The enemy's power was still fresh in Topaz's mory. Returning to the Corporation or finding help from other systems would take too long. Topaz worried that the back-and-forth travel would lead to unforeseen complications.
She had to find help as soon as possible.
Help that was strong enough, and close enough. Topaz searched her surroundings and discovered that the Xianzhou Luofu was very near her current location.
This made Topaz's eyes light up.
The Luofu's General Jing Yuan was an Emanator-level powerhouse, and the Xianzhou was ho to many other formidable individuals. With the Xianzhou's intervention, the enemy would have no chance to escape.
Most importantly, while the Xianzhou Alliance focused on hunting the abominations of Abundance, they also struck down many criminals across the universe. They might ignore what they didn't see, but now, with the enemy close by, Topaz believed they would offer aid as soon as they knew.
Topaz told Skott of her purpose. Hearing it, Skott felt nothing. What did the life or death of a civilization on so other planet have to do with him? On the surface, however, he still said to Topaz, "Director Topaz, I will take you to the Sky-Faring Commission to liaise with the staff there right away."
When dealing with smaller factions or civilizations, Topaz could naturally go straight to their leaders. But when facing the Xianzhou Luofu, even she had to properly abide by their rules.
After completing the registration procedures, Skott planned to take Topaz and her entourage to find lodging.
As for the location, Skott thought for a mont and decided on the Wenchen Inn.
On one hand, the Wenchen Inn's living environnt was genuinely excellent and renowned throughout the Luofu, making it the most suitable place for outside visitors. Director Topaz was soone Skott desperately wanted to curry favor with, so of course, he had to arrange the best for her.
On the other hand, Skott was secretly hoping that Director Topaz might clash with Derick and his group.
My revenge...
Full of anticipation, Skott led Topaz and her group all the way to the entrance of the Wenchen Inn.
And then, Skott received a piece of news that left him deeply disappointed.
Derick and his group had already moved out.
"Why did they leave!?" Skott asked the innkeeper in a hushed, angry tone.
The innkeeper of the Wenchen Inn looked at Skott's furious expression with so confusion. He said, "It's because the number of guests coming for treatnt was simply overwhelming. We couldn't manage, and we ran out of the dicine they brought. In the end, the General ordered Mr. Derick and his companions, along with the Dragon-Lady Bailu, to move directly to the Alchemy Commission."
As he spoke, the innkeeper looked past Skott at Topaz and her group of subordinates.
"Sir? Why are you so angry? From the looks of it, weren't you planning on bringing people to stay here? Now that they've left, aren't there rooms available?"
"This..." Skott was at a loss for words.
Behind him, Topaz looked at Skott with suspicious eyes. "Skott, are you hiding sothing from ?"
"No, nothing!" Skott imdiately shouted. But seeing Topaz's gaze turn cold, he quickly bowed his head and changed his tune. "I... I was just thinking that you... you could get to know Derick and the others. It might be helpful to you."
"Derick? The na sounds a bit familiar. Co, give the details," Topaz said, looking thoughtfully at Skott.
By the ti Derick had slain Phantylia, Topaz had already departed on her own mission. She had only happened to glance at the news in a flood of routine notifications. Therefore, when Skott ntioned the na Derick, Topaz only felt a vague sense of familiarity and truly had no specific recollection.
Skott quickly recounted Derick's situation to Topaz. After listening to his narrative, Topaz's eyes glead with keen interest.
"This person is indeed interesting. Skott, conduct a detailed investigation into their situation for . I need more intelligence."
Hearing Topaz's command, Skott, though sowhat reluctant, did not dare to disobey. He could only obediently agree and carry it out.
The Xianzhou Luofu, Alchemy Commission.
Derick and the others relocated here first.
The impact of the Disciples of Sanctus dicus was still felt. Most of the Alchemy Commission's mbers had either beco followers and were subsequently killed by Derick's group, or they had beco prisoners.
A small portion who had no connection to the Disciples were released after being vetted.
Now, the Alchemy Commission had resud a small part of its normal operations. Derick and the others could stay here for the ti being and treat patients. There were also more dicinal ingredients here, making treatnt more convenient.
The group walked towards their assigned quarters. Firefly was among them. Though her body had recovered so, she was not yet fully healed and could only move with Feng Wei's support.
"Miss Feng Wei, thank you so much."
Feeling Feng Wei's care, Firefly spoke with a hint of apology in her voice.
Her apology was partly for the trouble Feng Wei and the others were going through, and partly out of guilt for hiding her true identity.
"It's no problem, Firefly. We will definitely find a way to help you get better. This is my duty as a physician."
Feng Wei expressed her determination to find a cure for Firefly.
Thinking of this, she glanced at Derick with a bit of regret.
Unfortunately, to save Firefly in the sa way Derry had saved them, he needed to draw upon the authority of the Titan of Death.
