From their distant vantage point, Fu Xuan and Jing Yuan couldn't make out the specifics of Welt's battle. They only saw the giant machines hammering the ground, shaking the entire Divination Commission.
Though they couldn't hear Welt's words, the vibrations and the sudden appearance of the massive Constructs left both Fu Xuan and Jing Yuan speechless. Jing Yuan, recognizing the man, frowned. In his mind, Welt was supposed to be the most composed member of the team. Yet now…
Jing Yuan wasn't wrong—Welt was indeed the most serious of the group. But his fondness for new experiences and playful escapades was equally unmatched. His current stern demeanor was the result of years of accumulated responsibilities, but it did nothing to quench his youthful spirit—or his desire to operate giant machines.
Even he found himself intrigued. As the Arbiter-General, he couldn't casually unleash his power of the Skybow. But those Constructs? They looked like they could be used at will.
Jing Yuan turned to Fu Xuan, his expression grave. "Destiny is a balance of inevitability and opportunity. Use them as you see fit, Fu Xuan. But remember—don't overdo it. If you go too far, I might have to offer you up to appease them."
Fu Xuan sighed, shifting her gaze from Welt to Jing Yuan. "I understand. But is it truly alright to use them this way? That Pei Guang… His actions are strange, but he's a rare and genuine person."
Jing Yuan raised an eyebrow. "What's this? Growing attached?"
Fu Xuan reflected, "It's not a matter of reluctance. With calamity looming over the Divination Commission, having such capable individuals to lend a hand naturally pleases me. It's just…"
Fu Xuan's mind wandered to her earlier encounters with Pei Guang in the Starskiff Haven. She had attempted multiple times to divine his fate. Normally, divining the fate of someone beyond the Xianzhou required the Matrix of Prescience for accurate readings.
Yet, anything related to Pei Guang defied logic. Vast parts of his fate were impenetrable, a murky void. But his actions, strangely enough, always seemed to unfold in plain sight, almost daring others to calculate their outcomes.
What she discerned was peculiar, but it revealed glimpses of Pei Guang's deeds. It left Fu Xuan reluctant to manipulate him further.
To put it bluntly, Pei Guang seemed to her like a simpleton—someone who could be satisfied with the smallest trinkets. But that very simplicity gave her pause. His sincerity was pure, and Fu Xuan found it hard to exploit such an innocent heart. For all her bluntness, Fu Xuan's nature was inherently kind, so she struggled with the idea of taking advantage of someone so genuine.
Sensing the shift in Fu Xuan's demeanor, Jing Yuan turned his gaze toward her. "Fu Xuan, don't hesitate to make full use of their abilities. The rewards for their tasks have long been prepared. You assign the missions, they complete them, and I provide the rewards. It's an equitable arrangement. If there's something you wish to say or do when interacting with them, just go ahead and be straightforward."
Fu Xuan frowned. "Why do I feel like there's a hidden meaning behind your words?"
Jing Yuan smiled enigmatically. "Don't worry. They won't tear down the Divination Commission. I've prepared rewards they simply cannot refuse."
Fu Xuan probed further. "You act as if you know something. If that's the case, why interrogate Kafka at all?"
Jing Yuan chuckled. "Who said I know anything? I'm merely relying on you to extract key information from the Stellaron Hunters. Oh look, here they come now."
Pei Guang and his team were approaching, and Fu Xuan couldn't help but feel as though she'd walked into a carefully laid trap. But what choice did she have? As the head of the Divination Commission, she was bound to follow Jing Yuan's instructions and await Pei Guang's group for the Kafka interrogation.
After all, Jing Yuan wasn't just any general—he was the omniscient Arbiter-General, whose plans always fell into place. There was no choice but to comply.
Before Fu Xuan could speak, Pei Guang's excited voice rang out from a distance. "Hey! General Jing Yuan, you're here too? Are we going to settle the reward for catching Kafka or what?"
Hearing this, Jing Yuan's smile widened. "Of course! I've prepared a splendid reward for all of you. Knowing your fondness for Xianzhou's famous porcelain, I've had my subordinates secure the prized vases from every celestial abode. I've also gathered some of the historically enriched pieces. Rest assured, these are not freshly crafted but artifacts steeped in Xianzhou's heritage. They'll surely be of great use to you."
As soon as Pei Guang, Stelle and March 7th heard Jing Yuan's words, their eyes lit up simultaneously.
Standing nearby, Qingque sensed an intense surge of desire and determination radiating from the three of them. Instinctively, she swallowed nervously and asked, "Um… what's going on with you all?"
Pei Guang grinned. "Oh, nothing! Just feeling great!"
Stelle chimed in, "Super great! By the way, how many are we talking about?"
Jing Yuan replied with a nonchalant smile, "Not too many, just around three hundred or so. These are delicate porcelain artifacts, and many were destroyed in battles, but we still managed to preserve some."
Pei Guang's excitement reached a peak. He turned to Jing Yuan and exclaimed, "You're amazing! Truly a model NPC! Alright, hit me with any tasks you've got—I'm all in!"
Jing Yuan turned toward Fu Xuan, who shot him a sharp glance before clearing her throat. "Ahem. I have some tasks for you. The Divination Commission is short-staffed right now. I need you to help restart the Matrix of Prescience and, while you're at it, eliminate any Stellaron Corrosion left behind."
Pei Guang was about to accept the task eagerly when something in her words piqued his curiosity. "Wait a second—Stellaron Corrosion? I thought the ones left behind here were all Disciples of Sanctus Medicus. From what I've gathered, many of them have ties to the Alchemy Commission, right?"
Fu Xuan blinked, clearly taken aback. "What? Could it be that the Stellaron Hunters are collaborating with the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus? And the Sanctus Medicus has infiltrated the Alchemy Commission? That would explain…"
Pei Guang raised a brow. "Explain what?"
Fu Xuan quickly shook her head. "Nothing, nothing. Qingque, you'll guide them to restart the matrix."
Nearby, Qingque's face froze in horror. She had thought her duties for the day were done, but Fu Xuan paid no attention to her reaction, instead delving into her own thoughts based on Pei Guang's input.
Fu Xuan developed a theory: the Stellaron Hunters had brought the Stellaron to Xianzhou and conspired with the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus to spread chaos. Unfortunately, her deduction was bound to be wrong. From her perspective, the Stellaron Hunters' arrival coincided with the Stellaron Crisis in Xianzhou, making them the obvious culprits.
Thus, when she received crucial information, her subconscious led her to incorrect conclusions. Still, it didn't matter. Fu Xuan had already decided to activate the Qiongguan Array, which would allow her to calculate the fates of those involved and extract critical intelligence from Kafka.
March 7th watched Fu Xuan's contemplative expression and whispered, "Why do I get the feeling she's got it all wrong?"
Stelle smirked. "No need to guess—she's definitely wrong. Not everyone is like Ah Guang, with his wealth of experience and uncanny knack for guessing everything right!"
March 7th tilted her head. "Should we just tell her the truth?"
Pei Guang's expression turned serious. "And ruin our chances at mission rewards? No way."
Stelle nodded. "Good point. Let her finish the interrogation first, then we'll spill the beans. But Ah Guang, March, I have a question—about the strings on the back of the Diviner's outfit. If we snip one of those strings, do you think her clothes would fall off?"
Pei Guang smirked. "Why don't you try?"
Stelle's grin widened. "Try it?"