocky hill… I suspect it was your house.”

The Nangong couple suddenly stared at each other for a long moment before Ayesha forced a smile, spread out her hand and lamented, “Really, nothing stays unchanged, the ruins of our house has turned into a treasure.”

Vivian twitched her mouth. “No big deal, young people. I even had a beaded ring being kept in the Museum of Prehistoric Humanity. Whom should I seek for recourse? Furthermore, I still have two bracelets that I couldn’t retrieve in the tomb of Cleopatra.”

Nangong Wudi had not managed to ask the background of this group of people around Hao Ren. Now when he heard what Vivian said, he was startled. “Prehistoric human? May I ask—do you have any appellation?”

“Some people call her Countess of the Crimson Moon, but I think the moniker is too long. I’m advising her to change to Moonlight Warrior—” Lily chimed in before Vivian could say anything. However, before Lily could finished saying, a little bat already stuck in her face. The husky maiden shrugged. “The only problem is she is not willing to change.”

Nangong Wudi was shocked hearing the moniker. He stared at Vivian like an about–to-retired old archaeologist discovering a living cave man. “The Count of the Crimson Moon… the world’s oldest vampire?! Really?!”

“I don’t particularly like your overplayed reactions, especially this kind of stare,” Vivian’s brows knit together. “It feels like I’m becoming a rare animal in an exhibition. I just live a little longer than you.”

“A little longer?” Nangong Wudi instinctively took a step back. This was the natural reaction as a demon hunter when he saw the most senior (in theory, the strongest; in practice, hahaha) otherworldling in the world. “Comparing to your Excellency, whether it’s demon hunters or otherworldlings, they have all returned to the soil but you are the predecessor of all intelligent creatures in the world! This is really… something I have never dared to think about that I could actually see you in person…”

Vivian said, “How come I feel that I’m more like a rare animal? By the way, why are you keeping away from me? I’m not going to eat you.”

Nangong Wudi looked Vivienne, shocked. He felt very strange as he turned his eyes on Hao Ren. “I really didn’t expect that the oldest vampire would live in this place—you never know, really. May I also know the appellations of the other ladies and gentlemen?”

Hao Ren looked around. “The rest of them aren’t worth mentioning. Even if I was to tell, you’re not going to know who they are. Y’zaks and the little demon come from a different world. They used to be demon king and princess that had nearly crushed the world. I’m a titular king in a place called Aerym, and renting out a big manor estate there. A monk, the like of Master Xuanzang, is also among us; he is from another world but has gone back to his hometown these few days. Even the lighter-fish going around helping people to light their ciggies is a pedigree… but let’s not talk about her since she is still a baby.”

Nangong Wudi knew that Hao Ren was telling the truth. Though at a glance those in the house were all ordinary looking males and females, he knew he could not underestimate them all—none of them was normal. There was little wonder why oldest vampire on earth was staying so low-key in this small shelter. She suddenly looked at Lily respectfully. “I wonder where the werewolf from? The royal family in Europe or the reclusive family of Latin America?”

Vivian squinted at Lily. “She has the simplest composition—a husky.”

Lily let out a reflexive threatening growl, but sadly, she soon realised that she could not refute that statement. The husky could only lowered her head, pulled Hao Ren’s sleeves and said aggrievedly, “…beside, I’m also a Pekingese…”

That is literally the worse comes to worst.

It was a chaotic family. The Nangong couple put aside their intention of going home together with the Nangong siblings. The couple had realised that the world had really changed with time in a way that was beyond their expectation. The way of life and common sense of a hundred years ago were no longer applicable. They needed to slowly reintegrate into this world—and before that, if you did not want to get into trouble or spotted by the demon hunters, they were better to stay in Hao Ren’s shelter.

Of course, they also did not intend to stay for long: although there was a room for them, obviously the house was pretty crowded already. The Nangong couple felt that it was somewhat inconvenient for the two of them to live with a group of youngsters. They decided to adapt to the environment here first before they looked for and moved to a rented house in the neighbourhood. This would be convenient for everyone. They could still meet one another regularly. Hao Ren had no objection to that. He knew Southern Suburbs inside out. If they could really find some place to stay outside, the low-key Nangong couple would do fine in this peaceful town. So he let them.

Of course, the Nangong siblings were all supportive of it: the two siblings had been searching for their parents for a full hundred years. Now they finally reunited with their parents, and foresaw that they were going to be separated again, they had nothing much to ask for. Nangong Wuyue was happily clinging to Ayesha, rubbing her mom’s arm with the tip of her tail. Seeing that, tough guy like Y’zaks could not help but whispered, “Hey, a family is better than anything else. It reminds me of a story of the humanity, which was very emotional…”

Hao Ren asked curiously, “What story? Chen Xiang?”

“Little tadpoles looking mama. But this one here is a 3D deluxe version.”

Hao Ren said, “…We have at least one worldview not quite right.”

Y’zaks shrugged. “You still have the nerve to talk about worldview with a demon from another world?”

Y’zaks sashayed away, leaving behind Hao Ren dumbstruck. Hao Ren pouted haplessly, then beckoned to Wuyue and her mom. “The two tadpoles over there, haven’t you finished yet?”

Wuyue swung her tail vigorously. “Why are you calling us tadpoles? What’s wrong?”

“Can I borrow your parents for a while; I’m taking them to see Raven. After all, the Space Administration is the one undertaking this case,” said Hao Ren as he got to his feet. “I also have to send in the database. By the way, I got the feeling that I’m more like a coroner than an inspector; there have been so many tombstones lately…”

The MDT quietly replied, “It’s normal. The progress of civilisations has always been with dead bodies. Those who could continue to walk on are few and between. So far, only one has made it to the end. You as an inspector must have this mental readiness: you could almost never witness a truly perfect world, even your own universe, which is in fact full of holes.”

Hao Ren thought for a moment and sighed. “A ship of thieves…”

Hao Ren who could chat with a brick puzzled the Nangong couple. They asked in unison, “Where go?”

“Bring you to see God—don’t worry, we’re going there, alive.”