The moment his index finger pressed down, the massive Creation Engine let out a piercing grinding noise, while the snow and ice covering its body began to shake loose.
"Perfect!"
Raven looked at the readings and images on the scan monitor and clapped her hands in satisfaction.
At that moment, the door to Natasha's clinic was pushed open, and Natasha entered from outside.
As soon as she stepped into the clinic, she saw Bronya standing there and turning to look at her.
"Who are you?"
Natasha was certain she had never met this person before, so why was she in her clinic?
On the other hand, the first thought that flashed through Bronya's mind the moment she saw Natasha was—
"Raven?!"
But she came back to her senses the next moment.
This was not Sky Dome City, but the universe Liuge had mentioned, one where Aeons existed.
"Hello, it's nice to meet you. My name is Bronya. I'm Liuge's... Liuge's cousin!"
Bronya still felt somewhat awkward when she said she was Liuge's cousin.
It was not that Bronya disliked Liuge. She had simply opened her eyes to find a stranger and an unfamiliar place, so her instincts had made her wary.
Now that she knew her relationship with Liuge, that wariness naturally faded. She even felt that she and Liuge shared the kind of relationship built on the deepest trust.
"Liuge's cousin?"
Natasha looked at the punk-dressed girl before her, and for some reason, the thought of an internet-addicted girl came to mind.
Still, she asked cautiously, "Then where is Liuge?"
Natasha did not have much trust in that Express crew member who had arrived here wearing Silvermane Guard armor.
"I don't know. He dumped me here and told me to follow someone named March 7th. As for him... no idea where he ran off to."
Through their faint connection, Bronya could sense that Liuge was very, very far away. When she had scanned the entire planet earlier, she had not found any trace of him either.
"Is that so?"
Natasha nodded slightly and walked inside.
As for the Liuge they were discussing, he was currently sitting on the deck of a spacecraft with a dumbfounded expression, staring wide-eyed at a Foxian girl dressed in elegant ancient-style clothes, who looked equally bewildered...
Liuge Was a Xianzhou Native?!
Compared to Raven's situation in Belobog, Liuge was far more confused.
He had thought he would be randomly sent somewhere on Jarilo-VI, but damn it, he had been tossed off the planet and onto some random spaceship... no, a starskiff.
Liuge looked at the massive vessel, which resembled a ship from the Ming Dynasty, then at the starry sky beyond its protective barrier, and fell silent.
Such an ancient-style starskiff traveling through space.
It was most likely a merchant ship from one of the Xianzhou, right?
However, Liuge was completely certain of that guess one minute later.
"Young Master, could you explain why you are aboard our Minghuo Merchant Guild's merchant vessel?"
The Foxian woman wore a red-and-white Hanfu. Beautiful and refined like an exiled immortal, she held an open folding fan before half her face while staring intently at Liuge.
Liuge recognized her. The woman before him was Tingyun, whose identity had been replaced by Lord of Ruin: Phantylia in the game.
Honestly, when Liuge had watched that head-tilting scene back then, he had been drinking black tea. He had immediately sprayed a mouthful of it everywhere.
But the Tingyun standing before Liuge now was obviously the real Tingyun.
"Uh... I don't know either. I opened my eyes, and I was already here."
Liuge was genuinely bewildered. He had simply closed his eyes and opened them again, only to be randomly sent somewhere unfamiliar.
The first time had been the Herta Space Station. This second time, he had been sent directly onto a Minghuo Merchant Guild merchant ship.
It was ridiculous.
After hearing Liuge's explanation, Tingyun lowered her folding fan. She wore a smiling expression, with no trace of displeasure visible on her face.
"I see. It seems Young Master has his own difficulties as well."
"Ahaha..."
Liuge gave an awkward laugh, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
"May I ask Young Master for his name?"
Tingyun's eyes narrowed slightly.
No matter how pleasant her personality was, she still had to be wary of an unknown man who had suddenly appeared aboard their merchant vessel.
"My name is Liuge. How should I put it... I suppose I'm also a Xianzhou native."
With an awkward laugh, Liuge introduced himself.
Upon hearing that, Tingyun summoned a subordinate and gave them several instructions in a whisper before looking back at Liuge.
"Please wait a moment, Young Master. Though you appear trustworthy, merchant vessels such as ours must still exercise caution."
Liuge understood what she meant.
