newbobooks Chapter 151: Magic Tricks
Chapter 151: Magic Tricks
The continent of the yellow-skinned race covers an area of approximately 20 million square kilometers. While its technology is similar to that of the Ming Dynasty in Earth's Era C, this continent comprises fourteen nations, resembling the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods of Earth's Era C. The most powerful nation on this continent is called the Zhou Kingdom by the mischievous Princess Lefia. The Zhou Kingdom is traversed by major rivers. Its capital, Dadu, is situated at the confluence of the ocean and a major river, and it has a population of about one million. Due to its proximity to the sea and rivers, it enjoys abundant resources and a pleasant climate.
Zhou Yuan and his four companions, along with four interstellar special forces soldiers, all eight of them dressed as locals, walked along the most bustling streets of Zhou's capital.
Shops lined both sides of the street, bustling with people, and filled with all sorts of shouts, hawking, acrobatic performances, gongs and drums, toasts, and scolding.
Zhou Yuan and Wei Shan had seen the streets of the Celestial Ginseng People on the Celestial Ginseng Planet during the Galactic Era, but those streets were far less prosperous than this one. Apart from Zhou Yuan, the other seven were overwhelmed by the sights, especially the three beauties, Wei Shan, Leifia, and Chu Xiaolu, who looked at, touched, and asked countless questions about the women's jewelry and clothes in the shops.
No matter how advanced the empire's technology, the women's love of beauty remained unchanged. Poor five men, including Zhou Yuan, had to follow closely behind three women, each carrying a large pile of purchased items. Fortunately, all five men were trained and in good physical condition; otherwise, they would have been exhausted. The strange, curious glances cast from both sides of the street were a testament to the five imperial men's hardship.
"Ladies, have you finished buying everything? We're exhausted." Zhou Yuan jogged up to the three of them, his face covered in sweat.
"Big brother, it's still early. Why don't we put the things on the boat first?" Lefia seemed to still have plenty to say, her face full of excitement.
"Princess, let's go to the tea shop to rest first. The five of them are really exhausted."
"Yes, Sister Ya, look, Big Brother is sweating." Chu Xiaolu wished she could go up and take the things from Zhou Yuan's hands.
In this sweltering heat, you sweat just walking around, so it would be strange if your hands didn't sweat when you hold something.
The eight people found a tea shop nearby and sat down at two tables.
The waiter came straight over to greet them, "What kind of tea would you four like?"
Zhou Yuan, Wei Shan, and Lefia all glanced at Chu Xiaolu simultaneously, because Chu Xiaolu had been quite the social butterfly when ordering coffee at the coffee shop on Planet Amos last time. Seeing the three of them looking at her, Chu Xiaolu smiled, then turned to the table next to her, "Waiter, let's have tea over there."
At the nearby table sat two men and two women, all around twenty years old. Swords lay on the stools beside each of them. The two women, dressed in black, were quite pretty with delicate features, while the two men, also dressed in black, were handsome with regular features. Their attire differed from that of the other tea drinkers; it was embroidered with a golden palace pattern.
When the four heard someone order tea from their tables, they all looked towards Zhou Yuan's table. Zhou Yuan smiled at them. Lefia then made a face at them, causing the two men to freeze in shock, while the two women glared at Lefia, their hands gripping their sword hilts. Lefia, startled, shrank back.
"Big brother, I feel like we've entered a martial arts world." When Wei Shan was a human, she also enjoyed reading all kinds of novels and was still interested in martial arts novels from the Earth era. Although she is now a clone, her memories are still so clear.
Zhou Yuan and Wei Shan shared the same feeling: this continent of yellow-skinned people was in the era of feudal emperors.
The waiter brought over a pot of tea and filled the four people's teacups. The four people tasted it differently. Zhou Yuan thought the tea had a slightly strange smell, but he was adaptable and didn't feel anything. Wei Shan frowned, Lefia even stuck out her tongue, while Chu Xiaolu drank it all in one gulp.
"Xiaolu, why were you able to drink it all in one gulp? Don't you think this tea tastes a bit bad?" Lefia seemed puzzled.
"I guess it's because I'm also a native of this galaxy. Princess, you three are aliens, you know," Chu Xiaolu said with a touch of humor.
The two spoke in the language of the Earth Empire, not their local dialect. Instantly, everyone who was drinking tea turned to look at them in surprise.
At the next table, two men and two women, each holding a sword, stood up, drew their swords, and the three of them surrounded Zhou Yuan's table. One of the women walked to the window, and a firework rocket shot into the sky.
Zhou Yuan thought to himself, "This is bad." The four special forces soldiers at the other table reacted quickly, standing up to prepare for protection.
"You four, don't move. Sit back down in your seats." Zhou Yuan used telepathy to tell the four interstellar special forces soldiers, and they sat down again.
Two men and two women each took out a golden plaque from their waists. In the center of the plaque were two "doors" and a sun. The two doors were open, welcoming the sun. Each of the two doors on the left and right was engraved with a "hieroglyph."
After the two men and two women showed their identification badges, the tea drinkers who were drinking tea all stood up and ran out of the door in a panic. The waiter followed closely behind, saying, "Sir, you haven't paid yet."
The clinking and clanging of metal coins hitting the ground was incessant. These tea drinkers threw their coins on the ground, leaving the waiter to pick them up himself.
