The weapon refiner is not doing her job properly

Chapter 248 Horrifying Speculation

"It seems these two won't be able to be delivered to Xingyuan," Su Ninglong sighed. Who would have thought that what was originally intended as a lead dog puppy would end up with two parrots? Even more ridiculous is that they willingly wore leashes just to freeload; aren't they just two "Qilui" (a derogatory term for rare and precious animals)?

"Why can't we send it to Xingyuan?" Xin Yi curiously leaned over, reaching out to pluck a tuft of feathers to see if it was real or not. But before his fingertips could even touch it, the slightly larger parrot suddenly turned its head and, with lightning speed, pecked his hand hard.

"Ouch!" Xin Yi winced in pain and pulled his hand back, a noticeable red mark now on the back of his hand. He covered the wound in a wronged manner and wailed, half-jokingly, "Your bird did this! Now I need an ice pop to stop the pain."

This was clearly extortion, but Su Ninglong didn't expose it.

She knew that Xin Yi had suffered a setback in the slaughterhouse competition a while ago and his old injuries hadn't fully healed, so she let him be. She then turned around and went to the ice cream shop to buy the most expensive ice cream, one for Xin Yi and one for Charlie.

Xin Yi, with her light blonde short hair, and Charlie, with his black curly hair, were intently eating their overflowing ice cream cups, their mouths smeared with milk stains.

Before the others in the group could react, Shen Zhaoming seemed to be deep in thought. He approached Su Ninglong, his voice low, almost a whisper: "Both are Qilin?"

“Hmm.” Su Ninglong wasn’t surprised. Those who are truly familiar with navigating dogs can usually sense the unusual intelligence these two parrots possess.

Their ability to hide in a bustling pet store for so long without being discovered is truly remarkable. Even Su Ninglong only became 100% certain of their identities after buying them, sensing their attempt to form a bond with her, and personally refusing their offer.

“Since we’ve bought them, it’s fate,” Su Ninglong said casually. “If they like the noise of the bar, they can stay there. If they get along with the foreign teacher, we can give one to him; he’s been talking about guide dogs for a long time.” Anyway, guide dogs aren’t social animals, so it’s fine to keep them separately.

Lei Qingya and Shen Zhaoming exchanged a glance, both seeing disbelief on each other's faces. One trip out, spending 100,000 yuan to pick up two guide dogs? What kind of incredible luck is that?
"Do you want to raise them?" Su Ninglong suddenly turned to ask the four of them.

As soon as he finished speaking, the four heads shook like rattles, their movements perfectly synchronized, their expressions so powerful they seemed to want to shake off their determination.

They simply couldn't afford to raise them! The thought of the appetite and capabilities of a lead dog, compared to the standards of Qirui, instantly put them under immense pressure.

The Kirin is practically a walking money pit.

Lingmi rice is its bottom line; it insists on drinking tea brewed with mountain spring water; and when it comes to skewers, it specifically chooses the fattiest parts.

If anyone dares to try to fool it with frozen meat that lacks spiritual energy, it will turn its back to you for a whole month, its entire body screaming "Don't touch me!"

"Fine, if you don't want to keep them, then forget it." Su Ninglong didn't insist and continued shopping with the two huge parrots in her arms.

This combination attracted a lot of attention, drawing the eye of passersby.

Lei Qingya, with her hair half-tied up, was approached again after only a few steps. She coldly refused, but two more men soon surrounded her. Frustrated, she rubbed her temples and couldn't help but complain to Su Ninglong, "What's going on? You're such a beautiful woman standing here, and they're all coming after me? What's the meaning of this?"

Su Ninglong raised her wrist, revealing the eye-catching pink minor tag on her bracelet. She wore it specifically to avoid a lot of trouble in crowded places.

The commercial street was a melting pot of all sorts of people, but a dense surveillance network covered almost every corner. She was strikingly beautiful, but that identity was her best shield.

Lei Qingya looked at the pink color and asked in a complicated tone, "Is it too late for me to get a disguise now?"

Xin Yi, who was standing next to him, chuckled and said, "Save your breath, an old cow can't handle tender grass."

"You want a beating, don't you?"

"I'll go ask around for Sister Lei!" Charlie volunteered, slipping into a nearby men's clothing store and pretending to buy clothes, while asking the shop assistant why the men outside kept staring at Lei Qingya.

