The team members who had accepted the mission did not attend their classes for the day. After leaving the principal’s office, they headed straight to the library, where the four envoys from the Kingdom of Pymeshire waited for them inside a private booth.

The language of Pymeshire was highly tongue-twisting, and none of the students understood a word of it. Fortunately, Hualan was one of the two dominant global languages, and all four Pymeshirens spoke it with ease. Conversation flowed smoothly without translators.

“We have searched these areas over the past few months, but we found nothing,” said the tall, square-jawed man. He was the Thunder Bringer.

A map of Yunjin Prefecture hung on the wall, filled with clusters of red dots. For the past two or three months, the four envoys searched every part of the region, making sure they didn’t miss a single spot—not even the Nevergone District.

“How can you be certain they are still in Yunjin Prefecture?” Wu Ying asked, leaning back with her legs crossed. “Isaac is an ocean-type Atavist, meaning his strength spikes the moment he touches water. Lighthouse jellyfish Atavists are very rare. Are you sure he doesn’t have some hidden, unique ability?”

The Wind Rider, a petite woman wearing gold earrings adorned with red feathers, shook her head with absolute certainty. “When we first arrived in Yunjin, the wind constantly carried their tracks to me. But that very night, their trace vanished. Water alone cannot completely mask their presence from the wind. Besides, though faint, I still catch brief whispers of their scent from time to time. They must still be in the prefecture.”

Tao Ying spoke up, her voice slow and soft. “Then why don’t you just ask the wind what happened?”

“The wind is not alive, so it cannot give precise coordinates,” the Wind Rider explained with calm patience. “Think of it as me catching their scent carried on the breeze.”

Jiang Qing crossed his arms, lost in thought. As the only ordinary human in the room, his inclusion in the team spoke volumes about his sharp intellect.

“A sudden cutoff, complete isolation from the wind, and a habitable environment for humans,” Jiang Qing said. “Only a spacetime bubble meets all three conditions. They are hiding in one of the bubbles in Yunjin.”

Wu Ying frowned a little. She crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair, showing a calm, confident authority. “Every bubble in the country is officially registered, guarded, and checked on a regular schedule. The chances of two foreign fugitives sneaking into one are very low.”

Spacetime bubbles were highly regulated. The government knew criminals might use them as hideouts, so even leased bubbles faced routine checks by the police and the Tribunal Division.

The only exception would be finding a rogue bubble outside the records, much like Wen Yuxian and Zhang Simiao had. But that was almost impossible now. Following the Zhang Simiao incident, Yunjin Prefecture had undergone a massive, thorough sweep. There were no rogue bubbles left.

“A slim chance is still a chance,” Jiang Qing replied. “If we want to track them down, starting with the bubbles in Yunjin is our best bet.”

Wu Ying fell silent for a few seconds before turning to Jing Pei. “Ah Jin, what do you think?”

Everyone turned their gaze toward her.

Even Jiang Qing watched her, his sharp, classic eyes behind his glasses carrying a hint of quiet scrutiny.

Jing Pei sipped water from the lid of a thermos Chu Xusheng had handed her. “I think Jiang Qing is right,” she said calmly. “Focusing on the bubbles is a smart move. We can rule out military bubbles and those past their stability periods. In theory, bubbles with permanently open entrances can be crossed off too, though that’s harder to check. We’ll probably have to inspect them one by one.”

“Agreed,” Jiang Qing said.

With Jing Pei on board, the others fell in line. Wu Ying stood up. “Then let’s head to the Tribunal Division first. We can have them file an official request with the relevant departments to inspect the bubbles.”

“We appreciate your help, young ones,” the Pymeshiren guardians said. “We will join you when the time comes.”

School was letting out around this time. As the group walked out of the private booth, they all froze in unison.

A man in a sharp Tribunal Division uniform leaned against a nearby bookshelf, quietly flipping through a book. His chiseled, striking facial features were on full display, his long eyelashes casting soft shadows like tiny fans. Yet, his fierce, lethal aura and high status made him so imposing that few students dared to even look his way.

The library’s main hall, usually filled with quiet chatter, was completely silent. Students kept their distance from him, leaving a wide circle of empty desks and chairs around him.

Hearing them approach, Qiu Fa turned his head. His sharp gaze locked onto Jing Pei. The moment his eyes met hers, they lingered for a noticeable second.

Jing Pei felt her chest tighten. Her heart fluttered slightly, perhaps due to a guilty conscience.

With a soft click, Qiu Fa closed the book, slid it back onto the shelf, and walked straight toward her.

“Are you looking for me?” Jing Pei blinked.

“I have some business nearby, so I stopped by to pick you up.”

“But we were just heading to the Tribunal Division…”

Before Jing Pei could finish, Wu Ying chimed in helpfully, “Oh, filing the bubble inspection request doesn’t require all of us anyway. If you two have things to do, go ahead.”

