[RealNameOnline: But now, that informant has completely lost contact, and we don't know if they're alive or dead.]
[MelonLad: What's their name? I'll see if I can passively pick up any news about them.]
[RealNameOnline: …Zhi Xin. Any news, whether they're alive or dead, will do, so we can give their family some closure.]
[RealNameOnline: (Picture) This is what they look like. /Kitty pleading]
[MelonLad: As expected of the Divine Foresight General, you don't hold back when using people.]
[RealNameOnline: The situation on the Luofu is still unclear, and Jing Yuan is truly stretched thin. I can only shamelessly rely on the distinguished guests from the Astral Express.]
[MelonLad: Let's leave it at that for now.]
Leon put away his phone, his expression unchanged.
The Luofu currently had many uses for the Astral Express crew, but one day, the favors the Luofu owed them would have to be repaid.
Dealing with smart people meant no one needed to spell things out—mutual understanding was enough.
After all—
They both roughly guessed one of the core objectives of the Stellaron Hunters.
"Sir, we've arrived," the starskiff taxi driver politely reminded.
Leon stepped off the starskiff and followed the coordinates.
After walking for over ten minutes, he reached his destination—
A bustling teahouse.
If you've read enough web novels, whether wuxia or xianxia, there's a classic trope:
—The most reliable sources of information: inns, teahouses, and taverns.
The hottest topics always spread fastest in places like these.
Especially in the interstellar era with its highly advanced networks, every kind of news was available.
Local, off-world—if you could think of it, you could hear it.
"The Medicine King's Secret Transmission folks sure know the art of hiding in plain sight."
Reverse psychology: sometimes, choosing a crowded place for a rendezvous makes it less likely to draw attention.
So—
Why not learn from them?
With that thought, Leon smirked, ordering a pot of wine, a plate of fennel beans, and a dish of raw fish, looking utterly relaxed.
He also perked up his ears, chuckling as he listened to the myriad stories of the Xianzhou.
In short: eating melons.
Don't get it wrong—this wasn't something he enjoyed doing.
It was just to pass the time and satisfy the buzzing fly, Aha, in his ears.
Of course, how could Aha miss such an opportunity?
They'd surely transform into a cheeky imp, ruthlessly teasing Leon for his hypocritical "disdain yet indulgence."
Leon stayed silent, simply eating his melons.
Ripe ones, at that.
"Hey, didn't you meet up with that guy you were online-dating yesterday?"
"Yeah."
"Compared to me, how was he?"
"A total brute. So rough it hurt."
"Hahaha, see? I'm the gentle and considerate one. How about we start over?"
"Tone it down. I wasn't talking about his personality."
"Huh?"
Tch, a sad story.
With advanced technology, short-lived species had plenty of ways to modify themselves.
But Xianzhou's long-lived species? Not so much. No matter how much they added, it'd eventually revert.
A 12+ game probably shouldn't have this kind of dialogue.
Leon considered whether to cut it.
"Bro, how's work lately?"
"Not bad."
"So jealous I could die. My boss keeps saying I'm slacking. If this keeps up, I might get fired…"
"Aren't you in cybersecurity? How do you have time to slack?"
"Don't get me started. It's the same as being a PR dog."
"Want a tip? It's a bit shady…"
"Spill."
"Randomly pick a coworker each day, cut their internet, plant a virus, or cause some other glitch. Doesn't that make it look like you're working all the time?"
"Holy… Bro, you're a genius!"
"Heh, saving colleagues from crises daily. As for why they're in hot water, don't ask…"
Now, this case was solid.
Most people in the world live in hot water, so this kind of gossip was always welcome.
It fit the tone of a true space comedy.
After dishing out enough comedic seasoning, he'd personally deliver the buzzsaw.
Laughing one second, not laughing the next.
That created the perfect sense of contrast.
Hey, stab yourself with your own knife~
Too bad for March 7th and Stelle, though.
In the players' eyes, it's a game telling a story, but to the Astral Express companions, it's all real.
When the time comes, the sentimental girls will probably be heartbroken.
Leon munched on melons and fish.
After demolishing most of the raw fish, Green Hibiscus and their crew still hadn't shown up.
Leon knew exactly what was going on.
The Medicine King's Secret Transmission people were observing him from the shadows.
From the moment he stepped into the teahouse, no fewer than seven or eight subtle gazes had locked onto him.
That's why he was leisurely eating.
After finishing his perfect meal, he finally showed impatience, glancing at the time.
At last, the hidden gazes gradually faded.
The Medicine King's Secret Transmission had managed to grow under the Divination Commission's predictions and the Cloud Knights' pursuit, so their caution was top-notch, and their higher-ups weren't brainless.
Of course, it could also be that someone was using their position to avoid getting caught.
"Boss White, sorry, sorry, I'm late."
A foxian sat across from Leon, wiping sweat from their forehead with a tissue.
"This is your attitude? I finish eating, and only then you show up? No deal, I'm out!" Leon flung his sleeve in anger, standing to leave.
"No, no, no… Boss White, this is my apology gift. Please give me a chance. I sincerely want to work with you!"
A luxurious, gem-encrusted gift box was placed on the table by the foxian.
Nearby diners, hearing the groveling, glanced over instinctively.
After sizing up Leon for a moment, they looked away.
The Luofu was vast, with countless caverns and people. Seeing all kinds wasn't unusual.
"You think this trinket will pacify me? Do I look like a beggar? Pay the bill and reflect on your actions!"
Leon grabbed the gift box and left without hesitation.
"Yes, yes, thank you, Boss White, for giving me a chance to reflect!"
The foxian bowed and scraped, pulling out a jade token to scan and pay, the picture of obsequious flattery.
'Your balance is insufficient to cover the bill. After deducting 1.14 million credits from your account, the remaining balance due is 5.14 million credits.'
???
Now it was a spectacle.
Every diner who heard the prompt turned their gaze, their emotions varied.
Some were shocked, some curious, others gleeful at the misfortune.
The foxian hurriedly checked the menu, and upon seeing the names of the raw fish dish and the wine, they nearly fainted.
That Xianzhou expletive jerk!
He ordered the restaurant's signature dish and imported fine wine!
Looking at the plate.
Empty.
Lifting the wine pot, not a drop left.
The foxian's expression was as if they'd lost a parent, grim and dark.
After contacting others to transfer funds and finally settling the bill, they fled with a face like they'd swallowed a fly.
The onlookers' clown-watching stares felt like needles piercing their skin.
Utterly embarrassing and painful.
"White—Owl—!!!"
Someone nearly ground their teeth to dust.
But what did this have to do with innocent Leon?
Having passed the Medicine King's Secret Transmission's scrutiny, well-fed and content, he opened the gift box to find the real rendezvous coordinates.
When he saw Green Hibiscus and several unfamiliar faces glaring at him darkly—
Leon was thrilled, sneering inwardly.
Wasting my time, messing with me?
I'll screw you over.