[Xianzhou Yaoqing]
After Guanliang hung up the communication, he was still uneasy, so he went to find Marty.
After getting Akivili's permission, the other party had carried out a series of modifications on the Astral Express.
Marty said that he had only added a tiny bit of star-destroyer-level weapons and adjusted the defense system a little.
Guanliang did not believe it. After repeatedly questioning him, Marty reluctantly admitted that he had given a jade device that could only monitor physical condition, and had modified the neutron gun carried by his superior, adding the jade device's basic functions.
The Marshal's gun originally did not have recording or camera functions.
And the so-called basic functions of the jade device were specially set by Marty for the mara-struck condition of Xianzhou people.
When the user's body or mental state showed problems, it would automatically turn on recording and send location coordinates to the relevant departments.
The Marshal did not know about this.
Guanliang, "..."
'Marty, your courage is really big!'
Xianzhou could use jade devices to keep track of the physical condition of its people.
This was ordered by the Marshal.
It sounded like the other party was an extremely controlling obsessive, but in fact it was only to let the Ten-Lords Commission deal with mara-struck cases as quickly as possible and protect the surrounding Xianzhou people.
If the Marshal wanted, he could know the people's locations and physical conditions at any time, but that did not mean the Marshal himself wanted to be monitored by others.
If the Marshal found out about this… the consequences would be unimaginable.
Forget Marty. Even if the Reignbow Arbiter did something like this… the Marshal would definitely not go easy when punishing them.
Cold sweat broke out on Guanliang's back.
Marty was still defending himself.
[When the Marshal asked about the jade device I gave him, I said I only kept the most basic function of monitoring physical condition. It wouldn't record audio or video, and it wouldn't expose his location]
Guanliang roared in his heart.
The jade device doesn't have it, but the neutron gun does.
'Marty had really been spoiled by the Marshal!How could he dare do anything like this?!'
[When he comes back to Xianzhou next time, deal with that gun. If he finds out, no one will be able to save you]
[Also, transfer this part of the authority to me]
After threatening and persuading Marty for quite a while, Marty still refused to let go. After pulling back and forth for a long time, the two finally reached a consensus.
They would share the intelligence from the jade device and the neutron gun.
Guanliang hurriedly ended the conversation with Marty and went to contact Hua, who was far away in Cangcheng.
After the Marshal left Cangcheng, the Reignbow Arbiter also left.
Hua was very dissatisfied about this.
What could Guanliang do? Of course, work overtime and get used to the next superior.
He had really worried himself sick for Xianzhou.
Compared to the Chief Strategist working overtime, Zero lived very comfortably.
Bacchus angrily condemned the man who had eaten government rice.
Zero responded absentmindedly.
While talking, Bacchus tilted his head and suddenly asked, "Eric, what kind of woman do you like?"
Zero took the champagne handed over by Akivili and took a sip.
Compared to interacting with people… he would rather stay in the small room on the train until the end of time.
When attending social occasions before, he always had to find a remote corner to cram conversation techniques.
He no longer knew how many banquets he had attended.
Even when facing his own subordinates, Zero inevitably felt a bit… troubled? Oppressed?
Not to mention people who had nothing to do with him.
Being on an unfamiliar planet, interacting with strangers he would never meet again, felt like the air around him was being sucked away. Every second felt like torture.
Why did he have to do such meaningless things? There were so many better uses of his time.
Right now, Zero just wanted to find a remote corner and take out his jade device to handle official business.
Thinking distractedly, he casually brushed Bacchus off, "You're still so young. Why talk about these things?"
If he told Aha the truth, wouldn't the other party just start causing trouble again?
Bacchus puffed up his cheeks and was about to say something, but Akivili spoke first, "I'm also very curious about the answer to this question."
Zero thought for a moment and gave a strange answer, "Probably the kind… who can take me away."
He would probably like the kind of woman who, at a banquet, regardless of others' gazes, would take his hand and lead him away from there.
Akivili looked confused.
Take his best friend away? What did that mean?
The Aeon did not understand and could only guess the true meaning of the words "take me away" based on Their own interpretation.
"Hm? You mean the kind who would elope with you?"
Zero felt extremely helpless.
What do you mean elope with him?
He glanced at Bacchus, whose face clearly showed he was holding back bad thoughts, and said, "Akivili, what strange things are you saying? Bacchus is still here."
Akivili understood. His best friend did not want to continue the conversation.
