The anticipated interrogation, or even the scene of the Cloud Knights breaking down the door, did not occur.
Everything at the Divination Commission was as usual; colleagues chatted about what to have for lunch and complained about the complex workload. Occasionally, someone mentioned that there seemed to be a commotion at the port area this morning, but it was quickly brushed aside by other topics.
The weight on Qingque's heart eased just a tiny bit.
(Could it be... it's really okay?)
(God bless, Emperor Bow above, God of Slacking protect me...)
She let out a stealthy sigh of relief and picked up her teacup to take a sip to calm her nerves, but her gaze fell once again on the "culprit" jade plaque in her palm.
The jade plaque was still warm and lovely, with the green fish carving looking lifelike, as if silently mocking her embarrassment from the morning and her current sense of luck.
Qingque couldn't help but smile bitterly, muttering in a voice only she could hear: "I say, brother jade plaque... you've really put me through it. Could you give me a heads-up next time? Or maybe make a smaller scene?"
Just then—
"Qingque!"
A colleague poked their head in from the door, "Lady Fu Xuan wants you to come to her office!"
"Pfft—!!!"
Qingque almost sprayed a mouthful of water all over the star charts!
She hurriedly wiped her mouth and the desk, her heart instantly leaping back into her throat!
(It's—it's here! As expected, I can't escape?!)
(Lady Fu Xuan called for me... did she discover something? Is she going to interrogate me personally?)
(What should I say? Play dumb? Confess? Or... run for it?)
Countless thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant, every single one pointing toward a disastrous ending.
Her face turned pale, then paler, but eventually, she stood up as if resigning herself to fate, dragging her legs that felt like they were filled with lead as she slowly shuffled toward Fu Xuan's office.
Every step felt like walking on the edge of a blade.
Finally, she stood before that office door, a symbol of authority and pressure.
After taking several deep breaths, she finally mustered the courage to raise her hand and gently knock on the door.
"Enter."
Fu Xuan's cool, steady voice came from inside.
Qingque pushed open the door and walked in cautiously.
Fu Xuan was sitting behind her large desk, looking down as she reviewed a document.
She was still in her exquisite Divination Commission uniform today, her long pink hair tied up meticulously, and the Dharma Eye on her forehead seemed to contain infinite wisdom.
Sunlight spilled over her through the window, making her look both serious and possessed of an inviolable majesty.
"L-Lady Fu Xuan..."
Qingque tried her best to make her voice sound normal as she gave a proper salute, "You were looking for me?"
Fu Xuan looked up, her gaze lingering on Qingque's face for a moment before falling back to the document, her tone flat: "Mm. Sit."
Qingque sat in the chair opposite the desk as told, only daring to perch on the edge. Her back was ramrod straight, and her hands were on her knees, looking like a well-behaved student listening to a lesson—though her heart was already pounding like a drum.
Fu Xuan quickly flipped a page of the document, asking casually while reading: "How is the verification of the morning's observation reports for each district going?"
"Reporting to my Lady, seventy percent has been verified. No large-scale abnormal energy fluctuations were found. Some areas had scattered Void Ranger reactions, which have been handed over to the Cloud Knights for processing according to protocol." Qingque answered fluently; this was her daily work, and she knew it by heart.
"Mm."
Fu Xuan nodded, seemingly unsurprised by the content of her report.
She closed the document in her hand and finally turned her gaze fully toward Qingque, those eyes that seemed capable of seeing through people's hearts scanning Qingque's face.
Qingque felt her skin crawl under the gaze, but she still had to maintain her standard "subordinate listening to instructions" expression.
"You look,"
Fu Xuan suddenly spoke, her voice still steady but with a hint of inquiry, "somewhat nervous. What is it?"
!!!
Qingque's heart skipped a beat, but she reacted instantly, forcing a smile and waving her hands repeatedly: "N-No! Lady Fu Xuan, you must be mistaken. Why would I be nervous? Maybe I just didn't sleep well last night, so I'm a bit out of it... yes, I didn't sleep well!"
As she spoke, she even made a show of rubbing her eyes to add credibility to her words.
Fu Xuan raised an eyebrow slightly, clearly unconvinced: "Didn't sleep well? Were you up all night researching those 'jade tiles arrays' again? Or perhaps..."
