[HSRGSS] Chapter 136: Luocha's Lament and a Twisted Rumor

[Luocha: Let's meet.]

As Jingliu was still contemplating her great luck in meeting Lucian, she suddenly received a message from Luocha, along with a location, probably about discussing the 'plan.'

However, Jingliu now hesitated.

Originally, the plan was to eliminate the Aeon of Abundance, Yaoshi, but the one she loved was actually an Emanator of Abundance.

In the end, after pondering for a while, she decided that she had to put Luocha's plan on hold first, to see what Lucian thought, or what he intended to do.

However...

'No, I need to grab Luocha first and let Master handle it. If he goes looking for someone else for help, that'll be a problem.'

As this thought crossed her mind, Jingliu's expression turned cold, and she quickly got dressed.

"Hm? Why are you in such a hurry? Where are you going?" Baiheng asked curiously.

"Stay here and wait for me. I'll be back soon." Jingliu instructed calmly, then climbed straight out the window, leapt into the air, and vanished without a trace.

Baiheng quickly leaned against the windowsill, but Jingliu was already gone.

===

Xianzhou Luofu, Aurum Alley.

As Jingliu followed the location Luocha had told her, she soon saw him standing alone at the corner of Aurum Alley.

"Congratulations." Luocha said with a smile as soon as he saw Jingliu approaching. "Just now, the Xianzhou officials released an announcement pardoning your crimes and restoring your freedom. Was it Lucian's doing?"

"Yes." Jingliu nodded and replied calmly.

"Oh, that's great." Luocha nodded in relief. "If he could get your charges cleared, then he must have a lot of influence in the Alliance. Maybe he can even get us a direct meeting with the Marshal?"

"He can't." Jingliu said flatly.

"Can't?" Luocha frowned, then shook his head. "Well, that's fine. At least we gained another ally. As long as you trust him, then he's our partner."

"Of course I trust him." Jingliu nodded calmly.

"Good, then our next plan is—"

"My next plan is to slay whoever Lucian wants slain, and save whoever Lucian wants saved."

Luocha paused, puzzled by Jingliu's sudden, absurd words.

What did she mean by that?

From the sound of it, everything now revolved around Lucian?

"What do you mean by that?" Luocha asked seriously.

"It means you're coming with me to meet Lucian." Jingliu replied coldly, looking him straight in the eyes. "He will decide whether or not to kill the Plagues Author."

"Seriously, what do you mean?" Luocha's frown deepened. "Do you mean if he chooses not to kill THEM, then we just abandon all the preparations we made?"

"Exactly." Jingliu nodded.

Upon hearing this, Luocha's body stiffened as he could hardly believe the woman in front of him was Jingliu.

"Were you brainwashed? Or possessed?" Luocha asked seriously, his body tense. "Or maybe... you're not Jingliu..."

Just a couple of days ago, Jingliu had sworn to destroy Yaoshi without rest until death, her obsession cutting that deep, yet now she had brought back a man and suddenly said she didn't want to kill anymore?

Moreover, if she wanted to back out, he didn't mind and wouldn't force her, but why sell him out along with it?

Luocha quietly pondered how to respond, but judging by Jingliu's stance, she was clearly not going to let him refuse.

In other words, she would make him meet Lucian no matter what.

'Hahhh... women really are fickle. Just how did that man make you this devoted?'

Luocha couldn't help but lament in his heart.

Fight Jingliu?

Forget it.

If it came to a fight, he would only waste his energy and gain nothing.

"You don't need to know all that. You only need to understand one thing: I am Lucian's sword." Jingliu's tone was icy, laced with an undeniable threat. "Whoever he wants killed, I will kill. Whoever he doesn't want killed, no one is allowed to touch."

At this, Luocha realized he had truly been betrayed by the teammate who had worked with him for years.

"Hahh, so the clown… was me all along..." Luocha sighed resignedly. "Fine then, I'll follow you to meet the man who changed you so completely."

Needless to say, he had no choice but to go with Jingliu to meet Lucian now.

Normally, as an Arbiter-General of a Xianzhou, there was no reason Lucian wouldn't want Yaoshi dead—unless he was aligned with the Abundance.

'No, impossible.'

Luocha immediately shook his head as that possibility crossed his mind.

'If he were with the Abundance, there's no way a proud woman like Jingliu would be so unwaveringly loyal to him, right? I mean, Jingliu hates the Abundance...'

