Chapter Three: The Thousand Forms of the Sugar Demon

What on earth is going on?

Qin Changsheng sat on the ground, staring blankly at the battle unfolding before him between a gigantic elephant and a mysterious figure wearing an emoji mask. His mind was utterly blank.

This world was so absurd; all he wanted was some peace and quiet.

“Moo-hoo—!!!” The elephant’s trumpeting was deafening, its massive form looming right in front of him, exuding an overwhelming sense of pressure.

Yet the enigmatic figure above, masked with an emoji, showed no fear whatsoever. With swift, decisive movements, they unleashed a barrage of fireballs that exploded around the elephant.

The fiery blasts and rising clouds of smoke enveloped both combatants, obscuring Qin Changsheng’s view.

Just as he thought the two were locked in a fierce struggle, a silhouette suddenly emerged stealthily from the smoke.

Huh?

This unexpected figure drew Qin Changsheng’s attention. Squinting, he realized it was the girl who had earlier summoned the elephant.

Her movements were odd—cautious, furtive, and her expression was timid. She kept glancing around nervously, as if afraid of being discovered. This timid demeanor was a stark contrast to the confident posture she had shown when blocking Qin Changsheng’s path.

Could she be... running away?

Before Qin Changsheng could make sense of it, the girl suddenly turned her face toward him, and their eyes met.

Qin Changsheng was momentarily stunned, but to his surprise, the girl broke into a delighted smile, quickly changed direction, and headed straight toward him.

What was she trying to do?

Startled, Qin Changsheng raised his hands instinctively to resist, but the girl immediately grasped his outstretched arm and leaned in close, whispering urgently, “Quick, come with me!”

What?

Qin Changsheng was momentarily frozen.

A mysterious figure had appeared wanting to kill him, and now this girl was trying to save him?

Everything seemed utterly illogical. What on earth was happening to him?

Amid the lingering smoke, another explosion rang out, and the elephant’s mournful trumpeting suggested it was being driven back. Qin Changsheng realized this was no time for idle speculation. The girl had not attacked him; compared to the emoji-masked stranger, she was already much better.

His instincts told him to trust her. Without hesitation, he scrambled to his feet and followed her, the two of them sprinting away.

They had no idea how long they ran, weaving through several city blocks until the explosions gradually faded, and finally, they slipped into a narrow alley to catch their breath.

Qin Changsheng leaned against the alley wall, gasping for air. He hadn’t exerted himself so intensely in a long time and was still a little breathless.

What on earth was going on?

He sat on the ground again, still trying to process the surreal battle between the giant elephant and the emoji-masked figure. His thoughts were a tangled mess.

This world was too absurd; all he wanted was to be left alone.

The elephant’s trumpeting was thunderous, its vast form imposing right before him.

Yet the emoji-masked stranger remained unflinching, effortlessly hurling fireballs that exploded around the beast.

The fiery blasts and billowing smoke cloaked them both, blinding Qin Changsheng.

Just as he thought the fight was at its peak, a figure crept out from the smoke.

Huh?

His attention fixed on the newcomer—it was the girl who had summoned the elephant.

Her movements were cautious and furtive, her face timid and constantly scanning the surroundings as though afraid of being spotted. This was a far cry from the confident figure she had shown before blocking his way.

Could it be... she was trying to escape?

Before he could ponder further, the girl suddenly turned toward him, and their eyes locked.

Qin Changsheng froze for a moment, but then the girl smiled with delight, turned around, and walked straight to him.

What was she up to?

Frightened, Qin Changsheng raised his hand to defend himself, but the girl seized his arm and whispered urgently, “Quick, come with me!”

What?

He was momentarily stunned.

The mysterious stranger had tried to kill him, and now this girl wanted to save him?

Everything seemed so irrational. What was happening to him?

Amid the lingering smoke, another explosion echoed, and the elephant’s distressed cries suggested it was faltering. Qin Changsheng knew this was no time for idle thoughts. Since the girl hadn’t attacked him, that already made her better than the emoji-masked stranger.

Guided by instinct, he chose to trust her. Without saying a word, he got up quickly and followed her as they dashed away.

They ran for an unknown length of time, passing through several city blocks until the explosions faded away. Only then did they slip into a narrow alley and stop.

Qin Changsheng leaned against the alley wall, panting heavily. He hadn’t engaged in such intense running for a long time and was still catching his breath.

The girl seemed to have better stamina; she stood guard at the alley’s entrance, peering cautiously outside as if wary that the mysterious stranger might be pursuing them.

“Whew... whew...” Qin Changsheng’s breathing gradually steadied. He sank down onto a nearby metal trash bin, still gasping but cautiously studying the girl in front of him.

Though he had followed her impulsively, he realized he knew nothing about her.

Who was she? Where was this place? Why had she saved him? What was her connection to the mysterious stranger? And how had she summoned that elephant?

So many questions swirled in his mind, waiting for the right moment to be voiced.

The girl seemed to relax after confirming their safety. She turned to Qin Changsheng and asked with genuine concern, “Are you okay?”

Her expression was full of care, her eyes shining with sincere warmth. Qin Changsheng was momentarily stunned.

This girl genuinely cared about him!

