(゜▽^*)We've met again!
The next afternoon, the weather was bright and sunny.
Annie returned to the familiar place—the Bureau of Airspace Administration—and arrived with a single Teleport.
"..."
A day later, the magnificent immortal bureau remained just as it had been.
The floor, paved with warm jade spirit bricks, gleamed like a mirror, reflecting the diagram of the stars overhead, illuminated by secret arts. The stars twinkled faintly, their spiritual light flowing as if a miniature night sky had been embedded in the hall's ceiling.
The orderly, solemn hall was still bustling with immortal officials and cultivators hurrying to and fro. Their low conversations filled the space with noise, while the air still carried the scents of sandalwood and ink, along with a faint ripple of spiritual energy.
Behind the row of spirit sandalwood counters at the "Fine Payment Office" in the side hall, several female immortal officials in moon-white dresses were busy at their stations.
One of them was the immortal maiden whom Annie had "tormented" yesterday for nearly an hour with more than a thousand spirit stone beans.
"..."
Today, she wore the same neat double-ring bun and the same standard uniform, but her brows betrayed a trace of unmistakable fatigue and wariness. Like a startled bird, she kept glancing toward the entrance from the corners of her eyes, afraid that a certain red-clad figure would show up again.
She was nearly off work, and if another difficult customer came to pay a fine—someone like that troublesome little girl from yesterday—she could kiss a peaceful evening goodbye.
But the thing she feared most came to pass.
"!!"
There was a brief lull at the payment counter, with no one in line. Just as she thought she might get off work without a fuss, a petite figure in a