Chapter 53

Boothill pulled his cowboy hat down low, grumbling under his breath, but his stern face showed a deep sense of satisfaction.

This was a long-planned scheme of his, a perfect plan to use unexpected moral blackmail to drive the two hesitant young people out shopping.

Reason?

Naturally, it was time to let that big star enjoy the feeling of freedom. Being immersed in the cage of work and life every day, even Boothill couldn't help but feel oppressed, let alone this little girl.

As for whether it will cause any trouble, does the Sea-patrolling Ranger really care about avoiding trouble?

My heart and actions are as clear as a mirror, and all my deeds are for the sake of justice. As long as it is a path of justice, Boothill will not hesitate to choose to walk it. If bringing freedom is justice, then he is bursting with a sense of justice today.

At the same time, this is also a small act of revenge by Boothill against Helen, or rather, against the brother behind the Guinaifen.

Even if their protection of Guinaifen is not unfounded, it should never negate or deny a person's ideals and freedom.

"My darling, don't always project your dirty, selfish thoughts onto other people!"

As he watched the several Starskiff hurrying towards the Starskiff Haven, Boothill put a cigar to his lips, lit it with a lighter, but instead of smoking it as usual, he stood on the steps Starskiff Haven like a stick of incense.

He picked up the bullets one by one and loaded them into the magazine.

"For the time it takes to smoke a cigar, this road is closed to all. Violators will be shot with their precious 9mm old-fashioned bullets!"

Chapter 77 Emotions Inevitably Fall into Clichés

To avoid attracting Guinaifen and causing a disturbance, Bai Jun led her to avoid main streets as much as possible, instead choosing alleys with few pedestrians.

Although he couldn't hear any commotion behind him, and there was no chase or anything like that, Bai Jun's heart was still pounding. After all, he had kidnapped a world-famous idol without permission. If word got out, he would definitely be devoured by the angry fans, right?

"Aha!"

I don't know if the Guinaifen can understand the situation, but she just kept laughing!

She seemed overjoyed to finally be rid of the guards—finally free; she wore the happiest expression of the day.

This was the first time Bai Jun had ever seen her laugh so heartily. It was as if even the act of running away made her overjoyed, her five fingers tightly clasped around Bai Jun's hand.

The two darted through the alleyways and ran past the side streets in front of various shops. Passersby were caught off guard by a gust of wind before they could even react, and could only watch in bewilderment as the two figures disappeared into the distance.

Ahead lies a small garden nestled deep within Exalting Sanctum. This was a project undertaken hundreds of years ago, but due to its remote location, the garden was rarely remembered after its completion, with only occasional gardeners coming to maintain it. Most of the time, it lay neglected, like a wild field.

Are you alright? Were you running a little too fast?

They finally stopped in the middle of the garden. Bai Jun released Guinaifen's wrist and looked at her flushed cheeks, one hand pressed against her chest, rising and falling with her rapid breathing.

"I haven't been this happy in so long, so very long, Aha..."

The Guinaifen gently gathered her sweat-dampened hair, and her heartfelt smile put Bai Jun at ease.

Bai Jun helped Guinaifen put her coat back on. While she rested, he was also subtly worrying about their next move. Judging by Guinaifen's fame and popularity in Luofu, if they went directly to the street, it would probably be on Luofu's news headlines within minutes.

Headlines like "Exclusive scoop! Shocking revelation! Globally renowned idol singer Guinaifen was caught in a compromising situation with a stranger on the streets of Luofu" are truly outrageous.

For the Guinaifen's reputation and his own livelihood, Bai Jun needed to think ahead about how to avoid such problems. Fortunately, he had almost figured out the specific usage and abilities of "The Mask of a Thousand Faces" in the past few days.

Just as he was hesitating about whether to take out "The Mask of a Thousand Faces," the Guinaifen seemed to have noticed Bai Jun's dilemma. She gently tugged at his sleeve and smiled as she produced a women's beret and sunglasses from who-knows-where.

"It's okay, I've already prepared for this. I just need to wear a wig occasionally, change my makeup, and wear glasses... that way I won't have to worry about going anywhere!"

