Please support me over on Patreon, where you can read hundreds of extra chapters.
Additionally, there are also free extra chapters available for Free Members. How awesome is that?! Check it out:
Patreon.com/ThatGreatStuff
******
In the quiet courtyard.
Xueyi, Hanya, and Huohuo sat at a stone table beneath the bamboo grove.
A cool breeze swept through.
The surrounding bamboo rustled softly.
Huohuo couldn't help but hug her arms and move closer to Hanya.
"Lady Hanya, didn't we agree to find a bright place? This spot…"
"It's so desolate and feels so eerie…"
Hanya glanced around, somewhat puzzled.
"Is that so? Compared to the Ten-Lords Commission, this place isn't bad. It's comfortable and quiet, perfect for focusing on the game's storyline. Isn't that great?"
Huohuo was about to say something more.
Suddenly, the flame on her tail flickered.
A sign that Tail was feeling particularly excited at the moment.
It immediately spoke up, "Quiet!"
"Pay attention to the story! It seems like I'm about to make an appearance!"
Hanya placed her Jade Abacus on the stone table.
She pulled up a projection.
In the dimly lit courtyard, a glowing screen appeared before them.
In the bottom right corner was the streamer, Little Gui.
The main screen displayed the game's storyline.
And at that moment.
The three judges indeed appeared in the story.
They were seen conversing with Guinaifen and the Trailblazer, who had trespassed into a forbidden area.
"Miss Guinaifen, although it's hard to explain in a short time, those things aren't the ghosts or spirits you think they are. Please don't apply the legends from your hometown to the affairs of the Xianzhou…"
"Those things causing trouble are dangerous energy parasites known as Heliobus."
Huohuo patiently explained.
Guinaifen, however, responded somewhat dismissively, "Really? I don't believe it. Heliobus? What's that? I get it—on the Xianzhou, Heliobus is just another name for ghosts, right? That must be it."
"It seems we'll have to bring Tail out… Tail, Tail?"
"Whoosh!"
A flash of fire.
[Tail] appeared in the form of a green flame sphere on the screen.
As if to emphasize its sentience.
The flame sphere was adorned with a pair of simple, large eyes.
A small black nose and a mouth made entirely of lines.
"Loud and clear! Stop shouting… I'm not some exotic beast here to serve humans."
Guinaifen was stunned, "Tail… sir?"
[Tail] then conjured a simple hand made of spiritual flames, touching its nose as it said, "I'm a Heliobus, the ghostly spirit you're imagining. Got it? Now scram!"
Guinaifen gasped.
Then she let out a scream.
"A ghost!"
Hanya sighed helplessly, "Oh, what a strange girl. She came here to film ghosts and spirits, yet when she actually sees one, she screams like this…"
Seeing this scene.
[Tail] burst into a triumphant laugh.
"Ha!"
"See that, little girl?"
"Just my appearance alone scared them out of their wits!"
"I, a renowned member of the Heliobus clan... ahem, anyway, the plot is quite decent."
"I admit I underestimated it before."
At that moment.
Hanya skillfully turned on the barrage comments.
...
"Wow, is this the legendary Heliobus!?"
"Damn, it's actually kinda cute!"
"The design seems a bit rough though..."
"Do all Heliobus look this casual...?"
"What an adorable old man!"
"Is this even from the same dimension? Hahaha..."
...
Seeing the barrage of comments.
Tail, who had been feeling quite proud, suddenly froze!
"What do they mean!?"
"Do these people think I'm... cute!?"
Tail immediately bared a pair of fangs.
His entire form twisted in anger!
"Damn it! If I weren't sealed, would I only be able to show this simple form?!"
"If I revealed my true form, I'd scare the life out of you ignorant fools!"
Huohuo was on the verge of tears.
"Lord Tail... please, calm down."
"I never thought you were cute..."
"It's just... everyone is watching the story through the Jade Abacus."
"If they encountered you now, they'd definitely be terrified..."
Hearing Huohuo's reassurance.
