Of course, the Borisin weren't lying on the ground because they were sleepy; they'd simply been knocked flat by Bai Luan while time was stopped.
Bai Luan couldn't be bothered explaining how he'd done it, so he played dumb.
March 7th couldn't resist a jab when she heard his answer:
"No wonder you and Stelle get along."
With every Borisin down and Yanqing looking as if he needed no help, March 7th put her weapon away.
Once Dan Heng confirmed there was no danger, he stowed his weapon as well.
Stelle stepped forward, crouched, and prodded the arm of an unconscious Borisin with her bat—neither hard nor soft—intoning solemnly:
"Wake up; no sleeping here."
The line cracked Bai Luan up; he couldn't hold back a snort of laughter.
The instant he laughed, one Borisin—seeing the battle was lost—tried to bolt.
"Not good!"
Yanqing spotted the move; two flying swords shot out, racing toward the fleeing Borisin.
The Borisin dropped to all fours like a beast and nimbly dodged the blades.
Yanqing formed a sword seal with his fingers, steering the blades in pursuit, but the Borisin kept evading them.
At last the two swords clanged, embedding themselves in a low brick wall.
The Borisin sprang, muscles bulging, about to vault the wall and escape.
Yanqing was forming another seal when a figure swept in like a startled swan!
A barefoot girl; she skimmed up the wall, casually yanked the two swords free as she passed, then sprang higher using the wall itself.
Her form soared like a swallow, overtaking the mid-air, helpless Borisin.
In mid-air she kicked the leaping Borisin straight back down.
Bang!
With a dull thud the Borisin flew back faster than he'd gone, slamming into the ground amid a cloud of dust.
Without looking, the barefoot girl hurled the two swords like javelins; they whistled and skewered the Borisin, pinning him fast.
She summoned her greatsword, charged it, and cast it like a falling Stelle at the pinned Borisin.
The greatsword struck; the ground seemed to quake, rubble flying, dust billowing.
Bai Luan, munching melon seeds on the side, muttered in admiration:
"Kid's got some serious strength."
When the smoke cleared, the Borisin lay motionless—alive or dead unknown, but certainly in no shape to flee.
The barefoot girl landed lightly, standing balanced on the huge sword's grip.
She bent, drew one embedded sword from the Borisin, straightened, and—bold as brass—stood on the grip examining the gleaming blade, even flicking it in a casual flourish, apparently admiring the craftsmanship.
Yanqing walked up and spoke politely:
"Thank you for your help, miss. Could you return—"
Before he could finish, the girl seemed to remember something, hoisted her greatsword, and left.
She moved astonishingly fast, the massive blade over her shoulder, vanishing in a few leaps through the maze of dockside alleys.
Yanqing's outstretched hand froze mid-air; he stared after her, words unspoken, and finally sighed the sigh of a youth in distress:
"My swords…"
He glanced toward where she'd gone, then at the chaotic battlefield behind him, hesitated, and sighed again.
"Business first…"
By then Bai Luan had arrived with Stelle and the others.
"Everyone okay?"
"Relax. With our skills, Borisin can't hurt us."
Dan Heng looked at March 7th and said:
"Before they fought us, every Borisin collapsed for unknown reasons."
"Hey—! Dan Heng, don't spoil my moment; I wanted to look cool."
Yanqing looked puzzled:
"Collapsed for unknown reasons?"
Bai Luan nodded:
"Right. Those Borisin just dropped and nobody knows why."
Bai Luan feigned ignorance; Stelle, where he couldn't see, eyed him suspiciously.
The instant Uncle had spoken, her Stellaron Radar had pinged.
Now she suspected Uncle was behind it.
But she had no proof.
Yanqing pondered, then addressed them:
"Something sudden and odd happened; I'll need to detain you a moment to ask what exactly occurred."
Bai Luan spread his hands.
"Just doing your job—no worries."
Yanqing smiled at him.
"Thanks for understanding."
On the way back they ran into Cloud Knights and IPC staff locked in argument.
"Friends of the Luofu, we're grateful you saved us, but detaining us along with our cargo—doesn't that seem improper?"
