You actually came to trick and attack the cute cat?

Luo Mo shrugged off any potential consequences, declaring, "I'm all about the crazy theories, but don't blame me if they lead you astray!" Then, with a glint in his eye, he launched into a captivating tale about uncovering the legendary One Piece treasure.

He weaved his story with such conviction that Pardo, the ever-diligent student, pulled out a notebook and began scribbling furiously.

Luo Mo caught a glimpse of the pages – there were crude maps with circled locations, and – wait a minute – wasn't that a rough sketch of his house?

"Boss, this is getting seriously confusing. One minute you're talking about chakra beating some kind of domineering power, then it's sage mode and turtle wave qigong...whatever that is! But wait, now there's a Tailed Devil Fox in the mix?"

"Seriously, are you even making sense? Before, it was all about finding seven dragon balls in villages and battling aliens underwater... Boss, I hope you're not just pulling our legs here!"

Pardo's eyes, normally fixated on money, were practically swirling. Her pen scribbled nervously, the words barely legible. 

At this moment, she deeply suspected that the other party was deceiving her.

This was spiraling way out of control! At first, Dragon Ball and those villages seemed connected, at least a little. But now? It was a jumbled mess of random ideas!

"Actually, it's a Devil Fruit," Luo Mo corrected her gently. Of course, he trailed off – the gears were turning as he desperately tried to concoct a believable story.

"Boss—it''s illegal to lie to Little Pardo." A soft voice chimed in.

Luo Mo glanced over, unfazed, to see who dared speak of unknown laws. It was Aponia, who'd arrived with a smile. She settled down beside Griseo, playfully admiring the child's artwork.

"Whoa – boss, you actually lied to me?" Pardo gasped, her hand dropping to the floor in shock.

Her trembling finger pointed straight at Luo Mo, disbelief etched across her face. How could anyone trick her – a poor, innocent cat?

Did this guy have no heart? No sense of right or wrong? Her eyes brimmed with hurt, but a flicker of determination appeared. She furiously scribbled in her notebook.

No, I decided that sooner or later I would have to sneak into his room one night to stock up.

Pardo thought fiercely in her heart that she was still a little uneasy about her conscience, but now she no longer has any burden.

"Look, Eden, he even lied to little Pardo!"

Elysia was beside her, adding fuel to the fire, with a look in her eyes as if she were watching a good show. She also liked this situation very much.

"I never thought you could see through people's hearts, Aponia?""

Luo Mo said thoughtfully. He looked at Pardo, who looked like she wanted to pounce on him and bite his finger. After thinking for a while, he decided to comfort her first.

"Hey, Pardo, honestly, I wasn't lying. There really is treasure under the sea," Luo Mo insisted. 

"Real? "

" Really! Mountains of it! Gold, silver, jewels – you wouldn't believe your eyes. Let me show you exactly where it is...

Luo Mo hesitated. He hated to keep deceiving Pardo with his wild story. He glanced at the map and an idea sparked. He circled an island – one he'd bought with Schicksal's funds as a future relaxing getaway for his employees.

See? He was a thoughtful boss! Of course, if Pardo was dead set on finding treasure, he could always buy a few trinkets and hide them on the island. A little treasure hunt never hurt anyone.

Just as Luo Mo started to explain, his eyes fell on Pardo. Far from upset, she was practically glowing with excitement, carefully noting the island's location.

Her earlier thoughts of raiding his room were put on hold, replaced by thrilling visions of adventure. Who needed stolen intel when a treasure island awaited?

Aponia blinked as if snapping out of a daydream. "Me? Oh, no, I apologize. It's not polite to constantly peek into people's minds," she explained, her smile tinged with a hint of self-reproach. 

She smiled and touched Griseo head to express encouragement.

Aponia still has a wait-and-see attitude towards her painting; after all, this one seems a bit too abstract.

Griseo had been absorbed in her work, a quiet presence tucked away in a corner of the hall. She splashed colors she'd never seen before onto the canvas, translating the visions in her mind with careful brushstrokes. 

It wasn't until someone approached that she broke her concentration.

"Mother Aponia, you're here." Griseo said in a soft voice, as if she had just noticed the surrounding situation.

"Hmm...and then there's that yellow adult, Brother and Sister Elysia," Griseo murmured thoughtfully.

"Griseo, let's make a deal," Luo Mo said, crouching down to her level. He gave her a gentle, persuasive smile. "How about calling me Brother Luo Mo instead? We don't want any strange colors in our names, right?" It really bothered him being associated with that particular shade of yellow.

"Okay, Brother Luo Mo," Griseo agreed with a nod. Luo Mo sighed with relief, but his victory was short-lived. Griseo suddenly stretched out her hand, palm facing him. 

Her five fingers were incredibly delicate, and her skin, whether because of her condition or something else, gleamed like pure white jade bathed in sunlight.

