ARIWLBBC Chapter 97

The man fell silent.

Boge watched as the slight curve on Lie Beishuang’s lips straightened into a firm line.

“Um…” Boge attempted to reason with him. “I’ve reviewed the event script. It’s very positive. My part is small but impactful. Participating in this event will also help my application to the First Military Academy. It’s a great way to make up for lost time.”

Lie Beishuang turned his back to him, sitting on the edge of the bed, leaving only a stiff, sulking silhouette for Boge to see.

“What’s wrong?” Boge gently stroked his back. “Why are you upset?”

After a moment of thought, the man pursed his lips and extended his hand toward Boge. “Let me see your event script.”

“That’s not allowed,” Boge shook his head. “I signed a confidentiality agreement; I can’t disclose it.”

“I’m also a participant,” Lie Beishuang said, trying to keep his voice steady.

Boge carefully reopened the confidentiality agreement and quickly scanned through it again.

“We’re not in the same group, so I can’t show you.”

Lie Beishuang took a deep breath. “Then tell me—are there any intimate scenes with other people?”

“None.” Boge answered confidently. “We’re all working together to fight the Zerg. How could there be any romance in a battle setting?”

But as soon as he finished speaking, Boge slapped his hand over his mouth, realizing he’d inadvertently revealed too much.

“What about that elf? Why was he the one to contact you? Did he explain himself?” Lie Beishuang asked, his expression turning stern.

“No, he didn’t explain.” Now that he mentioned it, Boge found it a bit strange too.

“How about I ask him tomorrow?”

“No!” Lie Beishuang turned, frowning slightly. “Don’t go near him!”

Boge’s eyes shifted, and he suddenly understood the big cat’s odd behavior.

“Do you not like that elf?”

Caught off guard by the direct question, Lie Beishuang didn’t respond.

“Is it because he was once voted as the ‘most beautiful face’ by humans?” Boge smirked. “I wasn’t around during that poll, but I don’t think he’s all that attractive.”

Lie Beishuang glanced at Boge, seemingly trying to gauge the sincerity of his words.

“My leopard is the best-looking,” Boge declared, rising to wrap his arms around Lie Beishuang’s neck and planting a kiss on his cheek. “Humans have a saying: ‘Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.’ In my eyes, you’re the most handsome.”

The stream of sweet talk eased the man’s frown and improved his mood significantly.

However, the next morning, long before the usual wake-up time, Boge was already out of bed, swiftly washing up. Without even stopping for breakfast, he left the house, brimming with enthusiasm.

Lying flat on the bed and staring at the ceiling, the big cat recalled an old saying from the beastmen.

“A human’s mouth is a liar’s den.”

---

“I’m so excited!” Hai Tu exclaimed, wearing a dress Boge had given her. Her gravelly voice betrayed her nerves as she covered her face shyly. “Do you think we’ll meet a lot of big names? Would asking for their autographs make us look unprofessional?”

“We’re amateurs anyway,” Boge replied, equally nervous. “We’re just doing this as a cameo to boost our chances of getting into the First Military Academy.”

As the aircraft climbed higher, Boge double-checked their destination and confirmed it was correct.

“Are we heading to one of the floating islands for rehearsals?” Hai Tu asked, looking around uneasily. “I’ve never been to an airborne island before. This is my first time.”

Boge silently echoed her sentiment. Suddenly, the aircraft’s warning lights turned red, and an alarm blared.

“Unidentified aircraft approaching at high speed from behind. Collision imminent. Initiating emergency lane jump in three, two, one!”

The vehicle jolted sharply, disappearing from its original course and reappearing in a neighboring lane. The sudden movement threw Hai Tu off balance, sending her tumbling against the window.

With a loud thud, Boge looked outside and saw a sleek, red flat aircraft speeding past their original lane, leaving a white streak in its wake.

“Who does that?!” Hai Tu exclaimed, standing upright and visibly annoyed. “I’ve heard of these manual-pilot maniacs stealing lanes, but I didn’t think I’d actually encounter one!”

“Teacher Tu, are you okay?” Boge asked, inspecting her for injuries. Hai Tu flexed her biceps confidently. “Beastmen are tough; don’t worry about me. Just take care of yourself.”

Fortunately, such maniacs were rare. The rest of their journey was smooth, and the aircraft docked at an aerial parking bay. Boge and Hai Tu disembarked, immediately spotting a site surrounded by semi-transparent screens. Inside were towering, primeval trees reaching toward the sky.

The screens displayed various scenes shot in the area. Boge even recognized a few. As he studied the site map, noting which team was assigned to each location, he realized there was no mention of the Alliance Celebration Event.

“Boge,” Hai Tu nudged him and pointed in a direction. Following her gaze, Boge saw a familiar red, flat aircraft.

It was the same one that had cut them off earlier.

“Hi!” A young man strode over enthusiastically, stopping right in front of Boge. “You’re Boge, right? I’m with the Alliance Celebration Event team. For confidentiality reasons, we borrowed another crew’s name, so you won’t find us listed. I’m here to take you to the filming site.”

