Chapter 240: Wait, You're Kafka?!
Yukong turned around, the soft rustle of her silk dress trailing behind her, only to see Leon already standing casually at the front counter. He held his device up to the terminal, a soft chime ringing out as the payment code was scanned and confirmed.
His movements were entirely fluid, devoid of any hesitation, as if he had anticipated her exact intentions from the very start. Slipping his device back into his pocket, he turned to her with an easy, disarming smile.
"Since I was the one who invited all the friends I made here on the Luofu, it is only right that I cover the bill."
"How can I accept this..." Yukong shook her head, her fox ears drooping a fraction. "I was the one who extended the invitation. No matter how many guests arrived, the responsibility of hosting should fall entirely on my shoulders."
She owed him a debt that credits could never repay. If not for Leon's intervention, Tingyun might have remained nothing more than a tragic, faded memory, lost to the stars. She would have gladly bankrolled a feast for a hundred of his acquaintances without a second thought.
Yet, as she watched him take charge, a faint, indescribable sense of loss brushed against her heart. It was a subtle, hidden ache, a fleeting whisper of emotion she was entirely unwilling to examine too closely.
"Let me handle it this time," Leon murmured, his gaze locking onto hers. The amusement in his eyes was warm, almost magnetic. "As for your official thank-you banquet, you can save it for next time."
He took a half-step closer, his voice dropping to a softer, far more intimate register.
"Next time, I will come alone."
Yukong froze, her breath catching in her throat.
For a single, traitorous second, her heartbeat quickened, drumming a frantic rhythm against her ribs. Did he phrase it that way intentionally, or was she simply overthinking a casual remark? More, why did the thought of a private dinner with him fail to trigger her usual defensive walls? Instead of feeling repelled, a strange warmth bloomed in her chest.
"Alright," Yukong finally replied, lifting her chin. A perfectly measured, polite smile curled at the corners of her lips, expertly masking the turbulent ripples in her eyes. "Then... let us make plans for next time."
As the Helm Master of the Sky-Faring Commission, she had spent decades mastering the art of burying her true feelings beneath an ocean of absolute calm. To an outsider, she was the picture of professional grace. No one could possibly tell that in the quiet space between them, a dangerous little spark had just ignited.
"What were you two doing out there?"
Serval asked the moment Leon and Yukong returned to the bustling private room. The blonde rocker set down her teacup, leaning forward with an unabashedly curious glint in her eyes. She scrutinized the space between them, her gaze darting back and forth as if trying to sniff out a secret.
Yukong glided back to her seat with perfectly composed steps, the hem of her skirt swaying with a calculated rhythm. Her expression had entirely reverted to its usual dignified elegance. Hearing the musician's question, she offered Serval a mild, unbothered smile.
"I originally intended to settle the bill, but it seems Leon was a step faster."
Her eyelashes fluttered downward, casting faint shadows over her cheeks. Her tone carried a distinct note of helplessness, though a rare touch of softness bled through the edges. "Even though we had explicitly agreed beforehand that this banquet would be my treat, specifically to thank everyone for their very useful assistance on the Luofu."
She kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, deliberately avoiding Leon's direction. Instead, her fingers unconsciously traced the complex golden cloud patterns embroidered along her sleeve, as if the repetitive motion could smooth out the chaotic feelings swirling inside her.
Leon dropped into the chair beside her, crossing his legs with a relaxed, entirely natural posture.
"Since I was the one who dragged all my friends out here today, it is only fair that I pick up the tab." He swept his gaze across the crowded table, flashing a warm, easygoing grin. "Throughout this journey, I have been incredibly fortunate to receive everyone's care and support. Please, consider this simple meal a minor token of my gratitude."
He spoke with such casual sincerity that it sounded like dropping a small fortune on a luxury banquet was no more significant than buying a cup of tea.
"You have gone to quite an expense, my friend."
Jing Yuan chuckled, a lazy smile playing on his lips. The white-haired general reached for the porcelain teapot, slowly pouring a fresh half-cup of clear, fragrant tea for Leon. His posture was entirely relaxed, radiating the unshakeable, composed demeanor of a man who had seen centuries of war, yet his tone dripped with good-natured teasing.
"Had I known you were footing the bill, I would have certainly ordered a few more of the establishment's most expensive delicacies. Opportunities to bleed your wallet dry are quite rare, after all."
A chorus of light laughter rippled around the table, instantly melting away any lingering formality. The atmosphere grew warm and lively, filled with the clinking of chopsticks and cheerful banter.
Meanwhile, Ruan Mei sat in absolute silence near the corner. A small, soft pastry-like lifeform rested comfortably in her lap, affectionately nuzzling its squishy head against her slender fingers. Her gaze, as placid and unreadable as a still lake, swept subtly over Yukong's rigid posture before drifting toward Leon's effortlessly smiling profile. She watched the way he commanded the room, her eyes narrowing a fraction in deep, analytical thought.
"I smell gunpowder..."
