On the other side, with the Ghost-Hunting Squad.
Sushang was staring at three computers at the same time, Hanya was browsing websites on her phone, and Xueyi remained completely motionless like a machine.
Their seemingly strange behavior was actually them gathering intelligence.
For the members of the Ghost-Hunting Squad, dealing with Heliobi was not the most troublesome part. With the great god Huohuo presiding over them, handling mere Heliobi fragments was as easy as grabbing them with their hands.
The difficult part was finding those Heliobi.
Just like in certain anime, the final villain was not actually that strong— at most they had a "turn anything touched into a firecracker" mechanic. Meanwhile the protagonist team had both stats and mechanics in their configuration, yet they nearly got wiped out by the villain team.
From this, it could be seen that intelligence and information were often one of the absolute keys to the battle situation.
Therefore, Huohuo and the others had to continuously gather information so they could determine the whereabouts of those Heliobi and carry out the captures.
This was why the current scene existed.
"Helm Master, here is the fruit you asked me to buy."
Fu Xuan brought over several fruit platters, looking somewhat uneasy and restless.
That's right—her role in the Ghost-Hunting Squad was to handle logistics, including but not limited to food, drinks, entertainment, p… cough cough cough.
If you asked whether Huohuo did this on purpose or by accident, it was undoubtedly on purpose.
Although Huohuo had just given Fu Xuan a round of PUA, in the end she had only borrowed the girl to mess with Qingque and had no intention of truly making things difficult for her.
However, to Fu Xuan, this was undoubtedly a denial of her abilities, which made her even more anxious.
Huohuo had just said she would give her a chance to seize it herself… but how could she seize anything by just doing these things aaaah!!!
"H-Helm Master, is there really no other work you can give me?" Fu Xuan hesitated for a moment before gritting her teeth and asking.
"Other work?"
Hearing this, Huohuo looked at Fu Xuan strangely and thought: There's such an easy job and you're not satisfied? Weren't you trained by Qingque? You're actually rushing to find more work for yourself?
So Huohuo thought for a moment and said: "Then how about this? Everyone is busy gathering intelligence right now and it's inconvenient to stop. Why don't you feed us the fruit one by one?"
Huohuo's inner thought: As a leader, when subordinates actively ask for work, I have to assign some tasks to appease them. Otherwise it would be bad if I dampened their enthusiasm.
But to Fu Xuan, these words carried a completely different meaning.
Feed… feed fruit? Could it be… could it be that the Helm Master also wants to take advantage of me…?
Although Fu Xuan was not as clever as Qingque and the others, she had after all worked for a hundred years. She naturally understood what this sudden "ambiguous" request from a superior meant.
After all, Qingque had done this back at the Divination Commission…
But… but that was Senior Qingque! Fu Xuan didn't think Qingque was taking advantage of her, because she didn't resist it in her heart. Or rather, if Senior Qingque wanted to take advantage of her, she would actually be… very happy!
But when Huohuo made this request, Fu Xuan instantly panicked: This kind of thing can only be done with Senior Qingque…
"Hm?"
Huohuo naturally couldn't know what Fu Xuan was thinking inside. She looked at Fu Xuan standing there in a daze and frowned slightly: What's wrong with this little girl? Wasn't she the one who actively asked for work just now? Why does she look unwilling now that she's actually been given a task?
Could it be… this little girl was just talking big earlier? She only wanted to show her presence and didn't actually want to work?
Thinking this, Huohuo's originally somewhat appreciative attitude toward Fu Xuan instantly vanished.
As one of the current pillars of the Luofu, Huohuo did everything personally, so she despised people who only talked big and those who enjoyed the fruits of others' labor the most.
With this thought, Huohuo's expression instantly turned cold. She said: "Miss Fu Xuan, let me remind you—if you don't want to do it, there are plenty of people who do."
"I don't like people who only talk. You need to prove it with your body (here referring to actual actions). Understand?"
Fu Xuan lowered her head and said in extreme panic: "S-Sorry, Helm Master. I was distracted just now. P-Please don't be angry. I will follow your arrangements."
With that, she bit her silver teeth. After a brief hesitation, she finally made up her mind, held up the fruit platter, and moved closer: "Helm Master, please…"
Huohuo (with no malicious intent): "Why are you standing so far away? Am I that scary? It's just feeding fruit. Why do you look so unwilling? Come closer!"
So it really is like this? Fu Xuan thought sadly in her heart. She took a deep breath, silently recited "This is all for Senior Qingque," and proactively leaned toward Huohuo.
Huohuo: ?
She only told Fu Xuan to come closer—she didn't tell her to press up against her like this?
What exactly is this girl doing? She had seen how Fu Xuan acted around Qingque before and felt the girl should be smart?
How strange… Whatever. Looking at her expression, if I say anything more she might start crying. I'll endure it.
Thus, Huohuo enjoyed Fu Xuan's "intimate feeding."
—"H-E-L-M, M-A-S-T-E-R, I, H-A-V-E, F-O-U-N-D, S-U-S-P-I-C-I-O-U-S, I-N-T-E-L-L-I-G-E-N-C-E!"
At this moment, Xueyi, who had been in a high-intensity network connection state, suddenly spoke in her stiff tone: "A-C-C-O-R-D-I-N-G, T-O, C-U-R-R-E-N-T, H-O-T, N-E-W-S, N-O-D-E-S, T-H-E-R-E, S-E-E-M-S, T-O, B-E, A-N, A-B-N-O-R-M-A-L, S-I-T-U-A-T-I-O-N, I-N, T-H-E, A-R-E-A, O-F, T-H-E, A-L-C-H-E-M-Y, C-O-M-M-I-S-S-I-O-N, A-N-D, S-C-A-L-E-G-O-R-G-E, W-A-T-E-R-S-C-A-P-E. T-H-E, S-C-E-N-E, I-S, E-X-T-R-E-M-E-L-Y, T-R-A-G-I-C, A-N-D, V-I-O-L-E-N-T. I, S-T-R-O-N-G-L-Y, S-U-S-P-E-C-T, T-H-E, I-N-F-L-U-E-N-C-E, O-F, A, H-E-L-I-O-B-U-S."
Hearing Xueyi's report, Huohuo's originally somewhat gentle little face instantly turned cold. Without any hesitation she said: "Who exactly is involved? Are there any ordinary people injured on site? What is the situation at the scene?"
"According to Clockie Bird surveillance, the personnel involved include Alchemy Commission Cauldron Master Miss Lingsha, several Luofu Dragon Masters, and the current Luofu Dragon Lord Miss Bailu."
Sushang also quickly pulled up the relevant information and reported in time.
Sushang spoke extremely fast and clearly: "Based on comprehensive analysis of multiple sources, I suspect that Lord Lingsha has been affected by the 'Wrathful Heliobus,' which is why she is acting so irrationally and out of control… Helm Master, we need to hurry."
"I've heard of this Cauldron Master's strength before. She is someone from the Zhuming Xianzhou who often arm-wrestles with Elder Yan and [Flame Court Sovereign]. It's said she can shatter gold and stone with her bare hands—terrifyingly powerful!"
"Combined with the Wrathful Heliobus, if the conflict escalates further… the consequences will be unimaginable."
Huohuo nodded: "No time to lose. Let's move immediately."
Just as everyone was about to set out, Hanya suddenly raised her hand, indicating she had something to say.
Everyone looked at her together.
Hanya: "…In the area of the Alchemy Commission and Scalegorge Waterscape, there is an anomaly."
Everyone: "······"