Some sisters, some not.
Because the Hearing was no small matter, Xu Chuyao’s qualification as an auditor was extremely valuable. This trip could almost be considered a diplomatic visit, so they finally used a large passenger plane.
The School found a chef skilled in small pot cooking from the cafeteria, specifically responsible for meals on the flight.
“Give me a serving of sour chrysanthemum fish… What, none? Then just bring whatever you have.”
With red wine and steak downed, after enduring hardships for so long, Xu Chuyao finally felt her spirits revive.
“By the way, why do we have to go in person?” she asked Yu Jing. “Can’t we just have a video conference?”
Since she was only auditing, Yaoyao didn’t even want to make the trip.
Yu Jing rolled her eyes. “What kind of status do you have that you can just use video? Everyone else is attending in person. Only a few with the highest status get to join remotely.”
Even auditors have to be there in person—that’s attitude.
Those making the decisions in person can use video—that’s privilege.
Xu Chuyao grumbled silently. Who says I can’t use video? I’m a Prophet, after all.
But the highest-ranking people there don’t allow special privileges.
“The main reason you’re going is because you’re a key decision-maker in this whole matter, so they let you audit. You’re probably the only one below Third Stage there,” Yu Jing said. “I can’t get in, so be extra careful yourself.”
Xu Chuyao immediately deflated.
That’s right. Her rank as a Prophet was so low that nobody would take her seriously just by saying she was one.
Enough talk—time to draw the lottery. Ten thousand one hundred forty villain points, all on the draw!
[ Ding ding, congratulations, you’ve obtained a pair of Spring-Autumn Seasonal White Silk Stockings. ]
[ Ding ding ding, congratulations, you’ve obtained a super absorbent strawberry panties. ]
[ Ding ding ding, congratulations, you’ve obtained… ]
A flood of blue skies and white clouds appeared, but it didn’t matter. Yaoyao was flush with funds this time, so keep drawing!
She had already spent dozens of draws before, so this time she quickly hit the guaranteed bottom line. A flash of golden light—Yaoyao reached late Second Tier.
Near the second round’s bottom line, the golden light flashed again—peak Second Tier.
What a smooth and powerful upgrade! Thinking back on all the sweat and effort along the way, even Yaoyao couldn’t help but feel proud.
Enduring hardship was truly miserable, but drawing lottery was genuinely exhilarating. If she could pull off another wave like this, she could become the second fastest Third Stage Spirit Power User in history.
Xu Chuyao’s heart thumped with excitement. She glanced toward her girlfriend, but suddenly shivered and tightened her spine.
Too risky. Best to plan for the long term. Besides, this trick had been used once already—Shen Ning definitely had psychological preparation now, so using it again wouldn’t work.
No worries. Think about earning a few hundred or even a thousand villain points next time. Doing it a few more times would be the same.
Having settled on a new strategy of “steady and sure victory,” Xu Chuyao blinked at her girlfriend again. This time she felt at ease, seeing her quietly sitting by the window—hmph, playing the cool expert, huh?
In fact, Shen Ning was also reviewing their gains in her mind. The one-day, two-night training for her girlfriend was done out of genuine concern, but somehow it inexplicably completed a task.
[ Ding, Ruhan Host has completed the four-star milestone fragment mission: First attempt at high-difficulty… “se-se”.
Mission description: As a Spirit Power User, you possess the elemental power. Naturally, you cannot be like ordinary girls who just rely on brute force every day. You need your own rhythm.
Mission requirement: Skillfully use elemental power to make your wife Xu Chuyao “ascend to heaven” at least once.
Mission completion rate: 10% (10/1)
Reward: Third Stage elemental skill, Wind Arrow.
Compress the raging wind element into a single point, accurately and quickly striking the target. The compressed wind element explodes upon hitting the target. ]
[ Extra reward: Slight Spirit Power level increase, currently early to mid Third Stage. ]
Half-step mid Third Stage, plus a seemingly powerful offensive skill—this was Shen Ning’s reward.
“I told you so,” said the suppressed shadow, “Practicing on your own isn’t as fast as doing missions.”
