This is exactly why the sport of fishing is so irresistibly charming.
Even if the fish jumps on the hook of its own free will, it still manages to surprise you.
Having Crystal show up instead of Akasha is indeed a pretty "abstract" sort of catch.
After all, from previous encounters it was clear that not only are their personalities completely different, their relationship is actually very contentious.
But looking on the bright side, first, she’s more suitable for the first camp, and second, she still counts as an acquaintance.
Also, while savoring this unexpected joy, it’s actually not hard for Fu Qian to understand the possible reasons behind it.
"You’re looking for Akasha?"
Faced with that gaze from the pupil-less eyes, Fu Qian, who had just finished his welcome, leaned in mysteriously and asked.
Yes, he was the one questioning her.
The Crystal Demigod’s temper is a bit like a brat’s; if you talk nicely the information yield is actually lower, so better to blow up the topic a little.
Besides, he wasn’t just talking nonsense. In Fu Qian’s judgment, this was really within the realm of possibility.
It’s not just that the two of them are entangled in grudges; don’t forget the commotion just now.
She’s obviously a Demigod who specializes in chilling things, so why all the threads and webs, staying hidden the whole time and pushing all the noise onto Akasha?
Is she smearing her on purpose because of their grudge?
At first glance that sounds plausible, but think about it and you’ll know it’s almost impossible given Crystal’s personality.
If she wasn’t trying to smear her, then since she’s already here, what’s the point of doing all this?
And why, when she used to be Akasha’s Blood Slave, is she the one who rushed over so promptly while the actual boss is nowhere to be seen—nowhere to be seen at all.
Yes, that’s one possibility Fu Qian had thought of.
Given how awkward things are between the two of them, for Crystal to pull a maneuver like this, that should count as a reasonable motive.
With the coming of a new era, it’s not surprising that some high-level Transcendents run into trouble.
And the Prophet’s death means that some kind of community has already fractured.
Put those together, and it’s obvious that Crystal, who clearly wants to save her friend possessed by the Spider Queen, is bound to be highly focused on Akasha.
Under those circumstances, with Akasha-related disturbances suddenly popping up here, it’s not strange at all that she rushed over.
And once she arrived, not knowing what exactly she was looking at, instead of jumping out and confronting people directly, testing the waters by playing the Spider Queen for a bit was a perfectly reasonable reaction.
It’s just a pity that the Grand Fate Ming Emperor’s response was even worse: he simply turned around and was ready to bail.
...
"You’re also looking for Akasha... or for me?"
As expected, Fu Qian’s question triggered a high level of vigilance.
Even though there seemed to be only one Ice Crystal sunk in those sockets, he could still feel the Crystal Demigod’s gaze flicker.
Not only did she not deny Fu Qian’s question, she even seemed to spin off into extra associations.
"Heh... it’s all the same."
When it comes to playing mysterious, Fu Qian is without a doubt at the peak of the art; at that moment he just let out a low chuckle in his throat.
"How about we let her go put some clothes on first?"
Then he even tilted his chin toward Catherine.
"...You’re not worried she’ll run?"
Truly a relatively straightforward player; if it were Akasha, she would very likely say the current visual effect was better.
"Not worried. She knows this place pretty well; she might even bring us back something to eat."
Fu Qian didn’t hesitate for even a second, fully embodying the realm of trusting the people you use, and successfully triggered a brief silence.
Whoosh—
What broke the silence was a rough breath. Crystal herself didn’t move, but the next moment Catherine beside them suddenly dropped like someone cut her wire, almost falling to the floor.
Judging from her expression, she had still been aware of the exchange happening beside her.
Once her breathing quickly smoothed out, her gaze couldn’t help but flick back and forth twice between Fu Qian and Crystal’s faces. In the end Catherine still kept quiet and walked off to the side with her head down.
"What do you want Akasha for?"
At this point Crystal finally spoke, and, as expected, her first step was to confirm Fu Qian’s motives.
Her tone was clearly very guarded—understandable, given how special the timing was.
"Honestly, nothing much. Just wanted to catch up with an old friend."
Fortunately, Fu Qian has always been good at breaking the ice, and he immediately offered a soothing line with a smile.
As he spoke he casually took off his mask, letting her see that smile.
...
Huh?