"Is this the plan you mentioned to ensure the Wardance Ceremony proceeds smoothly?"
"Exactly. Hoolay's escape should, by all logic, have immediately halted the ceremony."
"After all, no one knows where this ferocious beast might strike next. A festive occasion like the Wardance Ceremony would be an irresistibly tempting target."
"But... with all the preparations already made, how could we simply call it off?"
"Later, I had a change of heart and adopted a different approach."
"Since we have no choice but to proceed, let's proceed. But... why must today's Wardance Ceremony be the true ceremony?"
After witnessing Hoolay's appearance, the game's perspective shifted to a flashback of Jing Yuan and Huaiyan discussing their strategy.
"Jing Yuan is truly a genius!" Little Bear exclaimed, eagerly anticipating Lumina's entrance and Hoolay's reaction. Yet this scene also piqued his interest.
"He's completely cornered Hoolay. Even without Lumina, there's no escape for him this time."
Little Bear couldn't help but marvel at Jing Yuan's cunning as the Divine Foresight General—no, wait, at Jing Yuan's unparalleled strategic brilliance as the Divine Foresight General.
[ Jing Yuan, Jing Yuan, your unparalleled strategies are too brain-intensive! Don't you have any simpler, more forceful plans? ]
[ I do, brother, I do. Just push Hoolay in front of Lumina. ]
[ I'm dying of laughter! Poor Hoolay is truly doomed. ]
[ Duke Inferno, though slain by Acheron's blade, at least died with glory, grandeur, and panache. But our Poor Hoolay? He's been utterly manipulated by the three Xianzhou Generals, dancing in the palm of their hand—completely oblivious as he walked step by step into their trap. And to top it off, he'll even encounter his "superior officer" on the Skysplitter! (facepalm) ]
[ Duke Inferno: Brother Hoolay, you're the true number one! I've held this spot for four Versions, and I officially pass it on to you now! ]
On the screen, Jing Yuan declared, "By replacing all the spectators and competitors on the Skysplitter with Cloud Knight soldiers, that towering vessel, suspended high above the Luofu's skies, will become the perfect hunting ground for wolves."
Huaiyan slowly opened his eyes, glanced at Jing Yuan, and said, "If Hoolay doesn't intend to attack or board the Skysplitter, what then?"
"Moreover, if my memory serves me correctly, the Emanator is also on the Skysplitter, isn't she?"
"If she... what will you do then?"
"Regrettably, Miss Lumina falls outside my considerations," Jing Yuan replied, shaking his head as he addressed Huaiyan's latter question first. "As long as she wills it, no one in the Xianzhou Alliance, nor any means at our disposal, could possibly stop her."
"For such a being—one whom no one can restrain—we can only allow her to act freely and exclude her from our plans."
Though Jing Yuan's explanation was delivered with perfect composure, Huaiyan immediately grasped its implications.
No one can stop her meant that even if all seven Arbiter-Generals mobilized, they would be powerless against her.
And the subsequent phrase, no means can restrain her, implied that...
Even if the Xianzhou Alliance used the Cloudpeer Telescope to summon the Arbiter's bow and arrows, they would still fail to restrain her...
"It seems you've noticed something too..." Huaiyan said, his eyes still closed, showing no skepticism or any emotion whatsoever, as if agreeing with Jing Yuan's words.
"Huh?"
"Holy shit?!"
Though Jing Yuan and Huaiyan's conversation was cryptic, Little Bear and the live stream audience immediately grasped its deeper implications.
"This 'nothing can stop her'... Does that mean even trading for a strike from the Rainbow Arbiter wouldn't stop her?" Little Bear zeroed in on the key point.
[My Moon is magnificent, no need to elaborate (heart eyes, drooling) ]
[So, Lumina's current power is already infinitely close to that of an Aeon?]
["Close"? She's 100% already at Aeon level! Otherwise, how could even the Arbiter's arrow have no effect on her?]
[Mihoyo, I want this! I want this! Hurry up and release Lumina's Aeon Form! I want to bust my rice(heart eyes, drooling)]
[Hehe, Lady Lumina... Hehehe, Lady Lumina... Hehehehe... Hehehehe]
The mere mention of Lumina's new form sent the live stream chat into another frenzy of delirium.
[Pre-order now! We've already started drawing the doujinshi. The characters, settings, and story are fully planned. As soon as Lumina's Aeon Form model is released, we'll finish it immediately! The original price is tentatively set at 9,998, but for pre-orders, it's just one-tenth of that—only 998! Don't miss out! Click my profile and send me a private message now!]
[ Hah? You're not even pretending anymore! Lumina's Aeon Form hasn't even been revealed yet, and you're already planning and selling doujinshi? ]
[ Original price 9,998? Where are you located? I'm worried about getting scammed online. Give me an offline address for cash-on-delivery (laughs). ]
[ Oh no, that familiar price... Is that you, Doujinshi Bro? My proudest doujinshi seller! (crying) ]
"Is the hospital's Wi-Fi really this good?" Little Bear noticed the familiar price too. Who else could it be but Doujinshi Seller, who had been so active in the live stream before, even going offline to single-handedly take down viewers who annoyed him?
"If you're hospitalized, focus on recovering properly instead of scrolling on your phone."
"And stop selling doujinshi. You might get offline-ganked again."
Little Bear spoke gently and thoughtfully, like a concerned citizen urging someone to turn back before it's too late.
"Alright, as payback..."
"I'll send you my 'gift' via the blacklist."
After saying this, Little Bear, as usual, kicked the Doujinshi Seller out of the live stream and added him to the blacklist.
His gaze returned to the game, continuing the Story.
"As for Hoolay, the plan is quite simple."
"All we need to do is ensure he repeatedly sees the Skysplitter looming overhead."
"The Sky-Faring Commission will clear the navigation routes, reducing the traffic of other Starskiffs."
"That way, when the Skysplitter is the only vessel in the sky, coupled with the Luofu's streets plastered with advertisements for the Wardance Ceremony... he'll have no choice but to board the Skysplitter."
Jing Yuan explained, each move like a calculated chess piece, systematically capturing Hoolay's pieces one by one.
In the end, only the inevitable "checkmate" remained.
The Hunt's arrowhead will always strike one step ahead of the Abomination.
Jing Yuan had vividly demonstrated this principle.
"Ha ha ha! As expected of the Divine Foresight General!" Huaiyan laughed, acknowledging Jing Yuan's brilliant strategy.
"In that case, I'll serve as the final line of defense."
"I'll guard the Jade Gate with the Sky-Faring Commission to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control."
"As for..." Huaiyan paused, his voice trailing off.
After a moment, he continued, "As for the Emanator's presence, let things unfold naturally."
"She is a friend whom the Xianzhou Alliance should cultivate deeply..."
With Huaiyan's final words, the flashback concluded.
The screen went black, reflecting the expectant gazes of Lumina's Aeon Form, watching from beyond the screen.