Who is being conquered?

The white-haired man standing beside her, however, looked indifferent, frequently yawning. His attire was also peculiar; no, it couldn't even be called attire. It was more like a black metallic shell, similar to that of a sophisticated android, with a red scarf draped over his shoulders.

The most striking feature was his distinctly exotic-looking cowboy hat.

Compared to the woman in the suit next to him, he was like a country cat, though their color schemes seemed quite similar…

Bai Jun had no interest in eavesdropping on their conversation. He could only see the white-haired man in cowboy attire whispering something into the middle-aged woman's ear. His movements and expressions shifted between exaggerated impatience and dejected frustration. To his various disturbances, the middle-aged woman's reaction was always the same.

—Complete and utter disregard.

The middle-aged woman was like the two majestic and solemn stone lions guarding the entrance of Shence Mansion. She kept her gaze fixed on the conference room door, her attitude towards the white-haired man extremely cold, as if the team and the white-haired man were two separate groups with no connection whatsoever.

The white-haired man seemed accustomed to it. He gestured animatedly at the middle-aged woman, then chattered at the air for a long time. With a heavy sigh, a bullet casing in his mouth, he patted his backside and swaggered away.

Bai Jun shook his head dismissively, letting out a scoff. He had only one evaluation for such a frivolous fellow:

"Hmph, I'll never associate with someone like that in my life."

At that moment, the sound of chairs being moved echoed from the conference room, followed by the footsteps of dozens of people. After the Cloud Cavalry in the hallway made their move, the middle-aged woman immediately nodded behind her.

The security personnel, who had been standing silently in a line against the wall, now formed two orderly columns in front of the door at the middle-aged woman's signal, creating a passage for the conference attendees.

Bai Jun spotted many familiar faces among the conference attendees. First was Yukong, the Helmsman of Tianbo Division, followed by Hui Fu, the Keeper of Department of Earthly Rulings. Neither of them noticed Bai Jun on the distant bench, as they were fully engrossed in communicating with the delegation in suits beside them.

Jing Yuan and Guinaifen were nowhere to be seen. The security personnel soon left with the delegation, leaving only the middle-aged woman alone guarding the door.

Suddenly, the middle-aged woman's gaze shifted to Bai Jun, who was sitting idly on the bench. She pointed expressionlessly towards the door.

…She was telling him to go in?

Trying to decipher her thoughts, Bai Jun walked over to her and pointed at the door again, confirming he hadn't misunderstood her.

She remained unresponsive—which he took as tacit agreement.

Bai Jun pushed the door open and tentatively poked his head inside, immediately feeling two pairs of eyes staring intently at him.

"Bai Jun, are you feeling shy?"

"General, you jest."

For once, Jing Yuan didn't call him Qing Yan but addressed him by his real name, which made Bai Jun feel a bit awkward. He sighed and walked into the room.

The conference hall was laid out simply and clearly, with just a large table and two rows of chairs. Now, only the three of them remained in the spacious room. Bai Jun stood at the doorway, Jing Yuan occupied the head seat of the Luofu's row, and the blue-haired girl sat at the head of the other row.

"Allow me to introduce Miss Guinaifen. Though I'm sure you must know her, as a renowned star throughout the universe, she's already a household name on the Luofu," Jing Yuan said with a smile, introducing Bai Jun.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bai Jun. I also apologize in advance for any trouble my work may cause you."

Guinaifen immediately returned a gentle and polite smile. On her exquisitely beautiful and soft face, this gesture was incredibly captivating. Even Bai Jun had to admit inwardly, no wonder she was a cosmic idol. The charm she exuded with every subtle expression was enough to create a terrifying gap between her and ordinary women, a gap spanning several star systems.

"No need to be polite. I'm just doing my job for the money."

Bai Jun shook his head. Guinaifen blinked in surprise at his blunt reply, unsure how to respond to such a casual statement.

"Ahem, in any case, for the next few days, Bai Jun, you must do everything in your power to protect her. Not a single mistake will be tolerated… and also…"

Jing Yuan stood up to break the tension, patting Bai Jun's shoulder forcefully and signaling him with his eyes to be serious. However, his tone quickly shifted, and a smile reappeared on his face, a smile that sent a shiver down Bai Jun's spine.

"Miss Guinaifen's current situation is rather delicate. To ensure her safety, you will accompany Miss Guinaifen to her temporary residence tonight," Jing Yuan said calmly.

"Ah… um… huh?"