“But you tortured Yaoyao too much,” sighed the broken shadow. “Next time you should stop earlier—Yaoyao already knows she was wrong… and she should spit out less ketchup.”
It was hard to imagine this was the same person who taught Shen Ning the vortex technique just two nights ago.
As for the last one, Milk Ning’s shadow noticed her companions were all staring at her, so she thought for a moment and said:
“I am a healer dragon.”
One had long thought that was right, one’s divine and demonic nature returning to its good-hearted origin, one just pretending not to speak—this was the shadows’ final summary of Shen Ning’s “one-day, two-night campaign.”
Anyway, the power had increased. Next time facing similar situations, would there be more options?
Shen Ning thought so, then looked toward her girlfriend, only to find Yaoyao already leaning her head sideways, asleep. Full and satisfied, it was definitely time to rest.
Well then, I’ll sleep too.
“Young master, we’ve arrived. This is your staff.”
“Thank you, Alfos.”
Edward took the emerald staff representing his family from the butler’s hand and stepped down from the elongated luxury car, squinting at the statue of the God of the Scales dominating the square.
This was the city of Pyrus, one of today’s main political capitals, the place used during the Pacification War to judge crimes of the old days.
Edward leaned on his staff with both hands and said to the butler and other attendants, “Wait for me outside. No need to worry.”
The flight arrived. After resting half a night at the hotel, the next day Yu Jing, acting as driver, took Xu Chuyao to the palace entrance.
“I’m taking Shen Ning for questioning. It’ll be a quick formality, and then we’ll come out. But we can’t enter here, you have to go by yourself,” she instructed the thunderous girl. “Find your seat inside and sit until it’s over. We’ll wait for you outside.”
That was what she said, but Yu Jing was mistaken. Xu Chuyao was no transparent oyster.
Though Yaoyao was the lowest rank in the hall, when she passed through the great scales gate and stepped into the venue, nearly half the people turned to look.
“That’s her, team seven.”
“Right, a little girl far too dazzling, and busty, just as the rumors said.”
“I heard she hasn’t even graduated yet this year.”
“Maybe only third grade.”
These people stood afar, scrutinizing her and gossiping with companions, as if she were some featured character in a card pool prediction.
To the people of this social tier, the Clown Gang was just an annoying farce. No matter how great their achievements, hitting the Clown Gang was nothing. The real double blow to the Yahabi Financial Group and Locke Morgan Family was what truly made the girl famous.
But Xu Chuyao never expected the first person to approach would be a man wearing a white headscarf.
“Good morning, Miss Xu. Your beauty and charm truly live up to the poetic praises.” The white headscarf man immediately showered her with compliments before introducing himself: “My name is Muhammad-Yahabi, but people outside call me…”
“Prince Yahabi.” Xu Chuyao looked at him in bafflement. “How long have you been here?”
Perhaps Prince Yahabi was considered handsome by local standards, but Xu Chuyao felt all their men looked about the same. Of course, that wasn’t the point—the point was his attitude.
Prince Yahabi was the one who had sent the expedition squad to assassinate Xu Chuyao. When the plan failed and to hide their true motive, they declared they were sent by the prince himself to court her.
The problem was, Prince Yahabi knew this was fake, Xu Chuyao knew it was fake, and Prince Yahabi also knew Xu Chuyao knew it was fake. Their relationship was simply a failed assassination attempt.
“The previous events were just misunderstandings. I thought you were targeting us.” The prince gave a self-satisfied smile. “Anyway, I want to court you sincerely this time.”
Simply put, before, she had thought this man was a disaster, an enemy of the True God, deliberately targeting Yahabi and helping Locke Morgan Family squeeze out Yahabi Financial Group’s interests.
But now, suddenly, she realized Yaoyao wasn’t targeting anyone. Whoever came was treated equally, and the Locke Morgan Family had been hit even worse, forcing them all the way here.
So, setting aside prejudice and looking objectively, this girl was not only dazzling but cute, had a great figure, impressive bust, and outstanding intelligence. She was even a prodigy in Spirit Power cultivation.
Heavens, how could there be such a perfect girl?
“Thank you for your compliment, but I’m sorry.” Xu Chuyao politely stepped back. “I’m a lesbian. We have irreconcilable differences in personal preferences and beliefs.”
