Ship In A Bottle (A Monkie Kid Reader Insert)

Chapter 52: Six-Eared Eavesdropper

"Fill the dummies with the gas, then send them down."

"Make sure they detonate when they reach the ground."

"Hey, what's with those guys up there with the parachutes? Should we tell the others?"

"We need to investigate. They might be working for Cervidae."

"All we have to do is give her the blue one, right?"

"Let's find an old friend first."

Different voices from different people. People the Six-eared Macaque could only guess the identity off. Now that the Lady Bone Demon's toy came out to play, he only had a limited amount of options left. 

Sitting on his jet flyer, a hologram screen hovered over his controls, revealing the location of the dummies and the unsettlingly close distance it had with the Dronecopter. He grimaced, pressing the gas before speeding off to find it before the distance closes.

--

Sun Wukong did not have the best relationship with the Celestial Realm. No surprises there, the list of reasons might as well be long enough to start from the Emperor's throne to the Court of Diyu. That was his usual concern when it came to asking for some favors, which was why he did it sparingly. It was why he was so adamant in preventive measures when the countess brought up the fire. 

For the entire vacation as he called it, he has been gathering information, weaponry, artifacts, anything that Vulpes could use against Cervidae, and ultimately its puppeteer. But as Jade warned him, it would not be enough. It wasn't enough.

But if the fire had to be retrieved, he might as well spare Jade the effort. The last thing he needed was for the head of the biggest chance against Cervidae to be compromised by celestial forces. And with the bone demon becoming an ever looming threat, the entire pantheon should be thanking him if anything. All he needed was the map. And knowing the old friend that guarded it, maybe he would have a better chance convincing him than if it was Jade retrieving it.

The bright hot flashes of pink said otherwise.

He should've known better, the great sage thought to himself as he dodged the incoming attacks, pink fire burning brightly as the golden-tipped spear pierced the air. The spear forced him against the temple walls, making him leave a crater before he deflected the spear away. His golden eyes immediately fell on the map, kept secure within the pedestal of lotus petals.

"Finally." Wukong smirked, speeding to the map's direction. "An opening."

The very moment he reached for the map, a circle of seals immediately flashed pink, keeping the intruder away. Another obstacle for the great sage, forcing more energy against the seal without hesitation in hopes of shattering it. Gold sparked brighter as the Monkey King resisted the seal, engulfing himself in the glow only to be forced back against the wall. The monkey found himself coughing in the dispersing smoke, the crater he has once left has now doubled in size.

"The ol' magical barrier trick." Wukong gritted his teeth. "Should've seen that one coming."

"That seal is strong enough to protect the map from any who would steal it." A voice Wukong instantly recognized echoed, a faint pink glow within the remaining cloud of smoke. Immediately dispersing it were lotus pink flames shooting down between Wukong and the map, revealing the wielder of the spear that's given the monkey so much trouble the entire time. 

"Not even you, Sun Wukong." 

Now standing in front of him, none other than the Third Lotus Prince himself. His armor made it unmistakable, resembling lotus petals the same way that the map's pedestal did. The ribbons on his hair bore the same shade of red as his armillary sash and the base of his spear, while the tip glinted the same shade of gold as the wheels he stood on.