Chapter 2957: Guansi

After so many days, acquiring the name Guansi once again in the capital of the Bookstore World—the wondrous nature of the world never ceased to amaze.

"It really does look quite nice." Fu Qian toyed with it in his hand, indicating that he liked it for the theme alone.

Given the coincidence, even if the Playing Card was completely ordinary, he had to ponder the deeper meaning behind it.

"No need to give it to me. Just keep it for yourself."

Unfortunately, Excellency Needle Witch indeed adopted the attitude of a guest star. Showing no intention of elaborating, she merely signaled that the card had been successfully issued.

"It doesn't matter if it gets lost. A connection has already been formed, so there's no need to apply for a replacement."

She even emphasized that the item valued intent over form, and there was no need to be overly attached to the physical object.

'A connection? This terminology is getting more and more mystical.'

"Understood. Thanks for the reminder."

Despite the Needle Witch's words, Fu Qian still tucked the card into his jacket pocket.

"I'll leave the rest to you..." Having watched Fu Qian's actions the entire time, the Needle Witch finally gave a satisfied smile and turned to Logan.

Hmm—

Unfortunately, this earnest request was met with a rather cold reaction.

Old Man Logan merely grunted, not even bothering to offer a single word of acknowledgment.

...

'Are the Night Watchers already this internally fractured?'

Taking in the brief exchange, Fu Qian sighed inwardly.

Logan's attitude toward the Needle Witch was noticeably rigid, and he clearly didn't mind putting that stiffness on display in front of an "outsider."

Although Logan had a fiery temper, he was obviously much more polite toward Old Man Henry.

Behaving this way right in the middle of receiving a guest made it hard to chalk up to a mere lack of personal rapport.

Moreover, Chief Yuan had previously mentioned that Needle Witch Kelin had voluntarily stepped down from the Supreme Council due to some disputes.

She hadn't just resigned from most of her posts; she had practically exiled herself from the center of power, running off to Eldest Miss Wen's side. Putting the two facts together, could Old Man Logan have been the other party in that dispute?

The possibility existed, though he didn't know the specific subject of their argument.

Sword Sect versus Qi Sect? Gradual enlightenment versus sudden enlightenment? White stripes on a black background versus black stripes on a white background?

In the faintly awkward air, Fu Qian let his imagination run wild, seemingly gaining a new understanding of the unity of opposites.

Heh—

Unfortunately, the time for letting one's mind wander was always brief.

In comparison, the Needle Witch appeared far more magnanimous. After meeting the cold shoulder, she merely let out a soft chuckle.

And in the very next moment, only the two of them remained within the temple hall.

'Hmm... she sure knows how to run.'

Her departure was as smooth as could be—simply waving a hand and vanishing without a trace.

As for Fu Qian, though he hadn't rushed to charge up the Calamity Eyes on the Needle Witch, that unique perspective made it relatively easy to confirm that she had truly left, rather than simply turning invisible on the spot.

She fully lived up to being Yuan Shan's handpicked ranged expert; her ability to pull distance and kite opponents was truly astonishing.

"I'll let you know when there's progress on Stoss's end, or he might seek you out directly... In the meantime, remember what I told you. You must be accompanied at all times."

As it turned out, the Needle Witch wasn't the only one who knew how to make a breezy exit.

Now that the card dealer Kelin had run off, Excellency Logan normally should have led him to the next phase.

However, after his little display of insubordination, he turned to Fu Qian, and the more he spoke, the more off things sounded.

"So I'm free to move on my own now?" Fu Qian casually checked, realizing that the reception was apparently over.

"Yes. Don't you already have the Playing Card?" Logan's tone was matter-of-fact as he turned and led the way out.

...

"You got it? Let's see yours."

Hardly a few minutes had passed, yet Old Man Henry was already nowhere to be seen. Yuan Shan, who had been waiting outside alone, came up to greet Fu Qian with great enthusiasm the moment she saw him. Her tone even carried a hint of gossip.

From this alone, it seemed apparent that even though they were just two crude doors, they possessed a considerable sensory-shielding effect, preventing even her from hearing the conversation inside.

"Here."

Though her phrasing was a bit odd, Fu Qian didn't mind. He pulled out the Playing Card and tossed it to her, not rushing to ask where the old man had gone.

Uh—

From the way Yuan Shan furrowed her brows, it was clear she didn't particularly like the Guansi card.

"I've already gone over the precautions with him. Stoss's side shouldn't take too long... And if there are any issues, you know where to find me," Excellency Logan briefed her before she could even voice her opinion.

"Understood."

Who said young people had no manners? Chief Yuan's behavior was easily the most human out of anyone today.

She simply voiced her acknowledgment, not questioning whether the welcoming ceremony had been far too brief.

"Good." Having successfully completed his duty, Excellency Logan didn't stick around for a single second longer, immediately turning on his heel and striding away.

"I just knew... it would turn out like this."

But being polite was one thing; Yuan Shan clearly had her blunt side as well.

For instance, Excellency Logan hadn't even gotten far before she let out a long sigh, expressing that she had foreseen this outcome all along, completely unconcerned about the person in question hearing her.

"Though I don't like this card, it actually suits you pretty well," she commented, handing "Guansi" back to him.

Oh?

Fu Qian reached out and took it, a playful look on his face.

"What is it?" Sensing something, Yuan Shan glanced at the temple doors out of the corner of her eye.

"It's nothing. I just noticed you've improved again. Excellency Needle Witch said the same thing," Fu Qian casually complimented, a low chuckle rumbling in his throat. "Kelin..."

Without a doubt, the test of Yuan Shan's acting skills reached its peak at that moment.

And her reaction looked quite genuine. She whipped her head around to look, her shock wholly undisguised along with a trace of negative emotion.

Overall, it might have seemed somewhat disrespectful and lacking in unity, but given the current internal state of the Night Watchers, it made perfect sense.

In short, it was so flawless that Fu Qian deeply suspected she had prepared for this scenario before coming—perhaps even "practicing her breathing over and over."

"She's already gone."

That was about enough. There was no need to force her to show off her line delivery while simultaneously performing exaggerated facial expressions.

Before Yuan Shan could say anything, Fu Qian spoke up of his own accord, letting her know that Kelin had already left.

"That certainly is Excellency Kelin's style..." Yuan Shan fell silent for a moment. When she spoke again, her words carried a barbed edge, as if subtly mocking this knack for slipping away.

"Are you heading to the Tower now?" she immediately changed the subject, checking on Fu Qian's plans.

"Hmm... There's actually no rush," Fu Qian replied after a moment's thought, indicating that there was no need to race against the clock.

"In that case, how about I take you to get something to eat first?"

Sure enough, Yuan Shan wasn't being exceptionally proactive; she simply wanted to slack off.