Having meticulously brewed the tea, you returned to the inner sanctum of the Divination Commission, the delicate scent of high-grade oolong tea preceding you. The tray in your hands was perfectly steady as you approached, your soft-soled boots making no sound on the polished floor.

Even before you entered, you heard the familiar, sharp tone of the Master Diviner. Fu Xuan was, as usual, scolding Qingque. Her voice wasn't loud, but it was laced with an icy precision that was far more intimidating than any shout.

"Late again, Qingque. By my count, this marks the thirteenth time this month. The Divination Commission is the strategic heart of the Luofu, not a teahouse for you to drift in and out of at your leisure."

"Oh, Master Diviner, please be lenient..." Qingque offered a sheepish, almost practiced smile, her hands clasped behind her back. "I was... ah... studying divination too late! Yes, very complex charts, you see. The patterns of the stars were simply too captivating!"

"Studying divination?" Fu Xuan sneered, not even looking up from the glowing star chart she was reviewing. Her small hand made a sharp gesture. "You mean studying the divinations of Celestial Jade, right? Did you achieve a 'Hidden Hand', or were you just collecting 'All Honors'?"

[Inorin's Note: 'Celestial Jade' is a mahjong-like mini-game within Honkai: Star Rail. Qingque is famously addicted to it, and terms like 'Hidden Hand' and 'All Honors' are winning hands in the game.]

Qingque winced, caught. "Ah, no... just a simple 'All Honors' this time..."

You moved forward silently, knowing this was the perfect dynamic to exploit. You quietly placed the steaming cup of tea, brewed to her exact specifications, at Fu Xuan's elbow. She took a sip without looking, and you saw the tension in her shoulders ease by a fraction. The sweetness and temperature were perfect.

"Hmm. Not bad, Jiang Xuan." Her mood improved by a fraction. She finally looked up, her piercing pink-hued gaze landing on the still-wilting Qingque, then shifting to you.

"Jiang Xuan, you set an example for this... slacker. Tell her what it means to be diligent."

This was a test. An opportunity. You bowed slightly, your expression one of humble deference. "I wouldn't dare presume to lecture a Senior, Master Diviner. Senior Qingque merely... has other strengths that perhaps aren't as visible as moment-to-moment diligence."

Fu Xuan actually raised an eyebrow at that, intrigued. "Oh? You've been here for weeks and have already perceived these hidden 'strengths'? Then tell me, what are they?"

"Well," you said, choosing your words with the care of a poet.

"Senior Qingque has been in the Divination Commission for much longer than I have. This commission, as you said, is the strategic heart of the Luofu, filled with the Alliance's brightest minds." You gestured respectfully toward the humming Matrix of Prescience in the outer chamber.

"To remain in such a talent-filled, high-pressure environment for so long... it must be because she possesses a unique capability that Your Excellency values, even if it's not always apparent to a newcomer like myself."

Qingque looked at you with wide, surprised eyes. This newcomer is good, she thought, He's really good at handling people. He made 'being a lazy veteran' sound like a profound skill!

Fu Xuan snorted, but you could see a flicker of amusement in her eyes. "You certainly know how to talk. A very... diplomatic way of saying she's too much trouble to fire." She waved a dismissive hand, the topic clearly over. "Forget it, that's enough. Qingque, go organize yesterday's divination logs. And try not to fall asleep on them this time."

"Yes, Master Diviner! Right away!" Qingque scurried away, shooting you a look of immense gratitude before she disappeared.

Fu Xuan watched her go, then let out a small, weary sigh, her hand rising to rub her temples. Her gaze landed back on you. "Jiang Xuan... you continue."

Continue? You paused for only a fraction of a second, then understood perfectly. You moved silently behind her chair, your expression remaining one of humble service. Your hands, which had already memorized the patterns of tension in her shoulders from your previous sessions, resumed their work.

She wanted you to continue the massage. It was a clear sign of favor, a privilege no other diviner held. It meant your infiltration was proceeding flawlessly. The Master Diviner, known for her paranoia and strictness, was satisfied with your skills and presence. This was excellent.