He quickly dismissed the possibility and continued planning countermeasures.

===

Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Divination Commission, Lucian was waiting for Fu Xuan to come out, standing alone while gazing at the sky.

Soon after handling Jingliu's matter, Jing Yuan released an announcement about her being pardoned and how the victims got resurrected.

When Fu Xuan heard the announcement, she became very interested in Lucian's miraculous bandage and wanted to talk in person, so she invited him to dinner.

Lucian thought that since Fu Xuan was treating him, he ought to pick her up after work, so he came to wait for her at the entrance of her workplace.

However, as the diviners passing by noticed him standing there, they couldn't stop stealing glances at him and began gossiping.

It couldn't be helped.

Lucian was simply too handsome, to the point that just standing by the roadside felt like a crime in itself.

"Hey, that's Lucian, the one who's been all over the hot search lately, the Acting General of the Xianzhou Cangcheng."

"Oh, now that you mention it, the officials even posted a video of the Cangcheng's interior. Once the Cangcheng opens its route, I'm definitely gonna visit."

"I'll tell you a secret. My teacher said our Master Diviner is totally smitten by Lucian's looks."

"No fucking way! Dude, Master Diviner Fu Xuan is dedicated only to divination and has never been into men. I don't buy it!"

"Hey, I wanna believe that too, but facts are facts, dude. My teacher saw it with her own eyes—Master Diviner smiled like a lovestruck girl. Tell me, have you ever seen her smile?"

"N-No... but I still don't believe it—"

Just as the diviner was about to retort to the other, a small pink-haired girl appeared before them.

Seeing her, the group of diviners hurriedly bowed.

""Greetings, Master Diviner.""

Fu Xuan glanced at them and nodded slightly.

"Mm, tidy up and head home."

Leaving these words behind, Fu Xuan walked straight out the entrance and, upon seeing Lucian beside the entrance, her footsteps paused, her face mildly surprised.

"Why are you standing here?" Fu Xuan asked in wonder.

Lucian, already noticing her, smiled upon hearing this question.

"Well, since you're treating me to dinner, of course, I had to come early and wait, just in case you ran off." Lucian joked while shrugging casually.

Surprisingly, his joke actually made Fu Xuan laugh.

"Fufu, relax, I wouldn't back out of paying." Fu Xuan flipped one of her ponytails with a small chuckle. "So, where to?"

Lucian, looking serious, pondered for a moment before speaking up.

"Let's just buy some groceries and go to my place. I'll cook." Lucian said with a smile. "Tonight we'll get Jing Yuan drunk and make him step down, so you can be the next general."

Hearing this, Fu Xuan laughed again, covering her mouth, her eyes curved in amusement, which made her look unexpectedly adorable.

Just like that, the two walked side by side, strolling along the main street.

At the same time, at the entrance of the Divination Commission, four or five heads poked out, watching their Master Diviner leave.

"Look, look, wasn't that a smile? Just two sentences in and she's already smiling—no, even laughing! If that's not love, what else could it be?!"

"I... Uhh... Dammit..."

"Seems our Master Diviner is finally in bloom."

"And that gut talk about overthrowing General Jing Yuan for Master Diviner? Tch, the General's in danger now."

"Hey, what are you guys looking at?"

A female diviner of short stature, with medium-length beige hair and green eyes, joined the group, peeking her head out as well.

"Qingque? You skipped out of work to play Celestial Jade again?"

"No way, Master Diviner's been keeping her eyes on me—no chance." Qingque quickly waved her hands. "Anyway, what's going on?"

"Well, there's a rumor saying that the Acting General of the Cangcheng, the one who's gone viral, is Master Diviner's beloved."

Upon hearing this, Qingque's eyes sparkled instantly.

"Quick, tell me everything!" Qingque grabbed the shoulders of the diviner telling the rumor with an excited smile. "If Master Diviner falls in love, then she won't have time to keep watching me anymore!"

"Alright, alright, I'll tell you, but don't you dare spread it. If Master Diviner traces it back to me, I'm done for."

"Alright, relax, relax." Qingque smiled and lightly waved her hand. "Everyone knows Qingque is famous for keeping secrets!"

Even though she said this, that very night at the games parlor, she casually mentioned it to her play buddies.

And from there, the story twisted more and more, until a new rumor spread like wildfire—Fu Xuan actually loved Lucian.

Some even claimed Fu Xuan planned to unite with the Xianzhou Cangcheng and force Jing Yuan to abdicate.