Chapter 97: The Sky Canopy Forest

Sea Hare cautiously eyed the young man ahead, sniffing the air.

“Are you a hybrid?”

“Beastman and elf,” the youth replied with an unwavering smile, showing his work ID. “My name is Lao Jin, a site assistant. Please guide me as well.”

“I’m Bo Ge. Pleased to meet you.” Bo Ge nodded politely.

“I’m just an assistant, practically a gofer. No need to be so formal.” Lao Jin led the way, while Sea Hare whispered to Bo Ge as they followed.

“Let me tell you, because of their nature, beastmen and elves rarely get along. Even those who can tolerate each other hardly become friends, let alone partners.” Sea Hare glanced warily at Lao Jin’s back, lowering his voice. “There’s something odd about his scent.”

Bo Ge rubbed his nose, unable to detect anything unusual.

Lao Jin walked at a leisurely pace, but Bo Ge noticed the forest around them growing denser, and the path becoming increasingly difficult to traverse.

“Lao Jin!” Bo Ge stopped, calling out. “Are we lost?”

The Alliance Celebration was a major event with lots of equipment involved. A rugged path like this, surrounded by towering trees, didn’t seem practical for transportation.

Lao Jin halted, turning with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, you know how it is. The Alliance Celebration attracts a lot of attention, with people using all kinds of spy devices to capture inside information. We’ve had to take extra precautions, which is why the location is a bit hidden.”

“How much farther?” Sea Hare grumbled, massaging his calves. “My legs are cramping up!”

“Just ten more minutes!” Lao Jin offered a helpless smile. “We didn’t want it to be this far either, believe me.”

---

At the dense forest’s entry point, a group of over ten people stood in line, craning their necks to look at the parking area. Two of them even held signs saying “Love Humanity” and “Little Cutie, Mommy Loves You.”

A red-haired man lounged on a chair, glancing at his light brain.

“What’s going on? I even sped here to avoid being late, and now this little internet star has me waiting!”

“Don’t be mad, Brother Muke. Here, have some probiotics.” His assistant cautiously handed him a drink. “Maybe the human got delayed. After all, they’re a rare species—pretty precious.”

“Precious or not, they shouldn’t be late.” A burly man with a square face checked his light brain. “He’s already three minutes and twenty-one seconds late. By protocol, we can leave.”

Muke side-eyed the man, shaking his foot dismissively. “Oh, look who it is—Mr. Principles! Don’t you beastmen adore humans? Can’t wait a few minutes?”

“It’s a matter of principle,” the strong beastman replied sternly. “And please, call me by my stage name, Zhong You.”

Muke rolled his eyes and mockingly sipped his probiotics with exaggerated flair. “Lao Jin, this stuff is awful. Share it with everyone.”

“Right away, Brother Muke.” Lao Jin, standing behind him, cheerfully began distributing probiotics.

One assistant, receiving a drink, asked kindly, “Lao Jin, you mentioned your light brain had a virus yesterday. Is it fixed now?”

“It’s fine now,” Lao Jin replied, puzzled. “It broke suddenly and fixed itself just as mysteriously. I was going to have it checked after work, but since nothing’s missing, I let it go.”

“Maybe you downloaded something shady?” another assistant teased.

“Ah, stop it!” Lao Jin waved sheepishly. “Don’t let others hear. It’s embarrassing.”

Time dragged on, and the group finished their probiotics, yet there was still no sign of the human. The sunlight on the floating island was harsher than on the ground. Muke, jolted awake from a nap, checked his light brain and stood abruptly.

“What kind of rare species makes me wait an hour? Even if the Alliance Chief showed up, I wouldn’t stick around!”

He took a few steps back before noticing the burly beastman, Zhong You, standing still.

“You were just lecturing about principles. Now you’re standing there like a stubborn dog. What gives?”

“Something feels off.” Zhong You’s square face grew tense.

“Oh, please. Is it so shocking that the human stood us up?” Muke sneered, pulling up the cast list.

“See this name? Bo Ge! It literally means ‘stood you up’ in your beastman tongue. Get it, Principle Man?”

“It’s not him.” Zhong You’s brow furrowed deeply. “The assistant director and Luo Qi are also missing.”

“So what? Maybe they’re catching up. They knew each other before, didn’t they?” Muke scoffed.

“The problem is, I’ve sent them messages, even video calls. No response.” Zhong You’s voice grew grim. “Could something have happened?”

“What could happen? Did they all get lost in the central forest?” Muke smirked. “Impossible. They know better than anyone that the undeveloped center might still have dangerous wildlife. No one would risk it.”

“But what if?” Zhong You quickly activated his light brain. “If they don’t respond within three minutes, I’m reporting this and sending a patrol drone to search.”

“Have you been binge-watching detective dramas?” Muke sighed, rubbing his forehead. “If this turns into a joke, don’t mention me.”

Deep in the forest, the assistant director clutched his bleeding leg, biting down hard to stifle his screams and avoid attracting the monsters lurking nearby.

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