"Ugh... What happened..."
Guinaifen groggily woke up from unconsciousness. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw five people surrounding her and was instantly scared: "Who, who are you people?! Why did you kidnap me?"
"Because I want some Heliobuses." Cirrus kept a straight face and said: "I advise you to cooperate obediently. Otherwise, even if you scream until your throat breaks, no one will come to save you!"
As it spoke, it pressed Guinaifen's head to look to the side: "Take a good look. This is the edge of Stargazer Navalia. Once you fall from here… hehehe, you might not even find the corpse."
Guinaifen nervously swallowed and said weakly: "But… why did you kidnap me? That Heliobus stuff has nothing to do with me. I, I'm just an entertainment streamer, just an ordinary person."
"Who would care about the life or death of a small streamer like me...?"
"Still pretending!"
Cirrus glared: "I already investigated your background beforehand."
"Your assistant Jing Yuan is the retired former Luofu General. With that connection, I'm not afraid he can't get me the Heliobuses I want."
Guinaifen was stunned: "Huh?"
Retired General? Old Jing?
"Impossible, absolutely impossible!" Guinaifen shook her head desperately: "What kind of general goes around eating from a hundred families like a poor ghost? Although his knowledge is indeed profound and his every move is extraordinary, he never has enough money when he's out, and he still owes me quite a bit!"
"How could he possibly be a general?"
Hearing this, Cirrus immediately laughed: "Haha, I didn't expect a little girl like you to be so loyal. But at this point, you're still pretending?"
"I just checked. He sold the adaptation rights to his manga recently and became a millionaire. How could he be a poor ghost?"
Guinaifen's eyes widened: "What?!"
Cirrus was stunned: "Ah? You didn't know?"
"Old Jing! You bastard!" Guinaifen flew into a rage. "You got rich and didn't pay me back, and you even tricked me! Now you've gotten me kidnapped!"
The Jealousy Heliobus nodded in agreement: "Exactly, exactly. Hmph, that kind of person really has no bottom line. For a few credit points, he actually sold his manga portrait rights. And why can his portrait rights sell for so much..."
"So jealous. Why does trash like him live better than me? …No, he actually doesn't live as well as me. At least I have a few Heliobus companions, while the people around that kind of person will only gradually distance themselves from him."
"What are you muttering about?" Guinaifen glared at the Jealousy Heliobus with hostility: "Talking badly about someone behind their back — do you have any shame?"
Jealousy Heliobus: ?
The Jealousy Heliobus was stunned: "Wait… didn't you just curse him too? Aren't we… on the same side?"
Guinaifen rolled her eyes at it: "On the same side as you? Have you figured out the current situation? I'm still tied up by you guys!"
"Besides, me cursing him and you cursing him — how can those be the same?"
"You!"
"..."
While Guinaifen and the Jealousy Heliobus were bickering, Cirrus suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.
Why did it feel like it was being watched by countless pairs of eyes?
...
At the same time, on the other side.
On a small mountain made of stacked containers at Stargazer Navalia.
This area of containers looked ordinary, but in reality, a section of telescope extended from a hole in one container, perfectly observing every move of Guinaifen and the others.
Jing Yuan observed for a while with narrowed eyes and finally sighed: "The situation has changed. Huohuo, withdraw the stealth mechanical bird."
"Those Heliobuses have possessed innocent ordinary people. We can't use a blitz anymore. We can only use Plan B. Spit out those two Heliobuses. I'll take them over to exchange for the hostage."
Hearing this, Huohuo beside him only nodded faintly. With a flick of her tail, two wisps of thin flames were spat out — they were clearly the Lust and Wrath Heliobuses that had been subdued not long ago.
Jing Yuan took out a gourd and collected both Heliobuses inside. Together with the Greedy Heliobus that had just been escorted back from Fyxestroll Garden, Cirrus's demands were now satisfied.
Next, they had to figure out how to annihilate the other side while making the exchange.
"Old Jing, I thought of a way."
Bailu excitedly flexed her wrists: "After we rescue Sister Guinaifen later, we'll charge in and capture all those bad guys in one fell swoop. How about it? Isn't it very smart?"
Jing Yuan was silent for two seconds, then showed a "smile for Bailu": "Oh—— That's truly too smart. How did I not think of that?"
"Eh? Really? Even you didn't think of it?"
"Really, really."
"..."
Jingliu satisfiedly removed her sword from Jing Yuan's waist.
Crazy old woman!
Jing Yuan secretly cursed in his heart, but still cleared his throat and said: "However, the other side has probably considered this situation as well, so they definitely have backup plans. We only need to consider two points."
"First, whether the other side will honor their promise and hand over the person."
"Second, the backup plans they prepared to escape."
"Ah, of course. With our current lineup, even if Phantylia came we could beat her up, let alone a few insignificant Heliobuses." Jing Yuan looked around at the people present: "But to be safe, everyone should still stay alert."
"Understood." Everyone answered in unison.
Seeing this, Jing Yuan nodded, then glanced at his phone: He had just received a message from Stelle saying she would also bring people to help, but he didn't know when they would arrive.
...Forget it. He had enough manpower here anyway. He couldn't always trouble the Astral Express crew for help.
Time to make a move.
With that thought, Jing Yuan took the gourd and walked toward Cirrus and the others.
...
"Hm? You came?"
Cirrus looked at Jing Yuan walking over alone and immediately drew a long spear, pressing it against Guinaifen's neck: "Where are the Heliobuses I want? Give them to me quickly, or I'll kill her!"
"They're here."
Seeing this, Jing Yuan quickly took out a gourd: "All three Heliobuses are here. Take them if you want. Just don't hurt Little Guizi."
"Old Jing..."
Guinaifen looked at Jing Yuan with some worry: "You really are a retired General? Is it okay to use this to save me?"
She rarely saw the usually relaxed and calm Jing Yuan show such a serious expression.
Jing Yuan shook his head without speaking, simply staring at Cirrus and waiting for his next move.
Sure enough, as he expected, Cirrus did not easily let go: "Throw it over."
Jing Yuan narrowed his golden eyes slightly. He did not comply immediately and instead asked: "Cirrus, if I honor my promise and hand these three Heliobuses to you, will you honor your promise and return Little Guizi to me?"
Cirrus answered without hesitation: "Of course."
Jing Yuan continued: "But you should understand that if you return Little Guizi to us, you will no longer have any trump card to contend with me… Aren't you afraid I'll make a move and snatch her by force afterward?"
Cirrus laughed: "Heh heh, of course I've thought of that. However, do you think I didn't prepare anything?"