Guinaifen whispered, leaning over the table. The energetic street performer darted her eyes between Yukong and Serval, a distinct flicker of dramatic excitement lighting up her features.
"Gunpowder?" Kafka echoed softly. Sitting right beside the fiery redhead, the Stellaron Hunter maintained her signature, enigmatic smile, looking entirely unbothered by the bustling room.
"I don't smell anything burning," Sushang mumbled from the opposite side. The young Cloud Knight looked up, her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk as she aggressively chewed on half a lotus pastry.
"Well... Sushang, you are still a bit too young. You wouldn't understand the complexities of adult battlefields," Guinaifen declared with a sagely nod.
Sushang blinked, nearly choking on her dessert. 'I... I am still young?'
Having successfully deflected her friend's confusion, Guinaifen immediately pivoted back to the mysterious woman beside her. "Friend, you agree with me, right? There is definitely some tension brewing over there."
"Ha... who knows?" Kafka murmured, her voice smooth as velvet. The faint, knowing curve of her lips was completely misinterpreted by Guinaifen as simple, friendly amusement.
"By the way, friend, I never actually caught your name. I am Guinaifen, a professional street performer and streamer!" She leaned in closer, squinting slightly. "You know, you look incredibly familiar. I feel like I have seen your face somewhere before."
Guinaifen studied Kafka's striking features, an inexplicable sense of deja vu washing over her. She knew those eyes. She knew that smile. She must have seen her somewhere, but her brain simply refused to supply the context. If they had not met in person, she definitely had to have seen her on the interstellar net. Judging by the woman's flawless elegance, dangerous aura, and impeccable fashion sense... could she be a minor celebrity from a neighboring star system?
"Me?" The woman touched a hand to her chest. "I am Kafka."
She offered a slight, graceful nod, a genuine hint of interest shimmering in her magenta eyes. "It is very nice to meet you."
How long had it been since a stranger had approached her so proactively, utterly devoid of terror or wariness? People usually ran screaming or drew their weapons the moment they recognized her face. Sitting here, being treated like a normal person, Kafka actually felt a strange, fleeting sense of nostalgia.
"Kafka..." Guinaifen rolled the name around in her mouth. "Wait a minute... Could it be... the Kafka? From the Stellaron Hunters?!"
The realization hit the streamer like a physical blow. The wanted posters, the Interastral Peace Corporation bounties, the terrifying galactic broadcasts—she remembered everything. The woman sitting right next to her was the galaxy's most wanted criminal! The only reason she had not recognized her immediately was the wardrobe change.
Instead of her usual combat-ready attire, Kafka was dressed in a stunning holiday ensemble—a flowing white dress paired with a stylish green jacket that completely softened her deadly aura.
The moment the truth clicked, Guinaifen's energetic bravado evaporated, leaving her instantly timid. Sure, when she was safely behind a screen, she might have jokingly referred to the infamous criminal as 'Mom' in her chat logs, but sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with her in real life was an entirely different, terrifying experience. Her mind raced. Oh my stars, is the relationship between the Stellaron Hunters and the Astral Express crew actually this friendly behind closed doors?
"Yes, that Kafka," she confirmed, elegantly lifting her teacup. A low, melodic chuckle vibrated in her throat. "It seems my reputation precedes me. Relax, little streamer. I am not going to do anything to you."
She took a slow sip of her tea, watching the way Guinaifen's shoulders locked up with intense fascination. "Tell me... are you feeling fear right now?"
"Fear? No, no! Of course not! How could that possibly be?" Guinaifen laughed nervously, waving her free hand in rapid denial. Meanwhile, beneath the table, her other hand shot out and clamped onto Sushang's arm in a death grip, desperately seeking any shred of security.
"Guinaifen, what is wrong with you?" Sushang turned her head, blinking blankly. Flaky pastry crumbs were still clinging to the corner of her mouth, completely oblivious to the legendary criminal sitting just two seats away.
"Fear..." Kafka sighed softly, ignoring the chaotic display. Her magenta gaze drifted past the lively table, staring out into some distant, unseen horizon. "What a truly enviable emotion."
She had been born on the planet Pteruges-V, in the city of New Babylon—a world thoroughly corrupted and contaminated by a Stellaron. On that cursed land, the very concept of 'fear' simply did not exist. Stripped of the biological instinct that kept humans safe, the populace was driven solely by raw desire and hedonistic pleasure. Without fear to temper their actions, the people there gradually devolved, becoming little more than demons wearing human skin.
When Elio first found her, she had been in the middle of a rather bloody mission. The strange prophet had offered her a deal, and the conditions he laid out had instantly piqued her interest. It was not until much later, traveling the cosmos, that Kafka truly understood the depth of her own brokenness: her emotional mechanism entirely lacked the component of fear.
Deep within her consciousness, there was a permanent void. It was a hollow gap she once could not even perceive, but now, surrounded by normal people, she could faintly sense its absence. She watched Guinaifen tremble, a quiet longing settling in her chest. More than anything in the universe, she truly wanted to reclaim that missing piece. She wanted to learn how to be afraid.
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