"Sister Fei Xiao, you..."
Meng Xi looked on with some confusion, but a finger was pressed against her lips.
Staring at the beautiful face inches away, a sunset-like blush quickly rose on Meng Xi's cold and elegant countenance.
Fei Xiao was stunned for a moment. Was she sick? Why did she suddenly blush?
"It's alright. Some things can't be hidden forever, and I also hope I don't have to disguise myself."
Fei Xiao withdrew her delicate hand after giving her word. Meng Xi couldn't help but lower her head, thinking of the scene just now.
Fei Xiao didn't think much of it and turned to the dazed group.
"This... Sister Fei Xiao, you're a fox-eared girl?"
"Uh... strictly speaking, I am a Borisin."
Borisin?
This was clearly outside their scope of knowledge.
Li Zhengxin's reaction was the most intense among those present; his body instinctively took two steps back.
Fei Xiao took all of this in.
Jiao Xiaoyan couldn't help but continue questioning: "Does that mean, in your world, Sister Fei Xiao, it's..."
"It's not what you think. The number of Foxians and other races, including humans, is countless."
"And I am just one of them. Now, you should have the answers to your questions."
Jiao Wuyan and the others gradually calmed down after a brief moment of shock.
They carefully sized up the indescribably beautiful figure before them; aside from the conspicuous pair of fox ears on her head, she was indistinguishable from a human.
Jiao Wuyan tried his best to maintain a normal tone as he spoke.
"It seems Fei Xiao... or rather, the Tian Ji General, truly hails from that place called Yaoqing."
"There's no need for that. Right now I am just Fei Xiao; you can address me however you are comfortable with."
"Since we've communicated this far, it would seem like empty talk if I didn't show some sincerity."
"Please don't mind my previous concealment. After all, I don't need to explain the reasons for it, do I?"
"Not at all, not at all! It's perfectly justifiable. On the contrary, we are truly grateful that Miss Fei Xiao can trust us so much."
"This place is my home now, so I may need to rely on all of you in the future."
"There is nothing wrong with being honest with each other."
Ye Jinnian then offered his own perspective.
"Thank you for your trust, Miss Fei Xiao. We also welcome your arrival. Given everything you've laid the groundwork for, it's not an overstatement to say you're welcome."
"But..."
Seeing him hesitate, Fei Xiao took the initiative to ease the tension.
"Old Ye, please speak your mind. There's no need to hold back."
"Miss Fei Xiao had her reasons for hiding things, but now that you've come clean, aren't you worried we might break our word?"
Indeed, there was no need for the other party to reveal everything, so why bother being so honest?
Sometimes, unprovoked trust is what one must guard against the most.
Fei Xiao didn't expect that even at this stage, the other party would remain so vigilant.
A hint of appreciation appeared at the corner of her mouth.
"Remaining vigilant at all times is a good habit, and you are right."
"So, rather than what I see with my eyes, I trust my intuition more."
"Although I haven't had much contact with your characters, my intuition during our conversation tells me that you are trustworthy people."
"Of course, to put it bluntly, since you chose to come in person, it's undoubtedly because you don't want to have a conflict with me."
"In that case, I am likewise showing my sincerity here."
Fei Xiao finished by calmly waving her hand.
Just as she said, even if her judgment was wrong, she had the power to flip the entire table.
The group fell into a brief contemplation after hearing this.
Jiao Wuyan was the first to look up, a face full of sincere smiles.
"Then this old man, on behalf of the Dragon Country, welcomes General Fei Xiao's friendship."
After saying this, Jiao Wuyan extended his hand.
Fei Xiao gave a gentle smile and also extended her right hand for a handshake.
From this moment on, Fei Xiao was considered a full-fledged member of this world.
...
The two shared a simple handshake and then let go.
"Then, General Fei Xiao, next are the questions from Old Ye and Old Li regarding Pokémon."
"Yes. The views on coexistence with Pokémon should have been mostly explained in the previous livestream. Are there any other questions?"
Li Zhengxin was the first to voice his opinion.
"According to General Fei Xiao's previous statements, Pokémon may indeed possess incomparable strength, but does that mean we should just compromise?"
"Just like what that Pokémon did today, are we to let them do as they please?"
Halfway through, Li Zhengxin's emotions became slightly agitated, and his fists clenched tightly.
Fei Xiao could clearly hear the anger in his tone, or rather, the hatred toward Pokémon.
It seemed something personal had happened between this man and Pokémon.
Ye Jinnian, worried about Fei Xiao's displeasure, helped smooth things over.
"General Fei Xiao, please don't mind him. What Old Li says isn't without reason; he's only like this because of some past events..."
Before he could finish, Fei Xiao interrupted.
"I understand. It's about Pokémon, right? Don't worry, I don't mind."
At this point, her tone also became serious.
"What you say isn't without reason, and I sympathize with your experience."
"But humans aren't the only ones with such experiences. Jiao Xiaoyan should be able to give you an explanation on this point."
Jiao Xiaoyan noticed all eyes were on her and cautiously recounted the story of the Bulbasaur at Fei Xiao's house last time.
Seeing her finish, Fei Xiao continued her explanation.
"There are indeed good and bad among Pokémon, just like humans."
"However, the feelings between Pokémon and humans are equally genuine. Once a true bond is established between the two, it will be unbreakable."
"Xiao Meng and Talonflame are an example, and they have only been together for a few weeks so far."
Everyone's eyes surreptitiously glanced toward Meng Xi.
The previous battle, the trust in commands, and the concern for her partner—none of it could be hidden.
"Pokémon are very simple compared to humans. As long as you are willing to give your heart, they will be close to and protect us."
"Compared to this, what reason is there to fight to the death?"
"Furthermore, there are many Pokémon with strength comparable to mine. In the future, I can help you, but I won't necessarily be able to protect everyone."
Fei Xiao finished speaking, crossed her arms, and quietly observed everyone's reaction.
She didn't interrupt, giving everyone ample time to consider.
Hearing this, Li Zhengxin's originally restless heart also calmed down significantly, and his fists gradually loosened.
Yes, the previous meeting had actually made things very clear; this time was just for verification.
Talking so much was just because they didn't have the ability to flip the table; the previous words were just to make himself accept it more comfortably.
Compared to his own emotions, how could they be more important than the future of the country?
"Old Li, give us an answer!"
Ye Jinnian and Jiao Wuyan had basically reached a consensus at the start, and now only the opposition, Li Zhengxin, remained.
Li Zhengxin's expression was somewhat lonely, and he finally let out a soft sigh.
"Fine, stop making fun of me. Then what remains are the arrangements for the future."
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