Chapter 209 - 208: Slacker’s Anthem

Words : 1720 Updated : Oct 15th, 2025

As the puppet started playing the song's background music, she began to sing: "The house is on fire? I take a picture~ Life's a mess? I go to sleep." "Disaster incoming? I don't know~ If it's too much, I'll just hung myself." ... Qingque, leading the group toward the Seat of Divine Foresight, suddenly froze mid-step. This song... She only needed to hear the first verse to like it. While some of the lyrics were extreme—if her house were truly on fire, she'd be putting it out first before snapping any photos—Qingque understood artistic exaggeration. After all, even some historical records in Xianzhou had elements of embellishment. What captivated her was the song's core message, especially the line: "Life needs an attitude, and that attitude needs to be lived." Everyone assumed Qingque was a slacker, but in reality, she wasn't. She simply knew how to balance work and leisure, always completing her tasks and learning what she needed. She had the ability to score full marks on any test but intentionally aimed for just passing grades. Unfortunately, not many understood her perspective. But she didn't care; it was her life, and she'd live it however made her happiest. Though her attitude didn't align with most Xianzhou residents, Fu Xuan trusted her abilities. After all, Qingque consistently delivered above expectations, even when it looked like she was slacking. For Qingque, the song perfectly captured her philosophy. After it ended, she turned to Puppet No. 1 and asked, "This song is amazing! Can I sing it too?" Puppet No. 1 tilted her head toward Pei Guang. "Don't ask me; ask him. He's the boss, but I don't mind." Pei Guang, catching Qingque's expectant gaze, nodded. "Of course! I thought of it because your attitude reminded me of it. Feel free to sing or even tweak the lyrics—there's no copyright here anyway." Qingque beamed. "Thanks! You're a pretty good guy." She hummed parts of the song as they walked. Nearing the destionation, Qingque suddenly cautioned the group: "Ahead is the Seat of Divine Foresight. Just a heads-up—don't wander off here. You're guests of the Master Diviner, but she absolutely despises rule-breakers." While her words were well-meaning, they had the opposite effect on certain individuals. Stelle, as if triggered by a keyword, gleefully pulled out her bat and declared, "Well said! But rules are made to be broken!" Pei Guang calmly held up a hand. "Hold on. Let her finish explaining before we break the rules." Qingque: "...Huh?" As Stelle's bold statement hung in the air, whatever thought was forming in Qingque's mind was swiftly abandoned. However, she quickly shifted to her usual carefree demeanor. After all, Fu Xuan had specifically warned her before they set out: "If they say or do anything unusual, just ignore it. Don't try to stop them. They won't burn down the Divination Commission." The problem was that Pei Guang's group had behaved so normally along the way that Qingque had completely forgotten about the warning. Between his surprising tiles-playing skills and the catchy song from earlier, it had been easy to let her guard down. Stelle's loud remark brought it all rushing back. Qingque glanced at Stelle and said, "Of course, you can do whatever you like. The rules set by the Diviner Master are meant for us Diviners to follow. As honored guests, you're not bound by them. Oh, look over there—that's the main gate to the Divination Commission. Once we pass through, we'll be inside." The group turned to see the massive, tightly shut gates ahead. Before Qingque could step forward, Pei Guang stopped her. "No need to bother. I can guarantee you won't be able to open it," he declared confidently. Qingque tilted her head, puzzled. "Why do you say that?" "Experience," Pei Guang replied, his tone serious. "Based on my years of gaming, whenever an NPC leads the player to a location, the first door they approach is always locked. The door you can go through? It'll definitely have enemies waiting on the other side." March 7th groaned, "Ugh, this trope again? Not that I'm surprised at all." Stelle chimed in, "Ah Guang's wisdom speaks again—classic game mechanics! What's your plan, fearless leader? How do we get in?" Pei Guang glanced at the imposing gate and calmly pulled out a ladder. "It's simple. See how the top of the gate is open? We'll just climb over." As he produced the ladder, Qingque reflexively shielded her eyes. It wasn't a particularly remarkable ladder—worn, battered, clearly well-used. Yet, to Qingque, it seemed to shine with an otherworldly light, as if it held a glimpse of the universe's very origins. She gazed at it, entranced. A ladder to climb over a gate—such a practical, ingenious suggestion. If only more areas in Xianzhou allowed for solutions like this, players could save countless hours of pointless exploration and tedious backtracking. Snapping out of her daze, Qingque quickly pointed to a smaller door nearby. "Actually, there's a side