Fu Xuan had to admit, she was harboring a slight personal grudge... though to call it a personal grudge was perhaps too strong.
But recalling last night's dream, Fu Xuan could still feel a fiery sensation on her back.
That scoundrel Qingque, she really hadn't held back.
No, that wasn't right. That was just a dream Qingque; she couldn't transfer her anger to the real one.
Fu Xuan's delicate, petite chest rose and fell as she took a deep breath to calm herself.
It was just that the dream had been far too realistic.
Even for someone of her caliber, one of the Luofu's Six Charioteers, it had been difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion.
Fu Xuan wanted to remain calm and composed while assigning Qingque her tasks, but the moment she saw her, her back began to prickle with a faint heat... That was right. When the red cord had struck her back, there was only a little pain; it was mostly a burning sensation.
It had burned so intensely that Fu Xuan's will had blurred, and she couldn't stop her body from trembling.
This was not a good feeling.
"Qingque!"
"Ah, y-yes, Grand Diviner."
Fu Xuan's stern and cold gaze made Qingque's heart flutter with panic.
She had indeed noticed that the "Fu Xuan NPC" was acting strangely last night and suspected that the Grand Diviner herself might have entered the world.
But far from restraining herself, Qingque had only grown more... excited.
It was like when she was a student, secretly hiding a comic book to read under her desk. No, this was even more thrilling.
Because the one she was whipping was the esteemed Grand Diviner Fu Xuan, the one favored by the "Omniscient Celestial Lord," the one who stood so high above.
And Qingque was just an ordinary Diviner in the Divination Commission. Although this was a status Qingque deliberately maintained, she had never imagined that the reversal of such a vast gap in status could be so... intoxicating.
Only after truly crossing that line, after having done it, did she realize the satisfaction and pleasure this kind of contrast brought... well, it was second only to a game of "Celestial Jade."
Now, being stared down by the Grand Diviner, that scrutinizing gaze made her feel both nervous and ashamed.
She was nervous that the Grand Diviner had guessed something.
And the shame was directed at herself, for feeling pleasure from such an act.
"..."
"..."
As the two locked eyes, a strange silence suddenly descended between them.
In the end, it was the Grand Diviner who broke it.
Fu Xuan coughed, straightened her posture, and placed her right hand behind her back. With her left hand pinching her Jade Talisman, she began to instruct Qingque on the day's work.
Overcome with shame and nervousness, Qingque could only nod repeatedly in agreement.
It wasn't until Fu Xuan left her office that Qingque froze. "Wait, I'm to handle all the 'information noise' by myself?"
To say "handle" was just a nice way of putting it; in reality, it was just repetitive, simple work.
It was roughly equivalent to 'sorting and categorizing millions of lewd pictures'—each one had to be meticulously subdivided so that if it were needed in the future, it could be found quickly.
It wasn't difficult, but it was mind-numbingly tedious.
"Seriously? All by myself? Has the Grand Diviner taken leave of her senses?"
She turned to look at the massive, operating matrix, clutching her forehead in despair. "If this goes untreated... I fear it will grow dire."
Then, a contemplative look appeared in Qingque's eyes. "The way the Grand Diviner was looking at me just now... last night, could she have really been in there?"
Forget it, there's no use guessing.
Why frighten myself and create unnecessary trouble?
What's done is done. If she wants to kill me or torture me... no, wait, why should I just submit? In that world, I'm the 'senior'.
With that thought, Qingque felt a sense of enlightenment.
There was... nothing left to be afraid of.
---o---
Inky clouds rolled across the sky, casting the world in a dim light.
Though it was noon, it felt as though night had already fallen.
BOOM—
A bolt of purple lightning tore through the darkness, illuminating St. Freya High School in a flash of stark white.
A torrential downpour began to fall from the black sky.
Kiana ran through the rain in her high heels, rushing toward a classroom on the second floor.
Just a moment ago, she had seen Ye Feng sitting by the window, a smile on his face as he gazed at her.
Last time, she had been "logged off" in a hurry before she could get answers to her many questions.
This time, she absolutely had to get to the bottom of it!
Arriving at the last classroom at the end of the second-floor hallway, she slid the door open with a clatter.
Six fluorescent lights illuminated the room where Major Himeko was at the blackboard, explaining the basic "three-person cell" tactic for Valkyries.
Paying no mind to the ongoing class, Kiana walked in, went straight to Ye Feng's side, and kicked off her soaking wet high heels.
The black stockings were attached to an azure-blue strap that merely covered the instep, its end secured by a small golden ring looped around her second toe. The majority of her foot was left bare against the floor, her alluring toes clearly visible. Perhaps because the ground was slightly damp and cold, her pretty foot arched slightly, her ten jade-like toes gripping the ground slightly, their pale blue, shell-like polish pressing into the floor until the surrounding tender flesh paled.
"Kiana, is this your attempt at seduction?"
Kiana simply sat down on Ye Feng's desk, the perfect arch of her foot tracing a graceful curve in the air, glistening with moisture. "What kind of outfit did you put me in? It's so uncomfortable to wear! It's tight, and it doesn't breathe!"
Kiana's jade-like feet stretched freely in the air. With her high heels now discarded on the floor, her fair and delicate bare feet were completely exposed. Her round, full toes were meticulously painted with a light blue nail polish, and crystalline droplets of water clung to the smooth arch of her foot.
"Ye Feng, are you trying to make things difficult for me on purpose? The moment I arrived, a downpour started."
"Not at all. You just happened to run into it."
Kiana waved her hand dismissively. "That's not important."
The young girl sat on the desk, bracing herself with both hands on its surface as she looked down at Ye Feng. Her rain-soaked black clothes clung to her delicate body like a full-body stocking.
"It just occurred to me," she said, "the past few days when I couldn't get in... that was your doing, wasn't it?"
Ye Feng smiled. "Chong Chong, why are you so insistent on entering my world?"
"Eh?"
Ye Feng continued, "And after you get in, Chong Chong, what is it you want to do?"
"..."
The Knight of House Kaslana froze for a moment.
A brief silence fell.
She pressed her lips together, then said, "You answer this young lady's question first. Did you deliberately keep me out?"
"Yes. That's right. I didn't reveal a single thing, yet Chong Chong was still able to guess. Should I say you're exceptionally clever, or... hehe."
"...Or what?"
Ye Feng's smile made Kiana a little flustered.
"It's nothing, don't worry about it."
"You guy..."
Kiana said indignantly, "That counts as an answer, I suppose. Since that's the case, why did you let me in again?"
"Wasn't I just worried that Chong Chong would get all pent up outside?"
"Hah."
Kiana sneered, proudly puffing out her chest. "When it comes down to it, you're just lusting after this young lady's body, aren't you?"
She glanced around the classroom, where the lesson was still in full swing. "So, is it going to be in the classroom this time?"
Ye Feng shook his head, looking at her with an expression of disappointment, as if hating iron for not becoming steel. "I'm telling you, Chong Chong, can't you learn from me to maintain a righteous mind and stay far from carnal desires?"
"?"
"..."
Kiana stood up, bracing her hands forcefully on the desk. Her azure pupils were filled with utter confusion.
"Huh?"