"You jest, miss. I'm merely a wandering merchant. This coffin doesn't belong to me. I was simply entrusted to return the remains to the Luofu for burial…"
"Huh, I thought this [box] was your weapon for battle. It'd probably hurt a lot if you swung it at someone…"
Xianzhou folk might not recognize a coffin, but Sushang figured if it was handed to Qingque, she could make something interesting out of it.
"Using it as a weapon… you give me too much credit, miss." Luocha gave a faint smile, inwardly growing wary of Freesna.
"Yeah… so what exactly is this thing?"
Luocha deflected, "A tool for business."
"So… you two are alright, then?"
Freesna and Luocha shook their heads in unison.
"Good to know. I'm Sushang, a Cloud Knight recently transferred from the [Yaoqing] Xianzhou!" Sushang introduced herself. She already knew Luocha's name and turned to the silver-haired, elf-eared girl beside her.
"Do introductions need a title?" Freesna blinked. When out and about, you define your own identity. "Then… the one and only Saintess of the Eternity Church—Freesna."
"Eh? You're with the Church?"
Freesna nodded proudly, her fondness for Sushang rising sharply.
"That's odd. Uncle Ye never mentioned the Church having a Saintess…" Sushang muttered under her breath.
"Let's focus on the task at hand. This area's under lockdown, and I'm evacuating civilians. Follow me, and I'll take you to a safe place."
"Miss Sushang, what's happened on the Xianzhou? I've traveled here many times for trade, and I've never seen the Stargazer Navalia like this."
"Well, uh, I can't really say. I just got orders to rescue civilians… Honestly, I don't know much either. Just follow me, and you'll be fine."
"Ahem… thank you for your kindness, but I can leave the port on my own. Need a lift?" Freesna firmly declined Sushang's offer.
"No way. At a time like this? The Stargazer Navalia is practically deserted. Miss F-F… ugh, can I just call you Saintess Sister? Your name's too hard to say."
Freesna nodded enthusiastically. Finally, someone believed she was the Church's Saintess! Cause for celebration!
Seeing how kind and considerate this girl was, Freesna decided to go along with her. It had been a while since she'd visited the Xianzhou anyway.
"Let's move! You two, stick close. Cloud Knight Sushang will ensure your safety! Uh… though you might not need me, I guess."
Recalling how Freesna had obliterated the mara-struck soldiers in one move, Sushang hadn't even seen how she did it.
"Oh, right, later you two can help me sign something… I don't know too many characters, so I'm worried about writing it wrong…"
"If the cargo routes at [Liuyun Crossing] shift even slightly, the entire path changes completely," Luocha pointed out.
Freesna stayed silent. With her teleportation abilities, she didn't bother with directions.
"Haha, this girl came from here, so I know my way around. Follow me, and you won't go wrong."
Sushang put her hands on her hips. "When you're ready, just say the word, and we'll head out."
"Pardon my forwardness, but where are you from, miss?" Luocha sidled up to Freesna. Knowing little about [Eternity] folk, he began probing for information.
He hit the mark without realizing it.
"A long-extinct elven race. What… are you interested in my origins?"
"My apologies. I sometimes struggle with the boundaries of conversation. I hope I haven't offended you."
Freesna seized the chance to turn the tables. "What about you? You don't seem like a Xianzhou native. Where are you from?"
"A merchant belongs nowhere, drifting across the stars, calling the cosmos home. But if you're curious… I'm registered with the Alliance on the [Yuque] Xianzhou, and my company ID is tied to Beigu Star: Stelle & Mall Branch."
"…So Luocha is just my usual name on the Xianzhou. Elsewhere, I have a more cumbersome one. I bet you were going to ask that, right?"
"No, I wasn't."
Luocha: …
"Haha, you've got a unique way of talking," he said with an awkward smile. [Eternity] folk were never easy to deal with.
"I've got a knack for stirring up trouble, I suppose. I thought…"
"I heard the Luofu's been sealed off. What do you know?"
"Next to nothing. I was about to board a ship to leave the Luofu as per my itinerary when I heard about the unrest. For more details, Miss Freesna, why not ask Miss Sushang, the Cloud Knight?"
"Don't worry, I'll tell you everything I know. I heard something about the Antimatter Legion planting bombs somewhere… For safety, the entire Luofu's on lockdown until the bombs are cleared. Not sure if it's true, though."
"Anyway, the higher-ups haven't said much. They just sent me to evacuate the folks at Liuyun Crossing."
"Miss Sushang mentioned she's from the [Yaoqing] Xianzhou."
"You listened closely, huh!"
Luocha shifted gears, sharing intel with Freesna. "From what I know, each Xianzhou operates independently, but the Cloud Knights are under the unified command of the Marshal. So, it's not unusual for soldiers to be transferred between fleets."
"I've got a knack for stirring up trouble, I suppose. I thought I'd be safe on the Luofu, but then this happened…"
"Don't worry, I'll definitely protect you!" Sushang declared confidently.
"So, Miss Sushang, how long have you been a Cloud Knight?" Luocha asked curiously.
"Not long… but I've been trained in the Cloud Knight way since I was a kid! My mom and dad are big names on the [Yaoqing] Xianzhou… otherwise, I wouldn't be here. They've been strict with me since I was born."
"Don't underestimate me just because I'm a rookie~ I've got a secret weapon I haven't even used yet!"
Freesna was slightly surprised. She'd never been to the [Yaoqing]. "What's the difference between the Yaoqing and the Luofu?"
"Oh… Saintess Sister, you've never been? I think the [Yaoqing] and [Luofu] each have their own charm. I'm a Luofu Cloud Knight now, but I still think the Yaoqing's better."
"Take the leadership, for example. I think General Jing Yuan isn't as reliable as our General Feixiao on the Yaoqing… uh, forget I said that. Pretend you didn't hear it."
Realizing she was now a Luofu Cloud Knight and shouldn't say things that could stir conflict, Sushang quickly backtracked.
Still, having seen Freesna's skills, Sushang was curious about how she'd stack up against her general.
Sushang turned to the two. "Aren't we moving? It's not safe to linger here too long, right?"
…
Sleepless Earl Teahouse.
"Huh, Sister Tingyun, what's wrong with your neck?"
Mengming stared at Phantylia, who was wearing a neck brace and could only tilt her head to speak, her eyes full of confusion.
Did she… sleep on it wrong?
"Nothing… happened." Phantylia's face was expressionless, her eyes already devoid of spark.
"You sure you don't need to visit the Alchemy Commission?" Mengming, unaware of the truth, looked shocked.