Though tinged with humiliation and frustration, Tingyun still clung to a shred of rationality.
Nearly an entire system hour had passed since she'd come looking for Sylvia.
If she stayed any longer—say, to take a bath or something—she'd be dragging things out far too much.
So even though her legs still felt a little weak and her tail remained tingly and slow to recover, she merely wiped the sweat from her body in front of the mirror.
Relying on her professional composure, she did her best to suppress those peculiar emotions.
She sniffed herself carefully, making sure no unusual scent lingered, before finally pushing the door open to leave.
But the moment she stepped out, she saw Sylvia sitting on the sofa, hands moving through the air as though pretending to stroke something.
The gesture strongly resembled someone missing the feel of her tail.
Already unsettled by what had happened earlier, Tingyun felt her face flush bright red in an instant.
"My Benefactor—" she called out to Sylvia, her tone caught somewhere between a complaint and a coquettish whine.
Hearing that unexpectedly soft, tender call, Sylvia nearly broke out in goosebumps. She looked up to find Tingyun leaning against the doorframe, cheeks flushed, wearing an expression of mingled embarrassment and pique—utterly adorable.
"Ahem…" Sylvia cleared her throat dryly, quickly rising from the sofa and brazenly ignoring the awkwardness of the moment. "Would you like to rest a bit longer?"
"No, no, let's go now," Tingyun waved her hand, declining the offer to linger. Staying in the same room with Sylvia any longer would be awkward even for someone like her.
"…Alright then." Sylvia studied Tingyun—her face still red, her tail drooping, her legs and ears still trembling faintly.
Was the aftereffect really this strong? She would have liked to let Miss Tingyun rest a while longer, but it seemed the foxian wasn't having it.
After leaving a message for Acheron, Sylvia departed alongside Miss Tingyun.
Walking beside Tingyun, Sylvia glanced sideways and could still see the faint blush coloring her neck and earlobes.
"Our Whistling Flames Merchant Guild's outpost isn't far from here. We'll arrive soon," Tingyun said, her voice still soft and languid.
She opened her folding fan, half-hiding her face to conceal her shyness, yet the moment she spoke, her tone was irresistibly charming.
"Ah, yeah. Let's just treat it as a stroll," Sylvia replied, walking alongside her but feeling as though she'd done something improper to Tingyun—especially when they exited the hotel and the receptionist shot her a somewhat suspicious look.
--+--
After about ten minutes on foot, they reached the Xianzhou outpost. The architectural style was distinctly that of the Luofu, making it quite conspicuous.
Following Tingyun inside, Sylvia found the outpost rather empty; presumably, everyone was busy elsewhere.
They found a conference room, and Tingyun promptly initiated a call with Yukong of the Sky-Faring Commission.
As soon as the communication connected, a foxian's holographic projection appeared in the room.
It was none other than the Sky-Faring Commission's leader—the mature and steady Miss Yukong, whom Sylvia had once encountered in the game.
Yukong, about to speak, suddenly tilted her gaze, as if noticing Tingyun's unusual state and the rosy hue on her face.
Though curious, she didn't comment directly, instead quickly returning her attention to Sylvia and proceeding with her introduction.
"Greetings, honored guest of the Xianzhou. It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Yukong, current helm-master of the Sky-Faring Commission." Yukong gave a slight bow, which made Sylvia instinctively straighten up.
"It's our first meeting. My name is Sylvia. I'm delighted to meet the esteemed Lady Yukong of the Sky-Faring Commission."
"Regarding this incident, on behalf of the Sky-Faring Commission, I extend our gratitude for Miss Sylvia's chivalrous assistance. Had you not intervened, Tingyun might have faced grave danger."
"You flatter me, Lady Yukong."
"There's no need to address me so formally, Miss Sylvia. Tingyun is a dear friend of mine, and I, too, wish to express my personal thanks for your help."
In the game, Yukong might only be a 4-star character, but in reality, she was a high-ranking figure of considerable authority aboard the Luofu.
Frankly, being treated so courteously by someone so powerful and beautiful was rather satisfying.
"Then I'll take you at your word—Miss Yukong." Seeing Sylvia drop the formalities, Yukong's expression brightened a little. Whether her delight was genuine or not, her smile was certainly pleasant to behold.
"Hmm~ Miss Sylvia has a refreshing disposition. For that alone, should you have any requests, please voice them. If it's within our power, the Sky-Faring Commission will do its utmost to fulfill them."
Sylvia, however, didn't immediately state any demands. Instead, she glanced at the prompt from her system:
--+--
[Target: Yukong]
[Favorability: 60 (Friendly and Grateful)]
[Relationship: None]
['She feels quite grateful to you because of what happened with Tingyun.']
--+--
Yukong's favorability had already reached a fairly high level—thanks entirely to Tingyun.
There were things Sylvia wanted from the Xianzhou, but most were likely beyond what they would ever grant.
So, rather than overreach, it made more sense to start with Yukong and try building friendly ties with the Luofu's key figures.
She didn't expect deep bonds—even just reaching "Friend" status with each would allow plenty of card pulls.
With that in mind, Sylvia spoke up: "Personally, I don't have any urgent needs. If you're willing, Miss Yukong, let's consider this a chance to become good friends. If I ever visit the Xianzhou Luofu in the future, perhaps you could show me around and help me see more of the world."
Yukong covered her mouth as she laughed. "Miss Sylvia expects nothing in return? That only makes it harder for us. After all, you saved the Amicassador of our Whistling Flames Merchant Guild—we can't simply offer nothing."
She paused, then added warmly, "However, I've certainly decided to be your friend."
Though only a projection, Yukong stepped closer and extended her right hand. Sylvia smiled and likewise reached out, shaking hands in the virtual space to seal their newfound friendship.
"Now that I have connections with the Luofu's upper echelons, I suppose I can strut around freely when I visit," Sylvia quipped.
Hearing this, both Yukong and Tingyun couldn't help but laugh. And Sylvia, after reading the new system prompt, joined in their laughter.
--+--
[Target: Yukong]
[Favorability: 60 (Friendly and Grateful)]
[Relationship: Friend]
['She feels quite grateful to you because of what happened with Tingyun.']
[Reward: Green Card Pull ×1]
--+--
After exchanging a few more polite words, Yukong naturally extended an invitation for Sylvia to visit the Xianzhou Luofu. Sylvia was certainly willing, though the exact timing was uncertain—she'd need to discuss it with Acheron.
As their conversation drew to a close, Yukong glanced curiously at Tingyun, who had remained silent throughout. In just those few moments, she noticed Tingyun didn't seem quite well—her legs trembling slightly, her tail drooping listlessly, and that rather unnatural flush on her face and neck.
Immediately, Yukong's mind went to that kind of situation. She couldn't help but click her tongue inwardly.
Just what had this little fox been up to last night?!
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, 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.