The Guinaifen styled his long blue hair into a bun, removed his halo, and subtly hid his delicate ear feathers behind his hair. Under the cover of his heavy coat and sunglasses, he seemed like a completely different person, looking exceptionally handsome.

Previously, Bai Jun couldn't understand how some people could disguise themselves so easily by simply wearing glasses and changing their coat. But now, seeing the changes that occurred to the Guinaifen in just a few minutes, he suddenly believed it.

"Wow, that's amazing... Is it the makeup technique or the effect of the clothing?"

"Hmm, this should be thanks to the halo effect. When I'm wearing the halo normally, people's attention is diverted a lot, but now that I've taken it off, they might feel a bit uncomfortable for a while. Plus, with the huge change in my attire, unless they stare at me for a long time, most people wouldn't even recognize me. Okay, let's go, Bai Jun!"

I feel that the Guinaifen has finally revealed its true personality, not only because its smile has become more genuine, but also because it has gradually stopped using honorifics in its speech.

It would be a lie to say he wasn't attracted by her smile, but another emotion welled up inside him, causing Bai Jun to smile as well. Guinaifen tilted her head in confusion and asked curiously, "Bai Jun, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, I was just drawn to your smile, it's so cute."

"Huh--!?"

The Guinaifen froze, its cheeks seemingly burning hot.

"Wait a minute, you have quite a few flower petals stuck to your hair..."

Bai Jun reached out and, as if combing Guinaifen's hair, gently removed the pale red petals clinging to her blue hair.

"Thank you for your trouble..."

The Guinaifen's cheeks were flushed, and its eyes kept darting left and right, making it look quite suspicious.

"Let's hurry and go for a stroll in the streets before it gets too dark."

Bai Jun heard the flute used to announce the Exalting Sanctum play several times. When he came to his senses, the sky was already dyed crimson by the sunset, indicating that night was coming. Bai Jun took Guinaifen's wrist again, and as the latter's cheeks became even redder and it made a low whimper like a puppy, they walked towards the commercial street near Exalting Sanctum.

Having lived here for three years, and with his work involving frequent interviews, Bai Jun knew the area like the back of his hand. Despite being in a secluded garden deep inside, the two arrived near the commercial street in less than ten minutes.

The commercial streets were still bustling at dusk, but Bai Jun was at a loss for what to do.

The plan was to bring the Guinaifen for a stroll, but the problem is that Bai Jun was completely unprepared for it, essentially thrown into a situation where he was forced into it. Logically, he should have found a place to rest... but in this situation, he doesn't seem to have the time or inclination to find a cafe to relax!

Fortunately, Bai Jun remembered Hanya's advice to him some time ago: to treat dating women as a war, to take the initiative, and to firmly control the pace of the date.

Following the teachings of Teacher Hanya, Bai Jun prepared to take the Guinaifen to visit Garden of Leisure, the most famous scenic spot in Exalting Sanctum.

Walking along the commercial street, you can feel that it is more crowded than usual.

Although it wasn't so crowded that it was impossible to move, it was still easy to bump into others, and occasionally children playing would suddenly dart out in front of you.

To avoid accidentally bumping into the Guinaifen, Bai Jun had to be constantly vigilant and protect the Guinaifen from the crowd with extremely natural movements.

For example, you should hold the Guinaifen's wrist with a firm but not awkward touch, sometimes pulling her closer and sometimes keeping her a little further away, to minimize her contact with others and prevent any embarrassing situations where her identity is exposed.

It must be said that Guinaifen's disguise skills were truly superb; not a single person in the crowd on the street noticed anything unusual about her.

"They sell Qiongshi Bird Skewer over there, would you like to try some?"

Noticing the sweet scent of Qiongshi Bird Skewer in the air, Bai Jun gently pulled the Guinaifen closer and asked in a low voice.

"Qiongshi... bird skewers?"

"Ah, it's not meat, it's just a dessert made by coating sweet and sour fruit in syrup," Bai Jun explained, pointing to the translucent, ruby-like Qiongshi Fruit.