entrance. Even if this gate won't open, we can always try that." Following her gesture, they saw the smaller door, tucked inconspicuously to one side. It seemed to puff up proudly under their collective gaze, as if ready to prove its worth. This was its moment: the forgotten Xiaoyao Gate would finally serve as the key to the trailblazers' progress. Though shut tight, it held hope that the trailblazers would unlock its potential. Pei Guang glanced at the door, unimpressed, and gave a thumb-down. "Trust me, that door's locked too. It's probably missing some fuse, and I don't have the map to find them. Instead of wasting time hunting down parts, we might as well climb over. It's faster and more efficient." The door seemed to droop slightly, as if dejected by Pei Guang's dismissal. Its once-polished surface now seemed to dim under the weight of rejection. March 7th crossed her arms and smirked at Qingque. "When it comes to sneaking through doors or bypassing locks, we're absolute pros! Let's go, Ah Guang—show us how it's done!" Stelle grinned, brandishing her bat. "Or maybe we'll just make our own door next to it!" Pei Guang rejected Stelle's suggestion outright: "That won't work. Back in Belobog, when you broke down the wall, we were already in a monster zone, so opening a path there didn't matter much. But here? I think the palace has been attacked by the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, this gate is probably locked to keep them from escaping. If you break through and let them run loose, people might die, and our mission rating will take a hit." Stelle nodded thoughtfully. "Makes sense. Alright, let's climb over instead." With that, Pei Guang took the lead, carrying a ladder toward the main gate, with Stelle and March 7th happily following close behind. Watching their retreating figures, Qingque turned to Welt and Tingyun. "Aren't you two going to climb over with them?" Welt adjusted his glasses, pausing briefly before replying, "Show us the side gate instead." Qingque perked up. "Sure thing! The side gate is Xiaoyao Gate. But fair warning—it might take us a bit longer to get in that way." Welt waved it off. "That's fine. Pei Guang said there are enemies inside. Let them clear the way first; it'll make our approach much smoother." Qingque hesitated. "If it's the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus in there, do you think they can handle it?" Welt's calm reply left no room for doubt. "You don't need to worry about them. If it's only the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, they should be more concerned about themselves." Tingyun silently nodded in agreement. Qingque cheered, "Alright then! Leave the troublesome enemies to them. Follow me, everyone—I'll show you the marvel that is our Xiaoyao Gate!" And so, the group of six split into two teams. Pei Guang, with his ladder slung over one shoulder and the trusty trash can containing Bailu on his back, approached the main gate. The wall wasn't particularly high—only about four to five meters. After setting up the ladder, Pei Guang climbed to the top, but he didn't jump down immediately. Instead, he equipped a helmet. Pei Guang gestured at his helmet and pointed downward. Stelle and March 7th, understanding his silent cue, quickly equipped their weaponized accessories and joined him at the top. Stelle was the first to reach him and asked, "What do you see?" Pei Guang pointed below at a group of mara-struck soldiers. "A bunch of mara-struck. And judging by their behavior, they're likely connected to the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus." March 7th climbed up last, thoughtfully pulling the ladder up with her. "How can you tell they're with the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus?" Pei Guang gestured to a figure crouching in the corner. "That one over there—clearly a sneaky type. Based on the map's lore, regular mara-struck lose all sense and go berserk. So far, only the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus have found a way to remain in control after succumbing to mara. So, by deduction, they're from that group." Stelle pulled out her weapon eagerly. "Perfect! Let's deal with them!" Pei Guang held up a hand to stop her. "Not so fast. If we jump down right now, we'll be sitting ducks. Look at the layout—four or five on the left, another four or five on the right, and more than ten in the middle of the path. Sure, we're strong, but remember: even the best can be overwhelmed. Let's use our brains." From within the trash can, Bailu's voice chimed in, "I can help. Let me use your magical coffee to put them all to sleep!" Pei Guang replied, "You will help, but not by wasting coffee on them. That's too valuable. Stelle, March, follow my lead—watch my 'expression' and act accordingly!" He had forgotten one important detail: with their helmets on, their faces were fully concealed, rendering his "expression" unreadable.

Chapter 209 - 208: Slacker’s Anthem

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