Chapter 133

Xing lowered her head silently, facing Dan Shu's earnest plea, she didn't say a word. She just breathed heavily, as if undergoing a fierce heavenly-human struggle in her mind.

After a moment, she opened her eyes and, without a word, pulled out her own baseball bat.

In Dan Shu's colorless eyes, a flicker of loss seemed to pass, but she quickly composed herself, her tone returning to its usual indifference: "So, it's truly a pity—if you had first met me, perhaps we could have become true friends."

"Chief, we have to go..." the demonic shade beside her whispered.

Dan Shu nodded, and before turning to leave, she sighed: "I sincerely hope this is our eternal farewell, goodbye, nameless guest."

After saying that, Dan Shu's figure vanished inside Gong Zao Si.

Dealing with the two demonic shades wasn't troublesome, but recalling Dan Shu's earlier words made her mood very heavy.

"Ah... go inform Qing Zuo at the Divine Strategy Manor."

I feel that at the critical moment, Xing still showed mercy... otherwise, with her strength, she could have forcibly kept Dan Shu in front of the two demonic shades.

Inside Natá's Sacred Fire Arena, watching the forlorn Xing, Qiasika and Maweika's mood of wanting to drink two more cups vanished. Although they couldn't truly empathize across different worlds, she could still understand that feeling.

"Perhaps Dan Shu's last words affected her a little?" Maweika sighed, "... I can understand."

"Maweika, if it were you, would you let Dan Shu go?"

"Me?" Maweika pondered slightly, then smiled: "If I stood from the perspective of Natá's deity... no, from the perspective of the Astral Express general, I would definitely detain this chief who has committed countless crimes. But if I set aside my position and consider only my personal view, I would consider giving her another chance."

"Oh? I thought the Fire God would be stricter."

"Dan Shu is a very complex person; I can't judge her by black-and-white standards. She has both the side of protecting the weak as the head of the alchemists, and the side of harming others as the heir of the Medicine King's secret lineage, the chief."

"I will give her a chance... to atone for her sins, and after that I will treat her as a true friend. But if she doesn't cherish this opportunity..."

The words cut off abruptly, Maweika let out a soft sigh, spreading her hands in an expression of having done all that could be done.

"—So her path ends here, even if it comes to that?" Qiasika understood, laughing as she took up her words.

Inside the Divine Strategy Manor, Xing reported to Qing Zuo everything that had happened earlier in Gong Zao Si. Although she hadn't managed to capture her, leaving Qing Zuo slightly regretful, this precious information had already given her great assistance.

After settling the Dan Shu matter, Xing realized she had been delayed a bit, and she needed to meet up with Walter and March immediately.

Suddenly, she received another message from Dan Heng.

Dan Heng: Our star skiff has deviated from its course; how's the situation on your end?

Xing: You're alive again?

Dan Heng: Yes. How's the situation on your end?

Xing: We caught Kafka, but the process was too smooth, something's odd.

Dan Heng: What about Kafka's companions? Have you seen Ren?

Xing: When we caught her, she was alone—what's up?

Dan Heng: Stay alert, that person is extremely dangerous. I'll find a chance to shake off the cloud riders and catch up with you.

————

The scene shifts to Dan Heng's side, where Su Shang stared up in amazement at the sacred tree's roots in Gong Zao Si.

"Is this the sacred tree of Luofu? I've never seen it before." Su Shang widened her eyes, her rosy lips forming a little circle as she let out an adorable "wawa wawa."

"Our Yaqing's Shou Wen Hui Ji is a revolving moon—hehe, I think it looks better than Luofu's."

Rakshasa: "I've heard the sacred tree was long withered… how could it suddenly grow and spread?"

"It's the work of a star-core aberration, no other explanation—we must hurry back to the Ten Kings Bureau!" Xue Yi said anxiously, "I am injured and unable to move freely, so I need to conscript a few people for the journey. Once you find the star skiff's docking point, you'll all be free to act."

The Ten Kings Bureau can conscript cloud riders, that's the rule of the Astral Express. Nobody objected, so they simply followed Xue Yi's lead.

Fortunately, the monsters along the way seemed to have been cleared out—there were hardly any. After passing a folding screen, they met Master Gongshu, who was on duty guarding Gong Zao Si. At this point, the old man was so bored he started chatting with Di Ting.

"I, Gongshu Liang, am certainly not one who fears death—now the safety of Gong Zao Si rests entirely on me."

Di Ting: "Woof! Woof!"

Master Gongshu put on a troubled expression: "No way! A Cai, you flee for your life. The cloud riders haven't come in ages—for now, the only thing I can do is to stem the raging torrent!"

Su Shang beside him was anxious, urging quickly: "Uncle, don't play the hero."

Master Gongshu widened his eyes: "A Cai, you—you actually started speaking?"

"Who are you calling a puppy?" Su Shang pouted in displeasure.

New Elysium, Outer Ring—

"Oh dear, Miss Su Shang is both cute and full of energy—youth really is great~"

The slightly sleepy Paipai, upon seeing Su Shang's adorable pout, yawned contentedly.

Lucy sat on the sofa, her legs as white as jade stacked together. Even though her identity is now that of a biker, her every gesture still retains the grace of a young lady; she stirred her coffee lightly with a spoon and hummed, "... but this silly look of hers is actually quite like Kaisar's."

"Correction: not at all silly." Kaisar sighed helplessly: "Besides, I think Miss Su Shang is great—she's straightforward, and it's a shame she's not in the Outer Ring, otherwise I'd really like to treat her to two glasses of Benny's special."

"Hmph, people like this are the easiest to deceive out there! Simple-minded and quick to trust others. And it's not just her, Kaisar... you too!"

"Me? I haven't been deceived, have I?" Kaisar scratched his head in confusion.

"It's not because of me? Without me, you'd have been scammed in the Outer Ring so badly you couldn't even afford fuel for your bike."

As she said this, Lucy proudly lifted her chin: "I'll give you three minutes to feel grateful to me, Kaisar~ Of course, if you want to compensate me, you can first let me sit in the boss's seat for a few days."

"Huh? Lucy, but you didn't lose to me last night, did you?"

"Nonsense! I—I haven't lost...!" The girl's face flushed red, her fists clenched tight: "Truce! This is only a temporary truce—I'll surely win someday! Kaisar, you wait for me!"

"Sorry, miss. I also thought I hadn't installed a voice module in the little one... huh? Wait... how did you guys get here?" Master Gongshu finally realized four people stood before him, "You lot, hurry up and escape!"

Su Shang patted her chest, proud: "You just said the cloud riders haven't come in ages—I, as a cloud rider, have arrived just in time; leave this matter to me."

"No way! As an officer of the Works, I have a duty to stay and guard the department," Master Gongshu declared righteously.

"Oh?" Su Shang's lovely face rarely showed a mischievous grin: "Looks like I'll have to resort to some drastic measures. Are you going to move on your own, or should I have the guy in the white coat behind me stuff you into his white box and haul you away?"