『 [ Everything as usual? ]
[ Yanqing has run off to who-knows-where, saying he plans to share the burdens of the Generals. ]
[ Well, this is just great. The host's defending swordsman is absent, so how on earth is everything 'as usual'? ]
Hearing Huaiyan's words, Yunli couldn't help but argue back.
[ Exactly, and that is precisely why I called the two of you here. ]
Huaiyan smiled, then looked toward March 7th.
[ Could it be that General Huaiyan plans to enter the arena himself? ]
Seeing Huaiyan looking at her, March 7th asked in confusion.
[ This old man won't be idling around, of course, but the place I need to go isn't the Wardance arena. ]
Huaiyan shook his head.
[ Could it be… General Huaiyan wants me to… take Yanqing's place… and defend the stage? ]
March 7th suddenly understood Huaiyan's intention.
[ Miss March is indeed as clever as she is beautiful! ]
[ That is precisely what this old man means. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
March 7th: "???"
March 7th: "How did Yanqing's job end up falling onto my shoulders?!"
March 7th: "Me defending the stage, for real?"
Stelle: "Oh boy, with March's current skill level going up to defend the stage…"
Stelle: "Is this year's Wardance Ceremony some kind of welfare event?"
Stelle: "My assessment is, you might as well let me do it!"
Huaiyan: "Hahaha, you couldn't be more wrong."
Huaiyan: "Having Miss March 7th go up to defend the stage is, to some extent, fully justified."
Qingque: "True. Yanqing is March 7th's master after all. The master has business, so the apprentice takes his place. It makes perfect sense!"
March 7th: "But with my meager skills, having me defend the stage? You've got to be joking!"
March 7th: "I'll definitely get completely wrecked!"
March 7th: "When that happens, I'll be throwing away the faces of both my masters and the Xianzhou Luofu!"
Stelle: "No, no, no, there's also the old face of our Astral Express that will be thrown away."
Stelle: "But it's fine. I have thick skin; I'm not afraid of losing face. (Funny.jpg)"
Yunli: "Honestly, relying purely on swordplay, I don't think March can successfully defend the Wardance stage."
Yanqing: "But at the Wardance Ceremony, weapon styles are not restricted."
Yanqing: "If Miss March uses both the sword and the bow together, she might not necessarily lose to the various opponents."
Li Sushang: "Using both sword and bow?"
Li Sushang: "Why does that sound even more difficult?"
March 7th: "Eh? Easy for you to say! This lady hasn't learned how to multitask like that yet!"
March 7th: "And I'm using dual swords!"
March 7th: "If I want to use a bow, I'd have to throw my swords away, right?"
Dan Heng: "Don't worry. Since General Huaiyan has said so, March, just go all out and do your best."
Hotaru: "Mhm, the result isn't important. Just doing your best is enough."
March 7th: "Ah… am I really being forced to do something beyond my capability?"
....
『 [ Grandpa, March is a guest invited by General Jing Yuan to watch the ceremony! ]
[ How can we let a guest represent the Luofu to defend the stage! ]
[ Wouldn't this make people mock the Xianzhou Luofu for having no talent left? ]
Yunli couldn't understand Huaiyan's approach.
[ Silly girl, the Nameless of the Astral Express are famous throughout the cosmos. What an honor it is to have them here! ]
[ Moreover, Miss March is fighting under the name of a disciple of the Cloud Knight Lieutenant. How can that be considered as the Luofu having no talent? ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "Oh my~ my!"
Stelle: "General Huaiyan really knows how to talk!"
Stelle: "Making us Nameless sound like some big shots."
Jing Yuan: "The members of the Astral Express are all remarkable heroes. To be able to invite you is naturally the honor of myself and the Xianzhou Luofu."
March 7th: "The General's words are a bit too exaggerated."
March 7th: "We aren't actually that amazing."
March 7th: "Just ordinary people!"
Sampo Koski: "Oh, Miss March, you are being way too modest!"