And so, your days in the Divination Commission settled into a rhythm. You handled official duties during the day, your performance diligent but intentionally average, never showing enough talent to draw suspicion.

At night, you secretly studied the commission's formations and security protocols. And, most importantly, you provided daily massages to ease the Master Diviner's chronic headaches, solidifying your position as her most trusted attendant.

On the surface, you were a diligent, unremarkable new diviner. But secretly, you were waiting. The seed of destruction had been quietly planted, and Fu Xuan, the Master Diviner of the Luofu... was completely unaware.

In the following days, you gradually integrated into the Divination Commission. You were polite to all, kept a low profile, and completed your tasks with quiet efficiency.

The most interesting part of this new life, however, was undoubtedly your budding friendship with Qingque. Gaining her trust was just as important as gaining Fu Xuan's; she was a valuable, if unwitting, source of information.

This afternoon, the perfect opportunity arrived. Fu Xuan, her expression tight and annoyed, was summoned to an urgent, high-level meeting of the Six Charioteers. The moment her authoritative footsteps faded down the main hall, the tense atmosphere in the outer office instantly lifted.

[Inorin's Note: The Six Charioteers are the six Generals of the Xianzhou Alliance flagships, who form its highest ruling body.]

"Psst! Hey, Jiang Xuan." Qingque stealthily leaned over from her desk, her sleepy eyes now bright with mischief. "The Master Diviner is gone. She's not coming back for at least two hours."

"Senior Qingque?" you asked, feigning confusion as you looked up from your report.

"The Master Diviner isn't here," she repeated, slower, as if speaking to a child. "Don't you know what that means? It's... freedom time." As if by magic, she produced a full set of Celestial Jade tiles from her voluminous sleeves. "Want to play a round? It'll sharpen our 'divination' skills!"

You looked at the gleaming tiles, then nervously at the door, feigning a perfect amount of difficulty. "Senior Qingque, wouldn't that be... highly inappropriate? We're on duty. If the Master Diviner finds out..."

"Oh, stop being so uptight!" Qingque waved dismissively, already setting up a small automated game table that unfolded from her desk. "She's in a meeting with the General, I tell you! Those meetings are so boring. They'll be arguing about budgets and the Ambrosial Arbor for at least an hour or two. I've calculated the probability; our chance of getting caught is less than 15%. Absolutely no problem!"

You let out a small, "reluctant" laugh. "Alright. But... just one round. I still have these reports to file."

"I knew you were cool!" Qingque beamed, her whole demeanor changing from a sleepy carp to an excited finch. She excitedly set up the game. "You're way better than the other new diviners. They're all so stiff, like they've swallowed a rulebook. No fun at all."

As you played, she became more talkative, energized by the thrill of slacking off. "You know, don't look at Fu Xuan always having that stern face. She actually used to play cards, too. Her skills were quite good, I heard. It's just that after she became Master Diviner, she had to maintain her dignity. Sooo boring."

She drew a tile, her eyes lighting up. "Pung!" She laid it down, then lowered her voice, leaning closer. "But I'm telling you, the Master Diviner seems to be in a really good mood lately. Well, 'good' for her, anyway. Less... snappy."

She looked at you meaningfully. "Ever since you arrived, actually. Do you have some secret? Did you give her a rare antique? Or..." Her eyes narrowed playfully. "Is it your face?"

You let out a light, practiced cough. "Perhaps... my tea-brewing skills are just that good, Senior."

"Tsk, stop it!" Qingque rolled her eyes, discarding a tile. "I think it's your massage. I've seen her after you leave her office. She looks... relaxed. That's a miracle, I tell you. I think our Master Diviner just acts tough, but deep down, she just wants someone to pamper her."

She's not wrong, you thought, drawing a tile. But 'pamper' isn't the word I'd use. 'Control' is more accurate.

Clack. The sound of measured footsteps echoed from the main hall.

Both of you froze. "She's back?!" Qingque hissed, her face draining of color.

