Well, to borrow a phrase from the internet...
With the atmosphere having reached this point, if he changed back now, everyone would probably be embarrassed.
Welt, standing behind them, wore a faint smile. Watching the somewhat noisy scene before him, he seemed to catch a glimpse of three youthful, energetic girls.
A white-haired girl clinging to a purple-haired figure, and an expressionless Audi Double Diamond following beside them...
He shook his head and followed behind them without saying anything.
Instead, he focused all his attention on the green-haired woman standing silently to one side with a pink parasol propped over her.
Only then did Welt notice that this woman did not carry the aura of someone who had set foot upon a Path.
Yet she possessed the bearing unique to the strong, which was enough to show that she herself was incredibly powerful.
"If she were to step onto a Path, would her strength undergo another qualitative leap?"
That was what Welt thought.
As Bronya listened to Tingyun recount Liuge's deeds in helping her, she could tell that quite a few details had been concealed within her words.
Still, it was not hard to hear just how fond Tingyun was of Liuge.
At once, she began chatting with Liuge through their mental link.
As expected of you. How long has it been? And you've already hooked up with the chief representative of the Luofu's renowned Minghuo Merchant Guild.
Hey, hey, hey, don't slander me. Seriously, I'm a little confused myself right now, okay?
Liuge gave Bronya, who was following beside Stelle, a slightly helpless look.
Come to think of it, you seem to have gotten along pretty well with everyone on the Astral Express.
Not bad! I've basically been playing games in the recreation room the whole time.
Bronya smiled and continued through the mental link.
But you! I seem to have heard that before summoning me, you used my identity to do quite a few things.
Uh...
Liuge wiped away nonexistent cold sweat, finding it hard to respond.
Whether it was using Hacker Bunny's identity to argue with Silver Wolf, using her identity to rage at Silver Wolf in games, or using her identity to take on the Doomsday Beast, overall...
There was only one conclusion: tormenting Silver Wolf.
Don't worry, I'm not that petty. Besides, that Silver Wolf girl is pretty interesting too. She's a little bad at games, but her hacking skills are genuinely impressive. I can spar with her and improve my own hacking skills~
That's good, that's good!
Liuge let out a sigh of relief.
By then, the group had followed Tingyun to the outside of the Ministry of Interdimensional Affairs.
Having arrived, Tingyun's explanation came to an end.
"Since you have only just arrived at the Xianzhou, you will need to register at the Ministry of Interdimensional Affairs. Lady Yukong would also like to meet you. Please wait here for a moment while I go inform her with my companion..."
Tingyun closed her Six-Ribbed Folding Fan, turned around, and spoke to them.
"Okay, Miss Tingyun!"
March 7th nodded, then turned to look at the magnificent, bustling scene outside the Ministry of Interdimensional Affairs. She raised her camera and began taking pictures from every possible angle.
Seeing March 7th like that, Tingyun smiled. She nodded to Liuge before entering the Ministry of Interdimensional Affairs.
Once inside, Liuge waited until the doors had closed before changing back from Kazami Yuuka's form.
Looking at Tingyun's faintly smiling expression, he sighed helplessly.
"How does it feel to see your companions again, Benefactor Liuge~?"
"Compared to that, I'm more concerned with how my Miss Tingyun sees me."
Liuge's words made Tingyun freeze. Two blushes slowly appeared on her face, visible to the naked eye.
"Th-this... this was merely a slip of the tongue. Please do not mind it, Young Master!"
"Oh~ Is that so? But I've already taken it to heart."
Liuge chuckled as he watched Tingyun's reaction.
You created such a perfect atmosphere just now that I was too embarrassed to change back.
And now you think I'll let you off?
"Mm... Th-then..."
"Hmm?"
"Then it's the truth~"
In an instant, Liuge's expression genuinely froze.
Wait?!
Tingyun was... giving up completely?!
A Slight Change
Seeing Tingyun close her eyes, blush, and wear an expression as though she had resigned herself to fate, Liuge was at a loss.
Originally, he had only wanted to get a little revenge on Tingyun, and naturally intended to stop while he was ahead.
Who would have thought that just as things began, Tingyun would immediately surrender and unleash her ultimate move!
How was he supposed to play this? How?!
For a moment, the atmosphere between them became awkwardly suspended.
"Hmm? Warden Tingyun, why are you standing here?"
At that moment, a subordinate passed by. Seeing Tingyun standing motionless at the entrance, he asked curiously.
