—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "A cook?"
Stelle: "Hearing Mr. Jiaoqiu's understanding of culinary arts, he's not just an ordinary cook, but a master chef!"
Stelle: "Chef Jiaoqiu, is there any chance we can taste some of your dishes?"
Jiaoqiu: "Haha, of course you can."
Jiaoqiu: "It's just that my dishes often tend to have rather heavy flavors."
Jiaoqiu: "After eating, they might make you feel quite hot-headed…"
Jiaoqiu: "But fear not!"
Jiaoqiu: "I am a medical practitioner after all. Preparing some cooling herbal tea to clear the heat and soothe the fire along with your meal won't be difficult."
March 7th: "Eat and get hot-headed?"
March 7th: "Do you mean it's going to be very spicy?"
Paimon: "Uh… this reminds me of Xiangling's Black-Back Perch Stew."
Paimon: "It was so spicy my nose was running, but I just couldn't stop eating."
Hu Tao: "Speaking of which, Xiangling, you're a cook too."
Hu Tao: "Why don't you know medicine?"
Xiangling: "Huh??"
Xiangling: "What kind of proper cook knows medicine?"
Jiaoqiu: "Indeed. A proper cook only knows how to make dishes."
Jiaoqiu: "Only an improper cook like me is a medical practitioner and a strategist at the same time."
Stelle: "No problem, as long as you get triple the salary!"
Jiaoqiu: "Triple the salary?"
Jiaoqiu: "Haha, you'll have to go to your dreams for that!"
....
『 [ Looking at your eyes, you've clearly misunderstood me, Jiaoqiu, as merely a frail scholar who talks idly about martial arts. ]
[ Actually, I also know absolutely nothing about the art of killing~ ]
[ After all, the way of medicine is inherently an art of both life and death. ]
Seeing the slightly skeptical looks from Yunli and Yanqing, Jiaoqiu got excited.
He had to prove that he also knew how to defeat enemies!
[ It's easy to see he's really anxious. ]
[ An adult trying to reclaim their honor from children… sigh. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Feixiao: "Hahaha, Jiaoqiu, you have times when you're looked down upon too?"
Feixiao: "And by two kids, no less."
Feixiao: "Isn't that embarrassing? Hahaha…"
Moze: "I told you long ago, with your frail look, going out and talking idly about other people's martial arts has zero credibility."
Moze: "If you run into someone with a hot temper, they'll give you a few punches."
Jiaoqiu: "Eh? You two."
Jiaoqiu: "What's there to gloat about?"
Jiaoqiu: "I, Jiaoqiu, though not versed in martial arts moves, understand martial arts concepts!"
Jiaoqiu: "As the saying goes, master one method and you master a hundred!"
Jiaoqiu: "The concept of practicing martial arts is, to some extent, the same as cooking!"
Yunli: "Oh, please, you pink-haired, squinty-eyed big fox."
Yunli: "A cook like you shouldn't be talking about martial arts concepts."
Yunli: "When all is said and done, aren't you just a theorist who has never put anything into practice?"
Yanqing: "Yunli is right. Martial arts cannot rely on concepts alone."
Yanqing: "Practice is what matters most."
Yanqing: "Just like cooking. Perhaps I also understand the steps and methods of cooking, but the dishes I make would definitely not be as professional as Mr. Jiaoqiu's!"
Stelle: "Hahaha, lectured by two kids again."
Stelle: "What a pitiful cook."
Jiaoqiu: "Ah, this…"
Jiaoqiu: "Fine, what you say makes sense."
Jiaoqiu: "Since I don't know martial arts, I won't talk idly about it anymore."
Jiaoqiu: "But I do know the art of killing, and that's the truth!"
March 7th: "But how does a cook kill?"
March 7th: "By treating people as ingredients and dissecting them with a kitchen knife??"
March 7th: "Eek~"
March 7th: "How terrifying!"
Jiaoqiu: "….."