Sampo Koski: "What kind of ordinary people can easily save a freezing planet on the brink of destruction from a Stellaron crisis?"
Sampo Koski: "What kind of ordinary people can fight to the death on the Xianzhou Luofu against the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus and a Lord Ravager?"
Sampo Koski: "Not to mention the astonishing feat you all pulled off in Penacony, which practically buried an Aeon once again."
Sampo Koski: "Tell me, which of these things is something an ordinary person can do?"
Qingque: "Mr. Sampo, I didn't even realize it until you mentioned it."
Qingque: "The things Stelle and the others have done are practically legends already, aren't they?"
Qingque: "Right now, they are practically living legends!"
Qingque: "Oh boy, to think I actually became friends with such figures. When I play Celestial Jade in the future, I'll have something to brag about!"
Furina de Fontaine: "Everyone on the Express is really amazing."
Furina de Fontaine: "Without even realizing it themselves, they have already accomplished so many earth-shattering deeds."
Hu Tao: "What's even more ridiculous is that after doing all that, they can still act as if nothing happened and keep a normal state of mind."
Stelle: "Has the praise session started again?"
Stelle: "Then bring it on. I'll accept any praise!"
Stelle: "I love to hear it!"
Silver Wolf: "I don't even need to guess to know that Stelle is grinning from ear to ear right now."
Hotaru: "Everyone on the Express deserves these praises."
Silver Wolf: "Hotaru, anyone who didn't know would think you've already defected to the Astral Express!"
Silver Wolf: "Why don't you just join them! (Speechless.jpg)"
Stelle: "Hotaru-chan, come quickly! I've already saved a spot for you in my blanket!"
March 7th: "Stelle, please be serious!"
March 7th: "You're scaring Miss Hotaru so much she won't dare to come!"
Hotaru: "(Covering mouth and laughing.jpg)"
....
『 [ You two, the holding of the Wardance Ceremony must not go wrong. ]
[ What I am entrusting to you is by no means just the victory or defeat on the stage, but also the safety of the Wardance arena. ]
[ Yukong, tell them the next arrangements. ]
After giving instructions to Yukong, Huaiyan remained silent.
Yukong nodded and began to explain the next plan to March 7th and Yunli.
At the same time, the scene shifted, entering the Shackling Prison.
At this moment, Jing Yuan arrived here with his men.
[ The Shackling Prison was poorly managed, causing the General to trouble himself. I cannot thank you enough. ]
Seeing Jing Yuan's arrival, Hanya hurriedly stepped forward to express her gratitude.
[ The Judge is too polite. ]
[ The Cloud Knights charge at the front, while the Ten-Lords Commission punishes the criminals. The Cloud Knights and the Commission are two sides of the same coin for the Xianzhou. ]
[ It is also my honor to be of service to the Ten-Lords Commission. ]
[ I am already aware of the prisoners' escape. Tell me about the current situation in the Shackling Prison. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Furina de Fontaine: "The Shackling Prison was actually suppressed by General Jing Yuan leading the team himself?"
Furina de Fontaine: "No wonder it was so clean and swift, regaining control of the Shackling Prison in such a short time."
Silver Wolf: "Tsk, those ordinary prisoners who escaped are out of luck."
Silver Wolf: "They probably didn't expect that escaping prison would cause a General of the Xianzhou to bring the Cloud Knights to suppress them."
Silver Wolf: "It seems they are all completely finished now."
Stelle: "Since they wanted to escape, they should have been prepared."
Stelle: "By the way, why is Dan Heng following beside General Jing Yuan?"
Stelle: "And Miss Lingsha is there too."
Stelle: "What, are the three of us doing some kind of split-up operation?"
March 7th: "One person following one General, haha, it really is a split-up operation!"
Lingsha: "Mr. Dan Heng is, after all, the High Elder of the Luofu's previous life."
Lingsha: "In this kind of situation, he might be of great help."
