『 [ Thinking about this, I heard that a healer also came along with the Zhuming delegation's ship this time. It is said they will take office as the new Cauldron Master of the Luofu's Alchemy Commission. ]
Yanqing suddenly recalled something and spoke to everyone.
[ An appointee from the Zhuming serving as the Luofu's Cauldron Master? ]
[ There are precedents, but the timing… ]
Dan Heng hesitated, leaving his sentence unfinished.
[ Hearing Mr. Dan Heng say so, Yanqing only now senses the undercurrents surging behind this. ]
[ The General is bearing immense pressure right now. ]
[ Yet I was completely oblivious to the General's worries… How childish of me! ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
March 7th: "Eh?"
March 7th: "This new Cauldron Master of the Alchemy Commission, could it be…??"
Stelle: "No doubt about it, it's definitely Miss Lingsha."
Stelle: "My goodness, and here I thought she was just an ordinary healer brought in to be Bailu's assistant."
Stelle: "Who would've thought she's actually a parachuted Cauldron Master!"
Stelle: "Now that's something else!"
Lingsha: "Miss Stelle, you jest."
Lingsha: "It is nothing extraordinary."
Lingsha: "I am merely an ordinary healer holding the title of Cauldron Master."
March 7th: "Speaking of which, I'd never heard of the Alchemy Commission having a Cauldron Master before. I thought the position didn't even exist."
Fu Xuan: "Actually, it does, it has just been vacant for a long time."
Fu Xuan: "Since the Alliance has personally appointed a Cauldron Master this time, the Alchemy Commission will hopefully get back on track."
Dan Heng: "The Luofu's Alchemy Commission is quite a riddled mess. Turning it around won't be an easy task."
Lingsha: "I am well aware, but no matter what, I will do my utmost to try!"
Lingsha: "If for nothing else, then to give my mentor a proper account!"
....
『 [ Don't think of it that way! Grown-up matters should be left for grown-ups to worry about. ]
[ Besides, what can you actually do for your General right now? ]
March 7th tried to console Yanqing. Though her words were somewhat blunt.
[ …. ]
Hearing this, Yanqing fell into silence.
[ Uh, did I say something wrong again? ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "Hahaha, March, you really are a little smart aleck."
Stelle: "Is this how you console people?"
March 7th: "Ah… wasn't my brain just a bit slow to react?"
March 7th: "But my intention was just to tell Yanqing not to overthink things!"
Hu Tao: "Rough words, but true logic."
Hu Tao: "What she said wasn't entirely wrong."
Hu Tao: "I believe young Master Yanqing can understand the meaning behind it."
Furina de Fontaine: "Young Master Yanqing is already very outstanding."
Furina de Fontaine: "When other kids are his age, they're probably still running wild and playing every day."
Silver Wolf: "Take my advice, kids should do kid things."
Silver Wolf: "Don't put so much pressure and expectation on yourself."
Silver Wolf: "After all, no matter how hard you work right now, you can't instantly reach the level of an Alliance General."
Silver Wolf: "Slow down your pace a bit, be good to yourself."
Hotaru: "Silver Wolf, you can actually say things that make so much sense?"
Silver Wolf: "What? Did you think I used to be childish?"
Hotaru: "Not really."
Stelle: "What Silver Wolf said actually makes a lot of sense."
Stelle: "Tension like that will only backfire."
Stelle: "Yanqing, you need to relax a bit."
Yanqing: "Relax?"
Yanqing: "Yes, I have received the Teacher's advice."
Yanqing: "I will seriously consider it."
Boothill: "Tsk tsk, still a kid and already sweating it out so hard!"
Boothill: "Does this muddle-fudger leave any room for others to live?"
Boothill: "Kid, let yourself loose when you need to!"
Boothill: "This endless grind has no end in sight!"
....
『 [ When it comes to eloquence, it's always got to be you! ]
Stelle crossed her arms and teased March 7th.
[ Miss March is right. Yanqing's abilities are meager, and I cannot share the General's burdens right now. ]
[ …But I can do my best to carry out every task the General entrusts to me. ]
[ Let us go. After arranging accommodations for the three of you, I still need to head to the Artisanship Commission to handle the IPC's protest. ]
After a brief moment of dejection, Yanqing rallied his spirits once more.
[ Seeing how weighed down by worries he looks, I really can't put my mind at ease… Let's go to the Artisanship Commission with you! ]
March 7th suggested.
[ This… might not be appropriate. ]
[ I am very grateful that the three of you are willing to help, but the IPC staff are exceptionally difficult to deal with… I worry it might bring trouble to the Express instead… ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "I admit, the IPC employees are indeed a pain to deal with."
Stelle: "But I'm a professional!"
Stelle: "Take me along, and I guarantee we'll settle those petty IPC employees with ease."
Paimon: "By settling, does Miss Stelle mean pulling out her bat and giving them a good thrashing?"
Stelle: "No, no, that's the absolute last resort."
Stelle: "That's reserved for those who are completely stubborn."
