The Cannon Fodder Real Young Master is a Slime?! - Chapter 6

It turned out to be a slime.

It was actually a slime.

Standing not far away, Lu Que silently stared at the green jelly on the swing.

The green jelly had already been baked by the sun until it was bubbling gudu-gudu, yet it remained steadfast at its post, completely motionless.

Having cleared out so many magical beasts, this was the first time he found himself at a loss how was he supposed to face a magical beast that possessed zero wariness and looked incredibly bouncy? He had absolutely no experience with this.

Even the appearance of a slime was far more deceptive than that of other monsters, which typically grew into terrifying, clawed shapes.

Having installed so many detectors, Lu Que naturally obtained firsthand data on the slime.

The detected data pointed to the fact that this slime was merely an E-rank magical beast.

Its strength could not be called good, but it couldn’t be called bad either; it was at a level where it could at least protect itself. The beast from before, which resembled a tiger but wasn’t quite one, had been classified by the Special Security Section as a D-rank. Reasonably speaking, its strength should have been superior to an E-rank slime, meaning there was no logical reason for it to be killed by the latter.

Therefore, was it possible that the deaths of so many magical beasts weren’t actually the work of this round jelly?

Lu Que pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a silent sigh.

Choosing not to disturb the slime and risk a desperate struggle, the man walked straight back downstairs to the residential building. He had parked his car there to wait for Shi Yunmu to get in.

A few minutes later, the hurried figure of the youth appeared in front of the car. He ran up to the window, glanced at the license plate, then bent down and knocked on the glass. “I’m sorry, I’m late.”

The car doors unlocked, and Shi Yunmu slipped into the vehicle. Only then did Lu Que say, “I just arrived myself.”

He meant that he hadn’t been waiting long, so there was no need to feel too apologetic about it.

Believing that Lu Que had truly just arrived, Shi Yunmu breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good, that’s good.”

The sun had been too comfortable, making him feel quite dazed.

The man started the car, his peripheral vision catching a glimpse of the person beside him tidying his bangs.

The youth’s hair was sticking up, looking a bit messy. His body was completely dry; even though he had stayed out under the blazing sun for so long, there wasn’t a single drop of sweat on him, though his skin was slightly flushed.

Especially that face it carried a faint, healthy glow, appearing even more breathtakingly beautiful than usual.

As he watched, Lu Que’s phone suddenly began to vibrate repeatedly.

The youth looked over, failing to notice the man’s casually lowered eyelashes, and asked curiously, “Is someone looking for you urgently? They keep sending messages.”

Lu Que remained silent as he pulled the car over to the side of the road. “Apologies, let me check the messages.”

Shi Yunmu expressed his understanding. “No problem, no problem. We’re not in a hurry anyway.”

He didn’t want to arrive early either. Being late or arriving at the last minute was perfectly fine; there was no need to adhere to the Shi family’s etiquette on this matter.

Lu Que unlocked his phone, only to be greeted by Ming He’s chaotic wailing:

Lu-ge, save us! We can’t control this F-103 magical beast at all!

This thing is way too troublesome, its vines are as hard as iron!

Save your teammates, Lu-ge QWQ

Lu Que: “…”

He rarely took time off. This time, it was specifically to keep an eye on the slime that he had attempted to let the younger members of the team learn to stand on their own feet by clearing an F-rank magical beast. He hadn’t expected them to end up in such a chaotic mess.

“What’s wrong?”

Shi Yunmu blinked, somehow managing to read exasperation and a headache from Lu Que’s expressionless face.

Lu Que weighed his words carefully. “…I need to go help with a capture.”

“Oh,” Shi Yunmu nodded in understanding once again. “You guys… the police are really busy.”

As a human policeman, his husband was so busy with work every single day; it must be exhausting.

Fortunately, the original owner of this body was still in university and hadn’t reached the age to look for a job yet the slime had no desire to live such a hectic life.