After leaving Amphoreus, Derry's power to control death had all but vanished. Death on this cosmic scale was far beyond the abilities of the Titan of Death.
Wait, if we brought Firefly to Amphoreus, would Derry be able to use the Titan's authority? If he could use it, wouldn't Firefly's illness be cured?
At this thought, an expectant look appeared in Feng Wei's eyes.
Actually, there is another way... we could ask Ruan i, who is still on the Xianzhou. But thinking about Ruan i's ntal state, Feng Wei dismissed the idea. If they went to Ruan i, Firefly's condition might be cured, but there was no telling what else she might gain in the process.
So it's better to forget it.
Feng Wei helped Firefly carry so of her things into the house arranged by the Divine Foresight. Derick and the others were also busy carrying their own luggage.
At so point, a beautiful, purple-haired woman wearing a veil suddenly appeared in the courtyard.
The woman was, in fact, stunningly beautiful, and she exuded an air of mysterious allure. Normally, soone with her appearance would attract a lot of attention.
But when she first appeared here, no one even noticed her.
Derick only saw her after a while. He was in the middle of moving things when suddenly, a person appeared in the courtyard.
And upon seeing her, Derick's movents froze, his expression stiffening.
What's going on? Black Swan? What is she doing here?
Isn't she a mokeeper from the Garden of Recollection? What is she doing on the Xianzhou Luofu?
Seeing Derick's paused movents, Black Swan smiled.
She spoke to Derick, "It seems I've underestimated you, Mr. Derick. I thought I would have to reveal myself for you to see ."
After speaking, she looked at him with so confusion.
"Mr. Derick, did sothing amusing happen?"
Most people who saw her appear were usually just confused. This was the first ti she had encountered soone who looked so happy they were about to laugh out loud.
"No, nothing," Derick waved his hand.
The habit of wanting to laugh whenever he saw Black Swan was probably not going to be easy to break.
As Black Swan spoke, the others around them finally noticed her.
A person had suddenly appeared in the courtyard, and everyone's eyes were fixed on her.
Castorice stood beside Derick, assuming a defensive posture. A person who appears so mysteriously seems like trouble.
Although Feng Wei also took a defensive stance, she still said to Black Swan, "Miss, are you ill and in need of treatnt? Please wait a mont, we're still tidying up the rooms. You can co back after we're done."
"No, no, I am not ill, nor do I need treatnt." Black Swan gently waved her hand at Feng Wei, indicating she was fine.
Her eyes lifted slightly as she said to the group, "I've only co to find you all, or rather, primarily to find Mr. Derick for a certain matter."
"Find us? Do we know you?" Cipher asked Black Swan, perplexed.
"We didn't know each other before, but we will beco familiar soon enough."
This wasn't just a polite phrase.
After she said what she needed to say, she would read Derick's mories.
Only by clearly understanding his mories would Black Swan know how to deal with him.
Black Swan looked at the people beside him. "Miss Firefly, and all of you from the Astral Express crew, as well as the Dragon-Lady of the Elixir-Seekers, there are so things that are inconvenient to say to you. Could you give us a little space?"
"Why should we? Who knows if you an to harm our friend?" Stelle raised her baseball bat, looking ready for a fight.
March 7th, having spent the last few days on the Xianzhou developing a taste for playing the hero, stood with Stelle in support. Welt, however, studied Black Swan carefully and recognized her origins.
"A mokeeper of the Garden of Recollection?" Welt Yang thought for a mont, then said to Stelle and March 7th, "Stelle, March, this Miss mokeeper probably doesn't an Derick and the others any harm. If this concerns their origins, it's likely not convenient for us to eavesdrop."
"Oh, is that so? Then you guys chat. We'll go rest over there." Hearing what Mr. Yang said, Stelle nodded and took Little March's hand, walking towards the distance.
Welt Yang also left, but they didn't go far, remaining within line of sight. This was to ensure that if anything unexpected happened, they could provide imdiate backup.
Firefly and Bailu also departed.
After the Astral Express crew and Bailu had left, Derick looked at Black Swan and said, "So, Miss mokeeper, what business do you have with us?"
Derick had been wondering how to expose Black Swan's identity as a mokeeper, but Mr. Yang had already said it for him, saving him the trouble of coming up with an excuse.
A smile crept onto his lips.
The reason for the smile was definitely because it saved him so effort, and certainly not because he had developed a condition where he smiled whenever he saw Black Swan.
"Mr. Derick, my na is Black Swan." Black Swan first introduced herself. Then, with a flourish of her hand, a dark purple magic circle appeared before her, and within the circle erged a spread of face-down cards.
"Co, Mr. Derick. Would you like to draw a card to reveal your destiny?"
A mystic must first demonstrate her mystique.
Then, Black Swan watched as Derick snatched all the cards at once.