"Everyone, we are from Nantianmen. Please repeat what you just said."
Zhou Yuan and Wei Shan exchanged a glance. "South Heavenly Gate?" Then, the four of them looked at each other in bewilderment. Zhou Yuan asked in the local dialect, "Sir, what is it?"
“I suspect you are foreigners, especially this lady.” The man in black pointed at Lefia, who was from the Star Luo Empire and had fair skin, belonging to the Caucasian race.
"Sir, she has had a strange illness since childhood, which caused her skin to fade, resulting in her current appearance."
"Really?" The man in black looked at his three companions with suspicion. One of the women in black shook her head.
"No, you have to come with us." After saying that, the man in black pointed his sword at Zhou Yuan, and his three companions also pointed their swords at Wei Shan, Lefia, and Chu Xiaolu.
“Three beauties, we’ll listen to this little brother first.” Zhou Yuan used telepathy again.
"Please calm down, sir. We'll go with you." Just as Zhou Yuan finished speaking, a commotion erupted outside, followed by the sound of orderly footsteps and the clanging of armor. More than fifty guards in armor, swords in hand, quickly entered the teahouse, surrounding the eight people at two tables. Four men and women in black stepped back, sheathing their swords. Outside the teahouse, another fifty-odd guards stood watch.
If things had been arranged politely, Zhou Yuan might have actually listened to that underling and gone with them out of curiosity, wanting to see what this "South Heavenly Gate" was all about. But now that they were using force, Zhou Yuan couldn't help but feel a surge of childlike curiosity.
Zhou Yuan laughed heartily, "Sir, even if we are foreigners, is such a grand display really necessary?"
"His Majesty has ordered that foreigners be thoroughly interrogated. Guards, seize them."
The guards with swords stepped forward, ready to arrest the man.
"Sir, let's talk this out. We are indeed foreigners. The eight of us have come to your country seeking a way to make a living and find work."
The man in black waved his hand, and the guards stepped back. "Oh, really? You guys look quite sturdy. What kind of work did you do before?"
"Reporting to Your Excellency, the eight of us came from a variety show troupe."
"Jugglers? We've seen plenty of those."
"Sir, we play differently from the others."
"What's different?" It was clear that the four men in black were intrigued.
"Breaking a boulder on your chest, walking through a ring of fire, walking on a mountain of knives, playing dead, etc., those are all child's play."
"Oh, so what's so special about you?"
"Sir, we can perform magic tricks."
"Magic tricks? Haha, that conman from last time took the reward money, tried to perform magic tricks but was exposed by my master and dragged out to be beheaded." The two men in black laughed loudly, as if savoring the pleasure of killing the conman, while the two women in black giggled.
"My lord, we are different. How about I try in front of you gentlemen?"
“If you lie to us, all eight of you will be beheaded, understand?”
"Understood, sir. Please step back a few steps, gentlemen."
The four men in black and the guards surrounding Zhou Yuan's table took two steps back.
"Waiter, could you please bring me two candles?" Zhou Yuan shouted to the shop owner and waiter hiding behind the counter.
The waiter shakily took two candles, handed them to Zhou Yuan, and then quickly withdrew them.
Zhou Yuan held the two candles in his left hand with the stubs sticking out. Under everyone's watchful eyes, Zhou Yuan brought his right hand close to the two candle stubs and snapped his fingers. Miracles happen when you use force, and the two candles actually lit up.
The four men in black and the guards took another step back, while the two women in black stared in astonishment, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Zhou Yuan placed two lit candles at the south ends of the table, then bowed three times with his hands clasped towards the north side of the table. After bowing, Zhou Yuan raised his left index and middle fingers and walked around the table while muttering incantations. Wei Shan, Leifiya, and Chu Xiaolu also muttered something, but no one could understand what the four of them were saying.
After circling the table three times, Zhou Yuan returned to the south side of the table, pointed his right index finger sharply at a bright red garment on the stool, and shouted, "Change!"
This shout was quite something; the bright red dress that had been on the stool just moments before suddenly vanished.
"Ah?!" the four men in black exclaimed, and the guards took two steps back.
Zhou Yuan pointed at an object on the stool, dressed in bright red, and shouted, "Transform!" The puppet suddenly vanished. The four men in black exchanged glances.
Zhou Yuan, in a burst of childlike exuberance, quickly pointed to the objects on the stools around the table with his right hand, shouting "Change!" more than a dozen times. Each time he shouted "Change!", an object would disappear into thin air.
The four men in black and the guards stared in disbelief, frozen like statues.
"My lords, how was my magic trick?"
The four men in black and the guards regained consciousness. The man in black who was leading the group stepped forward, took out a heavy silver ingot from his pocket, and placed it on the table. The silver ingot made a crisp buzzing sound as it collided with the table.
"Try turning this silver ingot into something else."
"Yes, sir." Zhou Yuan muttered to himself, circled the table three times, pointed at the silver ingot, and shouted "Change!" The heavy silver ingot vanished into thin air as if it had never existed.
This time, the man in black who was leading the group was dumbfounded.
A woman in black stepped forward, took the scabbard, and swept it over the spot where the silver ingot had been, but found nothing, only two candles still casting their glow. Suddenly, the woman's expression changed, a smile appeared on her face, and she walked to the lead man in black. The two whispered to each other, and the man nodded repeatedly.