Too similar.
It wasn't a perfect match in appearance, but the gaze—that quality of detached scrutiny towards all things in the world—bore an astonishing resemblance to the widely circulated image of a certain Genius Society member.
Especially that look in the eyes; it was practically carved from the same mold.
What made him even more speechless was the accompanying summary of "Personal Experience."
In just three hundred years, the experiences spanned interstellar miner, data pirate/informant, bartender in Belobog's Lower District, "Honorary" Cleaning Consultant at Herta Space Station (noted in parentheses as having been politely dismissed for causing data corruption after scrubbing seventy-six experimental cabins with an unknown solvent), Prop Manager for the Xianzhou Opera Troupe (noted again in parentheses as having resigned due to a stage explosion caused by attempting to revolutionize traditional opera with holographic projection technology)... finally settling on "Freelancer, primary source of income unknown."
Jing Yuan rubbed his temples.
(Writing a resume like this, is she really trying to hide, or is it a form of performance art?)
His gaze shifted to the next file.
Tenant: Bai Heng. Race: Foxian. Occupation: Traveling Merchant.
The attached photo was a bust portrait of a white-haired fox-person maiden.
She wore a pair of oddly styled, round-lensed sunglasses that covered the upper half of her face, leaving only the lower half—a slightly smiling face and a pointed chin—visible.
Jing Yuan's fingertips tapped lightly on the armrest.
(This is too similar.)
He didn't mean the appearance with the sunglasses, but the facial contours, the slight upturn of the lips when smiling, the vibrant and lively demeanor that could be felt even through the image... it highly overlapped with the figure of an old friend deep in his Remembrance, one who had long been fixed in the "Shuhu Rebellion."
(Only...)
He stared intently at the sunglasses.
(Since when did the Xianzhou Household Registration Image Collection Standards permit wearing accessories that obscure the face like this?)
These sunglasses were very strange.
They didn't fully block the view, but in the image record, they seemed to carry an inherent layer of blurring film, preventing the observer's gaze from penetrating the lenses to discern the shape and spirit of the eyes behind, like a deliberately deployed cognitive fog.
A regular inspection might overlook it, but in Jing Yuan's eyes, this was precisely the most obvious marker of "abnormality."
"General?"
A clear, youthful voice sounded beside him.
Jing Yuan looked up and saw that his beloved disciple, Yanqing, had approached at some point, leaning in curiously to look at the light screen.
When Yanqing's gaze landed on the photo of Bai Heng wearing sunglasses, the Young Swordsman suddenly let out a sound of surprise.
"Is that her?"
Jing Yuan raised an eyebrow, intrigued: "Yanqing, do you know this person?"
"I wouldn't say I know her, just that I've seen her."
Yanqing recalled, his face displaying the seriousness characteristic of a young man, "About half a month ago, in the West Side Market of the starship Sea, three Mara-Struck individuals suddenly flared up and attacked passersby. The scene was chaotic, and the Cloud Knightss hadn't arrived yet. It was this fox-person maiden,"
He pointed to the photo, "who suddenly flashed out from the crowd, using a short bow condensed from energy. Her movements were so fast they were almost invisible. Swish, swish, swish—three arrows, accurately hitting the joints and vital points of the three Mara-Struck, instantly subduing them. The technique was clean and decisive, without a single wasted movement. She didn't linger afterward and quickly left."
Yanqing paused, then added, "I believe I mentioned this incident to you, General, when I reported my observations at the time. We just didn't know her name then."
Jing Yuan looked thoughtful, unconsciously twirling a lock of white hair that hung down.
Uses a bow?
Baiheng... was also a master archer.
In the past, her archery was unparalleled—quick, precise, and often achieved success in unexpected ways.
Is it a coincidence? Similar appearance, similar temperament, even the weapon they specialize in... A Traveling Merchant, yet possessing such sharp skill, handling sudden Mara-Struck incidents with practiced calmness, leaving quickly afterward without seeking credit... Add to that the deliberately obscured photo with the sunglasses, which even the household registration image couldn't "see clearly," and the landlord who closely resembles Herta... The laziness in Jing Yuan's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a sharp and profound investigative light.
This seemingly calm Luofu street seemed to have accidentally rolled in two rather interesting "pebbles."
"General, is there anything amiss with this person?"
Yanqing asked, seeing the unusual expression on the General's face.
Jing Yuan snapped back to attention, the profundity on his face instantly replaced by a slightly playful smile. He waved his hand, his tone relaxed: "Nothing is amiss. I was merely looking at this photo and recalling an old friend... whom I haven't seen for a very long time."
The old friend passed away centuries ago.
But what if the old friend... never truly left?
Or perhaps, someone borrowed the form of the old friend and quietly infiltrated the Luofu?
Jing Yuan picked up the slightly cool teacup beside him, took a sip, and his gaze once again fell upon the file bearing the name "Bai Heng." The amusement in his eyes was hazy, its depth hard to gauge.
The chess game of the Luofu seems poised to gain a few more unexpected pieces.
Interesting.
In the small courtyard, Baiheng was still unaware that she had been flagged in the Seat of Divine Foresight's files.
She was seriously discussing with the "System" clone left by Miss System: "I say, Miss System, isn't that 'System' resume a bit too exaggerated? What if a relevant Xianzhou department actually comes to investigate..."
The "System" clone replied in the same flat tone as the original entity: "All experiences can be traced back to reasonable disguises. The logical loop is complete. Furthermore—"
She paused, seemingly retrieving some data.
"—Based on calculations, the probability of serious verification is less than 0.37 percent. It is more likely to be ignored as invalid informational clutter or performance art."
Baiheng: "..."
(Fine, you win.)
Perspective shift.
The corridor here emitted a cold, metallic light; the walls were pure white, with only the floor guide lines and occasionally blinking safety indicator lights providing any color.
It grew increasingly silent, quiet enough to hear her own heartbeat—for Raven, the sound was currently a bit loud, as her heart was racing due to nervousness.
She and Jack were currently hiding in a maintenance compartment of a backup ventilation duct. The space was cramped, and the two were practically shoulder-to-shoulder.
The observation window of the compartment had been specially treated, appearing as a one-way mirror from the inside, allowing a clear view of the corridor outside; several fully armed Valkyrie patrol teams had just completed their routine pass, their synchronized footsteps fading into the distance.
"Alright, the 'ant' has successfully crawled into the 'Titan's' toe gap."
Raven lowered her voice, her rose-red serpentine eyes fixed on the outside. "So, what about the second half of the Genius Project? How do we 'escort' that big living person... or rather, the sleeping S-Rank Valkyrie, out of this iron fortress?"
She couldn't help but continue complaining internally:
(This plotline has gone completely off the rails! I'm actually here, trying to poach talent... If Otto finds out his own S-Rank combat power has been stolen, will that fake smiling face of his just crack?)
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