Chapter 927

"It's regrettable that Lady Ciyu gave no instructions," Xingqiri shook his head.

"……"

"Time goes back to the past."

"Go, you are free, you who dared to surpass your station, the divinely chosen. Break your own wings, go to the mortal world, walk upon the earth, and see the true face of humanity."

Jade freed the shackles that bound his limbs.

Xingqiri remained motionless, gritting his teeth word by word: "I will not accept your charity."

"I said this is a deal, and you need not respond immediately. The harvest does not come in a day; my specialty is waiting. The beautiful dream continues, the night is long, you have all the time to consider slowly."

"……"

"She only left cryptic words, then returned freedom to me. As for whether I can pay the price of freedom… at least I must first know what the price is."

Wanweike said lightly, "Those who owe the company favors usually meet a bad end."

Xingqiri replied rather calmly, "But that is a matter for later. All settlements require time; for now, let me exercise this right of freedom."

"For self‑entrapment?"

Xingqiri looked up at the star‑filled night sky: "…or to settle old matters. Once we part, it is forever. Before leaving Pinokangni, I wish to take one last look back."

Wanweike spread his hands: "Then just glance from afar, wouldn't that suffice?"

"This journey has another purpose. Though the 'Fetus of Philosophy' has already fallen, Pinokangni's 【Order】 was not built in a day; this beautiful dream likely still bears the influence of the Oak family."

"No need to glorify yourself; the other four great families can solve the problem just as well."

Xingqiri lowered his gaze: "I know my sin; others should not clean up after my mistake."

"You should also know the company won't teach you a second time. If it falls into the family's hands again, you're finished!"

"Some old habits are hard to change," Xingqiri said, "The tie must sit on the central line, the shirt must not show through the vest, the pant seam must be straight and aligned with the toe direction… before leaving, one must ensure everything is orderly, never deviating."

"And when bidding farewell to one's hometown, it should be the same."

——

DC Universe.

"In short, in Lady Jade's eyes, Xingqiri is a highly promising stock," Lu Yisi lifted her coffee and took a sip, "This young man may act a bit out of line, but he's truly talent—somewhat similar to Shajin. The difference is one wears madness on his face, flamboyant like a peacock, the other hides it deep, like…"

"... a dagger sheathed in its scabbard," Kela Ke continued.

"Yeah, that's about right," Lu Yisi agreed, adding that she always thought Xingqiri had obsessive‑compulsive tendencies, quite severe—perhaps linked to his former pursuit of 【Order】?

"As for the price of Xingqiri's freedom… the company surely dares not officially hire him, as that would be tantamount to sheltering a family fugitive and antagonizing the family. But if so, Xingqiri alone—how can he realize his ideals?"

To create a paradise, both "Divine Power" and "Money" are indispensable. Though Xingqiri is a fellow‑harmonious fate‑walker, that alone is far from enough to forge a paradise.

"I don't know, perhaps he must start from a border star, step by step, re‑examining his ideals from the beginning?" Kela Ke said, "But if that level of difficulty knocks him down, he has no right to speak of a 'paradise.' Yet if he truly creates an equal, free world without labor, what would the company think? Would the company permit the 【Paradise】 to exist?"

Lu Yisi did not answer immediately. She lowered her head, watching her latte; the heart drawn in the milk foam had begun to sag, its edges melting into the coffee.

"No," she pursed her lips, "The company's top executives' luxurious lives and power are built entirely on the order the company constructed. If such a paradise were born, it would be a massive blow to the credit‑point system; if everyone fled to the 'Paradise' to enjoy a seven‑day‑off week, whose blood would the company draw?"

"Unless... Xingqiri truly possesses power to rival the Interstellar Peace Company," Lu Yisi sighed deeply, "But without a star god backing him, that would be too difficult."

——

The two arrived before two hunting hounds in the park, and, as expected, the hounds stopped them outright.

"'Sorry, the company's facilities encountered a malfunction and are being re‑installed. Please come back later,' the weary hound intended to turn them away at the door."

Xingqiri lowered his voice: "Very similar wording."

"'Oh, I roughly understand the situation; no need to report it again,' Wanweike also employed the same tuning ability as Xingqiri. Under this strange sensation, the members of the hound lineage had their consciousness swiftly altered, reacting belatedly."

"... Ah, Mr. Wanweike? I'm so exhausted I didn't recognize you."

Wanweike got straight to the point: "I want to understand what's inside; you shouldn't find it difficult, right?"

"'Sigh, there's not much to say; the hound hasn't figured it out either. Probably the aftershocks of the star‑core incident.'"

Xingqiri's brow twitched slightly: "Aftershocks?"

"Who is this?"

"'Consider him my subordinate,' Wanweike volunteered, 'the famous overtime fanatic Mr. Gongzuori, you don't know him?'"

——

Labyrinth Meal.

"Pfft… Gongzuori…"

Ma Lushier almost spat out a mouthful of soup.

"Wanweike is indeed harsh, but the joke lands well; compared to 'Xingqiri', the name 'Gongzuori' truly fits him better."

In memory, Xingqiri always seemed to toil over the Oak family's affairs; as a child he was the heir cultivated by Mr. Ge Feimu, and as an adult he assumed the family head's role and the scheming of other families. He was clearly the hardest worker, yet chose the most relaxed name.

Thinking carefully, it really is a bit ironic.

"Discussing Mr. Gongzuori in front of outsiders—won't that raise suspicion for the two? After all, it's easy to associate him with 'Xingqiri', right?" Lai Osi said.

"What are you afraid of? Even if discovered, a simple tuning will suffice," Qi Erchake waved casually, "I didn't expect Wanweike also has tuning ability; he's also a fellow‑harmonious fate‑walker? Truly, you can't judge a book by its cover."

Ma Lushier lowered her head: "In theory, anyone who pursues the 【Harmony】 fate philosophy can be considered a 【Harmony】 fate‑walker. Yet clearly not everyone possesses the 'tuning' ability, so I guess… only becoming a family's 'tuner' grants such power. Tuners are few; so far only Zhigengniao and Xingqiri have shown this ability, and given their statuses…"