Stranger Danger

"Ye... erm... Warrior Ye..."

Yu Hongluan ultimately did not address Ye Qing directly by his name[1] because she thought it was impolite. However, Ye Qing also expressly told her not to call him senior, so she came up with a compromise instead.

"Please address me Hongluan as well, Warrior Ye. That nickname, 'Fairy Hongluan', is just something the people made up. It's not true at all."

"Oh right, where is Miss Feng?"

Ye Qing wasn't alone during their first meeting. He was accompanied by a woman named Feng. She could tell that Miss Feng was no ordinary woman either, but she was nowhere to be seen. So, she was curious.

She was only curious. She did not suspect if Miss Feng was away on some devious plot or something. After all, they could have just left her for dead if they really were planning something dastardly.

Ye Qing answered, "Oh, two Strangers made a break for it just now, so Qingyou went away to capture them. She should return at any moment."

"Stranger?" Yu Hongluan frowned for a moment before exclaiming in realization, "Oh, you mean the two servant girls serving Jewel Tree Prince?"

To be entirely honest, she had completely forgotten about the two servant girls. Or rather, she thought they had both burned to death in her phoenix flames. As it turned out, they actually managed to escape.

"She's back!"

Ye Qing just said this when the air next to them suddenly rippled like water, and Feng Qingyou stepped out of it.

"Fairy Hongluan!"

Feng Qingyou gave Ye Qing a nod before greeting Yu Hongluan cordially.

"Please," Yu Hongluan hurriedly saluted her, "just call me Hongluan. Also, thank you for your help. Hongluan is infinitely grateful."

Feng Qingyou wasn't cold, arrogant, brash, or willful. On the contrary, she was as gentle and soothing as a gust of wind. But for some reason, Yu Hongluan felt nervous and tense when she laid her eyes on the woman.

"No need. It is what I should do."

Feng Qingyou gave her a smile. "Besides, you and Joyless did most of the heavy lifting. I just got in a bit of action at the very end."

"Speaking of which, here are the Jewel Tree Prince's two servants. They are yours, Hongluan."

Feng Qingyou waved her hand, and the two servant girls appeared before Yu Hongluan's feet.

Yu Hongluan could not tell what kind of skill she used, but Feng Qingyou had somehow knocked them out cold without leaving a single mark on their person.

"These girls are no ordinary Strangers. I believe they share a close relationship with Jewel Tree Prince. There is a good chance they know some secrets as well, so they should be useful to you." "Thank you, Miss Feng," Yu Hongluan hurriedly thanked her.

"Here, take Jewel Tree Prince as well."

Ye Qing handed the tiny tree on his palm to Yu Hongluan. "I've already applied a restriction on him, so you don't need to worry about him running away or killing himself. Feel free to interrogate him to your heart's content."

"That said, I should remind you that Jewel Tree Prince is extremely cunning and loyal to the Rakshasa King. What comes out from his mouth may not necessarily be the truth, so be ever careful."

"I will, Warrior Ye. Thank you." Yu Hongluan gingerly accepted Jewel Tree Prince while feeling more excited than ever. "This is wonderful! With Jewel Tree Prince under our control, the Profound Alliance will surely bleed the Rakshasa Kingdom like pigs and pay them back for all the pain and oppression we have suffered."

"Oh right, rest assured that I will convey what happened today to the Profound Alliance and reward you appropriately for your contributions, Warrior Ye, Miss Feng. What you did today deserves to be remembered by everyone."

Yu Hongluan looked at them with sincere eyes.

"Please, there is no need," Ye Qing replied. "We are only simply following our hearts. We do not seek fame or glory."

"Also, to tell you the truth, Qingyou and I do not belong to this region. We hail from somewhere else. The reason we came here is to travel and experience, and we would prefer if not too many people are aware of our existence. To put it simply, we don't want to be disturbed. Therefore, we understand and appreciate your feelings, but we seriously do not need the rewards."

"Therefore, please keep what happened tonight a secret, Miss Yu!"

"But..." Yu Hongluan was caught off guard by this. "How am I going to explain what happened to the Profound Alliance then?"

"That's easy!" Feng Qingyou smiled. "Just say that you singlehandedly saved everyone."

