Her lifeless eyes gradually regained a spark. Though her brain hadn't figured out how to respond, her body was already moving, turning to look toward the voice.
There she saw Welt, Stelle, March 7th, the medicine-Healer Lady, and the little innkeeper from the The Sleepless Earl, all sitting together drinking tea and snacking.
Her eyes welled up.
It clearly hadn't rained today, yet Qingque's heart felt ice-cold.
"Uwahhh~~~" Her lips quivered like waves. The next second—
"Benefactors!!!"
------------------------------------
"Mm, mm!" (choked)
"Here, have some Happy Tea."
Gulp gulp gulp... "Ah~ so refreshing, I feel alive again."
Clutching the Happy Tea, Qingque took a long drink, the liquid dribbling from the corners of her mouth. That cool sensation helped her reclaim the soul that had nearly left her body.
"What's with you? You look totally different from the rest of us." March 7th stared at Qingque with a trembling heart.
It was like someone who had just survived a category 18 typhoon, only to find their favorite item broken, then returned home to face the wreckage left by the storm.
Hearing March 7th's words, Qingque put down the Happy Tea, sighing in an indescribable way.
"It's a long story, it all happened when..."
Then, Qingque racked her brain, using all her life's learning to bitterly recount what the General had been up to lately.
"That's how it went. Those guys in the Artisanship Commission are all super stubborn, and they treat the rare materials in the storeroom like their own sons. Then the General just barged in and raided the place without saying a word. Of course they're pissed!"
"Hehe, and you just happened to be there at that exact moment?"
"How was I supposed to know those old guys surrounding the Realm-Keeping Commission were there for that? I just wanted to finish work quickly and enjoy some rare free time!"
The group looked at each other. Qingque's experience sounded suspiciously like Jing Yuan being... well, Jing Yuan.
"The adult world is terrifying."
Sipping her drink through a straw, Bailu shook her head.
...
Meanwhile, the Vidyadhara Preceptors were engaged in yet another fierce argument with Jing Yuan.
"Impossible!" A cane slammed onto the ground, its dull thud barely noticeable in the tense atmosphere.
"The Scalegorge Waterscape is a territory jointly governed by the Vidyadhara and the Xianzhou Alliance, and it contains the ancient lands of our Vidyadhara clan. How can we allow a wild beast to occupy it?"
"I've already explained—Godzilla is a hero who defended Luofu. It's only a temporary residence. When the time is right, he'll leave."
Jing Yuan replied calmly as ever.
But this confrontation between the Luofu General and the Vidyadhara Vidyadhara Preceptors didn't catch the attention of others at the Realm-Keeping Commission.
Scenes like this had played out several times recently.
Each time, the Vidyadhara Preceptors left in defeat. These old folks were notoriously prideful, looking down on everyone. People didn't say it aloud, but Luofu was still jointly governed by the Xianzhou, the Vidyadhara, and the Foxians.
Everyone had at least one or two Vidyadhara friends.
So, the general attitude toward the Vidyadhara Preceptors was basically: as long as it doesn't affect me, whatever.
"Can you guarantee that giant beast won't pose a greater threat to the Scalegorge Waterscape? Do you realize that our Vidyadhara reincarnate through those ancient lands? You, as Luofu General, act so willfully and disregard our safety—I'll definitely submit a formal complaint against you!"
"Mhm, mhm, mhm." Jing Yuan nodded repeatedly, utterly unfazed. As if complaints against generals of the Xianzhou were a rare thing.
Anyone in a high position was bound to be under constant scrutiny. Honestly, if no one complained about him one day, he'd probably feel something was off.
"I've heard your concerns. How about this—why don't you come with me to talk to Godzilla directly? See if we can find a better solution together?"
...
The quarrel ended with Jing Yuan's victory. Watching the door slam shut after the Vidyadhara Preceptors stormed out, he shook his head helplessly.
There's just no reasoning with those old stubborn fools.
