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Under Qingque's hospitality,
Bochang and his companions settled in at the Divination Commission.
Although primarily a workplace, it had ample guest rooms, enough for each person to have their own space.
They decided not to stay elsewhere for a simple reason - after completing their tasks at the commission...
It was already late evening.
So, they opted to lodge here overnight.
Including Qingque, everyone would be staying at the Divination Commission tonight.
As night fell, Bochang, ensconced in his room, opened the window. Basking in the cool breeze, he awaited Stelle while pondering about the Stellaron Hunters.
"I wonder if Fu Xuan and Xueyi can capture those two Stellaron Hunters..."
"Ah well, it's not my concern anyway. They seem confident enough."
"Let me check out my new gear instead."
With that thought, Bochang retrieved the Cyber Flying Sword from his system space.
It was a large two-handed sword.
Measuring twenty-five centimeters wide, with a total length of one and a half meters including the hilt, it was about one and a half fingers thick. The weight was unclear, but it felt substantial in his hands.
Near the hilt, there was a glass-like spherical orb emitting a golden glow.
Bochang's intuition suggested this must be the energy source for the Cyber Flying Sword.
"Where do I find the fingerprint and iris authentication?"
He ran his hands over the Cyber Flying Sword and eventually discovered that the spherical orb itself served as the authentication point.
This realization came when...
The Cyber Flying Sword emitted a notification sound:
"Respected customer, greetings! Welcome to our product - the Cyber Flying Sword by XX Interstellar Company. Please place your fingerprint on the central sphere and, after the beep, bring your eyes close to the sphere for iris authentication."
To be honest, when the voice suddenly emerged from the cyber flying sword, Bochang was indeed startled. However, considering it's a technological product, having speech capabilities seemed quite normal.
Following the instructions of the cyber flying sword, Bochang registered his fingerprints and iris scan one after another.
Finally, he gained control over this cyber-enhanced blade.
The only downside was...
This was a voice-controlled flying sword; without speaking commands, Bochang could not direct the cyber flying sword at all. Unlike weapons such as the teleportation ring, which could be activated with just a thought.
After playing with it briefly, Bochang quickly lost interest. Just as he was about to take out the Universal Key for some more entertainment,
There came a knock on the door.
It was past eleven o'clock, still too early for Stelle's scheduled visit, so it couldn't be her.
"Who is it?" Bochang asked aloud, thinking to himself, « Who would come knocking late at night instead of sleeping? »
"Bailu? Serval? Or perhaps March 7th? It can't be Qingque or Tingyun...," Bochang pondered, setting aside his cybernetic flying sword.
As for hiding it? There was no need whatsoever. The Astral Express Crew was well aware that Bochang occasionally showcased intriguing gadgets; he didn't have to conceal them.
Among the five names that flashed through his mind:
The most likely suspects were Bailu and March 7th.
Due to the Dragon Talisman's influence, Bailu had become quite attached to Bochang.
And as for March 7th...
It naturally stemmed from the events of earlier that day when Serval shared intimate photos of Bochang and March 7th in their group chat.
When they met earlier, however, March 7th showed little reaction.
This made Bochang suspect that something significant might be brewing beneath the surface, potentially leading to a major event at any moment, similar to their encounter in Belobog's Underworld.
Last time, when Bochang enticed Clara to give him a foot massage, it triggered March 7th, resulting in some unexpected trouble for him.
Of course...
Although March 7th's outbursts were disruptive, they didn't cause substantial harm to Bochang beyond minor inconveniences.
Soon, a voice echoed from outside the door—a mature male tone.
"It's me, Welt Yang. May I disturb you now?"
This unexpected visitor caught Bochang off guard. Although feeling slightly disappointed for reasons he couldn't quite place, he promptly responded, "Yes, come in."
Welt Yang pushed open the door and entered.
Bochang looked at the somewhat familiar man.
"Uncle Yang, what brings you here?"
"I think we need to discuss tomorrow's operation." Welt Yang closed the door behind him and took a seat within the room. "There are two things I'd like to mention...
"Firstly, regarding our investigation of the mysterious organization, Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, my intuition tells me...they are crucial, possibly one of the instigators behind the Stellaron disaster."
Arriving at this conclusion wasn't difficult.
After all, traces of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus could be found in many places throughout Luofu Immortal Region.
"Secondly, tomorrow we will meet with Dan Heng."
Welt-Yang directly informed Bochang about the next tasks for the Trailblaze Squad.
It was clear that Welt-Yang wanted to gauge Bochang's stance on these matters.
Naturally, Bochang had no objections to either point. However...
After completing their mission for the Divination Commission, Luofu Immortal Continent decided not to involve the Astral Express members further in the unfolding events.
Fu Xuan even sent a message... advising everyone to rest well today and, led by Qingque tomorrow, experience the local culture and customs of the Xianzhou.
The Master Diviner's intention was unmistakable: he wanted the Trailblaze Squad to temporarily refrain from interference, allowing Luofu Immortal Continent to handle the situation henceforth.
Bochang shared his speculation, "It seems Fu Xuan doesn't intend for us to continue getting involved, going so far as to assign us another guide, isn't it?"
The number of Trailblaze squad members remained unchanged, but their entourage of guides continued to grow.
Guide from Sky-Faring Commission - Tingyun. Guide from Alchemy Commission - Bailu. Now adding another guide from Divination Commission - Qingque.
While Tingyun and Qingque were officially designated as guides, it was likely that they also had the duty to monitor the team's activities.
"No worries, we can investigate the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus discreetly, just like how you dispatched Sophia," said Welt Yang, unconcerned about Xianzhou Luofu's restrictions.
As members of the Astral Express, conducting private investigations despite local organizations' prohibitions was practically routine for them.
However, there was something else that concerned Welt Yang more than these restrictions.
"The issue with Dan Heng might be tricky to handle..."
Everyone from the Astral Express understood this well.
Dan Heng was forbidden from setting foot on Luofu Immortal Continent.
If discovered, it could lead to dire consequences; only heaven knew what might ensue.
Bochang offered some reassurance. "Since Dan Heng dared to enter Luofu Immortal Continent, it suggests that the situation isn't too severe. Uncle Yang, there's no need for excessive worry."
Following their discussion...
Welt and Bochang engaged in a deep conversation before departing with satisfaction.
As I watched them reach the door, the system finally responded:
[Dating Options activated.]
[Option 1: Detain them by saying, "Uncle Yang, my bed is quite spacious... Why don't you stay here tonight? It would make me feel safer." - Completion Reward: Welt Yang's Big Booty.]
[Option 2: Watch them leave, then go out for a stroll yourself - Completion Reward: Random Skill.]
[Option 3: Let them depart and remain indoors - Completion Reward: Random Item, ranging from small as a matchstick to large as a star destroyer. Note: These items will...]