Min must make it clear: his question is driven purely by rational curiosity. He has absolutely no intention of implying that Xi P should not wear clothes — quite the opposite, in fact. The idea of Xi P not wearing any clothes is unbearable for Min, and he isn't particularly eager to see what a naked humanoid alien looks like either. The fact that Xi P is covered in fur and resembles a fox only makes the situation worse; the very thought is mentally disturbing.

  Even in furry fan art, it would be restricted content.

  It is unclear whether Xi P understands Min's second question. He merely looks at Min as if he is a fool and points at his groin.

  'When did this guy study human anatomy... Never mind.'

  Xi P's gesture alone reveals a lot, but Min genuinely wants to get to the bottom of it. So he doesn't stop, carefully explaining the meaning of his second question.

  "..."

  After hearing Min's explanation, Xi P is almost speechless. He'd assumed that Min could deduce the answer logically. To him, it's a question that requires little thought to answer. As for Min... well, the reasons on Min's end are probably quite different from his own. A proper explanation should be given.

  So, another round of flailing gestures and dictionary look-ups ensues, before Min finally understands the reason: for Xi P's species, the earliest act of draping other animals' fur over themselves was for better courtship. It was only later that it gradually came to carry the meaning of modesty. However, the original purpose still holds true — no one would propose marriage naked, after all.

  Seeing Min's look of sudden realisation, Xi P can't resist asking mischievously: "Then why do you wear clothes? Originally, for sun protection, warmth? Why, modesty? Keeping warm and covering modesty, unrelated, unlike courtship, right?"

  "...Good question. I don't know."

  ***

  "Do I look human to you?"

  Min tugs at the corner of his mouth. Xi P has inadvertently echoed the words of the weasel seeking a title in Chinese folklore. The current situation is, in a sense, even mirrored by them. His reply is: "Very human. And very ghost-like."

  He isn't exaggerating. Xi P's final setup does have a horror movie vibe: walks like a black cloth drifting across the ground, revealing nothing of what lies beneath; occasional chills emanating from around him, so quiet you can barely hear any footsteps. A striking resemblance to a ghost. Carrying this thing through the streets would be psychologically taxing in every way. Fortunately, they are going to travel in broad daylight. If anyone spots that at night, who knows what new urban legends might spring up?

  The planned route hugs the outskirts of the city, with no intention of venturing into the centre. Min has only scheduled two main stops: a museum dedicated to World War II and a small suburban park. He doesn't want the route to be too long in case the ice melts completely and Xi P ends up in trouble.

  ***

  Even though he has walked the nearby streets many times at night, this is his first daytime excursion. In truth, even counting his time on Lierus, he hasn't often ventured out in daylight. Thankfully, he has brought sunglasses since the sunlight is more glaring than he remembers.

  The initial stretch of road is quiet. But the moment the first human other than Min enters Xi P's field of view, he cannot help but tense up. Despite knowing that his current appearance makes it unlikely anyone would recognise him, he still can't suppress the nervousness.

  As the passer-by fixes their gaze on him, both Xi P and Min grow tense. When the stranger greets Min, Xi P almost jumps. Min stiffly returns the greeting, suppressing his nerves.

  After a few similar incidents, Xi P eventually relaxes. Most people merely glance at him once or twice as they pass by, then return their attention to the road. Beyond making his fur stand on end, nothing else happens. It seems this disguise is passable enough.

  'It's just that feeling of being completely naked is so strange, especially when people stare at me. It doesn't feel like they're curious about the clothes, but more like they're shocked by the nudity...'

  ***

  Most museums are rather quiet when there are no events, which is one of the main reasons why Min has brought Xi P here. Xi P has already watched the relevant documentaries, and since this is another crucial part of modern history, it is fitting for him to see indeed.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  'Plus, some of the WWII stuff... well, let him get a taste of how extravagant Earthlings can be... if he's surprised at all, that is.'

  From Xi P's perspective, this war, which appears to have encompassed the entire planet, is certainly worth knowing about. He is equally fascinated by the opportunity to examine Earth's former weapons of war. The museum houses numerous genuine tanks and fighter planes, although they have all been stripped down to their shells. Based on certain features of these weapons, Xi P can tell that they are products of a technological era that roughly corresponds to the 'Nuclear Unification' period in Lierus. Throughout this period and up to the present day, Lierus has never experienced any significant conflicts. Although weapons development never ceases, military exercises and theoretical doctrines can never replicate real combat. This colossal war must have provided invaluable insights into practical weaponry research. Even if Xi P isn't a military enthusiast, the mere fact that these are 'alien weapons' is enough to pique his curiosity.

  '...That's rather interesting: in movies about aliens, one see them wielding spears and stone clubs, or wielding weapons that transcend physical rules, but never modern weaponry. Even when it does, it's always the tuefue using them as the invaded party.'

