Leon thought to himself.
Then, he casually manifested a box as a conduit for his superpower, ready to see what it was all about.
Immediately after, a respectably packaged pack that looked just like cigarettes appeared in his palm.
He held it in one hand, pushing the flip-top open with his thumb.
Twenty long, round-tipped sticks, arranged in two rows, came into view. But there was no scent of nicotine; instead, a sweet, fresh fragrance wafted out.
Leon took one out.
He easily crushed it between two fingers and examined its composition.
And he came to a conclusion: it was candy.
Candies with peculiar appearances like this were common in his childhood. Shaped like cigarettes, fruits, animals—all sorts of miscellaneous things.
He hadn't seen them in a long time, and it brought a strange sense of familiarity.
[Smoking is harmful to health. Sugar promotes a joyful mood.]
Oh, not bad.
Leon approved of this.
Candy was the right choice, and the packaging served as a nice bit of fun.
"Here,"
Leon moved the open box in front of March 7th, gesturing for her to take one.
After all, he couldn't give them cigarettes, but candy was fine.
"What's this?"
March 7th subconsciously reached out and took one, asking in confusion.
"Something tasty,"
Leon said, moving the box in front of Luanpo.
Luanpo, also in a daze, took one as well.
"I think?"
Leon took another one for himself.
He hadn't tasted it, so he didn't know if it was good.
But judging by the description of the ability it would grant upon consumption...
It should be pretty awesome.
They ate.
A crisp crunching sound was heard.
The three of them treated the sticks like Pocky, taking a bite in unison, their synchronized movements making them look like a family of three.
The flavor was hard to describe, but it was definitely good. But more wondrous than the taste was the feeling of joy that welled up inside them as the candy melted in their mouths, a rush even more potent than a normal dopamine hit.
Three words: This is awesome!
"Is that the eighth Arbiter-General? Leon is so handsome!"
"I'd say he's even more handsome than General Jing Yuan, the prettiest boy in all the land!"
"Sigh, I've been his fan since the eighth Arbiter-General first appeared. I said he must be stronger than General Jing Yuan, and I got flamed all over the internet with 'How dare you assume their gender?'"
"I argued back, refusing to give up, but all I got was a thousand pointing fingers. I felt ostracized by the world and was so upset I was about to break down."
"Now the truth is self-evident! Now we know who's really number one on the 'must-have' list! Roar! So, are there any fellow fans nearby who can comfort my wounded heart?"
A commotion could be heard from all around the front of the port.
Leon hadn't noticed before, but now he saw it.
The place was already a sea of people. If not for the formation of Cloud Knights maintaining order, the place would have descended into chaos.
Oh, wait.
"General Leon."
Three figures who had been waiting for some time stepped forward, led by a smiling, white-haired man.
"It has been too long. I've missed you."
A gentle smile was on Jing Yuan's face, his tone warm.
If it weren't for the special arrival of the Divine Foresight General before him, his own arrival on the Luofu would likely have caused no stir at all.
After all, few people recognized him, not to mention this was his first time on the Luofu.
But Jing Yuan, the approachable Divine Foresight General, was known by everyone on the Luofu. He hadn't hidden his movements.
Strutting openly towards a single location—it would be a miracle if that didn't attract a crowd of onlookers.
The fact that even the Cloud Knights had been mobilized showed Jing Yuan had tacitly approved of this spectacle, one might even say he orchestrated it.
"Long time no see."
Standing to Jing Yuan's left, a short, pink-haired girl whose height was in stark contrast to the two beside her, greeted him with her arms crossed.
"And you are?"
"I'd rather not play the 'let's introduce ourselves again' game every time we meet."
Fu Xuan sighed, then shifted her gaze to the two people beside him.
Where did these two pink-haired girls come from?
Leon: I picked them up.
She watched March 7th subconsciously hide behind him, a clear sign of reliance in an unfamiliar environment.
Did he raid someone's home? Fu Xuan had a bad feeling, but seeing the girl's clear eyes, she dismissed the possibility.
You could tell from her eyes that she was a very innocent girl.
"Kidnapping an innocent is a crime, you know."
Fu Xuan said to him seriously, deliberately lowering her voice.
No way, he couldn't have gotten into human trafficking, could he? Has he gotten so desperate that he'll take anyone? When did he fall so low?
Although she knew it wasn't possible—he was a man of honor and wouldn't do such a thing.
But Fu Xuan couldn't help but make a comparison.
Then, out of the corner of her eye, her gaze locked onto March 7th's chest.
This was the biggest difference between the two of them, besides height.
