Meanwhile.
Yanqing and the others stood at the entrance, visibly worried.
To discerning eyes, Jing Yuan seemed different from usual, sparking concern for his situation.
Still, when soldiers come, you block; when water rises, you dam it. For now, they should focus on their duties.
[Damn, Jing Yuan seems pitiful, but it's so damn real.]
[That's just how it is—there's always a whiff of corruption at the top.]
[I knew it! The Xianzhou Luofu could never be all smooth sailing; there's definitely undercurrents.]
[Not exactly. One move affects the whole, so the higher-ups must be meticulous with every detail to be responsible.]
The group didn't want to dwell on this topic and decided to head to the Artisanship Commission to negotiate with the IPC.
— —
The scene shifts. Yanqing led the trio toward the Artisanship Commission.
Suddenly, a familiar voice reached their ears.
"You Xianzhou folks, do you even care about reason? Heh, I get it now~ In your words, this is 'taking advantage of chaos,' right?"
[Uh… that voice sounds so familiar!]
[Don't know why, but I can't help laughing when I hear it.]
[Same here!]
[Hahaha, I'm already cracking up.]
[So who the hell is this guy?]
— —
Stelle paused. "That sarcastic tone is way too familiar… Didn't we hear it in Aurum Alley?"
Sure enough, a glance confirmed it—none other than Scott!
Scott, as flamboyant as ever, practically looked down his nose at them. "It's not like I haven't dealt with your Skyship Division before. I'm used to your nitpicking ways.
But now you're outright robbing the IPC's cargo? Isn't that a bit much?"
Kongqing from the Artisanship Commission explained patiently, yet again, "We've said it multiple times: as long as the cargo passes the safety inspection, we'll release it. Is there something wrong with your ears, or is your brain just slow?"
"I hear you loud and clear, and I'm thinking perfectly fine! Let me be blunt: no deal!" Scott put his hands on his hips. "Keep holding my cargo, and I'll file a complaint straight to your General!"
March 7th looked at Stelle curiously. "What's up with you?"
"Sounds like a dog barking."
Scott's ears twitched. "Jerk! Who're you calling a dog?"
Then he recognized the group. "How old are you?"
"You're still loitering on the Xianzhou, huh? Nothing good ever happens when we run into you…"
[Hahaha, I swear I've caught a disease where I laugh every time I see Scott.]
[Didn't expect Scott to still have screen time. This is just perfect.]
[I'm dying—dog barking! Classic Stelle!]
— —
Yanqing began questioning the Artisanship Commission staff about the situation. After some back-and-forth, he had no choice but to turn to Stelle. Since she and Scott were old acquaintances, he hoped she could persuade him.
Stelle eagerly accepted the task. "I've got experience convincing Scott."
Thus began a negotiation epic enough to go down in Honkai: Star Rail history.
This segment was a player-controlled interactive video, point-based, starting with 3 points. Reaching 5 points meant victory.
The interactive video already provided hints for the correct answers and a choice guidance system, showing which options had the highest selection rates and most picks.
Most players didn't choose the correct answer but went for the most popular option.
Choice: "Mess with him first."
Stelle suddenly turned coy, her voice tinged with charm. "Didn't expect to see you again, Mr. Scott~ I kinda miss our little showdown in Aurum Alley~ Maybe this is fate between us."
Scott shuddered and stepped back. "Cut the act! If I could beat you, I'd throw two punches your way! Are you here to solve the problem or just let this clown keep embarrassing himself?"
March 7th looked exasperated. "Dan Heng, I'm pretending I don't know her."
Dan Heng: "…"
Score minus one.
[Hahaha, I can't take it—this is too much!]
[Why is this duo so hilarious together?]
[Aha's gotta be sitting up to watch this!]
[I'm already sitting up.]
[I'm dying—where did Stelle learn this from?]
— —
Choice: "No way I'm paying."
Stelle smirked smugly. "Joke's on you. I've taken Herta's curios and smashed Ruan Mei's experiments—have I ever paid a cent? You think you can just demand money with a flap of your lips?"
She spoke as if it were a point of pride.
Scott wasn't buying it. "Listen, little girl, don't try to intimidate me with your Genius Society connections. The IPC and those lofty geniuses are in a mutual give-and-take, not a hierarchy."
Score minus one.
[I'm losing it—did the writers pour all their brain cells into this?]
[This is the most iconic episode!]
[The Astral Express doesn't start trouble, but it sure doesn't back down!]
— —
Choice: "Show off your vast connections."
Stelle scratched her head. "I'm practically family with Professor Ratio from the Intelligentsia Guild. They say 'father and son fight side by side,' so doesn't me stepping in count as the Guild stepping in?"
"What kind of nonsense is that? Even if you were married to him, you wouldn't represent the Guild!"
Score minus one.
[Is Star Rail playing the Godfather meme itself?]
[They've run out of internet memes to ruin, so now they're making their own.]
[I'm dying—Ratio as Godfather, so 'father and son fight side by side,' hahaha!]
If the negotiation fails, Scott leads the IPC crew to cause a ruckus with the Express.
The screen goes black, and a subtitle floats up: "You defeated the IPC employees."
Sure, it's technically a failure, but the joy it brought the audience was endless.
— —
The story then proceeds toward a successful negotiation.
Knowing he couldn't outtalk Stelle, Scott resorted to stalling tactics.
Just then, a melodious voice rang out.
"As long as it doesn't break the law, the IPC is free to come and go."
Scott nodded. "You've got some sense. Who are you?"
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lingsha, Cauldron Master of the Luofu's Alchemy Commission."
A beautiful girl approached, her calves and arms adorned with a faint layer of red sand, her stunning appearance captivating all who saw her.
[Isn't that Danzhu?]
[Holy crap! She's gorgeous—feels even better than in Honkai Impact 3rd.]
[Lingsha, why are your ears pointy?]
[Feels like Lingsha got an epic glow-up!]
— —
Lingsha then revealed her cunning side. Since Scott loved throwing around legalities, she'd wield the law as her weapon.
Her point was simple: the cargo didn't need inspection, but per Xianzhou and IPC import laws, all biological products must be confirmed harmless or biologically inactive before leaving the port.
"However, since we can't determine if it's harmful, we'll just wait for it to lose its biological activity. Based on existing precedents, let me think… typically, forty-seven stellar years should suffice."
Scott's smile vanished instantly. "'Just'???"
[For long-life species, 'just' makes sense, but Scott's got a lot to consider.]
[Damn, the formula's still chasing me.]
[Wrong! You got the formula all wrong—zero points!]
[Looking at it, Lingsha's got a bit of a cunning streak.]
Scott sighed helplessly. "Alright, brothers, stand down. Let them inspect."
"But, Mr. Scott…"
"Enough, this is already messy enough… Let them do the safety check. Worst case, I'll go back and personally grovel to those scholars—my head's made for that, isn't it?"
— —