Lingsha: "As for me, I was probably called by the General to investigate the truth behind the Borisins' disguise."
Hu Tao: "The one who came to welcome General Jing Yuan is Miss Hanya."
Hu Tao: "It looks like Miss Hanya is safe and sound, which is great."
Paimon: "Um… I wonder how Miss Xueyi is doing?"
Paimon: "Did she go for repairs?"
Hanya: "Sister's soul should have temporarily returned to the Hall of Karma."
Hanya: "Once her body is repaired, she can return once again."
Lumine: "That really is convenient…"
....
『 [ Borisin fanatics disguised themselves to infiltrate the Shackling Prison, breaking the prison to release inmates and cause chaos. ]
[ Among the duty judges of the Detention, Interrogation, Punishment, and Inquest chambers, Judge Xueyi of the Detention chamber is temporarily out of action. ]
[ I will temporarily take over her duties, ordering the Aurumaton Spectral Envoys and netherworld messengers to enter each level, striving to restore the out-of-control areas as quickly as possible. ]
Hanya reported the current situation.
[ These two are behind me, and I will go down to the depths of the prison to investigate clues. ]
Jing Yuan nodded, then said to Hanya.
[ General, the situation on each level is still chaotic and unclear. For you to personally enter such a dangerous place— ]
Hearing Jing Yuan's words, Hanya was startled and wanted to advise against it.
[ It is common for a Cloud Knight General to personally enter dangerous places. ]
[ Hoolay has escaped, and the envoy from the Yaoqing was taken hostage by the Borisins, with their life or death unknown. ]
[ This disaster is of no small matter. ]
[ The Feixiao General, far from having any complaints, has instead decided to take action to capture the wolf and eliminate future troubles. ]
[ With such warm-heartedness, in terms of both reason and emotion, I think the Luofu must explain— ]
[ From where did the Borisins who raided the prison learn about the area where Hoolay was imprisoned? ]
[ And why was it so coincidental that they executed their plan right before the Yaoqing envoy was prepared to escort him… ]
[ In my view, the answers to these questions are not hard to find. ]
[ What is important is whether we can find any clues to drag out the mastermind behind the scenes. ]
Jing Yuan came here to find evidence, using it to root out the hidden traitor behind the scenes.
[ I understand. ]
[ However, what the General wishes to do might be very difficult. ]
Hanya nodded, but was somewhat worried.
[ For a long time, this mastermind has disregarded the safety of the Luofu, acting willfully. ]
[ Yielding will only fuel their arrogance and further endanger the peace of the Luofu. ]
Jing Yuan's attitude was firm.
[ Just as the General says. ]
[ The Ten-Lords Commission will fully assist with the decisions made by the General. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Furina de Fontaine: "General Jing Yuan is here to find evidence?"
Furina de Fontaine: "But in this Shackling Prison, would they really leave any evidence behind?"
Hu Tao: "If we're talking about where evidence is most likely to be left, it would only be here, which was deliberately planned."
Hu Tao: "And when Hoolay and the others escaped, they were in a great hurry, so they probably didn't have time to destroy any evidence."
Qingque: "I actually think they didn't plan on destroying any evidence at all."
Qingque: "Those Borisins only needed Hoolay to escape; they didn't care about anything else."
Stelle: "Don't forget, the ones who came here back then weren't just the Borisins."
Stelle: "There were also the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus who popped out of nowhere."
Stelle: "Those people might not necessarily leave evidence behind."
March 7th: "But General Jing Yuan arrived so timely, they definitely didn't have time to do that!"
Jing Yuan: "So, we need to strike while the iron is hot and speed up."
Jing Yuan: "This time, we will definitely drag the mastermind out!"
....
『 [ Dan Heng, Lingsha, I'll have to trouble the two of you to accompany me on this hard task. ]
Jing Yuan turned around, glancing at Dan Heng and Lingsha.
