Why Am I the One Being Pursued?

Helen and the others were busy dealing with the aftermath. Without their restraint at her side, Guinaifen let down her idol persona a little and sighed in deep dejection, the feathers on her ears drooping along with her listless mood.

"But when all is said and done, those criminals came for me... The other people in the audience were innocent. If they had been hurt, how could I ever be at peace?"

For an idol who had always only wanted to spread the ideals of Harmony and share hope, this kind of harsh, senseless conflict—one that left innocent fans and listeners injured... or even dead—was something she could never accept.

Yet no matter where Guinaifen went, such things seemed to repeat themselves. She had begun to doubt the legitimacy of her own actions.

"Those Medicine King's Legacy followers only wanted to create chaos and discord. They acted solely for their own selfish desires. This kind of situation was unavoidable to begin with. Still, not a single person here was hurt, and that is already incredibly fortunate. You have no reason to blame yourself."

Bai Jun continued comforting Guinaifen, then casually tossed the conversation to Boothill beside him. Boothill nodded and consoled her, "Exactly. Those Annihilation Gang bastards from before were the same. Whether a big star like you was there or not, they would still have committed evil. So stop taking blame that does not belong to you."

"I'm sorry. I really did lose control of my emotions a little, but..."

Guinaifen's subdued words were cut off halfway through by a warm hand placed atop her head.

"Hurry up and drink it. Looking at that miserable expression of yours, thinking any further will only waste your time."

Bai Jun sighed and stuffed a bottle into her arms.

Guinaifen froze for a moment before realizing it was a bottle of honey jasmine tea, seemingly prepared in advance.

"Two hours of singing must have exhausted you. Your voice has gotten hoarse, too. So stop thinking about complicated things and focus on resting."

Bai Jun rubbed Guinaifen's hair. Once she realized that this was his own way of showing concern for her, an indescribable feeling surged into her heart.

This was not the care she usually received from subordinates or an older brother. It was care offered from an equal position—from the position of a friend.

"Thank you..."

Faced with warmth she had not felt in a long time, a faint tremor appeared in those sky-blue eyes, and her mood lightened somewhat.

Mr. Bai Jun always hid his gentle side... Although he usually looked somewhat carefree, he was always reliable when it mattered most.

At that moment, Helen seemed to have just finished a call. She hurried over to Guinaifen and told her something, probably regarding the concert or perhaps condolences from Shence Mansion.

In any case, Guinaifen quickly composed herself and gave Bai Jun a gentle smile. "Then I'll go backstage to remove my makeup first. Mr. Bai Jun and Mr. Boothill may need to be troubled again this afternoon."

After watching her leave, Bai Jun had intended to find somewhere to send off the sword remains. Instead, he unexpectedly noticed Boothill beside him studying him with a thoughtful expression. Bai Jun's face stiffened, and he subconsciously shifted a few steps away.

"What kind of expression is that?"

"Damn it, I suddenly feel like you and the big star are a perfect match." Boothill rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"What nonsense are you talking about..."

The concert was still in full swing.

Guinaifen went to the dressing room to change outfits in preparation for the afternoon fan signing event.

No matter how they looked at it, Bai Jun and Boothill could not keep following her at a time like this. They could only stay obediently in the backstage lounge and quietly wait for Guinaifen to come out.

Half an hour later, Boothill, who had never been able to sit still, was so bored that he had his legs propped up on the coffee table, yawning while spinning his cowboy hat on one finger.

"Brother, why does changing clothes take so damn long? Could something have happened?"

"Haven't you noticed that everyone around us looks perfectly normal? That means this is normal. Perhaps it always took her this long to change outfits."

Bai Jun pushed Boothill, who was about to barge into the dressing room, back into his seat. Sitting on the sofa, he leisurely flipped through the book in his hands. "Stop using a ranger's mindset to judge other people. If changing clothes takes this long, there must be some profound reason behind it for the costume designers, right?"

"That sounds damn reasonable... Say, brother, got a light?"

