"Why are you two so tense?" Xia Xiu rested his clasped hands on the table, watching Muji and Lifenel with amusement.
"..."
"..."
Muji and Lifenel looked rather awkward. They exchanged a glance, and finally, Muji the Traveling Frog broke the silence. He tugged at his suit and solemnly introduced himself to Xia Xiu:
"Ribbit, hello. I'm Muji from [Dimension Express]."
"H-hello. I-I'm Lifenel from [Haunted Spirit Street]," Lifenel followed up with his own introduction.
"Ribbit~ Abraham, to be honest, you were a large part of the reason we were willing to join the Wonderful Animal Research Club. Of course, now that Camille Siffney is here, we know we made the right choice," Muji told Xia Xiu slowly.
"So, was there something you wanted from me?" Xia Xiu asked with a smile.
"Ribbit, of course there is. After all, members of the Heaven Lineage very, very rarely remain out in the world. The Sanctum has always kept its education closed off..." Muji said meaningfully.
"Oh? And?"
"That sends a message to the outside world. The Sanctum's decisions have always been made by those thirteen extraordinary figures in the Resolution Assembly who hold supreme control and unparalleled power.
Normally, those thirteen remain in their positions indefinitely, but nothing stays normal forever on this earth. So a change of membership in the Resolution Assembly isn't anything unusual in the Sanctum."
"The current Thirteen Decision-Makers of the Resolution Assembly have remained unchanged for almost a hundred years. Over that century, the Sanctum has grown increasingly insular. Even people who awaken unexpectedly outside are quickly brought back by members of the Heaven Lineage. And yet now, someone from the Heaven Lineage is studying abroad..."
Muji watched Xia Xiu earnestly, while Lifenel beside him looked at Xia Xiu with excitement.
After listening to Muji, Xia Xiu instinctively rubbed his chin in thought.
The Sanctum did indeed bring members of the Heaven Lineage living outside back home, but it wasn't compulsory. Usually, when another Heaven Lineage member encountered one, they would simply invite that person to return with them, just as Ximen had invited him before.
Refusing was no problem, either, because the people of the Sanctum knew that Heaven Lineage members living outside would inevitably return to the Sanctum. Even if they didn't go back now, they would eventually return to the [Unknown Lands].
Of course, Xia Xiu would return to the Sanctum in the future, too. After all, many of Heaven's Lineage applications and facilities could only be installed and used at the Sanctum's headquarters.
Besides, there might not be even one person on this earth who accidentally connected to the Heaven Lineage in an entire decade.
"So you think those old fossils at the top are about to be replaced, and someone studying abroad now is laying the groundwork for new policies later. You want to get close to me so you can learn what's happening inside the Sanctum." Xia Xiu curled his lips into a smile as he said something that left Muji and Lifenel aghast.
"Ribbit~ That's not-I'm not-don't go saying things like that!" Muji hurriedly waved his hands in denial.
Even if that was what he was thinking, he absolutely couldn't say it aloud. If he accidentally mentioned those people's true names and they sensed it, he'd be in serious trouble.
How does this kid dare to run his mouth like that here? He might not be afraid of trouble, but we certainly are.
Watching Muji wave his hands nonstop, Xia Xiu said with a smile:
"Don't be so nervous. It's not like they'll cut your head off over a joke."
Ribbit! That's not necessarily true, Muji thought.
"The fact that you can admit you joined the Mysterious Animal Research Club because of me proves you genuinely want to be my friends. I don't care what your motives are. Either way, I'm making friends with both of you." Xia Xiu beamed warmly.
That stunned both Muji and Lifenel. Weren't people from the Heaven Lineage supposed to be brutes who called everyone a heretic? Why was this one so different from the rumors? He seemed like a cheerful young man, incredibly easy to get along with.
"Since we're all friends now, helping each other out is only natural, right?" Xia Xiu's smile grew even warmer.
"Ribbit?" Muji gave Xia Xiu a puzzled look.
"We're all friends. I remember your [Dimension Express] has secret channels dedicated to selling all kinds of supernatural items. Some of those channels even bypass the Heaven Lineage's inspections." Xia Xiu abruptly changed tack, narrowing his eyes at Muji, who had grown wary.
"Ribbit~ All our business has always been legal and compliant with the Terra Supernatural Veil Act. We never do anything illegal!" Muji declared righteously.
"Oh, really?"
Xia Xiu silently opened the [Abnormal Community Life Guide], then shared its interface. When Muji saw the [Life Guide] interface, his tiny, beady eyes instinctively widened.
Ribbit-
Why does he have the [Life Guide]?
Damn it! Wand People handles the app's internal administration...
Those fat penguins who only care about making money!!!!
They must have known someone from the Heaven Lineage had slipped in, yet they pretended not to notice and didn't tell us a thing.
Muji kept inwardly cursing Wand People Communications for its greed and irresponsibility.
"Oh dear, I was reading the 'Wand People Communications · Youyang Region Annual Financial Report List of Supernatural Enterprises' earlier, and it looks like [Dimension Express] hasn't been doing so well these past few years. If the Inquisition were to slap you with a fine and impound a shipment at a time like this..." Xia Xiu rubbed his head in apparent distress.
"Ribbit~ You-you haven't reported it yet..." Muji's tone suddenly became rather meek.
"What are you saying? I'm not the sort of person who casually sends in reports. Besides, we're friends, and you're with [Dimension Express]. How could I do anything to hurt a friend?" Xia Xiu answered with righteous conviction.
"Mr. Abraham, please tell me what you need. I'll make sure to pass it on to my superiors." Muji suddenly dropped into a full prostration on the Flying Carpet, addressing Xia Xiu with utter seriousness.
"Really..." The smile on Xia Xiu's face had unconsciously stretched as wide as it could go.
When Xia Xiu had first installed the [Abnormal Community Life Guide], he'd already considered extorting... no, having a friendly discussion with its business partners. After all, they sold plenty of exciting things on there.
Here was what Xia Xiu had planned for them:
[Vortex Music]: a bunch of hardened troublemakers who feared nothing. Trying to extort... discuss things with them might get him beaten up instead.
[Wand People Communications]: utterly shameless.
[Ambrose Restaurant]: too far away.
[Dimension Express]: he'd originally planned to find some time to pay their branch office a visit.
Who would've thought!
Now they've come to me themselves. It's fate!
"To be honest, ever since I was born into this world, I've received help from quite a few people. A kindhearted older girl, for instance, a good buddy who's like a brother to me, and a cheerful, generous senior."
"And now I've found another: you, my warm and hospitable friend," Xia Xiu continued warmly.
Ribbit-
Watching Xia Xiu's radiant smile, Muji felt inexplicably terrified.
(End of chapter)
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