"Miss Black Swan, when it cos to fortune-telling, I'd rather trust the Luofu's Divination Commission than a mokeeper's cards. If you have sothing to say, please say it directly." Derick said to her.
Trying to intimidate in this area? I'm not playing along.
Besides, as soone who always hits hard pity on my pulls and can farm for relics for a whole day without getting anything usable, I'd have to be crazy to do anything involving card draws.
"Very well. It seems Mr. Derick is not fond of this approach." Black Swan was unbothered. She then directly stated her reason for coming. "I've co to find you all simply to warn you that there are those who do not look kindly upon you and are planning to harm you from the shadows."
Hearing Black Swan's words, Castorice imdiately asked, "Who would be plotting against us? The Annihilation Gang, the Antimatter Legion, or has the Fla-Chaser found new allies?"
In her mind, since coming to space, they had only fought against the Annihilation Gang and the Antimatter Legion. The enemies they had to face were undoubtedly among them.
But hearing Castorice's words, Black Swan shook her head and said with a smile, "Those are your overt enemies. They are hardly worthy of coming to warn you."
"Then who is the enemy you're talking about?" Derick asked Black Swan.
Black Swan spoke softly.
"The mokeepers of the Garden of Recollection."
Hearing this and recalling her identity, Castorice, Cipher, and Feng Wei all prepared to attack.
"Are you one of them? Are you declaring war on us?" Feng Wei said to Black Swan.
"No, no, I have no such intention." Black Swan quickly waved her hands to explain. "The opinions of a large faction are never unanimous. The mokeepers who wish to target and harm you are only a part of the Garden of Recollection."
The larger a faction, the more intricate its internal politics. The Interastral Peace Corporation might have several different opinions even within the sa departnt. Even the Xianzhou Alliance has multiple factions. In fact, even Feixiao and Jing Yuan weren't truly of the sa camp. The Garden of Recollection has nurous mokeepers, so naturally, it is also divided into many factions.
Black Swan was clearly not aligned with the mokeepers who wanted to target Derick and the others; in fact, she seed to have a major conflict with them.
"We haven't had any conflict with them. Why would they target us and want to harm us?" Castorice asked Black Swan, confused.
The Black Swan before them was the first mokeeper they had ever t. They had no prior contact with other mokeepers, so why would they be targeted?
"You have no personal grudges against them. However, regarding Amphoreus, those mokeepers do not wish for outsiders to know about it," Black Swan explained.
"For certain reasons, so mokeepers in the Garden of Recollection consider Amphoreus to be a perfect experintal site and object of observation. They do not wish for outside interference in the events that unfold there. By leaving Amphoreus and telling others about it, you have already incurred the resentnt of those mokeepers. Therefore, they will try to deal with you. Even if they don't kill you, they will try to erase your mories of Amphoreus."
"Are those bastards really that vicious?" Cipher clenched her fists.
"Those mokeepers have known what was happening on Amphoreus all along, and not only did they not offer aid, but they treated it all as a good show? They won't even allow others to interfere?"
Not helping, and even preventing others from helping, not even allowing those inside to call for help.
Cipher couldn't believe that mokeepers could be so malicious.
Perhaps the pain and struggle of their people were nothing more than observational data to them.
Castorice and the others also showed looks of anger.
No one likes people who casually treat others like lab rats.
Those who sit on high should be sent to their graves. The people of Amphoreus should have the sa destiny as people everywhere else. They should also be able to decide their own lives.
"Where are those mokeepers? I'll go kill them," Cipher said, now itching to fight them.
"That, I do not know." Black Swan shook her head. "My relationship with them could be described as oil and water. It's impossible for to know what they are planning."
Cipher could only lower her clenched fists for now.
Black Swan looked at Derick and his companions and extended an invitation.
"So, Mr. Derick, are you willing to join forces with to deal with those mokeepers?"
Seeing Black Swan's invitation, Derick was still hesitant. Setting aside the fact that he was still uncertain about her situation, Black Swan's own "luck" was highly suspect.
Being her opponent was far safer than being her teammate. Blowing up an entire car of the Astral Express in one go... her actual destructive capability to the Astral Express could rival, and even surpass, that of Aha, the Aeon of Elation.
The most crucial thing was that no matter how slim her chances were, she would always speak with absolute certainty. Only when a problem actually occurred would she realize her oversight.
Unreliable. Black Swan seems reliable, but in reality, she's very unreliable.
But considering the potential threat from the mokeepers, Derick said to Black Swan, "Miss Black Swan, if you learn of any actions from those mokeepers, please inform us. We will find a way to deal with them."
At least they were all mokeepers, so their tracks should be traceable. It was much better than Derick and his group passively waiting for the enemy to co to them.
"Naturally."
Black Swan nodded in agreent.
-
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