I Have a Golden Crow

Du Yu had originally planned to follow the rules and honestly line up to enter.

But heaven wouldn’t go along with his wishes. Since the route through the cultural center was blocked, he went instead to the neighboring office building that wasn’t open to the public.

Du Yu had walked this path once before—on the very day Thunder Bamboo returned home—personally led by the general supervisor of Bamboo Grove.

Once again, under the gazes of countless tourists, Du Yu spoke briefly with the guards at the gate and was then allowed into the building’s interior, taking a direct route to the underground research institute.

”No wonder so many people like having privileges.” Du Yu muttered inwardly, passing through unhindered the whole way.

Coming to Bamboo Grove this time, things were no longer what they used to be.

Du Yu could feel that whether it was the staff in the institute or the soldiers stationed here, they all treated him with particular respect.

That genuine emotion overflowing from their eyes moved Du Yu deeply.

All along, the meaning of Demon Taming to Du Yu had been rather simple.

At the very beginning it was for survival, for a meal, a bed, just to keep living.

Later, Demon Taming was for bonds—for his Demon Pets, and for the people at his side.

Now, those reverent faces and those burning eyes he had passed on the way seemed to have given Du Yu’s Demon Taming a new layer of meaning.

”Clack.”

The heavy metal door slowly slid open, and at his side came a soldier’s voice: ”Mr. Du, have a pleasant journey.”

”Thank you.” Du Yu nodded with a smile and stepped out of the ”subway station entrance.”

Waves of fresh, grassy fragrance rushed toward him, seeping into his heart.

Du Yu instinctively looked toward the front right, and beneath a clump of bamboo and trees, he indeed saw a familiar figure.

She was still standing there, in front of that bamboo grove, just like the last few times.

It was as if she had never moved from that spot.

Before coming to Bamboo Grove, he had of course informed Xu Yihai.

Once Xu Yihai knew, Hongye naturally knew as well.

”Hongye!” Du Yu held the greaseproof paper box in his left hand and waved his right.

The two-meter-tall Hongye looked similar to an ordinary Chi Bear. The only difference was the conical hat woven from Red Bamboo Leaves on her head.

Others had absolutely no idea that this seemingly ordinary Chi Bear was already a Demon Emperor!

A Demon Emperor...

The highest peak the Chi Bear Race could reach.

”Ying~” Hongye stepped toward him, her eyes brimming with surprise.

Du Yu was a little puzzled; since she had known in advance that he would come, why was she surprised?

And he was more than three months late—was she not unhappy about that?

Hongye had already advanced to Demon Emperor in mid-April. Because she had been in seclusion the whole time, the Human Race troops only found out later.

By the time Xu Yihai informed Du Yu, it was already late April. Unfortunately, there was still no word back from Du Yu.

”Congratulations on becoming a Demon Emperor.” Du Yu reached out and pressed her furry, round belly.

”You’re back.” As a Demon Soul enveloped Du Yu’s body, Hongye’s familiar voice, belonging to her alone, sounded in his mind.

She was still as gentle as ever, just like always.

Only this time, that gentle voice seemed to carry a faint tremor.

”I brought you some Zhengzheng cakes. They’re really good.” Du Yu opened the greaseproof paper box and held it out.

Of the six pieces of cake inside, only four remained.

Hongye reined in her emotions and forced her gaze away from Du Yu, lowering her head to look at the Chi Bear–shaped cakes.

I’m eating myself?

Du Yu misunderstood and explained, ”When I was lining up at the cultural center just now, I saw our story.”

”Our story?”

”Mm.” Du Yu nodded. ”The story of me and Master Qing returning the Tai Sui Thunder Bamboo—us planting bamboo together and founding the new tribe.”

At his words, a hint of reminiscence surfaced in Hongye’s eyes.

Du Yu chuckled. ”Bamboo Grove put up bronze statues of me and Master Qing, and you’re in it too.”

Hongye felt a surge of joy; clearly she hadn’t known about the changes in the human cultural center. ”I’m in it too?”

”Yeah.” Du Yu picked up a piece of Zhengzheng cake and held it to her mouth. ”There’s a bronze statue of you there, with me sitting in your palm.

Do you remember?

When I came back to Bamboo Grove that time, you’d grown so big and lifted me up.”

”Ying~” Hongye nodded lightly, her eyes full of laughter.

So, in the humans’ exhibition hall, my master and I have always been together.

”Here.” Du Yu held up the Zhengzheng cake and stuffed it into her mouth.

”Munch~ munch~”

Once again it was proven that Du Yu didn’t hate people smacking their lips while eating—he just hated certain people smacking their lips.

Hongye’s ”munch munch” as she ate the Zhengzheng cake actually sounded delicious~

Du Yu lifted his gaze to Hongye. ”When I saw those bronze statues, I got a bit emotional and rewarded myself with a piece.”

Hongye looked curiously at the empty slot in the box. ”What about the other piece?”

”Don’t mention it.” Du Yu grimaced. ”I never should’ve given it to that little girl. I queued for so long for nothing! Let me tell you...”

In the camera at the entrance, one human and one Chi Bear gradually walked out of frame, heading toward the distant bamboo forest.

They passed grove after grove of bamboo, and the Zhengzheng cakes were soon gone.

Looking at Hongye beside him, Du Yu asked, ”You’re not mad that I came so late?”

Hongye shook her head. ”As long as you came back, it’s fine.”

Came back?

This was the second time Du Yu had heard that word.

If the first time hadn’t really registered with him, the second time was enough to draw his attention.

The thought Hongye sent was ”came back,” not ”came.”

Even though Du Yu was different from other people and had his own bamboo courtyard within the grove, the Bamboo Grove Realm was not truly Du Yu’s home.