Who is being conquered?

Listening to the increasingly serious voice on the other end, Ye Linna slowly straightened her body, her tone returning to its usual composure: "Please, go ahead."

"This should be the last time I discuss work with you through the system. Listen carefully, Ye Linna. Return to the company to report within three days. However, the place you'll be going to is no longer the first hundred and sixty-sixth market group of the Strategic Investment Department..."

His voice held reluctance, but more so, celebration. "Congratulations, Ms. Ye Linna, senior cadre of the 'Strategic Investment Department,' leader of the Special Debt Investigation Team. From now on, you are under 'Diamond' as one of the 'Ten Stone Hearts.'"

"R-really...?"

Ye Linna knew very well the significance of the title "Ten Stone Hearts."

She should have been overjoyed, hugging Zhang Zhang and celebrating that her efforts had finally paid off. But strangely, she didn't feel much joy now. Instead, there was an inexplicable sense of loss in her heart.

Bai Jun's figure flashed through Ye Linna's mind. It wasn't until the voice on the phone brought her back to reality that she spoke, "Ye Linna? Are you still listening?"

"I understand. Thank you, Uncle Derbisky."

She hung up the phone, her expression somewhat somber.

Reporting within three days...

Chapter 52: An Encounter with a Mysterious Woman in Red, Defeating Her with All Her Might!

Ye Linna left in a hurry, likely because she had other matters to attend to.

Bai Jun didn't ask further. Firstly, their relationship wasn't that close. Secondly, although Ye Linna seemed very pure and cute when they interacted, she was still an employee of the Interstellar Peace Company. Furthermore, judging from her demeanor and experience, she was at least a team leader or something similar, otherwise, she wouldn't have been so well-off.

It was still early before the six o'clock appointment with Cold Crow. With nothing else to do on the street, Bai Jun decided to visit the Buye Hou at the Starcruiser Sea Hub to have some tea and listen to stories to pass the time.

The shopkeeper of Buye Hou was a very cute fox girl. She stood on a small stool, warmly greeting the customers who came and went.

"Welcome to Buye Hou! I'm Meng Ming, the owner. What would you like to drink, customer... Oh, it's Bai Jun."

Upon recognizing the visitor, her enthusiastic attitude immediately shifted to the familiarity of a friend. She casually waved towards the shop, signaling him to hurry inside. "Today's Shuyuan Maofeng is the freshest. Plump, tender buds, brewed in a cup, with a mellow and sweet taste and orchid-like fragrance. If you don't have money, just go to the back and get a pot yourself. Let the waiter put it on your tab."

"...Thanks, but I have money today."

Bai Jun felt a bit awkward. He hadn't expected that Meng Ming would see him as someone who often defaulted on payments! Although, there did seem to be many records of him putting things on tab...

"You have money? That's even better. Please settle the bill from the back while you're at it."

Before Bai Jun could reply, Meng Ming impatiently pushed him into the shop. "Go inside, go inside. Don't disturb my business standing here. Your big frame will block other customers!"

As he reached the entrance of the main hall, Bai Jun noticed a girl with chestnut-colored twin tails carrying a giant sword quickly pass by. She went straight to a table closest to the storyteller's position, picked up a cup of prepared milk tea, and started drinking.

"Su Shang?"

The person was Su Shang, the kind and enthusiastic Cloud Cavalry rookie who often made jokes about her personal cultural literacy.

However, Su Shang didn't notice Bai Jun at the entrance. It had been some time since she responded to the Luofu Cloud Cavalry's call. Although she had been diligently patrolling everywhere, she hadn't encountered any petty thefts or disturbances, which made her both annoyed and angry. In the end, she could only continue practicing martial arts and swordsmanship, and in her free time, she would listen to storytellers, living a rather monotonous life.

At this moment, she was hunched over a table at Buye Hou, waiting for the storyteller to prepare. She wanted to hear him talk about the Five Valiants of the Clouds of Luofu. But before the storyteller could even bang his wooden clapper, she heard a familiar voice from beside her.

She turned her head towards the sound, and her beautiful eyes immediately showed surprise. "Ah, it's Bai Jun! What are you doing here? Do you need my help with anything? Hehe, no need for pleasantries, I'm always ready."

"While I admire your enthusiasm, isn't your thinking a bit too wild?"

Bai Jun interrupted Su Shang's rambling, sat down next to her, and ordered a pot of premium Shuyuan Maofeng from the waiter.

"Huh? Just saying hello, do you really not need my help?"

