[That tone, awooow!]
[So domineering, so domineering!]
["You're not worthy"—that line's too cool!]
[Aaaah, Jing Yuan!]
[Handsome!]
[So commanding, worthy of the Luofu's General!]
[Hehe, he's so good-looking.]
Cirrus clearly lost its cool. "You—said—what—!!"
Jing Yuan, calm and composed, explained, "Teng Xiao, as the Luofu's General, commanded the Cloud Knights; while Ignamar, the head of the Heliobi, led a horde of demons. The two were like heaven and earth, yin and yang clashing—a dragon's battle, perfectly reasonable and proper. But now, I am the Xianzhou's General, while you are no longer Ignamar, merely a chained prisoner. To fight me, you must follow my rules: defeat my army and reach my central command. Only then will I grant you the chance."
"Your army?"
"Correct. With this platform as the boundary, you must defeat these four friends behind me." Jing Yuan glanced at the four.
Huohuo pointed at herself, stammering, "Eh? Us? N-N-N-No problem… right?"
[I knew Jing Yuan showed up too easily. He's making full use of them, haha.]
[He's so good at delegating.]
[Hahaha, Huohuo's baby voice came out from the stress.]
[Time for the trump card!]
[Stelle thought she'd watch the show, but turns out she's the show. Hahaha.]
"Guess I'm the trump card after all…" Stelle slapped her forehead.
Guinaifen shook her head in despair. "I'm so young—why does the General have so much faith in me?"
Cirrus smirked mockingly. "Just beat these four measly grunts?"
"Don't underestimate them. These four each have unique skills, with fighting spirit and endurance that stun the crowd. I'm afraid you won't handle them. If you win, I'll revisit that old duel. If you lose, you answer one of their questions—no lies, no dodging. Deal?"
"…"
Cirrus didn't respond immediately, pondering for a moment. It looked up at Jing Yuan. "Deal! Let this platform be our chessboard, with humans as pieces, for a match!"
At that moment, green flames erupted from the ground, illuminating it like a chessboard. Cirrus used its power to conjure several Cloud Knights for battle.
Stelle drew her baseball bat, and she and Sushang charged forward. With Huohuo's talisman aiding them and Guinaifen's cheers, they quickly won the fight.
"You lost, Cirrus." Jing Yuan shook his head as he spoke.
"Don't get cocky. If I had all of Ignamar's power… how could I lose to you!"
"Victory and defeat are uncertain in war. If you want a rematch, I'm always ready to entertain your challenges. But you'll have to beat these four first."
"Then let's go again!"
"Hold on!" Huohuo interrupted. "Before starting the next fight, you must answer one question for the Ten-Lords Commission as agreed."
Cirrus let out a heavy breath. "Annoying brat… ask away!"
Huohuo promptly handed her phone to Cirrus. "Take a look. Could this be the work of a Heliobus?"
After reviewing the rumor of Bailu's sudden disappearance in Aurum Alley, Cirrus nodded, muttering to itself. "Plenty of Heliobi are sealed in the Creation Furnace, any could be responsible. Out of revenge, curiosity, or hunger… how would I know which one took your Dragon Lady? But there's a suspect. Like Luxie…"
Stelle looked incredulous. "Luxie … you sure you didn't just make that up?"
"Tch!" Cirrus clicked its tongue.
"Believe it or not, I don't love lies like humans do." It then analyzed seriously.
"This one's extremely playful, caring only about frolicking freely, not about controlling mortals. Among Ignamar's fragments, if anyone would kidnap your Dragon Lady… it'd be Luxie. Sealed for millennia, we haven't tasted human joy, anger, or sorrow. Luxie must be itching to roam and find a playmate."
After listening carefully, Huohuo made a firm judgment. "This jerk's words are likely true. Each Heliobus's nature varies, shaped by its host's personality. If it possesses a belligerent warrior, it grows aggressive; if it meets a playful child, it becomes a carefree spirit."
Guinaifen nodded thoughtfully. "I've seen Miss Bailu often sneak off to play in Aurum Alley. She seems like a kid craving freedom."
Huohuo: "Mm, with this lead, things should go much smoother."
With that, the group prepared to leave together.
Cirrus jumped in agitation. "Hey! You lot! The bet's not over—fight me again!"
Stelle stuck out her tongue. "We'll deal with you after we're done!"
Cirrus's brows twitched wildly. "Jerks, getting smug over one little win! Again, again!"
But Huohuo ignored Cirrus's tantrum, leading the squad straight out.
…
After a scene transition, the group arrived in Aurum Alley. Guinaifen took a deep sniff of the air. "Haven't been back to Aurum Alley in days. Feels so nostalgic returning to my turf."
Sushang looked at Guinaifen seriously. "Then we're counting on you, Little Gui, the local snake, to lead and gather intel."
"Talking crosstalk now? Your mouth's sharp!" Guinaifen's peripheral vision caught two figures in distinct attire.
"Look over there—two people in Alchemy Commission uniforms, probably looking for the Dragon Lady…"
Huohuo glanced in their direction and nodded confirmingly. "Mm, with the Dragon Lady vanishing into thin air, they must be at a loss. But when gathering info, we'd better not reveal our identities or mention Heliobus possession… it might cause panic…"
Sushang patted her chest. "Mm, don't worry, Lady Judge. Effective communication with the masses is a mandatory Cloud Knight skill~"
The group then approached the Alchemy Commission assistants searching for Bailu to gather intel, aiming to find the missing Dragon Lady. After some discussion, they pinpointed the last place Bailu was seen.
Soon after, the group reached the target location and began calling out for the Dragon Lady. "Miss Bailu! Miss Bailu, where are you?"
