Cyber Era Witch
Chapter 1009 - 799 Joy Comes and Goes

Chapter 1009: Chapter 799 Joy Comes and Goes

The Divine Radiance landed on a beach in the Taiya Archipelago.

"Alright! Two little travelers and one big traveler, Divine Radiance has arrived at your destination!" The Star Weaving Lady gently placed the Divine Radiance down.

"We’ve made it to the Taiya Archipelago!" Xu Yang opened the cabin door.

"Let’s go play! Let’s go play!"

"Oh, this is great!" Xu Cheng and Bubble excitedly ran down, frolicking on the warm beach of the Taiya Archipelago.

They tossed their shoes aside and ran barefoot to the shallows, leaving footprints scattered all over the sandy shore.

"Feels just like stepping through a portal." Xu Yang patted the Divine Radiance. "This shuttle machine really is handy. And of course, thanks to my excellent upgrades."

"Hmph, no more modifications allowed!" The Star Weaving Lady insisted.

"But didn’t you look quite pleased after my upgrades? Your machine doesn’t seem to agree with you," Xu Yang teased.

"Ugh... Ridiculous..." The Star Weaving Lady couldn’t override the honest mechanical responses ingrained in her system.

Xu Cheng and Bubble were having a blast splashing in the water. They splashed each other, rolled wet sand into balls and hurled them at one another, waded back and forth, letting the seawater delightfully soak and tingle their legs and feet.

"Crabs!"

"Shells!"

"Starfish!"

"Rocks!" They shouted, sharing the treasures they’d uncovered on the sandy shore.

Their laughter and shouts echoed across the beach as waves repeatedly brushed against their toes, leaving their legs and feet ticklish.

Xu Yang glanced at the towering palm trees and coconut trees swaying in the breeze.

Sitting under one of the trees, he contentedly observed the children at play.

There wasn’t a day more carefree than this – even better than the solitary days he’d spent on islands before.

"Colorful fish!"

"Let’s catch them!"

"I’ll use Magic Power to block them!" Xu Cheng released her Magic Power, and the seawater immediately parted, as though it had been sliced by an invisible glass wall. The straight division was clearly visible.

The school of fish that she mentioned encountered the barrier and instantly split in two directions.

"Catch them!" Bubble caught one small fish, which immediately slipped away from her wet fingertips, "Ah—too tricky!"

On the beach and in the sea, fun was utterly boundless. The Divine Radiance remained parked nearby, like a giant mobile base and tent. Anything they needed could be retrieved from the Divine Radiance, allowing Xu Cheng and Bubble to expend their energy with abandon, running around and yelling freely.

"Catch the kids!" A sudden yell echoed from the forest.

A small figure burst forth quickly, striding rapidly toward Xu Cheng and Bubble.

"Ah!" Xu Cheng promptly directed her Repulsion Force at the incoming foe, knocking them to the ground.

"Who is it?" Bubble asked, watching the child who’d been knocked over.

"Ugh—" 102 rose up from the seawater.

Her physical form had reverted to small stature, shorter than both Xu Cheng and Bubble.

"102!" Xu Cheng helped 102 up. "What are you doing here?"

"Standing guard! Otherwise, why would this be a deserted beach?" 102 stood in the rising and falling tide, waving to the forest, "Sister!"

emerged solemnly from the woodland.

Only then did Xu Yang realize that 101, who had also gone through the salvation of the Law of Recovery, had returned to her childhood form. She was now as diminutive as 102, resembling how she looked the first time Xu Yang had met her.

"Hehe!" Xu Cheng was delighted—those two who had previously towered over her like giants were now shorter than her! Could there be anything more amusing in the world?

She immediately grabbed 102’s hand and began dashing through the waves.

"By the decree of the King of the Blanket Castle, stop running!" 102 shouted.

"Blanket Castle Law, Article One: The short ones must listen to the tall ones!" Xu Cheng retorted with self-righteousness.

"There’s a crowd! Let’s play hide-and-seek!" Bubble suggested.

"Rock-paper-scissors! Loser plays the monster!" Xu Cheng proposed.

"Sister, come play!" 102 invited 101.

"We’re here for a mission!" 101 replied.

