Exalting Plaza lived up to its name in the most irritating way possible.
The moment Sunny stepped into the open thoroughfare, he was assaulted by noise, color, and movement from every direction. Lanterns hung between buildings shaped with elegant curves and gilded trim, their light reflecting off polished stone streets worn smooth by centuries of foot traffic. Vendors called out over one another, selling everything from skewered street food to novelty charms shaped like auspicious beasts. Children ran past in clusters, laughing loudly, while Cloud Knights patrolled in pairs with a practiced air of bored vigilance.
He walked a half-step behind March and Welt, hand fiddling with the chain hanging off his belt. Tingyun followed alongside them with effortless grace, her tail swaying lazily as if this were a casual stroll rather than the prelude to interrogating one of the most dangerous criminals on the Luofu.
Probably the most, if he was being realistic.
Sunny glanced at her sidelong.
He still did not understand why she was here.
Tingyun had made it abundantly clear that she could not guide them to the Divination Commission herself. Something about protocol, jurisdiction, and her role as a mere liaison. Yet here she was anyway, smiling pleasantly, offering commentary, occupying space.
It irritated him.
He kept that irritation buried beneath layers of practiced indifference, but it simmered all the same.
They slowed near the center of the plaza, where a wide open square had been converted into an impromptu gathering area. Tables had been set up beneath a large canopy, its fabric embroidered with celestial motifs. At one such table, a small crowd had gathered, their attention fixed on a game in progress.
Sunny barely spared it a glance — until his Gloomy shadow stirred.
The sensation was subtle, a faint tug at the edge of his awareness. Gloomy did not speak in words, not really. It conveyed impressions, moods, fragments of attention. Sunny tilted his head slightly, allowing his perception to follow where the shadow pointed.
A woman's voice cut through the ambient noise, loud, rapid, and utterly unapologetic.
"I'm telling you, it's not slacking if I'm still thinking about work. Multitasking is a recognized skill. If the Master Diviner can metaphorically hold up the skies, then surely she doesn't need me hovering over her shoulder every second."
One of the other players groaned.
"Qingque, you just discarded the wrong tile again."
The woman replied cheerfully:
"That's what you think. This is a long-term strategy."
Another player leaned closer, lowering their voice.
"You said that last round."
"And I won that round, didn't I?"
Qingque shot back without missing a beat.
"Besides, I'm very busy right now. Extremely busy. Can't you see how hard I'm working?"
Sunny stopped walking.
March took two more steps before realizing he was no longer beside her. She turned around, blinking.
"Huh? What's up?"
Sunny didn't answer. He was staring at the table.
Welt followed his gaze, adjusting his glasses as he took in the scene. Tingyun, for her part, smiled faintly, as if she already knew exactly what was about to happen.
The four of them drifted closer, coming to a stop just behind the woman at the table. Sunny crossed his arms and waited.
Qingque continued to talk, rearranging her tiles with quick, practiced motions.
"Honestly, people have such outdated views on productivity. Just because I'm playing Celestial Jade doesn't mean I'm not contributing. Mental acuity is very important for divination, you know. This is basically training."
One of the other players hissed, eyes darting past her.
"There are people behind you."
"I know. They can wait. I'm in the middle of something important."
Another tile slapped onto the table.
Sunny scratched the back of his neck, mildly impressed by the audacity.
March opened her mouth, then closed it again, clearly unsure whether interrupting was socially acceptable. Welt, meanwhile, watched with mild curiosity, his interest piqued by the game itself rather than the woman playing it.
Several long seconds passed.
Finally, perhaps sensing the weight of four unamused stares boring into the back of her head, Qingque turned around.
Her eyes widened.
There was a long, awkward silence.
Qingque laughed nervously.
"Ah—hi! You see, this looks bad, but I can explain."
She spoke quickly, gesturing vaguely with one hand while the other reflexively reached for her tiles.
"I'm not actually slacking off. I'm just, um, temporarily reallocating my attention. Very efficiently. Also, it's my break."
She glanced back at the table.
"Oh—wait, hold on, I can win this."
One of the players protested.
"You can't just—"
Qingque's hands moved in a blur, placing the final tile with a triumphant grin.
"Victory!"
The table erupted into groans. Credits were begrudgingly handed over as Qingque scooped them up with the ease of someone very accustomed to this ritual.
Only then did she stand fully, brushing imaginary dust from her clothes.
"Qingque, Divination Commission. And you are…?"
March stared at her.
"You were our guide?"
Qingque nodded enthusiastically.
"Yep! That's me. Sorry, got a little caught up. You know how it is."
"No, I really don't."
Sunny studied Qingque in silence, his irritation shifting into something sharper and more focused. It was immediate and unmistakable.
A gambling addict.
Using the four words he disliked the most, the mindset of a gambler could be abbreviated to FIWB.
'…These kinds of people really only exist do the love of the game, eh?'
That uncaring mentality included Qingque's employment status, apparently.
Sometimes, Sunny wished he dint have circumstances forcing him to try so hard.
Welt, meanwhile, stepped closer to the table, eyes lingering on the tiles.
"Celestial Jade… I have heard of this game. Would you mind explaining the rules?"
Qingque's face lit up.
"Oh, absolutely! It's really simple once you get the hang of it—"
March groaned.
"Is this really the time for this?"
Qingque was already walking away from the table.
"Relax, we can talk and walk. Multitasking, remember?"
True to her word, she began leading them out of the plaza, explaining the basics of the game to Welt as they went. Welt listened attentively, asking thoughtful questions that Qingque eagerly answered, her earlier defensiveness melting away into genuine enthusiasm.
Sunny hung back slightly, eyes drifting upward.
That was when he saw it.
In the distance, rising far beyond the surrounding buildings, a massive tree pierced the sky. Its trunk was thick and ancient, bark twisted and gnarled, while strange green flames danced among its branches, illuminating the clouds above with an eerie glow.
Sunny slowed, his gaze fixed on it.
Tingyun noticed immediately.
She leaned closer, breaching his personal space without hesitation, her voice dropping just enough to feel conspiratorial.
"That is the Ambrosial Arbor. It used to be one of the greatest treasures of the Xianzhou Luofu."
Sunny blinked.
Tingyun continued, her smile turning strange, almost wistful.
"They say it was once much larger. Larger than anyone alive today could imagine."
She tilted her head, studying his expression.
"Do you find it interesting?"
Sunny stared at the distant tree for several seconds longer. Then he shrugged.
"Not really. It just looks out of place. Like a clown in a jungle."
Tingyun's smile widened by a fraction.