Divination Commission.
Ever since Fu Xuan appeared on Yu Ling's preview livestream, the entire department seemed to come alive.
Everyone was scrambling to work for Lady Fu Xuan.
Tasks like organizing archives and reporting materials were eagerly taken up by the Diviners.
The only request was that after completing their work, they could take a photo with Lady Fu Xuan.
Qingque once suggested—
"Master Diviner? Why don't you take this opportunity to debut?"
This earned her a sharp glare from Fu Xuan.
She was assigned to infiltrate Little Gui's livestream.
On one hand, it was to gather game content.
On the other hand, it was to monitor the player community's sentiment.
Qingque sipped her Immortal's Delight while finding a quiet workstation in the Divination Commission to watch the livestream.
Occasionally, she'd send a couple of comments along with the viewers.
Living her best life.
In the livestream at that moment.
Following the [Twin Bond] quest.
A new Heliobus quest had arrived.
Titled [Percipient].
Qingque finished her Immortal's Delight and was using a fork to pick out the fruit from the cup.
Suddenly, she saw a message in the game.
Her hand trembled instantly!
Her pupils slightly contracted!
"No way…"
She quickly put the cup down.
With an extremely grave expression, she looked at the interface.
It was a help post on Ghostly Grove.
[Playing Cards with My Life: Today, as usual, I was late for work and found everyone acting strangely…]
[Location: A certain department that shall remain unnamed. It's really strange. Today, when I went to work, I noticed everyone seemed off. Their faces were pale, their complexions sickly, their eyes unfocused and staring blankly, and their movements sluggish.… The entire Divination Commission felt eerie, to the point where I lost interest in playing cards. What's even weirder is that I tried to slip away unnoticed, but I ran into the Master Diviner, and she didn't even ask about my attendance? She just let me be late as usual. Something must have happened in that unnamed department!!]
The content itself didn't shock Qingque.
But the poster's ID left her stunned!
"Isn't that my online username?!"
"Oh my god!"
"Yu Ling isn't satisfied with exposing real people now, he's even exposing my online username!?"
As Little Gui started checking out this post.
In the live stream.
Some viewers had already started tagging her!
...
"This ID, it sounds so familiar...?"
"It seems like one of the viewers in our stream!"
"[Playing Cards with My Life]. Did you really post this?"
"Damn, there's really a Caelus fan with this name?"
"The posts in this quest are all real! They correspond to reality!"
"[Playing Cards with My Life], say something!"
"I suspected she was Qingque before, and it turns out it really is her!"
"Caught a Sparrow God!"
...
In front of the screen.
Qingque was already panicking!
Her online identity had been exposed!
"Master Diviner..."
"Master Diviner, the undercover operation has failed!"
"I won't be able to casually comment in the live stream anymore..."
At the desk.
Fu Xuan looked serious.
Seeing Qingque's expression, she knew something must have gone wrong in the game's storyline.
After listening to Qingque's explanation.
Fu Xuan pondered for a moment.
Then she slowly spoke: "A Heliobus causing trouble... threatening our Divination Commission?"
"This plot indeed needs to be taken seriously."
"It might severely damage the image and authority of our Divination Commission."
Fu Xuan immediately activated her Jade Abacus.
And entered the live stream.
"Qingque, stay with me and keep an eye on the stream."
"Both of us have high levels, and at critical moments, we need to steer the conversation in the right direction. We can't let the Divination Commission become the butt of these players' jokes."
Qingque said with a tearful expression: "Master Diviner, did you not hear the main point of what I just said?"
Fu Xuan: "What main point?"
"My account has been exposed..."
"They all know that I am Qingque now!"
"In just a few minutes, my inbox has exploded!"
Fu Xuan glanced at Qingque nonchalantly.
And said: "Can't you just switch to a different account?"
"We can use gift-giving to steer the conversation."
Seeing Qingque's wide-eyed expression.
Fu Xuan sighed.
And reluctantly promised: "The money spent on gifts can be reimbursed."
"Alright, Master Diviner."
"Let's pick up our Jade Abacuses and defend the Divination Commission with our keyboards!"
At this moment.
In the game.
The ghost-hunting team arrived at the entrance of the Divination Commission.
Qingque had been the "gatekeeper" here for a long time.
She greeted them: "Yo, you're here! Why is even the judge from the Ten-Lords Commission here?"
"Let me tell you, things aren't quite right inside the Divination Commission. Everyone is muttering to themselves, are they planning a workplace coup? Could it be because I unintentionally set a bad example?"
