Inside the trash can, Bailu clapped her hands in glee, silently applauding Pei Guang's perfect prediction. He'd caught Yukong off guard—a sight she'd never imagined seeing. She lowered the game volume, listening intently to the conversation while stifling her laughter.
Yukong noticed the sound from the trash can but dismissed it, focusing instead on Pei Guang.
March 7th gave Pei Guang a light tap on the shoulder, smiling. "Classic! And you were spot on, Pei Guang! Just like you guessed, the big boss here is really planning to reject us. Let's just go explore the streets!"
Stelle added, "Shame we can't get around with all the streets blocked."
Pei Guang shrugged. "No problem, we can stealth our way around. Sneaking, pickpocketing… obstacles are hardly worth worrying about."
Unfazed, Yukong observed them, assessing their antics with quiet composure. She had prepared extensively based on Tingyun's reports and felt confident in her role here.
Pei Guang continued, predicting her next words, "Your next line will be that the Luofu has known about the Stellaron for some time and is more than equipped to handle the threat, with no need for outside help. Right?"
Yukong's expression didn't change, but the briefest flicker in her eyes revealed that Pei Guang had guessed correctly.
"See?" Pei Guang turned to March 7th and Stelle, spreading his hands. "It's the same old storyline. They'll say we're meddling in internal affairs, think we snuck in here with Silver Wolf's help, assume we're allied with the Stellaron Hunters, and limit our movement. Standard protocol."
Welt sighed, "It's true. Seen it happen so many times…"
Pei Guang chuckled. "Though she's not wrong. Technically, we do have ties with the Stellaron Hunters."
March 7th leaned in curiously, "Hey, Pei Guang, do you think she could be the final villain? Maybe we should go on the offensive, sabotage their power structure, rally some allies, and launch a counterattack!"
The Belobog mission had given March 7th a taste for resistance operations. She could practically see herself getting "captured" by the Xianzhou, only to be sprung free by Pei Guang in some daring escape.
Pei Guang shook his head. "Nah, she's probably not the villain here. She's diligent, proud of her work, and this Commission seems to be her main priority. She's got a lot of responsibilities, both to the superiors above her and the subordinates below. Someone like her would be too occupied to plot something sinister."
Stelle sighed, "So basically, she called us here just to turn us down?"
Pei Guang shook his head. "It's definitely not that simple. If she's a true strategist, she'd know not to push us away. She's probably just putting on a show. But if I'm wrong… well, then let's go! Time to hit the streets!"
He turned as if to leave, only for Yukong's voice to interrupt, calm yet firm, "You're not going anywhere."
March 7th looked at Pei Guang with excitement. "This is it; we're really getting detained again!"
Stelle was just as enthusiastic. "Awesome! If we get locked up, every one of Pei Guang's predictions would come true!" Then she turned to him with a grin, "But, Pei Guang, what if the leader here isn't that clever? What would you do?"
Pei Guang shrugged. "Simple. Once we solve this problem, I'd just take over as the leader. 'Every emperor has his turn', as they say. If I can predict a so-called genius' every move, then why not let me run things?"
March 7th clapped. "Brilliant! I fully support Pei Guang as Supreme Leader!"
Stelle added her own vote with a thumbs-up, "Count me in!"
From inside the trash can, Bailu chimed in, pitching her voice comically, "You've got my vote too!" Bailu, enjoying the spectacle, couldn't resist adding to the chaos—seeing Yukong at a loss for words was a rare treat.
Yukong tried to speak up, only for Pei Guang to interrupt again, "Alright, enough talk. I know what you're going to say next: 'The crisis only broke out a few days ago, so how did we learn about it so fast?' Then, you'd link us to the Stellaron Hunters. Look, we're just gonna stand here and let you arrest us. Feel free to detain us in a spot with fast vehicles nearby and a few quick-witted guards who can follow orders. That way, when you need us, we're good to go. If you want to investigate or even lock us up, we're totally chill. We'll cooperate."
March 7th stared at him, wide-eyed. "Since when are you this agreeable? No witty comebacks?"
Pei Guang shrugged. "Why give her a hard time? She's not wrong in her suspicions. Think about it—if you were in charge and some strangers barged in, claiming they could fix the crisis, what would you think? Sure, this trope gets old, but it's part of the job. No mission ever goes off without a hitch."
Yukong, caught off guard, found herself unable to argue. The Trailblazers seemed fully willing to cooperate, despite their banter. Quietly, she wondered when General Jing Yuan might intervene—playing the "bad cop" here was getting exhausting.
Just then, a hearty laugh filled the room, breaking the tension.
The projection of a tall, composed man appeared beside Yukong. "Hahaha! Yukong, silence isn't exactly how we treat guests. If word got out, wouldn't the galaxy look down on Xianzhou for its lack of hospitality?"
Relieved, Yukong turned to him, "General Jing Yuan."
With a warm smile, Jing Yuan addressed the Trailblazers, "How could the Astral Express ever ally with the Stellaron Hunters to harm Xianzhou?"
After a brief pause, he introduced himself, "Pardon the interruption. I'm Jing Yuan, General of the Luofu Cloud Knights."
Yukong tried to cut in, "General, this is an internal matter for the Luofu."
Jing Yuan glanced at her, "Indeed, indeed, I completely agree. The Stellaron here is our issue, and it's true we can't accept the help you've offered. But…" He looked directly at Pei Guang. "If I were truly a 'strategist,' how would I act in this situation?"
Pei Guang responded with a grin, "The Art of War says it best: 'All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using forces, appear inactive; when near, make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, make him believe we are near. In the end strike in the chaos…'"
He continued with a quote from The Art of War, a classic he'd memorized during strategy games. Knowing when to use deception, Pei Guang explained, is the key to victory, where playing your cards right can mean the difference between success and betrayal.
March 7th, utterly confused, shook her head. "What did you just say? The beginning was okay, but then you started talking about… close and distant… it's making my head spin…"
Stelle agreed, "Yeah, what was all that?"
Jing Yuan chuckled. "Well said, well said! Unfortunately, even if that's true, the Stellaron remains an internal matter. However, I can't allow you to leave empty-handed. Although I must decline your help with the Stellaron, I do have a task I can only entrust to you."
He gestured toward a nearby open space, where the group gathered. Jing Yuan began, "I've long admired the Astral Express, and it's a true honor to meet you all today."
Pei Guang nodded. "A poetic greeting? Well then, what's the task? Let's get down to it."
Jing Yuan laughed, "Ah, you're straightforward. Yes, you've probably guessed my intention, so I won't waste time. We recently captured a Stellaron Hunter named Blade who had infiltrated the Luofu. During his interrogation, the Divination Commission intercepted a message from his accomplice, Kafka…"
As he spoke, March 7th, Stelle, and Welt listened intently, while Pei Guang simply busied himself with organizing his backpack, unimpressed with Jing Yuan's formalities. To him, all of this was just typical bureaucratic posturing.