Gilgamesh and Jingliu returned to the Divination Commission.
Since they had already dealt with the Antimatter Legion, it was best to proceed directly toward finding the Envoy of Destruction.
"You're back, King Gilgamesh."
Yao Guang stopped what she was doing and turned around.
"I see you've dealt with the Antimatter Legion."
Yao Guang had already foreseen this outcome, so it hardly surprised her that Gilgamesh and Jingliu had dealt with them so quickly.
"Hn. Indeed. Quite interesting creatures."
Gilgamesh crossed his arms and looked toward the holographic display.
"And this?"
Yao Guang followed his gaze and smiled.
She explained the hologram, which displayed a detailed map of the Xianzhou Luofu.
She also pointed out the preparations she and Jing Yuan had made in case of sudden attacks from the Mara-struck.
"Not a bad plan."
Gilgamesh gave his approval.
"Thank you." Yao Guang accepted the praise without hesitation.
"Though, with eyes such as yours, surely a second backup plan would—"
Gilgamesh suddenly stopped.
His crimson eyes shifted toward the empty space before him.
"...Hm?"
"Woman?"His voice echoed through the chamber.
The place where Yao Guang had been standing moments ago was now completely empty.
Gilgamesh stared at the vacant space.
"Are my eyes deceiving me?"
He slowly turned toward Jingliu.
"Jingliu."
Hearing her name, Jingliu looked up.
"Slap yourself and tell me whether I have been deceived."
Jingliu's eyebrow twitched.
Why am I the one who has to slap myself just to determine whether this king has been deceived?
"Never mind."
Gilgamesh shook his head, apparently deciding the matter was beneath further consideration.
"Since that woman is gone and we already know the plan, we should make use of it and finish this matter."
"In that case, are you going straight toward the Envoy?" Jingliu asked from behind him.
"Possibly."
Gilgamesh stepped aboard a Starskiff and took his seat.
"As much as I desire to finish this quickly, we do not yet know the consequences of disrupting their carefully prepared plan."
Jingliu entered the Starskiff as well, taking the driver's seat before starting the engine. The vessel soon began moving toward the Alchemy Commission.
"I didn't know you still possessed enough decency to listen to their plan and worry about the consequences."
"Not really."
Gilgamesh crossed one leg over the other, his gaze drifting toward the artificial sky above them.
"I merely acknowledge the plan they have devised to deal with this mess. I am an outsider. Meddling in matters that do not belong to me is not my usual style."
A faint chuckle escaped him.
"Though, had this been my former self, I would have interfered long ago."
Jingliu remained silent.
She simply continued piloting the Starskiff toward their destination.
Then—
"Hi."
Yao Guang suddenly appeared beside them.
Jingliu's body jerked as she immediately snapped her head toward the voice.
Gilgamesh merely raised an eyebrow.
Yao Guang's sudden appearance left the two staring at her.
Seeing their expressions, Yao Guang gave an awkward laugh.
"Ho?"
Gilgamesh's eyes gleamed with interest.
"What manner of phenomenon is this? You dare disappear without my permission, only to reappear without my consultation."
Rather than becoming angry, Gilgamesh seemed genuinely amused by the phenomenon.
Yao Guang casually made her way over and sat beside him.
"Well, that was rather impolite of me." She smiled. "You're not angry, are you, King Gilgamesh?"
"That depends."
Gilgamesh glanced at her.
"Whether your answer will bring satisfaction to my ears."
To anyone else, those words might have sounded like a death sentence.
After all, satisfying Gilgamesh with an answer was no simple task.
Yao Guang, however, merely grinned.
"Well, aren't you in for a surprise? My answer will definitely interest you."
Her eyes remained fixed upon Gilgamesh.
"I have a chronological disease known as 'Temporal Dislocation.'"
Gilgamesh's scarlet eyes sharpened with genuine interest. Yao Guang noticed it immediately and continued.
"It allows me to suddenly disappear and reappear at different moments across spacetime."
She sighed, resting her cheek against her palm.
"Quite a troublesome disease."
"Ho?"
Gilgamesh's interest only grew.
"Interesting disease you have."
It was the first time Gilgamesh had ever heard of such a phenomenon—a peculiar disease capable of moving a person across the continuum of spacetime.
"Really? Interesting?"
Yao Guang shook her head dismissively. To her, the condition was anything but interesting.
"Indeed." Gilgamesh uncrossed his legs, his curiosity evident. "Never in my life have I heard of such an absurd disease. Though..."
His scarlet eyes narrowed slightly.
"Can it even be considered a disease?"
"To be able to travel anywhere..." He paused, considering the implications. "Even if you have no control over where or when you suddenly appear or disappear, the phenomenon remains quite remarkable."
"Fufu..." Yao Guang smiled. "Coming from the mouth of King Gilgamesh, I suppose I can take that as praise."
"I wonder."
Gilgamesh's lips curled into a faint smirk.
"Are you capable of crossing multiple planets from this place?"
There was a hint of temptation in his voice, as though he wanted to test just how far this so-called disease could truly take her.
"Unfortunately, that's not possible."
Yao Guang shook her head.
"The radius of my Temporal Dislocation is limited to fifteen kilometers."
"Oh?"
Gilgamesh's expression immediately lost some of its interest.
"What a shame."
His once-curious eyes dimmed before he casually dismissed the matter.
Throughout their conversation, Jingliu remained in the driver's seat, her hands tightening around the steering wheel.
This golden bastard and the General of Yao Guang are deliberately ignoring me.
Her expression remained cold, but the slight twitch of her eyebrow betrayed her growing irritation.
[End]
Fast paced fanfic is amazing... Yah, scratch long ahh conversation when I can just do time skip and make it finished!