In a blur of motion, she swept the tiles off the table. With lightning speed, she stuffed them back into her voluminous sleeves while you just as quickly pretended to be deeply engrossed in organizing divination documents.

The door slid open... but it was just another diviner, dropping off a stack of reports. He nodded curtly at you both and left.

"Phew..." Both of you simultaneously sighed in relief, the shared tension breaking. You exchanged a smile. This feeling of sneaking around was... quite thrilling.

"That was close," Qingque fanned herself, her composure returning. "Alright, no more games. That was too stimulating." She paused. "Oh, right!" She suddenly remembered something. "There's a Divination Convention in a few days. Are you attending?"

"A Divination Convention?"

"Yeah! It's a big event where diviners from all the Xianzhou ships compete. Fu Xuan values this the most. She needs her commission to look good. If you can get a good ranking..." she winked, "maybe she'll be impressed. Or at least, she'll have a good reason to keep pampering—I mean, promoting you."

You pondered this, filing the information away. A convention. An opportunity to show "talent" and gain more prestige. This was perfect. "Thank you, Senior. I'll look into it."

In the evening, Fu Xuan finally returned. She looked exhausted, the lines of stress more pronounced around her eyes. As soon as she entered, she saw you and Qingque sitting upright at your desks, one diligently reviewing divinations, the other (seemingly) organizing archives.

She looked at the two of you suspiciously. Far too unusual. Qingque wasn't asleep, and you weren't brewing tea. Something felt off.

"Qingque, you're dismissed for the day," she said, her voice flat.

"Yes, Master Diviner! Thank you, Master Diviner!" Qingque fled as if granted amnesty.

"Jiang Xuan." Fu Xuan called you to her desk. She sat back heavily in her chair and rubbed her temples. "Today's meeting with the General... it gave me a headache. Come here."

You understood. You moved silently behind her, and your hands skillfully found the pressure points on her temples and neck, beginning the massage. She let out a small, weary sigh as the tension began to ease.

This was your moment.

"Oh, right, Master Diviner," you said softly, your voice filled with respect, as if you'd just remembered something. "I heard from Senior Qingque that there's an Inter-Xianzhou Divination Convention in a few days?"

"Hmm?" she murmured, her eyes still closed.

"I... I wish to participate." You injected just the right amount of youthful ambition into your tone. "I want to bring glory to the Luofu Divination Commission, under your name."

"Heh," Fu Xuan chuckled softly, a vibration more than a sound. "Quite the big talk, Jiang Xuan. Do you know that the other Xianzhou, especially the Yuque and Zhuming, will send out their most outstanding diviners? You've only just arrived."

"I know I am still lacking," you said humbly. "But I will do my utmost. However..." You paused, letting a perfect amount of hopeful hesitation hang in the air. "I have an immodest request."

"Speak."

"May I ask the Master Diviner... for some personal guidance? Your knowledge of the Matrix is unparalleled in the Alliance. If I could just receive a fraction of your personal guidance, I am certain I would benefit greatly and not embarrass our commission."

Fu Xuan opened her eyes. She looked at you. This fellow. He was clearly and cleverly asking for special, private tutoring. But he'd wrapped it so perfectly in the flag of "bringing glory to the commission" that refusing would almost seem petty. And... he had been performing his duties exceptionally well. His massages were a godsend, and his tea was always perfect.

"Fine," she said, feigning indifference, though a small part of her was genuinely impressed by your gambit. "Seeing as you've been performing your duties so... diligently... lately. Come to my study tomorrow night. I'll teach you a few tricks on matrix analysis."

From the crack in the door, Qingque—who had not, in fact, left and was eavesdropping—nearly dropped her jaw.

The Master Diviner's study?!

That was her private, forbidden ground! Not even the highest-ranking diviners were allowed in there without express, formal summons!

What kind of magic does this Jiang Xuan possess?! Qingque thought, her mind completely blown. He's only been here a few weeks, and he's already...

She silently slipped away, her worldview thoroughly shaken.

In the office, you bowed deeply, your face a mask of pure gratitude. "Thank you, Master Diviner. I will not disappoint you."

Your plan was perfectly in place.