She had most likely arranged for her subordinate to investigate him. Until they understood his background, he should just stay here quietly.
Liuge sighed but did not object.
After all, he really had been randomly sent here. In essence, he was probably a stowaway.
"Of course."
Tingyun's attitude was already quite good.
On any other merchant vessel, a stranger like him who had suddenly appeared would have been apprehended immediately, then forcibly detained until they reached the Xianzhou for further investigation.
Tingyun, however, had merely asked Liuge to remain here. She did not show even the slightest intention of forcibly apprehending him, which was already giving him plenty of respect.
Liuge closed his eyes slightly, only to discover in astonishment that his perspective had connected to Raven in Belobog.
"Holy shit, it can do that?"
He muttered inwardly.
"Hm? Liuge?"
The sudden voice startled Liuge.
Could his consciousness communicate with Raven over there?
At the same time, Liuge vaguely sensed that, in this state, he could forcibly seize control of Raven if he wanted to.
In other words, he could control her remotely, or he could watch Raven act on her own and offer her advice.
Was this the true function of having a clone?
After pondering for a moment, Liuge reached a conclusion.
So this is meant to turn me into some mastermind behind the scenes, huh!
Raven would take all the blame, while he could go completely wild whenever he wanted?
At that moment, Liuge discovered that Raven had already reunited with March 7th and the others. Land Duck also seemed to have gone to the Upper District.
Wait, had things progressed this quickly while he was sent over here?
Not only had they resolved Land Duck's issue of going up to question them, but according to the plot, they had even dealt with Svarog already?
"Where did you go, Liuge?"
Bronya asked in confusion. She was currently following March 7th and the others, preparing to head to the Upper District.
"I'm on a spaceship out in space right now. I got thrown over here for no reason."
Liuge replied helplessly.
"Can you tell me what happened while I was gone?"
Liuge was curious. How had two key plot points been resolved in so little time?
"Do you mean Svarog, or the version of me who looks almost exactly like me but is bigger?"
"Tell me about Svarog first."
Liuge thought for a moment before replying.
"That robot? It was easy. I directly hacked into his programming and found some locked program files. After unlocking them, he stopped blocking Wildfire's actions. His system looked pretty outdated, and I didn't hold back, so I upgraded his version directly."
Bronya answered indifferently and glanced behind her.
Behind the group, a burly robot was following them with a white-haired, red-eyed little girl sitting on his shoulder.
However, the more Liuge looked at it, the more something felt wrong.
Why did Svarog seem like he had gotten bigger?
Still, Liuge gave up trying to think about it. He could only sigh sincerely. Was this what it meant to be Raven?
She had effortlessly done what others could not.
"Then what about Land Duck?"
"Land Duck?"
"The bigger version of you."
"Her? It seems she learned something she couldn't believe. By the time I reunited with the others, she had already left."
Liuge fell silent.
This was progressing far too quickly.
Just as Liuge wanted to ask something else, Tingyun beside him spoke up.
Liuge opened his eyes and looked at Tingyun.
"Young Master, we have just confirmed your identity. You are indeed a Xianzhou native, and you are from the Luofu Xianzhou."
Liuge's mind went blank upon hearing Tingyun's words.
Wait, what had Tingyun just said?
He was a Xianzhou native? And someone from the Luofu Xianzhou?
No, wasn't he a transmigrator?
A transmigrator who had arrived at the Herta Space Station the moment he crossed over!
"Young Master? Young Master? What is wrong?"
Tingyun found Liuge's current state somewhat strange.
"Could... could you tell me what happened? I've lost some of my memories."
"Is that so?"
Tingyun pondered briefly before speaking.
"You disappeared on the Luofu Xianzhou one month ago. Although it was reported, no clues were found. It was as though you had vanished into thin air."
"...Just like how I suddenly appeared here?"
"Mm... yes."
Liuge fell silent.
He had the illusion that the first place he had arrived after transmigrating had not been the Herta Space Station, but the Luofu Xianzhou.
And it seemed that he had an official identity on the Luofu Xianzhou. He was not an undocumented outsider.
Damn it, why did it feel hotter the more he thought about it?
Then Liuge's vision of Tingyun suddenly blurred.
Wait, why were there three Tingyuns?
Then, under Tingyun's somewhat stunned gaze, Liuge toppled over and fell asleep...
Before you continue