Lu Que did not respond to this statement, because he had actually detected a sense of pity on a magical beast’s face regarding his need to work overtime.

Passing over the previous comment, Lu Que discussed the plan with Shi Yunmu. “I’ll drop you off first, then go work overtime.” Pausing, he asked, “Is it alright if I drop you off at the entrance of the Shi family estate?”

“That works.” Shi Yunmu had no objections and even felt that Lu Que was being very considerate.

Lu Que gave Shi Yunmu a deep look. “Once I settle things, I’ll come over as quickly as possible.”

Even if it was just an E-rank magical beast, it still possessed a certain level of danger. He couldn’t allow it to operate out of his sight for too long.

The Shi family estate was built halfway up a mountain. By the time Lu Que’s car arrived, Shi Yunmu discovered that quite a few people had shown up for this evening banquet. Among them were many prominent figures whose photos flooded the internet.

Shi Yunmu found it novel. “So it turns out they actually have quite a bit of clout.” No wonder they called him over.

With so many guests, there would naturally be people paying attention to the Shi family’s movements. Wouldn’t they need to keep Shi Yunmu stable to maintain the outward harmony of the family?

The car stopped, and Lu Que said, “We’ll stop here.”

“Alright, bye-bye hubby.”

Shi Yunmu got out of the car and walked inside with an easygoing attitude.

Perhaps it was because the youth’s face was too dazzling, or perhaps it was because his hoodie and long trousers were completely out of place, or perhaps it was because the black hairball “pendant” on his shoulder was too rare many people’s gazes flickered over to him, both openly and secretly.

This “pendant,” of course, was the dust demon that had strongly demanded to come out for some fresh air.

Magical beasts possessed far better hearing than humans. Hearing some less-than-friendly whispered exchanges, the dust demon immediately complained to Shi Yunmu, “My Lord, they are talking smack about you behind your back!”

Shi Yunmu let out a pitched “Hmm,” looking toward the people discussing him with a slight smile before casually retracting his gaze. He warned the dust demon, “Let’s not cause trouble today. We’re just here to see who needs to be swallowed. Once we’re done looking, we’ll go back.”

Dust Demon: “?”

Is that true or false? I don’t believe it.

The slime and the dust demon openly stepped into the main entrance of the villa, only to be stopped immediately.

At the very first glance of this person, the dust demon imperceptibly shrank back a little.

Shi Yunmu sized the person up for a few moments, barely managing to recall that this should be the housekeeper who had worked for the Shi family for over twenty years.

“Second Young Master,” the middle-aged woman said condescendingly, her nose turned up toward the sky. “Why didn’t you give us advance notice of your return?”

Shi Yunmu was puzzled and addressed his father directly by his full name. “Shi Changsheng told me to come back. Do I still need to file a report in advance?”

The housekeeper was entirely impolite, offering a skin-deep smile. “Even if the Master called you back, you are currently a guest, so you still need to notify us in advance.”

The woman spoke grandly and sanctimoniously, but the malice in her eyes could not be hidden.

Without rushing to answer her, the youth licked his dry lips. His pine-green eyes bypassed her and stared directly at her back.

With a hint of a half-smile, Shi Yunmu withdrew his gaze and countered, “If I am considered a guest, then what do you count as? You should be an outsider too, right?”

At the very least, his surname was still Shi. Did this housekeeper’s surname happen to be Shi too?

“You’re sticking your nose in so deep. Can I understand this as…” Tilting his head, the slime, who had read quite a few dog-blood web novels over the past evening, asked curiously, “You want to bypass your mistress and take control of the Shi family?”

The housekeeper’s smile instantly vanished, and her voice grew louder, though she didn’t dare draw the attention of others around them. “Second Young Master, do not talk nonsense!”

“Or could it be that you are actually Shi—”

“Second Young Master, this way please. I will take you inside.” Her heart skipping a beat, the woman absolutely did not dare let the person in front of her finish that sentence. She interrupted him brutally, intending to lead him in.

