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Chapter 149 - Chapter 142 - A Night at the Inn, Part One

That night...

Fu Xuan had already taken Qingque back to the Divination Commission. Although she had initially claimed to be on vacation, she was, in reality, dragging Qingque back to work overtime.

At their departure, Qingque's eyes were filled with tears as she reluctantly bid farewell to everyone. This time... she might never be able to slack off again!

That was impossible, of course, but with the Lord Diviner personally supervising... it was best to rein it in a little.

Sigh, farewell... to that bunch of people who wanted to settle scores with me! Teeheehee!

Before stepping onto the starskiff, Qingque still wore a sorrowful expression. But the moment she was on board, her face instantly broke into a cheeky grin.

"By the way, there is one matter I forgot to mention," Fu Xuan stated plainly. "Those individuals with whom you gambled at Qiongyu Cards sent the bill to the Divination Commission. Although you did not exceed the scope stipulated by Xianzhou law, merely betting some personal items, considering you are one of my people, I have already had those items sent to them on your behalf."

"!"

The light instantly vanished from Qingque's eyes.

"NOOOOOO!!!!!"

---o---

Inside the inn, the innkeeper was all smiles and couldn't close her mouth from grinning. Not only had she booked three more rooms, but the procurement of ingredients for cooking, pastries, and the like all went through them. She had originally thought business would be bleak for a while, but now, it seemed things were looking up.

"So, is that man Luocha really just an itinerant merchant?" Welt pushed up his glasses and asked Dan Heng. Wende sat opposite Dan Heng, while Stelle and March huddled together, whispering about something.

"Mm... he claims to be an itinerant merchant, but I have a feeling he's not as simple as he appears," Dan Heng said with conviction. "Along the way, the things that man Luocha discussed... the things he has come into contact with, are definitely not things a mere merchant could access."

"If that is the case, then we had best be on our guard against him," Welt said, his expression grave.

"Do we need to report this to the Xianzhou?" Wende raised a hand. After all, they were currently working for the Xianzhou. If they could do the Xianzhou an easy favor, that would be for the best. Regardless of whether Luocha, who gave him such intense PTSD, was a problem or not, it would bring the Xianzhou and the Astral Express closer.

Welt silently shook his head.

"There is no need for us to report it. The people of the Xianzhou have likely already taken notice of this uninvited guest."

"So you're saying... in the end, the mission to investigate that Luocha guy will probably fall to us, won't it?" March, having finished her discussion with Stelle at some point, guessed, looking at Welt.

"Mm, it's highly possible."

"It seems March has grown quite a bit during this time," Dan Heng remarked, arms crossed over his chest, his face impassive. Though he showed no expression, Wende felt that he was smiling.

"Huh? When did you become so talkative? Could it be that because we haven't seen each other for a while... you missed me?" March looked at Dan Heng with a peculiar expression.

Dan Heng (turns his head away).

"Haha, it has been a long-awaited reunion. But I am very glad you were able to take this step. Dan Heng, no matter when or where, the Astral Express will always be your home," Welt's eyes were filled with sincerity.

"Mm, thank you, Uncle Welt."

"Yay! I don't know what happened, but it seems like a HE ending!" March cheered loudly, only to have her mouth gently covered by Wende.

"Ouch!"

"Shh... we're in a meeting right now," Wende whispered, giving March a light flick on the forehead as a reminder.

"Mmph... I just got excited and forgot," March mumbled, pouting as she rubbed her forehead.

"By the way... what's wrong with Stelle?" Dan Heng seemed to recall something and looked toward Stelle, who was standing behind everyone with a blank face and hollow eyes. She had been like that ever since he got back.

"Oh, her game account got banned. I don't know the details, but she's been like this ever since," March said with a shrug.

"Er..."

Looking at the hollow-eyed Stelle, who looked as if her life had lost all meaning, Wende suddenly wondered if he was being a bit of a "Chinese-style parent". Should he let her pursue her own hobbies?

No, no, that's not right. What kind of hobbies does she even have!

It's better for her to just be a girl addicted to video games!

So Wende thought.

---o---

In Luocha's Room

Placing the packed meal on the table, Luocha looked at the coffin on the floor and suddenly felt a bit tired.

"Your disciple's cooking is on the table. Are you planning to eat it in there?" Luocha's voice was quiet, but loud enough for the person within the coffin to hear.

"..."

"Fine. Since you are unwilling, I will not force you. We are allies, after all. I'm heading out first. The Xianzhou's spies are following very closely..."

Luocha opened the door, left the room, and then exited the inn, heading toward a certain location in Changle.

"..."

"Creeak..."

The sealed coffin was slowly pushed open, and a figure of cyan-blue slowly rose from within.

"Tap..."

The tall figure stood beside the table. Looking at the food container Luocha had placed there, a slight smile touched the corner of her cold, beautiful lips.

"Mm... it seems the little doll has grown up."

The blindfolded "Bad Person" chuckled softly, then opened the container and began to eat with slow, deliberate elegance.

---o---

Late at Night

In Wende's room, a weary Stelle put down her phone. She glanced at the equally exhausted Wende beside her and rubbed her eyes.

"If you're sleepy, go to bed. It's impossible to rank up a new account this quickly," Wende said gently, ruffling Stelle's messy hair.

"Mm, okay. I'm heading back then. You get some rest, Wende."

Stelle nodded obediently, put on her slippers, and walked out of Wende's bedroom with half-lidded eyes.

"Ugh... still two ranks away..." Stelle muttered to herself. After a whole night of fierce battles, even she, with a Stellaron inside her, was finding it a bit much.

"Hm? That figure is..."

Squinting, Stelle looked at the familiar figure before her—the fluffy ears and the pair of jade-green eyes that seemed to glow in the dead of night.

"Miss Tingyun? It's so late, you're not asleep yet?" Stelle asked, somewhat confused.

"Ah, if it isn't Benefactor Stelle," "Tingyun" said, startled for a moment before forcing a laugh. "I ate a bit too much tonight, so I was just about to go for a walk to help with digestion."

"Oh... but isn't your room on the third floor, Miss Tingyun? This is the fourth floor..." Stelle's drowsy face was filled with puzzlement as she looked at Tingyun.

"Ah, I wanted to see if Benefactor Wende was asleep. I was hoping to ask him for some medicine to aid digestion," "Tingyun" replied, her tone perfectly natural.

Author's Note:

What you've all been waiting for.

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