"Damn it, have you betrayed your own principles, huh, Leon?"
"Is the cup size you like now really what you used to call 'proper'?"
"?"
Leon tilted his head.
C'mon, you shorty pink-hair, don't start rumors about your big bro Leon.
"Since we last parted on the battlefield, this is only the second time we've met."
Yukong, standing to Jing Yuan's right, was genuinely happy about their reunion.
"I have always wanted to thank you."
Yukong said sincerely.
"Caiyi feels the same. She has always wanted to formally repay your kindness. Thanks to you, she was not separated from her daughter by death."
It wasn't just Caiyi; his arrival had saved many families from the brink of being torn apart.
"It was what I had to do. No need to say more."
Leon raised his hand, not in refusal, but to indicate that words were unnecessary.
"If you aren't in a hurry to leave, could you spare some time later?"
Yukong smiled, extending an invitation.
"We'll see after I'm done with my business."
Leon didn't give a definite answer.
"Hey, Jing, what's with all the pomp and circumstance? You want me to usurp your position?"
Leon asked Jing Yuan.
Jing Yuan almost blurted out, "There's such a good deal?" But thankfully, he managed to hold it in.
"Well, most people on the Luofu have never seen the eighth Arbiter-General. It's good to take this opportunity to let them meet you."
Jing Yuan raised his hand, signaling there was no need for further discussion.
"Wow, you're something else, bro."
According to Leon's original plan, he was supposed to be a chance passerby.
He would disturb no one, then ask for the whereabouts of Jing Yuan or the shorty pink-hair and find them himself. Not have them come find him. How ridiculous is that?
"You were the one who resolved the crisis of the third Abundance War. It was because of your arrival that the casualties were greatly reduced. They deserve to know who their savior is."
"General Leon! We revere you!"
The moment Jing Yuan finished speaking, the crowd raised their hands and shouted.
The smile on Jing Yuan's face widened as he continued:
"But don't worry."
"We will be absolutely tight-lipped. You don't need to worry about security. Not a single piece of information related to you will be leaked."
Jing Yuan knew he liked to use alternate identities out there, so he immediately assured him there was no need to worry about being doxxed. Things will continue just as they were before.
Leon's file in the Xianzhou Alliance is classified as top secret.
After all, Leon has always operated under the guise of a Galaxy Ranger.
Once his identity as an Arbiter-General is exposed, the nature of his actions changes completely.
That's definitely not what he wants, so unless he personally allows it, only the Marshal of the Xianzhou Alliance has the authority to view his file.
Not even the other Arbiter-Generals have that privilege.
Of course, if other major factions find out, that's on them.
In any case, they'd just be guessing, and the Xianzhou Alliance wouldn't confirm it.
No confirmation means it isn't true.
"You're something else, bro, but it's not that big a deal."
Leon's attitude towards this was actually quite indifferent.
He did things for himself, and the identities he used abroad were of his own making.
He was invincible from the start.
You say I'm an Arbiter-General, so I'm an Arbiter-General? The person in this photo might look a bit like me, but that's not me at all!
"Shall we move to the Seat of Divine Foresight to talk?"
Jing Yuan was preparing to talk to him about his reasons for coming to the Luofu.
"Here,"
Leon offered the box to Jing Yuan, gesturing for him to take one too.
Jing Yuan was a little confused, but he complied.
"This is...?"
Jing Yuan squeezed it. It wasn't soft, meaning it wasn't the tobacco he imagined.
"Just ordinary candy. A worthless little trinket."
"You all came a long way to welcome me, which wasn't easy. Take one each, it's the least I can do."
Leon said, moving the box to Yukong and Fu Xuan.
One looked down, the other looked up; they exchanged a glance before accepting the kind gesture.
After doing all this, Leon walked forward again.
He distributed the candies to everyone present, one by one, including the many Cloud Knights.
"Taking one for yourself is self-interest; sharing with everyone is for the common good."
No need to worry about him littering with so many people around.
Once all twenty sticks were taken, they would immediately respawn inside the box.
Inexhaustible and unending.
A veritable source of infinite energy.
After distributing them all, amidst the crowd's tearful gratitude, Leon followed Jing Yuan, leaving the port for the Seat of Divine Foresight he had mentioned.
...
Seat of Divine Foresight.
Yukong and Fu Xuan waited outside.
The former's rank wasn't high enough to let her listen in on a conversation between two Arbiter-Generals.
The latter's rank was sufficient, but she was tactful enough not to meddle.
"General Leon, have you returned to the Xianzhou Alliance this time to ask for a favor?"
