Chapter 12. Queen Bee
TN: One BIG change, I just found out that Zhong Hua Country is actually slang for China, so they’ll all be translated China from now on. I’m so sorry for this slip up.
I’ve also just discovered that there’s an aggregator stealing my translations, so I’ll be putting a link to my site somewhere in the chapters from now on.
Zhu Mimi was 153 this year, her original form being a bee.
Zhu Mimi was a queen bee, grabbing the opportunity after becoming a spirit to take a human form. However, her state of mind when changing forms wasn't stable, and she was unable to maintain a human form for long periods of time. Whenever she was excited, two wings would pop out on her back.
She was like Hua Ji, a spirit who frolicked in the human world before the founding of the country. Even if Zhu Mimi was not strong, her years of lingering in the human world meant that she had a bountiful amount of life experience. When she first took a human form, China was undergoing a transformation. Countless heroic figures were falling over each other to perform valiant acts.
She unwittingly accompanied a great figure as he weaved through political strife, shaking the heavens and earth before ultimately reaching the end of his road, perishing on the battlefield.
After experiencing bloodshed and fire as well as the baptism of mankind and its nature, Zhu Mimi shed her previous innocent and naïve self, completely changing into a queen. It was only when the country settled down again after changing leaders and the country tightened their administration of the spirits and monsters did she squirrel herself away in S city. From then on, she became a shut-in, no longer stepping out of her house.
Zhu Mimi had a large amount of assets and shares to various companies, not needing to worry about feeding and clothing herself. Even though after changing leaders the country prohibited animals from becoming spirits, and further prohibited spirits who didn't have a proper human form from coming down the mountains, she continued to mix with the human world. Besides frequently being harassed by young and inexperienced cultivators and monks because she didn't have an identification card as well as not having a legal identity to appear in public, Zhu Mimi's days passed by in a fulfilling way. Every twenty years she would pretend to be her own daughter and appear in front of other people for a short amount of time before retreating back into solitude. When long periods of time passed, indeed nobody caught on.
Ten years ago, when the internet started developing explosively, Zhu Mimi became enraptured with video editing. As she originally had a bee's compound eyes, it was especially convenient for her to view footage. Added to the fact that she had a bountiful amount of experience and she knew how to play classical instruments, she decided to set up an office. When she had nothing to do, she would edit and release some videos.
Her alias was Queen Bee, and after the accumulation of years, she could be said to have become a bigshot in this small circle. Not a few movie studios even sought her out to edit their films and create suitable soundtracks. However, she never showed her face, only ever corresponding over the internet. Hence, the rumour going around was that the Great Queen Bee had a frosty personality and didn't like to interact with people, what more, the prices she quoted were always sky high.
Even so, there would still be people never-endingly coming to bother the Great Queen Bee, seeking her godly editing and soundtracks.
Great Queen Bee's editing and video sequencing were particularly strong, the legs of whoever saw it would tremble uncontrollably. At the same time, she was an expert in all of China's classical instruments, the tune of the music imposing and majestic, unfolding magnificently. In a daze, the image of their country assaulted the senses, hot blood surging, emotions going out of control.
A few days ago, when she received the old tortoise's request to edit a documentary film, Zhu Mimi originally wanted to reject it. However, once she considered that under the old tortoise was Wan Gu Entertainment whose employees were largely spirits and monsters, making the old tortoise lose face[1] because of one film was truly not worth it. Thus, she agreed in the end.
Of course, when discussing the project with the old tortoise, she had no need to hole up at home. Even if her wings popped out at Wan Gu Entertainment, no person - actually, no monster would raise a fuss.
Zhu Mimi used a critical gaze to assess Hua Ji. She lightly frowned, having the sense that she had seen the other before.
Hua Ji blinked. He suddenly understood, lifting a hand to tear off his own face, revealing another face below that.
It had to be said, when the old tortoise had invited someone to do the video editing, he hadn't realised it was her. Just like him, Zhu Mimi also……
When Zhu Mimi saw his revealed face, her expression became weird, "So it's you……"
"I also didn't expect it to be you. You changed your name, and even changed your face. However, when you opened your mouth, I could hear that it was you." Hua Ji smiled. "Long time no see, Xiao Jian Hong."
Zhu Mimi seemed somewhat absentminded, only after a while did she say, "…… It's better if you call me Zhu Mimi. Xiao Jian Hong's dead, right now I am Zhu Mimi." After a beat, she asked Hua Ji, "What about you? Previously when you introduced yourself, you said you were called Shangguan Hao?"
Hua Ji rubbed his nose. "I am called Hua Ji."
Zhu Mimi smiled. Dragging out the words, she said, "Since we're old friends, then I won't ask for a fee. Say it, what do you want me to edit?"
Hua Ji pointed to the crystal ball on the table. "This is a senior's memories regarding…… the creation of the planet beneath our feet. You can treat it as Pangu splitting the heavens and earth[2].
Zhu Mimi was shocked into stillness. She sucked in a cold breath of air before saying, "You…… where on earth did you get that? Which senior? Did that senior agree to the film being released to the public? Do you understand what this film will set off? If it really is memories related to the creation of the Earth, those old things in Kunlun and the mountains, if they saw it…… they will certainly have breakthroughs."
She determinedly stared at Hua Ji. "The entire cultivation world will be sent into chaos by your film."
Hua Ji smiled slightly, he reached out a hand and stroked the surface of the crystal ball. The crystal ball suffused with silver light was icy-cold to the touch. His tone was placid and distant, "So what if it is?"