Finding that perfectly reasonable, Boothill sat back down. At the same time, he pulled a cigar from inside his jacket, bit off the cap with his sharp teeth, and held it stylishly in his mouth. Just as he was about to light it with great flair, he discovered that the lighter in his pocket was gone—perhaps he had lost it during the earlier action.

When he had no lighter in the past, he usually just fired a revolver round to light it. But the current situation was special, and he could not casually fire a gun, so he had no choice but to ask Bai Jun beside him.

Bai Jun said nothing. He merely extended a hand, then snapped his fingers under Boothill's puzzled gaze. A crimson flame sprang from his fingertips out of thin air and instantly lit the cigar.

"Oh! Thanks, brother. That was damn cool."

Boothill skillfully drew in a puff of cigar smoke, savoring its delicate sweetness as it lingered in his mouth, rolled over his tongue, and stayed against his palate. Several minutes later, he exhaled and let out a satisfied sigh. "Ah, classic. It'd be even better with a glass of red wine."

"I'm afraid not. It's better to keep a clear head while working... But if there's nothing going on tonight, we should be able to have a few drinks."

"Haha, brother, I like you more and more. The two of us are definitely going to become the best of brothers."

Boothill laughed heartily at his answer. It had been a long time since he had met a partner who suited his temperament. In the vast universe, it was not easy to encounter someone with such similar tastes.

Bai Jun shrugged, then suddenly asked with interest, "Guinaifen said you were only traveling with her for part of the way. So what about afterward? Do you have another destination?"

"I don't know. I never even thought about that."

Boothill gave a very ranger-like answer. Leaning back against the soft sofa, he slowly exhaled cigar smoke. "Besides, why are there so many reasons in this world? If you have to find a reason for everything, that'd be damn boring..."

Suddenly, he pinched out the lit end of his cigar with his fingers, even though doing so would make the cigar give off an unpleasant smell and leave behind an unsightly pile of scattered ash.

All of Boothill's cheerfulness, freedom, and optimism vanished. It was as though hundreds of flames of rage burned within his mechanical body, making his expression colder than ever before.

"But there is one thing I can be sure of: I'm going to settle accounts with those little darlings at the company, especially the Marketing Development Department. I will absolutely put a hole through every one of their heads with this gun and teach them what it means to pay blood for blood."

This was not a personal grudge he could casually tell others about. Although Boothill considered Bai Jun trustworthy, dragging someone else into a storm of hatred was ultimately inappropriate. Boothill quickly realized this as well, scratched his hair, and gave an embarrassed smile.

"Ah, sorry, brother. I said too much by accident. You don't need to mind it."

Bai Jun thoughtfully mulled over Boothill's words, and his heart suddenly skipped a beat. If he remembered correctly... Elena seemed to be from the Marketing Development Department?

"If possible, I'd like to ask what exactly happened between you and the company..."

Just as Bai Jun was about to ask for the details, two perfectly warm cups of coffee were placed on the coffee table. The receptionist who had come over smiling to greet them stared unblinkingly at Bai Jun on the sofa, nodding shyly, though it felt almost deliberate.

"Please enjoy your coffee, gentlemen. If you need anything else, please let me know."

Bai Jun's mouth twitched at the interruption. He merely glanced at the affected woman, thanked her briefly, and intended to continue their earlier topic.

Yet in the woman's eyes, his polite words seemed to carry a hint of invitation. Furthermore, Bai Jun's seemingly ordinary but obviously high-class attire made his already cool and handsome face even more alluring.

More importantly, temperament could not be faked. The attraction of someone truly noble made the woman swallow unconsciously. Although she believed she had concealed her intentions and displayed her charm just right, she had no idea how clumsy it looked in the other party's eyes.

Still unwilling to give up, she leaned closer again, trying to draw his attention. "Excuse me, sir, may I ask..."

"I'm sorry, but please stop disturbing me."