Seeing his young age and extravagant spending—buying three outfits in a row—the shop assistant chimed in, "You wouldn't believe it, but these days, 'ethereal' girls are all the rage. Guys think it's a status symbol to have a girlfriend like that." She lowered her voice, "The entertainment industry has recently made several actresses famous for this look, and I've even heard there are a few dramas based on her character Su Ninglong's lightning tribulation back then..."

Charlie's news brought the group into a brief silence. Only then did they notice the clothing of many women on the street: wide robes and flowing plain colors, clearly imitating the tattered and blood-stained clothes Su Ninglong wore during her tribulation.

The real Su Ninglong was wearing a loose T-shirt and baggy shorts, with high-heeled flip-flops on her feet, completely out of place with the deliberately created "ethereal" look on the street.

Not to mention that Su Ninglong's casual attire has nothing to do with being a "fairy," even if she were to wear the exact same robe as during the tribulation, with her swaggering, bird-carrying gait, she would only be seen as a clumsy imitator by others.

After all, the arm strength to lift two heavy parrots steadily with one hand is not something an ordinary "fairy" should possess.

At lunchtime, the group entered the restaurant on the tallest building in the business district, where the reserved private room finally isolated them from the outside world.

The two large parrots were temporarily placed on a perch by the window, and they were unusually quiet.

With Suninglong hosting, everyone was much more relaxed when ordering food.

The waiter, with a professional smile, glanced at the group of people, noticing their young faces and unfamiliar accents, and then gently asked if it was their first time visiting this planet.

Su Ninglong nodded.

The waiter immediately and enthusiastically recommended several local specialties and timeless classic dishes, cleverly avoiding the expensive "chef's creations" on the menu. He knew very well that recommending flashy but impractical dishes to new guests with whom he hadn't yet established trust was too risky. This restaurant catered to wealthy and influential people, and any dissatisfaction could quickly spread through their extensive networks. The restaurant's ability to survive in this highly competitive business district speaks to its cautious approach to business.

The dishes were served quickly, and Su Ninglong tasted many flavors she had never experienced before. Even the seemingly ordinary classic dishes were cooked and seasoned to perfection, with a level of skill approaching that of Xingyuan. However, while enjoying the food, she vaguely sensed the occasional figures passing by outside the private room, and felt a subtle discomfort from being served so well yet also being watched unseen.

After finishing their meal and returning to the hotel, the restaurant staff proactively hailed a luxuriously decorated taxi for them.

Suninglong naturally paid for the transportation himself, but a vehicle arranged by a restaurant like this could not possibly be an ordinary vehicle.

Once inside the car, Lei Qingya sighed comfortably, enjoying the perfect support from the seat and the almost zero noise inside.

"It's been a long time since I've ridden in such a comfortable car." She thought of her family's old car, which, although still cool in appearance, inevitably made noises when driving. Apart from the thrill of speed, it was no match for this luxury car designed for practicality in terms of comfort.

The vehicle smoothly merged into the traffic, the street scene outside the window rushing past. The two parrots remained quiet on their special cage, only occasionally turning their heads, their glassy eyes reflecting the flowing lights outside the window.

The car was quiet, save for the low, steady hum of the engine, which only made the comfort seem almost excessive, as if enveloped by something invisible, heading into the unknown depths of the night. The luxury taxi glided silently, the neon lights of the city outside the window turning into streaks of light, reflected in Su Ninglong's eyes, but unable to illuminate the deep contemplation within.

The camp was almost empty, with only a few Star Alliance tents standing here and there. The main force of the Star Alliance was withdrawing.

For large groups, the longer they stay, the more their energy expenditure increases.

Among the last group of people to leave, Su Ninglong spotted Wu Xingyi at a glance.

She remained slender and graceful, with a composed gait, and showed no signs of having undergone any mutation.

Seemingly sensing that scrutinizing gaze, Wu Xingyi suddenly turned around and met Su Ninglong's undisguised and intense gaze.

"Su Xiaotong, is something the matter?" Wu Xingyi's voice was calm, revealing no emotion.

Su Ninglong smiled innocently. "It's nothing serious, I was just a little curious. What is Vice Principal Wu's special ability? I don't seem to remember it at all. Could you tell me?"

"Superpowers are a matter of personal privacy. Why should others tell you?" Assistant Sun suddenly appeared from somewhere, staring at Su Ninglong like a persistent ghost. "What, are you looking for a new backer?"

"A powerful backer?" Su Ninglong chuckled, her tone carrying a hint of nonchalant arrogance. "I am my own backer. Do I need to find someone else?"

