With Huohuo's identity as a Judge of the Ten Lords Commission, the ghost-catching squad entered the Divination Commission unimpeded and arrived at the spot where Qingque was waiting.
However, there was one extra person in the team: Leon.
They had encountered him at the transfer terminal of the Central Starskiff Haven. Quite the coincidence.
But whether it was truly that coincidental—only Leon knew.
Qingque was idly fiddling with the jade tile in her hand. When she saw the familiar arrivals, her eyes lit up.
"Yo, you guys are here. How come even a Judge from the Ten Lords Commission showed up? Oh, and bestie too!"
Stelle cut straight to the point: "How's the situation inside?"
Qingque: "Let me tell you, things inside the Divination Commission are really off right now. Everyone's muttering to themselves like they're about to stage an office coup."
"Could it be because… I accidentally set a bad example?"
Stelle: "I don't think so."
Huohuo: "Miss Qingque, you're overthinking it. This is purely accidental, but explaining it…"
Leon: "Bestie, you know about Heliobus, right? The Divination Commission might've been invaded by one of those things."
Huohuo froze. "Eh? Weren't we supposed to keep this operation confidential?"
Sushang: "If we downplay it too much, Miss Qingque won't realize how dangerous things are right now."
Huohuo nodded. "That's true… but a Heliobus probably can't do anything to someone with Miss Qingque's desireless personality, right?"
Qingque said proudly, "That's right. What Heliobus would go after me, who loves slacking off? It sounds like surface-level praise, but actually… ehe, just take it as praise."
Stelle: "You shouldn't raise that flag. What if a Heliobus really comes after you?"
Qingque lightly waved her small hand. "Don't worry."
Huohuo: "Then we'll have to trouble Miss Qingque to stand guard here."
"If it's really as dangerous as you say inside, me standing guard here wouldn't be appropriate, right?" Qingque countered.
"If Miss Qingque wants to leave, there's no need to force yourself… No…!"
Huohuo suddenly thought of something and exclaimed in shock:
"Don't tell me you actually want to come in with us? You already know the situation in the Divination Commission. Our team is here specifically to deal with this."
Qingque: "Yeah, I've seen everything."
"But if I turn around and run away now, wouldn't that count as absenteeism? Slacking off at work is one thing, but absenteeism isn't tolerated by the Divination Commission."
"Besides, you need someone familiar with the Divination Commission to lead the way and lend a hand, right? Let's go~~"
...
Qingque led everyone into the Divination Commission.
They didn't encounter a single person along the way and soon arrived at the high platform in front of the core of the Matrix of Prescience Ultima.
Seeing the situation inside the array finally explained why they hadn't run into anyone earlier.
Most of them were down below.
From afar, Qingque accurately spotted the petite pink figure in the crowd.
The armillary sphere floating above the Matrix of Prescience Ultima was even more eerie, emitting waves of extremely faint red mist.
In the night scenery of the Divination Commission under the eternal night environment, it was incredibly creepy.
In this scene, the three girls behind Leon and Stelle had all positioned them as solid shields.
Huohuo's legs were trembling. "Miss Stelle… C-can you stay closer to me? I-I'm a little scared…"
Stelle sighed helplessly. "I know."
Her coat was almost being yanked off by Huohuo—was it really necessary to be this scared?
Sushang gathered her courage to look down and analyze the situation.
"What are they looking at?"
"…Everyone, are you okay?" Qingque shouted from afar, but no one responded.
Only the faint murmurs of the Divination Commission diviners reached their ears one after another.
"The path has always been only one…"
"Divination is meaningless…"
Qingque glanced at the Matrix of Prescience Ultima, deeply puzzled. "How did it become like this?"
Leon opened the seal of a certain incense burner. A breeze blew through, and a refreshing fragrance brushed past the girls' noses.
"It smells so good. Where's this fragrance coming from?"
Guinaifen took a deep breath, her face showing intoxication.
The consciousness that had felt somewhat bloated after entering the Matrix of Prescience Ultima now became incredibly refreshed.
Stelle: "Now's not the time to ask about this. Just know it's insurance to prevent the Heliobus from pulling any tricks."
After all, everyone on the Astral Express crew knew: when Leon made a move, there was nothing to worry about.
Although he was currently in his smiling, squinted-eye form, in this state the Express crew could still always trust that he would remain reliable.
It was just that outsiders might not see it that way…
Huohuo pointed at the figure inside the Matrix of Prescience Ultima. "Look, Master Diviner Fu is standing at the center of the Matrix. What is she doing?"
Qingque: "Judging by the way she's muttering, she should be calculating navigation routes or the future like usual…"
"But the Matrix of Prescience Ultima isn't moving at all. Something's wrong. Very wrong."
Stelle said suspiciously, "Master Diviner Fu might already be possessed by a Heliobus. On this matter, little Guizi and I have the right to speak."
Guinaifen: "It really does look like it."
Qingque pondered. "I read in a book that Heliobus are starfire essences that can freely transform. They love manipulating the dreams and desires of mortals."
"You're saying the Master Diviner has been controlled by something like that? How do we wake her up?"
Huohuo took out the Ten Lords Commission's magical artifact—the Sympathetic Fire Bell.
"Let's try ringing the Sympathetic Fire Bell. If we shake it at a place very close to the Master Diviner, we should be able to enter the illusion shared between her and the Heliobus."
As the pleasant bell sound rang out, Fu Xuan instantly turned around and scolded with raised eyebrows.
"Silence! No noise is allowed inside the Divination Commission!"
Upon hearing this, Qingque—who knew her well—smiled. "You've woken up, Master Diviner!"
Huohuo shook her head instead. "…Or should we call you Xiyan for now?"
"It doesn't matter what you call me. Whether Fu Xuan or Xiyan, I am the sole master of this Divination Commission."
Fu Xuan's face was full of dignity, her tone carrying the oppressive aura of someone long accustomed to a high position.
"The divination work is currently at a critical juncture and cannot be disturbed by others. Even a Judge from the Ten Lords Commission or guests from the Astral Express are not allowed to act recklessly here!"
Fu Xuan's gaze fell on Qingque, her face showing anger.
"Qingque, it's you again!"
"You're the one who brought these people into the department? Have you been treating the rules I set on a daily basis as mere wind passing by your ears?!"
Qingque blinked and said nothing, waiting for Fu Xuan to continue.
Fu Xuan stared at her for a moment, then said something shocking:
"Qingque, you are fired!"
Qingque was instantly stunned.
"I…? This… this also…"
Sushang: "Damn… in one go we've lost one member…!"
The girls all deeply agreed.
This Heliobus named Xiyan was quite ruthless.
It had actually directly fired an employee. The next step would probably be to kick the person out, right?
But they never expected Qingque's next words to make everyone's vision go black.
"This is great too!!"
[Ah??]
[Hard to believe, as expected of Qingque!]
[Reversing the heavens— even getting fired can make Qingque this happy?]