Chapter 254

Being teased like that by Weiba, Huohu finally couldn't help but let out a "pfft" laugh.

"They were all forcibly brought back after you possessed them, weren't they?" Huohu wiped away tears with the back of their hand, but their mouth couldn't help a slight upward curl, "There's no such thing as coming back…"

"Ah, come on, you just say whether they came back or not?!" Weiba's flame let out a whoosh as it jumped up a notch.

Huohu suddenly reached out, gently covering that wisp of azure ghostly flame. A warm sensation spread from the palm, as if grasping a strand of sunlight once more.

"Weiba, you're not just a hallucination… you're the real Weiba! You truly are Weiba! You've come back! Where have you been these days? I thought… you were already…"

"Already dead? I'm not having an easy time either." Weiba explained the events after the explosion one by one, but deliberately omitted the fact that he was hiding inside Hanya's gourd, saying insincerely:

"I originally planned to run away, but that's not because I don't trust you; I came specifically to check whether you coward can actually manage, whether you've made any progress?"

Huohu lowered his head guiltily: "Sorry, Huohu hasn't made any progress at all."

"No, you underestimate yourself. It's not just progress; you're downright reckless! One person daring to do something so dangerous? I doubt you lack courage; you just lack sense!"

"…Then, what can I do?" Huohu muttered softly, sounding even more aggrieved: "I also think Fuyan is deceiving me, but if I miss the chance, I won't be able to find it later, what then?"

"Let's drop that. Huohu, is it truly because of me that these people have left you?" Weiba asked suddenly, seriously.

Huohu said firmly: "At least now, having Weiba willing to come back for me, I'm satisfied."

Weiba smiled lightly: "Since you say that, I won't feel guilty, you know."

——

Maze Meal.

Hoo—

Maru Xier sat on the bundle, eyes fixed on the scene of Weiba comforting Huohu in the heavens, and involuntarily let out an auntie laugh: "These two finally got back together again! I've been worrying about Weiba for so long in the middle."

"Ah~ seriously!" Seeing this, Maru Xier couldn't help complaining about Weiba again, "He clearly cares super‑much about Huohu, yet he has to put on a 'I don't care' act! What a face‑saving fool!"

"Dead?" Leios was chewing on a roasted monster steak, looked up, his horns still smeared with sauce: "Dead? Who died? A monster? One that needs to be bled in advance?"

"Leios!" Maru Xier stomped her foot in anger, "You weren't even paying attention to Weiba and Huohu, were you? I was talking about their relationship!"

"Who says I wasn't paying attention? I've always wanted to learn about the Suiyang species, okay?" Leios swallowed the meat he was chewing and said seriously: "Immortal, undying monsters are rare in any world, right? I've always wondered whether meat roasted by a Suiyang would taste different…"

"Hmm…" Senxi also raised an idea, "Or let it directly possess the ingredient, could it replace marinating and season the meat automatically?"

"Wait! You two, switching to a food topic that naturally…?!"

"Compared to that…" Qier Chake squinted, "Maru Xier, I've noticed you've been closely watching Huohu and Weiba these past few days, even to the point of neglecting meals. Could it be… you're jealous?"

"What—! No, I'm not—!" Maru Xier's face flushed bright red instantly, "I just think… as partners, if everyone could be like them, even when apart they could reunite, isn't that wonderful!"

"Hmm, indeed." Senxi nodded, "But our team is still far from splitting up, right?"

"Who knows." Qier Chake shrugged, "Anyway, if Leios suggests eating insect‑type monsters again, I'll be the first to run."

——

"The most urgent thing is to get out first," Weiba let out a roar, forcing the Suiyang possessing Huohu's body to roll out; frightened by Weiba, the Suiyang indeed fell for the trap and fled in panic.

Huohu's eyes were swift, and he immediately stuffed the defenseless Suiyang into the gourd.

When Huohu came to his senses, everyone quickly analyzed the current situation: although Fuyan didn't know where Weiba was, it had indeed figured out how to divert everyone's attention—people were fooled by its single sentence into the Flowing Cloud Ferry, which was clearly its strategy of luring the tiger from the mountain.

Hanya ordered everyone to head straight to the Divine Strategy Hall to summon the General; the "final stage" he had been trying to delay now had to be brought forward.

Back in Suiyuan, Fuyan actually gathered the Suiyang that the group had previously collected and brought them back to its side; it spared no sarcasm toward Weiba, and having learned from its last failure, it completely abandoned the plan to incorporate Weiba. In its view, a Weiba with surplus emotions is nothing but a useless waste, no matter how strong.

"The Ten Kings Division's formation still stands; Suiyang cannot leave Suiyuan. Your so‑called clever move is nothing but a trapped‑beast fight." Hanya coldly reminded it.

"I never thought of leaving. I awoke from the furnace and came to Suiyuan for one purpose—to battle the General of Luofu with you." Fuyan said calmly, "Your generals love delaying tactics; I'll go along, devising strategies for everyone, gathering the Suiyang here to become my support!"

——

Gintama.

Gintoki lounged lazily on the Odd Jobs shop's sofa, put down the Shonen Jump in his hand, and stared intently at the sky's Fuyan with an extremely smug expression.

"Sure enough, this guy is the textbook villain of a shōnen manga!" Ginsang suddenly sat up, his eyes unusually serious for a moment, "That kind of 'fight to the death' obsession isn't that bad."

"Terribly awful, okay!" Shinpachi muttered beside him, "This guy has schemed everyone! Not even his own comrades are spared!"

"Scheming aside, at least it doesn't deceive itself." Gintoki shrugged, "Compared to those hypocrites who spout pretty words while stabbing you in the back, this 'I'm just here to fight' villain actually… hmm, how to put it, resonates a bit."