"Eeeeek!"
Hanging from the chandelier, Qingque felt a chill run down her spine. She stole a glance toward the desk, meeting Fu Xuan's indifferent gaze.
The look was calm and ripple-less, yet it carried more weight than any scolding.
The girl instantly deflated like a punctured ball. She climbed down from the chandelier slowly, her movements clumsy and reluctant.
Seeing Qingque submit, Fu Xuan let out a faint sigh.
She stood up and walked to the window, casting her gaze upon the spring scenery of the Xianzhou Luofu outside. Her voice was low. "This Seat knows you harbor resentment in your heart. But the fact is, while running away isn't shameful, it doesn't solve any problems."
Fate is an annoying thing. If the two of them hadn't delved deep into those "If" scenarios, they could have remained blissfully ignorant and stayed out of it completely.
However, once witnessed or heard, the invisible threads of karma bind the parties involved together. It's somewhat akin to the Observer Effect or the collapse of possibilities.
Fu Xuan herself had experienced such a thing. When she was young, it was divined that she was destined to bear the sin of causing her mentor's death. Terrified, she left the Yuque and threw herself into the Luofu, thinking she could escape her ordained fate.
Unfortunately, all struggles were futile.
Even though it wasn't by her own hand, Fu Xuan's advice did indeed contribute to her mentor perishing on the battlefield.
Therefore, in the young woman's view, rather than escaping so-called fate, it was better to meet it head-on.
If she had stayed in the Yuque back then, at least things wouldn't have reached the point where she was separated from her mentor for years, unable to speak another word to him until his sacrifice.
As for how things would unfold after meeting Fuli, Fu Xuan would naturally make her deductions then.
What is meant to be, will be;
What is not, do not force.
"Alright, alright, I'm really scared of you now."
Since her boss used her own painful past as an example, the Little Sparrow scratched her head, losing all her graceful demeanor.
"I guess it's tit for tat," she muttered softly. "In other possibilities, I dragged you down into the water. This time, it's your turn to deal with me."
Just listening to this, one could tell that the reason Fu Xuan stumbled into that entryway in the "If" route was obviously because that timeline's Qingque had deliberately set her up.
Thinking about it, it was evening, not late at night. How could it be so coincidental that the General walked in right as the couple was "indulging in daytime lust"?
Seeing her subordinate—who was both disciple and friend—compromise, the corners of Fu Xuan's eyes unconsciously curved up. But she quickly straightened her face before Qingque looked over. "Then pack your bags. We depart early tomorrow morning!"
"Eh? But tomorrow is Saturd—"
"It counts as a business trip, and I won't short you on overtime pay!"
"Yes..."
Who cares about that little bit of overtime pay? That was the sleep-in and 'dual cultivation' (gaming/slacking) session this old lady looked forward to all week, damn it!
Damn it! I really want to live a happy life where every day is Sunday!
The next day, morning—
On the spacious deck of the Hyperion, the sea breeze brushed past, carrying the salty scent of the ocean.
Fuli was paralyzed lazily on a deck chair. He casually picked a plump grape from the fruit basket on the folding table beside him and accurately stuffed it into Bronya's mouth.
The silver-haired loli curled up in his arms didn't even lift her eyes. Her small mouth chewed skillfully as she continued to immerse herself in the mobile world of PUBG.
"Brother, I don't like this position. Change it."
"Okay, okay, okay."
Fuli adjusted his posture as requested, making her "chicken dinner" experience a bit more comfortable.
[T/N: "Eating Chicken" (Chi Ji) is internet slang for winning a match in PUBG, from the phrase "Winner Winner Chicken Dinner."]
Seeing Bronya eating more and more happily, Fuli clasped his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, sinking his consciousness into his body.
It had been quite some time since the Kanas Incident. Coupled with the catalyzation from the teaching sessions with the Hundred City Gods, just moments ago—relying on the DNA sample mooched from Cousin Hua—the meta-morph organ symbolizing Garuda's power of regeneration was finally fully constructed.
