Chapter 862: Report

The Tai Bu Si's Exhaustive Observation Formation ran especially sluggish today.

The great formation's jade wheel rolled slowly beneath the dome.

The divination symbols' phosphorescence flickered at the jade wheel's edge, and pale golden rune chains draped from the dome, weaving a semi‑transparent giant net in the air.

Fu Xuan stood hands behind on the star‑observing platform at the top layer of the Exhaustive Observation Formation, a golden hairpin set in her powder‑purple sky‑rising bun flashing a warm gold line now and then in the dim blue halo.

Her pink pupils stared into the formation; there, Xing stood with hands on hips in an extremely casual pose, head tilted slightly, bronze‑gold apricot eyes half‑closed, a smile at the corner of the mouth completely out of place for an interrogation.

Opposite Xing, Kafuka stood quietly at the center of the Exhaustive Observation Formation, her wine‑red and deep‑purple long hair drifting gently in the barely perceptible currents, the black coat draped over her shoulders occasionally flipping a corner to reveal wine‑red dark patterns lining the interior.

She clasped her hands before her; the spider‑web dark pattern on her wine‑red gloves was faintly visible under the jade aura's cold light, a composed faint smile at the corner of her mouth, as if she had come for an afternoon tea.

"So you're saying the trash can's color has a strict ranking for you?"

Kafuka's voice floated from the formation, tone relaxed.

"Of course there are levels!"

Xing's voice rose a half step, carrying the indignation of "you actually ask that question," "Silver is the basic model, everywhere, not worth mentioning. Gold is the rare model, you have to flip it when you see it. But the top‑most—"

She raised a finger, her expression solemn as if proclaiming a universal truth, "—it's the bronze‑colored trash can with dark patterns. Those patterns aren't printed; they form naturally during casting, each one different. The last time I flipped one at the Space Station, it was empty inside—not the emptiness of no one having thrown trash, but an emptiness where even trash dares not be tossed into such a high‑grade can—do you understand?"

"I think I can understand."

Kafuka nodded, her tone carrying genuine appreciation, "What about the black trash can?"

"Black?"

Xing wrinkled her nose, "Camouflage color. Looks high‑end, but most are cheap bulk purchases for public areas, the inner liners nine‑times‑out‑of‑ten are cracked. However—"

She shifted tone, eyes brightening, "—if you see a black one with gold trim at the Star Chariot pier of Xianzhou Luofu, that's a different matter. That's used exclusively by the Cloud Cavalry logistics division; you must be careful when flipping it, as it may contain unfinished rations. The ration packaging counts as trash, but Cloud Cavalry's ration bags bear serial numbers; collecting twelve different numbers lets you exchange for a new bag of rations, a fact a Cloud Cavalry brother told me when I last flipped one."

Fu Xuan closed her eyes.

She inhaled deeply, letting the air in her lungs suppress the urge to slam the table.

Then she slowly opened her eyes, looking again at the two interlocutors at the center of the Exhaustive Observation Formation engaged in a "cross‑galactic trash‑can cultural deep exchange."

The topic had shifted from the trash can's color to its material, then from material to origin; now Kafuka was leisurely probing, "So what fundamental design differences exist between the Xianzhou Alliance's trash cans and the company's," and Xing was actually pondering the question seriously.

"Grand Diviner."

A crisp voice sounded extremely close to her ear.

Fu Xuan did not turn her head.

Xue Yi, at some point, had already stood half a step behind her; the poised girl's silhouette almost merged with the shadows under the dim light of the star‑observing platform.

She slightly bent forward, her clear, cool face close to Fu Xuan's ear, lips barely moving.

"General Lord and Little Dragon Girl have already been settled."

Fu Xuan's brows relaxed a little.

Jing Yuan and that suddenly‑mad Little Dragon Girl had finally been properly settled.

That was the first good news received today.

She turned her head, replying in the same low voice, "So what about Qingque?"

Silence lingered for a beat.

"Subordinate has not yet discovered."

Xue Yi's voice remained steady.

"The Dan Ding Department has been completely sealed; all exits are guarded by Cloud Cavalry. Qingque's whereabouts have not yet been found."

Fu Xuan's brows furrowed again.

She drew her hand from behind, her right hand unconsciously rubbing the cuff of her left sleeve.

The silence lasted about five seconds.

In those five seconds, Fu Xuan's mind raced: the Dan Ding Department was sealed, yet Qingque wasn't found, indicating the girl wasn't in Dan Ding.

Then where did she go?

After falling unconscious at Shen Ce Fu, she was sent to Dan Ding, a move personally arranged by Bai Lu; she should have been lying in a ward there.

But now the person is missing, and this is under the premise that Dan Ding is already sealed.

That either means Qingque left before the seal, or she vanished by a method that bypassed everyone's sight.

Either way, Fu Xuan's nape tightened faintly.

More importantly, before Qingque's unconsciousness, she force‑kissed her in front of all civil and military officials of Xianzhou Luofu.

That debt hasn't been settled yet!

In short, whatever the reason, her whereabouts are now crucial information the Tai Bu Si must grasp.

Fu Xuan redirected her gaze to the center of the Exhaustive Observation Formation.

Xing was showing Kafuka a photo of a trash can she had taken with her phone; Kafuka lowered her head to the screen, the curve of her mouth bending a bit more, appearing genuinely interested.

Their topic had already extended from trash cans to "the tactile differences when flipping various types of trash cans."

Fu Xuan closed her eyes, then opened them.

"Continue the investigation." She paused, lips pressed into a line, "The living must be seen."

She paused again.

"Dead—dead must also be brought back."

Xue Yi straightened.

The poised girl's face remained expressionless as always, her crimson pupils in the dim light of the star‑observing platform as still as two frozen wells.

She slightly lowered her head, pressed her right hand to her chest, and performed a bow.

"Yes. Subordinate understands."

She turned, her garment's hem tracing a crisp arc in the air, her small leather boots striking the stone slabs of the star‑observing platform with a regular light clack, stepping back into the deep shadows.

Just as she was about to vanish completely behind the colonnade, a silent flash of pale green light flickered deep within Xue Yi's crimson pupils.

It was like a bubble that suddenly rose from deep water, only to be pressed back down before reaching the surface.

Then he turned and vanished into the shadows of the colonnade.

Fu Xuan's attention had already returned to the Exhaustive Observation Formation; Xing was gesturing with his hand the size of a trash can, while Kafuka gracefully rested their chin and listened intently, the atmosphere between them as congenial as an academic symposium.

Fu Xuan watched the scene and felt their blood pressure beginning to surge again.