Bai Jun sighed. His icy gaze made the receptionist flush bright red, and she hurriedly fled. Yet for some reason, she seemed to find even that look charming, and there was even a faint sense of pleasure in her expression.

"Whoa, is that the benefit of being handsome? Not something an ordinary man like me can understand... Anyway, brother, what were you about to say?"

Boothill whistled and teasingly looked at Bai Jun's helpless expression. Still, teasing aside, he found it normal enough. Even he, a grown man, thought Bai Jun was damn handsome, let alone women. They were probably completely smitten, right?

Though Bai Jun was already accustomed to such things, looking at Boothill's punchable face still made him inexplicably want to punch him a few times.

After suppressing that impulse, he immediately lost the desire to continue their earlier topic. He sank back into the sofa and resumed reading with little interest. "...Nothing. I just wanted to ask when we were eating."

"Is Mr. Bai Jun already hungry?"

The voice answering him was not Boothill's rough, mechanical one, but another gentle and light female voice. At some point, Guinaifen had changed into another formal dress and quietly emerged from the dressing room. She stood soundlessly beside the sofa, looking down at Bai Jun with a gentle smile.

"There's still half an hour until lunch. If you don't mind, I have some candies here."

"That was terrifying. Why didn't I hear you?"

Bai Jun, sunk into the sofa, slowly raised his head. Somewhat startled, he looked at Guinaifen as she took out a small bag of throat lozenges from her pocket. Although he had been focused entirely on his book and had not paid much attention to his surroundings, someone should not have been able to circle behind him without making a sound.

Boothill beside him felt the same way. He had not noticed any movement nearby either, so when he suddenly heard her voice, his right hand instinctively went to his revolver.

"Actually, I used the power of Harmony to erase the sound of my footsteps. There's no need for you two to look so surprised... Am I really that frightening?"

Guinaifen lowered her delicate brows in confusion, the white feathers on her ears fluttering softly with her troubled mood.

Bai Jun was the first to break the silence. He accepted Guinaifen's throat lozenges and explained, "That is an impressive technique. It seems Miss Guinaifen is not only an outstanding singer, but may also have the potential to become an assassin."

"That's damn true. Big star, that move of yours really is impressive. You should know that there aren't many people who can get close to me without making a sound." Boothill immediately chimed in agreement, shamelessly praising himself in the process.

"Then I'll take that as praise from you both. Thank you." Guinaifen suddenly laughed.

"Uh, brother, you don't think she took that seriously, do you? What if the big star really goes down the wrong path? Wouldn't we become sinners?" Boothill leaned close to Bai Jun's ear and whispered, occasionally sneaking glances at Guinaifen as though he were being very mysterious.

Bai Jun could not be bothered to answer such a stupid question. He silently stuffed a throat lozenge into Boothill's mouth to stop him from spouting more nonsense.

"There will be a fan signing event in Exalting Sanctum from 14:00 to 16:00 this afternoon. We plan to leave at 13:30, so please make your preparations, okay?"

Guinaifen did not feel the slightest distaste toward their joking. It was as though she did not take it to heart at all. Instead, she appeared quite cheerful, her lovely eyes curving happily into crescents.

She lowered her head to check the time, decided lunch was nearly due, and took the initiative to invite them. "Shall we go have lunch together?"

The tour concert was only open from 9:00 to 12:00 in the morning and 18:00 to 21:00 in the evening. The remaining time was reserved for the singer and staff to rest. Watching the crowds gradually leave the concert venue, the three headed for the backstage cafeteria.

There was a hundred-meter-long corridor along the way. As they proceeded down the passage, warm sunlight filtered indoors through the stained-glass windows to the side, so bright that it made them squint.

Bai Jun pushed away Boothill's hand from his shoulder and gave him a helpless warning look, while Guinaifen could not help smiling.

Quite a few receptionists, Cloud Cavalry soldiers, and security personnel were on site maintaining order. However, fewer people than expected were coming to the backstage cafeteria, perhaps because most of the staff had not yet reached their break time.