Stelle: "For normal people, I always adopt the strategy of convincing them with reason first."
Yanqing: "The problem is, aren't most IPC employees unreasonable and overbearing?"
Stelle: "Then they can't blame me for convincing them with force!"
....
『 [ Don't you worry! ]
[ When it comes to dealing with the IPC, our Express crew has plenty of experience! ]
[ You've heard of the Ten Stonehearts, right? ]
[ We've dealt with several of them! Right, Stelle? ]
March 7th boasted while looking over at Stelle.
[ When it comes to eloquence, it's always got to be you! ]
Stelle repeated her previous comment.
[ Exactly, exactly… Uh, that doesn't sound like a compliment. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "It wasn't just dealing with them, we literally fought them for real!"
March 7th: "Doesn't that prove our worth even more?"
March 7th: "We've traded blows with the famous Ten Stonehearts, so why would we fear some ordinary, low-ranking IPC employees?"
Qingque: "Hehehe, that's not necessarily true."
Qingque: "There's an old saying in Xianzhou,"
Qingque: "It's easy to meet the King of Hell, but hard to deal with the little devils!"
Qingque: "The more ordinary these employees are, the harder they are to deal with!"
Stelle: "Why not think of it the other way around?"
Stelle: "The more ordinary the employees are, the easier they are to beat up?"
Stelle: "They don't even have Cornerstones. I'll go in and knock them out one by one with my bat!"
Li Sushang: "Eh? That actually makes sense!"
Li Sushang: "The Ten Stonehearts possess miraculous Cornerstones and are incredibly tough to fight, but these ordinary employees are different."
Li Sushang: "If it were me, I could probably sweep through a whole bunch of them!"
Furina de Fontaine: "So in the end, is it still highly likely to escalate into a physical conflict?"
Furina de Fontaine: "Haha, I hope everyone stays safe."
....
『 [ Very well, since the Teachers are willing to help, I shall not decline further. ]
[ Let us head to the Artisanship Commission to meet them. ]
With that, Yanqing began leading the three toward the Artisanship Commission.
After a short while, they arrived at the location.
[ Do you, Xianzhou people, have any sense of reason at all? ]
[ Heh, I get it now~ In your words, this is called taking advantage of someone's misfortune, right? ]
Upon arriving at the Artisanship Commission's premises, even from afar, the four of us could hear a highly sarcastic voice.
[ But I AM trying to reason with you here! ]
After that sarcastic voice finished, Xiqui's angry voice immediately followed. 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "Holy crap!"
Stelle: "That voice sounds so familiar?"
Stelle: "Could it be an old acquaintance?"
Li Sushang: "Uh… I feel like I've heard it somewhere before, too…"
March 7th: "Eh? What's going on?"
March 7th: "Could it be that you guys know the person in charge of the IPC transport ship this time?"
Yanqing: "What a coincidence."
Yanqing: "Teacher really has a wide circle of friends."
Yanqing: "Now, out of respect for Teacher, the other party probably won't make things difficult for us, right?"
Stelle: "That's absolutely impossible!"
Yanqing: "Ah?"
Yanqing: "Why?"
Stelle: "Because that guy over there seems to have a grudge against me."
Stelle: "Back then, I made him bark like a dog in public. If he sees me, he'll probably grind his teeth in anger!"
Li Sushang: "Oh, oh! I remember now!"
Li Sushang: "It's that extremely annoying IPC employee from Aurum Alley!"
Li Sushang: "I think his name was Sco-something?"
Stelle: "It's Skott."
Stelle: "In short, when enemies meet, their eyes blaze. Next up, there might be a thrilling physical showdown!"
....
『 [ This sarcastic voice is really familiar… I seem to have heard it in Aurum Alley? ]
Hearing this familiar voice, Stelle seemed to recall something.
[ It's not like I haven't dealt with your Sky-Faring Commission before. I've long grown used to your difficult way of doing things. ]
[ But now you're directly seizing the IPC's goods. Isn't that a bit too much? ]
In the distance, Skott began to loudly interrogate again.
[ It has been said many times, as long as the containers are opened for a security inspection, we will naturally let them pass. ]
[ Is there something wrong with your ears, or is your head not working properly? ]
Kongqing, the representative sent by the Artisanship Commission to inspect, heard Skott's words and immediately retorted in anger.
[ I heard you very clearly, and I understand perfectly! ]
[ Let me put it more bluntly: No way! ]
[ Keep holding onto my goods, and I'll file a direct complaint to your General! ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Furina de Fontaine: "By the way, is this Mr. Skott very difficult to deal with?"
Stelle: "Not just difficult, but also very bizarre."
Stelle: "Just weird all around."
Hu Tao: "Then Yanqing's task is going to be tough!"
Yanqing: "Sigh, no matter how hard it is, it must be completed. I only hope this Mr. Skott can still be somewhat reasonable…"
Li Sushang: "Don't worry, Stelle is very good at dealing with Skott."
Li Sushang: "As long as she steps in to help you, Skott won't be able to act all high and mighty."