In his internal vision, that fragment of the Lesser Hogyoku was operating diligently, its glimmering light seeming to ask for credit from its master.
Seeing this, a surge of gratitude welled up in Fuli's heart:
Keep spinning hard for me! From now on, I'll give you one day off every ten years, and you can even swap shifts.
If you don't take a break for seventy years, you can save up for a luxurious seven-day long holiday!
After a careful inspection and confirming the new organ was running smoothly, Fuli continued his "Ge You Slouch" with peace of mind, his heart not fluctuating much.
It could only be said that a New Game+ player eats too well. If this were before, he would have picked Bronya up and kissed her fiercely a few times to celebrate.
As for the next meta-morph organ to construct, he planned to set his sights on Theresa.
She refused during the hot spring trip in London, but now that their relationship was so good, asking for a little genetic material wasn't too much, right?
As one of the three "Dharma-Ending" (Apocalyptic) Honkai Beasts of the Previous Era, Vishnu's potential was arguably infinite.
Despite being a Honkai Beast, it possessed the terrifying ability to devour its own kind to evolve.
Regarding this, Fuli could even imagine a dark comedy of a weak civilization trying to save itself:
Civilization encounters the Honkai. Desperate people discover Vishnu can devour Honkai Beasts.
So, they spare no cost to lure monsters to feed it, worshipping it as a savior.
In the end, Vishnu evolves into a Planetary-Class Honkai Beast and swallows them all in one bite, consuming the Earth itself without leaving a crumb.
You don't say! You really don't say!
As an independent entity, Vishnu treats even a Herrscher's orders like a passing breeze. Once it grows up, who knows? It might just start snacking on everything, creating a perfect logical loop of a false savior.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh aloud, "The Will of the Honkai, that old schemer, is truly too wicked."
Prometheus: ???
A delicate figure of light and shadow flickered on Fuli's retina. The little AI puffed up her cheeks, ready to draw her blade and march on the capital to lecture this dog of a host about the pros and cons!
"Restrain yourself a bit."
A pleasant voice unfolded on the deck. Mei's projection stood to the side, her long dress fluttering gently in the wind.
Glaring at the little duck who stuck her tongue out in a victor's pose, the young woman said indifferently, "General Miao Jian and that Master Diviner Qing are arriving soon."
"Right."
Fuli patted Bronya's small bottom, and the siblings stood up together.
He neatly folded the deck chair and cast his gaze in the direction Mei indicated.
The difference in volume between the Hyperion and the Taixuan Front was too great. And given the relatively independent nature of World Bubbles, Fu Xuan—who held both military and political power as the de facto supreme ruler of the Luofu—wielded power no different from an emperor. As a newbie, Fuli had to welcome her personally, both out of emotion and reason.
Not long after, a streamlined aircraft cut through the sky, bringing a low hum as it hovered steadily above the Hyperion's deck.
Strong air currents swept up the bangs on Fuli's forehead.
Just as he instinctively squinted, two figures appeared like ghosts, without warning, just a few steps in front of him.
The one on the left was tall and slender. Her grey-brown long hair was pinned diagonally with a jade hairpin, a few strands hanging leisurely by her porcelain-white neck. A form-fitting green gauze dress outlined the girl's slender waist and full curves. A pair of long, beautiful legs were bare of stockings, her skin glowing with a pristine luster under the sunlight.
"Good afternoon, everyone on the Hyperion~"
She half-opened her azure-green eyes, grinning at Fuli with a "hehe." The corners of her delicate eyes tilted slightly upwards, the whole look exuding a lazy, just-woke-up vibe.
The "Human Realm" technique of Qimen Dunjia related to spatial manipulation. A show of force?
Fuli immediately recognized the method the other party used. he also recognized her as the Luofu Master Diviner who had little fame within the Taixuan Front—so low-profile that even press conferences were handled by her adjutant.