Bai Jun wore a bewildered expression, as if to say, 'Are you kidding me?' But when he turned his head and saw Guinaifen smiling and nodding at him, he suddenly realized something was amiss. "Wait! You're not joking, are you!?"

"Why would I joke about something as serious as a person's life? Your reaction is rather strange. As a bodyguard, it's normal to stay by your employer's side at all times, isn't it?"

Jing Yuan shrugged, puzzled. Then, seizing the opportunity before Bai Jun could retort, he pulled a mochi from his pocket and stuffed it into Bai Jun's mouth. Soon, Bai Jun's somewhat resistant expression began to soften.

"Fine, whatever. I don't mind."

The marshmallow on the mochi's surface was soft and light, while the grape filling inside was tender and juicy. As Bai Jun chewed the unfamiliar mochi, his expression became somewhat entranced.

Jing Yuan, satisfied, handed Bai Jun a bag of mochi, thinking that buying them that morning was indeed the best decision.

Meanwhile, the little blue bird who had witnessed the entire scene was so stunned that her ear feathers stood on end.

Was this… some unique Luofu method of coaxing?

Chapter 69: Bro, Stop It (4k1)

After finalizing all the arrangements, Jing Yuan personally escorted Guinaifen away from Shence Mansion.

The Cloud Cavalry cleared the path for the delegation, escorting Guinaifen to Chahai in Changle Heaven, where all personnel had been evacuated in advance. Several modified and reinforced commercial starships equipped with shock absorbers were parked there. Commercial starships were quite common on the Luofu, merely cheap transport vehicles with canopies for carrying passengers.

However, ordinary starships had poor defensive capabilities and couldn't withstand collisions with other starships. After being specially modified with materials from military cruisers, they could effectively resist the impact of malicious incidents.

As for Bai Jun… he was naturally to sit in the same starship with her, especially since Jing Yuan had strictly instructed it.

The comfort level inside the commercial starship was far superior to that of ordinary starships. Bai Jun unbuckled his saber from his waist, placed it beside him, and sat in the seat opposite Guinaifen, leaning back lazily against the cushion. He felt as if he was sinking into its softness.

Unlike Guinaifen, who had to maintain her posture and etiquette at all times as a major idol, he was simply accustomed to being unrestrained and naturally didn't care about such niceties.

Guinaifen kept smiling; she was genuinely in a good mood, and her smiles were heartfelt. However, the middle-aged woman beside her regarded Bai Jun with an expression that was less cold and more filled with hostile vigilance…

Despite Bai Jun meeting her for the first time, her attitude was so hostile, and her gaze towards him was as if she were looking at industrial waste.

Under her furious, almost burning gaze, Bai Jun indifferently rubbed his ear and then shifted into a more relaxed and comfortable position, continuing to stuff the remaining mochi from the bag into his mouth.

Respect was mutual. Since she wasn't giving him a pleasant look, Bai Jun saw no reason to give her one either.

But then again... why has Miss Guinaifen been staring at him? It was starting to creep him out.

Fortunately, Guinaifen seemed to notice his awkwardness and smiled, speaking first:

"I thought the elite guards General arranged would be like those Cloud Cavalry soldiers standing at the entrance – stern, unsmiling, and coldly professional, only focused on completing their mission. But Mr. Bai Jun, you're far more interesting than I expected. I hope we can get along well during this time, like friends."

After speaking, Guinaifen took off her gloves and, with an expectant gaze, extended her right hand to him.

Though the vast universe was incredibly large, it did have commonalities in many aspects of culture, such as the handshake to express goodwill.

Bai Jun, who was chewing on a rice ball, remained silent. He discreetly wiped his right hand, which had just held the rice ball, on his shirt, then gently clasped her palm.

"Pleasure working with you."

Leaving Chahai and heading north from the Starcruiser Sea Hub was Guinaifen's temporary residence for the next few days.

The Luofu's official temporary accommodation for Guinaifen was a villa complex located near the Starcruiser Sea Hub. There were no other residents around, only a magnificent villa situated in the center. It was a standard design combining an inner courtyard with a colonnade.

Elegant and magnificent white marble formed the courtyard's peristyle structure, with a small bronze fountain sculpture in the center. The backyard was equipped with a medium-sized swimming pool, balancing aesthetics with practicality, making one exclaim at the sheer extravagance of wealth.

"Oh, Helen, have you seen Mr. Potio?"

Guinaifen seemed unable to find someone in the group and asked the cold-mannered middle-aged woman.