Clearly misunderstanding the situation, Wu Ying nudged Jing Pei’s shoulder and gave her a subtle wink.

Jing Pei had no choice but to ask Chu Xusheng to accompany Wu Ying’s group to file the application, while she left with Qiu Fa.

Standing at a towering one hundred and ninety centimeters, Qiu Fa walked with long, powerful strides. One of his steps equaled two of hers. Jing Pei had to jog to keep up, eventually reaching out to grab the fluttering sleeve of his uniform coat. “Where are we going? Slow down a bit, Big Cat.”

Too lazy to correct her nickname this time, Qiu Fa slowed his pace. He glanced out of the corner of his eye at her hand on his sleeve. “We’re eating first.”

“Your treat?”

“Yes.”

“Then I won’t hold back! I want bluefin tuna!”

Qiu Fa often visited the seafood restaurant they went to. With his sharp uniform and memorable face, the staff and the chef behind the counter knew him well as a good-looking but careful officer who loved tuna.

They couldn’t help but steal extra glances at him, likely surprised by his sudden frequency. He had just been here last night, yet here he was again today, ordering the most expensive bluefin tuna. Had he struck it rich, or did the Tribunal Division give him a massive raise?

“I watched your battle with the Spacetime Worm,” Qiu Fa said as they sat. “Your combat skills still need work. What should have taken a single strike took you ten. From now on, you’re coming to the training grounds with me every day after school.”

“Huh?” Jing Pei blinked, stunned. “But I just took on a mission.”

“Which is exactly why you need special training. You can spare an hour a day.” Though phrased as a question, his tone left absolutely no room for refusal.

“Your potential goes far beyond this, and young people recover quickly. Don’t be afraid of hard work.” Seeing her merely smile without answering, he added, “A kid who loves playing the hero and sticking her nose into trouble needs to know how to protect herself.”

So he thinks I’m too weak and worries I’ll get killed by a stronger enemy.

Qiu Fa wasn’t wrong. She did need to push her limits. The Spacetime Worm was actually one of the weakest interdimensional creatures. Even though her five “deaths” were deliberate, she knew the fight itself hadn’t been an easy victory.

“Since Big Cat cares so much, I’ll be in your care then.” Jing Pei leaned in close, flashing a bright, teasing grin. “This private tutoring is just for me, right?”

A cold, hard glass of ice milk was promptly pressed against her forehead. Qiu Fa held the cup in place, his eyes narrowing slightly as he stared straight at her.

Warning bells instantly blared inside Jing Pei’s head.

Fortunately, Qiu Fa pulled back his intense gaze, giving her a stern, warning glare. “Watch your boundaries. Don’t play around with me.”

Jing Pei sat up straight, instantly behaving herself like a mischievous child who had just been scolded by a strict adult.

There’s no way he recognized me, right? It should be impossible. My appearance ten years later is vastly different from my current seventeen-year-old self. I don’t have that signature mole on my chin right now, and both my eye shape and jawline are different. Besides, Long Jin is still a minor. A rigid, moral gentleman like Qiu Fa would never link an underage girl to a mysterious broker…

Halfway through the meal, Qiu Fa spoke up out of nowhere. “Are you close with that information broker?”

Jing Pei slipped back into her playful mood without thinking. “Which info broker?”

“The one from the Puzzle Intelligence Agency.”

“The agency has more than one agent. Which one do you mean?”

Qiu Fa stayed quiet, the name seeming to burn on his tongue before he finally said it dryly: “Jing Pei.”

“Oh, her! Yeah, we’re pretty close. I’m a regular client of hers, and she usually handles my deals. Why do you ask?”

Qiu Fa took a sip of his milk, trying to sound casual. “Does she have any specific preferences?”

“Preferences?”

“When asking someone for a favor, it is customary to send a gift. One should send something they actually like.”

“Ah, I see! You want to give Jing Pei a gift!”

“It’s just professional respect,” he said firmly.

“Right, right, of course…” Jing Pei tapped her chin in thought, her eyes suddenly lighting up. “Why don’t you just present yourself to her? She loves large felines and handsome guys, and you happen to be both!”

Qiu Fa’s gaze sharpened, that same curious look returning to his eyes.

Jing Pei: “…” Why do I always have to open my big mouth and tease him?

After dinner, Jing Pei followed Qiu Fa to the training grounds. The facility sat inside an ultra-small spacetime bubble. Although classified as “ultra-small,” it was still vast enough to accommodate over a hundred thousand people, complete with lush mountains, flowing water, and a thriving, dense forest ecosystem.

This was Qiu Fa’s private training ground. Here, they could fight with absolute freedom without worrying about causing collateral damage.

Qiu Fa slipped off his uniform coat and tossed it aside. Loosening his collar and rolling up his sleeves, he turned to face Jing Pei. He casually gestured for her to come forward. “Attack me with everything you’ve got.”

Combat was always the best teacher.

Jing Pei smiled.