Watching the plot, Qingque felt awkward!
This game is great in every way!
Except it's too realistic!
Why did it reveal my inner thoughts?
And it happened while I was watching the plot with Master Diviner...
She awkwardly rubbed her nose.
Fortunately.
Master Diviner didn't seem to mind.
Or perhaps she had already gotten used to her behavior in an unspoken way.
In any case.
The plot continued.
Entering the Divination Commission to investigate the anomaly.
The eerie center of the ghostly disturbance was at the heart of the Matrix of Prescience Ultima.
A group of Diviners... including Fu Xuan, were all gathered there.
Just as described in that post!
—Eyes unfocused, gaze fixed, walking sluggishly...
The voice of the Diviner muttering to herself could be heard.
"The path is always only one..."
"Divination is meaningless..."
Fu Xuan initially thought Qingque was exaggerating, but upon seeing this scene in the storyline, she also realized something was wrong.
She muttered to herself, "Could it be that I, too, have fallen under the influence of the Heliobus?"
"That shouldn't be the case. If it were me, I should at least have the strength to resist..."
At that moment.
The Ghost-Hunting Squad had arrived before the Matrix of Prescience.
They were about to ring the Harmonic Chime and enter the shared illusion with the Heliobus.
Fu Xuan suddenly turned around.
In a commanding tone, she declared, "Silence! No noise is allowed within the Divination Commission!"
Qingque exclaimed with delight, "You're awake, Lady Fu Xuan!"
Huohuo awkwardly added, "...Or should we call you Keralum now?"
"What you call me is not important. Whether it's Fu Xuan or Keralum, I am the sole master of the Divination Commission."
"Right now, the divination work is at a critical juncture, and no one is allowed to disrupt it. Even the judges of the Ten-Lords Commission or the guests of the Astral Express cannot act recklessly here!"
Outside the live stream.
Fu Xuan's heart grew colder and colder.
At first.
When she saw herself making such a commanding statement, she thought she was the only one in the Divination Commission who hadn't been possessed!
But as she continued speaking.
Fu Xuan knew...
She had already fallen.
And fallen deep!
It's over!
If even she had fallen, it meant the entire Divination Commission had been drawn into the Heliobus' illusion.
Complete annihilation!
Wait, no.
There was still the salted fish beside her.
Sure enough.
Next.
In the game, Fu Xuan's eyes instantly turned fierce.
She glared at Qingque, "Qingque! It's you again. Did you bring these outsiders into the Commission? Have you been ignoring all the rules I've set?"
After a moment of silence.
Her anger seemed to reach its peak.
She sternly declared, "Qingque, you're fired!"
On the scene.
There was an immediate uproar!
Not just in the game.
Outside the game.
Both Fu Xuan and Qingque were shocked!
Fu Xuan did have such thoughts... but she had never voiced them directly in public before.
Because.
She knew.
Although Qingque seemed dull, it was actually just her own unwillingness to put in effort.
She wasn't a lost cause, but a rare gem.
However.
The stone and moss covering this gem were a bit too thick.
They needed to be slowly worn away.
And in this storyline.
Because of the Heliobus.
She had actually spoken those words directly.
Fu Xuan's face remained expressionless.
But inside, her heart was stirred.
How would she respond?
Would she shed tears of regret?
Would she show her reluctance to leave the Divination Commission at this critical moment?
Would she clear her mind and vow to work hard in the future?
"Me...? This... this is..."
Clearly.
Qingque was also struggling to accept this news.
After a brief silence.
Qingque exclaimed in disbelief, "...This is amazing!"
She looked up.
Her previously dim eyes now shone brightly!
Her entire face seemed to flush with immense happiness!
It felt like a dream!
"Hehe, I also feel that I've been idling around all day without any proper decorum, playing cards while still drawing a salary from the Divination Commission… It's really a bit, how should I put it…"
"It's a waste of life. Thank you, Master Diviner, for giving me a push. Since you also think I shouldn't stay here being underutilized, I should really think of ways to make some changes."
Fu Xuan: "???"
And the barrage.
Exploded instantly!
...
"Huh? Huh? Huh? I was worried…"
"Qingque: I'm so sad, hahaha, I'm acting!"
"Her face is flushed with joy?"
"Her eyes lit up instantly."
"Severance pay of N+1? I'd be thrilled too if it were me!"
"There's such a good thing?!"
"Qingque is really sharp! She instantly thought of this angle."
"As expected of you!"
…Big…