For some reason, he felt inexplicably familiar with her, as if he had seen her somewhere before.
"Cough!"
It wasn't until his little secretary, Bronya, gave him a subtle elbow strike to the ribs that Fuli realized he was being rude by sinking into deep thought. He quickly shifted his gaze to the true protagonist of this visit.
"As expected..."
Prisoner Fuli's attitude was extremely complex.
If one sentence were to describe General Fu Xuan standing before him, it would inevitably be:
The Big White Rabbit is white, so white,
Two ears standing up, upright,
Loves to eat carrots and greens,
Bounce, bounce, jump, jump, so cute it seems.
This scale! This ratio! And this soul-stirring arc!
Mr. Fuli considered himself a veteran of two lifetimes, having witnessed all sorts of "mountain ranges"—from Durandal at Schicksal HQ to Cocolia of Anti-Entropy, from Himeko in the Far East to Raven of World Serpent.
But the sheer capacity of General Fu Xuan before his eyes was absolutely something he had never seen in his life. It could be called the Number One Peak of the Honkai!
How is this possible? Is this scientific? Is this ergonomic?
A storm of shock raged in Fuli's heart, but relying on his willpower, he forcibly suppressed it, keeping his face impassive.
Compared to the elusive Qingque, he had at least seen photos of General Miao Jian through various intelligence channels. Even though the gap between photography and reality was huge—like the difference between a seller's ad and the buyer's reality—he could still barely hold himself together.
Kiana, who had rushed over as well, couldn't handle it. The girl's gaze was like iron drawn to a magnet, staring straight at the full, astronomical wonder on Fu Xuan's chest, supported by the purple gauze cloud-patterned dress and the astrological disk. Her brain went into a short-term crash.
It wasn't until Thoth nudged her foot, unable to bear looking at her like that, that she snapped back to reality.
She immediately sucked in a breath of cold air!
Everyone knew that just as Cao Cao's loyalty to other men's wives was carved into his DNA, Fuli's preference for "surging waves" was etched into his marrow.
The typical example was Bronya: the moment she transformed, she immediately started sprinting down that track.
And the moment Fu Xuan appeared, the traits she displayed were so...
No, no, no! Kiana, don't think nonsense! That's the General who rules the Luofu and deals with ten thousand matters a day! She's seen plenty of outstanding men; how could she possibly fancy a mere A-Li!
The girl shook her head vigorously, throwing that ominous premonition to the back of her mind. She then hurriedly trotted to catch up, pricking up her ears to nervously eavesdrop on the big shots' conversation.
Seeming to sense her unease, Qingque deliberately slowed down to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with her.
"Don't be so nervous, Miss," she said with a grin, clasping her hands behind her head. "We're just here for a friendly visit and to discuss a little business. Even if the deal falls through, with the connection to Old Ancestor Phoenix, we're still family—broken bones are still connected by tendons!"
"By the way, if you find listening to their talk boring, why not show me around this ship?"
One could not see a trace of her previous embarrassment of clinging to the chandelier and refusing to come down. Her professional quality was top-tier.
"This... that..."
The white-haired dumpling instinctively looked at Fuli, her eyes filled with probing inquiry.
The latter nodded slightly, indicating it was fine.
receiving permission, Kiana was like Exodia unsealed. She grabbed Qingque's hand and began chattering away, pointing at distant cabins to introduce them.
Seeing this, Mei shot a glance at Kallen, who was floating nearby.
Receiving the message, the Elder Sister signaled that she would keep an eye on the idiot, and vanished in a flash to follow them.
The remaining few soon paced into the meticulously prepared reception room. Looking around, warm golden light flowed over deep red stone floors. Ochre leather walls contrasted with sandalwood display cabinets, and enamel tea sets gleamed on the shelves. The entire space was filled with a low-key yet luxurious British atmosphere.
