Outside the Palace of Astrum, Pei Guang, with a trash can strapped to his back, arrived alongside March 7th and Stelle. Welt and Tingyun were already waiting.
Pei Guang greeted them, "We're here! Thanks for waiting."
Tingyun nodded, "Not at all—I just arrived myself. Madam Yukong is already waiting for you inside. I've reported your situation. I'll leave you to it!"
Pei Guang gave her a cheerful nod. "Thanks!"
As Pei Guang prepared to head in, Tingyun glanced at the trash can on his back. "By the way, what's in that trash can?"
Pei Guang replied, "Our newest teammate."
Tingyun, curious, asked, "Oh? Silver Wolf, perhaps?"
Pei Guang shook his head. "Nope, found her on the street. Only on Xianzhou could you randomly pick up a teammate with exactly what we need!"
Pei Guang tapped the can. "Hey, give us a squeak, would you?"
From inside, Bailu, happily engrossed in her game, obliged with a soft, "Squeak!"
March 7th chuckled as she reached to open the lid. "You're welcome to check for yourself if you're worried. Rest assured, Pei Guang here has bested Silver Wolf. If anything, you should be more cautious of his methods—he's got plenty of tricks up his sleeve."
Pei Guang waved a hand, feigning modesty. "Keep it down! Just basic moves, nothing worth mentioning."
Stelle, grinning, nudged him. "Own it! Be proud, you're our star player!"
Tingyun couldn't help but smile at their banter. "My curiosity's satisfied. Please, go right ahead."
Pei Guang smiled back. "Nothing else?"
Tingyun reassured him, "Just a touch of curiosity, that's all. Though… her voice sounds oddly familiar…"
Pei Guang brushed it off with a smile. "No worries!"
With that, he turned toward the palace doors, where the Cloud Knights, already aware of their identity, let them through without a hitch. As they walked, Welt eyed the trash can on Pei Guang's back with curiosity.
Interestingly, even when Welt used his powers to probe inside, he couldn't discern anything. In fact, as he tried to intensify his search, he sensed an invisible hand blocking his attempt.
Welt finally asked, "Is there… someone in there?"
Pei Guang nodded. "Yep, a little girl we picked up. Quite a character."
Meeting Pei Guang's gaze, Welt understood his intent. He'd trained students in games before, so Pei Guang's reasoning wasn't lost on him.
Welt shrugged, "As long as she's there willingly."
Pei Guang tapped the trash can again. "You're with us willingly, right?"
Inside, Bailu grumbled, "Don't tap it! I'm gaming here. And yes, yes, I'm here by choice! Hey, Pei Guang, got any more of that sweet, sticky snack? Give me another!"
Pei Guang chuckled, "Of course! I even picked up a few milk teas from a nearby shop for you."
Pei Guang cracked the lid of the trash can open a bit, just enough to pass snacks and drinks through the gap.
Bailu grinned, "You're a good guy, you know that?"
Pei Guang chuckled. "Glad you think so. Just remember to cut us a discount next time we come in for a checkup."
"No problem! For you all? Free treatments! Now stop interrupting me!"
Bailu felt a thrill. As a member of the Alchemy Commission, she knew exactly what kind of place the Palace of Astrum was, and she'd met Tingyun many times before. Now, here she was, gaming, snacking, and hiding right under her nose.
The inside of the trash can was cramped and dark, but oddly enough, Bailu felt a unique sense of freedom in there. She understood her responsibilities and knew where her duty lay. But every once in a while, letting herself have a bit of fun didn't seem so wrong. Plus, being smuggled into the Palace of Astrum alongside the Trailblazers? She'd never have dreamed of such an adventure.
If she could sneak a peek at Yukong without being discovered, it'd be like the cherry on top of this little rebellion.
As the thought crossed her mind, she gleefully took another bite of her snack, delighting in the act of bending the rules. Just like Stelle had said, "Rules are made to be broken." Right now, Bailu wasn't just breaking them; she was trampling them underfoot.
Still, she knew when to be cautious. This mischief was something she only dared to pull with the Trailblazers around as cover. As long as no one knew she was breaking any rules, she technically wasn't breaking them.
With this thought, she smashed the game buttons harder, chewing her snack a bit louder for effect.
A couple of bites later, she asked Pei Guang, who had just entered the Palace, "Is all this noise bothering you?"
Pei Guang shook his head. "Not at all! Feel free to play some music if you like. I think your game console has a music feature—pick whatever suits the scene!"
"You're a real lifesaver."
"If you're that grateful, don't hold back when it's time to patch us up."
"Of course! The medicine in my gourd? Saved just for you guys. I'm the best healer on Luofu!"
As they entered the Palace, Bailu fell quiet, recognizing that Yukong would be nearby. She knew Yukong well, and their familiarity meant there was a risk of being found out if she made too much noise. But, feeling a little rebellious, she kept the game on, switching the music to an electronic beat and adjusting the volume just enough to get her heart racing.
Outside the can, March 7th found herself humming along with Bailu's music, her serious demeanor cracking under the beat.
In the center of the Palace, Yukong, the Helm Master of the Sky-Faring Commission, stood with arms crossed, talking into a communicator.
"Submit the damage report to Master Jing Yuan. Summon the Divination Commission as well. They can't stay uninvolved after a disaster of this scale."
When she finished, Yukong turned to the group who had just entered. Though she greeted them warmly, her presence radiated authority. "Greetings, guests of the Astral Express. Tingyun has informed me of your intent. Normally, handling visitors isn't my responsibility. But given that you are knowledgeable about the Stellaron and have offered to help the Luofu, I thought it only right that we meet in person…"
Pei Guang interrupted, his expression neutral. "Your next line is 'I'm here to personally refuse your help.'"
Yukong, about to repeat those very words, faltered. "I'm here to personally refuse your… hmm?"
Her expression remained calm, showing no reaction to the words, a testament to her years of experience in diplomacy and command.