Having achieved her goal, Jingliu did not linger.
She nodded slightly toward Baiheng and System: "Since that is the case, I shall not disturb you further."
After speaking, she held the Erhu, turned, and walked steadily out of the small courtyard, gently closing the courtyard door that had been swaying open for half the day.
It wasn't until Jingliu's footsteps completely disappeared down the alley that Baiheng slumped like a deflated balloon, her legs going weak, nearly collapsing onto the ground.
She leaned on the stone table, looked at the relaxed Cipher, and felt her headache worsen.
"Cipher! How—how could you agree to that!"
Baiheng lowered her voice, feeling anxious and helpless.
"Hmm? Why shouldn't I agree?"
Cipher turned back, full of confusion. "Didn't she apologize and invite us for tea? Although she's a bit cold, she seems... quite reasonable? Much better than some of the big guys in Amphoreus who constantly threaten violence."
She clearly hadn't realized the seriousness of the situation.
"Reasonable? Do you even know who she is!" Baiheng was practically tearing her hair out.
System, who had been quietly observing, spoke again. Its voice was still flat, but it made Baiheng's heart sink completely: "She is not 'quite reasonable,' she is 'very strategic.'"
As it spoke, System pulled out a thin, yet information-dense, transparent panel from an unknown location. Its finger slid quickly across it, then it turned the panel toward Cipher, where dense text and data began to scroll.
"If you had even the most basic understanding of her so-called 'resume' and'style of conduct,'"
System looked at Cipher, "you wouldn't think that tomorrow's tea party is merely a 'friendly compensation.'"
Cipher leaned closer curiously, scanning the information flowing down the panel like a waterfall.
At first, she was a bit careless, but soon, her gaze fixed, her ears twitched slightly, and her Tail instinctively stopped swaying.
On the panel, keywords and summaries regarding "Jingliu" flashed continuously:
[Former Xianzhou Luofu Sword Master, one of the High-Cloud Quintet...]
[Fell into Mara, defected from the Xianzhou, once caused great chaos in the Scalegorge Waterscape...]
[Combat Rating: Extremely High. Danger Level: Extremely High.]
[Personality Analysis: Extremely rational, iron-willed, decisive in achieving goals, acutely perceptive of potential threats...]
[Recent Activity: Active in the shadows of the Luofu, whereabouts unknown, motives unclear, suspected contact with multiple factions...]
[Connection to Target 'Bai Xing': Observed closely multiple times, suspicion aroused, assessed as one of the current highest risk factors...]
Further down were dense records of specific incidents, combat analyses, and psychological profiles... As Cipher read, she instinctively drew a sharp breath.
"Hiss—"
"This person... has such a long history?"
Subsequently, Cipher significantly reined in the playful smile on her face.
She walked over to Baiheng, patted her shoulder, and her tone became more serious: "Alright, I think I understand now. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
A flash of shrewd brilliance, tempered by the passage of long years, crossed her blue cat eyes. "These kinds of... hmm, people with a long past and ridiculously strong power, I've encountered them before. I know how to handle it. I'll watch my boundaries and won't cause trouble for you and Mu Zi."
Her reassurance failed to completely dispel the gloom in Baiheng's heart.
Baiheng looked at her, her eyes full of worry: "Cipher, Jingliu is extremely perceptive. Although you handled yourself well just now, tomorrow... are you sure you want to go?"
"Of course, why wouldn't I go?"
Cipher smiled instead, a hint of eager cunning in her expression. "She invited me; wouldn't not going be more suspicious? Relax, I'm just a 'lost stray Cat-eared Girl.' What major incident could happen if I just accompany her, eat and drink, and answer some innocuous questions? Besides, I wanted to learn more about this Xianzhou anyway. And..."
She blinked, "Maybe I can even hear some interesting stories from her, or... help you observe the latest movements of this dangerous individual?"
She spoke lightly, but Baiheng knew that dealing with Jingliu could never be so simple.
It was dancing on the tip of a knife; one misstep could lead to unforeseen consequences.
Seeing Cipher's "leave it to me" expression, Baiheng could only suppress her worries, letting them turn into a heavy sigh.
"...I hope so."
She whispered, her gaze involuntarily drifting toward the courtyard gate.
Huo Huo sat in front of the desk, a piece of paper spread before her with handwriting so neat it seemed overly forced—it was yet another version of the "Resignation Letter."
Every character was written perfectly straight, as if intending to nail all hesitation and cowardice to the pen tip.
After writing the final period, she put down the pen, but instead of feeling relieved, she felt the inexplicable irritation in her heart intensify, like a wad of wet cotton stuck in her chest, suffocating her.
She couldn't help but sigh again, her pale blue fox ears drooping listlessly.
"Yo, finished another one? Which version is this now?"
A cluster of greenish-blue flames "popped" out from the tip of her large Tail, condensing into the phantom of Tail Master, wearing his usual mocking expression. "I told you, little coward, can't you do something else? You wrestle with this paper all day, but it won't fly itself onto your boss's desk."
Normally, Huo Huo would either flinch in fright or offer a small, wronged defense; the most assertive she would ever be was silent submission.
But today, the frustration blocking her chest, provoked by Tail Master's condescending mockery, ignited like a spark dropped into an oil barrel—
She snapped her head around. Her pale blue eyes were no longer the usual watery, timid pools; instead, they were wide open, burning with an unprecedented impatience. Her voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear, even aggressive:
"shut up, Tail! I'm annoyed right now!"
"..."
The air was silent for a moment.
The phantom figure of Tail Master, constructed from green flames, seemed to freeze and waver.
For the first time, an expression of near bewilderment appeared on his mocking face.
The flickering at the edges of the flame stopped, as if processing a reaction completely outside its realm of understanding.
(...What?)
(Just now... did this little coward... tell me to shut up? And in that tone?)
A few seconds later, the green flame became active again, suddenly shooting up a small segment, carrying the shock of being offended:
"Hah?!"
Tail Master's voice rose, full of the threatening implication of "Say that again?" "What did you say? I don't think I heard you clearly!"
He wondered if he had slept too long, or if the little coward had been possessed by something strange.
Huo Huo looked at his "How dare you resist" demeanor, and the nameless fire in her chest burned hotter.
Instead of shrinking her neck as usual, she straightened her back slightly, lifting her chin slightly. Her voice was louder than before, and even more aggressive:
"Are you deaf? I said it so loudly, didn't you hear me? I'm annoyed! I told you to shut up!"
Every word was clear and forceful.
Although her naturally soft vocal tone lessened the true ferocity of the words, the undeniable irritation was clearer than ever before!
Tail Master was completely dumbfounded.
(Hey—!)
(Three days without a scolding, and you climb onto the roof to tear off the tiles?!)
(When did you get so aggressive?! Who gave you the guts?!)
After the astonishment came towering fury!
The greenish-blue flame surged "boom," instantly filling a good portion of the room. The cold, blazing temperature slightly warped the air, and Tail Master's exasperated roar came from within the flames:
"You've rebelled! How dare you speak to your Tail Master like that?! It seems I haven't shown you what 'rules' are for too long!"
The flame transformed into a hideous demonic mask, rushing toward Huo Huo's cheek with terrifying might!
This was his usual intimidation tactic, infallible every time, always reducing the little coward to tears and begging for mercy.
However—
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