"Luocha…"
Just as Lynelle had anticipated, a flicker of surprise crossed Jing Yuan's face.
"To think this individual has also come under your notice, Miss Lynelle… Might I ask what business you have with him? Or is he perhaps a friend?"
"A friend… well, you could say that, loosely," Lynelle replied.
"When he first arrived on the Luofu, I happened to travel with him for a time. It was Mr. Luocha who discovered my affinity for Abundance and suggested I walk its Path."
"My reason for seeking him out now is to learn more about utilizing the power of Abundance."
"Given my current… condition, completely severing ties with either Abundance or Destruction seems quite difficult. Learning to understand and wield their abilities is one of the few options left to me."
"I see…"
Jing Yuan fell silent for a moment before speaking. "Miss Lynelle, you are an honored guest of the Luofu, so I shall be frank with you… This Mr. Luocha is… highly suspicious."
"Based on my deductions, it is very likely he was the one who brought the Stellaron onto our shores. If you are determined to meet him, I will not stop you. However, I urge you to exercise extreme caution."
"Furthermore, if you have any plans to see him, I suggest you act quickly. It's possible that in a few days' time… you will no longer be able to find him."
This time, it was Lynelle's turn to look at Jing Yuan in surprise.
After all, she had just admitted to being on good terms with Luocha. For Jing Yuan to share such sensitive information with her showed a significant degree of trust.
Any attempt on her part to tip Luocha off could very well allow the prime suspect to escape.
While Lynelle, having 'read the script,' knew Luocha's intentions weren't hostile to the Luofu, from Jing Yuan's current perspective, this was nothing short of a gamble founded on trust.
"…Thank you for your trust, General. You have my word, I will not betray it."
Lynelle gave a solemn nod. "There is one more thing I must ask. Regarding the seal on the Ambrosial Arbor…"
"Already taken care of."
Jing Yuan produced a token from his person and tossed it to her.
"I had a feeling you might need this, so I applied to the Alliance in advance… Fortunately, the Marshal holds you in high esteem. She overruled the dissenters and secured your authorization to use this token."
"However, as a compromise, the token itself has a tracking function. While carrying it, you will be voluntarily disclosing your location to the Luofu Alliance."
"My advice is not to keep it on your person unless you intend to use it."
"The Marshal… holds me in high esteem?"
Lynelle accepted the token, her curiosity piqued.
"Indeed. The Marshal herself came to the Scalegorge Waterscape to see you while you were unconscious. Aside from expressing admiration for your actions… and this is merely my own irresponsible speculation… it might also be due to your 'craftsman's spirit.'"
"…?"
Lynelle blinked, not quite grasping his meaning.
But comprehension dawned quickly. She glanced down at her own ample chest, which undoubtedly obstructed the view of her toes and radiated a certain Abundance-inspired vitality.
He can't possibly be talking about me binding myself flat to cosplay Marshal Hua, can he…
Feeling the sheer impertinence of her own train of thought, Lynelle hastily derailed that mental image—one heretical enough to launch a five-pronged assault on Yaoshi.
"Alright then… please convey my regards to Marshal Hua."
Lynelle rose to her feet. "Then… I won't disturb your recuperation any further, General."
"Disturbance? I'd be delighted if you visited more often for a chat…"
Jing Yuan let out a sigh. "A storm is gathering… I fear this is the only peace I'll get to enjoy for a while."
--+--
While Jing Yuan hadn't given Luocha's exact location, he had provided a general area.
After making some inquiries around the neighborhood, Lynelle quickly pinpointed the whereabouts of this "helpful blonde doctor."
As for why she was in such a hurry to find Luocha, learning about the Path of Abundance was one reason. The other was…
She had pulled his character card.
That's right. Although the system's gacha claimed all characters had equal pull rates, Lynelle had noticed that characters newly added to the pool clearly had a slightly higher probability, almost like a featured rate-up.
And this Luocha card… putting aside its utility for healing, for the upcoming Battle of Schicksal, Lynelle was convinced this card would be incredibly useful.
Hehe, my secret weapon, the Luocha Card, is sure to give Otto one hell of a surprise.
With that thought, Lynelle decisively walked up to Luocha's temporary residence and knocked gently on the door.
A moment later… the door was opened by an aloof, silver-haired beauty.
"Sister Jingliu?!"
"Oh? It's you… Is your body alright?"
The moment Jingliu opened the door, exclamations rang out from both sides simultaneously.
"Never mind, come inside to talk."
Noting the stirring curiosity of the neighbors and the infamous local gossip network, Jingliu quickly pulled Lynelle inside.
"Luocha is out practicing medicine. I'm staying here temporarily because my Mara condition requires ongoing observation, and my identity is… sensitive."
"Perhaps because Luocha is excessively humble and polite, the local residents have taken quite a liking to him. Naturally, they're also very interested in… related gossip."
"I get it, I get it…"
Lynelle nodded vigorously, her gaze meeting Jingliu's striking crimson eyes. "Sister Jingliu, your Mara condition seems relatively stable?"
"Your treatment method was certainly… unconventional."
Jingliu smiled faintly, reaching out to gently pat Lynelle's head.
"And you? While I didn't witness what happened at the Scalegorge Waterscape, judging by the rumors circulating, you seem to have caused quite a stir… Are your injuries healed now?"
"Of course. I'll be fully recovered in a week or two at most."
Lynelle patted her chest—which was distinctly different from Marshal Hua's—creating a captivating, jiggling motion.
"I told you, I'm the legendary King of Endurance. Guaranteed crash-free."
"Is that so…"
Seeing the healthy, sunny, radiant smile on Lynelle's face—so reminiscent of a certain someone from her past—Jingliu's hand stilled for a fraction of a second.
"Then… I wish you continued good fortune."
"Oh, right…"
After ushering Lynelle to a seat, Jingliu seemed to recall something.
"Regarding Bailu, you can set your mind at ease for now."
"?"
Hearing this, Lynelle's eyelid twitched involuntarily. "You… already…?"
"That day, after hearing the news of your… accident, I felt somewhat unsettled. Combined with not having visited the Luofu for so long, I… accidentally lost my way and ended up near the Elders' residence."
Jingliu nodded, an picture of innocence.
"Coincidentally, since the Luofu hasn't been entirely peaceful lately, I've been carrying my sword for self-defense."
"Unfortunately, probably due to Phantylia's disturbances, there weren't many Elders present at the time. So, I only managed to… 'greet' one fortunate soul. Shook his yolk loose, you could say."
"Still, it should suffice to serve as a warning to the others."
"Well, that's…" Lynelle trailed off, momentarily lost for words.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.