Chapter 19: Snow Hibiscus

Snow Hibiscus

The Starship travels at extreme speed; after just a few hours, the squad had already arrived above the mission site.

Looking down from above, it is a sea of flowers; no wonder it is named after a flower.

This small star system near the Capital Star is called the Twelve Flower Gods System and is one of the Federation's famous tourist attractions.

Sentinels often come here to relax their minds, letting the flower sea soothe their tense spirits.

Over time, the Twelve Flower Gods have indirectly changed their characteristics.

The flower of the tenth month is the Wood Hibiscus, which is pink and delicate, its petals like fine silk; whereas the Snow Hibiscus now has turned snow‑white in color, and its flowers have grown larger.

The Starship is piloted by Shang Ze, who brings it down onto the landing pad.

As the hatch opened, a wave of floral fragrance rushed in, the rich scent making Fu Guang involuntarily sneeze.

Standing outside the Starship is the agent of the Snow Hibiscus Planet.

An elegant female Sentinel, judging by her appearance she seems somewhat aged, with a few silver‑white strands mixed into the hair at her temples.

She stepped forward and handed all the data to Fu Guang, her brows furrowing as she said worriedly, "Three months ago, the energy fluctuations of the Wood Hibiscus became irregular. After various experts studied it, no obvious abnormality was found."

While speaking, she shook her head, saying, "However, the fluctuations have been intensifying, still within normal range; I feel uneasy, so I chose to report it upward."

Fu Guang quickly flipped through the documents in her hand, the pages rustling, then she passed them to the Sentinel beside her for circulation.

She put on thin as cicada‑wing isolating gloves, turned her head to the woman beside her and asked, "May I examine it closely?"

"Please do."

The woman waved her hand, stepped back two paces, and made space for Fu Guang.

Fu Guang plucked a Snow Hibiscus, turned it in her hand; the soft petals moved with it, like the wings of a butterfly about to take flight—soft and beautiful.

"'Lovely as a hibiscus rising from water, gorgeous as a lotus unfolding its petals.' The Snow Hibiscus lives up to its beautiful name as a hibiscus flower."

Still beautiful enough to make one marvel at nature's divine power.

Fu Guang extended a thread of mental power to wrap around the petals; under the minute probing of her mental force, nothing seemed amiss.

She glanced at the Sentinels to ask if they had noticed anything; several received her gaze and shook their heads—everything here was too normal.

Fu Guang focused her question on Shang Ze, who might have been here before: "Compared to your last visit, have there been any special changes?"

Shang Ze nodded and then shook his head.

He asked the receptionist, "Are the flowers here more gorgeous?"

After carefully observing the Snow Hibiscus, the woman replied, "Perhaps I've been here too long; I haven't noticed any difference in the Wood Hibiscus."

"'The day is getting late; how about we stay here for the night?' Bai Gao said to Fu Guang."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"'If so, please follow me.' The female Sentinel led them along a wooden walkway for a short distance to a cluster of wooden cabins."

Between the branches of the tall trees, a series of wooden cabins were built, suspended in mid‑air, with blooming Snow Hibiscus flowers beneath them.

The wooden cabins on the trees are delicate and small; at a glance they can accommodate only one person.

The Sentinels lightly jumped and arrived at the cabins hovering three meters above the ground, while Fu Guang was carried by a gentle breeze to the cabin door.

Light and airy, in the blink of an eye she had changed location.

Fu Guang chose first, then the others gathered around her position and selected their cabins in turn.

When night fell, everyone returned to their rooms to rest, and someone knocked on Fu Guang's door.

Thud thud thud.

In the quiet night, the heavy sound of the wooden door being knocked was especially loud.

"'The Snow Hibiscus is even more beautiful at night; would you like to come out and see it?' That was Sheng Lai Ke Si's voice."

Fu Guang seemed not to notice anything wrong?

Sheng Lai Ke Si and she are not very close; how could he invite her alone at night to view the flowers?

However, her thoughts felt shrouded in a thin mist; she put on her clothes and walked over the creaking, slightly swaying wooden bridge, placing both hands on the wooden rail.

In the distance, the clear lake water sparkled with rippling light under the moonlight, and the Snow Hibiscus was veiled in a hazy moonlight.

The quiet, cold moonlight illuminated the silver ring on her little finger, reflecting into her eyes and lighting up a clear pool of water.