They proceeded clockwise along the corridor on the left and finally arrived at the backstage cafeteria after a while.

Although quite a few incidents had occurred along the way, they had at least made it safely through half of today's itinerary.

The lunch prepared backstage for the singers was plentiful and completely free. However, Guinaifen's diet was managed by a specialized team, so only Bai Jun and Boothill went up to collect food.

The two followed Guinaifen to a quiet inner lounge and sat on a bench by the window to enjoy lunch.

After lunch and a brief rest, it was soon time to head to the fan signing venue.

For most fan signing events, fans had to purchase specific albums. Aside from a few lucky people favored by fate, only those who bought a great many albums had a chance of being selected, and even that depended on the sponsor's specific requirements.

A publisher on Epsilon had once released several albums for Guinaifen and invited her to stay and perform there for a period of time. At the fan signing events back then, fans practically had to buy hundreds of albums for a chance to attend.

However, this signing event differed from the previous ones. Since Shence Mansion was organizing it, there were not too many harsh requirements. Fans only needed to purchase an additional ticket for the signing event on top of their original tour concert ticket.

That said, Guinaifen's popularity was simply overwhelming. Tickets to her fan signing event sold out the instant they went on sale, driving the price up to five hundred thousand Credits per ticket. As a result, almost everyone who came was wealthy.

Wealthy people who also did not have to work today.

"Lady Guinaifen! Sob, I never thought I'd really get to meet you in my lifetime!"

"G-Guinaifen, your singing is truly wonderful! I'll be your fan forever!"

"Miss Guinaifen, have you encountered any difficulties during the creative process? And how do you maintain your inspiration to create so many wonderful works?"

"..."

Faced with all kinds of emotions and questions from her fans, Guinaifen's smile did not change in the slightest. She remained as gentle as ever, patiently responding to their feelings and answering their questions.

Bai Jun stood beside her, his gaze sweeping over every fan who stepped forward to make sure no extreme incident could occur.

Even if one did, he could ensure Guinaifen's rescue within 0.5 seconds.

Fortunately, the fans at the signing event seemed quite well-mannered. There was no harassment or malice. They simply and excitedly expressed their feelings, asked their questions, then consciously left with their signed merchandise.

Bai Jun had thought the fan signing would surely end peacefully, but at that moment, he suddenly sensed a wave of malice.

"Guh..."

Always highly sensitive to others' gazes, Bai Jun vaguely felt a dangerous stare coming from somewhere unknown. The hostility and killing intent rose steadily as its owner drew closer to him and Guinaifen, making him break out in a cold sweat.

That chilling feeling persisted until a Foxkin fan with fox ears and a beautiful tail arrived at Guinaifen's table.

However, her eyes were not on Guinaifen. Instead, she stared darkly at Bai Jun, who was serving as her guard.

"Benefactor, is this the commission you said... absolutely had to be completed?"

With a crack, the album in her hand shattered. "Hehe, of course. After all, it's Miss Guinaifen. No man could refuse her, could he?"

After worrying for so long, Bai Jun finally came face-to-face with the owner of that malicious gaze—Tingyun, an envoy of the Tianbo Division. Yet this reunion did not feel happy in the slightest...

Tingyun, whom he had expected to be angry, instead revealed a smile. And whenever she smiled, it usually meant nothing good was about to happen.

"L-L-Let me explain!"

"This little lady does not wish to listen right now. Come on. We can talk later."

Bai Jun, drenched in sweat, tried to explain, but before he could open his mouth, the grim-faced Tingyun grabbed him by the collar and dragged him away.

Guinaifen, who wanted to speak but stopped herself: ?

Boothill, standing at the entrance to the fan signing event: Damn it, was this the legendary love triangle?

Ten minutes later.

"Of course... I can never borrow money from her again..."

Under Guinaifen and Boothill's worried, puzzled gazes, Bai Jun staggered back. He looked fine on the surface, but his body had clearly been thoroughly battered.