Yu Hongluan instinctively rejected the suggestion, "No way!"

"Why not?" Feng Qingyou countered. "You are the only one who has seen us. You can say whatever you want."

Yu Hongluan shook her head. "I cannot! I cannot lay claim to your contributions! I simply cannot!"

"I thought you said that you are infinitely grateful for us, and that you would reward us appropriately for our contributions?"

Feng Qingyou joked. "And yet, you refuse to fulfill even our tiny request?"

"No, that's not what I mean!"

Yu Hongluan flushed red as she hurriedly explained, "Hongluan will never forget what you did for us today. Hongluan would not hesitate even if you order me to die right now."

"However, Floating Island is saved tonight only because of you two. How can I possibly steal your credit and claim it as my own? That's just too unfair!"

"Fame and glory are but passing smoke and clouds to us. We care nothing for it." Ye Qing smiled. He could tell that Yu Hongluan wasn't trying to trick them or justify her actions. She was truly concerned for them from the bottom of her heart.

If she was anyone else, the sudden, massive boon might have bonked them silly already. However, Yu Hongluan had rejected it without hesitation. She did it not just because it went against her heart, but also because she viewed it as disrespectful and unfair to him and Feng Qingyou. It showed just how pure Yu Hongluan was despite everything.

Of course, her goodness was also why they were willing to appear before Yu Hongluan and befriend her to begin with. Otherwise, they could have left as soon as they took out Jewel Tree Prince. There would be no need for them to stay behind, much less introduce themselves.

"How about this: If the Profound Alliance asks you about this incident, just say that some seniors happened to be passing through the area, saw what happened, and decided to lend you a hand. Just don't tell them about our identities."

"This way, you do not need to lie or go against your heart. You do not need to feel unfair on our behalf either. How does that sound?"

"Okay." Yu Hongluan gave it some thought and agreed. "Not only are you indifferent toward fame and gain, you are also highly moral, Warrior Ye, Miss Feng. You have Hongluan's deepest respect."

"You flatter us. We just don't like trouble, that's all." Ye Qing smiled. "Alright. Although the crisis of Floating Island is over, there are still many things you need to handle. So, we shan't disturb you any longer. This is where we part ways."

"Will I see you two again in the future?" Yu Hongluan asked.

"We'll be staying in Floating Island for a couple more days to enjoy its scenery. Feel free to seek us out if you find the time to do so," Feng Qingyou answered.

Delighted, Yu Hongluan hurriedly replied, "I will!"

Ye Qing and Feng Qingyou were already gone when she said this. All that was left in the air was her voice.

"Island lord!"

"Are you alright, Hongluan?"

It was at this moment several people rushed into the ruined Emerald Garden. They immediately voiced their concerns when they saw Yu Hongluan.

"I'm fine. Jewel Tree Prince is subjugated, and the crisis of Floating Island is over. So do not worry."

Yu Hongluan put away Jewel Tree Prince without a trace and addressed her people.

Although everyone here was a confidant and someone she could trust, the matter regarding Jewel Tree Prince was of critical importance. The less people knew about it, the better. At the very least, she did not want too many people finding out before the higher-ups of the Profound Alliance showed up.

"This is wonderful! Just wonderful!"

"Hahaha! I can't believe you took out Jewel Tree Prince! You're amazing, island lord!"

Everyone was impressed and overjoyed as a matter of course.

"No time to be happy. There is still work to be done!"

Yu Hongluan did not give them an explanation. She immediately entered work mode and fired off a series of instructions, "Yuting, gather the men to rescue the wounded and comfort the citizens. Make sure that no chaos arises from this incident." "Tanghe, command the Floating Guards and unleash the One Eyes. Make sure you eradicate every Stranger and human traitor lurking inside the city. Remember, it's better to be safe than sorry."

"Minyue, I want you and your men to maintain the law and order of the island. I do not want to see any Stranger remnant or chucklehead use this opportunity to start trouble."

"Lixuan, seal off the Floating Port. For the moment, no one is allowed to leave or enter the port."

1. No you bloody idiot! You just ruined your chance to be friends with him instead of acquaintances! ☜