Chapter 547: with translation of chapter title

"You guys chatting happily?"

As soon as Fang Zhiyan came over, what he saw was Luo Jinyou sitting anxiously beside him, Yue Chengzhang talking nonstop, and Ying Duo responding coldly.

Under such blue skies and white clouds, this scene appeared especially warm.

Such warmth, however, was rudely interrupted by someone oblivious.

"Already done?"

Ying Duo leaned back against the sofa behind him, slightly tilting his head; from this angle he couldn't see Fang Zhiyan's expression, but it also showed he was listening.

He recalled seeing this morning that someone from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had set a trip for Fang Zhiyan—though only some petty tricks—but would Xie Jingnian easily let Fang Zhiyan look good?

"About done, right?"

Fang Zhiyan seemed to have grown accustomed to cleaning up Ying Duo's messes, accepting them wholesale even when he knew Ying Duo was partly doing it on purpose.

Just then the door was pushed open, and it was Xie Jingyan.

She had also completely shed her idol persona; her usual style was already cool and sharp, and knowing the purpose of this trip, she had specially changed into a black combat uniform.

Her mood didn't look good; it seemed Fang Zhiyan had let Xie Jingnian go talk to Xie Jingyan himself.

He probably said something like, "If you can stop her, I won't say anything more."

Xie Jingyan spotted Ying Duo at a glance, took a deep breath—after all, she had been active as an idol in Heavenly Dome City, so her emotional control naturally needed no further explanation.

Fang Zhiyan casually rubbed Ying Duo's head twice, stuffed a small thing into his hair, then left directly, making space for Ying Duo.

As previously mentioned, Fang Zhiyan looked forward to Ying Duo's resistance.

"Is this our teammate?"

Xie Jingyan was still meeting Luo Jinyou for the first time, while Min Tianyou beside her was a regular on the Heavenly Dome City hot searches these days, and there was also an unfamiliar Yue Chengzhang.

"Only him."

Ying Duo pointed to Luo Jinyou beside him; hearing this, Xie Jingyan frowned slightly, sensing a pure and robust aura about Yue Chengzhang—clearly not one of theirs—and yet he sat beside Min Tianyou...

Church?

But she found it hard to feel hostility toward this man before her; Yue Chengzhang's aura was pure, like a sun radiating light that draws people forward.

Plants love such just-right sunlight.

Xie Jingyan sat down on Ying Duo's other side; departure was still a while off, and though she had just argued with her father, unfortunately this time she would not back down.

If Ying Duo had found her last night and what he said to her were all true...

"Why not introduce yourself?" Yue Chengzhang blinked, looking at Xie Jingyan casually sitting beside Ying Duo.

Although Ying Duo's flaws could be said to be everywhere, this hardly stops talented youths from gathering around him.

Rather than saying Ying Duo has an aura that attracts talent, it's more like because he's so unreliable, the people around him are all reliable?

Yue Chengzhang is also someone who likes to overthink.

——————————————

Shen Zexi stood at the edge of the square's corner, wearing the uniform of a Heresy Tribunal member; the insignia on his shoulder was a long sword tightly entwined with thorny brambles, its tip dripping flames symbolizing purification.

A cool breeze blew past his side, lifting a few strands of golden hair.

Suddenly, someone tapped his shoulder.

"Hey! What are you thinking about?"

A boy's bright voice suddenly sounded behind him; Shen Zexi's green pupils narrowed slightly as he looked incredulously at the person before him.

"Qi Hengyu?"

Shen Zexi never expected to reunite with his old roommate here; he turned his head in surprise to see Qi Hengyu actually wearing the Supervision Bureau's black uniform, its insignia a crossed sword and shield symbolizing guardianship and judgment.

Shen Zexi knew Qi Hengyu had gone to the Supervision Bureau for an internship, but he never imagined Qi Hengyu would appear here.

Church personnel were preparing a large teleportation array to send to the frontier cities; only the executors of this mission would come here.

"What's up? Seeing my incredulous look?"

Qi Hengyu couldn't help rolling his eyes; although he had just intended to scare Shen Zexi, the latter's incredulous expression still annoyed him a bit.

If Shen Zexi could climb from the Heresy Tribunal to this position in such a short time and even join this mission, what gives Qi Hengyu the right to think he can't?

"I—I didn't mean it that way..."

Shen Zexi instinctively retorted, but then ended up speechless.

He indeed meant that; from any angle, Qi Hengyu shouldn't be here.

Shen Zexi himself only got here thanks to fate's favor, having obtained evidence that a higher-up wanted to conceal, which forced them to agree to let him train in the Heresy Tribunal for a period before joining this mission.

Qi Hengyu went to the Supervision Bureau; with his ability and sense of justice, he could easily follow Yue Chengzhang's footsteps and someday become the bureau's youngest squad leader.

But he came here instead.

Why? Is it the price of fate? Or has misfortune befallen him?

"Tsk, why do you look like you've seen a ghost?"

Qi Hengyu scratched his head; the joy of reuniting with an old friend vanished under Shen Zexi's terrified expression.

He gritted his teeth: "Don't think you can slip away alone; I also want to settle the score with that brat."

Since Ying Duo could even go undercover, those foolish things he did in front of them must have been an act; he and Shen Zexi were horribly persecuted by Ying Duo, so of course they need to settle accounts with him.

"... Ying Duo might not necessarily take part in this operation."

Shen Zexi remained silent for a moment, then slowly uttered this sentence, trying to persuade Qi Hengyu to abandon the mission.

"Then you also shouldn't think you can slip away alone." Qi Hengyu gave his reply with a blank expression.

To be honest, he's also heard some things about Shen Zexi in the Heresy Tribunal; those missions made him feel a chill just hearing about them.

Numerous field missions and frequent battles with Aberrant Species; during this period of Aberrant uprisings, Shen Zexi, a rookie intern, actually went straight to the front lines, earned considerable military exploits, and survived...

How could he possibly be content with the status quo?

But the Supervision Bureau mainly patrols inside Tianmian City; even if Aberrant Species riot, only a few would rush into the Slum, those Aberrant Species all being dealt with by Qi Hengyu—yet unnoticed, he still fell behind Shen Zexi.

This time, however, it was the Church's high-level who specifically called him over.

Even if there's some conspiracy or trickery, he seems to have a chance to catch up to Shen Zexi.