Zhu Mimi blanked out for a moment, following which she began laughing loudly. Her laughter was slightly sharp, yet also wild and unrestrained. She nodded her head several times, "That's right, this is the real you. After changing your face, it seemed as if you became more well-behaved. I even thought your temperament had also changed."
She asked, "I only have one question. Did that senior agree to this?"
Hua Ji deeply sighed, "When he gave it to me, this is what he said……"
【There's too much in my brains. These two brains contain my earliest memories, they no longer have much use now. Help me clear them out, those that are useful, keep them. The memories that are useless, help me toss them out. 】
Zhu Mimi: "……"
After a while, she said, "Too many brains? Earliest memories? Hold on a moment, the earliest memories are actually of the creation of the Earth?"
Zhu Mimi's expression became extremely distorted. "Shangguan- no, Hua Ji, you tell me, how old is that senior?"
Hua Ji had a profound expression. "He grew up with the Earth……"
"Holy f*ck! Doesn't that mean he's over four billion years-old?"
Hua Ji said while smiling, "How are you calculating it? Even though the Earth is over four billion years-old, life only appeared on Earth over two billion years ago."
Bastard, is there a difference?
Zhu Mimi was speechless for a long time. She looked at the crystal ball on the table, suddenly feeling exceptionally excited.
This was the true records of the creation of the Earth and the blossoming of life. To have the fortune of editing this sort of memory, it was her honour.
She reached out and caressed the crystal ball, only speaking after a long period of time had passed, "How many years are contained within this?"
"There's roughly ten thousand years' worth of memories inside there."
If you’re seeing this text and not reading it on silvcyanide dot wordpress dot com, that means you’re reading it on an aggregator site. Check out the series on my website.
2.4 billion years ago, Lord Jellyfish was still a small jellyfish, he was even blue-coloured back then. The seawater in the memories was filled with gigantic sheets of cyanobacteria. The sunlight of the ancient times was terrifying and life-threatening. Lord Jellyfish didn't even dare to touch the sunlight penetrating into the sea, only able to hide under the cyanobacteria to look at the beams of light from a distance.
That was the most primitive, most unchecked time period.
Hua Ji unhurriedly said, "That senior told me, from 2.4 billion years ago to 600 million years ago, the Earth changed slowly. He could store all the memories of that time into two brains. The crystal ball he gave me could be sped up, but the one I gave you can only be watched at the normal speed……"
Zhu Mimi's expression was unsightly, "This long, even if I watched until I died, I won't be able to watch finish." She extended a hand. "Give me the crystal ball that's able to be sped up."
"Not giving." Hua Ji stingily said, "That's something the senior gave to me. I won't give it to you."
Zhu Mimi didn't know whether to laugh to cry. "You became younger but why did your mentality also become stupid? Stop playing, give me the sped-up crystal ball, otherwise I won't even be able to finish."
Hua Ji's lips slanted downwards. "…… Then you remain in my apartment to complete it, you're not allowed to bring it away."
Zhu Mimi's eyebrow raised, she meaningfully said, "Mind telling me what is this senior?"
Is it possible that this was a vixen? Or maybe…… crossing species, a she-wolf?"
Hua Ji thought for a bit. Once Zhu Mimi finished watching the crystal ball's memories, she would know who they came from. He had no reason to hide it from her."
He said, "It's a jellyfish."
Zhu Mimi: "……"
This sort of species crossing is also a bit too far-fetched, isn't it?
After extremely unwillingly passing the crystal ball that Lord Jellyfish gave him to Zhu Mimi, Hua Ji carried the fish tank along with him to shoot the commercial.
When Hua Ji came out after changing into the swimming trunks, the manufacturer was exceedingly pleased.
Wow, this pretty boy was not bad. His skin was naturally a healthy wheat colour (he used spiritual energy to make it that colour), the exposed skin didn't have any sort of messy body hair (…… can red hair be shown to people? Unless he had to specially dye his hair for a commercial?). The lines of his body were sleek and hard (When the red-furred fox reverted to his original form, even Lord Jellyfish would drool!). When he raised his head and flipped his hair, a brilliant smile on his face, the sensation of summer, sunlight, the beach and beautiful ladies would surge over.
The director was very satisfied, but the important point of the commercial wasn't the actor, it was the jellyfish.
The important point was how to ensure the jellyfish would relentlessly aim at a certain spot.
The director took out a…… cucumber wrapped inside a pair of swim trunks.
He anxiously said, "Let's first rehearse a round!"
He walked towards the jellyfish in the fish tank.
Hua Ji: "……"
[1] Everybody’s favourite saying, here it is! For those who don’t know, ‘losing face’ is a favourite phrase of us Chinese people to speak about how someone, usually of a younger generation or of a lower position, is not respecting their superior or the older generation enough. For example, if you constantly refute your grandfather and point out flaws in his logic, especially in public, that would be considered as not giving your grandfather face, and is considered a very humiliating thing that’s extremely disrespectful.
[2] Pangu, in Chinese mythology, is the first living being who hatched out of an egg made of the primordial chaos. Pangu created the world by splitting the Heavens and Earths with his great axe, before standing between them and pushing them apart to keep them separated. After 18,000 years, the task was complete and Pangu died. His breath became the wind, mist and clouds; his voice, thunder; his left eye, the sun; his right eye, the moon; his head, the mountains and extremes of the world; his blood, rivers; his muscles, fertile land; his facial hair, the stars and Milky Way; his fur, bushes and forests; his bones, valuable minerals; his bone marrow, sacred diamonds; his sweat, rain; and the fleas on his fur carried by the wind became animals.