"I really don't. By the way, don't you get tired doing this all day?" Bai Jun looked at the energetic Su Shang, feeling that her vitality was a bit too abundant.

"Not at all! As the saying goes, 'Urgency of others is my urgency, respond to every plea; do one good deed a day, reflect on oneself thrice.' Thinking that this young lady will be recorded in history makes me feel like I have ten thousand unused powers!" As she thought of this, Su Shang seemed to be filled with energy. She stood up, picked up her Xuanyuan Sword, put her hands on her hips, and laughed heartily.

"It's good that you're so energetic, but can you not act foolish in public?"

Noticing the strange glances from the surroundings and seeing Su Shang's foolish behavior, Bai Jun covered his face and tugged at her sleeve, feeling so embarrassed he wanted to burrow into the ground.

"Oh, oh, my apologies."

Although she said she sat down, judging by Su Shang's smile, it seemed she had no intention of repenting. Just as Bai Jun was considering keeping his distance from her, she suddenly leaned closer, holding a book in her hand. "Oh right, Bai Jun, can you take a look at this character and tell me how to pronounce it? Is it 'jiu' like in 'jiucai' (chives)?"

Bai Jun leaned closer and saw that it was the phrase Jing Yuan often mentioned: "A floating life is like dew on a leek, a snail's horn fights for right and wrong."

"This character is pronounced 'xiè.' It refers to a type of plant called 'xiè' from ancient times. The general meaning of this sentence is that a person's life is as fleeting as dew on a leek, disappearing in the blink of an eye. It's quite unreasonable that so many people fight for fame and fortune, scheming against each other over trivial matters."

Bai Jun had tried his best to explain it clearly. Although he didn't know if she had understood it, Bai Jun felt gratified because Su Shang actually took his advice and started reading and learning in her free time.

Su Shang scratched her head and tilted her head in confusion. Her clear eyes showed an emotion that read, "What is this?" Finally, she calmly closed the book and, fulfilling Bai Jun's expectations, said, "As expected, I don't understand it at all."

Bai Jun waved his hand indifferently. In terms of learning, attitude was far more important than talent. As long as Su Shang had the desire to learn, even if her progress was slow, she was still moving forward.

"It's fine, learning is endless. Just take it slow... But I'm quite curious, didn't you attend school in Yaoqing before?"

Bai Jun remembered that Yaoqing had a high level of education, and Su Shang's mother was Su Yi. By all rights, she shouldn't be like this.

Hearing this, Su Shang showed a shy smile. She picked up her teacup and lightly tapped the rim with her finger.

"Well, how should I put it... My mother started training me in martial arts from a young age. I had to wake up before the morning bell to spar with her, and I was exhausted by early morning. By the time I got to school, I could only sleep soundly. The teachers all called me 'Big Pillow Li.'"

Bai Jun's furrowed brow suddenly relaxed upon hearing the nickname "Big Pillow Li," and he couldn't help but laugh. "That's... that's quite fitting for you."

"Ah! You're laughing at me? I even told you my embarrassing past!"

Su Shang's face immediately turned red. She stood up and raised her small fists, intending to teach Bai Jun a lesson.

But before her fists could land on Bai Jun, a colleague wearing the same Cloud Cavalry uniform as Su Shang burst through the door and shouted into the hall:

"Su Shang, hurry! That Outworlder in red is causing trouble and misleading people again!"

"What! That woman actually dares to show herself again? She really doesn't take us seriously!"

Upon hearing the shout, Su Shang's eyes widened considerably. She downed her milk tea in one go, patted Bai Jun's shoulder, and put on the most valiant expression she could muster. "Sorry, Bai Jun, I have to go out for a bit. I'll be right back after I deal with that annoying person!"

Then, she grabbed her greatsword and quickly dashed out the door.

Bai Jun didn't understand what kind of act she was putting on this time. He heard the waiter approaching with the finest Jianyuan Maofeng tea and asking, "Sir, do you know that young lady?"

"Yes, why?" Bai Jun took the tea and nodded.

"Oh, it's good that you know her. She hasn't paid for the tea she was drinking here. Could you settle the bill?"

"..."

Chapter 53: Firecrackers and Fire-Breathing Like Monsters, All Efforts Futile Against Them!

Upon arriving at the scene, Su Shang and her fellow Cloud Cavalry quickly focused their attention on the crowd gathered near the Chahai.

"Look, look, little sister is new to this place! Come see my skills, I'll put on a show. Even a little something is appreciated, a grand gesture shows your heart. No idle chatter, please, let me present my signature act!"

