"You... you actually did it just for this?!"
In the Divination Commission, the exhausted Fu Xuan, panting heavily from expending too much energy, stared incredulously at Kafka, the Stellaron Hunter currently floating mid-air under the influence of the Matrix of Prescience Ultima.
"According to Elio's script, and even knowing the script's unpredictability, you still dared to do it... just to make the Xianzhou Alliance owe the Astral Express a favor? This is utterly absurd!"
After using the Matrix of Prescience Ultima to probe Kafka's heart, Fu Xuan felt as if her entire worldview had been overturned. After all her painstaking efforts to investigate, the result turned out to be such a ridiculous one.
In response, Kafka merely smiled faintly: "Well, do you like this truth, my dear Master Diviner?"
After speaking, Kafka's gaze swept around her surroundings, a trace of disappointment flashing in her eyes.
"Hmph! Are you thinking about those Nameless from the Astral Express? Unfortunately for you, your script has gone awry—they aren't here right now."
Kafka was still within the Matrix of Prescience Ultima, and this slight disappointment of hers didn't escape Fu Xuan's notice. With a cold snort, Fu Xuan turned to Qingque, who had been idly watching the spectacle behind her.
"I must report this matter to the general immediately. Qingque, stay here and keep an eye on her for me!"
"Ah? Me?! Master Diviner, please reconsider! I, Qingque, am not cut out for this job! Master Diviner—"
Ignoring Qingque's wails, Fu Xuan swiftly left the Matrix of Prescience Ultima, strode out of the Divination Commission, and raced toward the Seat of Divine Foresight like a shooting star.
After Fu Xuan left, Qingque slumped against the wall like a wilted plant, muttering complaints: "Master Diviner is too cunning... She didn't even give me a chance to refuse..."
Just as Qingque was grumbling, a voice brimming with seductive power whispered in her ear.
"Listen to me, little one. You're very sleepy now... You want to take a good nap. Imagine yourself in your mother's embrace, like a baby..."
This was Kafka's Spirit Whisper. With Fu Xuan gone, Kafka, believing no one present could threaten her anymore, decided to simply use her Spirit Whisper to lull Qingque to sleep before making her escape.
However...
"I'm not sleepy right now. But if you want to escape, you'd better hurry. I can pretend I didn't see anything." Qingque yawned lazily, seemingly unaffected by Kafka's hypnosis.
"Oh? How interesting..."
Kafka's interest was piqued. She hadn't expected her Spirit Whisper to have no effect whatsoever on the young girl before her.
The girl named Qingque existed in Elio's script, but she wasn't an actor in this scene. Moreover, it appeared she harbored many unknown secrets. And the fact that she was urging Kafka to run away made it all the more intriguing.
"Little girl, are you that Fu Xuan's subordinate?" Kafka began making casual conversation.
"Little girl?" Qingque tilted her head slightly, glancing at Kafka before pulling out a cup of douzhi (fermented bean drink) and sipping it as she replied, "Don't call me 'little girl.' I'm a Xianzhou native—I might even be old enough to be your great-grandmother."
"Hehe, is that so? Then, Great-Grandmother Qingque~"
"Pfft—! Cough, cough, cough...!"
Apparently unprepared for Kafka's outrageous remark, Qingque choked on her drink, coughing uncontrollably.
"You... Ugh, never mind. I won't bother with you—go!"
Qingque flicked out a Jade Tile, which instantly grazed past Kafka's hair and collided behind her, producing a crisp metallic ring.
Appearing behind Kafka was Blade, holding his shattered sword. Originally, he should have been locked in the Shackling Prison, but Kafka had rescued him shortly after arriving on the Xianzhou. Of course, this was also part of the original script.
"So you're the Stellaron Hunter who escaped a couple of days ago?"
Seeing this, Qingque said nothing more and instead retracted her Jade Tile.
After confirming there were no third parties present, this master of slacking off waved at the two. "Hurry up and leave. I'll pretend I didn't see anything."
"Hehe, thank you very much, Qingque." Kafka chuckled lightly before turning to Blade. "Bladie, let's go."
Blade frowned slightly at Kafka's words and asked, "Kafka, shouldn't we eliminate her? I have a feeling she's a formidable opponent."
Hearing this, Kafka massaged her temples helplessly. "If you already know she's a formidable opponent, why bother fighting? Let's just go."
Watching as Blade and Kafka departed, Qingque sat up and sent a message to Fu Xuan.
Meanwhile, in the Seat of Divine Foresight, Fu Xuan—who had been reporting the Stellaron Hunter incident to Jing Yuan—turned visibly grim upon reading the message, her entire body radiating a terrifying, ominous aura.
This startled Jing Yuan, who had been drowsy from listening to the tedious reports, jolting him awake as he frantically searched for the source of the hostility.
When he realized it was Fu Xuan glaring furiously at her jade abacus, he sighed in relief.
'Scared me for a moment. I thought Master Diviner was about to stage a coup while I was asleep.'
"Master Diviner, what happened?" Jing Yuan asked cautiously.
Fu Xuan looked up, gritting her teeth as she replied, "See for yourself!"
Taking the jade abacus from Fu Xuan, Jing Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly after reading its contents:
Master Diviner, I regret to inform you that I was powerless to stop Kafka, the Stellaron Hunter, from being rescued by her accomplice. I have some matters to attend to, so I'll be taking my leave now. Please handle the aftermath when you have time, old friend.
"This..."
For a moment, Jing Yuan was at a loss for words. Both he and Fu Xuan were aware that Qingque had grown to the level of an Emanator. Even higher-ups like the Xianzhou's Marshal Hua and the other generals of the Alliance had heard whispers of it.
After all, the birth of an Emanator on the Xianzhou couldn't simply be concealed—it had to be reported. Even General Feixiao of the Sky-Faring Commission had probed Jing Yuan for hints, wondering if there was a chance to poach Qingque.
So, the question remained: As an Emanator—perhaps even the most powerful one on the Path of Causality—how could Qingque fail to keep watch over a mere Stellaron Hunter? Even if Kafka had accomplices, they would be no match for an Emanator.
Thus, there was only one plausible explanation: Qingque had intentionally let them escape.
"Why would Qingque let them go? Has she betrayed the Xianzhou? That doesn't seem right..."
Fu Xuan rested her chin on her hand, deep in thought, yet unable to make sense of it. In the past, she could have used the Matrix of Prescience Ultima or her "Third Eye" to deduce the truth. But now, with Qingque's power far surpassing her own, she was left with no recourse.