Jiaoqiu: "I use medicine to kill!"
Jiaoqiu: "Not culinary arts!"
Jiaoqiu: "Sigh… forget it, just pretend I never said anything, just treat me as a cook…"
Feixiao: "Haha ha ha…"
Feixiao: "Jiaoqiu, it seems your identity as a cook is still the more prominent one!"
....
『 [ This bottle of medicine in my hand, do you recognize it? ]
To prove he also possessed the skill to kill, Jiaoqiu rummaged through his pockets and produced a tightly sealed bottle of liquid.
[ Don't recognize it. ]
The three of them sized up the bottle for a few moments, all shaking their heads, indicating they did not recognize it.
[ This is called Tumbledust! ]
[ It is a decoction refined and concentrated from the exotic flower 'Yabruh' from beyond our borders. ]
Jiaoqiu pointed at the medicine in his hand, introducing it seriously to the three of them.
[ Is it poison? ]
Yanqing asked tentatively.
[ Ah, whether it is a poison or a life-saving medicine depends entirely on the intention of the practitioner. ]
[ Before performing surgeries on patients to cleanse their marrow or open their chests, just a single drop can make them feel no pain. ]
[ But… ]
[ If the dosage is a bit more, and the concentration a bit higher, it will slow down metabolism, prevent blood from coagulating, and even cause the loss of all five senses—even long-life species who are immune to old age and sickness cannot escape its effects. ]
[ This thing can save lives, and it can also kill. It has far more uses than the swords in your hands. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "Holy crap!"
Stelle: "I believe you're a strategist now!"
Stelle: "What a toxic scholar!"
March 7th: "Mr. Jiaoqiu, the art of killing you mentioned is just poisoning people??"
March 7th: "Isn't that a bit…"
Yunli: "Bah! That's just a dirty, underhanded trick!"
Yunli: "A martial artist must rely on their own strength to win fair and square!"
Yanqing: "Indeed, Mr. Jiaoqiu. Forgive Yanqing, but I cannot agree with your art of killing."
Jiaoqiu: "Ah, still so young!"
Jiaoqiu: "What is the art of killing?"
Jiaoqiu: "It is the art of being able to kill people!"
Jiaoqiu: "You must know, when facing enemies on the battlefield, it is kill or be killed!"
Jiaoqiu: "At that moment, there is no so-called honor, nor is there any so-called right or wrong. All you can do is exert all your strength to kill your enemy!"
Jiaoqiu: "As long as you can kill the enemy, no means are too extreme, and no price is too high!"
Jiaoqiu: "And while poisoning seems like a low-class move, it is actually the most effective way to kill enemies."
Jiaoqiu: "As long as enemies can be poisoned in droves, the casualty rate of our soldiers will be greatly reduced."
Jiaoqiu: "So, when you are on a battlefield of life and death, will you still think this is an underhanded trick?"
Stelle: "There's nothing wrong with that."
Stelle: "On the battlefield, killing the enemy must come first!"
Stelle: "No matter what schemes or tricks are used, as long as they can kill the enemy, they are good strategies!"
Jiaoqiu: "Indeed, Miss Stelle is the one who thinks clearly!"
Yunli: "Fine, what you say makes sense."
Yunli: "I won't argue."
Yunli: "Of course, the premise is that you don't use this kind of trick normally!"
Jiaoqiu: "That goes without saying."
Jiaoqiu: "Such toxic schemes are only used on enemies."
Jiaoqiu: "This is my bottom line as a medical practitioner!"
Paimon: "Hmm… hearing Mr. Jiaoqiu put it that way, suddenly poisoning doesn't seem so unacceptable…"
Paimon: "Next time we fight monsters, should I try sprinkling a massive dose of poison on their food in advance?"
Lumine: "NO!! Absolutely not!"
Lumine: "Paimon, please don't go down the path of a toxic strategist!"
Lumine: "With that tiny brain of yours, I'm afraid you'll accidentally mistake poison for salt one day and put it in our pot!"
