Chapter 187: Retreat!

The wall of the Tai Bu Si Internal Office Area was higher, and the array's light could be faintly seen.

Bai Hang didn't force her way in; she had long memorized a Backdoor from the data the system provided.

She held her breath, silently counting the patrol guards' footsteps in her mind.

Now!

She leaned forward slightly, her whole form seeming to become an afterimage, and at top speed slipped through the invisible Barrier.

She landed with a light roll, hiding within the shadows of a cluster of spirit plants.

Her heart hammered in her chest, and her keen ears caught any movement around—no alarm, no disturbance.

"(Huh... first step.)"

The Internal Office Area was even quieter, with barely any roaming cloud riders visible, yet the intangible pressure was greater.

Every brick and tile here seemed to carry power, making Bai Hang feel her Concealment was strained, as if countless invisible eyes were scanning her.

She dared not be careless; following the memorized route, she stuck to the shadows of the corridor's pillars, feeling her way toward Fu Xuan's office‑residence pavilion.

The pavilion stood apart from the main complex, with a small Stargazing Terrace.

At this moment, no light leaked from the pavilion; Fu Xuan seemed not to have returned yet, or was busy elsewhere.

But Bai Hang dared not relax; the closer she got to the target, the more likely hidden, unrecorded defenses lay in wait.

Sure enough, when she was about five steps from the pavilion's wooden door, an anomaly erupted!

The floor tile beneath her foot, which seemed ordinary, suddenly emitted an extremely subtle feedback.

It was not any known alert array mentioned in the system data!

"(Damn! It's a trigger‑hair type?!)"

Bai Hang's hair stood on end instantly.

She didn't know what would follow the trigger—perhaps an alarm, perhaps a binding, perhaps a direct attack.

In a flash, she reacted instinctively: instead of retreating, she pushed her traits to the limit, and her whole form instantly became ethereal.

"(Buzz…)"

The barely perceptible spirit light on the tile merely quivered slightly, like the tip of a feather skimming a water surface, then returned to Calm.

No alarm sounded.

"(That was close…)"

Bai Hang felt cold sweat instantly soak her back.

The Tai Bu Si truly lived up to its reputation; even the floor tiles could be monitored by Fu Xuan at a whim.

She no longer dared to be bold, stepping as if on thin ice, carefully sensing every subtle variation of the ground ahead.

Finally, she arrived at the pavilion's door.

A seal barred the door.

That was no problem for Bai Hang.

She extended a finger clad in a special thin glove, like a deft probe, gently brushing the key Nodes of the door's lock.

She did not force a breach.

"(Click.)"

A soft sound, and the lock silently disengaged.

Bai Hang swiftly slipped inside, then gently closed the door behind her, not sealing it completely.

Inside was darkness, with only the star map outside the window and the faint glow from a distant cavern providing a little illumination.

The room was far more austere than she had imagined; aside from a bookshelf that spanned an entire wall and a massive desk piled with scrolls, star charts, and counting rods, there was a simple resting couch in the corner.

A faint fragrance lingered in the air.

Beside the desk was the designated spot.

Bai Hang quickly retrieved from her close‑range storage device the item—a pink fish plush doll crafted with exquisite detail and a charmingly clumsy look.

The fish's eyes were set with an obsidian‑like material, and the fabric of its fins and Tail was soft and smooth, filled densely and plushly.

Black Curtain Lady insisted on placing this; Bai Hang found it puzzling, but a command is a command.

She carefully set the pink fish plush doll on the side of the desk near the seat, ensuring it wouldn't be easily knocked off yet remained conspicuous.

Having done all that, she surveyed the surroundings again, confirming no trace remained—no footprints, no aura.

The Eye Mask's "Presence Reduction" mode stayed active throughout, and even the room's original alert devices seemed undisturbed.

Retreat!

She retraced her steps, moving faster than on her way in, leaving the pavilion, crossing the hazardous tiled area, and finally melting into the still‑sparse night crowd and building shadows, completely distancing herself from the Tai Bu Si.

In less than the time it takes to finish half a cup of tea after her silhouette vanished at the street corner,

"(Sigh…)"

A clearly weary sigh sounded outside the pavilion.

The wooden door was pushed open from outside, and Fu Xuan, rubbing a throbbing temple, walked in slowly.

She casually lit the lamp on the desk; the warm yellow glow dispelled the darkness and illuminated her slightly haggard face.

"This Qingque... today's paperwork was only approved thirty percent, the rest piled there. 'Occasional chill,' 'Astrology unsuitable for desk work'... her excuses are getting more and more perfunctory. Does she really think my Divination Eye is just a decoration?"

Fu Xuan muttered complaints as she walked toward her desk, preparing to continue handling the mountain of official duties.

These mundane tasks, though not involving major heavenly calculations, were still tedious and draining, especially with a subordinate accustomed to 'slacking off' as a capable (?) officer.

Just as she was about to sit, her movement suddenly halted.

Her gaze fell on the extra pink object beside the desk, incongruous with the surrounding solemn atmosphere.

"Hm?"

Fu Xuan slightly furrowed her brows, took two steps forward, and bent down to examine closely.

It is a Pink Fish Plush Doll.

Craftsmanship… is acceptable, material is soft, shape… looks somewhat familiar?

Fu Xuan's memory is excellent; she immediately recalled the teal fish‑shaped cushion, almost treated as a permanent accessory, that sits beside Qingque's workstation and is often used by the owner as a nap pad.

The style… seems very similar, only the color differs.

"Who put it here?"

Fu Xuan felt a doubt rise in her mind.

Taibu Si Neishu, her residence—who could enter without permission? Cloud Rider? Miscellaneous Laborer?

Or… that fellow Qingque, daring enough to slip in and cause mischief?

She reached out, lifted the Doll. As expected, it felt soft and comfortable, the filling was quite springy.

She instinctively pinched it, then turned it over to look.

While she was fiddling with the Doll, a tiny paper wad, cleverly tucked into a seam of the fish fin, fell silently onto the desk.

Fu Xuan was startled, set the Doll down, bent over to pick up the paper wad, and slowly unfolded it.

Indeed, the paper bore Qingque's handwriting— not particularly neat, yet carrying a carefree, unrestrained flair:

'Esteemed Fu Xuan, respectfully:

Seeing that you have recently been burdened with paperwork, star calculations draining your spirit, your brows and eyes often showing fatigue. Though I am foolish and lazy, I am grateful for your daily kindness. This little fish plush doll I happened upon feels soft and soothing, may serve as a cushion for your head when you rest, easing tiredness a bit. I hope you will not overexert yourself, and take care of your precious body.

—Your incompetent subordinate Qingque, respectfully.

At the end of the text, there was a simple sketch of a cartoon little fish blowing Bubbles, the strokes crude yet exuding a Qingque‑like nonchalance.

Fu Xuan held the note, stood in place, and was silent for a moment.

She glanced at the note, then at the soft pink fish Plush Doll in her hand.

Its bright color looked a bit comical beside the solemn desk, yet oddly… not off‑putting.

"Hmph… meddlesome."

Fu Xuan let out a light hum, her tone seeming somewhat dismissive, but her pink‑purple eyes softened involuntarily for a moment.

She refolded the note, apparently intending to set it aside, but after a pause she opened a drawer and placed it inside.