Chapter 84 - 80 - Wende: Numb

"Mmm... My duties don't normally include receiving foreign guests... mmm~" "But by all reason and sentiment, I must give you all... ahh~" "An, an opportunity to meet face-to-face... to personally... personally decline your offer..." Wende numbly kneaded the back of the large, cyan fox on the bed... So tired... so sleepy... I just want it to be over... "Er... Lord Yukong, we can actually wait until Wende has finished the massage before we talk." Watching Yukong, who was red-faced and panting while being "handled" by Wende, Welt pushed up the glasses he had already pushed up hundreds of times, his face expressionless. He really should find an optometrist and get a new pair... Why had he been seeing so many things he shouldn't be seeing lately? "Mmm... alright..." "Lord Yukong, please have some tea." Tingyun, smiling sweetly, served a cup of hot tea to the flushed-pink Yukong. "Mm, thank you." Nodding at Tingyun, Yukong accepted the hot tea with a smile. She took a light sip of the warm tea. The faint fragrance of the brew made her already relaxed body feel even more comfortable. Yukong felt a warmth spread through her entire being, from the inside out... How strange. Wasn't I here to find the people from the Astral Express and turn them down? Why did I suddenly end up getting a massage? She gently glanced at the little minx beside her. Ah... I was tricked into this by Tingyun. Oh, well. In any case, dealing with official business lately had left her physically and mentally exhausted. It wouldn't hurt to relax for a little while, right? "Lord Yukong, you just mentioned that you wanted to personally decline our offer. I wonder..." Welt steered the conversation, which had gone who-knows-where, back on track. "Mm. The Xianzhou is not dealing with a Stellaron for the first time. Although the various disasters this time have been fierce, the Xianzhou still has the strength to handle them itself. We do not need to rely on outsiders to manage the Xianzhou's internal affairs." Perhaps because she had undergone a period of deep relaxation, Yukong's words were no longer as sharp as before. Instead, her voice was light and airy. "The Stellaron's influence is not yet too deep. If it's stopped in time, it won't cause excessive damage. We have stopped Stellaron disasters before; we only came this time to lend you a hand," Welt explained to Yukong. "No. The matter of the Stellaron is, after all, an internal affair of the Xianzhou... whereas all of you..." Yukong's words paused, but the meaning was self-evident. "Putting the Stellaron aside, regarding all of you from the Astral Express... there are actually some other troublesome matters." Yukong took a light sip of the now-lukewarm tea, her expression placid. "So, is it really okay to be discussing something this serious in such a delicate atmosphere?" Looking at the group who had just finished their massages, Sister Guoguo silently complained. [As we all know, important business deals are made at the dinner table. Even more important deals are made at the foot massage parlor.] [But the problem is, this isn't a foot massage parlor!] [I suggest Wende opens up a shop on the Xianzhou. That way I can have Wende's big hands kneading me every day! Hehehe...] [Dammit, he gets to rub the big fox and the little fox. I'm so jealous!] [You there. Are you jealous of the foxes or jealous of Wende?] [This plot has truly grasped the essence of Xianzhou culture.] [Promote the excellent traditions of the Xianzhou! It is our undeniable duty!] [You'd better be talking about culture!] "Er... G-General... General Jing Yuan? Is something the matter?" Qingni, who had been left alone in the Palace of the Dawn Herald by her own mother under the noble pretext of "gaining experience," looked nervously at the general's projection before her. "Ah, don't be nervous. Where is your Lord Yukong? Why don't I see her?" The projected Jing Yuan raised an eyebrow. This was a bit beyond his plans. The people from the Astral Express didn't come directly to the Palace of the Dawn Herald, and even that girl Yukong wasn't here? This was truly... quite unexpected... "Er... Lord Yukong, she... she went to the inn subordinate to the Sky-Faring Commission. She said she was going to personally meet the guests from the Astral Express." Qingni stood with her hands behind her back, speaking with some embarrassment. Did this count as her own mother slacking off and getting caught red-handed by her boss? "Oh? Isn't the Sky-Faring Commission very busy recently? For her to go and meet those guests personally... it seems she's had some new insights lately, has she?" Jing Yuan remarked with great feeling. "It... it certainly is very busy..." Looking at the huge pile of documents on the desk below her that still needed to be reviewed, Qingni felt that a mother's love was like a mountain... a landslide! "Mm, keep up the good work. I was originally thinking of speaking with your Lord Yukong remotely and meeting the guests from the Astral Express at the same time. It seems I'll have to make a trip in person this time." Jing Yuan shook his head helplessly, then closed the projection communication. "So, the opening of the Jade Gate and that welcome message back then were actually the work of the Stellaron Hunters?" Welt stroked his chin, deep in thought. "That's right. According to the Sky-Faring Commission's records, the Astral Express entered the Xianzhou without permission, and at a time of great chaos... It's hard not to be suspicious." "Mmm... looking at it that way, it does seem like we're the ones who look like the bad guys..." Little March scratched her head, greatly troubled. "This is clearly a conspiracy, isn't it?" Stelle, who had appeared out of nowhere, raised her hand. "!! When did you get here?!" Looking at Stelle, who had appeared as if by teleportation, March patted her chest, looking startled. [Option 1: This is a teleport that can only be used once in a lifetime!] [Option 2: I'm just a passing-by Trailblazer.] [Option 3: I took the stairs.] The Trailblazer's dialogue options appeared in the stream once again. [Great, I've completely figured out the writers' tastes!] [Figured it out? I think you still don't get it at all!] [Dammit, I want to pick all three!] [This is such a hard choice!] The Trailblazer pinched her chin, pondering. "It really is a hard choice! Ahhh, three memes of the same tier! Each one is so perfectly appropriate, I... I don't know! I really don't know!" Sister Guoguo "screamed" dramatically. Then, while the stream viewers were distracted, she decisively chose Option 2. "I'm just a passing-by Trailblazer!" A mysterious smile appeared on Stelle's face. She confidently put her hands on her hips and spoke to Little March. [Dammit! It was a smoke bomb!] [Sister Guoguo, you bad woman! You just picked your favorite meme!] "Huh? How does that count as 'passing by' in any way!" March crossed her arms in front of her chest. Looking at Stelle's smug, trollish expression, she suddenly had a strong urge to wake Wende up and have him give Stelle a good, hard handling!