In response to Guinaifen's question, the middle-aged woman named Helen showed a gentle expression. "I'm sorry, Miss. I don't know his whereabouts. Perhaps he has already left."

"That's true, we aren't exactly traveling together... Mr. Bai Jun, what's wrong?"

Guinaifen's disappointment was visible. She sighed softly, a bitter smile on her face. As she reached the villa's main entrance, she suddenly noticed Bai Jun had stopped beside her.

"Just fulfilling my duties as a guard. Please don't mind me; focus on your own matters."

Bai Jun shrugged and, after a simple reply, walked towards the villa's exterior.

Guard duty wasn't his forte, but it wasn't a weakness either. He had learned the skills of a shadow guard in Yaoqing. Even if it was just a few moves, it should be more than enough to handle the current situation by imitation.

Although shadow guards specialized in intelligence and clandestine affairs, there were commonalities in all things. For instance, assassins would scout and infiltrate a target's residence before a mission to facilitate assassination and escape. Conversely, guards could also conduct preliminary investigations and simulations of the residence.

As the saying goes, a guard who isn't a good assassin isn't a good guard!

After circling the villa's exterior a few times, Bai Jun roughly observed the surrounding environment and meticulously sketched the building's basic structure in his notebook.

"Tsk, so many loopholes. One could easily infiltrate the villa's courtyard through the sewer system, then climb into the third-floor window along the external pipes. After that... Hmph, it's not like there aren't a dozen ways to sneak in discreetly."

Looking at the villa's numerous flaws, Bai Jun, afflicted with occupational hazard, covered his face and sighed in frustration at the arduousness of his job. Just as he was about to return to the villa to inspect the interior structure, a malicious intent suddenly struck from behind.

The sound of a bullet being chambered was incredibly clear at this moment, the stern mechanical sound crisp and cold.

"Hey, don't move, kid. Now, raise your hands and be still, or I'll shoot your precious treasures dead right now."

The muzzle of a dark gun pressed against the back of his head, and a highly mechanical male voice came from behind him.

The air still carried a faint aroma of malt, likely from the "Butter 17 Year" sherry cask produced in the Kavalan star sector. Additionally, Bai Jun could smell traces of gunpowder and metal.

The beer tasted so bad it didn't seem like something a local would drink. Moreover, gunpowder wasn't common on the Luofu. Coupled with this strange catchphrase... was he a follower of the Medicine King's Legacy's externalized believers?

But he couldn't dwell on it. The man's voice grew increasingly impatient. "Damn it, I told you to raise your hands. Don't you understand the synesthesia beacon? If this wasn't the homeland of The Hunt, I would have shot you dead already."

"Got it. But let's get one thing straight, the Xianzhou laws strictly prohibit the use of firearms within the city, right?"

The man didn't respond but stared intently at his slowly raising hands. Once he confirmed Bai Jun was no longer a threat, he prepared to snatch the long saber hanging at his waist. Suddenly, Bai Jun turned, using his right palm to cover the gun's muzzle and lift it upwards.

"Damn it—!"

The man clearly hadn't expected anyone to be crazy enough to cover the muzzle of a gun with their palm. But there was no time to think; he was about to pull the trigger, intending to shoot through Bai Jun's hand.

However, combat changed in an instant, and openings were fleeting. In this moment of hesitation, Bai Jun quickly dropped his notebook. His left hand, now free, transformed into a heavy fist that smashed directly into the man's face.

The blow was as fast as lightning. Even though the man was prepared, his body couldn't react in time. With a dull thud, his face took the full force of the punch. Struck hard, his vision went black, his nose began to bleed profusely, and he felt a lightness in his hand as the revolver was snatched away by Bai Jun.

The man, having lost his footing after his calf was kicked, fell face-first onto the ground. Fortunately, he managed to cushion the impact with his hands, or he would have been knocked out cold.

In a flash, the situation had completely reversed.

Bai Jun pressed down on the man's back, trapping his arm with his thigh. The revolver fell to the side, and at the same time, a larger, longer, and hotter black gun barrel was pressed against the man's head, his finger already on the trigger. If he dared to make the slightest move, Bai Jun would blow a large hole in his head.

"Don't move. Lie still now, or my Heavenly Fire will definitely blow a big hole in your head."

Bai Jun easily suppressed the man's resistance and pressed the Sacred Judgment of Heavenly Fire's muzzle against his face, threatening him irritably.

He hadn't expected to be attacked less than a day into his new post. Should he consider himself lucky or unlucky?

