The two stopped a woman who was looking around and muttering to herself.
"Hmm… how did they vanish in the blink of an eye…"
Rover stepped forward and asked, "Hello?"
The woman turned and, upon seeing their faces, exclaimed in delight, "Ah! Could you two be the legendary Rover who saved Jinzhou and Lucian, the Magistrate's intelligence officer?"
Realizing she might have been a bit too excited, the woman, Youning, forced herself to calm down. "Ahem… What can I do for you?"
Rover inquired about the contents of the letter.
Youning laughed upon hearing this. "You've come to the right person! I'm here to compile a new illustrated guide to Hongzhen's landmarks!"
Lucian raised an eyebrow. "Illustrated guide?"
Youning nodded slightly. "Yes, it's like a pictorial magazine."
Lucian nodded in understanding. "I see. So, you know the story behind 'beholding Hongzhen in its entirety, next to a ring and hanging eaves'?"
Youning puffed up proudly. "Of course! The scenery you're looking for can only be seen from the tallest building in Hongzhen."
Rover tilted her head. "The tallest building?"
Lucian glanced around and noticed that the tallest structure in Hongzhen was to the northeast—but that was just a rooftop…
Would Changli really arrange to meet someone on a rooftop?
Lucian voiced his doubts, and Youning chuckled. "No, no…"
"If you look west from that spot, you'll see the 'ring and hanging eaves.'"
"It's a marvelous sight—you'll understand once you see it for yourself!"
"Oh, by the way… was that Changli earlier!? I saw her talking to you!"
Lucian raised an eyebrow. "Were you following Changli just now? Are you a fan of hers?"
The moment Changli was mentioned, Youning couldn't stop gushing. "Absolutely! Though she rarely appears in public, Changli's name is known to everyone in Jinzhou."
"She's the direct disciple of the Master Xuanmiao, a master of strategy and diplomacy. She's traveled across the lands, and when she served as Chief Secretary, even the officials bowed before her—second only to the highest authority!"
Youning sighed dreamily. "I'd love to talk to her like that, but she doesn't accept interviews from the Pioneer Association. Someone like me probably wouldn't have anything in common with her anyway."
The rumors about Changli among the people were truly all over the place.
This Youning and the suspicious man from earlier were practically polar opposites.
"What's this 'Pioneer Association' you mentioned?" Rover asked curiously.
Youning looked surprised. "You don't know?"
"The Pioneer Association was originally the Universal Geography Society, a scientific and educational organization founded before The Lament."
"After the recession period, the Pact collaborated with scientists, photographers, and journalists to continue exploring the mysteries of the post-calamity world."
"They share their discoveries with the public through magazines, maps, books, field entertainment projects, and interactive media."
Rover deadpanned, "That sounds like official jargon."
Youning chuckled awkwardly. "Well, I am a magazine editor for the Pioneer Association."
Lucian mused, "I think I've seen posts from the Pioneer Association on the Jinya Forum before."
Youning nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes! The Pioneer Association shares their findings with the public across all six regions."
Lucian frowned. "Do you think all those rumors among the people are true? Is Changli really that remarkable?"
Youning answered matter-of-factly, "Of course! And for the peace of Huanglong, she voluntarily stepped down to assist Magistrate Jinhsi in Jinzhou, willingly fading into the background and exhausting herself for the cause…"
"How could such selflessness not earn admiration?"
"Ah, I was just following her earlier, but she disappeared in the blink of an eye. If only I could see her one more time…"
Lucian said flatly, "Are you really just here to compile a magazine?"
In Lucian's past life, many celebrities had legions of fans.
Though he'd admired a few famous figures himself, he'd never been as fervent as some fans.
Youning laughed sheepishly. "Ahaha…"
"Well… even though I lost track of her, work waits for no one… I'd better get going!"
With that, Youning skipped away.
"Public opinion about Changli is really polarized," Rover remarked.
Lucian: "Regardless, we'll have to see for ourselves."
"But based on our interactions with her before, I don't think Changli could possibly be the 'scheming official' the rumors make her out to be."
Just then, Abby popped out of the Tacet Mark. "Human emotions are truly hard to understand."
"But at least we finally figured out what the note means."
Rover: "At the hour of Wei, go to the highest point in Hongzhen."
Abby yawned. "Such a simple sentence—why make it so cryptic…?"
Lucian pondered. "Even if the letter says that, the actual meeting spot probably isn't on the rooftop."
"Who would arrange to meet on a rooftop, anyway?"
Rover: "Either way, let's go up and take a look."
Just as the two were about to transform into Violet-Feathered Herons and take flight, Xinyi approached.
"Lucian, Rover."
Xinyi smiled warmly. "How are you finding life in Hongzhen?"
Rover nodded. "It's wonderful. Much livelier and more bustling than Jinzhou."
Lucian: "Speaking of which, if we travel to other regions in the future, will we have to set up a residence in every place we visit? Or just use beacons to teleport back?"
"Thinking about it now, it does seem a bit troublesome…"
Lucian glanced at the system shop, where an item called the Sonoro Sphere was listed.
According to the description, it was a "mobile dwelling," but it couldn't be purchased with points—it required a special opportunity to unlock…
Lucian was intrigued, but he had no idea what that "opportunity" might be.
Rover shrugged. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
She gave Lucian a teasing look. "After all, anywhere Lucian is feels like home."
Lucian's face flushed, and without hesitation, he pulled Rover into a passionate kiss.
Xinyi watched the affectionate couple with a kind smile.
"Ah, young love…" She glanced at Rover, who was slightly breathless. "Well… not exactly young anymore."