[ It is just the duty of the Alchemy Commission. Even if it is bitter medicine, it must be swallowed. ]
[ Where does the General want to start investigating? ]
Lingsha asked noncommittally.
[ We'll start with those Borisins disguised as Foxians. ]
Jing Yuan already had a plan.
[ Mhm, I have already had someone prepare the physical evidence properly. ]
Lingsha nodded, then turned and led the two of them to the prepared evidence.
[ According to Lieutenant Yanqing's report, he discovered several Foxians of unknown origin at Stargazer Navalia. After some tracking, he realized they were disguised Borisins. ]
[ This is the remains of one of them. ]
Lingsha explained the origin of the corpse on the ground.
[ Looking at his current appearance, it's hard to imagine this guy could disguise himself as a Foxian. ]
Dan Heng stepped forward to examine it closely, showing a solemn expression.
[ The alchemists detected some… complex medicinal ingredients from his remains, which seem to explain why these Borisins could transform into Foxians. ]
[ To put it simply, Foxians and Borisins share the same origin. Although their appearances are very different now, there is not much difference between the two at the genetic level. ]
[ This medicine allows Borisins to temporarily change their physical form, appearing as Foxians. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
March 7th: "Foxians and Borisins share the same origin?"
March 7th: "There's actually such a saying?"
Stelle: "Does that mean these two groups had the same ancestor from the very beginning?"
Madam Herta: "What is there to be surprised about?"
Madam Herta: "In this universe, there are plenty of species with the same origin."
Madam Herta: "It's not unusual at all."
Lingsha: "It is indeed so, but this doesn't explain any other issues."
Lingsha: "However, it can explain the reason why Borisins can transform."
Jiaoqiu: "If that's the case, doesn't it mean that as long as they have the medicine, they can transform into Foxians without any obstacles?"
Lingsha: "Mhm, theoretically speaking, that is the case."
Lingsha: "As for the specifics… it's hard for me to say."
Lingsha: "After all, at this moment, I haven't actually examined the disguised Borisin corpses like in the video."
Xiangling: "My goodness, if Borisins can easily disguise themselves as Foxians in the future, how terrifying would that be?"
Li Sushang: "Hopefully, there is a very high threshold for this!"
....
『 [ In other words, once the other party stops taking the medicine, they will soon show their true colors? ]
Dan Heng understood.
[ A familiar formula, a familiar method. ]
Jing Yuan already knew how this pill came about.
[ Sigh, the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus cannot be completely eliminated. This time, the Alchemy Commission probably won't be able to escape involvement again. ]
[ When I was sorting through the pill formulas they used, I discovered one called the 'Semblance Reversion Essence', which is specially provided for spies to suppress the symptoms of Mara-struck and maintain a normal appearance. ]
[ Comparing it with the medicine in Borisin's body— ]
Before Lingsha could finish her sentence, Dan Heng said, "I suppose they are the same thing?"
[ Although the medicinal properties and ingredients are different, the principle is indeed the same. ]
Lingsha nodded.
[ Since ancient times, the Borisins have always pursued a stronger flesh-and-blood body, viewing Foxians as weaklings. ]
[ Yet, in order to save their Warhead, they were willing to disguise themselves as Foxians... Their determination is quite remarkable. ]
[ The determination they have shown is truly not small. ]
Jing Yuan couldn't help but sigh.
[ If this group of Borisin spies has all consumed the disguise medicine, I suggest we start investigating along this line. ]
[ You two, follow me. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "I knew it, this essence must have been refined by the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus."
Stelle: "Only they would have so many strange and forbidden essence formulas."
March 7th: "It's actually a medicine used to suppress the symptoms of Mara-struck?"
March 7th: "That works too?"
Lingsha: "Many medical principles lead to the same destination. With a little modification, a medicine used to suppress the Mara-struck form can also allow Borisins to maintain a Foxian form."
Lingsha: "However, this is destined not to last for too long."
....