Role-Playing a Dual Personality as a Background Character in a Manga

Chapter 130

“It ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍truly is an excellent blade. It almost makes me embarrassed to bring up the one at home.”

After returning the Tang Saber to Xie Chang’an, Miao Weiyong made that remark.

Xie Chang’an was visibly startled by it.

“Uncle, did you use a blade before too?” he asked in surprise.

“Not really...” Miao Weiyong scratched his head awkwardly. “It was my elder brother who used one. At most, I just know a bit about blade-forging techniques... But since we’re already on the subject, let me ask you something...”

“Young brother, would you be interested in getting a Tang Saber that’s an Ability Item?”

The moment those words came out, everyone froze.

They all knew just how harsh the conditions for the birth of an Ability Item were, so none of them had expected Miao Weiyong to suddenly bring this up here. Ji Qing found himself thinking with some unease: So this is where Xie Chang’an gets his new blade?

Ji Qing did not know the original manga plotline, but he had known for a long time that sooner or later Xie Chang’an would encounter an event where someone gifted him a blade.

Hearing that, Xie Chang’an said in panic, “How could I possibly accept something like that? And wouldn’t that count as a keepsake?”

“There’s no need to feel embarrassed,” Miao Weiyong said, waving his hand decisively after hearing that. “It would be useless in my hands anyway. My usual weapon isn’t a blade. And my elder brother would definitely want his beloved saber to keep serving on the battlefield.”

Xie Chang’an stood there in a daze.

He would be lying if he said he was not tempted.

Xie Chang’an had learned about Ability Items from his teachers back at school. To come across a suitable Ability Item was the sort of thing one could only encounter by chance, never seek by design. Ability Items themselves were tightly controlled by noble families or government institutions, which already made his chances of obtaining one incredibly small. On top of that, what Xie Chang’an wanted was specifically a Tang Saber, which made the possibility even slimmer.

If he turned it down here...

Xie Chang’an thought with inward turmoil.

He might never encounter a second one in the next ten years, the next twenty years, or even for the rest of his life.

“Then... thank you, Uncle,” Xie Chang’an replied haltingly. But very quickly, he straightened himself and said in a solemn tone, “If there is ever anything you need me for in the future, or if there is ever anything I can help with, then please come find me.

“As long as it is within reasonable bounds, I will spare no effort.”

During the bird tide rescue incident a few months ago, Gu father had once said something very similar after the rescue ended, and now Xie Chang’an had used those same words himself. Xie Chang’an could not help sighing inwardly: You really did not understand just how much weight there was in words like that until you had to say them yourself.

“With those words from you, young brother, nothing could be better.” Miao Weiyong laughed heartily. “Once you make a name for yourself in the future, my son and I can also say we know a hunter of real standing.”

Xie Chang’an replied shyly, “That will probably still take a long time...”

“Hahaha...” Miao Weiyong laughed again, bold and carefree. “Then once we get back to Huangtie City, I’ll hand it over to you.”

“It’s a deal!”

Now in an excellent mood, Xie Chang’an agreed just as readily.

Seeing this, Ji Qing shook his head helplessly.

He could more or less guess what Father Miao intended. Although Father Miao was described by Elder Miao as mediocre and lazy, from Ji Qing’s own experience with him, Father Miao was actually someone with considerable personal charm. Just as Elder Miao had wanted to make one final effort for his youngest son before his death, Father Miao also wanted to pave a path for his only son.

Miao Miaonian’s talent was mediocre, so it was all the more important for him to build up connections.

To Father Miao, Xie Chang’an was a promising investment for his child’s future. When Father Miao had seen the posture Xie Chang’an took while swinging his blade in the Armed Vehicle surveillance footage, he had probably already started thinking about exactly this development...

“It may not be as sharp as your Tang Saber, but it’s extraordinarily sturdy,” Miao Weiyong added at the end. “But if you use it for too long, it will actively draw the user’s blood. It’s best to let the blade rest for at least half a day every three days, and you absolutely must not go longer than seven days.”

“Alright, alright. Thank you.” Xie Chang’an gave Miao Weiyong a deep bow.

After that, amid Miao Weiyong’s casual wave of dismissal, he closed the door behind him. Xie Chang’an quickly ran back to the other three, who had already been waiting in the corridor, his face full of delight.

“Congratulations, bro,” Jiang Cuo said, clapping.

“Who would’ve thought there’d be this kind of unexpected bonus,” Zhou Que muttered.