Friends are hard enough, let alone brothers.
“That’s fine. Young people having rebellious pursuits is normal. When you’re ready to repent, I will beg the True God to save you, and then we can…”
The narcissistic prince started fantasizing. Xu Chuyao quickly took the opportunity to leave and went inside to find her seat.
You know, even though it’s called the auditor’s seat, the location had an excellent view, and it was among the few seats closest to the front in the auditor section.
The only downside was that if the hearing turned boring, sitting here meant she couldn’t use her phone because it would be too easy to get noticed.
“Are you Xu Chuyao? The woman who successively exposed the Yahabi Financial Group and Locke Morgan Family?”
A coarse female voice pulled her back to reality.
Xu Chuyao turned to look—what the hell? She couldn’t see who was using remote voice transmission?
“Here!”
An angry voice came from below. She looked down again, but still saw nothing—her own thunder shield blocked it all.
“I’m right here, you short-sighted woman!” A blonde girl retreated two steps and came into Xu Chuyao’s view, crossing her arms. “It seems you were lucky to discover the truth twice. If I were there, I could do the same.”
She was dressed in a delicate English formal dress, white silk with little boots, tiny and cute.
“Excuse me,” Xu Chuyao asked her, “Who are you, kid? Aren’t you supposed to be the youngest here?”
“Rude! My name is Beti Holmes, 24 years old.” The blonde girl snorted lightly. “Do you doubt the abilities of the Holmes Family?”
Holmes Family?
Xu Chuyao was slightly taken aback but then recalled that, according to the original setting, during the great chaos period, many traditions were lost, and family names had long become meaningless. During the late Pacification War, when the larger situation was about to be decided, the whole world stirred up a movement resembling a Renaissance, with many eager to inherit the names of saints.
To put it plainly, on some street in England after recapture, the officials formally named it Baker Street, and for a time, everyone on the street was called Holmes.
It didn’t feel as authentic as Kanzaki H. Aria, the orthodox one…
Yet decades later, being able to stand here with that name showed that Beti’s family truly was the most formidable among those claiming to be Holmes.
“I think, regardless of whether you really are Holmes or not, since you’re 24,” Xu Chuyao looked at her calm chest and sincerely said, “you should pay more attention to your own development. You might already be running out of time.”
“Rude, big-chested woman!”
Beti’s face flushed red with anger. “Noble Holmes couldn’t care less about those things. Besides, you useless thing with such a big chest, sooner or later you’ll steal all the nutrients meant for your brain!”
“Yes, yes, I have a big chest and no brain, you’re right.”
Xu Chuyao sat down, muttering to herself, “I’m so big-chested and brainless, yet I managed to solve two big cases in a row. Looks like I really worked hard.”
Who would still say Yaoyao didn’t sweat?
“You’re just a bit luckier, big-chested woman!” Beti was so angry she jumped and climbed up beside her to look her in the eye. “How about we have a little competition?”
“Compete in what?”
“Let’s predict how this hearing will go…”
Beti’s words barely fell when three bell chimes rang through the hall.
Danger! Danger! Danger!
The hearing was about to begin!
Those who had been idly wandering quickly put down their things and found their seats. The large door on the other side opened, and a young man about thirty entered slowly, holding an emerald staff.
The person involved in the hearing—the Locke Morgan Family representative, Edward Locke Morgan.
“Alright, let’s try to predict this one.”
Xu Chuyao whispered, then turned to see Beti’s flushed face turn pale, asking in doubt, “What’s wrong? Are you scared?”
It hasn’t even started yet.
Seeing Beti dumbstruck and speechless, Xu Chuyao heard a light cough behind her. Turning around, she saw an elder dressed similarly to Beti sitting there, her expression complicated.
Xu Chuyao thought for a moment and leaned over to Beti, whispering, “Are you stuck in your seat?”
Nodding.
Kids are like that—once they climb up, they find it hard to get down.
“Well,” Yaoyao thought again, “shall I carry you back?”
“No, no way!”
The hearing had already started. Being carried and changing seats in front of everyone would mean the end of Miss Holmes’s detective career.