"It’s fine, go and play." Xu Yang waved her off. "I’ll handle the work; you just enjoy yourselves!"

"Dad is the best!" Xu Cheng cheered.

With no other choice, 101 reluctantly joined in.

"Rock, paper, scissors!" They made their picks, and in the end, it was determined that 102 would play the monster.

"102 is strong!" Xu Cheng feigned terror and quickly fled.

"Run!" Bubble also dashed away, creating distance in panic.

"..." 101 vanished via teleportation.

"Get ready to hide! 10, 9, 8, 7..." 102 covered her eyes and began loudly counting down.

Xu Cheng asked Xu Yang to help her climb onto a coconut tree and nestled within its dense fronds, pretending she was nothing more than a motionless coconut.

Xu Cheng then executed her most practiced skill: sitting atop the coconut tree, frozen still, gazing straight ahead slack-jawed, resembling a Little Fool!

teleported behind a cluster of coral reefs lying several kilometers from the shore. For 102 to reach her, she’d have to wade the whole way—by then, 101 would already be long gone.

Bubble snuck into the Divine Radiance, crawling into her room’s wardrobe. She asked the Star Weaving Lady to cover for her, and if 102 came searching, the answer would be: Bubble isn’t here.

"Are you all hidden? I’m coming to find you!" 102 uncovered her eyes, enthusiastically starting her search for her three companions. She first approached Xu Yang and asked, "Uncle, have you seen anyone?"

"I’m saying nothing." Xu Yang pretended ignorance.

"Hmph!" 102 scanned all around, spotting the rows of palm and coconut trees on the beach. She then rushed to each tree and shook them vigorously, yelling, "Whoever is hiding, come down at once!"

After shaking tree after tree, she reached the one where Xu Cheng had hidden.

"Hmm?" Feeling the violent motion below, Xu Cheng swayed back and forth like a rock.

Soon, unable to keep her balance, Xu Cheng fell off like a real coconut, dislodged by 102!

"Aha! It’s you!" 102 quickly caught Xu Cheng mid-fall.

"Ugh!" Xu Cheng was placed down by 102.

Dejected, Xu Cheng followed behind 102, her thoughts swirling. Ugh, if I’m the only one found, it’d be so humiliating. I definitely have to help 102 find the others!

She glanced toward the Divine Radiance and suddenly thought of Bubble possibly hiding inside. She quietly pointed in its direction, playing a small act of mischief.

got the hint and sneaked inside the shuttle.

"Where’d this child come from now?" The Star Weaving Lady inspected 102. "Don’t mess around in my shuttle machine!"

"Once I find the kid named Bubble, I’ll leave!" 102 eagerly began rummaging through every corner where Bubble might be hiding.

Terrified she’d be caught, Bubble quickly opened her wardrobe, taking a cautious peek around.

Hearing 102 rummaging in another room, Bubble realized she couldn’t stay much longer. She urgently moved toward the cabin window, pried it open, and climbed out with all her might, landing on the sand.

Meanwhile, Xu Cheng had been circling the shuttle quietly, trying to listen for Bubble’s movements. Bubble, climbing out unexpectedly, ended up jumping straight onto Xu Cheng!

"Ugh!" Xu Cheng, pressed down by Bubble, was almost squashed into the sand.

"Ah—" Bubble simultaneously slammed into Xu Cheng’s solid head, leaving both of them sprawled on the beach.

A double defeat!

"Little fool caught Bubble!" 102 shouted excitedly, quickly running out to grab both Xu Cheng and Bubble, now covered in sand, and carried them barefoot across the sand.

"Ugh..." Xu Cheng felt utterly defeated.

"Bubble..." Bubble remained captured.

Only 101 was left!

"Where might sister be hiding?" 102 gazed toward the gritty, untamed forest. "This forest is too big to search entirely! Do you have any ideas?"

"Hmm?"

"Hmm hmm?" Xu Cheng and Bubble, blank-faced, were just as clueless about finding 101.

"In that case, I’ll have to get smart about this." 102 clenched her fists, channeling Magic Power into her brain.

Her eyes immediately gleamed with newfound wisdom.