From his place at the farthest corner, Ji Qing also slowly nodded.

He had originally thought that this ore truck escort commission would only involve Zhou Que and the Dawn Society plotline. He had not expected it to directly drop equipment for Xie Chang’an.

And from the sound of it, it seemed to be quite a good piece of equipment.

That was something worth congratulating, at least, wasn’t it? A nearly imperceptible smile curved Ji Qing’s lips. No matter how sharp a blade was, it still faced the risk of breaking. But an extraordinarily sturdy blade did not. Even if it might fail to cut through an enemy, at the very least it would not snap.

No swordsman should ever die empty-handed.

What happened over the next few days was much easier.

On the third day after they arrived in Ding’an City, Elder Miao showed up at the hotel where the convoy was staying with his cane in hand. The very moment he saw Miao Weiyong, he flew into a rage and started beating his son with the cane.

Miao Weiyong, who had been struck for no apparent reason, froze in shock at first, then started dodging as he shouted, “Dad! Why are you hitting me?!”

“And you still have the nerve to ask me that?!” Elder Miao was so furious that he looked ready to beat his son half-crippled. As he chased him, he cursed, “Who told you to expose my whereabouts? Didn’t I tell you again and again to keep your mouth shut? But you brainless bastard, I really regret ever having you!”

Miao Weiyong hurriedly protested his innocence. “But I didn’t leak anything!”

“Didn’t leak anything, my ass!” Elder Miao chased until he was panting, but he still shouted angrily, “If you didn’t leak anything, then why was the entire convoy waiting for me to show up?!”

Miao Weiyong was stunned. “Huh? Wasn’t that because you said the meeting’s end time was uncertain?”

“...”

Elder Miao’s eyes immediately went wide with rage. “Today I’m going to beat you until heaven won’t answer when you call, and earth won’t respond when you cry!”

...

Seeing that neither side was willing to back down, Miao Miaonian stood in the middle of the chase wearing a helpless smile. One side was his father, the other side was his grandfather. If he helped either one, it would only become a brand-new family dispute, so his legs were effectively nailed to the ground.

The four people watching from the side all found it rather novel.

The atmosphere the Miao Family displayed was completely different from anything they had ever known or imagined, and yet it was still filled with a kind of warmth unique to family, the warmth of blood ties. It was another form of familial affection that they themselves had no way of experiencing.

“Haha...”

Ji Qing suddenly laughed and shook his head.

Even though the conflict between Father Miao and Elder Miao had once been immense, now that the years had brought them to this point, they were still precious family to each other. Elder Miao had always hated that his son had failed to meet expectations, yet in the end he had still respected Father Miao’s wish and had not dragged Miao Miaonian into the old grievances between them. Father Miao, meanwhile, might have carried deep resentment toward Elder Miao, but he had still chosen to wait for him to come home.

Still...

Ji Qing’s eyes dimmed slightly.

He keenly sensed the change in Elder Miao. Compared with the exhausted, hunched figure of the previous night, Elder Miao’s bearing today was unusually light, and even his tone was far more relieved.

Naturally, that could be explained as Elder Miao finally being freed from the burden he had carried for many years.

And yet Ji Qing still felt an ominous foreboding rise faintly in his heart.

Elder Miao was already very old, and now he had resolved the heart’s burden he had carried for so many years... for an old man like that, was this really a good thing?

Ji Qing’s green eyes quietly reflected the scene before him.

He thought: perhaps this would be the last time.

On the fourth day of their stay in Ding’an City, the Father Miao and son decided to go outside the city to look for the lost transport truck. Although Xie Chang’an and Jiang Cuo both wanted to accompany them, Miao Weiyong refused them one by one. Thumping his chest, he said, “No need to worry, young brothers. I was still a hunter for many years, after all. While you’re here, just spend these few days enjoying Ding’an City!”

“And another thing—never volunteer to take a loss like that again in the future! Some clients can be real bastards!”

With that, Miao Weiyong left in a dashing manner, taking his son with him. That left only two problem children staring at each other, while Ji Qing stood expressionlessly in the far corner, watching their foolish behavior.

This was the sort of thing they should have understood after trying it once.

Miao Weiyong’s attitude had been extremely firm. He had already talked them out of it one by one earlier, so were they really expecting him to change his mind now? Even Zhou Que, who was squatting by Ji Qing’s feet, could not help commenting, “So stupid.”

They really were stupid, but the only truly stupid one here was Xie Chang’an.