Confused and a little bewildered, Luo Mo stared at her hand, unsure of what she wanted.

"Sister Elysia told me, if a yellow adult wants you to change what you call them, you can hold out your hand and ask for payment." Griseo's voice was clear as a bell, and her wide, innocent eyes made it almost impossible for Luo Mo to refuse.

"Ellie, what are you going to do?" Aponia twitched the corner of her mouth slightly after hearing Griseo explanation.

I never expected that it would be Ellie who led Griseo into trouble first. Sure enough, did the crisis arise from within first?

Seeing the eyes of everyone around her looking at her, Elysia felt a sense of crisis. It seemed that she had done something unethical,

At the time, she'd felt protective of Griseo, certain she wasn't getting paid (who knew those funds went straight to the Golden Courtyard?).

Little Griseo worked so hard, she deserved a little something extra! But clearly, Griseo took that advice to heart.

"Um...hey?" Elysia tilted her head, flashing her most adorable smile in hopes of winning some sympathy.

But those suspicious glances didn't go away. Desperation crept in. "Look, I didn't know Luo Mo was so stingy! How could he never even talk money with Griseo? Naturally, I had to step in and give her some pointers!"

"And another thing! My sweet Griseo has beautiful blue hair, but Luo Mo said he prefers white hair. How tragic is that?" Elysia sniffled, feigning heartbreak.

"Hold on, who do you think I am?" Luo Mo sputtered indignantly. "Do you think I'd corner Griseo and hound her about her hair color all day?"

 "Have you ever even considered that possibility?" Elysia took the initiative and raised her head to ask directly. There was no trace of tears on her face, which was full of acting skills.

Luo Mo blinked, a storm of confusion brewing on his face. He most certainly was not that kind of person! …Right? He definitely wasn't a lolicon ...was he?

Luo Mo desperately replayed his recent actions in his mind. Wait, Theresa and Luna weren't exactly lolis (…or were they?), and Griseo definitely wasn't either (…was she?), so he is not!

Self-doubt gnawed at him. No! With a flash of conviction, his uncertain eyes hardened. He was not that kind of guy!

"Okay, okay, enough of this," Aponia said, a hint of exasperation in her voice. "Griseo, please put your hand down."

She was dressed very homely today. Her slender waist held up her huge breasts, which were wrapped in a simple solid-color skirt. There were not many embellishments on it, but she felt sexy inexplicably.

Luo Mo shook his head, then did something unexpected. Just as Griseo was about to lower her hand, he slipped a card into her palm. It felt cold at first, like a piece of smooth jade, yet had a delicate softness jade lacked. He quickly pulled his hand away, leaving no trace of lingering warmth.

"This is mine?"

Facing the stigma card sent to her, Griseo was a little confused and at a loss.

But she liked the things on the card very much; they were familiar, they had a pure and natural blue color, and she felt familiar at a glance.

[Griseo · Fairy Tale (Three Stars)]

The card showcases a charming image of Griseo, still lost in her world of mushrooms. It's hard to say if she can tell the difference between the edible and the poisonous ones.

"Wow! It's your very own Stigmata card, Griseo! Let's go test it out," Elysia chirped, a mischievous grin flitting across her face.

Among Flame-Chasers, the special thing about Griseo is that the opponent(she) has never been a warrior, and no Flame-Chasers wants her to appear on the battlefield.

A quiet voice drifts over, tinged with skepticism. It's Mobius, who's been pacing with some sort of compass-like device. Seeing the Stigmata card in Griseo's hand, she can't help but frown. "Given her abilities... this probably won't be on par with Elysia's power."

Her detector can only find the energy wavelength of this kind of card for the time being, and it must not be blocked in the air, which is full of limitations. But she didn't expect that the experiment she made would just light up.

Therefore, even though she was just about to crawl back to the room to rest, she returned to the place indicated by the instrument to check.

People who don't know Flame-Chasers must have this kind of strength... Although she can maintain her condition, it is undoubtedly a fantasy to restore her original strength.

"It doesn't matter," Griseo insisted, her large eyes momentarily clouded with confusion as she held Luo Mo's gaze. "I like it very much. I think it suits me."

"Is this okay? Brother Luo Mo, I really want this." Griseo wasn't one to beat around the bush, especially when it came to something she desired. She voiced her wish with quiet determination.

The card held a special resonance for her, a taste of childhood innocence. Perhaps this could fill the empty spaces within her heart, just a little.

Luo Mo nodded. A Stigmata truly reached its full potential when matched to the right person. Without the ability to activate special bonuses, even the most powerful Stigmata could only provide basic stats – a true waste.

"Sakura, this one is for you." Luo Mo produced another Stigmata and gently placed it in Sakura's hands.

[Higokumaru (Four Stars)]

Sakura, holding the card, couldn't help but feel a flicker of uncertainty. She didn't sense the familiar pull, the connection that usually resonated within her. Did he give her the wrong Stigmata this time?