March 7th: "Oh, right."
March 7th: "Since Stelle could make this Skott guy bark like a dog back then, she must have already tamed him, right?"
Stelle: "A piece of cake, just watch me work!"
....
『 [ Huh? Did I just hear a dog barking? ]
After getting closer, Stelle intentionally called out with an act.
[ You bastard! Who are you calling a dog? ]
[ Ah? How… is it you again?! ]
[ Are you planning to just stay in Xianzhou forever? Misfortunes never come singly, nothing good ever happens when I run into you… ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Paimon: "Wow, it looks like this Mr. Skott is really afraid of Miss Stelle!"
Stelle: "Of course, I'm his nemesis!"
Stelle: "When he sees me, doesn't he have to behave like a mouse seeing a cat?"
Yanqing: "That's wonderful."
Yanqing: "Even if we can't get him to back down out of respect for the teacher."
Yanqing: "But if we can scare him into retreating by relying on Teacher's intimidating presence, the result is the same!"
Li Sushang: "Uh… I'm afraid it won't be that simple."
Li Sushang: "If I remember correctly, this Skott guy is quite persistent."
Li Sushang: "He won't be scared away so easily."
Stelle: "Just a defeated opponent, watch me sort him out!"
....
『 [ Aren't these the guests of the Astral Express? ]
[ Why did you come to the Artisanship Commission with Yanqing? ]
Xiqui was a bit surprised to see Stelle and the others arrive.
[ To help Yanqing resolve the IPC's trouble. ]
Stelle explained.
[ The IPC's trouble? You should talk about the trouble the Sky-Faring Commission caused us! ]
Hearing Stelle's words, Skott retorted in displeasure.
[ It seems this IPC employee is an old acquaintance of Teacher Stelle… I wonder if this is a good thing or a bad thing. ]
[ Sister Xiqui, I was sent to resolve the IPC's protest. What exactly is the situation right now? ]
Yanqing began to ask Xiqui about the cause and effect.
[ As you know, the Zhuming delegation's ship rescued this IPC transport vessel that was attacked by the Borisin, and then informed the Cloud Knight Patrol to bring it back to the port for repairs and inspection. ]
[ This gentleman here is the person in charge of the transport vessel, Mr. Skott. ]
Xiqui pointed at Skott and introduced him.
[ So you're Skott! ]
[ I've heard Stelle mention you~ ]
[ Weren't you kicked out of the Luofu? How did you end up back here? ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "Haha, March, you poked right at his sore spot the moment you opened your mouth."
Stelle: "Now he'll probably be even more eager to make things difficult for us on purpose."
March 7th: "Cough, I didn't mean to!"
March 7th: "I was just speaking facts…"
Boothill: "This fool, you can tell he's no good just by looking at him."
Boothill: "Why waste words with him? Just beat him to the ground first!"
Furina de Fontaine: "Mr. Boothill, they represent the Xianzhou's stance right now."
Furina de Fontaine: "If they can avoid fighting, it's still best to avoid it, right?"
Furina de Fontaine: "Otherwise, making an enemy of the IPC isn't a wise move either."
Yanqing: "Indeed, Yanqing still hopes for a peaceful resolution."
Silver Wolf: "Heh, I doubt it."
....
『 [ Do you think I wanted to come back! ]
[ I originally thought I'd just enter the port for some repairs and then leave this unlucky place. ]
[ Who knew that as soon as we docked, a few Cloud Knights rushed aboard and seized all the cargo in the hold! ]
Skott shouted loudly, looking very indignant.
[ What do you mean by 'seized'? ]
[ How many times do I have to say it? This is a security inspection. ]
Xiqui emphasized once again with weight.
[ Then why was it brought to the Artisanship Commission? ]
[ And you even brought in a shifty-looking artisan. Isn't it obvious you want to steal the IPC's patented technology? ]
Skott held onto this point tightly and even resorted to personal attacks.
[ I say, honored guest from afar… First, the Sky-Faring Commission detected items suspected of being dangerous weapons in your cargo, which is why they requested me to perform a verification inspection. ]
[ Second, where exactly do I look shifty?! ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Yunli: "This Skott guy is not only unreasonable, but he also resorts to personal attacks."
Yunli: "How frustrating. If the me in the video had seen their true colors earlier, I absolutely wouldn't have stepped in to save them!"
Lumine: "This IPC employee is indeed being somewhat unreasonable."
Lumine: "After all, if they hadn't been saved, the Borisin wouldn't have fled onto the Xianzhou and caused the chaos just now, right?"
Lumine: "And considering security during special times, I think requesting a cargo inspection is very reasonable."
Hu Tao: "But this employee thinks the Xianzhou Alliance is deliberately using this opportunity to steal the IPC's patented technology."
Hu Tao: "Uh… isn't that a bit too narcissistic?"
Dan Heng: "I think his extreme refusal of the Sky-Faring Commission's inspection is a bit suspicious…"
Dan Heng: "What exactly is in those goods?"
....