NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Prologue
{Xianzhou Alliance "Luofu" Starskiff Dock}
"Is this Luofu?" A relaxed and carefree voice, accompanied by a faint smile, came from a tall and robust man in formal attire. He had jet-black hair as dark as the night and eyes that resembled flames burning continuously.
The young man stepped down from the starship, a transport aircraft on the planet Luofu.
He scanned the surroundings with interest, adjusting his tie while maintaining a faint smile on his face, as if it were his trademark and signature.
"Welcome to Luofu. I am TingYun, the amicassador of the Whistling Flames Guild.
I'm here as a representative of Madam Yukong from the Sky-Faring Commission to welcome you." The young fox with glossy reddish-brown fur and the man in azure armor bowed respectfully.
"Austin Lionheart from THC, nice to meet you," Austin extended his arm to shake hands with the other person. "I never expected someone from the Whistling Flames Guild to welcome me personally like this; it's truly an honor."
"No, T.H.C. is an important ally for us at Xianzhou. This is something we should do."
Austin didn't say anything further, just nodded. Tingyun guided him to the hotel to rest after the journey. "But I never expected the chairman to come in person; usually it's Mr. Moriarty."
"Haha, that's true. Actually, I'm not really good at anything formal. I bother them a lot, so once in a while, I have to act like a president. Besides, if others only see the silly side of me all the time, they'll end up being looked down upon too."
"Haha, I totally get it. Even though we work and play around, the subordinates understand. But from an outsider's perspective, they don't often see us working like this, so they end up talking nonsense, right?
"So it means that from this angle and situation, we are very much alike, right~?"
Both of them smiled at each other casually as if it weren't their first meeting. Until Clound Knight, who was following behind, turned to look at them with curiosity. They got along so well that they arrived at the hotel in no time.
"If you need anything, feel free to contact me at any time. Please rest well." The fox girl bowed her head and walked away after completing her duty, leaving the cloud warriors to guard. To be honest, all of this was just a facade, a mere pretense of hospitality.
General Jing Yuan understood the threat that T.H.C. could pose to Xian Zhou very well, so he had to remain vigilant. Although it seemed impolite, it was understandable for Austin and the other THC members. Therefore, they did not protest or show any dissatisfaction. Instead, they followed the other party's lead well to demonstrate their sincerity.
The next day, after Austin had rested to his satisfaction, Ting Yun came to pick him up and take him to the Sky-Faring Commission. The young man was brought to an office that looked luxurious and was told to sit on the incredibly soft sofa while sipping hot tea.
Austin must admit that he has traveled across the sea of stars to trade in many places, but the beauty and sophistication of the Xianzhou culture still remain at the top of his heart.
"I'm really sorry to have kept you waiting," the sliding door opened with a sound, followed by footsteps approaching. The turquoise-furred fox girl said in a friendly tone. When their eyes met, Austin stood up and bowed to greet her.
"You must be Lady Yukong, right? I'm Austin Lionheart. This must be the first time we meet in person. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too. We've talked through messages and videos many times, but I never thought there would be a day we would meet in person." They shook hands according to Austin's cultural customs before sitting on opposite sides of the red couch.
As soon as they sat down, both quickly began the business negotiations. Yukong was a sharp and capable woman, making this task not easy for Austin. However, in the end, he managed to gain the upper hand. All of this was thanks to the good and deep relationship between the two, who had been long-distance friends all along.
"If that's the case, then we can consider it a good agreement," Austin said calmly as he poured the jade cup for Yu Gong. "Thank you, Yukong, for your kindness in many aspects. Otherwise, this business deal would have been difficult for us."
"It's not that serious; Mr. Lionheart is being too considerate. By the way, do you plan to stay in Luofu for a long time?"
"Well, this matter is still uncertain; actually, I want to take care of everything in the initial phase to make it perfect first."
"But I also have another ship from Xianzhou that I need to go with; the earliest would be tomorrow. If it's the latest, it would probably take about a month. Anyway, Luofu is an important economic ship."
"If that's the case, how about having Tingyun follow up and help during this period? She is a representative I trust. I assure you she won't cause any problems and will definitely be beneficial to Mr. Lionheart."
"If you think it's appropriate, I won't refuse. Besides, I don't really know much about Luofu, so having someone to guide would be very helpful."
"In that case, we would be very happy~"
When the agreement was finalized, Austin walked out of the Sky-Faring Commission with the young fox spirit, Tingyun. She was cheerful, a stark contrast to her earlier demeanor, which was all about poise and manners befitting a representative of Luofu.
'Should we call it being true to oneself or just escaping work stress? But from what I can tell right now, she is having a blast and is extremely happy, as if she got a long vacation for free.'
"Hey, at Luofu, there are plenty of delicious dishes. Once you try them, Mr. Lionheart, you won't forget them for sure."
"..."
"Huh! Is something wrong? Why are you smirking and staring at me like that? Doing this makes me blush too, you know~" Tingyun raised her fan to cover her slightly reddened face.
"Haha, it's nothing; I just think I prefer the informal version of you, Tingyun, more~" Austin flashed a bright, innocent smile at the other person, making her blush even more. "Since we're at it, why don't we take a break from being formal or polite and just be ourselves?"
"For example, when referring to oneself, there's no need to be humble or polite, and you don't have to use surnames either. Just call me 'Aus' like my friends do. But on the other hand, can I call you 'TingTing' instead of 'Tingyun'~?"
"Hmm, are you serious, Austin~" Ting Yuyin dragged her voice seductively as if deliberately teasing Austin. "You won't take back your words, right?"
"Ah~, I won't go back on my word. From now on, please take care of me, Tingting~"
They laughed together in a friendly manner. It's not surprising that people of the same type can become close so easily. Ting Yuen's friendliness and Austin's easy-going nature complemented each other very well, making them the talk of the town in Luofu just a few days after their arrival.
____________________________________________________________________________ [End of Prologue]