Chapter Eighteen: Amusing Incidents in the Park

Ji Yu jogged along the riverside park.
“Control measures, the Violet Moon—things are getting worse and worse,” he thought to himself, his mind still echoing with the conversation he’d overheard between those two men earlier.

The first appearance of the Violet Moon had been three years ago, on a night when people simply chalked it up to a bizarre natural phenomenon. But after the moon appeared three or four more times, its dangers gradually became evident.

There had never been any abnormalities near Ji Yu’s workplace, so all he knew of the Violet Moon’s harm came from watching the news on Lion Federation Television. The broadcast had shown many people strapped to medical beds, suffering from truly terrifying symptoms—clawing furiously at anything within reach, their eyes bloodshot, their lips torn and bleeding from their own frenzied bites.

A small number of these victims were overtaken by such madness, but the majority turned hyper-sensitive, cowering in terror as if surrounded by monsters, shuddering and curling into balls, some even screaming uncontrollably.

In the wake of these reports, the dangers of the Violet Moon were made official. The authorities concluded that the violet moonlight emitted a kind of radiation highly detrimental to the human nervous system—its main effect being the destruction of the brain’s neural pathways, causing severe hallucinations and ultimately, death.

Still, perhaps to comfort the public or for the sake of the economy, the authorities offered another reassurance: even if one was exposed to the Violet Moon, as long as it wasn’t for too long, there was no significant danger. The radiation would gradually dissipate from the body in a few days. Moreover, the rate of falling ill varied depending on individual constitution.

Since then, the official guidelines were clear: whenever the Violet Moon appeared, people were to take protective measures and, if possible, stay indoors.

This was all Ji Yu, as an ordinary member of society, knew. The Violet Moon appeared without warning, and no scientific explanation had ever satisfied the masses. Sometimes it showed itself once or twice a month, sometimes every two weeks, and its appearance lasted anywhere from an hour or two to as long as eight hours. There was simply no way to predict its pattern or duration.

In the past, Ji Yu would have gladly accepted the official statements about the moon’s radiation. Now, though, he was convinced the truth was more complicated.

Though he didn’t know exactly how harmful the Violet Moon could be, Ji Yu was lucky—he was no longer the ordinary wage-earner he once was. The thought brought him a sigh of relief, and he began to slow his jog, finally coming to a stop. But it wasn’t fatigue or the urge to admire the riverside scenery that made him halt; it was the chorus of shouts rising behind him.

Amidst the shouting, he also heard a cacophony of barking. Lost in thought about the Violet Moon, he hadn’t noticed the commotion until now. Turning around, Ji Yu found himself in an almost comical situation.

Just a few meters behind him, five dogs of various breeds had followed him—poodles, Shibas, a husky among them. The moment Ji Yu stopped, they dashed toward him excitedly. The small white poodle leapt high into his arms, barking for attention, while the others circled his legs, yipping and nuzzling him affectionately. Their enthusiasm left Ji Yu a little overwhelmed.

But that wasn’t all. At that moment, birds flitted through the trees above, peering down at him with lively curiosity. Some cocked their heads, their emotions clearly bright, chirping animatedly as if wanting to fly down to him—though their courage faltered at the sight of the nearby dogs and passing pedestrians, and they remained in the branches.

Cradling the poodle, Ji Yu endured its eager licking and looked up at the panting group of dog owners hurrying after him.

“Man, you’re really something! We’ve been chasing you all this way—no matter how much we yelled, you didn’t even look back. Are you trying to wear me out on purpose?” gasped a young man who, though under 1.7 meters tall, must have weighed nearly 180 pounds. He looked utterly exhausted.

“Exactly,” an energetic old man chimed in with a laugh. “Young man, have a bit more consideration for us elders! I’m nearly seventy, you know. What if something happened to me running after you?”

Ji Yu could only sigh. Heaven knew, none of this was his fault—it was all the result of his natural affinity for animals. Still, he couldn’t very well say that aloud.

Smiling apologetically, he said, “I’m sorry, I was lost in thought while running and honestly didn’t notice you or the dogs. My apologies.”

“Lost in thought, huh?” Ma Hongyu, the portly man, shot him a look of utter disbelief. But he knew better than to blame Ji Yu for his dogs’ sudden infatuation; after all, it was their own pets who inexplicably chased after the stranger. He decided not to press the matter.

“All right, let’s just say you were distracted. But I am curious—what’s your trick for making all these dogs follow you so enthusiastically? My Xuexue has never been so excited to see me. I’m a little jealous,” Ma Hongyu added, eyeing the white poodle in Ji Yu’s arms with a mix of wonder and envy.

The poodle, though no longer licking Ji Yu’s face, pressed its head fondly under his chin, its tail wagging furiously.

Ji Yu was a little embarrassed, having no ready explanation. In a half-joking tone, he replied, “Maybe I was just born with a charm that attracts dogs?”

“Is that so?” Ma Hongyu rolled his eyes, about to retort, but the elderly owners behind him were growing impatient.

“All right, all right, you two can chat later. For now, shouldn’t you help us out here?” one of the elderly women called.

Ji Yu and Ma Hongyu turned, finally noticing the elders struggling to pull their dogs away. The animals, however, refused to budge, lying stubbornly at Ji Yu’s feet and gazing up at him with pleading eyes.

“Wow, you’re amazing!” Ma Hongyu gawked at the dogs’ adoration, almost believing Ji Yu truly possessed some innate talent for attracting them.

Ji Yu was speechless, growing weary of the loquacious Ma Hongyu. Kneeling, he stroked the heads of the pitiful dogs, responding to their affection with gentle care. Only after a good while, and many reluctant glances, did the dogs finally allow themselves to be led home by their owners.

During all this, Ma Hongyu admired Ji Yu even more, while the elderly men and women watched in awe, some even mistaking him for a pet shop owner and asking for his business card, vowing to visit his shop in the future.

After settling the matter, Ji Yu felt drained, but the words of the elders sparked new thoughts in his mind.

“Maybe I really could open a pet shop,” he mused. “It would be a surefire success.”