The youth frowned slightly, not particularly pleased with her interruption. “I haven’t finished speaking yet. Are you actually…”

“Second Young—”

“—Brother.”

A gentle voice rang out from behind the housekeeper. A young man stepped forward, cutting off their conversation.

Shi Yunmu raised an eyebrow. “It’s you.”

The housekeeper also turned around to look at the young man, her voice softening significantly. “Oh, Eldest Young Master, what are you doing out here?”

Some passersby who recognized the eldest young master of the Shi family called out a greeting as they walked past, “Yubai, we met last time during your internship at the Sheng family’s company!”

Shi Yubai exchanged pleasantries with the passersby first before looking back at them with a smile, explaining, “I still ought to come out and personally receive my brother.”

“Oh.” Shi Yunmu’s reaction was entirely flat. He was neither excited nor filled with gratitude, nor was he resentful or sarcastic.

But the housekeeper was displeased, and she sought to criticize him again. “Second Young Master, please do not be so impolite to the Eldest Young Master.”

“It’s fine, Auntie Fu. Go ahead and tend to your work over there.” Smiling with an apparently good temperament, the eldest young master politely dismissed the housekeeper.

The woman wanted to say something more, her lips twitching, but meeting Shi Yubai’s eyes, she ultimately lost her nerve. “Alright, Eldest Young Master.”

She turned to leave. As she departed, she pressed her lower back, murmuring softly, “Why has my back been hurting so much lately? Just bad luck all around…”

Watching the housekeeper’s departing figure, Shi Yunmu let out a soft “Tsk.”

This protagonist’s appearance really came at a perfect time.

Turning around, Shi Yubai looked at Shi Yunmu and gestured for him to follow him inside.

Upon seeing the youth’s face, he couldn’t help but pause for a moment as well, though he hid his resentment perfectly. “Brother, how… have you been fairing in the Lu family?”

The dust demon whispered a complaint, “He just wants to hear the ‘good news’ of your human husband giving you the cold shoulder!”

Shi Yunmu naturally knew this as well, but nothing showed on his face. Instead, the corners of his lips curved up into a cheerful arc. “My husband treats me very well.”

His smile stiffening, Shi Yubai quickly recovered. “Is that so? Then I can rest easy.”

“Yes,” Shi Yunmu’s expression was sincere. “I really have to thank you for letting me have such a good husband!”

Was that not the case? If the Shi family hadn’t forced him to substitute for the person in front of him in this political marriage, he would still be submerged among a bunch of low-IQ humans right now. Just thinking about it gave him a headache.

Shi Yunmu let the words roll right off his tongue: “My husband actually has to work overtime today, but even so, he insisted on driving me over here. He loves me so much!”

The youth put on a sweet, bashful expression, causing his “brother’s” eyes to twitch. The polite smile on Shi Yubai’s face almost crumbled entirely. “Is that so? That’s not bad then.”

To prevent Shi Yunmu from continuing to “show off,” Shi Yubai picked up a glass of brightly colored sparkling wine and handed it to him. “Brother, have a drink first. I’ll go call Mom and Dad. They must have missed you.”

Standing in place, Shi Yunmu held the goblet and looked at it several times, sniffing it to ensure it wasn’t poisoned before downing it.

Chug, chug, chug.

Finishing it in one gulp, Shi Yunmu’s face scrunched up into a tight ball. He covered his mouth, nearly gagging. “Ugh… it tastes terrible.”

How could something be so harsh on the throat? He felt that if he had drunk this in his original form, his entire body would probably smell like this pungent alcohol.

Dust Demon: “…So it turns out you don’t know how to drink, My Lord.”

Shi Yunmu argued righteously, “I’ve never drunk it before! This is my first time.”

The dust demon said, “Then you should practice, My Lord. If an enemy ever figures out this is your weakness, it would be terrifying.”

Shi Yunmu wasn’t worried at all. “I can tell it apart. It’s very simple.”

