The instant Elysia laid eyes on Bailu, she felt as if a little white creature was whispering in her ear: "Maggots up ahead, come explore in your next lifetime!" Even though the phrase clearly referred to exploring the area ahead later, somehow it always got twisted.
Bailu, for her part, suddenly felt a huge appetite upon seeing Elysia. She even felt like she was becoming the spokesperson for a certain golden retriever who couldn't speak.
Of course, that was all just in her head. In reality, Bailu was simply curious if this Elysia had any connection to Pei Guang, and she cautiously asked,
"You just said Ah Guang, right? The Ah Guang I know… is he the same person?"
Hearing the question, Elysia curiously looked over.
The moment she saw Bailu, she happily poked the little dragon girl's cheek and said, "What an adorable little one~ Hmm~ The Ah Guang I mentioned is named Pei Guang~ He said he'd wait for me here at the Astral Express, but now he's vanished. He ditched a beautiful girl like me, can you believe it? Oh, and I'm Elysia, a traveler Pei Guang brought to the Luofu Xianzhou."
Bailu responded, "Nice to meet you, traveler! I'm Bailu. Looks like we're talking about the same Ah Guang. Don't worry! He wouldn't stand anyone up. If you're his friend, then you're my friend too."
Elysia: "Nice to meet you~ Bailu, that's a lovely name~"
Bailu sighed. "What's the use of a nice name? It doesn't fill your stomach. You don't know how crazy things have been since I became the chief of the Vidyadhara. I could barely breathe with all the work piling up. I snuck out today just to catch a break… and ran into you. Perfect timing! Let me take you to try the most authentic food on the Luofu."
Elysia's name was beautiful, but for Bailu, "Traveler"just rolled off the tongue more easily than "Elysia", moreover, saying it felt more natural.
As for Elysia, she found Bailu's way of addressing her quite comfortable too. Even though this was their first meeting, it felt like the two of them had once journeyed together across worlds and shared half an adventure.
Bailu felt the same. She mumbled, "The moment I heard your voice, I felt like we've been friends for ages. Just for that feeling alone, today I'm treating you to a feast! Eat as much as you want, don't hold back, and don't worry about the cost!"
Bailu was now the Vidyadhara's wealthy lady: she had brought in a ton of money for her people, and now that she was the High Elder, her pocket money had increased a lot too. Of course, to stop her from spending recklessly, her large expenses were still monitored.
But treating someone to a meal? Totally fine.
Looking at Bailu, Elysia smiled. She clearly had a lot she wanted to say, but as soon as Bailu started speaking, she suddenly felt no desire to say anything at all.
And somewhere, as if from nowhere, a narrator chimed in with a snarky line: "When you don't feel like talking, no one can force you to! Wait, wrong script?"
Compared to this unexpected yet oddly fated encounter, things in Fyxestroll Garden were... less harmonious. Upon hearing Pei Guang's request, Hanya felt like her brain short-circuited.
Just a moment ago, Pei Guang had shown up at the Ten-Lords Commission like a bolt of lightning and dropped a line that left her mind buzzing.
"I took on a task from some old guy in the Intelligentsia Guild. The quest is to retrieve something Dan Shu once promised to him. I remember he said he gave her some ancient formulas back then, and she approved something for him. Now that she's locked up, he can't get it, so I want you to help me get in touch with her and ask her to hand over that, uh, 'Compendium of Remedies' or whatever. That way I can finish the quest."
Since Pei Guang hadn't really listened to what Todd said in full, he only remembered the useful keywords for the mission, so what he said came out a bit muddled.
But the muddled parts didn't matter: anyone who heard Pei Guang's request could still grasp the meaning. And that was precisely the problem. Hanya immediately realized this was a serious matter.
Dan Shu? She was the leader of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus and had been personally captured and sent to the Ten-Lords Commission by Pei Guang.
If Pei Guang wanted to see Dan Shu, that was totally reasonable. But the implications of what he'd just said made Hanya uneasy.
The Intelligentsia Guild had connections with Dan Shu? And had even helped her recently?
No rounding needed: this was a straight-up link between the Guild and the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus. That thought alone jolted Hanya from her drowsiness. No energy drink on the market could match that adrenaline spike.
Hanya wanted to curse. It was bad enough that the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus had insiders who believed in the Plagues Author, and the Vidyadhara had secretly supported them too—but now the Intelligentsia Guild was involved?
Hanya: "Hold on a second… I need to calm down..."
Pei Guang: "Calm down for what? What's our relationship, huh? Our affinity's already maxed out, just let me see her already. Besides, Dan Shu's just a mid-boss or whatever. She's not escaping, and I'm not letting her die either. I made sure: being in the Ten-Lords Commission is way worse than death."
Hanya: "By procedure, yes, you're allowed to meet and speak with her. But… mm! Please give me a few minutes, okay? I need to report something. After that, the Ten-Lords Commission may need to ask you for a favor too..."
Pei Guang: "Oh? You've got quests too? No problem, leave it to me! I've got time right now—I'll take any mission."
Hanya: "Alright! I'll go apply for your reward and the quest details now. Please wait a moment."
Hanya stood up and went to report to her superiors.
On hearing that Hanya was filing a report, the Ten-Lords Commission gave her their full attention. But once they heard that the Intelligentsia Guild might be linked to the leader of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, possibly even in secret, they were stunned.
Had the generals of the Xianzhou Alliance gone soft? Or had the Intelligentsia Guild grown too arrogant? Daring to cross taboo lines under the Alliance's very nose?
That woke the Ten Lords right up. They gave Hanya a very simple order: assign Pei Guang a mission to investigate Todd and see what exactly the Guild had been up to.
The reward? Simple. Whatever Todd was offering, the Ten-Lords Commission would pay ten times that. And beyond material rewards, they'd also give a symbolic honor: the "Medal of Valor," personally awarded by the Commission, along with increased affinity with the Xianzhou Alliance.
Of course, Pei Guang wouldn't be the only one getting rewarded: Hanya would too. Considering the player's special status, the Ten Lords also promised her something extra: one more day of "revival" for Xueyi.
Even though Huo Huo had already built a connection with Pei Guang, that alone wasn't enough. Adding the dependable Hanya to the mix was important.
After all, many of the Six Charioteers of the Luofu had ties with Pei Guang. The Ten-Lords Commission couldn't afford to fall behind.