Jing Yuan asked with a smile, taking a sip from the tea that had already been prepared on the table.
"Yes."
"General Leon, there's no need to be polite."
"Whatever it is, you can speak freely. The Alliance will surely assist with all its might."
Jing Yuan said with a gentle smile.
He didn't actually think it would be anything major.
If there was a problem even Leon himself couldn't solve, who besides Lan could possibly help him?
"It's nothing major. Just help me raise a child."
Leon didn't beat around the bush and got straight to the point.
Hearing this, Jing Yuan was taken aback.
"A child?"
Then his gaze fell upon the taller and shorter pink-haired girls.
This... that was fast, wasn't it?
Alas, Lady Fu, your home has been raided before you even began. A moment of silence for you.
"Right."
Leon nodded.
"Just raise her as a new recruit. I can't teach her much, so I've brought this promising uncut jade back for you all."
"What's her name?"
Jing Yuan asked.
So he did just pick her up? Oh, Lady Fu, it seems there's hope for you yet?
"Luanpo."
"Where did you find this child? Is she a refugee from some star system?"
Jing Yuan asked again, curious.
"A test subject from under Dr. Primitive. I happened to run into a related matter and rescued her."
"You mean Dr. Primitive?"
Hearing that name, Jing Yuan froze.
"Are you talking about the Emanator of Erudition, a member of the Genius Society, Dr. Primitive?"
Leon's answer was something he had never expected.
How did he end up fighting Dr. Primitive now? Can't stay idle, is this the so-called spirit of a Galaxy Ranger?
"Is there another Dr. Primitive?"
Leon said in a puzzled tone.
Jing Yuan seemed a bit resigned.
After a moment of thought, he said:
"Do you want the Alliance to lend you a hand?"
Leon's enemies were their enemies. The Xianzhou Alliance would never back down from anyone.
Even a member of the Genius Society.
Although they had no major feud with Dr. Primitive, his experiments were indeed foolish and had earned him universal ill will.
Of course, no matter how much trouble Dr. Primitive stirred up, he was just one Emanator. For the Xianzhou Alliance, dealing with him would be a simple matter.
Their foundation was just that strong.
"He's already dead,"
Leon said calmly.
Again, words that Jing Yuan hadn't dared to imagine.
"Are you saying you killed Dr. Primitive all by yourself?"
Speaking of which, Jing Yuan immediately recalled the atavism formula that Herta had recently made public.
Thinking back, why would she suddenly release something like that? She had clearly never cared about Dr. Primitive before.
Someone must have been helping her from behind the scenes.
Based on Leon's words, and adding the fact that the universe-shaking broadcast was the work of that genius, it wasn't hard to guess that the two of them were cooperating. It was obvious who had pushed this matter forward.
"It wasn't that difficult,"
Leon scoffed.
"Compared to your many great deeds, this one really doesn't count for much."
Jing Yuan shook his head with a helpless smile.
Dr. Primitive certainly had weight to his name.
But the pile of Emanators Leon had killed before him had even more weight.
Had he died before, people would have been astonished.
But dying after them, it could only be said to be unsurprising.
The Corporation, The Family—each was a first-rate power.
Perhaps Dr. Primitive was secretly plotting something big. But before that big plan was revealed, he had no right to pick a fight with forces like these.
"General Leon, I was wondering, was the Luofu a specific choice you decided on long ago, or did you simply come here because it was the closest?"
Jing Yuan glanced at Luanpo, recalling what Yao Guang had said in the group chat earlier.
"If you want to carve this uncut jade..."
A test subject of Dr. Primitive's.
If Leon wanted her to live a normal life, he would never have mentioned it. In other words, his goal is to let this uncut jade reach its full potential.
"In that case, compared to the Luofu, the Yaoqing is clearly more suited to your needs."
Jing Yuan said, preparing to use this chance to convey the matter of General Yao Guang.
The Martial Rock of the Yaoqing.
Among the six Xianzhou flagships, they are unparalleled when it comes to the thrill of battle.
What is the best way to improve one's strength? Practice.
And the Yaoqing is the perfect place for practice. Wars on the Luofu are not as frequent as on the Yaoqing.
Jing Yuan knew Leon's temperament.
In his view, he had come this time purely for the latter reason.
"Of course it's because the Luofu was closer."
Leon answered without a second thought.
"I thought as much."
Jing Yuan chuckled lightly.
"As it happens, the Yaoqing is about to hold a 'Martial Decree Ceremony'."
"The Luofu will be going to present a humble gift. Would you care to join us, General Leon?"
_____
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