Fu Xuan: "I'll Take Responsibility" / Tingyun: "My benefactor, you're in quite the mood. Which lovely young lady are you trying to pick up this time?"

After that, she could use Fu Xuan to establish a connection with Jing Yuan.

Lin Shuang did not expect just a few words to change Danshu.

For Danshu, the most important person in her life was already dead. The only thing driving her to keep living was hatred.

Changing the mind of someone like that was undoubtedly difficult.

Lin Shuang had merely decided to give it a try. After all, she was neither a Xianzhou native nor a Sushang, so she had the leisure to concern herself with it.

Her main target was still Phantylia, and the fastest way to contact Phantylia was ultimately through Danshu.

She would fleece Phantylia for everything she was worth.

As Lin Shuang walked along, intending to head back and play some cards with Qingque—

At the entrance to an alley, she saw a finely dressed Xianzhou man approaching head-on, leading several Cloud Knights who blocked her path.

Before Lin Shuang could say anything, several little brats she had dealt with earlier suddenly stepped out from behind the adults.

"It's her! Th-that lowly Outworlder! She... she used the wicked magic of an Abomination to beat us, and she said she was going to kill us! Dad, hurry and arrest her and send her to the Ten Lords' Court for execution!"

The child at the front clutched the hem of the finely dressed man's robe, trembling as he pointed out Lin Shuang's "crimes."

Perhaps his father's presence had given him confidence, suppressing the psychological shadow Lin Shuang had left on him.

At that moment, the smug arrogance of a petty villain and his hatred for Lin Shuang radiated openly from the child.

As for the Xianzhou man leading them, he exuded an intense contempt for Outworlders.

There was no need to sense his emotions. The undisguised arrogance and harshness in his gaze said enough.

"Little Bao, don't be afraid. Daddy will avenge you."

The man stroked the child's head, then glared at Lin Shuang with an ugly expression and barked,

"Brazen Outworlder! You attempted to harm a Xianzhou child and publicly used the wicked arts of an Abomination. The evidence is conclusive. The Abundant Doses have recently thrown the Xianzhou into chaos. I say you are one of their spies, plotting to steal the secret of immortality! Men, seize her!"

"Yes!"

One of the Cloud Knights eagerly echoed him, stepping forward and raising his weapon as though he were about to attack.

As that Cloud Knight moved, another child hiding behind him was revealed.

It was the same brat who had previously shouted, "My dad is a Cloud Knight!"

"Dad! Kill this Outworlder! She said before that the Cloud Knights were all useless trash, lapdogs of the Divination Department! She insulted the Xianzhou, so she's definitely a spy!"

"Y-yeah, I heard it too! She also said the Cloud Knights were all worthless! She told us to bring whoever we wanted to get revenge on her!"

The two children chimed in one after another, growing more excited—and more outrageous—with every word.

"Shut up! The Cloud Knights are carrying out official business. What kind of disgraceful racket is this?"

The leading man's expression changed slightly. He lowered his head and scolded his child, making him shut up. The child obediently pursed his lips, snorted, and said proudly,

"Hmph... I'll become a Cloud Knight general just like my father someday. I won't waste words with an Outworlder like you. You lot, hurry up and arrest her!"

The other Cloud Knights frowned beneath their masks, but still raised their weapons and advanced toward Lin Shuang step by step.

Lin Shuang could only laugh.

She had actually run into such a classic case of beating up the little one and having the big one come afterward?

There had not been any follow-up like this in the game.

Then again, the Trailblazer had been the general's honored guest back then. This man probably had not dared to provoke them at all.

At that thought, Lin Shuang's expression darkened.

Ghostly green flames instantly surged from the ground, forming a ferocious colossal beast.

Then, with a piercing shriek, it swallowed everyone before her in a single instant!

"Aah—!!"

Amid the screams, scorching gusts and the impact crashing down from above sent everyone sprawling face-first onto the ground.

Stepping through the flames, Lin Shuang came before the leader and looked down at him with contempt.

Bang—

Her foot blurred into an afterimage, and the man was sent flying with a dull thud. He slammed into the nearby wall and fell to the ground howling.

"Pathetic. If all Cloud Knight officers are like you, then they really are beyond saving."

Just then, a blade split apart the flames. Two figures entered the sea of fire one after the other, one empty-handed and one carrying a sword.

"Lin Shuang is right. I will advise the general to thoroughly investigate this matter and give you an explanation, Lin Shuang."

Fu Xuan, followed by a grim-faced Yanqing, arrived at the scene at precisely the right moment.

Fu Xuan: I Will Take Responsibility

The several Cloud Knights immediately panicked upon seeing the two figures enter the flames.

Especially after Fu Xuan said that, the man Lin Shuang had kicked away went completely pale.

"Why is Lady Fu Xuan here? Isn't she just an Outworlder?! Why is she speaking up for her?"

The leading man looked up at Fu Xuan, his breathing suddenly growing rapid.

Lin Shuang could not help laughing when she heard that.

She stepped forward, planted a foot on the man's head, and said in a teasing tone,

"Seeing an important figure of the Xianzhou choose to support an Outworlder like me must be driving you crazy."

"Aahh! You lowly Outworlder!!"

The man struggled to get up, but with Lin Shuang's foot pinning his head down, he could not break free at all.

"Then now that you're beneath the foot of this Outworlder, doesn't that make you even lower than the Outworlders you look down on?"

To kill someone in body and spirit, naturally, one had to strike at what mattered most to them.

Lin Shuang watched the man's face turn red, his eyes nearly splitting with rage, then turned toward the two children standing dumbfounded nearby.

"Hey, you two. Since you thought to bring Cloud Knights here to kill me, you must have prepared yourselves to be killed by me too, right?"