If it’s this messy forest, sister wouldn’t be happy—she’s constantly complained lately about how unbearable the tropical jungle of Taiya Archipelago is. So... she might be hiding in the sea, hidden among the reefs!

"Can you swim silently?" 102 asked Xu Cheng.

"Yes, yes," Xu Cheng mimicked a stealth swimming technique described in a Ninjutsu Scroll.

followed suit, tip-toeing into the sea and beginning her swim towards the reef cluster.

leaned against the reefs, hesitant to emerge.

Her feet rested on the damp rocky shore, gazing out at the endless expanse of clear seawater before her.

Life was like the ocean—boundless, infinite, with no end?

As 101 pondered deeply, she suddenly noticed 102, who had unknowingly swum up beside her!

"Got you!" 102 reached out and grabbed her sister’s hand.

Instinctively, 101 teleported back to the beach, but mid-air, the two sisters landed together and rolled onto the sand.

"Phew—" 101 lay on her back, staring up at the azure sky, slightly dazed.

"I’ve caught everyone! I win! Cheer for me!" 102 once again asserted her status as the little king.

"Glory to 102!" Xu Cheng bowed to 102.

"We offer our respect!" Bubble also bowed.

"How about you?" 102 smugly raised her head, closed her eyes, and turned toward 101.

"Don’t get carried away!" 101 grabbed 102’s face and squeezed it hard.

"Ouch—ouch—" 102 felt her freshly earned authority crumble quickly.

"Time to head back!" Xu Yang called out to them. "We’re returning to Shangjing for a while. 101 and 102 – time for reassignment. The security in the Taiya Archipelago has been restored; you can head back to the Northern Archipelago."

"Back home!" 102 gleefully climbed aboard the Divine Radiance.

"What’s our new assignment?" 101 asked Xu Yang coldly.

"New assignment? Hmm..." Xu Yang pondered. "First, spend a few months aboard the Divine Radiance with the kids. At the moment, there’s not much to do – just enjoy the peace in these times."

"A peaceful era..." 101 nodded, "Does such a thing truly exist?"

"It absolutely exists. Otherwise, how could we be this carefree? There won’t be wars or bloodshed for years to come," Xu Yang assured her, inviting 101 aboard the shuttle.

"It flies so fast that we could go skiing in the morning, have hotpot for lunch, hang out by the beach in the evening, and visit the zoo at midnight!" Xu Cheng waved her arms, brimming with fantasies.

Life is beautiful.

Xu Yang returned to the Nestor Headquarters, parking the Divine Radiance in its hangar. 102 and the others leisurely disembarked, still immersed in the joyful atmosphere.

Soon after, Xu Yang headed to his workspace to check on office matters.

At the entrance, Xu Yang noticed Baby Lila—a transformed, childlike version of Lila—waiting for him.

"What’s up, Baby Lila?" Xu Yang asked.

"Hacker equipment." Baby Lila tugged at his sleeve and led him inside, "One of your hacker devices has an issue."

Xu Yang crossed through his workstation and entered the hacker room connected to his office, where two hacker chairs were set up.

"This one." Baby Lila pointed to one of them.

Xu Yang logged into the system, only to see a message in the backend.

"Help me."

Someone’s seeking help? Xu Yang furrowed his brows.

"Only those who have used this device can connect to its private channel," Xu Yang said.

"Who’s used this chair before?" Baby Lila asked.

Xu Yang paced briefly.

"Me, Rinne, Lu Jing, Nakamura Mizuki." He swiftly compiled a short list.

"The owner couldn’t possibly message themselves. Rinne is safe—no attacks, her work is normal. Nakamura Mizuki is also safe—despite being inside the core hive of the Hundred-eyes Demon, she’s actually wreaking havoc on its rationale. So..." Baby Lila spoke gradually.

Lu Jing.

As if to confirm their suspicion, another set of data was transmitted – brief but clear, composed of a broken line and two short bars.

"What’s this? Morse code?" Baby Lila asked.

"A hexagram, from the I Ching," Xu Yang scrutinized the black-streaked symbols. "It’s likely a military-grade encryption from Heavenly Cardinal Manufacturing."

In an instant, they both realized there was only one person who could assist in deciphering the hexagram code Lu Jing had sent.

Yan Huarou.