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Seeing the stranger grab Mengdie's hand, Edward's jealousy flared. He stepped forward and pushed Xiu away, saying sternly, "Please show some respect, Mr. Xiu Mura!"

Xiu seemed unfazed by Edward's rebuff and tried to approach again. Edward wouldn't allow this mysterious man to get close again and drew his sword to block him. Seeing the blade at his chest, Xiu seemed to regain some sense, but he still excitedly looked at Mengdie, loudly asking for her name.

Mengdie frowned and said, "My name is Mengdie. What about it?"

"Mengdie... Mengdie! What a great name! Wait here for me!"

With that, Xiu turned and dashed into a nearby corridor. His speed was astonishing.

Nia tugged at Mengdie's hand and smiled slightly, "Mengdie sister, hehe, is this guy like that useless prince too?"

Mengdie, somewhat confused, shook her head, "Never mind that. I just want to know where his teacher is."

Edward sheathed his sword and watched the corridor Xiu had disappeared into, "But Mengdie, considering the student he taught, I don't think his teacher will be much better. For safety's sake, I think we should leave immediately."

"Oh la la! The useless prince is jealous! The useless prince is jealous!" Nia teased.

Edward's face turned red, and he quickly turned away from Mengdie. After stealing a glance and seeing no unusual expression on her face, he relaxed.

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A minute or two later, Xiu reappeared, holding a bizarre-looking machine. After summoning Mengdie and the others into a living room and having them sit on a sofa, he placed the machine on the coffee table with a proud look on his face.

"Look at this! This is my invention, the Wastewater Processor 296! After 295 failures, I've finally perfected this wastewater processor! It can turn wastewater into clean, drinkable spring water, and the extracted filth is compressed into cakes, which can be used as feed or fertilizer! Hahaha, to commemorate my new invention, this world-changing discovery, and to highlight my genius as a scientist, this machine definitely needs a beautiful name, right? Right? Right?!"

Xiu looked excitedly at the three, dancing around. Mengdie appeared somewhat embarrassed, while Edward just nodded blankly, and Nia sipped the juice Xiu had given her.

"Right, I knew you'd think so too! Sadly, I'm an inventor, a scientist, not an artist. Naming is truly a challenge for me. But today, after seeing the beautiful Miss Mengdie, I've decided to name my Wastewater Processor 296 after you! It's a perfect match, isn't it? I know you all must think it's an excellent pairing! Ah, my wastewater processor, so beautiful, so elegant! Look at its exquisite curves, its cold steel skin... combined with such a perfect name! Ah... it's an artwork, a masterpiece of science!!!"

Overexcited, Xiu even began to kiss the machine...

Mengdie frowned deeply. She didn't mind him naming his invention after her; it was his unreasonable exaggeration that irked her. Was this the passion of a so-called scientist?

"Mengdie sister, isn't this guy... a madman?"

Even Nia, after watching for a while, felt something was off. She put down her orange juice and whispered to Mengdie. But perhaps she was too loud, and Xiu, who was passionately kissing the wastewater processor, suddenly stopped and glared at Nia with a very displeased look.

Mengdie was startled. It's everyone's freedom to create whatever they want, and judging others' work as good or bad is impolite! She quickly covered Nia's mouth and flashed an apologetic smile at Xiu.

"Sorry, children say the darndest things. I think your invention is great! Very useful!"

"No, don't say anything!" Xiu suddenly changed his demeanor, placing the processor back on the table, indignantly saying, "All scientists are called madmen before their inventions succeed! But I will prove to this little girl who the real madman is! I've worked on this wastewater processor for a whole year! Powered by a magic crystal, it can theoretically be used indefinitely! Now, I'll prove it to you!"

Saying so, Xiu grabbed the juice cup from Nia's hand, poured its contents into the machine's inlet, and pressed a button. The machine immediately started making a loud rumbling noise, shaking violently!

Mengdie hadn't expected such a small machine to make such a loud noise. Unable to bear it, she stood up and headed towards the exit. But before she could take a few steps, a burst of intense heat shot out from behind her!

Although hot, it was nothing compared to Sisko's flames. Mengdie stepped aside, and a fist-sized fireball wobbled past her, hitting the wooden door frame. The fireball, despite being a product of "fire" magic, extinguished soundlessly upon hitting the "wooden" door, leaving just a slightly blackened mark and having no other effect.

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