Before Bai Jun could ask further questions, he heard the man pinned to the ground click his tongue. His mechanical fingers struggled to aim at the villa complex's main gate, and a signal flare shot out from his fingertip, instantly exploding into a massive firework at the gate.

The guards inside the villa, alerted by the commotion, quickly followed the signal flare's trajectory and saw Bai Jun and the man being pinned down.

"Hey! Damn it, don't just stand there gawking, this guy is not someone you can handle! I'll hold him off, you guys quickly get the big star inside the house out of here!"

The man angrily slammed the ground and roared at the stunned guards, then struggled with all his might to get up.

Upon hearing the conversation, Bai Jun was briefly confused. He hadn't had a chance to observe in the chaos earlier. Now, he noticed the man's distinctive attire.

A cowboy hat, mechanical casing, hair color resembling a calico cat, and his conversation with the guards. Combined with what Guinaifen mentioned earlier about Potio... Wait a minute, could this be the man he saw in the corridor of Shence Mansion earlier!?

"Mr. Potio! Mr. Bai Jun! What are you two doing!"

His thoughts were interrupted by a startled cry. Bai Jun immediately looked up and saw Guinaifen rushing towards them anxiously.

"So, Mr. Potio, you thought Mr. Bai Jun was a spy because you saw him lurking around the villa, scribbling things down on paper and muttering dangerous words?"

After a round of explanations, Guinaifen, having clarified the whole situation, suddenly let out a laugh. She looked at Bai Jun cheerfully, "Mr. Bai Jun, do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Bai Jun felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment. He quietly covered half of his face. After all, everything Potio said was true, especially when he was muttering to himself out of professional habit. There was no way to refute it, yet he still stubbornly said:

"Guh... How can you call it lurking? I was being perfectly open and honest!"

"Mr. Bai Jun's blushing~ You're guilty, aren't you?"

"Tch..." Bai Jun guiltily averted his gaze.

"My precious, I've never had my gun taken away from me in my life." Potio, who had been sitting on the ground recovering for a long time and had finally regained his strength, stood up while rubbing his sore nose.

"Sorry, I did a lot of strange things that might have caused misunderstandings."

Bai Jun ignored Potio's peculiar catchphrase, which made him want to complain. After apologizing, he proactively bent down to pick up the handgun from the ground for Potio. He spun it on his fingertips before it landed securely in Potio's hand.

"Oh! It's fine, I actually quite like Xianzhou people. You're a good guy, buddy, and like me, you don't talk much, only expressing your views with the gun in your hand, a true warrior! Haha! We're definitely going to be good brothers!"

Potio潇洒ly holstered his revolver back into the gun case at his waist. With a hearty smile, he walked forward and slung an arm around Bai Jun's shoulder, accepting the apology and completely disregarding the fact that Bai Jun had just pinned him to the ground and "rubbed" him.

Guinaifen, seeing the two reconciled, felt relieved. She then spoke to Bai Jun again, "Oh, right, Mr. Bai Jun, Mr. Potio here is also one of my escorts for this trip. He saved my life on our last stop."

"Heh, I was already going there to deal with the Antimatter Legion anyway. Saving you was just a side job, and it turns out I didn't save the wrong person."

Potio waved his hand dismissively, recalling fragments of the past.

The previous stop on the tour was a war-torn region. The warring factions temporarily halted their conflict out of consideration for Guinaifen's identity, and the family's spaceship took the opportunity to deliver relief supplies to those who had lost their homes due to the war.

However, these actions drew the ire of the Antimatter Legion. These fanatics, who worshipped destruction and considered themselves loyal servants of "destruction," could never escape the bondage of their own selfish desires. Some among them found pleasure in slaughter, reveling in the joy of flesh and blood; others used plunder as a pretext to mask their original intentions of revenge; and some simply wanted to quell their inner madness through endless destruction...

These chaotic desires were intertwined in various war-torn regions, and the melody of harmony was undoubtedly the best breeding ground for their rampant growth. Thus, a disturbance targeting the concert singers arose.

Amidst the large-scale chaotic battle, a bullet from The Hunt saved Guinaifen from imminent persecution.

After the storm subsided, Guinaifen found Potio through some unknown channel. Although he repeatedly emphasized that he didn't need any reward, he couldn't resist her determination. Upon hearing that her next destination was the Xianzhou Luofu, Potio proactively suggested that Guinaifen bring him to Luofu as payment.