She saw a red-haired woman beating gongs and drums, causing a stir, swallowing swords, and breathing fire, much to the delight of the crowd.

Before long, the woman intended to use a large slab of bluestone, determined to perform "Shattering Stone on Chest"!

"Stop! The traffic on the Star Raft Sea is always congested, this is hardly a place for your juggling and tricks!" Su Shang couldn't stand it any longer. With a sharp cry, she braced herself, her arms sinking as she opened her stance, pointing the tip of the Xuanyuan Sword at the woman.

"Oh my, it's you again. It feels like it's been a while since I last saw you." The red-haired woman saw that Su Shang was unsteady on her feet and her steps were shaky, so she wasn't alarmed and teased her with a smile.

"A while? I saw you yesterday!" The thought of being toyed with by her yesterday made Su Shang's teeth itch with anger. She wished she could grab her on the spot and tickle her until she cried!

"What? You saw me yesterday? Alas, don't you Xianzhou have a saying, 'A day apart feels like three autumns'!"

As she spoke, the red-haired woman, taking advantage of Su Shang's slowness, had already quietly packed up all her belongings on the ground. She slung her bags over her shoulder and was about to leave, announcing loudly, "This young lady will take her leave first. Bye-bye!"

Su Shang wouldn't let her get away with it. She charged forward, swinging the Xuanyuan in her hand, intending to strike the bags behind the red-haired woman.

"Don't do that, sister. It's not good to hurt someone with fighting and killing." The red-haired woman immediately sidestepped, casually picked up the three-foot fire staff, and wielded it, sending sparks flying. It was quite intimidating. With a casual swing, the blunt end of the staff aimed straight for Su Shang's wrists.

Su Shang quickly retreated half a zhang, but unexpectedly, the woman took the opportunity to pull out several round objects from her pouch and throw them fiercely to the ground. With a loud bang, followed by a burst of flames.

Smoke and fire scattered in all directions, and explosions echoed incessantly. In the chaos, Su Shang suddenly felt a push. After a moment, she realized the woman had already disappeared.

"What is this... firecrackers? How can they have such power?"

"These Outworlders... are truly not to be underestimated!" A fellow Cloud Cavalry soldier, his face blackened by the smoke, coughed and walked over to comfort Su Shang. "Alas, she escaped again. Don't be discouraged, Su Shang, there's always a way—"

His words abruptly stopped. Su Shang's shoulders were trembling slightly in his sight. She stared at her empty right hand, her pretty face, blackened by the firecracker smoke, now filled with tears. "Waaah! She stole my Xuanyuan Sword!"

Losing her beloved sword was a grief no less profound than the hatred for regicide or the loss of a wife. Su Shang was heartbroken and tearfully ran towards the Buye Hou.

"Su Shang!" The other Cloud Cavalry colleagues showed worried expressions, looking at Su Shang's retreating figure, unsure of what to do.

Today, nothing much happened. Went to a pleasure house to listen to music.

"Last time, we spoke of how the Xianzhou was plagued by phantom spirits and monsters from overseas, and how remnants of the Medicine King's Legacy lurked within the ships. The Marshal summoned all the Cloud Cavalry, intending to bring peace and order to the world. Among the many Cloud Cavalry soldiers, five heroes from the Cloud Cavalry of various Xianzhou gathered to fight together, collectively known as the Five Valiants of the Clouds."

"Led by these five, their accomplishments are countless: they drove away the Bulirén fleet that invaded Thalassa; they disrupted the alliance between the Huian and the Wing-Makers of the Abundance Coalition; they even relieved the besieged Jade Palace Xianzhou and defeated the living planet 'Ketu Mirage,' preserving the alliance's eyes that gaze upon the stars..."

Although Bai Jun had heard this story many times, it was still as engaging as ever for passing the time while enjoying tea. Moreover, the atmosphere was crucial for enjoying tea and stories; without the rhythmic sounds by his ear, the tea in his cup would taste bland.

The afternoon sun was just right, its light filtering through the blinds was not dazzling, illuminating the faint light in the air, making it seem solitary and ethereal.

A cool breeze passed through the corridor, making his post-meal, slightly hazy mind feel more comfortable. Bai Jun took a sip of the steaming hot tea and looked out the window with a sigh.

This kind of leisurely and comfortable life was what true living was all about...

Bai Jun poured some hot water into his teacup again. After several infusions, the tea leaves had changed from dark to light, but the flavor had also become more mellow. Just as he raised his teacup to drink the tea, the door of the Buye Hou was suddenly pushed open, followed by a tearful, extremely wronged cry:

"Bai Jun, I've been robbed of my sword—!"

