"Ahh! It's General Jing Yuan!"
Inside Takamagahara, the plump woman, upon hearing Jing Yuan's lazy voice, instantly shed her earlier rough demeanor. It was as if she had regressed twenty years, turning into a lovestruck high school girl, her cheeks flushing pink.
Thankfully, General Jing Yuan wasn't a host, nor was he on Earth… Otherwise, Caesar would have had a hard time accepting the existence of a human far more powerful and charismatic than himself.
On the Celestial Screen, General Jing Yuan stood with his hands behind his back, his wide sleeves flowing gently. A faint smile graced his lips as his long white hair cascaded from the sides of his neck down to his chest.
From Caesar's perspective, only a small portion of Jing Yuan's face was visible—his soft jawline, partially obscured by his hair.
Even Caesar couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy at this angle of Jing Yuan. No wonder he could so easily captivate these middle-aged women.
[Unlike March 7th's optimism, Mr. Yang beside her remained deep in thought, his brow furrowed. "This Jing Yuan… he's not simple."]
["Mr. Yang thinks there's something off?" Stelle asked curiously.]
["I wouldn't say 'off,' but something just doesn't feel right…" Welt narrowed his eyes, pondering for a moment before suddenly realizing, "…Ah! I've got it! He deliberately skipped over Blade!"]
["If the Cloud Knights captured Blade, then they could just arrest Kafka based on that. Why go through the trouble of 'luring' her out?" Mr. Yang paused before continuing, "The Xianzhou refuses to let outsiders interfere with the Stellaron crisis, so why are they so lenient when it comes to the Stellaron Hunters?"]
["There's only one plausible explanation… At least for now, Blade has likely escaped the Xianzhou's control."]
["So, if Jing Yuan wants to draw out the Stellaron Hunters, we—who have a connection to Kafka—are the only bait left. That's why he's going in circles to ask for our help. Because Blade's escape must not be revealed!"]
[Welt adjusted his glasses, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.]
"See? I told you he's the future you. Can you refute that?" On the other end of the phone, Himeko's voice carried a teasing lilt.
Welt stared at the "himself" on the Celestial Screen, his hands still trembling slightly.
…As hard as it was to believe, he truly couldn't think of a counterargument.
After listening to Jing Yuan's words, Welt tried applying his own thought process to the Express crew—only to arrive at the exact same conclusion as the Welt in the projection.
This meant that the "him" in the projection shared not just his appearance but even his way of thinking.
"More than that, there's one thing I'm more concerned about, Welt."
Himeko voiced her speculation: "That man named Sampo has already indicated that there's some kind of connection between us and another world—he can easily observe our world through it. And that 'connection'… or 'passage,' if you will, might only be known to the future you, Welt."
"You want me to find a way to that world?" Welt was stunned by Himeko's boldness. "Could it be that you want to sit down for coffee and a chat with another Himeko?"
"Why not?"
Himeko suddenly laughed on the other end of the line: "At the very least, she'd still be my counterpart. We might share the same face, the same name… but our experiences are entirely different, and we've lived entirely separate lives."
"Welt, don't you want to know what would happen if you met another Mr. Welt?"
Himeko didn't need to spell it out—Welt had indeed imagined that scenario before. But even though he was both curious and yearning, the remaining rationality in him warned against it, considering the consequences of altering the timeline.
[The Seat of Divine Foresight.]
["Master Diviner, you've heard our conversation. What are your thoughts?"]
[Only after Jing Yuan turned off the projection and slowly turned around did the petite pink-haired girl before him step onto the platform, approaching his desk.]
["What thoughts? The heavens are vast and inscrutable; human hearts are deep and unfathomable. Do you want me to divine their intentions, to predict whether their arrival bodes well or ill?" Fu Xuan crossed her arms, clearly displeased with Jing Yuan's teasing tone.]
["That won't be necessary. I'm certain the Astral Express has nothing to do with this matter. There's no need for us to scrutinize their motives—as long as the bait is taken and the fish is hooked, that's enough." Jing Yuan replied calmly.]
["That was my suggestion, wasn't it, General?" Fu Xuan pouted in dissatisfaction.]
["Indeed. Thanks to the Grand Diviner's wisdom, the rest will also rely on you." Jing Yuan praised.]
[This remark visibly pleased Fu Xuan. She hugged her chest, lifting her chin with a proud, tsundere-like huff: "Hmph. Then why don't you step down sooner?"]
["It's not yet time." Jing Yuan put on a troubled expression. "If anything unexpected happens, I must bear the responsibility as the general. I can't just leave now and put you in a difficult position."]
"Step down? This girl's confidence is something else. She doesn't look much older than me, the director." Hu Tao was genuinely surprised by the pink-haired girl's boldness. She had seen General Jing Yuan's way with words and his combat prowess—could this Fu Xuan possibly surpass him?
"Hehe, Director, the age of a Xianzhou native can't be judged by appearance." Zhongli chuckled in reminder.
"Ah, right… She might be hundreds of years old for all we know." Hu Tao shot Zhongli a puzzled look. "Mr. Zhongli, do you think Fu Xuan could replace Jing Yuan?"
"Director, you jest. Of course not."
"Eh? Why do you say that?"
"To be praised by General Jing Yuan—a man renowned for his 'unparalleled intellect and foresight'—this Lady Fu must indeed be brilliant. But a wise person isn't necessarily a good leader. That's a principle I'm sure Director Hu understands."
"That's true." Zhongli's words resonated with Hu Tao.
When it came to funeral arrangements, some of her seniors at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor were no worse than her. In terms of erudition, Zhongli far surpassed her. Yet, the position of director could only be hers.
—Not because she inherited the parlor's secret arts or spear techniques. But because she was the one who could make the final call, shoulder the responsibility, and steadily lead everyone forward… And at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, that person could only be Hu Tao.
"This Lady Fu's personality is too flamboyant—perhaps due to her youth… She's like a freshly forged blade, too sharp, still needing time to be sheathed and tempered. Only when her edges are honed and her temperament steadied will she be fit for the role of general."
"As for now… One could only say that Lady Fu is too headstrong. While she may not be suited to be a general, she would make an excellent aide to one."
Zhongli's analysis was thorough and logical.
"Mhm, Mr. Zhongli makes a lot of sense." Hu Tao lazily reclined in her rattan chair, a mischievous grin forming as she gazed at Zhongli's handsome, serious face.
"The general can't do without the Grand Diviner's support, and I can't do without yours, Mr. Zhongli. Next time you go to the opera, walk your birds, or have tea, why not 'support' me along the way?"