"What about Sampo?" March 7th suddenly said.
"Sampo's clothes also have a slit exposed at the chest. Is he gay too?"
"That doesn't seem right."
March 7th stroked her chin and recalled:
"If he really was gay, he wouldn't have rejected that gay guy!"
These words immediately corrected Welt's train of thought again.
Zeig reminded her:
"How do you know Sampo isn't gay? Maybe he's just playing hard to get?"
"Huh?"
"Think about it. Every time Sampo messes with that gay guy, doesn't he never actually kill him in the end?"
Zeig's words once again made March 7th and Welt fall into thought.
It really did seem that way.
Immediately after, Zeig asked Welt again:
"Alliance Leader, when you normally get dressed, would you deliberately expose your chest, or your navel, or a bit of your slender waist?"
At this moment, Welt had the expression of an old man looking at his phone on the subway. He frowned and said:
"Of course not. Rather… the vast majority of men basically wouldn't even think of that kind of outfit."
"Exactly—!!"
"So, that guy called Blade, who looks really fierce, must have seduced the Cloud Knight and then ran away!"
"…"
After a moment of silence, Welt still nodded:
"Regardless of whether Blade was truly captured by the Xianzhou, at least for now, he has very likely escaped the Xianzhou's control."
"Therefore, if Jing Yuan wants to lure out the Stellaron Hunters, the best method is to use us, who have connections with Kafka."
"Huh?" March 7th frowned:
"So in the end they're still using us? Do they have no manners? They didn't even tell us!"
The three of them had traveled thousands of miles to come help the Xianzhou, right?
Yet the Xianzhou not only didn't share their plans but treated them as mere tools?
"Damn, Zeig, good thing you asked for compensation, otherwise we'd be too pitiful…!"
"When you were talking to Jing Yuan earlier, I heard a Cloud Knight nearby say that the guy is known as the Wisdom General. The place he lives is called something like… Seat of Divine Foresight?"
"Seat of Divine Foresight?"
Zeig pouted and said:
"It sounds like a place where smart people live. They even named it after that."
"Then… what should we do? I… I don't really want to help them anymore. I feel like we're not on equal footing with them, like we're just their chess pieces."
Facing March 7th's emotions, Zeig said indifferently:
"It doesn't matter. I don't think it's a big deal."
"Why? Don't you feel bad about it?"
"I think… people who like to use schemes to profit off kind and honest folks are at most just cunning opportunists. If they've got the skill, they should go scheme against the Stellaron Hunters or the Destruction Legion instead."
"Huh? We're the honest folks?"
Welt was silent for a moment, then nodded:
"It does seem a bit like that. After all, our original intention is to save people from danger. If Zeig hadn't given me that candy that makes me reckless, our position on the Xianzhou would probably be even more precarious."
After discussing a bit more, the group left the Palace of Astrum.
…
On the other side.
"Haha, Master Diviner, you heard my conversation with them just now. What are your thoughts?"
"What thoughts? You want me to cast a divination for these people to predict their intentions and fortunes?"
"That's not necessary." Jing Yuan smiled at the short projection ahead:
"The Astral Express has nothing to do with this matter. I'm ninety percent certain of that. We don't need to investigate their intentions. As long as the bait is swallowed and the fish is hooked, that's enough."
"Wasn't this my suggestion, General?" the girl said discontentedly.
"Mm, thanks to Master Diviner's wise planning. Although their personalities are a bit extreme and they don't fall for our tricks, it still led to the same result. I'll be counting on you for everything that comes after."
"Heh, then why don't you retire earlier?"
"Now is not the time." Jing Yuan shook his head with a troubled expression:
"If any variables arise, I need to bear the responsibility from the General's position. I can't just leave now and make Master Diviner take all the blame."
"For example… that Welt."
Jing Yuan silently recalled the scene from earlier and smiled:
"If he really went on a killing spree on the Xianzhou, Master Diviner, do you have the confidence to stop him?"
Fu Xuan was silent for several seconds, then nodded:
"As long as you give me some time to set up the array and trap him inside the grand formation, I will definitely be able to…"
"Alright, alright. Master Diviner is the most powerful."
"…Are you looking down on me?"
Jing Yuan smiled toward the back again:
"Yanqing, what do you think?"
"?"
"Yanqing? Yanqing?"
Jing Yuan turned to look behind him. The youth who had just been standing behind him had already disappeared without a trace.
He sensed trouble.
"…This is bad!"
…
The Express crew had just left the Palace of Astrum.
A youth holding a long sword was leaning against the door. He said coldly:
"You are called… Welt Yang, correct?"
"Hm?!"
Welt turned his head toward the youth with a bewildered look and replied in confusion:
"I am… May I ask what you need?"
Zeig and March 7th also looked at the youth with curiosity.
The atmosphere felt off somehow.
"You severely injured Cloud Knights along the way and even beat up Master Yukong… right?"
Upon hearing this, the three immediately understood the youth's purpose.
So he was here for revenge!
March 7th argued on principle:
"They started it with us first! Besides, didn't we heal everyone already?! The Palace of Astrum has been restored to its original state!"
"So what?"
The youth slowly stood up, drew his long sword, and pointed it at the three:
"A fight is a fight. As outsiders visiting the Xianzhou, don't you think your actions were somewhat inappropriate?!"
Zeig couldn't help but raise an eyebrow:
"Are you envious of that woman, so you want the same treatment as her?!"
"Zeig, let's not cause any more trouble. This isn't our intention."
Welt sighed and said to the youth before him:
"Little brother, we did go a bit overboard with this matter, but…"
"You don't need to explain."
Yanqing looked at Welt coldly and said in a deep voice:
"Fight me. If you lose, you have to kneel and kowtow two hundred times to Master Yukong."
"Is that so?" Welt seemed somewhat troubled.
He had indeed hit them, but he couldn't control himself at the time.
"What, are you scared?" Seeing Welt remain silent, Yanqing continued coldly.
This scene was seen by everyone around.
Not only passersby, but also the Cloud Knights who had been beaten by Welt earlier. Even Yukong's guards, upon hearing it at the door, hurriedly ran back into the Palace of Astrum to call people over to watch the show.
"Look, it's Master Yanqing! He's here to get justice for us!"
"Tch, that guy called Welt was so decisive when beating us. Why did he turn into a coward the moment he met Master Yanqing!"
"He only picks on the weak."
"Master Yukong isn't good at close combat to begin with, and we're just ordinary soldiers! Now that Master Yanqing is here, he's gone quiet!"
"Hahahahaha…!"
A burst of laughter came from the surroundings.