Chapter 210: The Benefits of Fulfilling a Promise
"Wow! Isn't this exactly like those abstract short videos you guys filmed before?"
Guinaifen's eyes went wide as she stared at the glowing screen of the phone. She recognized the distinct, chaotic style at a single glance... It was practically identical to the viral clips the Astral Express Crew had produced in the past.
Actually, calling it 'abstract'felt like a massive understatement.'Bewitching' hit much closer to the mark. The video possessed a bizarre, brainwashing loop quality that made it nearly impossible to look away.
In previous iterations, Leon had mercilessly featured the various members of the Express Crew. This time, however, the starring role had been entirely replaced by her. Instead of a live-action recording, it was a ridiculously animated chibi version of herself bouncing endlessly across the screen.
Guinaifen didn't mind the absurdity in the slightest. In fact, she absolutely adored it.
This is just way too cute! I love it!
A bright grin stretched across her face as she began humming along, perfectly mimicking the catchy, upbeat tune playing from the video. She could already see the engagement metrics skyrocketing. This little clip was guaranteed to bring a massive wave of popularity to her channel.
"So, you like it?" Leon asked, a lazy, knowing smile playing on his lips. "Throw this up on your feed, and it should help your livestreams gain quite a bit of traction."
"It's fantastic! Can I actually use it?" Guinaifen blinked, tilting her head as a spark of curiosity cut through her excitement. "But wait, I have a tiny question... Our meeting today was supposed to be a total coincidence, right? So how in the world did you have an entire folder of custom emojis prepared for me in advance?"
"Hey, I've been wanting to ask that too!" March 7th immediately chimed in, crossing her arms with a playful huff. "The very first time I met Leon, he just casually whipped out a custom sticker of me and asked for an autograph!"
Her tone carried a heavy dose of feigned grievance. After all, that specific image of her sprawled out on the floor like a defeated puppy had left a permanent, highly embarrassing impression on her psyche.
"Ah, well..." Leon merely offered a light, mysterious chuckle, completely dodging the question with the practiced ease of a seasoned scammer.
"Was that Sushang in the background of the video just now?" Dan Heng suddenly spoke up, his calm voice breaking through the chatter.
He harbored a rather deep impression of the Cloud Knight rookie. After all, she held the distinct honor of being the very first person to miswrite his name as 'Dan Heng the Egg'.
"Yep, that's my bestie Sushang! Wait, does Teacher Dan Heng actually know her?" Guinaifen's eyes lit up like sparklers, clearly thrilled to hear a familiar name dropped in the middle of the conversation.
"We have crossed paths once," Dan Heng replied with a curt nod. "When I first arrived on the Luofu, she was the one who guided me through the port."
"No way, what a coincidence!" Guinaifen clapped her hands together, laughing brightly. "Remember that friend I mentioned earlier? The one who helped me pick out my Xianzhou name? That was Sushang!"
"The name Guinaifen... she picked it?"
Dan Heng's stoic expression cracked, shifting into a look of undisguised disbelief. The girl who genuinely thought his name was 'Dan Heng the Egg' possessed the literary capacity to come up with such an elegant, culturally resonant Xianzhou name? The sheer mathematical improbability of it forced him into a state of deep skepticism.
Standing nearby, Welt adjusted his glasses, his face mirroring Dan Heng's deep doubt. He had also interacted with Sushang during their frantic search for the archivist. That energetic girl was drastically different from the figures he knew in his past.
The Li Sushang from his own universe had been a legendary Sword Immortal. This Luofu Sushang, however... gave off the powerful aura of someone exceptionally 'pure' of thought. To put it politely, she did not strike him as the type of intellectual who spent her free time browsing ancient poetry dictionaries to craft meaningful aliases.
The group continued to chat and laugh, the lively atmosphere carrying them down the bustling streets until they unknowingly reached a major fork in the road. Realizing it was time to part ways, the Express Crew members pulled out their phones, eagerly exchanging contact information with their cheerful new friend.
Guinaifen's warm, straightforward personality was incredibly infectious. It barely took five minutes for Stelle and Caelus to completely hit it off with the street performer. Before leaving, she enthusiastically announced her plans to host a 'ghost hunting' adventure livestream in the near future, promising to invite the two Trailblazers as special guests once the logistics were sorted out.
Stelle and Caelus agreed without a second of hesitation, nodding vigorously with faces full of chaotic anticipation.
Leaving the commercial district behind, the Express Crew finally arrived at the Seat of Divine Foresight. The grand pavilion was as imposing as ever, but the figure currently presiding over the massive central desk was not the languid General Jing Yuan. Instead, it was the petite, pink-haired Master Diviner, Fu Xuan.
"Sigh... it is a relief to see you all here," Fu Xuan breathed out a soft, exhausted sigh, rubbing her temples. "Tallying the civilian casualties and infrastructural losses, dispatching the Cloud Knights to hunt down the scattered remnants of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, drafting endless battle reports to explain the situation to the Six Charioteers... It is little wonder Jing Yuan always claimed that sitting in this chair feels akin to resting on a mountain of blades."
"Oh, come on now. You're actually enjoying sitting in that big chair, aren't you?" Leon chuckled, leaning casually against a nearby pillar with a teasing glint in his eyes.
"The position of General bears a weight of monumental importance; there is no room for frivolous talk of 'enjoyment'," Fu Xuan retorted solemnly, her chin lifting in a defensive posture. "I can only say... I am gradually adapting to the responsibilities."
"Hmph. I bet ten credits she's absolutely loving it," March 7th leaned close to Stelle's ear, whispering loudly enough for half the room to hear.
