Miss Huoshi was awakened by the noise.
That instrument seemed to share a similar ingenuity with the Swarm, somewhat like the Mirage Moth lineage, appearing to weave a mental illusion. It carried a strange tactile sensation, yet also a more familiar aura, like that of the Shattered Star lineage.
She immersed herself in that strange atmosphere for a brief moment before slowly raising her eyes. Her gaze was clear, holding not a trace of drowsiness, as she looked toward the person at the side... Little Jingliu.
"Little—Wang—Shu!"
Jingliu, who had finished school at some unknown time, was standing by the stall cart. Her hands were on her hips, her bearing aggressive. She didn't spare even a glance for Miss Huoshi, as if the other party were merely a pocket of air.
"Sigh, she fell asleep. I couldn't exactly chase her away, could I?"
Wangshu sighed. He hadn't expected Huoshi to actually dare to fall asleep—not within her own tribe, but here in Cangcheng, right on the territory of The Hunt.
Jingliu's gaze swept over the batter bucket, which was bottoming out again, and then looked at the stall cart that had obviously been open for business all morning.
She didn't pick up on Wangshu's excuse about her sleeping. Instead, she took a step into the spot where Wangshu usually stood, standing slightly on tiptoes to gain a height advantage as she looked down at Wangshu, who was resting on a folding stool.
She enunciated every word: "I. Hate. Central. Air. Conditioning."
In the past, she liked central air conditioning because the 'central air conditioner' in class wouldn't care if you were an orphan; they would never deliberately distance themselves or show excessive pity.
But now, she suddenly hated this trait. It was all Little Wangshu's fault; she was becoming less and less like a good kid... though she hadn't exactly been a good kid in her teachers' eyes before, either.
Wangshu sat on the stool, looking up slightly to meet Jingliu's gaze quietly. Little Jingliu's crimson eyes were sharp, always carrying a spirit of refusal to admit defeat.
"Eh? Are you two quarreling because of me?"
Miss Huoshi let out a soft, perfectly timed exclamation of surprise, breaking the tense silence. Her clear gaze flowed between the two, carrying the clarity of one just awakened, without the slightest haze.
She was very familiar with this current state. For the Huoshi Swarm King lineage, this was the most familiar scene over the past several millennia: integrate, gain the trust of key individuals, then slowly climb to the highest point and plunder what one desires.
The raw and straightforward interaction between the young boy and girl before her was, in her eyes, like an open book with clear distinct veins.
"Could I trouble you to leave first?" Wangshu didn't even turn his head, his tone polite but distant. "The subsequent transaction shouldn't need to be completed in such a short time."
He maintained his politeness. After all... this was a Swarm King.
Although the combat power of the Huoshi lineage might only be slightly better than the Pacifist Swarm—who had transitioned to being producers—or perhaps even inferior to the Pacifist Swarm.
"What transaction?"
Jingliu's crimson eyes scanned the two of them.
How exactly did my future self trick Little Wangshu into being so loyal? Do 'bad women' naturally have an advantage in this area?
"Child."
Huoshi spoke softly, a smile hanging on the corners of her mouth. She had wanted to continue provoking them, but... she tilted her head, observing Wangshu. The survival habits preserved over a long time made her stop.
No need, she thought.
In this lifetime, she would never do anything that might bring unnecessary risk just for her own amusement.
"Child!"
But those two light words were already impactful enough! Little Jingliu's voice rose steeply, full of disbelief. What does she mean by child? Whose child?
Wangshu looked helplessly at the chat group. No one was chatting at the moment, so he decided to take the most direct action.
His movements weren't rough, but they were exceptionally decisive. He reached out and picked up Miss Huoshi. Despite being a Swarm King, she offered absolutely no resistance.
She was obediently lifted, suspended in mid-air, and then gently placed onto the nearby sidewalk.
"Little Wangshu!"
Jingliu slapped the seat forcefully. She felt like the two were flirting! She was the extra wheel. They were just like... just like those Celestial Species in the Academy engaging in puppy love.
Wangshu spoke with a sincere tone: "I really want to follow Little Jingliu's wishes and throw Miss Huoshi out, but... I currently really can't beat her."
