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Silver Wolf: Elio said if you keep Phantylia with you, something very unfortunate might happen.
Silver Wolf: My advice is to discard her promptly.
Silver Wolf: If anything goes wrong, the Stellaron Hunters won't clean up after you. Think carefully about your decision. That's all for now, goodbye.
Seated on the star ferry heading towards the Divination Commission, Bochang glanced at the rapidly appearing messages on his phone. They surfaced swiftly and disappeared just as quickly.
"Something very unfortunate..."
Bochang looked out the window.
The setting sun cast its golden hue upon the fluffy clouds outside, dyeing them with a brilliant shimmer.
At that moment, the system joined in, adding to the mix:
[Dating Options activated.]
[Option 1: Follow Silver Wolf's advice and release Phantylia - Completion Reward: Random item, ranging from a matchstick to a star destroyer. Note: Such items will...]
[Option 2: Persist stubbornly and turn Phantylia into your personal possession - Completion Reward: Unknown peril.]
As these two options suddenly appeared before him, Bochang fell deep into thought.
Bochang fell deep into thought.
"It's impossible to avoid all dangers."
Some risks were simply unavoidable. Bochang was well aware of this; otherwise, he wouldn't have been ambushed by Blade or suffered Phantylia's punch that shattered his famed blade.
"Phantylia... After finally obtaining her, how could I let her go? Besides, the reward for Option One seems quite ordinary."
Bochang took a deep breath and resolutely chose the second option.
Immediately, he would transform Phantylia into RBQ—no wait...a personal item.
The system responded swiftly, almost instantaneously after Bochang made his decision, with its neutral notification tone:
[Reward being issued—Congratulations! You have received Unknown Danger.]
"Unknown danger... What could it be? Surely not another Lord Ravager seeking revenge on her behalf?"
Bochang tapped his fingertips lightly against the chair.
If confronted by a Lord Ravager without any precise countermeasures,
Bochang wasn't certain if they could overcome this challenge.
Stelle asked curiously, "Bochang... Earlier, you mentioned remembering a run under the setting sun. What did you mean by that? Have you ever run at sunset before? How did it feel? Should we give it a try later?"
The gray-haired girl spoke rapidly in one breath.
The sun was just beginning to set.
If they wanted to experience a run under the setting sun, now would be the perfect time.
Stelle had too many questions, leaving Bochang momentarily unsure how to respond.
"Hmm... Did I really say that? My memory's a bit hazy, but... If Stelle wants to try it, I'll accompany you."
Bochang gently took Stelle's small hand.
To truly explain it would be quite difficult; better to employ the art of feigning amnesia.
This tactic proved effective as always.
Stelle leaned her body towards Bochang, resting her head on his shoulder. With parted red lips, she said, "Let's give it a try then... Perhaps we might remember something more."
Shortly thereafter, Bochang and Stelle arrived at the Divination Commission aboard the star ferry.
Fu Xuan, having received prior notice, was already waiting there with Qingque at the port.
Given that Phantylia was sealed within Bochang's body, it was entirely reasonable for Fu Xuan to personally greet them. Moreover, surrounding their star ferry were guards from the Cloud Knights, including Brave Guard Yanqing.
Initially, Fu Xuan had planned for Bochang to use his teleportation ring directly to reach the Divination Commission, as he possessed one himself. However, Bochang and Stelle insisted on taking the star ferry to enjoy the scenery. Unable to dissuade them, Fu Xuan reluctantly agreed, gritting her teeth.
As Bochang and Stelle emerged hand-in-hand from the star ferry, both Fu Xuan and Qingque's expressions subtly shifted. They had never seen Bochang and Stelle so intimately close before; something seemed to have occurred between them.
Nevertheless, this held little relevance for Qingque and Fu Xuan, who remained unconcerned. Their primary focus now was to properly manage the restrictions on Bochang, ensuring Phantylia could not escape and cause further harm.
"Bochang, time is of the essence, so let us skip formalities," Fu Xuan said calmly, her tone slightly urging him along. "Please accompany us to the Matrix of Prescience immediately."
Bochang knew Fu Xuan disapproved of wasting time, but he still insisted, "I understand Master Diviner's urgency, but please bear with me for a moment. Stelle and I have something important to do."
"What is it?" Fu Xuan frowned slightly.
"Earlier, I promised Stelle that we would run together under the setting sun..." Bochang replied.
[Dating Option activated.]
Option 1: Invite Fu Xuan and Qingque to join, saying, "Master Diviner, Qingque, would you like to come along?" - Completion Reward: Random item, ranging from a matchstick to a star destroyer. Note: This type of reward will...
Option 2: Ignore Fu Xuan and Qingque - Completion Reward: Praise of High Morals. At Belobog Administrative District's Central Plaza fountain, you can use one Praise of High Morals to retrieve a treasure from the fountain once. Note: This type of reward will...
Praise of High Morals versus random items.
Currently,
Jim Rogers Bread-Flavored Soda was the only available item capable of replenishing stamina, making it valuable to Bochang.
And if he wanted to obtain this soda,
Bochang could only retrieve items by spending Praises of High Morals.
This meant that Praises of High Morals actually had some value.
However...
For reasons unknown, Bochang wasn't particularly fond of Praises of High Morals. Compared to those, he preferred drawing random items.
Thus, the choice was clear.
Bochang opted for the first option.
"Master Diviner, Qingque, would you like to join us?" Bochang extended an invitation.
Fu Xuan momentarily paused, then sighed softly and said, "Sorry, Bochang, this venerable one doesn't have time to indulge in such childish games. Not to sound harsh... but can't you be slightly more mature?"
"That's right, Master Diviner is correct," Qingque chimed in from behind.
Being rejected was not unexpected. Just as Bochang considered whether to continue persuading them...
An unforeseen event occurred.
Fu Xuan continued, "Fine, if you truly wish to run under the setting sun, this venerable one will allow Qingque to accompany you."
The smile vanished instantly from the mahjong girl's face; she couldn't understand why she suddenly found herself caught in the crossfire.
["Reward distribution in progress - Congratulations! You have received an item: Golden Apple. Consuming it will grant you a random BUFF."]
"New items... seems intriguing, but I dare not eat them randomly," Bochang silently shook his head.
A random BUFF—who knows what kind it could be?
If it's something peculiar and unexpected, that would only lead to trouble.
In any case...
It seemed destined for the trash bin.
Initially planning to persuade Fu Xuan, Bochang reconsidered after hearing the system's announcement. After all, the mission was already completed. Further persuasion would likely prove futile and exhausting, as Fu Xuan probably wouldn't agree—given her rather serious demeanor. Despite her cute appearance, which undermined her full authority, she remained steadfast.
Seizing the moment, Bochang gently placed his hand on Mahjong Girl's shoulder and smiled, "Then it's settled, let's proceed."