They naturally changed the topic. After exchanging a few polite words, They grabbed Bacchus by the back of the collar and left, giving Their best friend space to be alone.
After the Aeon and the red-haired boy walked far away, Akivili could not help sighing softly, "Really unexpected!"
Akivili had once guessed that his best friend had unrealistic fantasies about love.
But never expected that he would even think about eloping with a lover.
Bacchus strongly agreed and nodded repeatedly.
"Yes, feels like the type who could easily be tricked away by some blond guy."
They looked at each other.
They had to think of a way.
Otherwise what if their best friend really got tricked away by some blond guy and eloped?
Then how would he keep accompanying them on Trailblaze journeys or for fun?
Without speaking, they reached a silent agreement in their hearts and put it into action in the following Trailblaze journeys.
Zero knew nothing about this.
The only thing he could feel was… Akivili and Bacchus were getting along better and better.
Zero was not worried about Akivili.
He only worried about Aha.
What if Bacchus led Akivili astray?
One had a lively and simple personality, the other was full of bad intentions.
After thinking it over, Zero went to find Akivili alone.
He could not let his best friend suffer losses when confronting someone.
Zero shared his secret for messing with Aha.
"You just treat him like a child and coax him." Akivili was deeply shocked.
As expected of his best friend. To think of such a perfect way to disgust Aha...
Right after Zero left, Bacchus came over.
Akivili suddenly had a thought.
'Is this what it feels like for three people to have four group chats?'
Bacchus rolled his eyes and said with a mischievous grin, "I have a good idea..."
After hearing it, Akivili looked troubled.
"He'll definitely get angry."
Bacchus thought, that was exactly the effect he wanted.
He calmly analyzed his purpose and finally persuaded Akivili.
So after eating a meal at a restaurant on some planet, they pretended to lose their money and pawned their best friend to the shop owner.
Bacchus looked sorrowful. With one hand he held Zero's wrist, and with the other he quickly took away the valuable accessories on him, speaking in a heavy tone, "Sorry, Eric. Akivili and I will go earn money to redeem you..."
Zero expressionlessly turned his head and looked at Akivili.
Akivili looked at the sky and the ground, anywhere but him.
Zero immediately guessed the instigator.
'It was all Aha's fault!'
Bacchus grinned happily and dragged Akivili away, leaving Zero and the shop owner's daughter staring at each other.
At that moment, Zero's jade device rang.
It was a message from Hua asking about a certain document and matters related to the Vidyadhara High Elder.
He took a deep breath and replied.
[Busy. Wait until the Aeon attacks Xianzhou before messaging me again]
Zero put down the jade device and looked at the textbook on the shop owner's daughter's table, forming an idea in his mind.
Bacchus and Akivili, who had already run off, were gathering information according to their original plan.
As for why they pawned their best friend?
Very simple.
Akivili believed that rather than letting some unknown blond guy take their best friend away… it would be better to help a woman of good character who had feelings for him.
After learning about Their idea, Bacchus suggested pawning him out and convinced Akivili.
His tone was strange, "After observing for a while, I found he seems very resistant to people praising his looks."
Akivili subconsciously sucked in a breath.
Forget his best friend. If Aha praised his appearance… he would want to die.
"Don't do this! Best friend will really get angry!"
Bacchus was extremely confident.
"Ah, it's for his own good, so he won't get sweet-talked away by bad women…"
"Look, if I praise him, next time he hears similar words, he'll definitely be immune..."
Akivili felt pity.
Not to mention whether his best friend would become immune…
Aha would definitely be resented by his best friend.
Following his best friend's advice, the Aeon comfortingly rubbed Bacchus's head like soothing a child.
They automatically ignored the slightly unnatural look on his face, withdrew Their hand naturally, and urged, "Alright, let's go back to pick him up as soon as possible."
When they returned to the restaurant again, they saw the shop owner and his daughter looking at their best friend with admiring eyes.
Their best friend was holding a pen and writing something on paper.
They leaned closer and saw math problems.
They, "..."
Facts proved Akivili had overthought things.
What was the point of matchmaking reinforced steel?
Bacchus patted Akivili's shoulder.
Next, it was time to start his plan.
Using desensitization therapy... keep best friend away from bad women.
Bacchus pointed at a group of women gathered in the distance and started talking nonsense, "Eric, I can read lips. I'll translate for you."