"The Master Diviner specifically invited us to the Seat of Divine Foresight today. Surely it wasn't just to lament the heavy burden of government affairs?" Welt smoothly intervened, steering the conversation back to official business before Leon could tease her any further.
"Of course not." Fu Xuan's expression instantly shifted back to strict professionalism. "Since I am currently serving as the acting General, it is my duty to officially thank you all on behalf of the Xianzhou Luofu for your righteous assistance. Now that the immediate crisis has come to a close, it is time to be open, honest, and properly reward your efforts."
"Wow! The benefits of fulfilling a promise—is it coming, is it coming, is it coming?!" March 7th's eyes practically turned into shining stars. She instantly straightened up, her face radiating pure, unadulterated expectation.
"Indeed," Fu Xuan nodded gracefully. "The Astral Express has braved life and death for the sake of the Luofu. Your sincerity and valor are evident to all. Following a formal discussion among the Six Charioteers, a unanimous decision was reached. As of today, you are officially recognized as the 'Allies of the Vow' to the Xianzhou Luofu."
"Within the sovereign territory of the Luofu, you will enjoy the highest specification of diplomatic treatment, entirely equivalent to the top-tier envoys of the Interastral Peace Corporation." Fu Xuan offered a rare, faint smile as she delivered the announcement.
In truth, the official resolution had been drafted and sealed hours ago. The general public might not grasp the deeper political implications, but both Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan were acutely aware of one terrifying fact: the current iteration of the Astral Express was absolutely not an entity to be trifled with. If such a powerhouse could be befriended, the Alliance would naturally bend over backward to secure their favor. Anyone foolish enough to provoke the Nameless would face catastrophic consequences.
In fact, if it wouldn't have breached diplomatic etiquette, Fu Xuan desperately wanted to ask if the literal Aeons backing Leon were still casually wandering around the Luofu's commercial districts.
"On behalf of the Astral Express, I extend our deepest thanks to the Master Diviner," Welt responded, placing a hand over his chest in a solemn, respectful gesture.
"Wow! I mean, there aren't any physical gifts to unwrap, but having a super VIP title sounds incredibly cool!" March 7th laughed, clearly satisfied with the bragging rights.
"The formalities of our gratitude conclude here. Next, I have one final matter of grave importance to discuss with you all. Please, follow me this way." Fu Xuan stood from the massive desk, gesturing toward a quieter section of the pavilion.
"Ah? No way..." March 7th's shoulders slumped instantly, her VIP excitement evaporating. "The thank-you speech literally just finished, and you're already throwing another mission at us?"
"It is not a mission," Fu Xuan said, shaking her head as her jade ornaments chimed softly. "It is simply a matter of record-keeping. The Stellaron crisis, the internal chaos orchestrated by the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, the sudden rebirth of the Ambrosial Arbor, and the unmatched infiltration of the Luofu by the Antimatter Legion... The complete ins and outs of these overlapping disasters must be compiled into a detailed official document. This report will be submitted to the highest-ranking officials of the Alliance for future reference."
She paused, her gaze sweeping over the crew. "However, having been directly in the thick of the conflict, my perspective is inevitably clouded by the immediate situation. What I know and what I witnessed may carry unintentional bias. Therefore, I wish to ask for your assistance in sorting out the broader context. I need you to help me clarify the finer details of these events from an outsider's objective viewpoint."
Stripped of the political jargon, she simply needed their help organizing the chaotic timeline into a coherent, foolproof report to present to the Marshal of the Xianzhou Alliance.
"Alright," Welt nodded understandingly. "So, where should we begin?"
Fu Xuan tapped her chin, her brow furrowing in deep thought. "Looking at the board now, it is painfully clear that Phantylia was the grand mastermind orchestrating everything from the shadows. Throughout the long history of the Xianzhou, the Antimatter Legion has clashed violently with the Alliance on numerous occasions. Because of this, we have always maintained strict vigilance over their fleet movements. Yet, absolutely no one anticipated they would employ such a deeply secretive, insidious approach this time."
"A Lord Ravager infiltrated our highest ranks in perfect disguise. She instigated a massive conspiracy, personally delivered the Stellaron into the hands of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, triggered a bloody rebellion, and fully intended to manipulate the Luofu into total self-destruction." Fu Xuan's voice grew colder with every word. "Our internal risk assessment protocols regarding the Legion clearly require a complete, fundamental overhaul."
She paced slowly across the floor, her hands clasped behind her back. "Ever since the Ambrosial Arbor was severed by the Reignbow Arbiter thousands of years ago, the power of Abundance was strictly outlawed as the ultimate taboo. Consequently, the Alchemy Commission—which originally held the sacred 'Way of Immortality'—lost its former glory, slowly deteriorating into an insignificant, marginalized department."
"I presume that it was during that long, bitter decline that the poisonous seeds of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus' rebellion were truly sown."
"Driven by their fanaticism, some among their ranks did not hesitate to strike a deal with the devil. They eagerly accepted the Stellaron from the Antimatter Legion, foolishly believing it was the key to making the Ambrosial Arbor of Abundance regrow to its former terrifying glory..."
"Hmph. They did succeed in their immediate goal," Fu Xuan scoffed, a look of deep disgust crossing her features. "But how could a creature of Destruction like Phantylia ever sincerely help them realize their grand wishes? Those pathetic traitors betrayed the entire Xianzhou, only to ultimately realize they were nothing more than disposable sacrifices in a Lord Ravager's sadistic game."
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