Chapter Twelve: Its Recognition

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Rockhopper Beetle
Size: Usually between 0.8 to 2.5 meters
Description: A medium to large magical creature that prefers resting under giant trees. It possesses extremely sturdy antennae and limbs. When lying on the ground, it resembles a massive rock. Beware of touching the large stones beneath the trees casually, or you might experience the sensation of flying.

The contents of the Book of Enlightenment made Suì Chí start reflecting on whether he had engaged in the risky behavior of touching large rocks during his gathering. The more he thought about it, the more he wiped the sweat off his brow in regret.

It seemed quite a few times.

Who would have thought that even touching stones on the mountain was forbidden? He used to rest sitting on those rocks.

Without much explanation about his earlier reckless behavior, the Rockhopper Beetle continued, “Now that you’ve inherited the ranch, is your grandfather no longer with us?”

This question successfully pulled Suì Chí’s head up from his brooding. His eyes involuntarily widened, filled with astonishment.

“Don’t be afraid. Ever since he left for the city, this outcome was expected. I was meant to accompany my old friend through his final journey, but he asked me to stay behind, saying his granddaughter would come to Windridge Town to take over his work. He hoped I would stay and help.”

Hearing this voice echoing in his mind, Suì Chí barely held back the surge of bitterness swelling in his chest. After a moment, his voice trembled slightly, “But it seems the ranch hasn’t been maintained for a long time...”

The Rockhopper Beetle fell silent for a moment before continuing, “I don’t know whether to look forward to your arrival or to let the ranch wither away. It’s been so long since I last heard from my old friend — three years? Five years? Or even longer?”

“Counting from when grandpa left for town, it must be nearly ten years.”

The beetle sighed deeply, “So much time has passed.”

Then, its big, cartoonish eyes glanced at the disheveled Suì Chí and Momo, who was trembling silently. “I suppose you two don’t want to hear my stories, so I’ll take you back first.”

Once again held in the beetle’s embrace, Suì Chí felt less nervous this time, while Momo, having yet to hear their conversation, could only muster courage to cling tightly to Suì Chí.

To accommodate the two little ones in its arms, the Rockhopper Beetle deliberately flew at a slower pace, allowing Suì Chí to curiously take in the panoramic view of Windridge Town from above.

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Though the speed was reduced, the time to reach the ranch still surprised Suì Chí. Before she could count how many houses Windridge Town had, the conspicuous sign of Peaceful Ranch was already within sight.

“Huh, the name’s already chosen? Hold on, preparing to land.”

Frantically scanning around, Suì Chí only saw sharp joints and bristling spines gleaming coldly. She couldn’t find a place to hold onto. Feeling the wind rushing past her ears growing more intense and the ground visibly approaching, she gritted her teeth, hugged Momo tightly, and squeezed her eyes shut.

The anticipated sensation of weightlessness arrived as expected. When she was safely set down, Suì Chí felt her legs go weak. The rapid descent from high above was like riding a hundred-meter free-fall tower. Perhaps because of the speed, her arms now burned with a fiery pain.

Before Suì Chí could check if she was injured, Momo, startled like a frightened rabbit, immediately sprang out of her arms and hid behind the Rockhopper Beetle.

“I... I... didn’t mean to, I’m sorry, it was just too scary.”

Hearing Momo’s voice, Suì Chí noticed her arms riddled with little puncture wounds, some even oozing blood. She hadn’t noticed due to tension in the air, but the stinging pain was sharp now.

Looking at the wounds on her arms, Suì Chí sighed, beginning to understand the situation. Given Momo’s habit of bristling when angry, it was understandable that fear would cause such a reaction.

“It’s alright, just minor scratches. You didn’t mean it. It’ll heal soon.”

At that moment, the Rockhopper Beetle leaned in to inspect Suì Chí’s arm, then nodded approvingly, evidently agreeing with her assessment.

A voice echoed simultaneously in both their minds: “You little one, your courage is really lacking.”

The sudden voice unsurprisingly made Momo bristle again.

Suì Chí rubbed her still-weak legs and replied bitterly, “Actually, elder, I’m quite timid too.”

Glancing at Suì Chí’s legs, the Rockhopper Beetle quickly looked around.

“Hasn’t been here in years; this ranch is truly neglected.”

Suì Chí: ...

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So that’s a change of subject, huh?

Suì Chí simply went along with it, “Yes, elder. After all, no one’s lived at this ranch for nearly ten years. If it weren’t for Mayor Ayla and others helping with repairs, I wouldn’t have been able to stay here a few days ago.”

Nodding, the Rockhopper Beetle continued, “It’s all thanks to your grandfather, Chí Yù, who helped the town so much. Though he stayed only five years, he transformed this from a village into a small town.”

“Five years? Then where was grandpa before that?” Suì Chí asked, curious about the timeline.

“Your grandfather was a traveler at heart. Rather than settling down to run a ranch, he preferred venturing into deep mountains and forests to gather ingredients. This nomadic life, exposed to sun and wind, inevitably left him some ailments with age. But seeing Windridge Village’s simple customs and friendly folk, he chose to settle here.”

Seeing Suì Chí’s bright eyes and hopeful expression, the beetle cleared its throat and continued, “Back then, I traveled with your grandfather across these six floating isles. But no matter the prosperity of Golden Isle, the pursuit of truth on Blue Isle, the rigor of Silver Isle, or the vitality of Green Isle, none compared to the warmth of Purple Isle. After thorough consideration, they chose this place. In just five years, Chí Yù’s ranch became the foremost in surrounding towns. It’s just a pity...”

The Rockhopper Beetle sighed but left the sentence unfinished.

After a moment of silence, Suì Chí casually asked, “Elder, are you willing to stay at the ranch and help me rebuild its former glory?”

“Hahaha, you’re young but ambitious.” The beetle’s smile faded as it asked seriously, “But if you want me to stay and sign a contract with you, can you provide me with adequate food? This is the most basic requirement for a ranch owner employing magical creatures. To meet my daily needs, you must supply at least two-star dishes. Do you understand the concept of star-rated dishes? It means...”

Before the beetle finished speaking, Suì Chí pulled out a prepared scallion roll from her bag.

The beetle silently accepted and swallowed it.

After a moment, the beetle’s voice echoed in their minds.

“My young friend, congratulations on earning my approval. When shall we sign the contract?”