"Yanqing, do you want to become the Sword Champion?"
In the boundless darkness, Yanqing seemed to hear a seductive voice.
He didn't know who was speaking, but the deep yearning in his heart prompted him to reply instinctively, "Yes, of course I do."
"Oh? If you want it, you have to say it loudly~"
Yanqing shouted, "I want to rely on my own efforts to become the Sword Champion!"
"…" The voice paused. "Look at you, saying something so uninspired. Relying on yourself isn't as good as relying on others. If you're willing, I can give you immense power to make you the Sword Champion of the Luofu."
Yanqing replied, "No, that won't do. Master Jing Yuan said that power gained out of nowhere, no matter how great, is false."
"…" The voice fell silent for a moment. "Hmph, such a short-sighted kid. Well, today, this old lady's going to force that power into you, so just lie there and take it!"
As the voice spoke, Yanqing's vision blurred. The next second, a mass of eerie green flames surged out of the endless darkness, rushing straight into his body.
Yanqing cried out, "Who are you? What are you doing?!"
"No, stop! My body's suddenly so hot… ugh, ngh! Aaaah—aaaaah!!"
Duang!
Yanqing jolted upright in bed, his head colliding squarely with Jing Yuan's nose.
Bang!
Jing Yuan fell back, yet a serene smile remained on his face.
Yanqing looked around in a daze. Where was he? Wasn't he fighting Skott?
His memories gradually returned. He had lost and passed out. Then, it seemed Guinaifen had carried him back here—to Jing Yuan's home.
"Ah? Master, sorry, sorry! Yanqing didn't mean to! Are you okay, Master?" Yanqing scrambled off the bed in a panic, hurrying to help Jing Yuan up.
Jing Yuan rubbed his nose. "Young people are always so jumpy. Good thing I keep this body in top shape, or I'd probably be bleeding… But judging by your condition, you've recovered quite well, haven't you? Guess I'm the unlucky one here."
"Wow, Yanqing, you're awake?"
Guinaifen walked in carrying takeout boxes, looking surprised. "I just got back with dinner, and you're already up? What a coincidence!"
Jing Yuan cleared his throat. "Little Gui, Yanqing's just recovered. He should eat something good. What did you get…?"
"It's not Pinhaofan," Guinaifen said, rolling her eyes at Jing Yuan. "Yanqing worked hard today, fighting for our future meals. Even if money's tight, there's no way I'd skimp on this."
Guinaifen placed a plastic container on the bedside table. "Check it out—tomato beef brisket with white rice! And it's the extra-meat version. How's that?"
Jing Yuan inhaled the aroma, a smile spreading across his face. "Hmm, indeed a fine tomato beef brisket. The fresh, tangy tomato flavor and its juices balance the richness of the beef perfectly. The sweet-sour taste suits all ages, and paired with white rice, it's simply divine…"
"It should be—it cost me fifty credits!"
As Jing Yuan reached for his chopsticks, Guinaifen warily pushed the tomato beef brisket aside. "What are you doing? Trying to mooch off the patient's food?"
Jing Yuan spread his hands innocently. "Little Gui, I may not have been there earlier, but I've been by Yanqing's side ever since, not slacking for a moment. Besides, joy shared alone pales compared to joy shared together. The portion's plenty—why not split it like honored guests raising their cups in harmony?"
Guinaifen wasn't having it, glaring fiercely. "It's bought, so you're eating Pinhaofan with me."
"Alright, alright…" Jing Yuan agreed obediently.
Since they were in a bedroom without a dining table, the three sat with their bowls, occasionally reaching to the bedside table to pick at the dishes. No one minded the inconvenience, and they ate with relish.
"Yanqing, why aren't you eating?"
Guinaifen suddenly noticed Yanqing staring at a piece of beef for a long time, prompting her to ask curiously.
"Guinaifen, I…" Yanqing hesitated. "I'm not hungry. In fact, I feel… like I have endless energy."
"I suddenly want to practice my sword. Sorry, Guinaifen, Master, I'll head out first."
Yanqing set down his bowl and chopsticks, hopped off the bed, and left.
Guinaifen and Jing Yuan exchanged a puzzled look, then, in perfect sync, reached for the still-steaming box of tomato beef brisket.
A few minutes later, they polished off the meal like a whirlwind, licking even the last grain of rice from the bowl. Only half the box of beef brisket remained, stored in the fridge.
…
Palace of Astrum.
After seeing off Himeko and March 7th, the Divine Foresight General let out a long breath, stretching dramatically. "Ugh, feels like I'm destined to be a workhorse my whole life… How is it that even as a general, I still have to smile and serve people?!"
"And the pay's not even that great. I must've lost my mind back then to agree to Old Jing's ridiculous request."
Bang!
The door to the quiet room was suddenly pushed open. Huohuo stormed in, huffing. "Qingque, what did you mean by 'all expenses go on the Sky-Faring Commission's tab'?!"
Qingque waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, come on, Helm Master, don't be so stingy. They're guests, and they're helping us catch Kafka. What's wrong with approving a bit of event funding?"
"Hmph, little girl, you're not tall, but you sure talk big," Huohuo said, her tail suddenly flaring with eerie green flames. A small wisp broke off, chiming in, "All you need to do is play along with Jing Yuan's act, but I, Big Sis Huohuo, have to consider way more."
"Grown-ups are talking, heliobus. Don't interrupt." Qingque flicked her finger, though her projection had no substance and couldn't touch Tail (not that she could've if it did).
"I don't care. Where's Jing Yuan? Give me his number!"
"Don't get worked up, Helm Master. I'd love to find that deadbeat too, but he's off doing something big right now. They say it's a matter of life and death for the Luofu. We can't just barge in on him, can we?"
(At that moment, Jing Yuan was digging into his bowl of Pinhaofan.)
"Then answer me this: Has Blade been caught yet? Have we pinned down Kafka's exact location? And you're just lounging around?" Huohuo fumed. "You're doing absolutely nothing!"
"Don't worry. Every move they make is under the Diviner's watchful eye," Qingque said confidently, making a grabbing motion in the air.
Huohuo: "…I can't be bothered with you. Get me an action order later. If the Astral Express folks run into trouble halfway, I'll have to clean up the mess."
"Done!"
…
After shutting off the virtual projection link, Qingque let out a long breath, collapsing onto the bed. "So exhausting~"
"Being a general is killing me."
Qingque lay there for a bit, then picked up her phone and dialed a number. "Hello? Yup, it's me. Little Fu, come over to my place."
"For what? Overtime, of course! You don't want to get kicked out of the Divination Commission for poor performance, do you? （ ´థ౪థ）Heh heh heh heh…"