Divination Commission.
Ever since Fu Xuan made an appearance on Yu Ling's preview livestream, the entire department seemed to come alive.
Everyone was scrambling to work for Lady Fu Xuan.
Tasks like organizing archives and compiling reports were snatched up by the diviners.
The only request was that after finishing their work, they could take a photo with Lady Fu Xuan.
Qingque once suggested—
"Lady Fu Xuan? Why don't you just debut as an idol at this point?"
This earned her a sharp glare from Fu Xuan.
She was assigned to lurk in Xiaoguizi's livestream.
On one hand, it was to gather information about the game.
On the other, it was to monitor the player community's discussions.
Qingque sipped on her Immortal's Happy Tea while watching the stream from a quiet corner of the Divination Commission.
Occasionally, she'd join the chat and send a few messages.
Life couldn't be better.
At this moment in the livestream—
Following the quest, a new quest involving the Heliobi had arrived.
Titled [Percipient].
Qingque had just finished her Immortal's Happy Tea and was using a fork to pick out the fruit from the cup when she suddenly caught sight of an in-game message.
Her hand trembled!
Her pupils shrank slightly!
"Tsk..."
She quickly set down the cup and stared at the screen with an extremely grave expression.
It was a help post on [Luofu Miscellaneous Records].
[Gambling With My Life: As usual, I was late for work today, but everyone seemed... off...]
[Location: A certain unnamed department. It's seriously weird. Today, when I got to work, everyone seemed off—pale faces, dark auras, unfocused eyes, sluggish movements... The entire Divination Commission feels haunted. It's so creepy I don't even feel like playing cards anymore. The strangest part? I tried to sneak out unnoticed, but I ran into Lady Fu Xuan... and she didn't even ask about my attendance! Just told me to 'be late as usual.' Something's definitely wrong in this unnamed department!!]
The content itself wasn't what shocked Qingque.
It was the poster's username that stunned her!
"Isn't this my online handle?!"
"Oh my god!"
"Is Yu Ling not satisfied with exposing real people and now exposing my online identity too?!"
...
As Xiaoguizi opened the post, the livestream chat immediately lit up with tags directed at her!
"This username looks familiar...?"
"Isn't this one of our regular chatters?"
"@[Gambling With My Life]. Did you really post this?"
"Holy crap, someone actually has this username?!"
"The posts in this quest are all real! They match reality!"
"@[Gambling With My Life], say something!"
"I always suspected she was Qingque—turns out it's really her!"
"We've caught the legendary Sparrow God!"
...
In front of the screen, Qingque panicked!
Her online identity had been exposed!
"Tsk tsk..."
"Lady Fu Xuan, the undercover mission has failed!"
"I won't be able to casually chat in the livestream anymore..."
At her desk, Fu Xuan's expression darkened.
Seeing Qingque's reaction, she knew something had gone wrong.
After hearing Qingque's explanation, Fu Xuan pondered for a moment before speaking slowly:
"The Heliobi's parasitic influence... has reached our Divination Commission?"
"This plotline must be taken seriously."
"If mishandled, it could severely damage the Divination Commission's reputation and authority."
Fu Xuan immediately activated her Jade Abacus and entered the livestream.
"Qingque, stay with me and monitor the stream closely."
"Both of us are high-level players. At critical moments, we must steer the discussion in the right direction and prevent the Divination Commission from becoming a laughingstock among players."
Qingque wanted to cry.
"Lady Fu Xuan, did you not hear the key point I just made?"
Fu Xuan: "What key point?"
"My account's been exposed..."
"They all know I'm Qingque now!"
"In just a few minutes, my DMs have been flooded!"
Fu Xuan glanced at her dismissively.
"Just switch to a burner account."
"We can use gift donations to steer the conversation later."
Seeing Qingque's stunned expression, Fu Xuan sighed and reluctantly added:
"The cost of the gifts can be reimbursed."
"Understood, Lady Fu Xuan."
"Let us take up our Jade Abacuses and defend the Divination Commission with our keyboards!"
Meanwhile, in the game—
The ghost-hunting team arrived at the entrance of the Divination Commission.