"Lady Dragon, come out and play!"
Stelle swallowed, cleared her throat, and was about to shout when she felt her sleeve being tugged. Turning, she saw Huohuo frantically pulling at her. Following Huohuo's gaze, she spotted the figures of the Dragon Ladies.
Huohuo: "Why are there t-two Lady Bailus…"
Bailu smiled happily. "They're calling us to play!"
Beside her was another Bailu, identical but surrounded by green flames, with a childlike yet slightly hoarse voice.
"Fool, they're tricking you! They definitely want to drag you back! Let's play a game—'Don't Get Caught'!"
Bailu found it oddly fun, her short legs kicking as she darted past Sushang.
Sushang took a deep breath, then screamed, "Ghost, aaaaaaaah!"
Her shout stunned the other three.
Guinaifen hurriedly clutched her chest. "Sis, you scared me to death… Two identical Bailus didn't faze me, but your scream nearly sent me to the next life…"
Sushang scratched her head, embarrassed. "Sorry, sorry! Honestly, even knowing it's a Heliobus, it's still terrifying!"
Huohuo pouted. "I-I totally get Miss Sushang… Even after working so long at the Ten-Lords Commission, I can't get used to the weird stuff these monsters pull."
The four stopped chatting and followed the direction Bailu vanished in. They stopped before a house, crouching to listen. Bailu's laughter came from inside.
"The sound's definitely coming from this room. I'll open the door—everyone, be careful." Guinaifen grabbed the handle and pulled hard. "Hm? It won't budge."
"Let me try." Stelle's gaze hardened. She stepped back, took a deep breath, and kicked the wooden door with force.
The next moment, she clutched her right foot, hopping wildly. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow…"
[Classic Stelle!]
[Haha, the poster child for chaos—pulling this even now.]
[Stelle's one of the few characters who never feels out-of-character, haha.]
[This kind of personality isn't common.]
As the group stood stumped, Huohuo stepped forward confidently, pulling out the "Heartfire Bell" and instructing them. "As long as you ring this bell, you can enter the illusion created by the Heliobus. As for catching it, we'll need another plan."
After deliberation, they decided to entrust the bell to Stelle for this critical task. Stelle had no choice—nobody asked her opinion since joining the team. "I'm starting. Everyone, get ready!" She rang the bell.
Zzzt. The door slowly opened. A chilling breeze blew out, and the group instinctively swallowed hard. Exchanging glances, they resolutely stepped forward.
After navigating the illusion's obstacles, they found an unexpected world beyond. Guinaifen scanned the surroundings, exclaiming, "How's this place behind the door?"
Huohuo seemed quite reliable. "Just a Heliobus's trickery…"
At that moment, Sushang quietly moved forward and shouted at the Luxie -disguised Bailu. "Hey, you Heliobus, let Lady Bailu go!"
Luxie glared fiercely at Sushang. "Meddling pests! Aru and I were having fun here! She doesn't want to go back with you!"
Bailu frowned slightly, tugging at the fake Bailu's hand. "Luxie, they're here for me. It's getting dark—shouldn't I head back?"
"Aru, didn't we agree? No letting adults find us, and never going back with them. You… how could you back out so fast?"
"Uh… you're right! Adults can break promises, but we can't."
[Catchphrase +1.]
[Two Bailus, double the cuteness.]
Luxie nodded quickly. "Exactly, exactly! If you're hungry, I can conjure endless Qiong Fruit skewers; if you're thirsty, I've got endless Star Yam Boba!"
Bailu's eyes lit up at the mention of food.
"Yay! Quick, do it!"
"Not yet. Let's play a game first! You bad guys, hear that? You're in on it too!" Luxie gave Stelle's group a sly grin.
"Aru, we escape. As long as these bad adults don't catch us, I'll conjure all the tasty treats and drinks for you!"
Bailu stomped excitedly. "Great! What're we waiting for? Run!" "Free and wild! Play till the world goes dark!"
Whoosh. The two Bailus vanished before their eyes.
Guinaifen stepped forward. "Don't run!"
"Chase!" Stelle and Sushang took the lead, sprinting ahead. Soon, they spotted Bailu's back.
At the same time, Bailu and Luxie's voices echoed through the space.
Luxie: "I just want to play more! What's wrong with that?"
"Why should I live like adults want? They always say, 'Don't play now, play when you grow up.' But I see the Alchemy Commission adults—they don't have time to play either!"
"Stop chasing!"
"Can't I just have fun for a bit?"
[Sigh, ouch, too real!]
[Oof… that metaphor!]
[Me, working overtime, getting called out. Thanks, miHoYo.]
[Even with time, the mindset's gone!]
[Star Rail's writing is so real. That's why I love it—always hits home.]
That said, though Bailu looked small, she ran like her feet were greased. Stelle, tongue lolling, couldn't catch up. It was like chasing an AE Bailu. Running endlessly wasn't working. Guinaifen had a flash of inspiration. "Every time we pass a locked door, close the one ahead… she'll have to escape that way…"
But Bailu, like she had wind-and-fire wheels on her legs, predicted their plan to block her path. As long as she ran fast, she could do as she pleased.
"Huff, huff, huff…" The group was exhausted, gasping heavily. "By the Reignbow… this kid's too fast…"
Huohuo clutched her chest. "It's… the Heliobus's… power!"
"Catch your breath first, don't faint…"
Sushang took deep breaths, calming herself. "Let's… let's hold a strategy meeting… I think blindly chasing isn't working. We need brains…"
Guinaifen gave a wry smile. "Even a stamina champ like Sushang's resorting to brains now!"