She drew out her words, "You've caused some trouble again and are afraid this seat will find out?"
"How could that be!"
Qingque's voice rose slightly without her realizing it, then she quickly lowered it, smiling apologetically, "Lady Fu Xuan, please be the judge! I've been very well-behaved lately! I come to work on time, work seriously... er, as seriously as possible, and I've even been going to the tile parlors less! I definitely haven't caused any trouble!"
As she spoke, she prayed frantically in her heart: Please don't ask about this morning! Please don't ask!
Fu Xuan looked at her suspicious behavior, which was made even more obvious by her attempts to hide it. Her brow furrowed for a moment, but in the end, she didn't seem to intend to press further.
Perhaps it was because the official business on the desk was indeed voluminous, or perhaps for some other reason.
"Very well."
Fu Xuan picked up a new document, her tone returning to businesslike, "At the start of the hour of the Monkey, there will be several important guests. They are visitors from the Astral Express, and this trip is of great significance. You will represent the Divination Commission to welcome them and be responsible for leading them to this seat."
"Astral Express?"
Qingque was stunned for a moment, then immediately nodded, "Yes! This subordinate understands! I guarantee I will complete the mission!"
As long as she wasn't being questioned about this morning, she would go pick up anyone!
She'd even pick up a trainload of Void Rangers!
"Mm. There will be someone from the Cloud Knights to assist at that time; you are primarily responsible for the reception and guidance. Remember, your attitude must be proper; do not lose the dignity of the Divination Commission."
Fu Xuan gave one last instruction and then waved her hand, "Go. Finish verifying the remaining reports from this morning."
"Yes! This subordinate takes her leave!"
Qingque felt as if she had been granted a grand amnesty. She immediately stood up, saluted, and then exited the office with a step that was as steady as she could manage (though she actually wanted to bolt).
Only after closing the office door and leaning against the cool door panel did Qingque truly breathe a sigh of relief, feeling her back slightly damp with sweat.
(Scared me to death... I really thought I was finished...)
(But, Lady Fu Xuan really doesn't seem to know about this morning?)
She patted her chest, composed herself, and prepared to head back to her workstation.
As she turned, her gaze inadvertently brushed over a corner of Fu Xuan's desk.
There, beside a pile of neat documents and star-charting instruments, sat something quietly—a cute, fluffy pink fish-shaped plushie.
Qingque's footsteps halted.
(...A fish plushie?)
(And it's pink?)
(In Lady Fu Xuan's office... there would be such a thing?)
She blinked, wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her.
The ever-serious Lady Fu Xuan, whose office decorations were always minimalist and orderly, would place a... girlish pink fish plushie by her desk?
And... why did the style of that plushie look vaguely familiar?
It seemed to have a bit of a resemblance... to her own style?
Qingque tilted her head, a small question mark popping up in her mind.
But she didn't dare look more, nor did she dare think further, and quickly scurried back to her station.
(Forget it, forget it, what's wrong with a big shot having some private hobbies? Maybe it was a gift from someone else.)
(I'd better think about how to maintain a proper attitude to pick people up this afternoon...)
Perspective Shift.
Herta crossed her arms, her long brown hair fluttering slightly in the night breeze.
She looked at the golden ripples spreading across the sky as if ignited, and the Noble Phantasms emerging from them; in her violet-black eyes, there was no fear, only an appraisal of extreme coldness.
(Is this the 'top-tier display of firepower' for this world? Overly reliant on the accumulation of 'legends' and 'concepts' through brute force, lacking fundamental optimization.)
(Forget it, let's end this farce early.)
She had lost the patience to continue observing.
So, she simply and crisply snapped her fingers.
Snap.
The sound was sharp, carrying clearly outside the courtyard.
The next moment—
Vrrrrm!!!!
The diamond-shaped purple magic mirrors surrounding the entire perimeter of the Tohsaka Residence erupted with deep purple light from their centers simultaneously!
The trajectory of every mana cannon shot was calculated instantaneously, weaving a three-dimensional web of death that blasted toward Gilgamesh, suspended in mid-air, from all directions—above, below, left, and right—with no blind spots!
There was no warning, no prelude—just a saturation strike that was efficient to the point of being cold-blooded!
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[email protected]/SolyuraMT
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