Chapter 343: The Special Challenge Tournament

Heimu's expression froze instantly.

If there were a mirror now, she would probably see the famous "subway old man phone" expression on her face—eyebrows raised, eyes squinting into slits, mouth corners turned down.

Her brain took a full three seconds to process that information.

Gui Naifen?

The street‑performing girl who does live streams, lion dances, and shatters big stones on her chest.

Sending her to Winterwood City?

(How is this any different from a suicide mission?)

【Heimu】: System, are you sure? Gui Naifen's strength…

【System】: Enhancement is possible.

Regarding Suppression Force, it can let her inherit the full Spiritual Core of Gwenivere from the Xingyue World—i. e., the legitimate identity and part of the power of the queen in the Arthur Wang legend.

At the same time, we can load into her the collected Xianzhou data traits, combine them with her own destiny adaptability, and the overall combat power estimate could reach…

The System reported a number.

Heimu fell silent for a moment.

(... Indeed not weak. But the problem is—)

Heimu rubbed the bridge of his eyebrows.

He looked at the night sky, and complex emotions flashed deep within his violet‑black eyes.

(Forget it. This Task has never been normal from start to finish.)

【Heimu】: Where is Gui Naifen now? What is she doing?

【System】: Retrieving the scene.

A translucent screen unfolded before Heimu.

The image shows a Xianzhou Style tea house, wooden tables and chairs, with tea fragrance drifting.

At the window seat, three people sit.

Gui Naifen sits in the middle, wearing a red‑and‑yellow modified outfit embroidered with patterns, orange long hair tied into a high ponytail, her face beaming with a radiant smile.

She is gesturing animatedly while speaking, with a half‑eaten lotus pastry plate before her.

To her left sits Li Su Shang—who comes from the Honkai 3 world, dressed in a plain blue‑and‑white patterned dress, a sword at her waist, sipping tea in small sips, her expression a little bewildered, as if she hasn't fully adjusted to the fact that "Xianzhou also has a me called Su Shang."

"I remember,"

Heimu's fingertips lightly tapped the balcony rail, a hint of consideration flashing in his violet‑black eyes, "Su… could she also have appeared in some Arthur Wang‑related legend as a lake‑fairy or something?"

He refers to the Honkai World's Ying Jie—Su, the pioneer who closed her eyes for a thousand years.

If it involves the Arthur Wang legend, he might be a more suitable candidate than Gui Naifen.

【System】: Searching… confirmed.

Ying Jie Su indeed has a connection to the "lake‑fairy" concept in specific records. But—

Heimu raised an eyebrow: "But?"

【System】: Su is currently inside System Space, conducting operations against the Golden Descendant "Ke Lv De La".

According to the latest battle report, both sides have entered a stalemate, and a breakout is not expected in the short term.

Heimu placed a hand on his forehead.

Fine, the Golden Descendant's priority is indeed higher.

That's a commitment she must fulfill.

"…Then we'll stick to the original plan."

She compromised, her tone tinged with resigned fatalism, "Assign Gui Naifen the corresponding abilities…, plus a bit of adaptability adjustment. After all, she's originally a street performer; her performance and agility shouldn't be lacking."

【System】: Command confirmed. Beginning construction of the Gwenivere Spiritual Core framework, injecting enhancement modules…

Heimu redirected his gaze toward the hovering Light Screen.

Gui Naifen rests her cheek on her hand, golden eyes curiously darting back and forth between the two Su Shangs.

"So…"

She elongated her tone, as if discovering a new continent, "You really just look alike, not long‑lost sisters? Even the names are exactly the same!"

Li Su Shang lifts her teacup, a hint of helplessness in her expression: "I've already explained this for the third time, Miss Gui. I come from another world; it's just that I happen to look like this Su Shang."

The local Xianzhou Su Shang nods obediently: "Yeah, yeah. But it's really a coincidence!"

"That's way too coincidental!"

Gui Naifen gasps, then her eyes light up, "How about you form a duo debut! 'Twin Su Shang', perform combat sword dance! It'll be fire! I'll be your manager, commission only thirty percent… no, twenty‑five percent!"

Li Su Shang: "…"

Local Su Shang, bewildered: "Debut?"

While Gui Naifen excitedly maps out the "Su Shang Duo commercial blueprint," a flash suddenly blooms before her eyes.

A virtual panel shimmering with pale blue light hovers before her without warning.

【Want to become a super blogger with a million fans?】

【Want a chance to go viral across worlds?】

【Just join a special "Cross-World Challenge", and everything is within reach!】

【Yes/No】

Gui Naifen: "…Eh?"

She blinked.

The panel remains.

She rubbed her eyes.

The panel remained completely still.

"…Did you see it?" she hesitated, pointing at the space before her, "a… glowing panel?"

Li Su Shang and Su Shang both looked toward the direction she pointed, exchanged a glance, and shook their heads.

"Miss Gui, there's nothing in front of you," Li Su Shang said firmly, her brows slightly furrowed.

"Are you maybe tired from today's performance and seeing things?" Su Shang asked concernedly.

Gui Naifen stared at the panel.

As a traveling street performer, she had seen many oddities, but this kind of "encounter" that confronted her directly was a first.

(Millions of fans… crossing worlds…)

Those two words scratched at her heart like tiny hooks.

She, Gui Naifen, wasn't her greatest dream to have more people see her performances and become a street‑art master famed across the Star Sea?

Is… it?

(Anyway… clicking it won't make me lose a piece of meat, right?)

She extended her index finger, with seven parts curiosity and three parts adventurous spirit, and poked at the sparkling "Yes".

The moment her fingertip touched the virtual Light Screen—

Buzz!!!

Blinding golden light burst from her!

The entire elegant room was illuminated in a sheet of snow‑white!

"Miss Gui?!"

"Gui Naifen?!"

Amid Li Su Shang and Su Shang's gasps, Gui Naifen's figure was erased like by an eraser, vanishing instantly from the seat.

Only a cup of still‑warm tea and a half‑piece of lotus‑flower pastry, already bitten, remained.

The golden light faded.

Li Su Shang sprang to her feet, and Su Shang, startled, covered her mouth.

The two stared at the empty seat, unable to speak for a while.

"Sp‑ spatial transfer?"

Li Su Shang whispered in disbelief, "And with no warning… this is at least…"

She didn't continue, because even she couldn't judge what level of power that was.

Xianzhou Su Shang then cautiously stepped forward, tapping the chair Gui Naifen had just sat on.

It was still warm.

The person was gone.

Heimu's balcony

Heimu watched the image of Gui Naifen's disappearance on the Light Screen, and a faint curve finally lifted the corner of his mouth.

"She does have quite the ambition,"

She said softly, "Although I guess she hasn't figured out the situation at all…"

However, the target was sent in, so the plan was at least half successful.

She switched the view, looking at the surveillance of the real world in Winterwood City.