While discussing the dangers of drinking, Shi Yunmu slowly stepped into the center of the banquet hall.

A two-story-tall crystal chandelier hung in the center of the hall, radiating brilliance like a river of stars.

The passing guests would invariably cast their eyes toward the crystal light, secretly evaluating the Shi family’s lavishness in interior decor.

Only Shi Yunmu threw his head back, staring at the massive crystal chandelier with a bizarre expression. Similarly, the black hairball on his body shuddered imperceptibly.

The dust demon quietly moved a bit closer to the youth’s neck, its voice trembling with fear. “M-My Lord…”

“—Why is that thing above us completely covered in Rot Silkworms?”

Perhaps to the guests, this was just an ordinary crystal chandelier, but to the slime and the dust demon, it was a breeding ground completely crawling with a certain insect-type magical beast.

Rot Silkworms: a type of magical beast capable of magnifying the dark emotions of living creatures. Once they absorbed negative emotions to a certain threshold, they would open their bloody maws without hesitation and devour the source of those emotions.

Like the housekeeper just now Shi Yunmu had clearly seen one riding right on her back.

The dust demon despised Rot Silkworms. No matter what, it possessed emotional variations itself; if it ended up being manipulated, it would be done for.

It snuck another glance: five or six Rot Silkworms were quietly resting on the crystal chandelier, squirming slowly. Their bodies were not soft, resembling massive sacs filled with wet sand, rising and falling slightly with their breathing. Their mouthparts consisted of a ring of flesh-colored circular discs, slowly contracting while dripping a secretion invisible to human eyes. The edges of the mouthparts were lined with hundreds of needle-sharp, fine teeth, grinding together to produce a wet, sticky, rustling sound akin to silkworms devouring mulberry leaves.

Not a single guest could hear this rustling noise.

Slowly lowering his eyelashes, Shi Yunmu spoke in a voice only the dust demon could hear, “What are you so afraid of? Those things are blind.”

Rot Silkworms could only move by sensing the direction of shifting emotions; they themselves could not perceive light sources. But as far as the slime was concerned, he didn’t particularly want to eat them either. For one, their slime was too disgusting; the other reason was that a Rot Silkworm’s weakness required a sharp weapon to pierce its body and completely crush its heart to ensure death. The slime was entirely round and smooth; where was he supposed to find a sharp point to stab a Rot Silkworm to death?

Therefore, back in the Abyss, he was always responsible for pinning the Rot Silkworms down, while his friends used their sharp claws to execute them.

The dust demon took a few deep breaths. Being too terrified would also be detected by the Rot Silkworms, so it needed to try its best to remain calm. “Aren’t I just too weak?”

Everything looks terrifying to it.

Right as they were discussing the silkworms on the light fixture, they heard an approaching commotion drawing near.

“Jinghuai, you really don’t have to…” This was his “brother’s” voice, deliberately softened.

“No, I need to go put him in his place on your behalf. You are so delicate; what if you get bullied?” Judging by the voice, this should be Shi Yubai’s guardian angel.

He just didn’t know which of the three original male leads this was.

The voice drew closer, and the guardian angel arrived.

A man with sharp, arrogant brows strode forward, crossing his arms. He stared at Shi Yunmu, who was still behaving themselves and holding the goblet without moving, for a long while before speaking with disdain, “You’re the second young master the Shi family brought back? You’re nothing special.”

“Hmm?” Shi Yunmu swirled the wine glass that he had chugged halfway down, gesturing for the man to keep talking.

The man turned his face instead, looking at Shi Yubai, who was clutching his arm as if to restrain him, and said loudly, “Yubai, your brother is just average. He doesn’t even possess half of your looks.”

Shi Yunmu: “?”

Shi Yunmu hesitated, then quietly murmured to the dust demon, “Is this… what humans call ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’?”

Dust Demon: “…”

Dust Demon: “Yes.”

Support