Another three days passed.
Wei Qing brought Firefly to make a short stop on Skaz—an IPC-controlled business planet under a local branch's jurisdiction.
He didn't really have anything he needed to buy. This was mostly for Firefly's sake: she had just awakened, knew almost nothing about the outside world, and needed time to acclimate.
This planet had been developed by the Interastral Peace Corporation into a gigantic commercial hub. On the scale of the universe, it was merely "decently prosperous"—but to Firefly, it was beyond imagination.
As a Glamoth Iron Cavalry, most of her memories were cold warships and brutal battlefields against the Swarm.
This neon-lit, noisy, bustling scene was a completely alien world.
Walking alone down a crowded commercial street, Firefly stared at everything with wide-eyed curiosity.
For someone who'd once been a weapon of war, this kind of "life" was both unfamiliar and—strangely—exciting.
Eventually, she stopped at a stall selling communicators and strange little gadgets. The tabletop was covered with devices she'd never seen before.
The vendor was a Bocchi-looking guy with tentacles. Spotting a customer, he leaned in with enthusiastic sales energy.
"Beautiful miss, anything you're looking for?"
Firefly's eyes landed on a peculiar metallic bird.
"What is this?" she asked softly.
"Oh! Excellent taste!" the vendor crowed. "Newest wind-up alarm clock—Straight from Screwllum's tech line! Not only accurate, it sings too. A blessing for people who can't wake up!"
"I… I want this one." Firefly made up her mind. She remembered Wei Qing had given her spending money.
"Is this enough?"
The vendor's eyes lit up. Someone who didn't even ask the price? He quickly counted the credits and nodded hard.
"Enough! More than enough! Miss, you're a delight to do business with!"
He packed the little metal bird into a neat box and handed it over, his tentacles practically blooming with joy.
Firefly held the box, and a quiet, unfamiliar satisfaction rose in her chest.
Then she remembered something else.
"Boss… do you sell intelligence too?"
Under Wei Qing's explanation, Firefly understood that an unimaginably long time had passed since her era.
She still couldn't use a phone, and her knowledge of galactic powers was limited to Wei Qing's rough overview.
"Intelligence?"
The vendor looked suspicious. What kind of ancient phrasing was that—was he doing poverty alleviation on some backwater world?
But he quickly relaxed, plastering on a merchant smile. Maybe she really was from somewhere uncivilized.
Judging from her earlier reactions, she didn't seem rich-and-dumb—more like a country girl who'd wandered into a city for the first time.
Probably got kept by some big-shot because of her looks.
"Well, I don't exactly 'sell intelligence.' But since you were so straightforward earlier…" He leaned closer. "If you tell me what you want to know, I can chat with you a bit."
Firefly tried to recall the terms Wei Qing occasionally used.
"I want to know about the Glamoth Empire… and… the Xianzhou Alliance. Any recent news?"
"Glamoth Empire?" The vendor blinked. "I've only heard of the Glamoth Republic—and that's ancient history."
He clicked his tongue.
"Glamoth's been gone for ages. Rumor says they got dragged down by their own Iron Cavalry along with the Swarm… tsk, tsk. Legends, really."
"And the Xianzhou Alliance…" His voice dropped. He glanced around reflexively. "That one? Massive news. Shook the whole cosmos."
His expression turned theatrical and secretive.
"Just a few days ago, the new general of the Xianzhou Luofu—during the succession ceremony, in front of a universe-wide broadcast—suddenly defected!"
"He declared himself an Emanator of Destruction—an Annihilation Gang's Lord Ravager—and he stole their sealed Ambrosial Arbor! Then he ran off with another Lord Ravager!"
"Name was Wei Qing. They say he's some three-Path Emanator—never heard of anything like it. The Xianzhou Alliance is losing its mind. Fleets are being redeployed to Luofu and everything!"
"They issued a highest-level bounty. The reward is terrifying. People are saying all kinds of things…"
The vendor rambled on, spitting words in excitement—completely failing to notice how Firefly's face had changed.
Wei Qing?
Could it be… the Wei Qing she knew?
She didn't understand half the terms he was throwing out, but the tone was clear: whoever "Wei Qing" was, the galaxy was painting him as a terrifying criminal.
"Boss," Firefly asked, forcing her voice steady, "do you know what this Wei Qing looks like?"
"Looks?" The vendor rubbed his hands. "I haven't seen him in person, but the bounty holo should be everywhere by now. Wait—pretty sure I got a print."
He rummaged under the clutter and finally pulled out a freshly delivered bounty notice, still smelling faintly of ink.
"Here. Hot off the press. Printed via IPC intelligence channels—guaranteed authentic!"
Firefly took the paper and looked down.
The IPC crest at the top was unmistakable.
Below it was a clear holographic image.
That face. Those eyes. The shape of his brows—
Firefly's breathing stopped.
The expression in the holo was colder, more distant—carrying a chill she hadn't seen up close.
But those features were unmistakable.
It was Mr. Wei Qing.
The one who saved her. The one who cured her. The one who made her say that word.
Lord Ravager… Qingzhou… Xianzhou's top wanted man… Destruction's Emanator…
Firefly's fingers tightened around the bounty sheet.
Then, in her heart, she arrived at a conclusion so fast it was practically instinct.
Hmph. The IPC and the Xianzhou Alliance are definitely not good people.
She'd been lied to by the Glamoth Republic once already. Official narratives meant nothing to her.
And Mr. Wei Qing had cured her "incurable" disease—he'd given her a new life.
Compared to some distant corporation and a foreign alliance shouting "traitor," Firefly would rather believe there was a hidden reason.
Or that Wei Qing had been forced out.
Firefly felt she'd found the truth.
No need to think.
It must be because the Xianzhou Alliance is too evil.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 115)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter108)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter82)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter144)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 70
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 99
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 95
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 99
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 92
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 47
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 44
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 43
My patreon : patreon.com/queen_sin