"Over there a dozen girls are talking about you, saying you look heavenly, tall with long legs, broad shoulders and narrow waist, great body. They're guessing how many abs you have, saying you obviously can..."
Bacchus suddenly stopped, looking shy and embarrassed.
"Tsk, anyway you look very… you know. I won't say it clearly. The girls here are... really enthusiastic. I'm too embarrassed to continue..."
Zero did not even lift his eyelids.
Even though inside he wanted to smash Aha half to death, he could only keep a cold expression.
If he showed any signs… Aha would only go further, okay?
Zero pretended not to hear and turned to look at Akivili, urging silently.
Akivili laughed awkwardly to smooth things over, "Alright alright, Bacchus, what are you talking about? You're still a child!"
After walking a bit further, Zero stopped and chuckled softly.
He said, "Bacchus, what a coincidence. I can read lips too."
Zero looked at the people gathered in the distance and repeated what Bacchus had said earlier.
"I'll translate for you. That group is saying your body is great and you obviously look very… forget it, I can't say those kinds of words. Anyway, you understand."
He paused and deliberately showed a strange expression, saying with difficulty, "Oh, they're discussing the price. They say if you cost more than one hundred credits, forget it. You're not worth that much."
Bacchus was silent for a long time, then said, "…You're really something."
From then on, the two officially began a war without smoke and without winners.
They devoted themselves to tormenting each other, and even the bystander Akivili suffered.
Akivili was attacked by his best friend first and then attacked by Bacchus right after.
After being attacked half to death repeatedly, the Aeon got angry and got angry.
Considering the special identities of the two, the Aeon had no choice but to seek help from the only informed person, Pom-Pom.
After hearing it, Pom-Pom looked serious.
Even an unreliable Aeon like Akivili felt troubled by the conflict between the two… it seemed to be a big problem.
Pom-Pom patted his chest and guaranteed, "Leave it to Conductor Pom!"
'Isn't it just mediating a conflict? No big deal!' If it really didn't work, he could ask the other Nameless and collect their opinions.
Pom-Pom waved his broom and swept the floor. While sweeping, he ran into a Nameless.
The Nameless was browsing StarNet jokes and laughing loudly.
Pom-Pom became curious and asked.
The Nameless shared the joke with the conductor.
Pom-Pom saw it was about a homeroom teacher who came up with a clever trick to punish two elementary school students who fought in class.
The Nameless was busy holding back laughter and did not notice the thoughtful look on the conductor's face.
"This homeroom teacher must be a Masked Fool, right? Making the two people who fought hold hands… that's genius! When they get home they'll probably throw up even their New Year's Eve dinner. They definitely won't fight again..."
The next day, Pom-Pom called Eric and Bacchus by name in front of all the Nameless.
The conductor pretended to be serious, "I heard you two often have conflicts."
"In that case, hold hands, talk things out, and make peace."
Pom-Pom felt he was the wisest conductor in the entire universe.
Even though the joke on StarNet involved elementary students, were these two in front of him really mature?
Zero, "..."
Bacchus, "..."
What kind of mental shock was this?
The two who loved attacking others and tormenting each other finally experienced the feelings of victim Akivili.
They never expected that the harmless-looking conductor had attack power no less than the two of them.
For once, the two reached agreement in their hearts.
'Who would hold hands with this guy! That would make you want to die!'
Akivili was dumbfounded.
'Wait a moment! Conductor! Is this really the method you came up with?!'
Zero took in Akivili's expression.
He knew it was definitely not Akivili's idea.
Anyway, it was all Aha who had led the conductor astray.
Zero looked at Pom-Pom.
"Conductor, can we change to another place?"
Pom-Pom agreed.
Seeing this, Bacchus turned and looked at Akivili with burning eyes.
"My god, how can you be left out of something that improves friendship..."
Akivili endured the discomfort in his heart and forced himself to think it through.
What if his best friend could not beat Aha?
With the idea of helping his best friend, They agreed.
Under the gaze of the conductor and the Nameless, they entered the databank. Soon after, laughter that could be described as heart-tearing came from inside.
Pom-Pom sensed something wrong and immediately forced open the databank door.
The conductor looked at the standing Akivili and Eric, then at Bacchus lying on the ground unable to get up, and immediately became angry, "No fighting on the train, Pom!"
Zero laughed softly, "Relax, Conductor. Bacchus and I have made peace."
"If you don't believe it… take a closer look?"