Chapter 96: Rightful Owner

    Jin Jiuchi trailed behind Anna while skipping on his steps, as his entire body was buzzing with excitement and anticipation.

    Unable to help it, his mind drifted back to what had transpired just a moment ago.

    Upon noticing a foreign presence approaching their tent, he gently shook Shen Nianzu awake. "Nian’er," he called out in a hushed voice as he fixed his gaze on the unwelcome guest. "Nian’er, wake up! How could you be such a good sleeper, huh? At this rate, you will not wake up even if the sky comes crashing down!"

    Shen Nianzu roused awake just in time to hear Jin Jiuchi’s last sentence spoken in mirthful jest. He grew alert in an instant and shot the man a spiteful glare.

    Excuse him, he had always been a poor sleeper, especially in the Cycle where he had to look out for any potential danger, okay?! Alas, he had no idea why he would always sleep so soundly in Jin Jiuchi’s presence. It must have something to do with the man’s high body temperature that offered him a false sense of security.

    Moreover, why had Jin Jiuchi transformed back into his human form? Hadn’t they already agreed beforehand that he would remain as a dog for the time being to evade suspicion?!

    Shen Nianzu attempted to sit up when a bewildering realization washed over him — he was nestled cozily on Jin Jiuchi’s lap while being held within the cocoon of the man’s powerful arms! He froze in confusion and disbelief, having forgotten what kind of peril he had barely managed to escape from. W–What the hell was going on here?! Hadn’t he fallen asleep snugly in his own sleeping bag? So how did he wake up in Jin Jiuchi’s embrace?!

    "Fu—" a curse was ready on the tip of his tongue, yet it ended up stuck there when Jin Jiuchi suddenly placed a finger on his lips, hushing him softly,

    "Hush. Listen, Nian’er."

    Shen Nianzu almost slapped Jin Jiuchi’s misbehaving paw away by reflex when his mind registered what the man had told him. He froze in place and perked up his ears. And true to Jin Jiuchi’s words, he caught the faint rustle of shifting sands as someone made their way toward them.

    He met Jin Jiuchi’s gaze, silently mouthing, "Who?"

    However, he had no chance to hear Jin Jiuchi’s answer, for the unwelcome guest had already arrived in front of their tent. "Wait—" his eyes widened in shock when he saw Jin Jiuchi reaching out decisively to pull the zipper down, revealing the person in front of them.

    And in an instant, Shen Nianzu’s scalp exploded when he registered who it was.

    — Holy shit, it was the NPC Anna!

    Why would the main NPC come to their tent in the middle of the night?!

    With a flick of his hand, Shen Nianzu summoned his silver needles, but before he could throw them out, Anna suddenly dropped down on one knee in front of them, her cerulean blue eyes sparkling like stars as she fixed her intense stare at... Jin Jiuchi.

    She cried out, tears of joy pooling on the corner of her eyes, "My revered deity, you have really descended into this world!"

    Shen Nianzu and Jin Jiuchi froze, "...Huh?"

    "I have long yearned for this moment, far beyond the reach of your imagination. Though I am perplexed as to why you would mingle with these lowly mortals..." Her gaze flickered briefly to Shen Nianzu with a touch of disdain, yet it morphed into pure bliss and joy again when she turned to Jin Jiuchi. "...but fear not. I, your devoted follower, shall forever comply with your wishes!"

    "Are you talking to... me?" Jin Jiuchi pointed at his own nose, baffled. "Sorry, Miss. I think you have gotten the wrong person..."

    "No, there can be no mistake!" Anna’s eyes blazed in fiery spirit and determination. Then she declared with unwavering conviction, "I have been blessed to bear witness to your divine grace in the past. There is no doubt in my heart that you are the one I have long awaited. My beloved deity, there is no need to test the loyalty of your faithful servant. I, Anna, have dutifully guarded this sacred temple for years, solely in anticipation of the day you would grace us with your presence once more!"

    Jin Jiuchi’s jaws hung open, and he turned to Shen Nianzu with a lost expression on his face, silently asking for help.

    He... a deity? Since when did he become a deity? The last time he checked, he was still a human... right???

    Shen Nianzu, on the other hand, could not help but palm his face in exasperation.

    He finally recalled that Anubis was depicted as a jackal-headed God, and Jin Jiuchi... well, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the lineage of wolf, no matter the form he assumed right now. Was that the reason why Anna took him as the embodiment of the deity himself? Moreover, she had seen how Jin Jiuchi could shift between human and animal form, further deepening the misunderstanding...

    "O’ revered one, I implore you to accompany me," Anna sent him a pleading look. "There is something of great importance that I must bestow upon you!"

    "Something of great importance?" Jin Jiuchi echoed curiously.

    "Yes, it has forever been yours, and now the moment has come for me to reunite it with its rightful owner," Anna stated, her voice filled with conviction and anticipation.

    Its rightful owner... Jin Jiuchi stared at her for one long moment, his mind buzzing with curiosity and intrigue. The echo of the vibration still lingered in his ears, beckoning him to come to them. And what Anna told him... just matched it perfectly!

    Something that belonged to him... could it be part of his missing soul?!

    Jin Jiuchi whipped his head to Shen Nianzu, his silver eyes sparkling in excitement, and he could see that the jade doll had also thought of the same thing. "Go," he said in a soft whisper that only both of them could hear. "I will secretly follow you two from behind."

    Nodding, Jin Jiuchi rose to his feet and followed after Anna, beaming from ear to ear. "Thank you for taking care of it until now!"

    Anna dipped her head with a demure look, "As I should, my revered deity."

    She took the lead to bring Jin Jiuchi away from the players’ tent, heading straight toward the temple. The closer Jin Jiuchi was, the louder the tremor in the air was as though whatever lay ahead had also sensed his presence.

    Both of them entered the temple grounds one after another, yet instead of going to where the stone coffin was, Anna took a turn and walked to the narrow staircase leading to the second floor, which had been overlooked until now because of its hidden location.

    ’Huh?’ Jin Jiuchi wondered in his mind. ’The thing that belongs to me is not inside the coffin?’

    Keeping the curiosity at bay, he climbed the steps after the woman, who kept sneaking some glances at him every three steps as if afraid that he would vanish all of a sudden. Every time their gazes met, Jin Jiuchi offered her a smile by reflex, but she quickly looked away in response.

    Jin Jiuchi tutted. What was wrong with the people he met nowadays? Very few people returned his smile even though it was supposed to be basic courtesy...

    Amidst his internal grumble, they finally arrived at a colossal stone door. Crafted from solid granite, its surface was adorned with intricate carvings depicting mystical symbols. Jin Jiuchi watched in fascination as Anna pressed a few random spots on the door, triggering a series of mechanical movements.

    In an instant, a thunderous rumble echoed through the air, similar to what he had heard this morning. And following right after was the faint terrified screams of Zhang Lei and Luo Qing who were guarding the temple hall.

    The massive stone door slowly parted to reveal the dark passage beyond. Anna’s smile widened as she gestured at Jin Jiuchi, "It awaits you just ahead, O’ revered one."

    "Uh... okay," Jin Jiuchi scratched his head and glanced behind him, but he could not catch a glimpse of the jade doll anywhere. However, he trusted that Shen Nianzu would keep his word and thus he told Anna with a smile, "Please lead the way, thank you."

    As they stepped through the doorway, the stone door closed behind them, sealing their path once and for all.

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    A/N: Jin Jiuchi’s achievement - being mistaken as the groom by Miss Zhao check.

    [NEW] being mistaken as a deity by Anna check.

    Let’s see what kind of mistaken identity he will assume in the future