Sushang pulled Ji Yuan over to Tingyun. The two of them flanked him from either side, boxing him in between them. Sushang still held onto his arm, while Tingyun strolled along leisurely with her hands behind her back.
Yesterday, Huohuo, Sushang, and Tingyun had stayed together. The next morning, Sushang needed to report to the Cloud Knights.
She had not come here as an ordinary civilian. More precisely, she was a Cloud Knight seconded from the Yaoging Star-skiff to the Luofu Starfaring Vessel. In other words, she and Ji Yuan's mother held no low position among the Cloud Knights, or she would have had to report in the moment she arrived.
Early that morning, Ji Yuan and Tingyun brought her to report in.
Huohuo had nothing else to do these past few days, so she stayed behind to study with Ji Yuan. Following the principle that disciples should shoulder their master's burdens, Huohuo simply took over the household chores.
The three of them first went to the Cloud Knights to register Sushang.
As they passed through Exalting Sanctum, Ji Yuan and the others spotted Ginevere, the performer who put on shows there. It was Sushang's first time seeing something like this, and she could not help staring for a few more moments.
She wanted to keep watching, but Ji Yuan dragged her away.
"Brother, let me watch a little longer!" Sushang pleaded with Ji Yuan.
"That's impossible."
Ji Yuan said coldly.
Now that you've become a Cloud Knight, it's time for you to experience adult life properly.
Tingyun smiled and patted the back of Sushang's hand. "The Cloud Knights have patrol duties in Exalting Sanctum. When the time comes, couldn't you just choose to stand guard here?"
"Is that... really okay?"
Sushang scratched her head, looking a little embarrassed.
"So many people come to watch the acrobatics. Without Cloud Knights here to maintain order, wouldn't problems arise easily?"
"Mhm, yes, Sister Tingyun, you're right..."
Sushang nodded in agreement.
Ji Yuan curled his lips speechlessly.
This little sister of mine would probably still count Tingyun's money for her after being sold by her.
As he thought that, Tingyun glanced at Ji Yuan. That hunter-like intensity made him swallow.
They should hurry up and take Sushang to report in.
The registration process went very smoothly.
Sushang's record was spotless, without a single issue. Someone quickly came to take her away to familiarize her with the job.
Watching Sushang settle into her normal work routine, Tingyun looked at Ji Yuan. "Come on, we should report to the Sky-Faring Commission too."
"Alright."
Ji Yuan nodded instinctively.
But then he suddenly realized something, and cold sweat broke out across his back.
Something was wrong. Dangerous.
Ji Yuan silently took two steps back and looked toward the others.
He said to Tingyun, "How about we wait for the Cloud Knights assigned to patrol the Sky-Faring Commission to leave, then catch a ride with them?"
Being alone with her was absolutely out of the question.
Tingyun rubbed her forehead.
No, why did he start resisting me again the moment Sushang left? What exactly about me makes him afraid to be alone with me?
It's not like I'm going to eat him.
When I get the chance, I need to get to the bottom of this.
She narrowed her eyes, then gritted her teeth and nodded.
"Fine. This young lady shall wait with you for the Cloud Knights and go together."
The hand clutching her folding fan tightened slightly, as though she intended to smack Ji Yuan hard on the head with it.
He really makes this young lady angry!
Tingyun stomped her foot irritably, but she still stood beside Ji Yuan and waited with him.
After catching a ride in the Cloud Knights' vehicle, Ji Yuan and Tingyun arrived at the Sky-Faring Commission together.
The two entered the Sky-Faring Commission together. Ji Yuan went to find Yukong to cancel his leave, while Tingyun was about to head off when Qingni appeared beside her.
Qingni asked Tingyun, "Where did you go yesterday? I came looking for you, but you weren't home. And today you came here with Ji Yuan again?"
"Of course I spent the night at his house," Tingyun said with a beaming smile.
As she spoke, she frowned and rubbed her thigh.
"My legs are so numb~"
Her tone was soft and sticky, as though she were genuinely troubled by the sensation.
Of course, her legs really were numb. She had stomped around so angrily earlier while wearing high heels. Anyone would have ended up with numb legs.
On the other side, hearing Tingyun say that, Qingni asked in a somewhat accusatory tone, "No, what exactly did you do!?"
Wait—
Just as Qingni was about to press further, she saw the upturned corners of Tingyun's lips and the suppressed smile on her face. Qingni instantly realized she had been fooled.
