Chapter 37: The Calamity of Jiuzhou

Wei Yang and Namei walked home together, the atmosphere a bit awkward.

“Damn it… I shouldn’t have told you about the plan to kidnap someone.”

Namei’s face was bright red, and she spoke hesitantly.

“I-I wasn’t trying to stop you from kidnapping… it’s just…”

“Just what?”

“It’s just… wouldn’t it be better to kidnap someone else? That one has a better figure than Galio, a more mature face… and even has rare heterochromatic eyes…”

Wei Yang understood.

“You want me to kidnap Lulu?”

“Why her?! I meant me! Kidnap me, Wei Yang!”

Wei Yang looked at her with disgust.

Namei pouted, about to continue, but suddenly remembered something important. Her expression darkened, and she stopped walking.

Wei Yang noticed and turned back.

“What’s wrong?”

“Little Wei Yang… I have something to tell you. About Lu Ran.”

Wei Yang’s fox ears twitched, worry appearing on her face.

“What happened to Lu Ran?”

Namei explained everything that happened that morning—how Lulu came to the house, how Lu Ran tried to stop her, and how she was injured and fainted.

“That’s what happened…” Namei lowered her head. “That’s why I went to the church to pray today. I’m sorry… it’s my fault.”

Wei Yang ignored her and suddenly sprinted away.

[Lu Ran, you idiot!]

She was filled with guilt. It was her fault—she had asked Lu Ran for help back then. Lu Ran must have tried not to disappoint her.

But that shouldn’t matter. The most important thing was—

Wei Yang rushed home at full speed and threw the door open.

“Lu Ran!”

Inside the room, the familiar girl sat at the table holding a cup of water.

And sitting across from her was the emotionless Princess of Jiuzhou—Lulu.

Wei Yang rushed over, circling Lu Ran anxiously.

“Are you okay? What about your head? Does anything hurt?”

“Lady Wei Yang, I’m fine. Thank you for worrying about me.”

Even though she said that, it still hurt. But Lu Ran felt extremely happy—so the “angel” really cared about her that much?

She felt deeply blessed.

Wei Yang picked her up and carefully checked her like a doll.

“You’re really okay? You’re not lying to me, right?”

Lu Ran nodded obediently, giving a cute, innocent smile.

Seeing this, Namei sighed in relief—but quickly became dejected again.

“I’m sorry, Lu Ran… it’s my fault you got hurt.”

Wei Yang relaxed slightly after confirming Lu Ran was fine. If anything had happened to her, she would’ve exploded at the two of them.

Then her gaze shifted to the silent girl.

Lulu calmly sipped her drink, as if none of this concerned her.

“Hey,” Wei Yang walked over and glared at her. “What are you doing here?”

Lulu put down the cup and stood up, meeting her gaze.

Wei Yang instinctively gathered divine power, a pink-purple glow forming at her fingertips. If Lulu attacked, she wouldn’t hold back.

But the next second—

Wei Yang froze.

Lulu suddenly knelt down and performed a formal, elegant dogeza (deep apology posture).

“I’m sorry.”

Wei Yang: “?”

Her brain stopped for a moment before restarting.

“W-What did you just say?”

Lulu remained in the same posture.

“I’m sorry. I acted impulsively before and tried to attack you without understanding the situation. Lu Ran getting hurt is also my fault. I apologize to you all.”

Wei Yang blinked repeatedly.

What… is happening?

She looked at Lu Ran, who was equally confused.

Namei, however, smiled with relief and walked over.

“Lulu, that’s great. You finally—”

“Be quiet, Sister. I’m apologizing. They haven’t responded yet, so don’t interrupt.”

Namei obediently shut up.

Wei Yang awkwardly pinched her cheek.

This apology seemed sincere… but forgiving her just like that felt too easy.

“Your apology… lacks sincerity.”

Lulu raised her head slightly.

“Sincerity?”

“I mean…” Wei Yang tried to think of something to make things harder. “Is just kneeling enough? Aren’t you missing something?”

Lulu fell silent for a moment.

Then—

She lifted her shirt.

Wei Yang: “?!”

Shock number two.

Her fair, flat stomach was suddenly exposed. Her slender waist and faint abdominal lines made Wei Yang’s brain overload.

“W-wait!!” Wei Yang covered her eyes. “What are you doing?!”

“Isn’t this what you meant by sincerity?”

“Who asked for THAT kind of sincerity?!”

“I see. So you don’t want to see my stomach… you want to see somewhere else?”

Her hand moved toward her skirt.

“STOP!” Wei Yang rushed forward and grabbed her hand. “Who taught you this kind of apology?!”

“No one.”

“That mindset is dangerous!”

“Why? We’re both girls.”

“That still doesn’t make it okay!”

***

After the chaos, the four of them finally sat down again.

Wei Yang rubbed her temples, feeling mentally exhausted.

(Inner thoughts about her self-control being tested…)

Lu Ran asked innocently from the side:

“Lady Angel, what’s wrong? Your face is so red.”

“I’m fine!”

Meanwhile, Namei lectured her sister:

“Lulu, don’t do that again. The only one Wei Yang wants to see is me.”

“Oh.” Lulu responded casually, then looked at Wei Yang. “So, does that count as sincerity?”

Wei Yang forced her expression back to normal.

“F-fine, I’ll accept it. But that’s not the kind of apology I wanted.”

“What do you want, then?”

Wei Yang suddenly turned serious.

“Information. Why does Jiuzhou need so many pearls? I want the truth.”

The room fell silent.

After a long hesitation, Namei decided to tell the truth.

“I’ll explain.”

She twisted her hair, her expression complicated.

“In our homeland—one region of Jiuzhou—a plague has broken out. It’s spreading rapidly. Alchemists studied it for a long time and discovered that only pearl-based items can effectively suppress it.”

Wei Yang frowned.

“So that’s why you need so many pearls?”

“Yes. We need a lot… otherwise many people will die.”

Lu Ran frowned and objected:

“But that’s not a reason to take them by force. Pearls are the foundation of Fox Hidden Town. Over-mining them will destroy the entire ecosystem.”

Namei pulled at her hair in frustration.

“That’s why I came personally to negotiate. I hoped to exchange resources or money for them… a win-win solution. But now… I don’t know what to do. After talking to Lilith, I realized how important pearls are here. Negotiation might not work at all…”

She looked deeply distressed.

“I don’t want anyone to die—whether it’s people from Jiuzhou or here… but I don’t have a solution.”

Wei Yang sighed and looked at Lulu.

“If negotiations fail… what will you do?”

“I will spare you and Lu Ran.”

Wei Yang narrowed her eyes.

“What about the others in the town?”

Lulu didn’t answer.

But Wei Yang understood—she would kill them and take all the pearls.

“I won’t let you do that.”

Lulu remained silent.

Seeing the tension, Namei quickly intervened:

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves! There must be a solution—something both sides can accept!”

Wei Yang leaned back in her chair, holding her head.

This situation was difficult. But no matter what—

If the Jiuzhou visitors chose violence, she would not stand by.

“Forget it. You two should leave for now,” she said tiredly. “We won’t reach a conclusion today.”

Namei nodded and prepared to leave.

Lulu stood up and bowed deeply.

“I apologize again for what happened today.”

Then she turned and walked toward the door with Namei.

Before leaving, she paused and quietly said:

“Galio has been at home… she’s been hoping you’d spend more time with her. What I did today was unnecessary. I’m truly sorry.”