"Pfft—!"

Caught off guard, Bai Jun spat out a mouthful of tea, followed by violent coughing. After he finally recovered, he looked at the doorway, his anger rising. "Su Shang, what foolishness are you up to again... What's wrong?"

Noticing a tear track on her smoke-blackened pretty face, Bai Jun's expression changed instantly. He quickly walked over, took her hand, and cast a warning glance around the hall, causing the sounds of onlookers enjoying themselves to cease abruptly.

"Don't cry, don't cry... Tell me what happened. Where is your Xuanyuan Sword?"

Bai Jun first had her sit on a stool, then gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with his sleeve. He then used a tissue dipped in tea to clean the smudged marks on her face.

Su Shang sobbed, wiping her tears, and dejectedly handed him her empty palm. "M-my Xuanyuan Sword was stolen by that person."

"That person?" Bai Jun quickly focused on the key point, the so-called "that person." "You mean the person you went to find earlier?"

"Mm, mm..."

Su Shang choked back sobs and unclearly recounted the entire incident to Bai Jun, especially embellishing the part where the red-haired woman was like a monster with firecrackers and fire-breathing, and she couldn't defeat her no matter how hard she tried.

"So, that street performer took your Xuanyuan Sword while you weren't paying attention, using the smoke from the firecrackers to steal it?" Bai Jun rubbed his temples, it took him considerable effort to finally piece together Su Shang's story.

Su Shang nodded. Bai Jun's heart finally eased a little. At least the Xuanyuan Sword wasn't stolen by some troublesome character. He had initially thought it might be those scoundrels from the Medicine King's Legacy causing trouble.

After a moment of thought, Bai Jun lightly tapped her head with his hand. "Sigh, consider it a lesson learned. Let's go, we'll get your sword back."

"Can you help me get my Xuanyuan back, Bai Jun!?"

Su Shang looked up in surprise. Her face was still partially blackened, making her look strangely comical. However, Bai Jun didn't mock her; instead, he very seriously pinched her face:

"What are you thinking? Of course, you have to get your sword back yourself. Do you expect me to retrieve it for you?"

Chapter 54: Is a Sword Not Such an Inconvenient Thing?

Before long, Bai Jun and Su Shang found traces of the red-haired woman at the other end of the main avenue of the Starcruiser Sea Hub.

Beneath a bench at the corner of the street, a large crowd had gathered for reasons unknown. Their expressions shifted from furrowed brows to utter delight, followed by thunderous cheers and applause.

As the two approached, they saw that the figure in the center of the crowd was a young girl with long, red hair. Her eyebrows were as if painted, perfectly shaped and shaded, carrying a sense of stubbornness and optimism. Combined with her bright eyes, she appeared even more spirited.

She carried a giant hammer on her shoulder, and on the wooden table before her was a large block of tofu. Beside it stood a blue-and-white granite slab. As for Su Shang's Xuanyuan Sword… it was being used as a leg for the wooden table.

"Ah, it's her, it's her! Bai Jun, get revenge for me!"

Seeing the enemy again, Su Shang's eyes burned with eagerness. She anxiously grabbed Bai Jun's arm, half-pleading, half-urging him to go forward. However, Bai Jun met her with a chop to the head. "Calm down. Besides, that's your Xuanyuan Sword. If anyone's going, it should be you, right?"

"Ugh…" Su Shang clutched her head and crouched down, instantly wilting like a frostbitten eggplant. "B-but I don't have the Xuanyuan Sword, and I probably can't beat her…"

Seeing her pathetic, downtrodden demeanor, Bai Jun's usually half-lowered azure eyes widened in disbelief. He glared at her, frustrated by her lack of spirit, and said, "Is a sword not such an inconvenient thing?"

The heart is the foundation of martial arts. Only when the spirit is cultivated to be formless can one realize that a sword is merely an external object.

Grass, wood, stone, and bamboo can all be swords.

"Sword, come!"

Then, to Su Shang's astonished gaze, Bai Jun quickly walked over to the vending machine, bought a drink, and downed it. He casually picked up the crushed aluminum can and threw it fiercely at the red-haired woman in the distance.

"Please, everyone, watch closely! Brushing teeth and whistling, and the Golden Spear Locking the Throat are just minor tricks. The real show is my signature skill – Breaking Stone with the Chest!"

Breaking Stone with the Chest is a form of acrobatics originating from ancient kingdoms. A large stone is placed on the chest of a person lying down, and another person uses a large hammer to forcefully break the stone.