  '...That one below seems to have a tracked drive system. Hmm... wait, it looks like all of them here have tracked structures, and... quadruple tracks? Only the latest self-propelled artillery pieces weighing over thirty tons have such complex tracks. Had standard tracks been unable to support such a massive hull, development would have been delayed even further. War truly accelerates military technological progress.'

  'Speaking of which, isn't it hot inside these armoured vehicles? I'm pretty sure this thing doesn't have air conditioning... Wait, they don't seem bothered by the heat as much.'

  'The fighter jets look pretty similar. At least I can't spot any differences. I suppose enthusiasts might be able to tell more from it. Maximum altitude 12,000 meters... Hmm... Wait, what's this?'

  Xi P stares in astonishment at a display panel, utterly baffled by what he is seeing: 'A 69,000-ton... ship?!'

  The plaque displays a striking black-and-white photograph alongside a coloured aerial view of what appears to be a modern warship. But that tonnage simply doesn't belong to that era. Converting between the two civilisations' measurement systems in his head, Xi P realises that the combined tonnage of the entire Palirian Republic Navy is... roughly 400,000 tons.

  Seeing Xi P freeze suddenly, Min leans in curiously to look at the display before him: 'He's looking at the Yamato super-heavy battleship. No wonder — no one can see this thing for the first time without being stunned. That ship really is outrageous... Or did he watch Space Battleship Yamato and get the wrong idea? Probably not — I don't have that DVD.'

  The Axis powers produced some truly bizarre designs during WWII, such as saucer-shaped aircraft and the Shi-Ki tank (Note 2). Perhaps extreme national ideologies influenced the design of military equipment — sometimes focusing on necessary aspects boosted combat effectiveness, while at other times... well, the Yamato serves as a prime example.

  Note 2: Both are real. Flying saucers are easy to find online. The Shi-Ki was designed by the Japanese Navy for the Army — and its specifications were far superior to anything the Army had.

  At least Germany didn't actually flee to the far side of the moon.

  Setting aside such matters, Min feels quietly proud watching Xi P stand transfixed beside the Yamato exhibit. This pride isn't rooted in any single nation, but in humanity as a whole. Even through the hooded face, Min can picture Xi P's astonishment. It's undeniably gratifying to surpass an alien civilisation in any field, isn't it? Though, strictly speaking, it isn't exactly commendable... Have Xi P's ears pricked up?

  Xi P flinches when his ears are suddenly pressed down, but relaxes when he recognises it's Min. He is so engrossed in the massive sea vessel that he forgets to keep his ears pressed against scalp. Thankfully, Min helps him out.

  One thing remains a slight regret for Min: he hasn't yet had a chance to properly rub Xi P's ears. This is mainly because he feels awkward about it and isn't sure how Xi P would react. That earlier moment had been the closest they had come in a month.

  'Maybe I'll ask him if he lets people rub his ears. But I doubt that will happen.'

  ***

  'The infantry gear certainly has that era's feel — a retro aesthetic. The pistol grip design looks awkward to grip or reload, but since hand shapes are different... Not sure what their current infantry weapons are like. With ample combat experience and theory, their regular forces might even surpass those of the Palirian Republic. Yet such advancements in doctrine come at the cost of countless corpses...'

  'What is this... 188 tons and 10 metres long! Why do they always insist on building such bloated monstrosities? And compared to that massive hull, the cannon looks ridiculously small — like they stuck a toy on top... Strange, they seem to have a penchant for mounting tiny guns on colossal war machines. Nah, I'm no military expert, so I'll refrain from judgment...'

  Xi P is deeply moved after touring this WWII military museum.

  'As times evolve, warfare increasingly relies on equipment rather than people themselves. According to the theory of convergence, even species with distinct physiological structures will gradually develop similar military systems. The clawspikes we used in ancient times would be useless to humans. But with modern armoured vehicles, whoever sits inside won't affect the firepower of the cannons mounted on top.'

  'Future space warships will be even more so. The convergence theory finally meets its empirical test — not just in military affairs, but across numerous other domains where such similarities exist to varying degrees. Is such a universe a blessing or a curse? While inter-civilisational communication undoubtedly benefits from it, it may also hinder sociological research in certain respects... Who can say? This rule probably isn't absolute either. For sulphur-based or gaseous life forms, they might develop entirely different societies... assuming such organisms actually exist.'

  Lost in rational contemplation, Xi P slowly follows Min out of the museum.

  ***

  Museum.

  A cleaner bends down, puzzled, and picks something up off the floor.

  It is a strand of orange-red hair.

  "Who brought a pet in here? The signs clearly say no pets allowed. People these days..."