Qingque, who had long been the "gatekeeper," greeted them:
"Oh, you're here! Even the Ten-Lords Commission's judge came along?"
"Let me tell you, things aren't right inside. Everyone's muttering to themselves—are they planning a workplace coup? Did I accidentally set a bad example?"
Watching this, Qingque felt awkward.
The game was great—just a little too realistic.
Why did it have to voice her inner thoughts?
And in front of Lady Fu Xuan, no less...
She rubbed her nose sheepishly.
Fortunately, Fu Xuan didn't seem to mind.
Or perhaps she'd already grown accustomed to Qingque's antics.
The story continued.
Entering the Divination Commission to investigate the anomaly, the eerie center of activity was the Divination Matrix.
A group of diviners—including Fu Xuan—were gathered there.
Just as described in the post—
Unfocused eyes, sluggish movements...
The diviners muttered to themselves:
"There is only one path..."
"Divination is meaningless..."
Fu Xuan had initially thought Qingque was exaggerating, but seeing this scene in the game, she realized something was truly wrong.
"Could I have also fallen under the Heliobi's influence?"
"That shouldn't be possible. If it were me, I should at least have some resistance..."
At this moment, the ghost-hunting team arrived before the .
As they prepared to shake the [Harmony Fire Bell] and enter the shared illusion with the Heliobi—
Fu Xuan suddenly turned around.
In a commanding voice, she declared:
"Silence! No clamor is permitted in the Divination Commission!"
Qingque exclaimed joyfully: "You're awake, Lady Fu Xuan!"
Huohuo awkwardly added: "Or should we call you 'Percipient' now?"
"What you call me matters not. I am the sole master of the Divination Commission."
"The divination work has reached a critical juncture. No disturbances are allowed—not even from the Ten-Lords Commission's judge or the Astral Express's guests!"
Outside the livestream, Fu Xuan's heart sank further.
At first, seeing herself deliver such a domineering speech, she thought she might be the only one in the Divination Commission not possessed.
But as the scene unfolded—
She knew.
She, too, had fallen.
And fallen deep.
It was over.
If even she was compromised, the entire Divination Commission had succumbed to the Heliobi's illusion.
Total annihilation!
...Well, except for the slacker beside her.
Sure enough, in the next scene—
Fu Xuan's gaze turned fierce as she glared at Qingque.
"Qingque! Was it you who brought these outsiders into the Commission? Have you disregarded all the rules I've established?"
After a brief silence, her anger seemed to peak.
"Qingque, you're fired!"
Silence.
Both in-game and in reality, Fu Xuan and Qingque were stunned.
Fu Xuan had indeed considered this before... but she had never outright said it in public.
Because she knew—
Qingque might seem lazy, but it wasn't due to incompetence.
She wasn't worthless—just an unpolished gem.
A gem buried under layers of stone and moss, needing time to be uncovered.
But in this storyline, under the Heliobi's influence, she had blurted it out.
Fu Xuan's face remained expressionless, but her heart was in turmoil.
How would Qingque react?
Would she shed tears of regret?
Would she express reluctance to leave the Divination Commission in this critical moment?
Would she vow to work harder from now on?
...
Qingque, too, seemed unable to process the news.
After a brief pause, she exclaimed in disbelief:
"This... is amazing?!"
Her previously dull eyes lit up with excitement!
Her face flushed with sheer joy!
It felt like a dream come true!
"Heh, I always felt guilty slacking off, playing cards while collecting a salary from the Divination Commission... It's kinda like, what's the phrase..."
"'Wasting my life.' Thanks for the push, Lady Fu Xuan! If even you think I shouldn't stay here wasting my potential, maybe it's time for a change."
Fu Xuan: "???"
The chat exploded.
"Huh? Huh? Huh? I was worried for nothing—"
"Qingque: 'I'm so sad...' Haha, just kidding!"
"Her face lit up with joy!"
"Her eyes sparkled instantly."
"Severance pay is N+1, man. I'd be thrilled too!"
"This is a good thing?!"
"Qingque's playing 4D chess!"
"That's our Qingque!"
...
To be continued…