That wasn't necessarily true, he thought. Looking at the game lore, among the Propagation Swarm Kings, none lived particularly well except for the Calamity-Breeding Swarm Kings.
The Calamity-Breeding Swarm Kings, due to their higher status, only cared about their own cocoon-breaking evolution and didn't actually care much about affairs within the universe.
Moreover, in the timeline where the future Jingliu ascended to become a Lord, these bugs hadn't been seen showing their heads. But for now, it was better to be safe.
"Then if I call you to go home now, do you agree or not?"
Jingliu's crimson eyes still revealed that spirit—unyielding, yet slightly aggrieved.
She had to go to school; she had to figure out a way to pass that damnable Adult Qualification Exam. During breaks, when she leaned against the window in a daze, she was subconsciously looking for Little Wangshu's figure.
But what about this indiscreet Little Wangshu? He would spend the whole morning, or even longer, outside with these bad women.
Shouldn't effort be mutual?
Why is Little Wangshu willing to come here for my future self, even knowing he can't go back, yet unwilling to be a little more chaste for the present me?
"Agreed!"
Wangshu answered crisply and neatly, without the slightest hesitation.
Little Jingliu choked for a moment. The other party answered so crisply and neatly that it made her feel Little Wangshu was lying perfunctorily.
"Then... then what if I make you accompany me to school!"
Her brain heated up.
"Sure!"
Wangshu didn't even blink; he was even somewhat expectant.
Saturdays and Sundays off, nine-to-five daily—Wangshu really didn't hate such an Academy.
He had long wanted to try the high school life found in light novels. Unfortunately, he had attended a Divine Land high school in the past, and that was truly nothing to feel nostalgic about.
Little Jingliu choked again, her little melon of a head trying hard to process the current situation. So: Is there a possibility that Little Wangshu really is just too bored alone outside? After all, I can't be with him all the time.
"Interesting. Letting a potential Emanator, who bears the origin of Propagation, go to an Academy where the grace of The Abundance is quite flourishing?"
Huoshi gently twitched the tip of her nose. A mellow, sweet scent rushed over her.
When Propagation spores reached the level of an Emanator, they completely transcended physical means, becoming closer to a silent immersion of concepts and rules. They subconsciously made others want to get close—leaning on Wangshu was genuinely addictive.
This little girl isn't keeping him for herself, but letting him go to school? To stay in a small classroom with that bunch of classmates all day? That's quite generous.
"Ugh, y-you, don't interrupt!"
Jingliu turned her head, her crimson eyes glaring 'ferociously' at Huoshi.
Swarm King or not, she didn't believe those massive, hideous bugs in the textbooks could turn into such an annoying little girl.
Huoshi followed the flow of kindness readily. She lifted a slender index finger, slid it lightly across her lips in a zipping motion, and curved her eyes into a smile—a look of obediently shutting up so they could continue.
"Look at her!"
Jingliu pointed at Huoshi's appearance, complaining to Wangshu.
Wangshu watched her appearance—puffed up with anger yet unable to do anything about the other party—and found it cute. The corners of his tight mouth suddenly couldn't hold back and curved upward, and then he couldn't hold it in at all, laughing softly.
"Y-you, you're still laughing!"
Jingliu was even angrier, her crimson eyes misting over with a layer of water.
"I don't know why I'm laughing either, but seeing Little Jingliu so angry, inexplicably, I don't dislike it. I even want to laugh."
He shouted loudly too, the smile in his eyes remaining bright. It was as if he had thoroughly integrated into the segment—no, integrated into the age group. It was the feeling of a high schooler bickering with a girl. Anyway, the Diviner of Cangcheng said he was 17, so he was a high schooler!
"Go home!"
Jingliu spoke the words almost through gritted teeth. Go home to argue; don't let outsiders see.
He really seems to have integrated into the Xianzhou... Huoshi looked at Wangshu's genuine, bright smile and the way he naturally bickered with the young girl beside him. This thought suddenly rippled through her ancient but uncomplicated mind like a stone thrown into a still lake.
It's so nice. The Huoshi Swarm loves people with emotion and righteousness the most.
Who doesn't like playing with good people?
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