Fu Guang remained clear‑minded; she wanted to see what secret the Snow Hibiscus hid, and it was no surprise that she did not see Sheng Lai Ke Si.

That thing only wanted to lure her out.

The wind stirred her long hair, a pattering footstep sounded, the opened wooden door swayed and creaked, as if someone had slipped into her cabin.

From her position, turning her head she could see the entire cabin; there was no one.

That recent breeze seemed like an illusion; only her heartbeat throbbed loudly in the quiet night.

She looked at the flowers again; that thing inviting her to view the flowers must have another purpose.

Lowering her head to admire the Snow Hibiscus, she slightly furrowed her brow.

At some point the Snow Hibiscus had taken on a blood‑red hue; its layered petals were stained, layer upon layer deepening until they became a vivid, fervent 'blood' hibiscus.

Seen from afar, it looked like patches of bloodstains.

The rich floral fragrance came on the wind, filling her mouth and nose, like a tiny soft hand lightly brushing her face, seeking to lull her to sleep.

Fu Guang, enveloped in the flower scent, gradually grew dazed, her head involuntarily nodding.

On the verge of succumbing, Fu Guang caught a glimpse with her peripheral vision of a shadow reaching out from behind her.

She suddenly turned her head.

"'Today is the full moon,' Fu Guang blurted out."

The hand behind her did not stop; as it was about to touch her shoulder, she focused her gaze.

Her eyes had completely turned blue‑gold, like shattered gold melting into the sea, and a faint wail sounded from behind her.

The nameless creature shrouded in the black substance vanished.

Fu Guang suddenly opened her eyes, sat up from the bed, and woke up.

She rubbed her messy hair, just put on her shoes, and heard a knocking sound.

The snow lotus that had never been placed by the window bloomed dazzlingly.

Before she could say anything, the door was pushed open with a creak.

Sheng Lai Ke Si saw Fu Guang by the bed and breathed a sigh of relief.

The scorching sunlight outside streamed in through the door, illuminating the room, and golden dust floated in the light.

"You kept knocking and I still didn't wake; it's almost noon, my spirit fluctuated too much, we came to check." Yin Zhu behind Sheng Lai Ke Si explained.

Bai Gao leaning against the door side lifted their gaze coldly toward Fu Guang, as if finally letting go of all pretense.

Silver light flickered at the joints; the handsome youth's face was somewhat cold, nonchalantly toying with the silver curved blade in hand.

He coldly stared at Fu Guang, as if he'd had enough, somewhat impatient.

The silver blade flew from his hand, passing through the crowd, pointing straight at Fu Guang's brow; the sharp blade caused a piercing tremor.

Fu Guang flowed like water to the window of the room.

A clear hiss pierced the wooden floorboards, leaving a hole through which the cool outside moonlight streamed in.

It was starkly different from the hot sun at the door.

Fu Guang pushed open the window with one hand, the moon hung high in the dark sky, and with the other hand she was about to throw the fervently blooming snow lotus.

The snow lotus seemed to come alive, a soft white gauze-like texture passing from Fu Guang's fingertips; before the anomaly could intensify further, Fu Guang swiftly threw the blood lotus away.

The people at the door also dispersed.

Fu Guang felt somewhat vexed, fiercely rubbing the finger that the flower had licked.

She decided not to play with this thing anymore.

Psychic power surged, the rustling tide still sounded in her ears, all around as if torn petals were falling.

Under the full moon, the sea's tide will become even more violent.

Fu Guang opened her eyes again, she took out a black cat sleeping soundly from her bosom; the cat curled its limbs asleep, its whiskers twitching with its breath.

She shook the cat, only its tail curled.

Even the S-rank Sentinels were completely wiped out?

Fu Guang propped her forehead and stood up; a hand reached out from her side.

Again?

Fu Guang drew the dagger from her waist, and a faint sighing voice sounded: "It's me."

The person who came held her in their arms, stopping her movement.

White hair strands hung against her cheek, itchy.

"Shang Ze."

"It's me." Shang Ze placed his head heavily on Fu Guang's head.

"Guide, have pity on me; the first thing I did upon waking was to come find you." Shang Ze's state was not as calm and composed as usual.

His mental projection sprang from the mindscape, a pure white three-tailed fox.

It hummed and whined, wanting to climb onto Fu Guang.

Then it felt too big, shrank to cat size, laid its head against Fu Guang's neck, and its fluffy big tail drooped.