Lumine: "I wouldn't be able to rest in peace if that happened!"
Hu Tao: "Oh my~ dear friend, don't be afraid!"
Hu Tao: "I'll provide you with cremation services to ensure you can rest in peace! (sly_smile.jpg)"
Lumine: "….Hu Tao, thank you so much for that… (speechless.jpg)"
....
『 [ Yanqing would still rather place victory or defeat on the edge of a sword, rather than… uh… ]
Yanqing wanted to say it was an underhanded method, but saying so seemed a bit impolite, so he hesitated.
[ I did indeed misunderstand you. ]
[ You're not a frail scholar; you're a shameless scholar. ]
Yanqing felt it was impolite, but the outspoken Yunli didn't have so many reservations.
[ Hey, hey, why the insults all of a sudden? ]
[ I was merely popularizing medical knowledge for everyone, not instigating you all to poison people. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Silver Wolf: "Are you saying one thing and meaning another too?"
Silver Wolf: "Look at your expression; it has already betrayed your inner thoughts."
Jiaoqiu: "Ahem, I really didn't mean to instigate anyone to poison people!"
Jiaoqiu: "I just wanted to make your thinking more flexible and open!"
Jiaoqiu: "Killing enemies… doesn't necessarily require the swords, spears, staffs, or axes in your hands."
Jiaoqiu: "There are many other methods that can achieve the same, or even better, results!"
March 7th: "But Mr. Jiaoqiu, we're just going to participate in the Wardance Ceremony right now?"
March 7th: "We're not going to the battlefield to kill enemies!"
March 7th: "What do you mean by telling me about poisoning at a time like this?"
Jiaoqiu: "Uh… sorry, didn't I just want to prove myself?"
Jiaoqiu: "I really wasn't instigating you to poison the contestants!"
Jiaoqiu: "Personally, I also highly despise such despicable behavior!!"
Moze: "Hahahahahahaha…"
Jiaoqiu: "What are you laughing at?"
Moze: "I suddenly thought of something happy."
Jiaoqiu: "What happy thing did you think of?"
Moze: "Eating something good tonight."
Feixiao: "Hahaha… that cracks me up."
Jiaoqiu: "General, what are you laughing at?"
Feixiao: "I also thought of something happy!"
Jiaoqiu: "You're also eating something good tonight??"
Feixiao: "Exactly!"
Feixiao: "Moze is treating us to something good!"
Jiaoqiu: "..."
Jiaoqiu: "Count me in!"
Jiaoqiu: "I want to eat something good too!"
....
『 [ Mr. Jiaoqiu gets so excited whenever he talks about poison. I don't know whether to call it open and honorable or insidious and despicable… ]
Yanqing shook his head, finding it a bit hard to evaluate Jiaoqiu.
[ Suppose there are two people right now: one is standing insidiously and despicably, while the other is lying down openly and honorably. ]
[ Tell me, what way does the one lying down have to complain about the one standing being insidious and despicable? ]
[ On the battlefield, life and death happen in an instant, and all thoughts turn to naught. ]
[ Surviving is the only truth. ]
[ As long as one can return alive from the battlefield, all values will be redefined. ]
[ Be it open and honorable, or insidious and despicable, in my eyes, they are both as light as a feather. ]
Jiaoqiu rarely opened his eyes, speaking these words of deep, earnest advice. 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "Jiaoqiu is openly and honorably insidious and despicable!"
Stelle: "He's different from those common, flashy, despicable villains!"
Jiaoqiu: "?"
Jiaoqiu: "Are you praising me or insulting me?"
Jiaoqiu: "I can't even tell!"
Hotaru: "Openly and honorably insidious and despicable…"
Hotaru: "With 'openly and honorably' in front, it should be praise, right?"
Furina de Fontaine: "Mr. Jiaoqiu opened his eyes again."
Furina de Fontaine: "It's really not easy to see Mr. Jiaoqiu open his eyes."