Throughout three years of high school, his conspicuous receding hairline had made the girls keep their distance, never initiating conversation. Experiencing that, suddenly encountering a girl who sincerely cared and was quite pretty startled his worldly heart awake.

He slapped his cheeks hard twice, startling the girl and snapping himself fully back to reality.

“I... I’m fine,” Qin Changsheng said calmly, finally able to answer her earlier question.

The girl looked a bit confused by his sudden gesture, but seeing he was unharmed, she visibly relaxed. “That’s great...”

“Well...” Qin Changsheng raised a hand awkwardly like a student asking a question, “Thank you for saving me, but... may I ask who you are?”

“Oh! I haven’t introduced myself,” the girl suddenly remembered. “My name is Chen Yuanyuan. I’m a student at Hanggao.”

Hanggao—short for Hangzhou Senior High School. Qin Changsheng instantly brightened. “You go to Hanggao too? That means we’re schoolmates! I’m Qin Changsheng, Class 6, Senior Year!”

Chen Yuanyuan seemed surprised he was from the same school and, like a typical girl her age, became a little excited. “You’re in senior year? What a coincidence! I’m in Class 5 next door!”

“Class 5...” Qin Changsheng finally recalled the name. He did remember a Chen Yuanyuan in the neighboring class, but before he could think further, she called out to him.

“Qin, right?”

“Call me Changsheng,” he replied, knowing his full name was a mouthful and preferring the shorter version.

“Alright, Changsheng.” Hearing that from such a pretty girl felt oddly intimate. Chen Yuanyuan continued, “I want to ask you something first—why were you there just now?”

Coincidentally, that was the very question Qin Changsheng wanted to ask.

“I don’t know either,” he admitted honestly to his schoolmate. “I just went to the restroom in an internet café, and when I came out, the building had collapsed.”

“I see.” Chen Yuanyuan seemed disappointed not to get the answer she wanted and bowed her head slightly.

Qin Changsheng couldn’t blame her—he still hadn’t figured out what was going on.

Seeing she didn’t press further, he tried to take the initiative. “Actually, I have a question for you too.”

“Oh, go ahead,” Chen Yuanyuan said, snapping out of her thoughts and smiling.

His mind flooded with questions, but he chose to ask the one that mattered most.

“Why did you save me just now?”

When Chen Yuanyuan appeared, Qin Changsheng had thought he’d seen a goddess. A quiet nobody in high school, always on the fringes, he never imagined someone would risk their life for him.

“Because I just happened to see it,” she said, her cheeks faintly flushed as if embarrassed. “I... I didn’t want to see anyone die, so my body just acted on its own.”

Wow, what a good person!

Qin Changsheng couldn’t help but admire her inwardly. Why hadn’t he met this girl during his three years at school? If she had been around, surely she wouldn’t have been as cold as the girls in his class.

Since they had asked each other all their questions, only one critical question remained.

“That huge elephant you summoned,” Qin Changsheng asked, “what exactly was it? How did you summon it?”

Chen Yuanyuan’s expression clearly froze.

Her momentary silence made Qin Changsheng hesitate—had his question been strange? Wasn’t that elephant summoned by her?

But no.

What stunned Chen Yuanyuan was not the elephant, but Qin Changsheng himself.

“Wait, you don’t know what a Shanhai Beast is?” Chen Yuanyuan looked at him incredulously, her voice trembling. “You didn’t make a contract with a Shanhai Beast when you came in?”

Contract? Shanhai Beast?

Chen Yuanyuan’s words only deepened Qin Changsheng’s confusion. He had never heard of any Shanhai Beast.

Just as he was about to ask what a Shanhai Beast was, Chen Yuanyuan’s expression suddenly changed. She seemed to sense something and made a “shh” gesture to him.

“Wait... it’s coming back,” she whispered.

“It?”

Before Qin Changsheng could respond, a gust of wind brushed his cheek and then charged straight at Chen Yuanyuan.

Instantly alert, Qin Changsheng realized he had just seen some tangible form pass by. Seeing it rush toward Chen Yuanyuan like a fierce gale, he shouted a warning, “Chen Yuanyuan, watch out!”

But Chen Yuanyuan only smiled faintly, as if reassuring him, and said, “It’s okay.”

Then, an incredible scene unfolded before Qin Changsheng’s eyes.

The gust that had brushed his face began to spin on the ground near Chen Yuanyuan, the air taking on a brownish hue.

It looked like a small whirlwind. The more it swirled, the clearer its form became. The brown gradually transformed into a translucent amber color, like jelly, so transparent he could see through it.

Qin Changsheng’s mouth instinctively dropped open as he watched the amber form grow four legs, two large ears, and a long trunk.

As the whirlwind dissipated, standing in its center was a small, amber-colored translucent elephant, as if made of spun sugar!

The little elephant glanced at Qin Changsheng, then at Chen Yuanyuan, and let out a soft “yip.”

What on earth was this!?

Chen Yuanyuan seemed delighted to see it. She crouched down, stroked its head, and praised, “Good boy, you’re finally back!”

She then looked up at Qin Changsheng and introduced, “See? This is my Shanhai Beast, the Candy Spirit ‘Tang Qianxiang’!”