Have to rely on Godzilla again.
"They're back again."
"Oh? Lady Fu, you're here. Your issue has been resolved?"
"Hmph, just a minor matter—trivial in my hands. So, the Vidyadhara Preceptors are here about the Scalegorge Waterscape again?"
Fu Xuan asked curiously.
Jing Yuan nodded and rubbed his forehead helplessly: "Ever since the unrest died down, they've been showing up daily, repeating the same lines every time. Ugh, every day it's like déjà vu."
"So what did you do to make them leave this time?"
"What else?"
Jing Yuan spread his hands and said with a teasing tone, "I invited them to go talk to Brother Godzilla with me. But of course, they refused."
Fu Xuan gave a dry laugh at the sight of this shameless general.
Even though she disliked the Vidyadhara Preceptors too, they weren't stupid.
After all, the battlefield was located in the ancient lands of the Scalegorge Waterscape.
Without even taking any help from Jing Yuan and others, Godzilla easily captured the Lord Ravager, Phantylia.
The Vidyadhara Preceptors got word of this via various sources—carefully leaked by Jing Yuan.
Even though the intel emphasized it was a group effort, the Vidyadhara Preceptors weren't fools.
There was no doubt that this being called Godzilla played a pivotal role in that battle.
A combat power equivalent to an Emanator—
Even those normally arrogant Vidyadhara Preceptors didn't dare to provoke him directly.
...
At that moment, in the The Sleepless Earl.
After sharing her ordeal, Qingque also heard about Bailu's experience from the others.
Her eyes spun rapidly for a moment, and then—as if struck by a massive Jade Abacus in her mind—she had a flash of insight!
"Hey! I've got an idea!"
Everyone turned to focus their gaze on Qingque.
Qingque chuckled and glanced back and forth between Bailu and the others.
"I heard the hero who helped Luofu defeat the Antimatter Legion is currently in the Scalegorge Waterscape. That place is Vidyadhara territory, and yet those guys can't do anything to the one who crossed the line. If we got to know that person, wouldn't it be...?"
Welt nodded knowingly. "So that's it—using a more powerful external force to pressure them into agreeing. Indeed, it's not a bad method. But…"
It was a good plan, but the key issue was—not everyone is 'Stelle,' someone who's officially recognized by Godzilla as a little brother.
They also had to worry about how Bailu would react upon meeting Godzilla. Would she do something that might anger him?
Even as Welt thought through all this, Bailu raised her right hand and asked, her eyes filled with both confusion and hope,
"That hero you're talking about—can they really help me?"
Her eyes sparkled.
She had had enough of those Vidyadhara Preceptors!
Just because she was small didn't mean she was easy to fool!
Those Vidyadhara Preceptors always acted all high and mighty, lording over everyone even in the clan. They really thought themselves above all others. Bailu didn't know exactly what they were plotting, but she definitely saw through their petty schemes.
Unfortunately, she was too weak to resist.
If someone could help her, she'd be willing to do anything!
"Hey, aren't you guys overthinking it?" At that moment, March 7th waved her hand and said excitedly,
"From what Qingque and Bailu said, those people are just bullies who fear the strong and pick on the weak. Once the big guy shows up, I wanna see if they even dare step forward!"
March 7th ended her speech with a raised fist, threateningly.
"Mhm, I wanna go see Big Bro too." Stelle nodded repeatedly.
Seeing this, Welt didn't say more—minority yields to majority.
"Speaking of which, that outfit really suits you! I'm pooping from excitement!"
Mengming curiously eyed the pattern on Stelle's clothes. Stelle was about to speak with a grin when March 7th quickly covered her mouth.
"Mmmph!"
"Hehe, it's a surprise! You'll all find out soon enough."
While covering Stelle's mouth, March 7th turned and smiled at the group. Watching the two people interact, Welt couldn't help shaking his head.
Aside from the show-worthy Mengming, the rest were in the middle of a journey.