Chapter 110

Under Qingque's leadership, the group headed to where the star barge was docked.

As they walked halfway, San Yueqi's gaze was suddenly caught by something in the distance.

"Star, look, that's…?" San Yueqi exclaimed, her mouth hanging open, and quickly pulled out her camera to snap snap snap.

It was a towering tree that reached into the clouds, its thick trunk standing firm like a pillar holding up the sky. Unfortunately, only a bare stump remained; from afar it looked like a dragon's head poking out from the clouds, bleak yet awe‑inspiring.

"That is an ancient tree called the building tree, a treasure once proudly possessed by the Luofu Astral Express." Tingyun also stopped her steps and explained to the group.

"Do the people of the Astral Express also study history so deeply?" Qingque exclaimed in surprise: "Amazing—these days the younger generation hardly knows its origin. It's said that this building tree is a remnant left behind when the ancient astral express sailed beyond the heavens."

"Uh… what does that mean?" San Yueqi didn't quite understand.

"It means the tree's height can reach the heavens and its branches can hang down stars," Walter explained.

The Abundance Star God manifested in Luofu, leaving behind divine traces… looking at it now, it truly is magnificent.

However, no matter how prosperous it was in its heyday, today it is nothing more than a lifeless piece of dead wood.

"Reiner, your comment is really blunt."

In the forest beyond Maria's wall, the investigators Reiner, Bertolt, and Annie lay on the giant tree's branches, chatting off and on.

The Survey Corps dispatched four squads to explore and gather information under the pretext of studying the effect of the light barrier on Titans. At first Reiner didn't want to take the mission, but since the only teammates were Annie and Bertolt, he eventually agreed.

As a warrior squad of the Marleyan military, the three of them rarely had a chance to chat so leisurely in such a quiet setting.

"Reiner, have you heard? About what's happening inside the capital…" Bertolt cradled his warm tea, opened up: "I heard from the Military Police that research into 'immortality' has begun inside the capital, and the main focus is now tied to the Titans."

"Even someone inside the royal palace has pointed the immortality research toward Eren… but the matter was quickly suppressed."

Upon mentioning Eren, Reiner instantly felt the surrounding temperature turn chilly, whether from the forest's damp vapor or the mountain wind sweeping through the woods after nightfall.

It was Annie who first broke the tense atmosphere.

She shrugged, her delicate face full of bewilderment and disdain: "Heh, quite the opposite… if you want to live long, you'd better stay away from that sort of thing, right?"

After inheriting the Titan power, they have only thirteen years left to live. No matter how you look at it, they are the ones furthest from "immortality," aren't they?

"Why would those people in the capital link Titans with 'immortality'?" Reiner asked, puzzled.

"They reached that conclusion based on information from the Survey Corps."

Bertolt calmly sipped his tea: "Titans can't reproduce, yet they threaten humanity for centuries—this is inseparable from their almost endless lives… isn't that already linked to immortality?"

"The only problem they wrestle with is that when a Titan dies, its flesh vaporizes, leaving only a huge skeleton. They originally wanted to cut out Titan flesh to use as an immortality drug for experiments…"

The only thing they were troubled by, however, was that after the giant died its flesh would vaporize and disappear, leaving only a huge skeleton. They had originally intended to cut off pieces of the giant's flesh to use as an elixir of immortality for experiments...

"Truly absurd… so their research has stalled?" Annie sneered.

"No, I'd say it's progressing by leaps and bounds." Bertolt said, "Do you remember the last ingredient Star gave to the alchemist's prescription? 'Chiming marrow'—it's part of a dragon's spine. Inspired, the nobles thought of Titans again, planning to use Titan spinal fluid as the key ingredient for an immortality elixir."

"Oh… well, really, that bunch has quite an appetite." Reiner felt even more disgusted: "Since they're so eager for immortality, they should try Zeke's spinal fluid."

"But for them, does becoming a Titan count as some kind of… 'demonic yin body'?"

Star finally glanced at the building tree, then followed Qingque away.

The group took a detour and soon boarded the star barge heading to the Divination Commission.

Qingque walked up to the main gate all smiles, only to find it suddenly locked.

"Huh? How odd, the gate is locked? It never was before… and no one reminded me to bring a key." Qingque called inside: "Even if the cafeteria's food is awful, we can't make guests eat closed‑door fare, can we?"

San Yueqi wore a look of disgust: "Are you really a staff member of the Divination Commission?"

Star: "Is it possible you've been fired?"

"No way." Qingque scratched his head, looking bewildered: "I've been demoted to managing the library—what else could she want?"

But Qingque quickly brushed it off, smiling confidently: "Don't panic! The Divination Commission isn't just this one gate; I know a place for emergency entry and exit."

Saying that, he led the group to the side gate of the Divination Commission.

"You know this place like the back of your hand, slacking off all the time—you must have used this side gate often, right?" San Yueqi teased.

Having been called out, Qingque wasn't the slightest bit embarrassed, instead openly saying: "Miss, your eyes are like torches—everyone who works at the Divination Commission calls this gate the 'Carefree Gate'."

"Usually, when we're bored, we often slip out here to enjoy ourselves outside for a few hours."

"A few hours?!" Asahi Yuto's eyes widened. "How long is a normal workday? That would mean aside from clocking in and out, all other time is spent goofing off outside, right?"

Asahi Yuto flopped lazily onto the desk: "When did the Divination Commission open a branch in New Elix? I desperately need this job—"

Asa Yuya flopped lazily onto the table: "When did the Divination Bureau open a branch in New Aelido? I desperately need this job——"

There's a killing intent behind me!

Asahi Yuto instantly felt a prickling on his back, quickly sitting up straight at his workstation.

Tsukishiro Ryu stood behind him holding a stack of forms; even without a word, her overwhelming presence filled the office.

She pushed up her half‑frame glasses, the gaze behind the lenses sharp as a wolf's… just yesterday he had praised the deputy section chief as pretty and cute!

"Yuto, what do you urgently need?" Tsukishiro Ryu's tone was completely that of someone about to devour him.

"Haha, deputy section chief, no, nothing…" Asahi Yuto hastily snatched the form from her grasp, sweat pouring down: "I mean… I desperately need this job."

"Haha, deputy section chief, no, nothing…" Asahi Yuto hastily snatched the form from her grasp, sweat pouring down: "I mean… I desperately need this job."