I Stepped on a Bug, and the System Says I Slayed a Dragon?-Chapter 127: Why Do the Ten Holes in the Sky Seem Bigger?

Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Why Do the Ten Holes in the Sky Seem Bigger?

’It seems Zixuan must have let something slip.’

On the way home, Qin Yang listened to Li Qinghe beat around the bush and gradually figured out her motive.

No wonder the girl was acting so out of character today, suddenly trying to suck up to him.

Her real intentions lay elsewhere.

’Her mind was completely fixed on this "non-existent" Grandmaster!’

’She probably figured it out from Zixuan.’

Qin Yang glanced at Li Qinghe and continued to humor her with casual questions, having no intention of exposing her little scheme.

After all, the only one with a connection to him was Zixuan.

And as her cousin, that was the only lead Qinghe could have followed to guess anything about him.

However, Qin Yang didn’t for a moment suspect that Zixuan would sell him out.

’That girl’s personality is pretty easy to read.’

’Though she’s cold on the outside and a bit of a dork on the inside, she always takes my instructions to heart and would never reveal too much information.’

’Qinghe’s personality, on the other hand, is much more mischievous, and she’s very perceptive about certain things.’

’Zixuan must have slipped up, and she noticed something was off.’

At this thought, Qin Yang yawned, unconcerned, and continued on his way. He walked over to a roadside stall, bought a stick of candied hawthorn, and prepared to enjoy his treat.

"Master, I’ll pay!"

Seeing her chance, Li Qinghe quickly stepped forward, getting in front of him to pay.

After paying, the two continued hurrying down the street, soon stopping at a traffic light.

"Master, you still haven’t answered me. Where exactly is our Grandmaster?"

Li Qinghe asked in a low voice, "I’d also like to meet him as soon as possible."

"Your Grandmaster isn’t in Jianghai."

Qin Yang pulled a candied fruit off the stick, tossed it to Xiaobai behind him, and said calmly, "He has some urgent matters to take care of, so he’s not in Jianghai right now."

"Grandmaster isn’t here!?"

Hearing this, Li Qinghe’s face fell, and she instantly deflated.

She had spent the entire day trying her best to butter up Qin Yang, all for a single chance to meet the Jianghai Sword God.

But now, as it turned out...

The Jianghai Sword God wasn’t even in Jianghai...

’Doesn’t that mean I’ve been sucking up for nothing?!’

’No! I have to get some other useful information out of him!’

At this thought, Li Qinghe looked at Qin Yang and asked in a soft, sweet voice, "So, did Grandmaster say roughly when he’ll be back?"

"Be back?"

Qin Yang bit into the sweet candied fruit, his words muffled, and continued to bluff, "The venerable elder didn’t say when he’d be back... Are you in a hurry, my apprentice? If you’re that anxious, you can tell your master first. I’ll pass the message along for you."

As he spoke, he glanced at the look on Li Qinghe’s face.

He immediately noticed a hint of hesitation.

’Tell you, Master?’

Li Qinghe hesitated at his words, glancing at Qin Yang, who was busy chewing on his candied hawthorn.

’Tell this Qin guy?’

’And have him pass the message to the Jianghai Sword God?’

’No, absolutely not!’

’If I tell him, I’ll lose the upper hand.’ 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

’My plan to become the Sword God’s apprentice would definitely be ruined.’

’I have to find a way to get around this Qin guy.’

At this thought, Li Qinghe took out her phone, flipped through the calendar, and showed it to Qin Yang.

"Master, the Mid-Autumn Festival is in two days. See if you have time to contact Grandmaster and ask him to come back. I’d also like the chance to properly pay my respects."

As she spoke, she pointed to Qin Yang’s pocket. "It would also be a good time for me to give Grandmaster a small gift, as a sign of respect."

"Heh, you’re very thoughtful, my apprentice, but I’m not sure either."

Qin Yang said slowly, looking at her expression and unable to resist rolling his eyes inwardly.

’Looks like it.’

’This girl is definitely hiding something from me.’

’You’re not going to tell me, are you?’

’Fine, I’m not in a hurry either.’

’I’ll just wait for you to tell me yourself!’

With this in mind, Qin Yang said calmly, "How about this, my apprentice? Whatever you want to give him, just leave it with your master for now. And if you have something to say, you can just say it directly.

When the time comes, I’ll pass it on to your Grandmaster for you."

"..."

As his voice fell, Li Qinghe was rendered speechless, frozen in place and at a complete loss for words.

’After all that beating around the bush, I just got shot down by that Qin guy again.’

’This guy is really impossible!’

’Forget it. Looks like I’ll just have to wait until after the Mid-Autumn Festival to find another time to ask.’

Li Qinghe sighed and nodded helplessly at Qin Yang.

"I understand. Then... then I’ll have to trouble you, Master. I’ll wait until then to speak with Grandmaster."

"Sure, no problem!"

...

...

「Two days later.」

The Mid-Autumn Festival arrived.

The bright moon rose high, like a silver platter hanging in the night sky. The stars were dim, and thin wisps of clouds drifted ethereally, the city lights shrouded beneath the gentle moonlight.

"Hey? Old Qin, did you get the mooncakes I sent you?"

On the rooftop of his apartment complex, Qin Yang leaned back in a folding lounge chair, admiring the moonlit sky while holding his phone.

Xia He’s voice came through the earpiece, breaking up intermittently.

"Got them. It’s a pretty big box."

"Hah, they were a gift from the Police Chief. I had extra and couldn’t finish them all, so I sent them to you. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival. I’m still stuck working overtime."

"Alright, Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to you too. Take care of yourself."

The two chatted for a while before hanging up. Qin Yang lay back in his folding chair, slightly tipsy from the osmanthus wine in his cup. Beside him, Xiaobai used a plastic fork to lift a piece of mooncake to its mouth.

"Yay, it’s the egg yolk kind, Master!"

Xiaobai licked the crumbs from the side of its mouth, held up its short little paws, and said happily, "This is the first Mid-Autumn Festival I’ve spent with you, Master!"

"The first Mid-Autumn Festival..."

Hearing this, Qin Yang looked up at the bright moon, a wistful melancholy in his eyes.

’Come to think of it, it’s been almost a year since I came to this world.’

’In my past life, I was a nobody, just someone who liked to scroll through short videos, living the quiet life of a corporate drone.’

’And after transmigrating, I’m still living a similar life. It seems like nothing’s changed, but at the same time, so much has.’

Just then...

DING!

A message notification suddenly pinged on his phone.

Qin Yang picked up his phone and saw it was a text from Zixuan.

[Senior Brother, Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! Did you receive the gift box from your junior sister?]

[Got it. You too, Junior Sister. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!]

[Mhm, then I won’t disturb you anymore, Senior Brother. Enjoy the festival.]

After the brief exchange...

BANG! BANG!

In the distance, fireworks soared, exploding in a dazzling display over the edge of the city. Xiaobai excitedly ran to the railing, wagging its tail and yelping with joy.

"On festive occasions, one thinks of family all the more,"

Qin Yang put down his phone, pillowed his head on his arm, and leisurely admired the bright moon.

Just then, his gaze fell upon the ten holes in the sky, and he suddenly noticed something wasn’t right.

The pitch-black voids dominated the night sky, swallowing the light of any stars that passed behind them, as unfathomable as black holes.

People had long since grown accustomed to the celestial phenomenon of the ten holes.

It was just that...

Comparing them to his memory, Qin Yang couldn’t help but feel that these ten holes seemed... bigger than they were a year ago?