Chapter 150: Li Su Shang

Just as Du Ya was internally venting that the meeting was in full swing, the Heimu Doll called her name: "Du Ya."

"Here."

Du Ya reflexively answered, sitting up a bit straighter.

"You and A Xing, form a temporary task force."

The Heimu Doll's command was clear: "Target, Tian Ming Headquarters, a 'entity' hidden deep within."

A Holographic Projection unfolded on the table, displaying an encrypted file and a clear photograph.

The girl in the photo was youthful and beautiful, exuding a peculiar blend of classical and modern aura.

"Her name is Li Su Shang."

The Heimu Doll's voice was cold: "Your Task is to 'retrieve' her. Detailed appearance and known intel have been sent to your terminals. This operation is both a Counterattack against Tian Ming and a retrieval of a possible key for the World Snake. Keep it secret and efficient."

(Li… Li Su Shang?!)

Du Ya was truly stunned this time, her eyes widening slightly.

(Which Li Su Shang? When did the original story ever require us to 'retrieve' her? Butterfly effect?)

(From which obscure corner did this Plot branch off? Did I really cross into the Honkai 3 I know? Or… unknowingly, has the timeline become a Fusion monster?! This is a mess!)

The sheer amount of information made Du Ya feel her CPU was about to overload and burn out.

Hui She continued with operational details and support arrangements, but Du Ya barely caught a word, her mind a chaotic storm of "Why is A Xing here?", "What's the deal with Li Su Shang?", and "Has the world already gone mad and I'm just noticing?"

Until the Heimu Doll seemed finished, its electronic eye swept over everyone again: "…Any other questions?"

The conference room fell silent.

Hu Lang let out a huge yawn, clearly uninterested in the low‑tech Field Kidnapping job.

The Heimu Doll's gaze landed on the obviously day‑dreaming Du Ya: "Du Ya? You seem… absent‑minded."

Du Ya jolted, instantly switching back to professional mode, a flawless smile on her face: "Huh? No, no! The Task is clear, the target is definite! I was just contemplating the optimal infiltration route and retreat plan—after all, Tian Ming Headquarters isn't an amusement park."

She paused, glanced at A Xing beside her, and added, "Also… I'm figuring out how to quickly sync with the new partner."

The Heimu Doll seemed to accept the explanation, its electronic eye dimming slightly: "Very well. Task initiates immediately. Dismissed."

Hu Lang rose at once, walked toward the door without a glance back, his lazy voice drifting back: "Such errand work is indeed boring. Good luck, don't get caught, otherwise I'll have to go rescue you."

The conference room now held only Du Ya and A Xing, who remained silently standing in place.

Du Ya inhaled deeply, slowly turned her head, and redirected her gaze toward the 'cross‑scene' new colleague.

A Xing happened to look back, and in those gold eyes lacking any sparkle, Du Ya's complex, unspeakable expression was reflected clearly.

The two stared at each other for a few seconds.

Du Ya opened her mouth, a thousand words stuck in her throat, finally reduced to a dry line:

"…Pleasant cooperation?"

A Xing looked at her, nodded, "Pleasant." She replied flatly.

Du Ya: "..."

The night was as black as ink, all sounds hushed.

In the second‑floor corridor, the motion sensors were long off, only the sparse starlight outside the window cast mottled, blurry shadows on the floor.

A door was pushed open silently.

Jing Liu's silhouette appeared in the doorway, like a streak of solidified night.

She was barefoot on the cold floor, her toes barely touching, as light as a feather.

The black nightgown hung to her ankles, silver hair cascaded over her shoulders, and the face perpetually hidden by an Eye Mask still bore that black silk—she never needed to see with her own eyes.

Her objective clear, she walked straight to the bedside.

Two people lay on the bed.

The outer one was Bai Xing, back to the doorway, wrapped in blankets, breathing evenly and deeply, seeming sound asleep.

The inner one was Bai Lu, the Little Dragon Girl's sleeping posture was restless, one arm draped outward, and the tip of her Tail twitched unconsciously now and then.

Jing Liu's gaze fell on Bai Xing's face.

No, more precisely, it landed on the spot of her eyes—there, she now wore a pure black, soft‑fabric Eye Mask, covering the upper half of her face tightly.

Jing Liu's mouth twitched in the unseen shadows.

(Sleep… also with one?)

The odd round glasses she wore by day were swapped for this Eye Mask at night.

Layered protection, deliberate concealment.

Is it habit? Some necessity?

Or… simply not wanting her to see?

The outline of that speculation in her mind grew clearer and more burning in the quiet night.

Centuries of time, the smiling face of a departed old friend…

All the fragments pointed to the steady‑breathing, self‑proclaimed traveling merchant before her.

(Let me… confirm.)

Jing Liu's hand slowly rose.

Her fingers were long and knobby, appearing unusually pale in the dim light.

Her movement was extremely slow and steady, with the focused concentration a swordsman has before drawing a blade, reaching toward the black Eye Mask on Bai Xing's face.

The tips of her fingers were only a hair's breadth from the black silk.

In that instant—

The person on the bed vanished.

Like water‑moon reflections, light and shadow foam, "Swish!"—the indentation in the bedding smoothed instantly, as if no one had ever lain there.

Jing Liu's outstretched hand froze in midair.

At the same time, a surge of energy rippled behind her, its cold, sharp touch gently pressing against the back of her heart.

A lowered yet clear voice, laced with obvious wariness, came from behind her:

"Don't move."

Jing Liu slowly straightened her posture, withdrew the hovering hand, and turned around.

"Bai Xing" stood a few steps away, holding a bow formed of condensed energy; the string was drawn taut, and an Energy Arrow aimed at her heart.

The young woman wore only thin nightclothes, stood barefoot on the floor, her white long hair slightly disheveled, and on her face… still wore that black Eye Mask.

The two stared at each other in the dim room.

"Bai Xing"'s expression was striking: first bewildered, glancing at Jing Liu, then at the bed he had just lain on, now empty, and then at Jing Liu's gesture that hadn't fully retracted yet…

(Night raid? A distinguished Sword Leader, sneaking into my room in the dead of night just to… take off my Eye Mask?)

This Cognition made Bai Hang feel a moment of absurdity, but more so a cold shiver of lingering fear.

The sense of danger a moment ago was real; had she not fused Beloberg's "agile" trait, her body, even while asleep, would have remained highly alert, and now perhaps…

Jing Liu also felt a flash of astonishment in her heart.

So fast.

She hadn't even detected a clear fluctuation, yet the opponent seemed to vanish right before her.

This is far from the ability an ordinary Celestial Boat Merchant should possess.

But Jing Liu is, after all, Jing Liu.

Having lived long enough, she has endured plenty of awkward situations.

She kept a neutral expression—indeed, it was hard to read any color on her face—lowered her hand, her posture still upright, and her tone was Calm as if the one who tried to ambush earlier were not herself:

"I'm thirsty. I don't know where the water vessel is, so I came to ask."