Tail finally calmed down.
"Hmph... you know how to talk."
"Let's see how this story unfolds. If it dares to tarnish my reputation, I won't let it off!"
Hanya rolled her eyes in the background.
Thinking to herself that the game's story was created by the developer, Yu Ling.
What could a Heliobus like you do to retaliate?
Could you really have Huohuo leave comments online to clear your name?
Of course.
She couldn't say this out loud.
Otherwise, today would be anything but peaceful.
Back to the story.
After calming down, Guinaifen asked again, "Judge, may I ask, what exactly is this flame orb? How can we prevent it from suddenly attacking? And also... why does the Judge carry such a thing with them..."
Xueyi coldly replied, "You've seen enough. The Judge has important matters to attend to. Huohuo, see them out."
"Y-yes, ma'am."
Hanya advised, "Sister, don't be angry. You're usually out on missions and rarely deal with people. Why not let me handle this? If I can explain the reason, they'll leave on their own."
"You two must have heard about the damage to the Creation Furnace in the Artisanship Commission. The Heliobus sealed within escaped and has been lurking here. The Ten-Lords Commission is tasked with capturing it. We're urging you to leave for your own safety."
"If you have questions, feel free to ask. I'll do my best to satisfy your curiosity. But after that, I hope you'll keep this secret, leave Fyxestroll Garden, and never return."
Little Gui naturally wouldn't miss this rare opportunity.
First, she asked, "What exactly is a Heliobus?"
"According to the Divination Commission's classification, they are energy parasites from beyond the heavens, appearing as eerie flames—Starfire Essences."
"To put it metaphorically, they are like moths drawn to heat. But the heat source isn't just anything—it's the thoughts of sentient beings."
Next, she asked, "Is this thing dangerous?"
"Yes. They love to parasitize intelligent life, feeding on their experiences and savoring their emotions."
"Gradually, the Heliobus takes root in the host's nervous system, exploiting their desires and weaknesses, causing them to develop delusions, manipulating them like puppets. The host becomes completely subservient to the Heliobus, a state we call 'possession.'"
"At this stage, the mind of the host is no longer their former self, but a Heliobus that resembles yet is entirely different from them. The host's body will soon be drained dry by the Heliobus, like firewood consumed by flames."
Finally, someone asked, "So, Tail is also dangerous?"
Tail immediately interjected, "How are you talking, little girl! What do you mean by 'also dangerous'? I am the most dangerous of them all!"
"Tail... has been subdued by Lady Hanya on my tail and won't harm others," Huohuo timidly explained.
"The headache is that Heliobus are not flesh and blood, making them difficult to destroy. So, before repairing the Creation Furnace, the Ten-Lords Commission plans to set up a Binding and Exorcism Array in this abandoned garden to imprison these demons."
After this part of the story.
Little Gui couldn't help but let out a long "Oh~".
Suddenly, it all made sense!
"So that's what Heliobus are..."
"There are no ghosts on the Xianzhou, just some alien parasitic creatures that have been imprisoned for thousands of years and have escaped."
"Ah, this, this, this... isn't that even scarier!"
"It's gone from a horror movie to a sci-fi flick!"
...
"Earlier in the main storyline at the Artisanship Commission, Master Gongshu mentioned the Heliobus inside the Creation Furnace. So, the foreshadowing was there all along!"
"Thanks to the judge for the enlightening explanation!"
"I'm starting to feel that the judges of the Ten-Lords Commission are more approachable. They're good-looking, speak well, answer all questions, and never act like The Riddlers!"
"No wonder I've been feeling so listless lately, with no interest in work at all. I suspect I've been possessed by a Heliobus!"
"I have a friend who always falls asleep in class. Is he about to be taken over by a Heliobus?"
"Oh no! The Heliobus are among us!"
"[The Ruthless Divination Machine] gifted 10 Super Starskiffs to streamer Little Gui with the message: Netizens, please be cautious with your words. The internet is not a lawless space, and spreading rumors will lead to legal consequences."