Chapter 527: with translation of chapter title

Seeing Xing, the two warmly greeted her. Xing was both astonished that the company would actually cooperate with the Sea‑Wandering Rangers, and she learned that the head of the Market Development Department harbored a deep grudge against Botai. Moreover, the Market Development Department originally did not get along with the Strategic Investment Department, which was also a major reason for their cooperation.

Besides Shajin and Botai, Laatio and Tuopa were also on the ship. After briefly chatting with them, Xing mistakenly entered a dark‑toned room and saw an elegant lady.

"Hello, lively miss, welcome to Ciyu Pawnshop. How should I address you?"

"My name is… Xingqiri."

"The lady's smile deepened at the corners of her mouth: "Hmm… not a bad name, just lacking some merit. Then, Miss Xingqiri—what do you want? And what are you willing to give for it?""

"Xing put her hands on her hips: "I want to be the company's chairperson!""

"Oh… is that your wish?" The Lady Ciyu before her didn't even blink.

"That sounds simple and easy to achieve. Then let's talk about the price."

"No way? Is this already the grand finale?"

"Don't be nervous. To fulfill this wish, I need something simple: an animal's tail. It's a creature that stands on two legs… its fur is black, round head and brain, long ears. Omnivorous, emotionally unstable. Most importantly, it has mastered human language and can speak."

——

Offering blessings to a beautiful world.

"Eh? It's really an animal? Feels easy to pull off…… Lady Ciyu didn't even set a harder condition; this is so easy, I suspect she's going easy on Xing."

Aqua had just opened her mouth when she suddenly cried out "Ah—" in pain, and Zhen rolled up an adventurer's handbook and slapped it on her head with a "Smack!"

"Stupid goddess! Think about it carefully— the animal Lady Feicui described is obviously Pam!!"

"……Pam?"

Rubbing her aching forehead, Aqua gradually understood Lady Feicui's intention. Rather than saying this condition is easy to fulfill, it's basically impossible to fulfill, right?!

"Pam is even a creature that dared to act fierce toward the pioneering Star God Arkiwel!!"

"This is basically impossible to do, right?"

"Nonsense…" Zhen wore an expression of utter disbelief, "You actually think Lady Feicui is omnipotent? The chairperson of the Interstellar Peace Company is the Amber King! Given Lady Feicui's rank, how could she possibly interfere? Not to mention her—even if Diamond himself came, he'd have to stand aside."

"Alright, you two stop bickering. Speaking of which, do we really need to go out and subdue monsters in this weather?"

Huihui lifted her head to glance at the glaring white sunlight overhead that made eyes hurt, then weakly slumped onto a roadside chair; her deep‑red mage robe now felt like a thick blanket, making her sweat all over.

"Ah… I'm dying of heat…" she let out a near‑moan of complaint, forehead pressed against her wooden staff, "I wish to Lady Ciyu, I wish for endless iced drinks and beer in this lifetime…… I want Lady Ciyu, I want Xingqiri, I want the Taiyi Dream……"

"Stop dreaming—if we delay any longer, we won't even have a place to stay; tonight we'll have to sleep in a stable."

——

"Bring me its tail as collateral, and then your wish can be fulfilled."

Xing fell silent.

"... I hope there are scissors on the train."

"Hope we meet again, Miss Xing."

After leaving that room, Xing again saw Yinzhi on the ship; after a brief chat they bade each other farewell, and Xing found a new spot to wait for the opening of the Harmony Grand Festival.

"Hey, long time no see."

A familiar girl's voice came from behind her, clear and gentle, like droplets of water quietly falling.

Xing blinked in surprise, then turned her head.

Only Liuying stood not far behind her, the corners of her mouth holding a faint yet genuine smile.

"Indeed it's you. I knew I hadn't mistaken you before."

"Who did you mistake me for?"

"It's really you. I saw you opening chests, hitting balloons, playing Sweet Dream Line‑Up… I shouldn't have been wrong… right?"

The deck of the Radiant Long Stone was spacious, bathed in Pinokangni's ever‑undimmed Starlight, yet oddly it shut out the clamor and turmoil below. A cool night breeze stirred the two girls' hair.

Liuying leaned on the icy metal railing, slightly leaning forward; below lay a dreamscape city flowing with light and color, countless vehicles dragging light trails shuttling through, like a flowing river of stars.

"Before joining the Star Core Hunters, Ailio told me this journey would teach me how to survive. He stopped there, leaving the rest for me to explore on my own. So I'll pay special attention to clues 【that can let me survive】; this Pinokangni trip is no different."

"No wonder you're actively investigating the 【Watchmaker】."

Liuying gave a light nod: "Hmm… at first I thought the answer lay in the Watchmaker's riddles, but I went the wrong way; still, I did gain something else."

Afterward, Liuying mentioned "Ciyu Pawnshop", telling Xing all about Lady Feicui and her affairs, though unfortunately what she wanted wasn't Xing's answer.

Finally, she hoped to apologize to Xing again for the earlier matter of the Yingwei Flower lineage artists. In Liuying's view, even the smallest lie would forge a betrayal as sharp as a dagger…… Moreover, to her, 【concealment】 is far simpler than 【frankness】, and she also wanted to test whether she could express her feelings like an ordinary person.

The two were chatting when suddenly two members of the Hound Clan rushed over; at a glance they confirmed Liuying was the fugitive wanted criminal, and hurriedly called their comrades to seize her.

——

Miss Kaguya wants me to confess.

Un——for——giv——able——！！

Inside the student council room of Shuuchiin Academy, the pleasant afternoon atmosphere was shattered by Fujiwara Chika's loud voice; she sprang to her feet, bracing her hands on the desk, cheeks puffed out, face flushed crimson.

"These people completely don't know how to read the mood!? Haven't they seen that the two girls are about to encounter that 'thump‑thump', the heart‑racing, blush‑inducing scene?! This wonderful moment is about to develop further!"

She waved her arms, emotionally agitated, as if she herself had boarded the Radiant Long Stone, the very person disturbed on the scene: "How dare you talk about wanted criminals at a time like this, completely oblivious! You're romantically hypersensitive! Ruining a girl's date is a far graver crime than damaging public property!!"

"Well… um… judging by their duties, capturing wanted criminals really is their job… just…" Shirogane Miyuki glanced at Fujiwara Chika's eyes, almost blazing, her voice dropping considerably, "But… um… perhaps the method could be more… humane?"