"Orders are orders: until the attack is fully investigated we must inspect the regulated cargo. Once paperwork is cleared, we'll release both people and goods."
"This batch of cargo isn't headed to the Luofu at all; it's still the Corporation's…"
Bai Luan and the others watching drew a sideways glance from the Corporation clerk arguing with the Cloud Knights.
He quickly looked away. "Still the Corporation's patent…"
At this point,
the clerk paused again.
Huh? Who did I just see?
He whipped his head around again, staring toward Bai Luan as if to confirm something.
Holy—! Amber Lord's actually answered my prayers!?
The Cloud Knights Squad Leader eyed the suddenly tongue-tied clerk; a moment ago the fellow had been a silver-tongued pain in the neck, and now he could barely speak.
Huh? He's leaving? No more arguing?
Coming back for lunch?
March 7th asked, puzzled,
"That clerk looked over here twice—does he know any of us?"
Yanqing shook his head honestly. "No idea, but it's best we stay out of a quarrel that won't end."
"Still…"
March 7th glanced that way and said,
"He's heading straight for us!"
"Oh, probably looking for me."
Bai Luan stepped forward.
"Won't be long."
He walked up to the clerk; the two stopped a few paces away and spoke in low voices.
March 7th watched Bai Luan with the clerk.
"Is this what genius networking looks like? Seems like he knows everyone."
Stroking her chin, Stelle mused,
"Well… I remember Topaz once mentioning Uncle's status inside the Corporation is… kind of special."
Huh? Special? I don't recall him holding any post there."
March 7th was curious.
"Not a position, exactly…"
Stelle struggled for words.
"More like a symbol—or a mascot of the God of Wealth? Plenty of employees seem to believe in it."
March 7th's eyes lit up. "You mean they think bowing to him brings money?"
"Pretty much."
March 7th stood mulling it over, muttering,
"Maybe I'll try bowing later."
Dan Heng looked at her. "Whatever the rumor's origin, it's baseless superstition."
"Heh, it's free—can't hurt to believe a little."
Dan Heng gave her a whatever-you-say shrug.
A moment later Bai Luan returned.
Stelle noticed the clerk practically skipping back to the Cloud Riders. Curious, she asked,
"Uncle, what did you give him to make him so happy?"
Bai Luan shrugged. "A few autographs."
"Autographs made him that happy?"
Well… they do have minor curio effects.
But they're so easy to make the effect is tiny—better than nothing.
Still, for that clerk they're useful enough.
"Who knows? He asked, so I signed."
Bai Luan brushed it off.
"I also asked him to go easy on the Cloud Knight—he agreed."
He glanced at March 7th in puzzlement.
She was facing him, palms together, bowing piously and muttering.
Bai Luan asked, "What's March doing?"
Dan Heng gave her a look. "She's bowing three times—superstitiously praying for cash."
"?"
What is all this?
Cash from praying?
The Cloud Knights watched expressionlessly as the clerk—who'd left mid-argument—suddenly bounced back.
No idea why, but the man looked elated. He stopped in front of him.
Sigh… break time's over.
He took a breath, ready to recite the Luofu statutes:
"Let me reiterate: you must follow the Luofu's regulations—"
"Hey, bro! How'd you know I'm getting a promotion and raise?!"
Cloud Knights: "…?"
The leap was too great; the Cloud Knights stood stunned.
"Hehehe…"
The clerk didn't explain, just kept giggling stupidly.
The Cloud Knights began to suspect the IPC screened applicants for… unique mental states.
"Hey, buddy!"
The clerk slapped the dazed Cloud Knight's shoulder like an old pal.
"I'm in such a good mood I don't want to fight. We'll never settle it anyway.
But I can't ignore my orders, and my boss is a jerk… so let's make a gentleman's agreement: put on a show when someone's watching, shoot the breeze when nobody's around. Deal?"
Suddenly the clerk didn't seem so incomprehensible.
Weird, but… doable?
At least it'd spare his ears for a while.
He hesitated, then slowly nodded.