"Hmm, it tastes so sweet... I've had enough sugar for today, any more and..."

The Guinaifen shook its head shyly, its answer a polite refusal, yet its eyes held a hint of expectation.

For the sake of his idol's figure and health, Guinaifen's daily diet is strictly managed. Bai Jun was aware of this, so he nodded and, adhering to the principle of "since I'm already here," bought himself a small skewer, not Guinaifen's face.

Bai Jun originally wanted to finish eating quickly, but his chewing gradually slowed down because the Guinaifen beside him, like an elusive kitten, kept staring at the Qiongshi Bird Skewer in his hand, its delicate little face practically screaming "I want to eat!"

"Mmm..."

Noticing Bai Jun's gaze, the Guinaifen gently puffed out its beak and let out a soft hum, as if it were slightly upset.

So you actually want to eat it, right?

Faced with Bai Jun's slightly helpless question, Guinaifen blushed again, lowered her head slightly, and whispered, "N-no, I didn't..."

A faint, mosquito-like response drifted into the crowd. Bai Jun looked at the Qiongshi Bird Skewer he had already eaten nearly half of and prepared to go buy her another one.

So Bai Jun handed her the Qiongshi Bird Skewer, intending for the Guinaifen to hold it for him for a moment. However, she seemed to have misunderstood him. Instead of taking it, she gathered her hair, opened her cherry-like mouth, and bit into the Qiongshi Fruit.

The hard, syrupy shell covering the fruit cracked open, revealing the juicy, sweet and sour Qiongshi Fruit inside—tasting sweeter and more tangy than anything I've ever tasted.

--That's what it was written on that delicate face, flushed with a rosy hue.

Qiongshi Fruit Bai Jun was taken aback by her sudden action and could only wait quietly for her to eat the jujube on the skewer.

"Thank you! The Qiongshi Bird Skewer Luofu delicious!"

"They actually finished eating..."

Bai Jun stared blankly at the last Qiongshi Bird Skewer of robin, Guinaifen, after hearing his mutterings, blushed slightly and instinctively looked away. "W-what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, I was just worried that your sugar intake might be too high." Bai Jun shook his head nonchalantly and threw the bamboo skewer into the trash can.

"Well, it's only two pills... I can burn them off by walking a few more steps tonight, so don't worry."

This is a lie. In fact, the Guinaifen originally intended to eat only one Qiongshi Fruit. Perhaps its taste buds hadn't tasted such pure sweetness for a long time, and it was so surprised by the deliciousness of the Qiongshi Fruit that it accidentally ate one more.

This was an unconscious behavior; it definitely wasn't because she was greedy.

"That's true, just two Qiongshi Fruits."

Bai Jun shrugged, just as he was about to take the Guinaifen to the stalls on the other side of the street to see what interesting things there were, when suddenly a familiar laugh reached his ears. He froze and immediately looked in the direction of Bai Jun sound.

It was a balloon shooting stall, with three balloon walls and several air guns on the table.

"Oh, as expected of the beloved Miss Qing Que, she easily accomplished what others couldn't!"

The boss desperately shielded the remaining two balloon walls with his body, and with tears welling up in his eyes, handed a life-sized teddy bear to Qing Que as the grand prize, to prevent her from taking all the rewards from the three balloon walls.

"Hey boss, didn't you say I had to break through two walls to take the plush toy? It's only half done, isn't it a bit unfair to give me the prize now?"

"Miss Qing Que, it's unfair to the others if you keep playing. If you take all the rewards, what are they supposed to do? Alright, please accept these and go play at the darts stall next door!"

"That seems true."

Qing Que happily took out a few Credits from her wallet, hugged the teddy bear that was almost as tall as her, and walked happily toward the darts stall on the other side.

However, the stall owner on the other side was so frightened that he quickly brought out a sign indicating that the business was temporarily closed.

Bai Jun's reaction was equally alarmed. Sensing something was wrong, he immediately pushed the puzzled Guinaifen toward the Synwood Pavilion.

