"Is this what they mean by 'giving them a break'...? Letting Borisin escape, and then hunting him down along his route."
Yanqing stared at Feixiao's retreating figure, seemingly understanding but not quite Feixiao turned around after hearing this:
"This is a common hunting tactic used by the Borisin."
Feixiao stared at Yanqing's figure, as if reminiscing about that time:
"I know these bastards' methods all too well. They always leave an escape route, letting their prey flee in panic."
"What followed was a near-playful hunt, and the Borisin always derived immense satisfaction from the horrific state of their victims."
Yanqing pondered for a moment, looked directly into Feixiao's eyes, and asked a question that had puzzled him from the very beginning:
"Did you witness all of this yourself? That guy called you... a 'war slave,' so what exactly did you go through?"
"Just a vague, almost forgotten past. Long ago, I... was one of them."
Silence fell over the room. Qiong cautiously asked, "But you're a Foxian?"
"Not all Foxian are fortunate enough to be born in the Xianzhou's territory... I grew up in the world where the Borisin herded livestock, which Yaoqing called 'the Fallen Lands.'"
Feixiao paused, as if reluctant to recall that past:
"To the Wolf-Headed Benefactors, the Foxian are merely their property... cannon fodder used to hold back the Xianzhou ' offensive during battle."
Yanqing looked at Feixiao again, this time with awe:
"But the general... survived, and not only that, he became Yaoqing's general! If I have the chance, I would love to hear the general's story from the past."
But Feixiao raised his hand and merely waved it:
"Speaking of which, you've reminded me that now is not the time for stories. Moze, Jiaoqiu, the 'warning' has already been issued Stargazer Navalia. How's the situation on your end?"
"We've located them; they look ready to escape."
The sound from the headset went from loud to soft, until it was so soft that only Feixiao could hear it.
"As for Hanxing, we've been discovered and lost her. She's probably in some teahouse now; we don't know what she might be doing."
"Continue monitoring, we're coming right away."
Feixiao heard what was said afterward, but answered the first question calmly.
"Releasing the decoy will surely eliminate the possibility of Hoolay attacking this place once the warning Stargazer Navalia. Then, how should he respond?"
Yanqing pondered the next steps. In this deadlock, Hoolay seemed powerless to do anything.
"The hunt is not over yet; it has only just begun."
Feixiao stared into the distance, his eyes flashing with fighting spirit.
At this time, in a certain teahouse.
Hanxing looked around. A waiter carrying a tray with the tea they had just ordered came from the front desk.
" Xianzhou's tea is renowned throughout the world."
Firefly stared at the waiter's figure. The aroma of tea filled the air, and one whiff told her it was no ordinary tea.
"Yes, in my hometown... the tea is quite delicious too."
Hanxing savored the moment, as if she had returned to the days before she came into this world.
"Hello, this is a pot of Jin Jun Mei tea. Please enjoy."
The waiter placed the saucer down and bowed slightly. Steam rose from the tea in front of them, carrying a delicate fragrance that enveloped the two of them.
"Thanks."
Hanxing nodded to the waiter, then picked up the teapot, poured a cup for Firefly first, and then filled her own cup.
"Speaking of which, what's your hometown like?"
The Firefly stared at the cold star with eyes that seemed to hold Hanxing stars, its gaze filled with curiosity.
"My hometown—it's a very beautiful place. Its traditions are similar to those of Xianzhou, with a history of thousands of years, but it's also developing rapidly, with skyscrapers everywhere. Although it may not seem like much to you, on that planet... it's considered an ancient country."
Hanxing chuckled, touching his head. He had relived these past events countless times.
"Then... is there any chance for us... to visit your hometown?"
Suddenly curious, Firefly said, half-jokingly:
"Your hometown... is a modern city with Xianzhou ancient style? It sounds so wonderful, I really want to go and see it."
Hanxing pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke:
"My home planet is out of the question, but this parallel home planet in the universe... is worth a try. My home planet is on that blue planet called Earth. Perhaps... this world will be different?"
Hanxing smiled helplessly, seemingly denying her own inner thoughts:
"However, it would be best to do that after the mission is completed. When there's a chance, I'll take you to my home, but I wonder what my home looks like in this universe."
The two talked for a long time, but tacitly avoided touching the cup of tea they had prepared beforehand.
At this moment, the waiter in the corner looked a little impatient and walked towards the two of them. "Gentlemen, the tea should be drunk while it's hot, otherwise the flavor will dissipate."
Hanxing and Firefly exchanged a glance, already understanding each other's meaning.
"It seems some people can't wait any longer."
Hanxing spoke these words coldly, and with a horizontal slash of the dagger that Netherworld had transformed into, he left a bloody gash on the waiter's body.
"Damn it... since when?"
The waiter pressed his hand to his wound, a fierce glint in his eyes. The surrounding blades focused their gazes on him, first falling silent, then erupting into screams and chaos.
"From... the moment you brought the tea."
Hanxing loosened her grip on the pendant she had been holding tightly, and the golden light in her eyes faded.
"You're a member of the Vidyadhara, and your aura is exactly the same as that left on those Mara-Struck before."
"Speak, who ordered you to do this? Or was there Vidyadhara on the Xianzhou?"
Firefly's question came at the same time, but she just stared coldly at the waiter. That one look just now was enough to convey a lot of information.
"Hmph... No comment!"
The waiter let out a wild laugh and threw a bottle at the spot, instantly creating smoke. Just as he tried to escape, the Netherworld Dagger shot out and pinned him to the wall.
"Looks like you don't understand the situation."
Hanxing's voice remained icy, still in the posture of throwing the dagger:
"Those Borisin at least used some kind of smoke to seal off Path, but you... just threw out white phosphorus? What do you take the perception ability of the Harmony Emanator for?"
As the smoke cleared, the Firefly's light sword was pressed against the waiter's neck:
"I'll ask one more time, is there a spy within the Vidyadhara?"