At this moment, Fu Xuan suggested, "If you're not sure where to go, why not visit the Central Starskiff Haven? It's Xianzhou's transit hub and a gathering place for all sorts of interesting things. Since you're looking to explore, that would be a good start."
March 7th perked up, "Huh? Central Starskiff Haven? I remember the Petrichor Inn there has some great food... but the prices are steep."
Pei Guang gave a confident thumbs-up. "Don't worry about it! I distinctly remember Tingyun saying we're honored guests of the Sky-Faring Commission. All expenses are on their tab—no problem at all."
Fu Xuan froze for a moment, her expression stiffening. She had caught something unusual in Pei Guang's tone. But on second thought, since the costs were being charged to the Sky-Faring Commission, it wasn't her or the Divination Commission's problem. After all, if any issues arose, Jing Yuan would handle it.
However, the thought of Jing Yuan gave Fu Xuan a strange sense of unease. After confirming his safety earlier, she couldn't shake the feeling that while her position as General might now be secure, there was a lurking pitfall somewhere.
She considered asking if Jing Yuan had left any parting instructions, but when she looked up, Pei Guang and his group had already vanished.
Meanwhile, at the Petrichor Inn, the group was seated around a table, each holding a menu and deliberating over what to order.
Pei Guang encouraged them, "Don't hold back—order the expensive stuff! Everything's going on the Sky-Faring Commission's tab."
March 7th looked uneasy. "Isn't this a bit... improper?"
Stelle chimed in, "What's improper about it? It was Tingyun who said it'd go on their tab."
March 7th took a more serious tone, "Yeah, but here's the thing—right now, Miss Tingyun is actually Phantylia. And it turns out the real Tingyun... ugh! I can't believe it. The Xianzhou's speculation was right all along. The first person we ran into was the mastermind behind everything!"
Pei Guang shrugged. "It's no big deal. "Tingyun" explicitly said the bill was on the Sky-Faring Commission, and a promise is a promise. As for the real Tingyun's safety? Personally, I think there's nothing to worry about. If she was replaced from the start, it means Tingyun is likely fine. If she was swapped midway, I doubt Phantylia would dare to outright kill her. Or, who knows? Maybe the real Tingyun is frantically searching for us as we speak."
Pei Guang's confident reasoning seemed to ease March 7th's concerns.
"Phew! With you saying that, Ah Guang, I'm sure the real Tingyun is perfectly fine. Once we find her, we'll make sure to show her the footage of us defeating that villain!"
"Absolutely!" Pei Guang reassured her with a grin.
As they chatted, the group began ordering a feast. While someone else was footing the bill, they only picked dishes that truly piqued their interest. When it came to food reviews, Bailu was undoubtedly the most credible source.
Having cleared out every delicacy ordered at the Petrichor Inn during their journey, Bailu's opinion of the inn's food carried significant weight. Following her recommendations, everyone eagerly made their selections.
Midway through the ordering process, Pei Guang's phone buzzed. He instinctively picked it up, his expression turning contemplative as he read the message:
"Pei Guang, come to the Divination Commission alone. Coordinates to follow."
"Don't tell anyone."
"Your loyal Kafka."
Pei Guang's gaze shifted to Silver Wolf, who had been fiddling with her phone. As if sensing his attention, she abruptly tucked her device away.
Silver Wolf stammered awkwardly, "Well, um, you see... uh..."
At this moment, Silver Wolf was visibly flustered, unsure where to direct her gaze. Feeling the weight of Pei Guang's piercing stare, she shifted uncomfortably, looking anywhere but at him.
Pei Guang studied her for a moment before redirecting his attention to the phone in his hand.
He quickly typed out a response to the message from Kafka:
"You claim you're Kafka. Got any proof?"
Moments later, Kafka sent back a photo—one of her holding a camera, the frame capturing her chest and face.
Before Kafka could add anything more, Pei Guang immediately typed back:
"I don't believe it. Definitely an AI-generated image. Unless…"
Kafka replied, "Unless?"
Stelle, casually leaning in, added with a mischievous smirk: "Unless you send two more. Make them better ones."
Kafka: "…"
Still, Kafka sent two more polished photos shortly after.
"Well? Satisfied now?"
Pei Guang: "Alright, that's enough. But seriously, why are you reaching out to me? Isn't Stelle your kid?"
Kafka: "Hmm~ What if I said she has a quarter of my bloodline? Would you believe me?"
Pei Guang: "I'd believe it."
Kafka: "And what if I told you there's no blood relation between us, only an intertwined fate? Would you believe that too?"
Pei Guang: "I'd believe that as well."
Kafka: "Oh? Then what if I said one of those statements was a lie~?"
Pei Guang: "Doesn't matter to me. Time, place, task, reward—send it over! But on that note, you're really not related to Stelle? And here I was, confidently speculating you two were mother and daughter. Oh well, just another backstory detail. Anyway, I'll take the mission—but I'm not doing it alone."
Kafka: "Hmm~"
Pei Guang: "By the way, you folks are supposed to be slaves to destiny, right? Seeing fate and all that. So, tell me—am I eating with my left hand or my right hand right now?"
Kafka: "Let me think~ My guess is… you're eating with your mouth. Hmm, it's supposed to be a riddle, but it feels a little… cold, doesn't it?"
With that, Kafka sent Pei Guang a location. After doing so, she turned to Blade, sitting quietly in the room, her expression unreadable.
Following his clash with Dan Heng, Blade had admitted that Dan Heng was indeed Dan Heng, but the fight had left his psyche fractured. The corruption within him had worsened as well.
Seeing Blade teetering on the edge of losing control, Kafka decided to reach out to Pei Guang. While Stelle could freely choose her fate, Pei Guang's freedom of choice was on another level entirely. If she messaged Stelle, there were only two outcomes: acceptance or refusal.
But with Pei Guang, there was always the potential for completely unpredictable results. These possibilities—neither better nor worse for the future—were something Kafka couldn't fully grasp. Yet, she chose to follow Elio's prophecy, relying on instinct, common sense, and the known factors to navigate decisions involving Pei Guang.
In truth, she found Pei Guang's sheer unpredictability fascinating. The potential outcomes ranged from being turned into soup, getting captured as a scapegoat, becoming a professional hitman—each possibility equally viable and impossible to evaluate.
That unpredictability was why Kafka decided to give it a try, to see just how far Pei Guang's influence on fate could reach.
Of course, she wasn't planning to exploit him. If Pei Guang agreed to help, she'd abide by his rules and prepared a proper reward in return. After all, she wasn't looking for a self-destructive outcome; she sought a future better than even Elio's predictions, not one where her own carelessness led to disaster.
And at this moment, reaching out to Pei Guang was undoubtedly the best option. In countless prophecies, Stelle always managed to stir up some kind of chaos. While following the original path of destiny was intriguing, Kafka wanted to see what lay beyond that—what could happen when she stepped off fate's preordained road.