“Experience traveling through three or more countries... Even if this entire train is filled with foreign passengers, there can't be many who meet that requirement,” Felix said, counting on her fingers. “Senluo doesn't count, and I only have experience in Fanxing and Gospel. I haven't officially traveled through Blood Moon yet, so I don't qualify... But why do they need passengers with experience traveling across multiple nations?”
“Maybe there's a cultural conflict,” Yaxiu suggested. “For example, if you wanted to ask after a Blood Moon native's mother, they'd definitely be baffled, because the Blood Moon language doesn't even have the concept of parents—only gene providers in the reproductive sense. Conversely, if a Blood Moon native compliments a foreigner as a '***,' it could easily spark a conflict. But in Blood Moon culture, due to reasons like political correctness, '***' means they believe you've crossed racial boundaries to inherit dominant traits from multiple races, which is genuinely meant as a wonderful blessing.”
“In situations like that, only travelers who understand multiple cultures can mediate the conflict effectively.”
Felix nodded repeatedly. “That really is possible. Then Yaxiu, what about you...?”
“Let's wait a bit. If really no one goes, I'll go check it out then.”
After a few minutes, the train broadcast sounded for the fourth time:
“Would the gentle, kind, devoted, handsome young man who also loves eating Lalafell please report to Car 10.”
Yaxiu shot up from his seat at once. “I feel destiny calling!”
“It definitely couldn't be you!” Sonia, Diya, Weise, and Vichy all stood up and retorted in unison.
“No need to be so absolute...” Depressed, Yaxiu sank back down into his seat. “I feel like I meet at least the last condition...”
Weise looked up at the loudspeaker, narrowing her eyes slightly. “It is a bit strange. What does the train actually want with these people?”
“Maybe they need someone to help activate a sorcery spirit,” Yaxiu speculated. “Some sorcery spirits require specific types of people to activate. For instance, the 'purity sorcery spirit' requires the sorcerer to be a *** or a ***.”
“There's also the 'justice sorcery spirit,' which can only be activated by a sorcerer who harbors no guilt in their heart,” Felix added, recalling another example.
“I don't know if it's something urgent,” Yaxiu said solemnly. “As a sorcerer, I feel it's my duty to do my modest part!”
Sonia patted Diya's shoulder. Diya fell silent for a moment, then said dejectedly, “Annan was right. I really have been corrupted by Yaxiu...”
Right then, the broadcast sounded for the fifth time:
“Would any passenger with ten or more lovers please report to Car 10.”
At this, not only Sword Princess and the others, but even Daedalose couldn't resist lifting her sleep mask to look at Yaxiu.
Yaxiu immediately crossed his arms and shook his head emphatically, saying with utter certainty, “No, absolutely not! At least, not right now!”
“Really?” Vichy asked. “Have you actually counted?”
Yaxiu blinked. His expression instantly grew uncertain as he lowered his head and began counting on his fingers. But there was no need for an answer; his reaction alone was answer enough. Several cards flew across with a swish, slicing past Yaxiu's fluttering strands of hair to embed themselves deep into the wall behind him.
Yaxiu pulled the cards out and meekly handed them back. Standing up, he said, “I'm going to step out for a moment.”
“I'll go check it out with you,” Felix said, rising as well.
“You want to come along?” Yaxiu was a bit puzzled, but shrugged. “Sure, why not.”
Inside Car 10, Xifulin swirled a glass of red wine, her peripheral vision fixed steadily on the door. The carriage was completely empty save for her—no attendants, no other passengers, and certainly no enthusiastic volunteers or gourmands responding to the announcements. After all, none of the five broadcasts had gone out train-wide; they had been targeted announcements played only inside the two compartments Yaxiu had booked.
Xifulin had originally assumed the first tempting advertisement for Blazing Lalafell would hook Yaxiu. She never expected that five consecutive broadcasts would fail. Aside from the fourth announcement, every single one had clearly been based on prominent traits extracted from Yaxiu. Given his personality, shouldn't he have come over to take a look regardless?
Especially that fifth broadcast—who else could it possibly be referring to?
On the flip side, if even the fifth broadcast couldn't lure him over, Xifulin was out of options. Either his youthful passion had cooled and he couldn't be bothered to stir up trouble, or he was so brazenly shameless that he lacked even a shred of self-awareness. In either case, the plan she and Annan had stayed up all night scheming would be doomed to bust.
And that Veela just had to throw a tantrum at a time like this... without sparing a thought for whose sake they were bustling around in the first place...
Just then, the sound of the sliding door rang out. Xifulin snapped her head up, a glint of hope igniting in her eyes—
And thus, the vampire queen candidate and the second young lady of the Vosloda family met.
“...What are you doing here?” Xifulin was dumbfounded.
“The broadcast,” Felix replied. “I meet the criteria from the announcement, so I came to see if any help is needed.”
“Wait, didn't the broadcast require having ten or more lovers?” The little bat was utterly stunned. “You've dated that many?”
“Past ones count too, right?” Felix cleared her throat, looking slightly embarrassed. “Back then, I was a... noble young master.”
Felix Vosloda, once famous at Sword Flower University for going through twenty girlfriends in six months.
...
After thoroughly washing his face, Yaxiu stepped out of the washroom and sniffed himself, confirming that there was no lingering scent of jasmine. He had to be careful; after all, everyone used different body washes and shampoos. It didn't matter so much for him, but he couldn't afford to drag Felix into trouble.
She was still only a Sanctuary sorcerer, after all. It was far too early for her to enter such a brutal arena of competition.
Felix...
He stretched and let out a long breath. Yaxiu couldn't boast about much else, but when it came to kissing technique, he felt he was at least Legendary, if not a Demigod. He could certainly tell the difference between the back of a finger and lips.
Scratching his head, Yaxiu cleared his thoughts and headed back to the compartment. He had originally intended to go check Car 10, but since Felix said she qualified as well, he couldn't be bothered to go.
Wait, which compartment was theirs again?
Looking at the two rows of fully enclosed compartments, Yaxiu thought for a moment and couldn't recall, so he went ahead and opened a door—if it was the wrong one, he could just apologize.
He slid open Compartment 13. Seeing a Scottish Fold on the table licking its fur, he immediately knew he had the wrong room. “Sorry, I got the wrong—”
He paused, unable to resist turning back for another look at the cat. He had the distinct impression he had seen this kitty before.
“Actually... you didn't get the wrong room.”
A hand pulled Yaxiu into the compartment. The fingers were slender and well-defined, and the arm bore a layer of fluffy white fur resembling sleeves. It was already summer, yet touching this downy fur didn't feel warm in the least; instead, it sent a refreshingly cool sensation straight to the heart.
This layer of allure fur was the most distinct difference between a Veela and a human.
“Yaxiu Heath, the most terrifying cult leader in Kaimeng City, the most vicious prison-breaker from Shattered Lake.” Her face flushed crimson, Freya gazed at Yaxiu with watery eyes dripping with yearning. “You've finally come back for me.”
Chapter 1253