Fu Xuan paused slightly, her gaze sweeping the surroundings. "If This Seat is not mistaken, the decor here captures quite a bit of the spirit of the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace."
"It was modeled exactly after that," Fuli admitted frankly. "After all, we aren't exactly a big family. Our horizons are limited, so we simply found a familiar style to copy. It saves worry and effort."
The General's attitude was quite playful. "The Raiden family, which has passed down its legacy for hundreds of years and joined Anti-Entropy to establish ME Corp, isn't considered a big family?"
Mei answered appropriately, "This is the Hyperion."
"Is that so?"
"It is."
Even though she had long confirmed the Hyperion's independence through various channels, hearing the affirmation from the person involved caused a ripple in Fu Xuan's heart.
To make the daughter of the Raiden family's executor abandon her home and career to bring capital into his fold, and be so dead set on him... This Mr. Fuli is indeed worthy of being the man I've had my eye on for so long.
Mama!
The image from the "If" route of that pink-haired little girl pouncing on her suddenly flashed through her mind. Fu Xuan forcibly suppressed the distracting thought and sat gracefully on the soft sofa.
The girls sat opposite her. A moment later, Fuli returned and placed several drinks on the coffee table in the center.
A cup of clear tea for Mei.
A cup of ice-cold Sprite with bubbles, specified by Bronya.
And the last cup, "Starry Boba," garnished with dreamy purple pearls, was gently pushed in front of Fu Xuan.
A familiar drink, a vaguely familiar placement. Amidst the interplay of light and shadow, Fu Xuan felt a momentary trance, as if she had returned to a warm but distant home.
She instinctively picked up the cup, put the straw in her mouth, and took a gentle sip.
A mellow sweetness spread just right.
"You—"
The young woman looked at Fuli with some surprise.
"I heard the General liked this back when you served in the Divination Commission." The person involved smiled harmlessly. "If the taste isn't right, I'll go change it."
"No, the sweetness is just right."
Fu Xuan steadied her mind, dispelling those memory fragments that didn't belong to this world.
She then sat up straight, her expression quickly returning to its usual seriousness and majesty. "You must already know the purpose of This Seat's visit."
"First, regarding the various unpleasantries that occurred within Shenzhou territory previously, This Seat, on behalf of Shenzhou, extends the sincerest apologies to the Honkai Council and everyone on the Hyperion!"
She stood up and bowed deeply to the three of them. "In addition, appropriate compensation will be fully reflected in this transaction in the form of material aid. We will absolutely not brush this over with a flimsy 'sorry'!"
The attitude was honestly a bit too sincere.
Shenzhou wasn't like the Far East, where saying "Gomenasai" (I'm sorry) had become a traditional culture. This was an attitude of admitting fault second only to kneeling, not to mention the substantial compensation.
Moreover, the root of the conflict was just a misunderstanding caused by Old Zhang, the fisherman. If he hadn't mistaken the Administration Bureau personnel for black-clad thugs, the situation wouldn't have become so awkward.
And so, this topic was smoothly turned over.
By the way, another reason the topic was smoothly turned over was that when Fu Xuan bowed, Mei and Bronya saw the two massive boing-boing mounds on her chest.
Even with confidence in Prisoner Fuli's self-control... human nature is something best left untested if possible.
What followed was the main priority of this negotiation.
Everyone's gaze turned unanimously to the center of the coffee table.
There, a jade seal inlaid with five coiling dragons, exuding an aura of ancient majesty, lay quietly in an open brocade box.
"This is... the Heirloom Seal of the Realm."
Fu Xuan murmured to herself, instinctively extending her fingertips to touch it.
Countless hallucinations resonated with the bloodline within her, finally coalescing into those eight great characters that made countless people's blood boil:
"Having received the Mandate from Heaven, may (the Emperor) lead a long and prosperous life."
(Shou Ming Yu Tian, Ji Shou Yong Chang)