Don't compare yourself to others-just stay grounded and be yourself!

"All right, based on what we learned at the Research Institute and Qichi Village... we should be able to solve the Sundial now, right?"

Yangyang studied the writing on the Sundial.

"Azure Dragon in the east, White Tiger in the west, Vermilion Bird in the south, Black Tortoise in the north."

A Piao thought back briefly. "According to the clues, the final time and direction should be... Wei Hour, south, Vermilion Bird."

A Piao aligned the pointer on the Sundial with the corresponding direction.

Click-

The top of the Sundial rose, revealing the clue inside.

Chixia exclaimed excitedly, "Wow, you actually solved it! Amazing!"

A Piao took out what was inside. It turned out to be a marked map.

Beside her, Chixia gasped. "Ah! Are we not supposed to look?"

"Quick, Yangyang, turn around! Turn around!"

Lu Li asked in confusion, "Why can't you look?"

Chixia explained, "Any message from the Magistrate has to be important, and with all these complicated steps, it must be top secret!"

"As public servants-well, reservists, technically-we know the rules!"

Yangyang nodded in agreement. "Chixia has a point."

Lu Li planted his hands on his hips. "Good thing I'm not a public servant. I can look!"

A Piao shook her head helplessly. "We solved it together. There's no reason you can't look."

Yangyang remained cautious. "Take a look at what it says first."

At that, A Piao unfolded the map. Several red circles had been drawn on it, seemingly marking the places she needed to visit.

The words "Huanglan Compendium" were also written along the edge of the map.

A Piao asked, "What's the Huanglan Compendium?"

Yangyang explained, "It's the name of a database unique to Huanglong. Its location is a secret. They say the Leishu contains all the important data and records for its region, and that it can answer any question."

"You could call it the lifeblood of Huanglong's data and records. Since the beginning of recorded history, it has been overseen by the Sentinel. The local Magistrate controls access, but it's almost never opened to outsiders."

Chixia put it in terms she could understand. "Sounds like the Frontier's vault, but for data and records."

Yangyang nodded. "Yes. The information you can obtain there is the most comprehensive and accurate."

She pondered for a moment. "If you're being sent somewhere like that, it can only mean one thing."

"We can be certain that A Piao's identity is connected to Jinzhou."

Chixia said, "A guest of crucial importance to Jinzhou, or even Huanglong..."

"Why do I feel like we've stumbled into knowing some incredible big shot?"

Despite saying that aloud, Chixia was secretly mulling something else over.

If A Piao really is some incredibly powerful big shot, what will happen to Lu Li?

What if she gives the order to have Lu Li dragged back to be her bandit bride...?

Chixia shook her head. No, no! I absolutely can't let that happen!

Yangyang, standing nearby, hadn't thought that far ahead. She looked at A Piao, who was still staring pensively at the Sundial, and asked:

"What's wrong, A Piao? Is there something else strange about the Sundial?"

A Piao asked, "Is the Frontier the center of the Jinzhou region?"

Yangyang nodded. "It's Jinzhou's political center, and geographically, it is indeed the center too."

"When Jinzhou was founded, the Frontier was the first place established. It's the reference point for every direction."

"Why do you ask, A Piao?"

A Piao shook her head. "It's nothing."

"The Magistrate asked to meet me alone."

After saying that, A Piao looked at Lu Li.

Come to think of it, last night's 'Capture Scar Plan' never specified whether to bring Lu Li along. But since the Magistrate has acknowledged him too, bringing him should be fine, right?

While she was still wavering, a cool female voice suddenly sounded behind them.

"Bring Lu Li along too."

Everyone turned to look. Sanhua made a grand entrance in her heeled boots, wearing the Sunglasses Lu Li had given her!

Yangyang sounded surprised. "Sanhua? Why are you..."

Yangyang found it rather strange. She had never seen Sanhua wear sunglasses before, and she'd heard that her eyes...

Chixia, on the other hand, was too easygoing to overthink it. "Oh, it's you, Sanhua! Why are you wearing sunglasses today?"

Sanhua fell silent for a moment. "Lu Li gave them to me."

Chixia exclaimed in surprise, "Lu Li?!"

Chixia seethed inwardly. He really is a womanizer!

Does he have to flirt with every pretty girl he sees?!

A Piao took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

She draped an arm around Lu Li's shoulders and squeezed hard, whispering threateningly:

"Lu Li, oh, Lu Li. You certainly have plenty of tricks up your sleeve, don't you?"

Yangyang gave Lu Li a puzzled look. Doesn't Lu Li know there's something wrong with Sanhua's eyes?

Or is this some kind of twisted joke...?

Before Lu Li could explain, Sanhua spoke up first.

"There's something wrong with my eyes. These Sunglasses Lu Li gave me can help with that."

Chixia said sheepishly, "Oh, so that's why..."

She had never known about that. After all, whenever she'd seen Sanhua before, Sanhua had seemed no different from anyone else.

Chixia silently apologized to Lu Li. It seemed she'd misjudged him.

But how did Lu Li get his hands on something like that?

Lu Li was moved to tears. "Sanhua, thank you for explaining. Otherwise, I might not have lived to see tomorrow's sunrise in Jinzhou..."

Although Lu Li and Sanhua really were only friends at the moment.

With what had just happened, though, the girls probably wouldn't have believed him if he'd tried to explain it himself.

A Piao's delicate hand released Lu Li's shoulder. "I'll let you off for now."

Then she added, "Next time, I expect to see a present for me."

Lu Li said earnestly, "A Piao, don't compare yourself to others. Just stay grounded and be yourself!"

His earnest advice earned him a resounding smack from A Piao, squarely on the back of his head.

Meanwhile, Yangyang was growing increasingly curious about Lu Li.

Ever since she'd met him, he had kept doing unexpected things, and he also seemed to possess abilities that set him apart from everyone else.

Chixia asked, "What did you mean just now when you told A Piao to bring Lu Li along?"

Sanhua glanced at Lu Li. "I've already reported Lu Li's situation to the Magistrate. She said the Rover should bring him along so they can look out for each other on the way."

A Piao nodded at that. After all, she wanted to bring Lu Li with her too.

"In that case, Lu Li and I will go together."

Yangyang nodded and said gently, "All right. Be careful. We'll be waiting for you both to come back."