[Cute, isn't it?]
[When will Fu Xuan get her banner? I can't wait to hold Master Diviner's white-silk-clad legs and play with them.]
[Play with them? Pathetic. I'd just dive right in!]
[Chill out, bro, tone it down a bit.]
[Pure, adorable pink hair—her little shoes have to be used as a lunchbox.]
[Fu Xuan's got a touch of tsundere charm. Who says tsundere is out of style? This tsundere is awesome!]
Fu Xuan turned to Qingque. "The task of restarting the array base is in your hands, Qingque."
"Got it! Rest assured, Master Diviner, Qingque will handle it perfectly!"
Her words were flawless, but deep down, Qingque was wailing.
It was already done, already done…
Who the heck messed it up again?!
And to top it off, her dear friend was gravely injured…
It couldn't all be the work of the Stellaron's corruption, could it? Does that corruption even have the brains to target the array base directly?
Unfortunately, there was no time for her to ponder deeply.
"Master Diviner, any further instructions? If not, I'll get right to it."
"…Ahem, forget everything you just saw or heard."
Stelle teased, "Does that include forgetting about fixing the array base?"
Fu Xuan's petite frame trembled, her ears turning faintly red despite herself.
"N-No, the array base matter must be remembered, of course…"
Her eyes flickered rapidly as she searched for an excuse to leave.
"This seat must attend to subsequent matters. I entrust this task to you all. Thank you."
"If you have any questions, you may consult General Jing Yuan."
As the Astral Express crew approached, Jing Yuan's face lit up with a smile.
"Members of the Express, it's been a while. Thanks to you, the Luofu was able to apprehend Kafka smoothly. Allow me to express my gratitude."
"Since the Interastral Peace Corporation placed a bounty on the Stellaron Hunters, no one has ever succeeded in capturing one. Heh, today, the Xianzhou takes the lead."
Hearing this, March 7th quipped playfully, "I heard Kafka's bounty from the IPC is pretty high. How about a 30-70 split? We'd only take…"
"You're being way too stingy!"
Stelle interrupted March 7th, her expression full of righteous indignation.
"Even though we helped the General capture Kafka, Master Diviner Fu Xuan put in a ton of effort too!"
"You're giving her just 30%? At the very least, it should be split evenly!"
March 7th blinked in confusion.
Um… I was just joking about taking 30%…
You didn't take it seriously, did you?
Jing Yuan let out a hearty laugh.
"Once this matter is settled and the Stellaron threat is eradicated, Kafka will be of no use to the Xianzhou."
"If you're keen on the bounty, feel free to take her to the IPC yourselves. The Xianzhou Alliance has no interest in the IPC's rewards."
At this, Jing Yuan's tone shifted.
"However, that Blade is a wanted criminal of the Xianzhou. Him, we cannot hand over."
"For now, Kafka refuses to talk, and the Stellaron Hunters' intentions remain unclear. We still need the Divination Commission's power to uncover the truth."
Jing Yuan's thoughts were straightforward.
Though some matters had been pointed out by Leon, and he was fairly certain they were true, empty promises wouldn't suffice.
For both external and internal accountability, a proper explanation was necessary.
It was like solving a math problem—merely stating the answer wouldn't fully convince anyone.
The process was essential.
Welt asked, "By 'uncover the truth,' does the General mean interrogating Kafka using the matrix?"
"Exactly."
Jing Yuan continued smoothly, following the topic.
"The Matrix of Prescience Ultima is a vital tool of the Luofu's Divination Commission, originally used to divine travel routes and predict the future."
"But the Stellaron Hunters' secrets must be pried open. I have no choice but to step outside convention this once and use divination to discern her intentions."
"The operation of the Matrix of Prescience Ultima is of utmost importance. I humbly request your assistance in helping Master Diviner Fu Xuan complete the array's ritual. My gratitude knows no bounds."
Stelle replied, "No big deal! Leave it to us. We'll make sure it's done perfectly."
(A hundred billion bounty! If the Express gets it all, we won't have to worry about expenses for years…)
Hearing Stelle's inner thoughts, players couldn't help but grin.
Good grief, turning in your own mom for the bounty?
That's next-level brutal.
And then there were the players who caught the reference in her words.
[She's quoting that line, isn't she?]
[What's next, eating a few bowls of noodles or setting an alarm clock meme?]
[Confirmed: the writing team has Jiang Wuxian fanboys.]
Jing Yuan said, "I wish you all the best of luck."
Bidding farewell to Jing Yuan, Qingque led the three members of the Astral Express crew away.
As they left the center of the Matrix of Prescience Ultima, Qingque suddenly let out a wail.
"Oh, heavens! Not only does Master Diviner not reward me, but she's repaying kindness with enmity by piling more work on me…"
"And now I have to drag you guys along to restart the Matrix of Prescience Ultima's array base."
"Looks like I'm doomed to deal with this array base today."
Stelle asked curiously, "I heard you mention someone earlier—Mr. Bai. Who's that?"
Qingque replied, "A diviner from Master Diviner's hometown, exceptionally gifted and highly skilled."
"The Matrix of Prescience Ultima had an issue before, and I worked with Mr. Bai to fix it before heading to Exalting Sanctum to pick you guys up."
"Who knew the array base would break down again after we got back…"
March 7th said, "No wonder you look like you're done with life."
"Life's tough for a working gal, ugh, ugh!" Qingque sighed dramatically.
Stelle stifled a laugh. "Wouldn't a promotion and raise be nice? Do a great job, and a bright future's right around the corner."
"No way!"
Qingque shook her head vigorously.
"I went through so much to get transferred to the library—a low-key place where I can slack off and be the boss."
"It's over, it's all over… After today, my carefree career at the Divination Commission is completely ruined!"
March 7th was speechless. "But you can't just not do it, right?"
Qingque replied, "Exactly! If I don't do it well, I risk getting kicked out of the Divination Commission. But if I do too well, the bosses will just keep piling on more tasks!"
"Mr. Bai once said something profound—"
"If you're too competent, you'll be overworked. If you're too incompetent, you'll get fired."
"So, you've got to find a middle ground—not too high, not too low, and never offend anyone."
"When the boss needs you to be reliable, you've got to deliver just enough to make them think you're capable."
"Learn to keep the boss on a leash, and you've got them hooked."
"Looks like I still haven't mastered the art of managing the boss…"
Stelle gave her a sympathetic look. "I can tell you're already trying your best to manage."
Qingque said, "Learning never ends. Oh well, business comes first."
"From what Master Diviner said, there's probably no shortage of corrupted beings at the array base, so I'm counting on you heroes to protect me."
Stelle replied, "No problem, no problem. I don't have many strengths, but I'm great at taking on ten at once."
March 7th said, "Hurry up already! You'll have plenty of time to show off later!"
…