That one sentence was like a great axe, instantly splitting apart the strange atmosphere between them.
Tingyun was so startled that she looked around in panic, then strode into the Ministry of Interdimensional Affairs without looking back, completely ignoring Liuge.
Yet as Liuge watched her retreating figure, he could clearly see that her fair neck had already been stained with a faint pink flush.
"Honestly, you clearly aren't suited for using your ultimate move, yet you used it so quickly. You didn't give anyone time to prepare."
Turning around, Liuge also walked out of the Ministry of Interdimensional Affairs.
The moment he emerged and saw the others outside, surprise appeared on his face.
"Hmm? Why are you all here?!"
That expression, that look in his eyes—it was as though he truly had not expected them to be there.
Only Bronya, who understood everything clearly, saw through his act, though she did not expose him.
When March 7th, Stelle, and Welt saw him, they were all stunned for a moment.
"Liuge, why were you inside the Ministry of Interdimensional Affairs?"
March 7th curiously stepped forward and looked Liuge up and down.
"Hmm, it doesn't seem like you've changed much."
"It hasn't been that long. What kind of change could there be?"
Liuge rolled his eyes and replied helplessly.
"That makes sense!"
March 7th smiled. What she was more curious about now was how Liuge had come out of the Ministry of Interdimensional Affairs.
"As for why I was inside the Ministry of Interdimensional Affairs..."
As he spoke, Liuge took out an exquisite token.
"With this token the General gave me, aside from a few special places I can't enter, I can basically go into places like the Ministry of Interdimensional Affairs without needing to report in."
"Eh~"
Both March 7th and Stelle were rather surprised.
As for Welt, he examined the token in Liuge's hand with interest.
"Liuge, this..."
"Uncle Yang, you want to see it? Here..."
As he spoke, Liuge handed the token to Welt.
On the back of the token in Welt's hand was the character Jing, while its front bore a qilin-like pattern.
"If I'm not mistaken, this token should belong to the Luofu's General, General Jing Yuan."
Though he had never been to the Xianzhou, Welt still knew a little about the Luofu Xianzhou.
So after a brief assessment, he understood the token's purpose.
"That's right. General Jing Yuan gave it to me."
Liuge nodded. Was this what one would expect from Old Yang?
"Eh, eh, eh, Uncle Yang. Is this thing very valuable?"
"Yes!"
Welt adjusted his glasses, then explained to March 7th what authority a General possessed.
By the time March 7th understood its significance and purpose, Tingyun had also emerged from the Ministry of Interdimensional Affairs.
But she did not look at Liuge to one side. Instead, she looked at everyone else.
"Everyone, Lady Yukong has learned of your arrival. Please come with me. She wishes to meet you."
"Alright!"
As the leader of this group, Welt naturally took on the role of spokesperson.
Following Tingyun into the Ministry of Interdimensional Affairs, they soon met Yukong, who was seated before the central command console.
Yukong still carried the capable air of a powerful businesswoman, giving Welt the feeling that he was seeing an old acquaintance.
"Welcome, everyone from the Astral Express. My name is Yukong. As you can see, I am the chief administrator of the Ministry of Interdimensional Affairs."
Seeing Welt and the others arrive, Yukong stood and smiled faintly.
"Hello, Yukong. My name is Welt, and I am the leader of these children..."
The two people who looked young but were actually quite old began talking.
Watching from the side, Liuge could not help feeling as though they were two class teachers from different schools exchanging teaching experience.
Stelle tugged on March 7th's sleeve and whispered, "Do you feel like there's something very subtle about the way these two are talking?"
March 7th took a look and nodded.
As for Bronya, she did not care about any of that. She had somehow pulled out a game console and was playing it.
Seeing this, Liuge quietly walked over and crouched beside her.
Bronya noticed Liuge crouching beside her and frowned slightly.
"What?"
"Get me a game console too!"
"That's it?"
Bronya had thought it was something serious, but that was all he wanted.
As she spoke, Bronya somehow pulled out another foldable GBA handheld console and handed it to Liuge.
Taking the console, Liuge skillfully turned it on and was delighted to discover something.
It was actually Pokémon Emerald 386 Version, once Liuge's favorite game.
As for why, it was because this game let him catch all 386 Pokémon and randomly encounter every Pokémon in tall grass, including Legendary Pokémon.
It was just so satisfying!
Before you continue