Chapter 145: March 7th: I'm So Awful
"A pounding heartbeat—"
"The prohibition is about to expire—"
"Double the volume and break all the seals!"
Stelle leaped into the air, her body wreathed in crackling purple lightning that pulsed in time with Serval's roaring guitar.
"Thunderstorm—drowning out the alarm..."
"No escape!"
"Roar—together!"
Wearing a pair of specialized gloves, Serval slashed her hand down through the air. Her electric guitar erupted with a blinding flash, unleashing a volley of razor-sharp blades forged from thunderous sound that tore into the pouncing Mara-Struck.
Fueled by the adrenaline of Serval's impromptu battle music, the Astral Express crew moved in perfect harmony. They swiftly subdued the squad of Cloud Knights who had just succumbed to the Mara, their minds not yet completely lost to the madness.
"There now. After a good 'lesson,' you can all lie down obediently, right?"
Seeing the last of them fall, Bailu let out a long sigh of relief. She jogged over, her face breaking into a wide grin as she gave the Astral Express crew a thumbs-up.
"Thanks for the help 'stabilizing the patients'emotions,' big brothers and sisters! That'heavy blow anesthesia' technique of yours is quite impressive!"
"'Heavy blow anesthesia'? Do we have a technique like that?" March 7th asked, lowering her bow. She rubbed her chin, a look of genuine confusion on her face.
Serval, Stelle, and Caelus exchanged a look. 'If that wasn't heavy blow anesthesia, what was it?'
"Sigh, but now that you've all made your move..." Bailu looked at the Cloud Knights scattered across the ground, temporarily incapacitated, and scratched at one of her small dragon horns in frustration. "These Cloud Knights have injuries on top of their illness now... I'll have to work even harder to set their bones and bandage them up."
"Darn it, I'm completely overwhelmed!" she huffed, surveying the messy scene with a sigh.
"Little kid, are you the one treating them?" Serval asked, stowing her electric guitar. She stepped forward, curiously sizing up the dragon-horned girl who looked no older than ten. "Treating patients isn't child's play, you know."
Stelle also leaned in, wagging her index finger in front of Bailu's face as she tried to put on the air of a wise elder.
"Where did this child come from? Where's your father?" March 7th asked, crouching down with a concerned expression.
"I don't have a father," Bailu stated matter-of-factly.
"Huh?" March 7th was taken aback. She instinctively followed up, "Then... what about your mother?"
"I don't have a mother either," Bailu replied, shaking her head.
March 7th froze. Her face flooded with guilt, and she scratched her head in awkward embarrassment. 'Oh no... March 7th, you're so awful...'
Seeing the look on March's face, Bailu instantly understood. She planted her small hands on her hips, an expression of dawning realization spreading across her features.
"I get it now," she said, holding up a single finger and wagging it like a tiny adult. "You see my small stature and just assume I'm a little brat who snuck out behind my parents' backs, right?"
"Hmph, this is the Xianzhou! You short-lived species from outside the Alliance shouldn't judge a book by its cover," Bailu declared, puffing out her small chest with a hint of pride. "We Vidyadhara are self-sufficient through reincarnation; we don't need fathers or mothers."
She continued her lecture, "I've been studying the way of medicine ever since I molted from the waters. I'm a properly licensed and practicing doctor in the Alchemy Commission."
"While the children of Belobog are still playing in the mud underground, the children here are already skilled at treating people," Serval couldn't help but sigh in admiration. As a "country bumpkin" from Belobog, the sentiment hit her particularly hard. If she hadn't come to the Xianzhou Luofu, she never would have imagined that a person who was a hundred years old could still be considered a youth.
She thought of Hook, then looked at Bailu. The disparity between worlds was staggering.
"Things have been very unsettled on the Luofu lately. If you..." Bailu was about to give them some well-meaning advice, but March 7th cut her off with a grin.
"If we have nothing to do, we shouldn't go running around, right?" March 7th mimicked an elder's tone, then spread her hands wide. "Too bad. The General of the Luofu personally gave us a job, so we'll inevitably be running all over the place."
"Then... if you big brothers and sisters have any mishaps, bumps, or bruises, I can give you a free consultation," Bailu offered, blinking her large eyes. She waved her small hand with an air of great generosity. "And seeing as you saved me, I'll even give you a twenty percent discount on the medicine fees."
"Didn't you just say the consultation was free?" Caelus immediately caught the catch, blinking back at her.
"Do you have any idea how many people on the Luofu would kill for an appointment at my specialist clinic but can't get one?" Bailu retorted, raising her chin slightly. "If it weren't for the fact that I sn—ahem, came out in a hurry and didn't bring enough... 'capital,' I wouldn't have..."
She quickly changed the subject, a serious expression that didn't suit her youthful face taking over. "Enough idle chatter! It would be a disaster to delay the patients' diagnosis."
With that, she immediately turned and began nimbly checking the injuries of the subdued Mara-Struck Cloud Knights on the ground.
"That little miracle doctor seems to have a completely different vibe from everyone else around here," March 7th couldn't help but whisper.
"I looked through the records on the Xianzhou Luofu. She must be a Vidyadhara," Serval explained in a low voice to her companions. Before arriving, she had done her research in the Astral Express's Compendium and had read about them.
"The Vidyadhara are direct descendants of Long, the Aeon of Permanence," she continued. "They possess the racial trait of extending their lives through reincarnation and molting. Members of this race can manifest draconic forms through secret arts, and after they fall, they shed their old bodies to be reborn."
In the Xianzhou Alliance, the Vidyadhara, along with the native Xianzhou people and the Foxians, formed a diverse and ancient civilization.
March 7th, Stelle, and Caelus all shared a look of sudden realization.
"Didn't you guys look up any information on the Xianzhou Luofu before you came?" Serval asked, a little exasperated. Seeing their synchronized, blank reactions, she suddenly felt that this particular Trailblaze squad seemed... maybe... not that reliable. Communication was so convenient nowadays; you could find out a lot about the Luofu just by checking your phone. After all, much of this was public knowledge.
"Hehe... that kind of thing is usually handled by Mr. Yang or Dan Heng," March 7th said with a sheepish smile, trying to use her charm to get away with it.
Just then, a hurried and heated conversation from nearby drew their attention. Several Xianzhou officials in different uniforms were arguing fiercely.
"Quick! Properly settle the patients evacuated from the other explores and stabilize their conditions first!"
"Yes, yes! Our Department of Fortunes has sent out everyone; not a single soul is left! On the other hand, your Alchemy Commission—how come only a few of you showed up?"
"Don't just use idioms randomly! 'Sent out everyone' is one thing, but don't use words with such bad connotations!"
"My dear lady, what time do you think it is? And you're still here nitpicking whether my choice of words is elegant or not?!"
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