Mualani: "When Mr. Jiaoqiu opens his eyes, it means he's getting serious."
Mualani: "It seems the words just now were Mr. Jiaoqiu's realization about life on the battlefield."
March 7th: "Surviving on the battlefield… that really isn't easy."
March 7th: "Or rather, it might even be a luxury, right?"
Dan Heng: "In a true war, human lives are like grass, falling in waves, and rushing forward in waves."
Dan Heng: "Once on the battlefield, no one can guarantee they will return in one piece."
Dan Heng: "They go with the determination to die from the very beginning."
Lumine: "Suddenly I realize, with a scale like the Xianzhou Alliance, every war must be unimaginably grand, right?"
Fu Xuan: "That goes without saying."
Nahida: "Which also means, in a great war… many, many people will die…"
Robin: "Sigh, how wonderful would it be if there were no more conflicts in the world?"
Dr. Veritas Ratio: "Unfortunately, that is unrealistic."
Dr. Veritas Ratio: "At least with the existing laws, it cannot be done."
Stelle: "Don't worry, once I become an Aeon, I will create a paradise of peace!"
Qingque: "What? Are you going to complete the grand cause that Mr. Sunday failed to achieve?"
Silver Wolf: "What kind of successor is this?"
Guinaifen: "Haha, if Stelle can really do it, I feel we can hire Mr. Sunday as the manager!"
Sunday: "If there truly is such a paradise, I am willing to dedicate all my strength!"
Stelle: "You said it!"
Stelle: "When the time comes, and I don't pay you, don't go back on your word!"
....
『 [ Mr. Jiaoqiu underestimates Yunli and me. Though we are young, we have also been to the battlefield. ]
Seeing Jiaoqiu putting on the air of an experienced elder lecturing them, Yanqing shook his head and explained.
[ My apologies, my apologies. ]
[ Since that's the case, you two should also know that the Wardance Ceremony is just about the excitement of the arena. Why are you so invested in it? ]
Hearing Yanqing's words, Jiaoqiu asked back in a curious tone.
[ When I was chosen as the defender of the Wardance Ceremony, I also asked the General: Cloud Knights going to battle to kill enemies is their duty, so why must they wield swords on the stage to entertain the audience? ]
[ The General answered me: enter the formation and draw the sword, ascend the stage and show the sword; with one sword unsheathed, restrain the sharpness of a hundred swords. ]
[ The Wardance Ceremony is a great opportunity to showcase martial virtue and make allies from all over. ]
[ Hanging the sword above the ceremony, unsheathing it without causing harm, showcases not only the sword, but also the martial virtue and majesty of the Cloud Knights. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Hu Tao: "What? Yanqing and Miss Yunli are so young, yet they've already been to the battlefield to kill enemies?"
Qingque: "There's nothing to be surprised about; that's just how the Cloud Knights are."
Yunli: "Without going to the battlefield to kill enemies, no matter how amazing your swordplay practice is, it's just an ornamental performance."
Yunli: "We practice swordsmanship and master all kinds of martial arts, ultimately, to go to battle and kill enemies!"
Yanqing: "Indeed."
Yanqing: "The destination of a Cloud Knight should be on the battlefield!"
Yanqing: "A warrior like General Feixiao, who fights on the front lines to kill enemies year-round, has always been the object of my admiration!"
Feixiao: "Admiring me?"
Feixiao: "Haha, then you certainly have good taste!"
Furina de Fontaine: "No wonder they are so strong at such a young age."
Furina de Fontaine: "It turns out they not only have good masters and high natural talent, working hard enough, but they are also so ruthless to themselves!"
Furina de Fontaine: "The battlefield is no joke. Even as a disciple of a General, with one careless mistake, they might not return, right?"
Fu Xuan: "Not just disciples of Generals."
Fu Xuan: "Even successive Generals have fallen on the battlefield!"
Fu Xuan: "After all… war is never a game…"
....