Outside the Seat of Divine Foresight, March 7th and Stelle stretched in perfect sync.
"With that all done, can we finally head back to the Express? That was surprisingly easy, right?"
"I have a premonition that this matter is absolutely not as simple as we think." This was the conclusion of Welt, drawing on his many years of experience.
Stelle looked at Tingyun, who was waiting for them not far away, and again thought of the other Tingyun she'd seen moments ago.
"Honestly, you guys," March 7th said as they walked, "just now I saw Yukong's brows furrow, and I nearly thought a fully armed squad of soldiers was going to rush out and drag us to prison, just like back on Jarilo-VI!"
"Negotiating with big shots is way more tiring than fighting monsters…"
Noticing Phantylia's slightly furrowed brows next to her, March 7th quickly changed her tone: "Ah, I—I don't mean to speak ill of Lady Yukong…"
"Rest assured, this little lady isn't one to gossip idly," Tingyun chimed in, placing one hand on her hip. "But as a subordinate, I must speak fairly for my lady: the current Luofu is fraught with crises on all sides, and Lady Yukong's Sky-Faring Commission bears the responsibility for the Xianzhou's gateway security. Vigilance and alertness are her bounden duty."
"Old person? Helmswoman Yukong… is she quite advanced in age?" March 7th whispered.
"It is said that this lady was once an outstanding figure among the Xianzhou Cloud Knights' flight squads in her youth. A fiery temper, top-notch skills, and she loved to laugh and make merry."
Listening to Tingyun's description, Stelle had trouble imagining the current Yukong.
"But alas, as the years passed, the ace pilot eventually reined in her temper and temperament, becoming the head of an overall commission, having to manage all sorts of troubles without a single thing slipping through."
"And so, Lady Yukong personally instructed me… to book upper-level rooms at the [Exalting Sanctum Inn] for you all. Once our benefactors have concluded their business here, please follow me to the inn for a cup of tea and a temporary rest."
"That sounds like a fine proposal. What about the rest of you?" Welt lightly adjusted his glasses. On an unfamiliar planet, what one needed most was a place to land.
"I want to wander around a bit more. I'm not tired yet."
"Mm… then I'll go with you. Uncle Yang, why don't you go to the inn with Miss Tingyun first, and once you're there, send us the location." March 7th suggested.
"Be careful."
After Welt's warning, he followed Phantylia and departed first.
Confirming they were gone, Stelle leaned close to March 7th's ear and told her about the scene she saw not long ago.
"Two Miss Tingyuns?! Did you misread the situation?"
"I'm not certain, but my intuition tells me… there must be something fishy here." Stelle pulled out sunglasses from who-knows-where. From now on, she was the universe's number one great detective.
A strong, forceful deduction BGM rang in her ears. "March, are you ready to go explore this mystery with me?"
"Uh… eh?!"
Before March 7th could react, Stelle pulled her toward a milk tea shop.
Inside the milk tea shop, Adrian's fingertips twirled nimble threads of energy. "Phantylia acts ruthlessly in all matters. How do you plan to deal with a genuine [Destruction] Emanator?"
Tingyun fell silent. She understood she couldn't rely on lip service alone; actual action was needed.
"The laws of merchants can contend with people, yet struggle to contend with gods."
"This wasn't a responsibility you should have to bear in the first place. You were merely an innocent survivor in a war," Adrian countered.
Tingyun shook her head. "In the instant of Destruction's assault, [Eternity] sheltered me. And in the haze, it was as if a voice said to me: the name of survivors is often [Misfortune], but…"
"The brilliant gods above take humans as pieces in their game, gambling with the stars, leaving behind a ground of wronged souls and lonely graves, bones piled high. Dust like you all… how could you escape becoming the cost in the chess game?"
Adrian borrowed the momentum to question her. The future war of the Aeons could play out however it would; SHE was too lazy to get involved. When the time came, she'd just eat melon and watch the show alongside Aha.
Mm… helping to beat Nanook could be considered.
"Those words coming from your mouth feel rather peculiar."
Tingyun lightly covered her face, chuckling, and changed the subject: "A lone staff schemes, an earthworm topples a dragon… what leaves commanders without a plan are always some nameless pawns."
"Since that's so, why shouldn't this little lady be a sly speck of dust, making that Lord Ravager… sneeze a few times?"
Adrian revealed a satisfied smile. "Interesting. Do you want to pierce the Lord Ravager's heart with an arrow of [The Hunt]?" He suggested. They could go find Lan for a cloud-piercing arrow right now.
While refilling Tingyun's cup with fresh milk tea, a familiar voice suddenly came from outside the door:
"Tsk, this milk tea shop looks so rundown…"
"I think so too… no, that's not a reason for you to just casually open someone else's shop door!"
Before the words finished, the milk tea shop door was pushed open.
That's right, the sunglass-wearing Galaxy Baseball Bat Hero made her entrance!
"March, this is an ancient mansion mystery exploration! Aren't you excited?" Stelle wasn't afraid at all. "As the saying goes, the more dangerous the place, the more treasures you can unearth." She lifted her head and met Adrian's gaze.
After hesitating for a few seconds, Stelle pointed at Adrian, turning her head to prove to March 7th:
"See, I wasn't wrong. Unearthed the Aeon."
"Cough… cough cough!" Upon hearing this, Tingyun successfully choked on the milk tea she had just drunk.
No, recognized him right away?! What exactly was this gray-haired girl, to see through Adrian's disguised identity at a glance?
"Eh… Teacher Adrian!" March 7th exclaimed in delight. Stelle really stumbled upon the right place by accident!
"Not bad! Take back what I said mocking you just now, esteemed lady. I didn't expect this to be Teacher Adrian's milk tea shop. I thought it'd be as grand as the [Sleepless Earl] teahouse across the way."
These words were like a sharp sword, successfully piercing Adrian's heart. Heartbreaking, friend.
Realizing March 7th misspoke, Stelle immediately tapped her head with her hand.
"You know what I want to say."
"Sorry, I have sinned, I repent." March 7th admitted fault right away. She didn't want to be lectured by Stelle again, and what's more, it wasn't just Adrian here—Miss Tingyun was also…
(⊙o⊙)?
March 7th rubbed her eyes. Didn't Miss Tingyun go to the inn with Uncle Yang? She figured they hadn't delayed much time… they just went to the [Sleepless Earl] teahouse across the way to buy a cup of Immortal's Delight Tea.
In this short while, Miss Tingyun already ran here to drink milk tea? Simply divine speed.
Stelle turned her head again, pointing at Tingyun to prove her point: "See, I wasn't wrong… wait, no!" The clever-minded Galaxy Baseball Bat Hero immediately reacted:
"Then the Miss Tingyun who went with Uncle Yang… is who?"
Because Adrian's identity was special ([Eternity] Emanator), Stelle had automatically judged the Tingyun beside him as the real Tingyun.
"How does it feel like the story's development is gradually veering toward horror…" March 7th shivered. Could the Miss Tingyun who followed their group just now… be a ghost?
Tingyun had a blank face, specifically taking out her phone, opening the front camera, looking at the exquisite face indistinguishable from the church priestess's, then observing Stelle and March 7th.
How is it that anyone can see through her disguise? Is this reasonable?
"Sigh~ At this point, let's just have a cup of milk tea first."