Chapter 126: The Astral Express Crew: A Feeling of Being Set Up
"Lady Yukong has once again entrusted me with the task of receiving you all."
By the harbor, Tingyun regarded the Astral Express crew with a beaming smile, her fox-like ears twitching gently in the breeze. "It seems the fate between myself and my esteemed Benefactors is truly deep."
This arrangement was precisely what Phantylia desired.
She had usurped Tingyun's identity specifically to operate with impunity as an Amicassador of the Sky-Faring Commission. Attaching herself to the Astral Express crew allowed her to effortlessly gain the trust of both the newcomers and the Xianzhou authorities, paving the way for her grander scheme. Under the guise of a "guide," she could lead them to witness the chaos sown by the Stellaron, all while secretly exacerbating the internal conflicts simmering within the Luofu.
This strategy would keep the crew's attention firmly fixed on the hunt for the Stellaron, masking her true objective—the Ambrosial Arbor. At the same time, it would sow discord within the Xianzhou's leadership. It was a plan to kill several birds with one stone.
"The Sky-Faring Commission has already booked premium accommodations for everyone at the Yicheng Inn..." Tingyun gracefully brushed her sleeves and stepped aside, gesturing for them to follow. "After my Benefactors have had a chance to freshen up, why not join me at the inn for a cup of tea and a short rest?"
"Arranging a hotel for us right after we meet... again?" Caelus raised an eyebrow, his tone laced with a familiar wariness. The memory of their last "welcoming" stay in Belobog—which ended with the hotel surrounded by Silvermane Guards the very next morning—was still fresh in his mind.
"Easy, Caelus. No need for such a... visceral reaction," Welt said, adjusting his glasses and giving the young man a calming look.
Under Tingyun's lead, the group soon arrived at the Yicheng Inn.
"The moment I see a hotel sign, I can't stop yawning..." March 7th let out a small, delicate yawn.
"Aren't you always like that?" Stelle retorted mercilessly, crossing her arms.
"This time is different!" March 7th straightened her back, attempting a serious expression. "I'm on high alert! My senses are tingling, ready to make a run for it at a moment's notice!"
She lowered her voice, leaning in conspiratorially toward her companions. "To be honest, when I saw Lady Yukong frown earlier, I almost thought a squad of fully armed Cloud Knights was going to burst out and haul us straight to the Shackling Prison..." She shuddered. "Dealing with big shots like her is sometimes more exhausting than fighting monsters."
Just as she finished her whispered complaint, she saw Tingyun, who was walking ahead, turn back to look at her with an amused smile.
"Ah! I-I wasn't saying anything bad about Lady Yukong!" March 7th waved her hands frantically, the tips of her ears turning a faint shade of red.
"Rest assured, Benefactor. I am not one to gossip," Tingyun said, covering her mouth with her fan as she chuckled, her eyes gentle and disarming. "However, as her subordinate, I feel I must say a fair word on Lady Yukong's behalf."
"The Luofu is currently fraught with peril, and the Sky-Faring Commission bears the heavy responsibility of securing the Xianzhou's gates. Her vigilance is simply part of her duty. In private... her ladyship is not so cold and heartless."
"Not that cold and heartless?" Serval asked, her curiosity piqued. She couldn't help but feel that Yukong and General Jing Yuan were playing a bit of a 'good cop, bad cop' routine—a dynamic she knew all too well from her days working with Cocolia.
"It is said that back in her youth, Her Ladyship was an outstanding pilot among the Cloud Knights—fiery-tempered, possessed of top-tier skills, and quick to laugh and jest," Tingyun recounted, her voice taking on a distant, sentimental tone. "But as the years passed, the ace pilot of yesteryear eventually settled down to become the head of a commission, tasked with handling endless troubles without a single misstep."
She turned and pushed open the inn's ornate door, stepping aside to let her guests enter.
"And so, Lady Yukong personally instructed me to arrange these premium rooms and cover all expenses. She hopes you will stay comfortably and eat well. Only then can the Xianzhou be said to have truly upheld its duties of hospitality."
Tingyun paused, her smile deepening. "She also made a special point to mention... if you see anything you like or wish to taste, simply inform the innkeeper. It will all be charged to the Sky-Faring Commission's account."
If Yukong herself, or anyone else intimately familiar with their relationship, had been present, they would have immediately sensed something was amiss. The real Tingyun and Yukong were as close as mother and daughter; they would never speak of each other with such formal distance.
"Aren't you going to say, 'Thank you, Sister Yukong'?" Stelle nudged March 7th with her elbow, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She hadn't forgotten March's little outburst toward the Helm Master earlier.
"You say it first," March 7th huffed, turning her face away.
"Ahem..." She cleared her throat, trying to muster a sincere expression. "Meeting such a warm and thoughtful host... it would be a disservice to her kindness if I didn't enjoy myself to the fullest, right, Mr. Yang?"
"Let's remain focused on the matter at hand," Welt's steady voice cut in, bringing the conversation back to their mission. "Since Helm Master Yukong is so adamant about refusing our help with the Stellaron, the Sky-Faring Commission must already have... some clues regarding Kafka's whereabouts."
"The Benefactor is perceptive," Tingyun nodded, tapping a finger in the air. A holographic recording materialized before them.
"The suspect is exceptionally cunning. Besides using encrypted channels for her transmissions, her timing is perfectly calculated, making it nearly impossible to pinpoint her location. However... the Divination Commission still managed to capture a trace."
The light converged, forming a projection of Kafka. Her familiar, sultry voice echoed through the room.
"The coordinates are here. Everything is for you to decide."
"Though our goals are vastly different... the orbits of the stars will eventually intersect."
"Goodbye."
Welt: "..."
Serval: "..."
March 7th: "..."
A stunned silence fell over the group. Why was it this specific segment? This was the exact message Kafka had broadcast directly to the Astral Express.
A setup. The thought was sudden and shared, hanging unspoken in the air between them. The rumors spreading across the Xianzhou were the nonsense Leon had fabricated, and now the "evidence" intercepted by the Divination Commission was a recording from their own ship.
"Benefactor, do not let her words distract you," Tingyun interjected at the perfect moment, using her fingertip to isolate and amplify a subtle mechanical sound humming behind Kafka's voice. "Behind her words... hides the sound of a certain device operating."
"Oh... so with this clue..." March 7th threw up her hands in exasperation. "...the situation hasn't changed at all! The Xianzhou is an entire starship; there are mechanical devices everywhere."
"Miss March, to most people, these sounds might seem identical," Tingyun explained calmly. "But to the artisans of the Artisanship Commission, who are responsible for maintaining our various facilities, the operation of every machine is like a melody. The pitch and tempo all have their own unique patterns."
She closed the projection, her expression turning solemn. "The General has already summoned artisans to analyze the recording. They have finally confirmed... the background noise in Kafka's communication comes from the shipbuilding facilities at Starskiff Harbor."
"Please, take a short rest and gather your strength. Once you are ready, we can set out to apprehend the culprit." She bowed slightly, a faint, unreadable smile gracing her lips. "At that time, we will have to rely on our Benefactors' skills."
After Tingyun had arranged everything and her figure disappeared outside the inn, Welt turned to his companions. "Everyone, rest for a while. Tracking Kafka... will surely be a tough battle."
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