"Open!"
Hoolay's eyes widened fiercely. In an instant, from his perspective the entire world turned gray and dim. Only special Path energy traces glowed with bright colors. Soon, he discovered something unusual.
"There is a 'greedy' footprint. It entered the martial hall and then came back out, heading toward Aurum Alley. Looking at the traces, it hasn't been long."
With the help of "Elemental Sight," Hoolay quickly spotted the clue and pointed Stelle in the right direction.
"Let's go!"
The girl and the wolf immediately hurried toward Aurum Alley, following the footprints. Before long, Stelle spotted a very familiar white-haired figure in front of a small snack stall.
It was none other than Jingliu, whom they had only separated from not long ago.
"Gah—!"
Seeing this figure, Hoolay let out an ugly cry of alarm. Stelle's expression changed instantly as she clamped her hand tightly over Hoolay's mouth. "Are you trying to die?! What if we get discovered?"
It was no wonder Hoolay couldn't stay calm. The person standing ahead was the strictest "mother" to Hoolay—or rather, to all Borisin. Even the peak Hoolay from eight hundred years ago had been beaten into fear, let alone the current Memoke Hoolay.
Stelle hadn't expected the current lead to point toward Jingliu either. Her heart sank: Why is it like this? Could Jingliu be an enemy pretending to be an ally? No, I have to follow and see.
"Hm?"
Jingliu seemed to have noticed the sound from this side and sharply looked over toward Stelle.
It's over!
Stelle's heart tightened: Did I just get exposed the moment I found a clue? If Jingliu asks why I'm following her later, how should I answer? Should I just say I'm on a mission?
No, I can't alert the enemy.
Just as Stelle was still thinking about how to explain herself to Jingliu, the latter had already noticed her. She walked over very naturally and greeted her: "We meet again, Miss Trailblazer."
At this moment, Jingliu's voice was cold and clear, like a fairy from the moon palace, but the look in her eyes beneath the eyepatch as she gazed at Stelle was extremely gentle. She looked exactly like the aloof and elegant Sword Immortal Master of the Xianzhou.
[Mysterious Narrator of the Honkai: Star Rail World: Just as with Xipe of Harmony, everyone has other sides that are unknown to others. One attitude toward the Five Laughs of the Clouds friends, and another attitude toward everyone else.]
[Jingliu, an old Xianzhou figure who has lived for nearly two thousand years—dignified, reserved, elegant, knowledgeable… all of that should be quite normal, right?]
"Eh… uh, what a coincidence, Sister Jingliu. I didn't expect to run into you in Aurum Alley." Stelle smiled awkwardly, subconsciously scratching her head and taking a small step back.
Jingliu smiled and said: "Last time, without your help, I would probably have completely turned into a monster fallen into the Mara-Struck State. Speaking of which, I still owe you a proper thank you… If you have time, how about taking a walk with me?"
"O-okay." Stelle agreed subconsciously.
Seeing that Stelle seemed a little nervous, Jingliu asked with some confusion: "Why are you trembling?"
"I'm not. I'm not scared at all, really." Stelle quickly pushed Jingliu's shoulder and started walking forward, changing the subject: "Uh… by the way, how come I don't see Old Jing? Isn't he your disciple? I remember your Mara-Struck State had just been brought under control. He should have been taking care of you the whole time, right?"
"Ah, you mean Jing Yuan?" Jingliu said thoughtfully. "It doesn't matter even without him. After all, the warm disciple has already turned into cold credit points."
Stelle: ???
Jingliu shook her head, proactively took Stelle's small hand, and smiled: "Let's not talk about him anymore, it ruins the mood. Is there anything you want to eat? I just received a 'large sum.' Feel free to order whatever you want. Consider it partial repayment for your kindness."
Thump thump—
Jingliu's gentle actions left Stelle somewhat at a loss. A trace of guilt rose in her heart: Sigh, I jumped to conclusions and stereotyped her again.
—Jingliu's Mara-Struck State has already been brought under control now!
She is no longer the madwoman who cuts down anyone she sees! Jingliu is different from other Mara-Struck people!
At the very least, she's treating me pretty well, right?
Oh? You say it's dangerous that she chases after Old Jing and cuts him? Hm… setting the facts aside, isn't Old Jing also at fault?
That's clearly just normal roughhousing between master and disciple! Besides, isn't Old Jing fine? He can always take the hits every time.
It takes two hands to clap. Why does Sister Jingliu only cut Old Jing and not others?
Why doesn't she cut me? Hmph!
Stelle scratched her head a little embarrassedly and said: "Sister Jingliu, how about I treat you instead? Credit points are just numbers to me right now. You've only just returned to the Xianzhou, so you probably don't have much savings on hand."
"It's fine." Jingliu shook her head. "A drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring. If you hadn't saved my life, no matter how much savings I had, they would only turn to dust."
"Meeting you was fate and also kindness, so there's no need to care about material things." Jingliu spoke slowly and calmly: "Although I don't have credit points, I do have a person of some value on hand. I just sent him to 'Vidyadhara Human Resources Co., Ltd.' and mortgaged some money."
"It's enough to live freely and happily for a while."
Stelle: ???
Did you just say something extremely terrifying in a gentle and calm tone?
Vidyadhara Human Resources Co., Ltd… Isn't that human trafficking?! And it's run by the Vidyadhara!
"Wait, Sister Jingliu, you didn't sell Old Jing to the Dragon Lords, did you?" Stelle's mind flashed with realization as she asked in disbelief.
She reacted so quickly because she had a reference case!
For example, Bailu, who after being coaxed and tricked, sold herself to the Dragon Lords and could only live a life of endless drudgery for hundreds of years.
Jingliu nodded indifferently: "Oh, it can't be called selling. It's just mortgaging. After all, that guy Jing Yuan owed me quite a few things before. Let him suffer a little for now."
"Haah!" Stelle let out a heavy sigh. "Sister Jingliu, t-this isn't right!"
Jingliu looked at Stelle strangely: "Not right?"
"Old Jing used to be a General after all. He definitely has quite a few grudges with the Dragon Lords. When you want to redeem him later, I'm afraid the Dragon Lords won't return him so easily!"
Jingliu asked with a half-smile: "They won't?"
Stelle answered firmly: "Absolutely not!"
Jingliu smiled, speaking unhurriedly: "Then what if it's not that they won't return my Jing Yuan to me, but that I won't return those eight million credit points to them?"
Stelle put on an expression that said "you must be joking" and replied: "Sister Jingliu, don't joke around! How can a bit of credit points compare to a living person like Jing Yuan?"
Jingliu said nothing, only giving Stelle a meaningful smile.
Stelle was puzzled and blinked, waiting for Jingliu to continue.
Jingliu continued smiling without saying a word.
Stelle suddenly realized something. The truth of the world became clear at that moment!
Jingliu's gaze: Yes, exactly like that.
Stelle… understood!