Chapter 127: Interlude One: Guest Returns to Bai

Interlude One: Guest Returns to Bai'an

Bai'an City, renowned far and wide as a musical and tourist destination, draws a constant stream of visitors throughout the year. The Landship Port, as the sole transportation hub connecting to the outside world, naturally teems with constant foot traffic.

A landship arriving from Tiandu City docked five minutes ago; a dense crowd surged from its decks, hurrying toward the inspection gates, afraid that even a moment's delay would strand them at the very end of the queue.

Of course, among them were travelers who weren't in a rush, adopting the mindset that haste was useless, strolling leisurely. One woman wearing sunglasses was such a case—her hands empty, no luggage on her person, she drifted lazily at the rear of the crowd.

"Hey, look over there—isn't that girl kind of familiar?"

In the waiting hall, a couple who had been chatting casually glanced toward the crowd emerging from the landship; the woman's gaze was sharper, pointing toward the tail of the crowd.

"Who?" The man, slow to catch on, followed her gaze.

"That girl—the one with the sunglasses, tall one!"

The woman patted his hand: "Don't you think she looks just like that famous singer… the one your friend adores? The one from East Ying State!"

"East Ying State… he likes her, not me—why are you telling me this? I don't know anything about it."

"Even if you don't like her, you should know—she's a huge star on TV every day! I remember her name… Ma… Ma Li?"

The woman murmured, thinking, then suddenly exclaimed: "Oh no! She turned the corner! I can't see her anymore!"

"I already said I don't know, and I can't see her either."

The man scanned the crowd for a while, ultimately failing to spot who she meant, and sighed in resignation: "Alright, alright, didn't see her—didn't see her. Anyway, she's not prettier than you."

The woman's spirits instantly lifted: "Aww, I love hearing that—say it again!"

The young couple immediately slipped back into their sweet, affectionate bubble.

Similar little scenes played out repeatedly throughout the port; many others also noticed the ordinary-looking woman in sunglasses, though most couldn't identify her through the lenses—only felt a vague sense of familiarity.

The woman in sunglasses walked calmly out of the port and stepped into a car already waiting outside the checkpoint; the car immediately sped off, leaving a trail of dust as it drove into the heart of Bai'an City.

Eventually, the woman arrived in the old district and hurriedly stepped out in front of an old music shop. She waved lightly toward the driver, then strode inside.

Behind the counter, a girl with light golden curls lay sprawled across the table, fast asleep.

Seeing this, the woman smiled with a hint of indulgence, stepped forward, and gently tapped the girl's forehead.

The touch roused the girl, who blinked sleepily up at the woman. Because the visitor's identity was unusual, she paused briefly, studying her face carefully before asking hesitantly:

"Mù Tónghāo-sis? Why are you here?"

The name "Mù Tónghāo" made the woman's smile vanish; she raised her hand and slapped the girl squarely on the forehead: "How do you address people?"

"Ow!" The girl jolted awake. "Why'd you hit me?!"

"I've told you countless times! Even if you can't properly call me 'Teacher,' at least say 'Marguerite' or 'Yuanxiang-sis.'" The woman, still wearing her sunglasses, gestured with a finger circling in the air, dead serious.

"But Marguerite is just Mù Tónghāo… Isn't that your official codename from the Nation?"

"It sounds too rustic. Only 'Marguerite' can reflect my brilliance and beauty!"

She removed her sunglasses, revealing her eyes: "Come, my beloved student—here's your chance to change how you address me."

Strangely, the woman who had seemed so mature and cold-blooded with sunglasses now revealed a youthful, innocent charm: her youthful, radiant face appeared no older than the golden-haired girl behind the counter, and her crimson eyes were mesmerizing.

"So mushy!"

But the girl behind the counter gave Marguerite zero respect: "So what are you even here for?!"

"Why am I back? Isn't it because of your mess? I heard my hometown was nearly overrun—I had to come back and check!" Marguerite crossed her arms.

"Hometown? But… Yuanxiang-sis, aren't you from the Nation?" The golden-haired girl said flatly.

"Wherever there's music, that's my hometown!"

Though her lie was instantly exposed, Marguerite replied without a hint of embarrassment: "So why is the shop empty? Where are Dengzhan and the others?"

"They're out on patrol."

"Patrol? Then why are you stuck here?"

"I'm guarding the shop…"

The girl fidgeted with her fingers, sounding guilty: "To prevent trouble in the old district."

"Really?"

"…Because I got in trouble outside—I arrested the wrong person, so Dengzhan-sis grounded me." The girl mumbled.

"You're as trouble-prone as ever," Marguerite said cheerfully.

"Ugh." The girl pouted, dissatisfied.

"Fine, if it's just you, then tell me—has anything happened in Bai'an City recently?"

"Recently? Nothing much, I think."

The girl thought for a moment: "Dengzhan-sis disappeared for a few days, but everyone came back in the end."

"That's not 'nothing much.'"

Marguerite corrected her: "What happened when Dengzhan vanished? Where did she go?"

"I don't know."

The girl shook her head, bewildered: "She just said she got lost in a Chéngshòu's nest, took a few days, then beat the Chéngshòu and walked out."

"Nest? Did a Chéngshòu appear in Bai'an?"

"Maybe?" The girl propped her chin on her hand.

"Maybe?" Marguerite pressed.

"Maybe." The girl nodded again.

"... Fine, being scatterbrained and clumsy is also part of your charm."

After a moment of resigned silence, Marguerite smiled: "It was my mistake to expect answers from you. I'll wait until Dengzhan returns."

"Why do I suddenly feel like you're looking down on me?"

"I'm not."

"I'm not clueless! It's just about those few days Dengzhan-sis disappeared! The Nation sent someone here!"

To prove she wasn't useless, the blonde girl thought hard: "What was the title... Patrol Envoy?"

"Patrol Envoy? Oh, a big shot."

Margaret, intrigued, touched the tips of her hair: "It seems whatever happened is quite serious. Which Patrol Envoy exactly?"

"Which one... I think her name was Kingfisher?"

"I've never heard of a Patrol Envoy with that codename."

"Then you just don't know, Sister Yuanxiang." Not wanting her answer to be denied, the blonde girl insisted: "Anyway, since they came to help, they can't be a fake."

"Then you must have misremembered the name. Kingfisher, Kingfisher... a Patrol Envoy with a similar name..."

Reciting the codename the blonde girl had given, Margaret's leisurely expression gradually froze on her face. She released the hair she had been holding, looked at the blonde girl, and slowly spoke:

"Senior Cuique?"

"—Ah, yes! Senior Cuique!"

The blonde girl slapped the counter: "That's the codename! Exactly!"

"Are you sure it's Senior Cuique? What does she look like?"

"Just a kid shorter than me."

The blonde girl recounted everything: "Her hair and clothes are blue, and she's wearing a huge hat on her head... Huh? Sister Yuanxiang? Why are you smiling so terrifyingly?"

Before she could finish speaking, she saw a rare, brilliant smile appear on Margaret's face, and even those deep crimson eyes seemed to flicker with tracer fire.

"Heh heh, Wood Lily." For some reason, her mood had become very good. Margaret smiled and spoke, calling out the girl before her by her codename: "I suddenly thought of something."

"... I have a feeling it's not good news."

"How could it be? It's rare for me to be in a good mood. What I mean is, do you plan to go play in another city?"

"Where?" Wood Lily showed a slight interest.

Then, she saw Margaret open her mouth and gently spit out a place name:

— "For instance, Fang Ting City?"

(End of this chapter)