These words were like a thorn, piercing Assistant Sun's chest and making her feel suffocated. It was a mixture of jealousy and powerless resentment. Why wasn't she a spiritualist? If she were, at least she could argue with her about supernatural abilities.

"If you're so capable, go and investigate yourself!" she practically spat out the words through gritted teeth.

"Why go through all that trouble when there's a readily available and convenient way?" Su Ninglong's gaze returned to Wu Xingyi, her expression filled with persistent inquiry. "Right, Vice Principal Wu? Would you be willing to satisfy my curiosity?"

Wu Xingyi quietly observed this brief exchange, her deep eyes revealing an unfathomable emotion.

Seeing Su Ninglong press for an answer, she slowly spoke, her voice still gentle: "Although I don't know why you suddenly became interested in my superpower, it's not a secret, many people know it. My superpower is fire-based."

Fire element. The publicly available information confirms this. Su Ninglong's eyes darkened further.

Wu Xingyi navigated the contaminated area thanks to the team's collaboration and her exceptional intelligence, playing the role of the strategist. Yet, ironically, this very person rose to the high position of vice principal.

While the position of principal does not strictly require a Spiritual Star level, one's own special abilities cannot be mediocre if one can lead a Spiritual School.

As night fell, the campsite flickered with scattered lights.

Standing tall and straight under the lamplight, Wu Xingyi listened to the girl's melodious voice, "Vice Principal Wu, are you comfortable using your special ability?"

The air seemed to freeze for a moment. Assistant Sun, standing nearby, immediately retorted in a shrill voice as if stung: "Su Ninglong! Have you been corrupted? What kind of insane question is that?"

Su Ninglong ignored Assistant Sun, her gaze fixed on Wu Xingyi's face, not missing the extremely subtle contraction of the other's pupils.

Wu Xingyi quickly regained her composure, her tone calm and even tinged with a hint of helplessness: "Little Su, this question seems rather inappropriate."

“Hmm,” Su Ninglong suddenly grinned, her tone becoming light and cheerful, “Maybe I’m just overthinking because I’ve eaten too much.” After she finished speaking, she turned around, and the smile on her face disappeared without a trace the moment she turned her back, leaving only a cold and probing look in her eyes.

Walking a little further away, she turned on her communicator and contacted Yun Fei. During the ten or so minutes she waited for a reply, the night wind was chilly, making her skin feel tight.

Yun Fei's reply finally popped up, accompanied by some background noise, as if he was still busy.

“Wu Xingyi? She has rarely taken action herself in recent years. However, two years ago, a friend of mine witnessed her using her superpower to deal with a mutant, instantly charring the target. She was very efficient.”

"Why are you suddenly asking about this?" Yun Fei pressed.

Su Ninglong tapped her fingertip lightly and replied casually, "My intuition tells me that she's quite capable, so I want to know more about her, to know yourself and your enemy."

After a moment of silence on the other end of the communicator, Yun Fei seemed to sigh: "Just don't provoke her."

"I didn't provoke them," Su Ninglong replied. Some suspicions could only be confirmed secretly.

She then dialed Zou Shuyi's number. At that time, the bar had just opened, and faint background music and the clinking of glasses and saucers could be heard through the receiver.

"Ninglong?" Zou Shuyi's voice carried her unique languidness. Su Ninglong could imagine her leaning against the bar, perhaps with a cigarette between her fingers.

"Godmother," Su Ninglong asked directly, "what is Wu Weini's special ability?"

Zou Shuyi paused for a moment, then dropped her casual tone.

She knew Su Ninglong; she wouldn't ask this question without a reason. "Fire element, extremely high temperature, can produce effects similar to magma, with great potential. It's said that if developed to its fullest potential, it could even directly eliminate subdimensional entrances."

Clearing the subspace means severing the connection between the secret spirit and reality, which is the most thorough and domineering method of containment.

"So... what kind of person is Wu Xingyi? What is her relationship with Uncle Wu Mo like?" Su Ninglong continued to ask.

"Capable, with clear goals and considerable ambition. But she also has high emotional intelligence and is very good at handling people. Before Wu Weini died, she and Wu Mo got along well and were considered a model couple by many." Zou Shuyi's voice gradually turned cold. "You asked her if it was because of Wu Weini entering the contaminated area?"

"Was it she who insisted on letting Wu Weini go in to rescue people?"

"Yes." Zou Shuyi's tone suppressed her old anger. "At that time, the Star Alliance had just been established, and the rules were chaotic, with everyone doing their own thing. She took advantage of the loopholes at the time and acted on her own initiative to mobilize Wu Weini."