As she spoke, the ghostly green flames transformed into evil spirits, and countless terrifying illusions instantly swallowed the two children.

"Aaaahhh—!! Daddy!! Save me!! Waaaah— I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll never dare do it again!!"

The support they had always relied on had suddenly collapsed. An important figure of the Xianzhou was also supporting Lin Shuang, this Outworlder. By the logic the children had always lived by, those with authority could naturally judge the weak at will without paying any price.

This time, the two children finally broke down completely. Crying bitterly, they wailed and begged for mercy.

Seeing his children reduced to such a miserable state, the man beneath Lin Shuang's foot was practically exploding with rage!

"Bastard!! Beast!! Come at me if you dare!! Stop it right now!!"

The man began struggling madly again. At that moment, Yanqing stepped forward and shouted. With a ringing clang, his sword hung directly above the man's forehead.

"Shut your mouth!"

"You insulted the honor of the Cloud Knights. Say one more word, and I'll deal with you under military law!"

"..."

The gleaming sword hanging in the air, along with the equally blatant authority behind it, left the man speechless. Compared with Fu Xuan, he truly feared Yanqing's strength and status more.

After silencing the man, Yanqing sheathed his sword and bowed deeply to Lin Shuang with great sincerity.

"My deepest apologies, Miss Lin! This incident is entirely the fault of the Xianzhou Cloud Knights. However, Yanqing asks that Miss Lin spare their lives for now and allow the Xianzhou to judge them fairly."

Fu Xuan did not bother with the Cloud Knights lying on the ground. Instead, she came before Lin Shuang, gave a slight bow, and added,

"I should apologize to Miss Lin as well. I offer no defense whatsoever for what the Cloud Knights have done. This is entirely the Xianzhou's fault. Within one day, Yanqing and I will give Miss Lin a satisfactory answer on Yukong's behalf."

The moment Fu Xuan appeared, Lin Shuang had realized that Fu Xuan had likely calculated some part of what would happen today.

And she had chosen to enter the scene at the most appropriate moment.

The Xianzhou had gone from a state of war into its current peaceful era. Such changes could not be accomplished overnight, especially since Xianzhou natives lived for centuries at a time.

Trying to carry out reforms in every respect was even harder.

There was always a reason behind the emergence of a bad thing.

Now that Fu Xuan and Yanqing had appeared in person, they likely intended to eradicate this deep-rooted problem as well.

Seeing Fu Xuan and Yanqing, Lin Shuang understood whose will this matter represented. She could not speak for other places, but at least the leaders of the Luofu seemed fairly decent.

She naturally understood what sort of developments might follow.

Fu Xuan did not think Lin Shuang would fail to understand. Even if she truly had not realized it, Fu Xuan would explain it to her afterward.

After all, that "Galaxy Ranger" stood behind Lin Shuang. The Xianzhou had no need to antagonize such a powerful figure.

Yanqing, meanwhile, seemed unable to sit still. He hurriedly explained to Lin Shuang,

"That man actually left the Cloud Knights many years ago. He now serves in the Department of Civil Affairs. The Cloud Knights... the Cloud Knights today are not so disgraceful..."

Yanqing was both ashamed and furious. He had never imagined that, as a swordsmanship prodigy studying under Jing Yuan, he should have been wielding his sword against enemies and roaming the battlefield.

Yet one day, he would be carrying out the general's orders to clean up the mess caused by the Cloud Knights.

The more he spoke, the less confidence he had. By the end, his face had flushed red. He barely managed to finish the sentence only to preserve the general's dignity.

Yanqing wanted nothing more than to cut down these people who had tarnished the Cloud Knights' reputation.

Whether Lin Shuang truly had any problems or not, could the Cloud Knights arrest someone based solely on the one-sided claims of two children?!

And they had even casually branded her as one of the Abundant Doses.

Watching Yanqing's reaction, Lin Shuang found it rather amusing. Yanqing probably cared deeply about the Xianzhou.

Was this meant to broaden his horizons?

With that thought, Lin Shuang said to the two of them,

"Rather than explaining things to me, there are people you should be more concerned about. After all, I wasn't hurt, while the people who caused this incident are not doing very well."

Yanqing had received the order halfway through and had not yet learned the full story. He frowned slightly, then clasped his hands and bowed.

"Yanqing understands. Thank you for showing mercy, Miss Lin. Afterward, Yanqing will thoroughly investigate the entire matter and report it to the general. Everyone will be given an explanation."

Lin Shuang nodded in response.

Then, under Yanqing's curious gaze and Fu Xuan's frown, all the ghostly green flames around them returned to Lin Shuang's body.

Seeing Lin Shuang withdraw her power, Yanqing immediately went to deal with those who had disregarded military law, while Fu Xuan continued,

"After this, if Miss Lin does not mind, would you be willing to visit the Divination Department?"

"Let's talk after this matter is settled."

Lin Shuang did not agree outright, and Fu Xuan nodded without pressing further.

"Very well. The Xianzhou should first demonstrate its sincerity."

Just as Lin Shuang was preparing to take her leave—

The phone in her pocket vibrated a few times.

Taking it out, Lin Shuang saw that the person messaging her was Firefly, who had been silent for two days.

The moment she contacted Lin Shuang, she asked whether they could meet in person on the Xianzhou.

Firefly: Miss Lin, I wonder if you have any free time recently. Regarding the song, I would like to discuss it with you in detail. How about meeting on the Xianzhou?

She got straight to the point and asked to meet Lin Shuang.

Tingyun: Benefactor Truly Has Fine Taste. Which Lovely Young Lady Are You Going to Woo This Time?

Seeing Firefly take such initiative, Lin Shuang assumed she had used her brother's resources to investigate Lin Shuang.