Before seeing them, he heard them.
Upon hearing the charming voices approaching from the distance, Gin smirked inwardly—could this finally be the start of his lucky day?
He quickly pulled a mirror out of his pouch, fixed his hair, adjusted his collar, and posed with what he believed was a dazzling smile. With a flick of his bangs and a slow wave toward the figures rushing over, he called out smoothly:
"Ladies~ I'm right here, open your eyes and behold... Qiao Biluo!"
But as the figures in ancient-style robes drew closer, Gin—smiling in anticipation—caught a good look at them with his sharp eyesight. A chill shot straight from his brain to his spine.
Beads of cold sweat broke out on his back. That hopeful expression froze, and his wide grin collapsed. His dead-fish eyes widened in pure horror, as if he were facing some kind of ancient, eldritch evil.
Before he could react, the voice's owner had already reached him.
"Oh my~ Such a handsome young man! Where are you from, and where are you going?"
The lead woman smiled so hard her face nearly split in half. Her beady green eyes scanned him from head to toe several times before she finally covered her mouth and giggled while asking her question.
"Ahem... This humble monk hails from the East—wait, wrong script!"
Startled by the sudden sense of déjà vu, Gin reflexively started quoting Journey to the West before snapping back and waving it off awkwardly.
Seeing how they were staring at him like a lamb to the slaughter, Gin instinctively stepped back a few paces, pulling his collar protectively around his neck to guard against any unexpected advances.
"Dear ladies, I'm just a wandering traveler who got lost. Would you kindly tell me how I might return?"
After glancing over the women—most of whom looked more mature but not unattractive—Gin turned his head with a flourish and lied through his teeth, face serene and heartbeat steady.
"Oh-hoho~ Look at him, he's so shy!"
The lead woman mistook Gin's evasive glance for shyness, and she giggled while gesturing to her companions.
"Hehehe, how long has it been since we've seen such a fresh-faced and sturdy young man?"
"Ten years, at least!"
"Try twenty! It's been two decades since I've seen one this strong-looking~"
The group of women erupted into chatter, clearly delighted. It seemed they had reached a silent consensus.
Their white eyes gleamed faintly with red light, all locked firmly on Gin like predators who hadn't eaten in weeks. Gin could feel it—these weren't exactly evil intentions, but they were definitely worse than evil in some ways.
His instincts screamed, and he clamped his legs together.
"Little darling~ Since you're lost, why don't you come rest at big sis's palace? Have some tea, something to eat~"
The lead woman, sensing the tension rising among her companions, raised a hand to calm them and invited Gin with a flirtatious smile that couldn't hide her desire.
"Well then... I'll humbly accept your hospitality."
Already planning his next move, Gin slowly turned back with a polite smile, feigning gratitude.
"Wonderful! Ladies, let's move out!"
The lead woman's expression lit up with undisguised joy, which made Gin's stomach churn. Still, he forced a respectful smile.
Whoosh~
At her command, several floating ships adorned with ornate patterns approached from the horizon. On their sides was a symbol resembling the sun.
Gin raised an eyebrow—that was the crest of the main branch of the Ōtsutsuki clan.
"Hop on~"
The woman leapt aboard first. Her… considerable weight made the slender ship groan in protest.
"Many thanks. If I hadn't run into you all, I don't know what I'd have done!"
Gin followed suit, hopping onto the ship with a grateful look. As soon as the order was given, the ships lifted off and soared toward the floating island above.
"Young man, how old are you? Are you married yet?"
The woman turned her thick neck with some effort and asked sweetly, her voice strangely crisp.
"Uh? My age? Well, I just turned... eighteen!"
How old was he again? Ever since exploiting that immortality glitch, Gin had stopped keeping track. Was he thirty-six now? Eh, no matter—eighteen sounded better.
"You're quite… mature-looking for eighteen."
"I, uh, matured early, yup~"
"And are you married?"
"Nope."
Gin answered confidently. As long as there was no marriage license, he was still single in his book.
"Hehehe, that's very good~ Very good~"
The woman finally turned her head back, satisfied. The flying ship picked up speed, reflecting the urgency of its owner's thoughts as they neared their destination.
Before long, Gin was brought to the floating island cluster. Numerous floating isles hovered above, some small, some large.
The woman's status clearly wasn't low—she piloted her ship straight to the grand central palace.
"Oh my! I got so excited I forgot to ask your name! Big sis is called Ōtsutsuki Biluò."
As they disembarked, she suddenly remembered and turned to ask Gin.
"Your name really matches your looks..."
Gin bit down the overwhelming urge to roast her, suppressing a wave of laughter as he replied seriously.
"As for me, just call me A-Gin."
It's not like these moon people could leave this place anyway, so no harm in giving his real name.
"A-Gin~ Why don't you rest for a bit? I have something to handle, but I'll be back soon~"
After leading him in circles through the extravagant palace, Biluò finally guided him to a massive bedroom.
Once Gin was settled, she lingered at the door, reluctant to leave.
"Someone will bring you our local delicacies shortly. If you need anything, tell the steward."
With that, she waddled down the hall and vanished.
"Phew~ I think that counts as a successful infiltration, right?"
Gin collapsed onto the oversized bed with a long sigh. Recalling that woman's face made his eyes sting instinctively.
"When did the Ōtsutsuki clan's looks decline this badly? Weren't they supposed to be universally stunning?"
(End of Chapter)
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