"Principal's Time Zero doesn't alter an object's kinetic energy. Bullets merely slow down within his domain—if touched, they'd still pierce through your palm," Chu Zihang explained. "Therefore, when she made her appearance, she likely demonstrated two abilities."
"The first is precognition—what she referred to as 'divination.' Using the eye on her forehead, she must have predicted the trajectory of every bullet."
"Monstrous," Caesar chuckled dryly. "With such an ability, why bother being a leader? Why not just predict lottery numbers?"
"The second ability seems to be a protective one." Chu Zihang ignored Caesar's quip and continued his analysis seriously. "The fact that she could deflect bullets suggests that within her domain, she can either neutralize their kinetic energy at will or withstand it without injury."
"So what you're saying is, despite her delicate, pink appearance, if a sword were to strike her, she wouldn't even flinch?"
Chu Zihang nodded silently.
["We won't add any formalities. We just want to observe the interrogation," Welt added.]
[Having heard this, Fu Xuan couldn't refuse further and allowed them to accompany her to the Divination Commission.]
["Can't we conduct the interrogation here?" March 7th asked worriedly. "The Stellaron Hunters are cunning—what if she escapes again?"]
["With me here, she won't escape," Fu Xuan declared confidently. "The only way to pry open a Stellaron Hunter's mouth and extract the truth is within the Divination Commission. Please, follow me."]
[Tingyun piloted the starskiff to transport them back but stopped in the middle of a bustling commercial district.]
[Looking around, Fu Xuan immediately grew irritated, her voice stern yet oddly endearing: "...Though I seldom leave my residence, I still recognize my own jurisdiction. What kind of route is this? Is the Divination Commission located here?!"]
["Ah, please don't be angry, Master Diviner," Tingyun quickly apologized. "The astrolabe malfunctioned, and locating the entrance to the pocket dimension isn't easy. I merely wanted to handle this efficiently, but the only place to park the starskiff at the moment is here."]
["The rest of the way, we'll just have to walk."]
["Hmph." Fu Xuan let out a cool snort, then closed her eyes and began murmuring something under her breath.]
["The hexagrams shift between Dui and Kan. The boat stalls, feet stuck in mud..."]
"What does all that mean? Sounds like some kind of ancient text."
"Yes, these are hexagrams from the Zhouyi," Chu Zihang explained. Having taken related courses at school—since texts dating back three to four thousand years likely bore traces of dragon culture—he had studied some relevant books and was familiar with certain divinatory phrases.
"'Between Dui and Kan' means the upper trigram is Dui, representing marsh, and the lower trigram is Kan, representing water. Water seeping beneath the marsh dries it out—this is the hexagram of 'Hardship.'"
"Hardship?" Caesar already felt drowsy just hearing it.
"Mn. To put it simply... it means facing numerous difficulties."
"Oh, alright." For the first time, Caesar felt his knowledge was lacking. Defeated, he rubbed his forehead. "Seems I'll have to sign up for an ancient literature course when we get back."
["I've heard the Xianzhou has some kind of [divination] technique, but why is she just counting on her fingers? Looks like how I count," March 7th remarked curiously.]
["You still use your fingers to count?" Stelle deadpanned.]
["Hey, it helps! No point wasting ten perfectly good fingers!" March 7th retorted proudly.]
[Meanwhile, Fu Xuan finished her divination and slowly raised her head. "I have cast a hexagram, and its result aligns with our current predicament. It seems we cannot reach the Divination Commission by starskiff today."]
[The divination also indicated issues within the Divination Commission itself. Fu Xuan decided to take Kafka away first to prepare for questioning.]
[Once arrangements were settled, a guide would lead them into the Divination Commission. They were to meet this person in the plaza.]
[After Fu Xuan left, the group found themselves with time to spare, so Welt suggested exploring the area.]
[Before setting off, Stelle grew curious about the Divination Commission and asked Tingyun about it.]
["Ah... Benefactor, you've never once asked about what the Sky-Faring Commission does. Truly, comparisons are odious—between people, between commissions..."]
[Tingyun feigned complaint, her brows drooping dramatically, only to switch to a charming smile a second later. "Very well, since you asked, I shall answer: The Divination Commission oversees the Xianzhou's intelligence, strategy, and divination."]
["Divination? Isn't that just luck?" Stelle questioned.]
["Benefactor, you may not know this, but the Xianzhou's divination isn't some coin-tossing or stick-drawing trickery. It's a technology known as 'Jade Abacus.'"]
["From the Xianzhou's navigation routes and governance policies to military maneuvers and civilian affairs—all are calculated and divined by the Divination Commission to seek fortune and avoid calamity."]
——
Teyvat, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
"Even civilian and military matters rely on divination? Isn't that too reckless? Mr. Consultant?"
Hu Tao found the Xianzhou's methods far too bold—entrusting policies affecting millions of lives to divination... Such a thing was unthinkable in Liyue.
"Your perspective differs, Director. I actually find their approach quite reasonable," Zhongli replied with a faint smile. "Director, would you like to play a game with me? I'll predict what you'll eat tomorrow morning. We'll each write our answers in our palms—how does that sound?"
"Sure, Consultant!" The moment she heard "game," Hu Tao perked up immediately and instructed an attendant to fetch a brush so they could write on their palms.
Once done, Hu Tao and Zhongli opened their hands simultaneously—both palms read "Crystal Shrimp Dumplings."
"Eh? Consultant? How did you know? A guess?" Hu Tao circled behind Zhongli and playfully clung to his back, her tone light. "Come on, tell me—don't leave anything out~"
"Chuckle, it's quite simple. Tomorrow, Wanmin Restaurant is on Xiangling's shift, and Crystal Shrimp Dumplings are her recent specialty."
Zhongli glanced at the sunset in the distance. "Ever since this year's Lantern Rite, Baizhu advised you to maintain a light diet. Plus, shrimp is in season right now—hence my deduction."
"However, what I mean to say is this: When one possesses sufficient information, predicting the future isn't difficult."
Zhongli paused. "Rather than being full of chance, the future is more like an inevitability shaped by countless factors. Thus, I suspect the Xianzhou's Jade Abacus is a technology capable of accounting for innumerable 'factors' in advance."
"I get what you mean, Consultant, but divining civilian and military affairs would require an overwhelming number of factors, no? That scale of calculation..." Though she understood, Hu Tao still struggled to imagine humans achieving such a feat.
"Indeed. Hence, I suspect the Xianzhou isn't solely backed by the Reignbow Arbiter—other Aeons must have aided them as well."
"For instance... Nous, the Erudition."