With his arms folded across his chest, Ji Qing thought helplessly: He would never believe for a second that he couldn’t see through Jiang Cuo’s little scheme. Jiang Cuo’s expression looked less like he wanted to help and more like he was annoyed he couldn’t go gather up some spoils...

At this very moment, Jiang Cuo’s heart was probably aching over the refusal.

Because gophers were rodents, close relatives of fancy rats and hamsters. Their species especially loved hoarding food or collecting objects, and those foodstuffs or objects were highly likely to have been stolen from passing humans.

Jiang Cuo had no interest in helping, but he had a great deal of interest in the gophers’ collection.

“By the way... why do I sometimes feel like those two are really smart, and sometimes not at all?” Zhou Que, still crouched on the steps, muttered with a bewildered expression.

Because you’re stupid too, Ji Qing silently added in his heart.

Based on Ji Qing’s experience with them so far, he sincerely felt that the three of them should all be on about the same intellectual level.

Xie Chang’an could not really understand the rules by which society operated, but his intuition was absurdly precise.

Jiang Cuo could understand social rules, but from time to time he would come up with ideas so disastrous they could kill people. The most popular reaction image on the manga forum right now, “Bro, are you gay?”, had come from him, and there would probably be more in the future.

Zhou Que could also understand social rules, but he hated using his brain and was constantly led off track by others, so his brain was functionally not all that useful either.

“...”

The more Ji Qing thought about it, the more silent he became.

For some reason, he increasingly felt that the three of them could form a proper Partners-in-Crime Duo. But as the saying went, three cobblers together could equal Zhuge Liang. Who knew—maybe three negatives really could turn into a positive?

Ji Qing’s gaze could not help falling on Zhou Que, who was closest to him. Sensing that, Zhou Que blinked in confusion.

But the next second, Ji Qing silently looked away again.

“On second thought, forget it...” Ji Qing murmured softly. “What if he gets even stupider? Shao Huayu would definitely come after me with murderous intent.”

He really did not want his relationship with Shao Huayu to sour right now.

Zhou Que stared blankly. “...Huh?”

Why had Brother Huayu suddenly come into this?

And before nightfall that same day, the Father Miao and son had already dragged the transport truck back. The total loss from the cargo on the missing truck was only 40%, far below Miao Weiyong’s expectations. As a result, he was in an extremely good mood and immediately found someone to sell it off cheaply.

Then, on their eighth day in Ding’an City, the group was finally able to begin the journey back to Huangtie City.

The atmosphere on the return trip was far more relaxed than it had been on the way out.

When the four of them had first come, they had known none of the adults in the convoy, so their conversations and interactions had all felt polite and distant. But now, after enduring hardship together along the road, and with the cargo money still reaching the expected level of profit, the vehicles were naturally full of laughter and conversation.

Naturally, Elder Miao joined in as well.

Even though he wore a sour face most of the time, he would occasionally offer his own opinions. Because Elder Miao’s commentary on Federation current affairs was uncannily sharp, before long he had drawn in half the convoy, which made Father Miao grumble nonstop.

At the sight, Ji Qing found it deeply amusing.

This father and son were practically natural-born rivals. It was his first time seeing such an entertaining way for a father and son to get along.

And finally, after returning to Huangtie City, the team disbanded.

The moment Miao Weiyong confirmed that the A-rank escort commission had ended, the four-person team smoothly received its reward. Because this commission had been an A-rank one, and because Ji Qing and the others had already met the required number of B-rank commissions, the Hunter’s Guild system automatically upgraded them to A-rank Hunters.

Jiang Cuo began bouncing wildly in place with excitement.

He immediately slung an arm around Xie Chang’an’s neck and started gesticulating at his ear about his grand ambitions. But the longer Xie Chang’an listened, the deader his eyes became, until he finally turned around and punched Jiang Cuo with a heavy blow.

Zhou Que stared, stunned.

A sour emotion fermented in his heart, and in that instant he realized that feeling was called envy. Because of his own irritable and domineering personality, he had never had friends with whom he could mock each other and joke around like this.

Perhaps he once had, though? Zhou Que thoughtfully turned his head a little.

But before anything else, Zhou Que felt that what he ought to receive right now was an affectionate hug. However, Ji Qing rejected him on the spot with a fake smile and even deliberately used Gravity Control to keep him apart.

Ji Qing said coldly, “I truly do not know where your confidence comes from.”

Zhou Que: “Waaah, QAQ.”

He got hugged by Sister Huayue all the time at home, so why was it not allowed when it came to Ji Qing?

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