"Hey? Taking a different route? What happened? And you're sweating so much..."

"I'll explain later!"

The Guinaifen wanted to wipe the sweat from Bai Jun's forehead, but the latter forcibly dragged her away from there.

"Huh? I can hear Qing Yan's voice... Could he be here?"

On the other side, Qing Que seemed to sense something, suddenly raising her face and looking around in confusion. However, she didn't find any trace of Bai Jun, so she could only sigh in disappointment and continue her standoff with the dart stall owner while still clutching her teddy bear.

"Hey, why can't I participate? It's not like I'm not going to pay you."

"My dear! Qing Que little Qingque! How about this, I'll give you some money, and then you can go play at the ring toss stall or the building block stall next door?"

Synwood Pavilion

Located on a flying island at the edge of Exalting Sanctum, this garden is always a gathering place for tourists from all over the world and locals who come to relax. Although the flowers and trees here are not particularly beautiful, it still attracts countless visitors.

The two arrived at the entrance of the Synwood Pavilion. Contrary to its usual tranquility, the place was filled with tourists who looked like Outworlders, students in school uniforms, happy families of three, and staff members responsible for maintaining Order. There were far more visitors than expected.

Most of the tourists were probably visitors from out of town attracted by the world tour concert. Groups of two or three tourists would stop from time to time to stand on an antique-style pavilion and gaze curiously at the ancient Ambrosial Arbor Xianji in the distance. Occasionally, you could hear a few words of amazement.

"So... so spectacular..."

Gazing at the towering remains of the Ambrosial Arbor, even though it had been withered and decayed for thousands of years, the Guinaifen could not calm his emotions for a long time and could only utter the words "spectacular."

"After all, this is a divine miracle that can shape life at will and conquer death. The ancestors of the Luofu people obtained bodies with endless lifespans and transformed into Long-lived species by consuming the divine fruit generated from the Ambrosial Arbor."

Bai Jun's reaction when he first saw Ambrosial Arbor was quite similar to hers, so he felt a bit nostalgic and jokingly asked, "Guinaifen, what's your opinion on so-called immortality?"

"Immortality? I don't care about that kind of thing. An excessively long lifespan would make life sluggish. It is precisely because life is short and we are powerless that we should know how to burn our lives and strive upwards."

However, the Guinaifen's answer far exceeded Bai Jun's expectations. Faced with the traces that truly symbolize life and Permanence, almost no one can say anything against their conscience when it comes to the question of life, and this is especially true for people of higher status.

He had thought the Guinaifen would hesitate, waver, and ultimately just answer "I don't know" in confusion, but now it seemed her opinion was quite remarkable.

"It's truly rare to find someone who can tell the Yaoshi that they don't desire immortality. I'm very impressed with you now."

Bai Jun's praise at this moment came entirely from the heart. He had indeed not met such a pure person in a very long time, so he rarely spoke his mind:

"I know that countless people throughout the universe who yearn for life and believe in the Yaoshi are secretly cursing the Xianzhou Alliance, hating the Xianzhou native for gaining near-infinite lifespans while retaining their reason and physical form, and despising the Xianzhou Alliance's actions of turning against Abundance after receiving such a great divine blessing..."

"But as you said, Guinaifen, if we forget our awareness of death, life becomes meaningless. This is the harm that the Yaoshi has brought to life. Moreover, everything comes with a price. While gaining endless lifespan, the Xianzhou has already paid a price many times over."

Bai Jun shifted his gaze from the distant Ambrosial Arbor to the Guinaifen beside him, a rare gentle smile appearing on his face, "Honestly, I'm glad you have this reverence for life."

Looking at his gentle smile, the Guinaifen felt a strange emotion welling up in her heart, as if the tender touch of their previous contact still lingered on her wrist.

"N-no, I was just saying it casually, Bai Jun, why are you suddenly taking it so seriously..."

She could feel her cheeks burning hot, and she couldn't bring herself to look back at the warmth around her.

Her mind went blank for a moment, and her only instinct was to move to the side, not wanting Bai Jun to see her like this.

"Huh--?"