Guinaifen stretched out a hand, watching the three of them flee.
Then suddenly, it hit her—
Where had she seen that guy before?
Wasn't he that livestream seller who had a massive on-air accident a couple days ago?!
Being carried away, Xun Yu wore a strange, helpless expression.
Stelle and March, meanwhile, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
They didn't know what kind of stunt Xun Yu was planning to pull this time, but the phrase
"stone breaks chest" immediately reminded them of that time he blew himself up into tomato paste…
"Ow!"
Stelle suddenly tripped over something and fell flat on the ground.
March instinctively stopped.
And because Stelle instinctively shoved him as she fell—
plus inertia—
Xun Yu…
flew.
"Xun Yu, are you okay? …No wait, you're definitely fine."
Xun Yu, who had been about to start casting a spell, nearly choked on those words.
But no—
this act, he was doing it today no matter what.
So he immediately put on a pained expression.
"Ow—my elbow! Owww—my kneecap! Aiya—my lumbar disc!"
[TL note: what the heck is a lumbar disc?]
"Huh?! Did you really get hurt?!"
March rushed forward to help him up.
Stelle watched coldly from the side.
She had already seen the truth.
There was only one truth—
Xun Yu was acting.
She shook her head, feeling worried for March.
Xun Yu wasn't wrong—March could be pretty silly sometimes.
But that was also why everyone liked her.
Simple, innocent, lively—like a walking ball of happiness.
"Oh? Doesn't hurt at all!"
March froze mid-motion.
Seeing Xun Yu grin as he stood up and dusted himself off, March really wanted to kick him—but was afraid that would count as rewarding him.
The best way to deal with a pervert was to be even more perverted—
But clearly, March wasn't capable of that.
Stelle… maybe. A bit.
"Wait, I've got something to take care of first."
A glimmer flashed in Xun Yu's eyes, and he vanished.
"…Surprised?"
"Not surprised."
"Let's just go shopping ourselves."
March shrugged when she realized Xun Yu was gone again.
She quietly took out a court of tranquility Travel Guide.
Elsewhere—
A shota-version Xun Yu appeared.
"Tsk tsk. Human traffickers on the Xianzhou? That takes some real guts."
Even the Duke of inferno dared not declare war on The Hunt, because the Xianzhou would strike back.
Should this guy be praised for bravery…
or bravery?
Xun Yu looked at his reflection—the little boy version of himself—and stroked his chin.
Feels kind of weird…
Maybe change again?
"Hey! I've got an idea!"
A chibi-loli version of Aha popped onto Xun Yu's shoulder, grinning mischievously.
"…Put away your 'idea.'"
"But…"
Xun Yu stared at Aha's grin and fell silent.
After about two and a half minutes of contemplation, a white glow enveloped him.
When it faded—
A white-haired, red-eyed, absurdly cute little girl stood there.
According to Aha's little plan, loli-Xun Yu wore slightly tattered clothes, her delicate face smudged with dirt.
In Aha's words:
"If a trafficker can resist this, that's a 👍."
"No—double 👍."
After all, anyone daring to kidnap kids on the Xianzhou was already something else.
Xun Yu tested this new body.
It felt… strange.
Especially missing something that had accompanied him for decades—it felt unsettling.
But just as Aha said, this form was leagues more effective than the shota version.
All for the lulz. It's fine, it's fine!
He'd been a trotter and a dog before—this was nothing.
Picking a route traffickers frequented, Xun Yu crouched by a wall.
She hugged her head and sniffled softly.
Before long, the trafficker arrived, his sharp ears catching the sound of a child crying.
Glancing at his pink sack, he followed the sound.
"Hey there, little one. Why are you all alone?"
"Sniff… I can't find my mommy and daddy…"
Xun Yu lifted her head.
The trafficker was instantly stunned.
He had never seen such a perfect little girl.
Dirty or not, one glance was enough.
Sell her, and he could retire for life.
Thinking of all the hardship he'd endured, tears nearly welled up in his eyes.
He'd come to the Xianzhou hoping for a chance—
And now?
Heavenly fortune had finally smiled upon him.
"Don't be scared. Uncle will help you find your parents, okay?"
To him, the tearful little girl before him wasn't a child—
She was endless credit points.
"R-really?"
"Of course!"
The trafficker smiled, already imagining a life of comfort.
What he didn't know—
Was that he really would live a life of food and shelter, guaranteed.
Staring at the handcuffs on his wrists, the trafficker looked utterly blank.
Who am I?
Where am I?
What was I doing again?
(Watched the preview—great, it's Teacher Shaoji. We're doomed.)
(Exams end next week, there'll be extra chapters. Please don't stop reading, I beg you.)
[TL note: when I said to myself that I will not remove anything I meant it]
"Too bad… didn't find a second trafficker."
Watching the man get sent to prison—set for a lifetime of food and housing—Xun Yu felt a little regret.
He'd planned to sell him to another trafficker.
But couldn't find one.
He even thought about having Aha guest-star—
And sending Aha in too.
But Aha refused.
Because They'd already had Their fun.
Xun Yu stared silently at the chat history in the Astral Express Family Group.
[Xun Yu: I'm adorable!
Xun Yu (loli).jpg]
Below it—
An army of identical question marks.
…Crap.
I fell for it.
Xun Yu wordlessly grabbed the tiny Aha-loli by the sleeve.
Aha laughed so hard They clutched Their stomach, tears streaming down.