"What exactly did you do?"
"I really did stay at Ji Yuan's house yesterday. I just shared a room with his sister."
Tingyun said it with a smile.
"Oh, that's more like it."
Only then did Qingni relax.
But then Tingyun continued, "Though now that we're under the same roof, it's not impossible that we might end up in the same room someday."
Qingni tensed up again.
Meanwhile, Ji Yuan arrived beside Yukong, the Helmsman of the Sky-Faring Commission.
"Helmsman, I'm back to cancel my leave."
After saying that, he intended to wait for Yukong's instructions, complete the paperwork, and leave. But at that moment, Yukong looked up at him.
"Ji Yuan, wait a moment."
As she spoke, she bent down to retrieve a document.
That motion exposed her pair of plump, fair thighs beneath the white light.
When it came to the charm of thighs, Ji Yuan dared to guarantee that among everyone he knew on the Celestial Ark Alliance, no one could compare to her.
Ji Yuan quickly turned away and asked Yukong, "Lady Yukong, what is it?"
Yukong said to Ji Yuan, "It's like this. I reviewed the specific details of what happened to you and Tingyun that day, and I discovered something very strange."
"What?"
"You're very familiar with the Buli Ren. During the investigation these past few days, even the Celestial Ark Alliance's most elite Cloud Knights were unable to detect the Buli Ren concealed through this technique."
"Maybe I was born with a talent for this sort of thing."
Ji Yuan thought for a moment and gave Yukong that explanation.
The system is really hard to explain.
I just wonder whether Lady Yukong will believe me.
Yukong looked at Ji Yuan and nodded slightly.
"Mhm. It seems your talent in this area is indeed remarkable."
She believed him.
Ji Yuan sighed inwardly in relief.
Then he heard her continue, "We have decided to retaliate against the Orion Trading Company. To prevent any Buli Ren from escaping, you are hereby assigned to join the army in battle and identify whether anyone flees after the battle."
Hearing that, Ji Yuan's eyes widened.
P.S. Something came up today, so the update was a little late...
Tingyun: Don't Think You Can Escape!
"I'm supposed to identify the enemies?"
Ji Yuan asked Yukong again.
"Yes." Yukong nodded slightly. "To prevent even a single Buli Ren from escaping, every one of them must be identified. I see that you have a talent for this, so I'm sending you to try."
At the same time, she gave Ji Yuan a meaningful look.
Yukong did not believe Ji Yuan's claim about being naturally gifted. She knew he must be hiding something. However, she would not pry into it. They were about to go to war, and he needed to contribute that power.
"Can I refuse?"
Ji Yuan tried asking.
Going to the battlefield was simply too dangerous. Especially since Ji Yuan knew Tingyun would be going to war as well—the danger level would skyrocket when the two of them were together.
Yukong gave a faint smile. Though she said nothing, her meaning was clear.
Ji Yuan shut up.
Before leaving, however, he still said to Yukong, "Um, Helmsman, all newly arrived Cloud Knights have to participate in the war, right?"
"Yes." Yukong saw through Ji Yuan's thoughts and continued, "I know your younger sister is among them. When the time comes, I'll have her serve as a member of the guard assigned to you and Tingyun."
"Thank you, Helmsman."
Ji Yuan thanked her happily.
Although Yukong had dragged him onto the battlefield, this would let him protect both his little sister and himself better.
Oh, and Tingyun too.
As a guard, Sushang naturally would not need to charge onto the front lines. Her safety would be much higher.
And with Ji Yuan and Tingyun by her side, their safety would be assured as well.
Ji Yuan knew that his little sister would become a widow a hundred years from now. A widow meant she survived. If he and Tingyun stayed by her side, then their safety could naturally be guaranteed to the greatest extent possible.
They would all be aboard the same Star Skiff. It could not be that he and Tingyun died in space while Sushang alone survived out there.
My little sister, Tingyun and I will be relying entirely on you for our safety this time.
Ji Yuan made up his mind. Once they boarded the ship, he would keep a close eye on his sister and absolutely refuse to act alone.
Yukong instructed, "Alright. Later, you and Tingyun should go to the Cloud Knights and get acquainted with those newly arrived Cloud Knights. The war will begin before long."
The Celestial Ark Alliance was generally a reasonable organization, but when Abundance Followers were involved, they would rather kill by mistake than let anyone go.
"I understand."
Ji Yuan nodded.
"Go tell Tingyun while you're at it."
Before you continue