"This one is actually meant for Rin," Luo Mo explained gently. "It might help separate her consciousness from Higokumaru's. I'm still looking for the perfect one for you."

Sakura's eyes shone, but more of them were confused.

A long-held dream, seemingly fulfilled in an instant, felt strangely unreal. If Luo Mo's words were true, it seemed there was little she could do to truly thank him. She accepted the card, her normally unwavering voice trembling ever so slightly.

"Thank you. I'll repay this kindness if the need arises."

Whether the promise made by the killer is worth the expectation, other Flame-Chasers felt uneasy at this time.

Sakura herself had learned to temper her expectations. The closer success seemed, the more important it was to remain grounded. She'd witnessed too many narrow escapes followed by crushing failures. Excessive hope could easily crush the fragile threads of possibility.

Mobius looked at the two stigmata and had no intention of snatching them. Joking has to be done according to the occasion. Furthermore, it was not that She had no stigmata to study; She just wanted more and more.

As for Griseo, even if she resorted to her usual tactics of 'borrowing' a Stigmata, it would only be to give it to someone else in need.

"Those two are valued employees within my company," Luo Mo stated, seizing the opportunity to subtly advertise the benefits of joining his organization. "Their tireless contributions earned them priority."

He wasn't wrong. Even if he managed to pull a coveted Stigmata, its distribution would be heavily influenced by circumstance. By working together, they could form a mutually beneficial relationship.

If nothing else, Luo Mo was determined to secure their participation in future dubbing projects!

Mobius remained silent, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. Had Luo Mo simply forgotten to give her a Stigmata? Or had he never actually agreed to do so in the first place?

Wait a minute... it seemed like Elysia had been the one to make those promises...

Mobius realized her mistake. She turned her gaze on Elysia, and her detector chimed at that very moment – the specific signal she'd set to alert her to Stigmata of a certain power level.

Surprise sparked in Mobius's eyes as she narrowed her gaze. "Elysia, do you happen to have another Stigmata? One that fulfills our agreement?"

"Uh-huh—our agreement..." Elysia didn't shy away. She puffed up her chest slightly and smiled. "Come to me tonight! ♪ "

Mobius gritted her teeth, finally nodding with a resigned sigh. She couldn't help but shoot a resentful glare at Luo Mo. Couldn't he have just given her the Stigmata directly? Now she had to play Elysia's 'games'!

Their exchange was interrupted by a plume of smoke and a figure leaping out from within.

Vill-V, in her usual whirlwind style, suddenly appeared and slung an arm around Luo Mo's neck, and asked like a good buddy,

"Hey, have you got mine?" she questioned in a chummy tone. "So many people are getting theirs! I'm not the only one without, am I? Remember, I've given you tons of cool gadgets!"

"Like, uh, motion capture?" Luo Mo offered, a hint of amusement in his voice. He couldn't quite forget those one-time use gadgets and the particularly startling one that ended in an explosion.

Vill-V broke out in a nervous sweat. Why did he have to mention that? She clasped her hands apologetically, signaling that example didn't count. "Well, how about...like..."

She wracked her brain, but nothing worthwhile came to mind. Her signature binoculars? The flower-blooming pen? The light-emitting memory stick? Honestly, none of those inventions had truly proven useful to the Flame-Chasers, except maybe for the last one.

Luo Mo watched with amusement as Vill-V struggled to come up with an example. He wasn't in a rush. There was no doubt her inventions had helped him in some way, but perhaps those...quirky extra functions could be toned down next time.

Just as Vill-V was deep in thought, a knock came at the door. It was the heroes' companions arriving for their scheduled meeting. This explained the unusually large crowd gathered in the hall.

"Knock knock!"

...

Of everyone involved in the idol competition, Fu Hua herself seemed the least affected by her win.

Today, she went through her usual routine with outward calm: waking, washing, heading to class...and then walking, seemingly without a care in the world, towards the Golden Courtyard?

But beneath the surface, her heart raced. Guided by the Book of Fuxi, she had connected with Kallen, learning a startling truth: Cheng Lixue, her sole recognized disciple, was not dead. Instead, she was preserved in a frozen cryogenic chamber.

Since the Second Honkai, countless people had been frozen in time. Yet, Cheng Lixue alone seemed to have endured, a testament to her incredible will.

No one knew what she was thinking about in the end or what kept her from letting go of the hand holding the sword.

Yet, even knowing her proposed mission would likely only benefit a single person, Kallen was bound and determined to see it through.

There was a significant complication, however. The cryogenic facility was ancient, and its occupants were on the brink.

Any rescue attempt had to be completed within a few hours, and the inevitable environmental changes once the chamber was opened posed a risk. No one could guarantee Cheng Lixue could safely be frozen again afterward.

Therefore, Fu Hua decided to come to the Golden Courtyard to seek help from his former partners.

If it were them, maybe...