Bai Tang: I hate "Destruction," "Propagation," and "Harmony"!

March 7th grumbled, "She's beyond saving. She's just like Himeko."

Himeko smiled. "Little March, what are you saying?"

"Bai Tang, I've wanted this plushie for ages! I can't believe you remembered!"

March 7th quickly changed the subject, clutching the little plush rabbit Bai Tang had bought her as she squeezed in beside her.

Stelle also climbed to her feet, back at full health. As expected of a Stellaron spirit with an absurdly tough physique. "The figure is awesome!"

It was a trash can figure, and Stelle fell in love with it at first sight!

Seeing that her companions liked the gifts she had prepared made Bai Tang happy too. "I'm glad you like them."

Although she knew how to check in, she couldn't force it. It was only a psychological issue; it would naturally appear once she worked through it.

Most importantly, she was still a little short on emotion.

"Where did Aha take you?"

March 7th was curious.

Bai Tang had only told Himeko about it, and Pom-Pom had overheard. The others still didn't know.

Bai Tang answered, "The IPC headquarters."

March 7th asked, "What was it like?"

"I didn't look around. I was taken to the office of Aventurine, one of the Ten Stonehearts. Aventurine was nice. He sent me back."

Bai Tang still remembered the role she was playing: an innocent passenger whom Aventurine had sent back.

"Aventurine's actually pretty nice."

Because Bai Tang now said Aventurine was a good person, they all formed a favorable impression of him. Later, when they encountered those major events in Penacony, March 7th came to believe that Bai Tang was too innocent and easily fooled.

(March 7th: Why does Bai Tang see Aventurine through such rose-colored glasses? No, Bai Tang's too innocent. I have to keep an eye on her!

Stelle: You're the most innocent one, March!

Dan Heng: Sigh.)

"Mm, he's very nice."

For some reason, Bai Tang's mood sank again. At the same time, a panel only she could see appeared. The little Aventurine, who had been reading, abruptly put down his book, stood up, and waved to her.

He seemed to be saying, Don't be sad. I'm here.

She had been about to look at Himeko's details, but she stopped at once. She would wait until she was back in her room.

March 7th saw Bai Tang's mood inexplicably sink again. Unsure which thing she had said wrong, she hurriedly changed the subject. "By the way, Bai Tang, Stelle, which Aeon do you like best?"

To cheer Bai Tang up, March 7th secretly sent Dan Heng a message as she spoke, asking him to come out and help.

Even though Bai Tang had never spoken of it, the circumstances under which she had boarded the Express, her somewhat unusual attitude toward the Xianzhou, and her battered body had long since told them about her disastrous past.

The Astral Express welcomed all Nameless aboard. They didn't ask about the past, treated them normally rather than singling them out, and cared for their companions' feelings.

They were simply waiting for each companion who finally let go and was willing to open up to speak of their past. The Express's passengers would help solve their problems together.

"The Reignbow Arbiter."

Faced with March 7th's question, Bai Tang answered without thinking.

March 7th scratched her head. "I thought it would be Akivili, but it's perfectly normal for a Xianzhou native's favorite to be the Aeon of The Hunt."

Stelle said, "What's an Aeon? Can you eat it?"

March 7th was shocked. "Didn't I tell you about them before?"

Bai Tang said helplessly, "You didn't explain everything. She still only has a partial understanding."

Herta had invited Stelle to take part in the Simulated Universe, but she had only tested it once before going off to Trailblaze. So Stelle knew about them, but not much.

As for what she had just said, she was being absurd on purpose.

March 7th wanted to explain, but the next second she got stuck. She said sheepishly:

"Let's wait for Dan Heng to come explain it to you, hehe. I can't find the right words on the spot. Teacher Dan Heng explains things in a way that's easy to understand."

"Which Path do you hate?"

Stelle wanted to hear some gossip. Liking something was one thing, but if they hated something, there was bound to be a story. All she had to do was ask, and wouldn't she find out?

She really was a clever little thing.

"I don't think I have one."

March 7th thought for a long time but couldn't think of an Aeon she hated.

Of course, if she were Evernight, she would have immediately said "Remembrance."

Bai Tang said flatly, seemingly without anger, "Destruction."

March 7th said, "Huh?"

Wasn't it "Abundance"?

Didn't Xianzhou natives hate "Abundance"?

Although they weren't particularly hostile toward Pathstriders of "Abundance," if asked which Path they hated most, it would surely be "Abundance."

"Propagation and Harmony."

Stelle exclaimed, "Three?"

Bai Tang nodded. "Mm. I hate Destruction the most, then Propagation, and Harmony."

When it came to the ones she hated most, "Abundance" wasn't among them, because it didn't even make the top three.

Of the Paths in the top three, apart from some people she didn't target, she wanted to destroy the rest, especially a certain Aeon.

For the Paths outside the top three, Bai Tang only targeted certain beings in some cases. The scope of her hatred wasn't broad, and it didn't include the Aeons.

After receiving March 7th's message, Dan Heng tidied up and went to the parlor car. As he opened the door and entered, he heard them discussing Paths.

"What about Harmony?"

Now that Dan Heng was here, the younger group was reunited. Himeko, as the elder, didn't join in. She picked up the gifts Bai Tang had given her and prepared for Welt, offering to bring his over.

"Teacher Dan Heng, we're discussing Paths and Aeons!"

March 7th stood up and waved when she saw Dan Heng, beckoning him over. "Stelle knows too little. Come help explain."

"What's the question?"

As the data bank's caretaker, Dan Heng didn't mind explaining some things to others.

What kind of person was Stelle? She might not look at anything serious, but when it came to scandalous stories, she was the most eager of all. "The domineering Aha fell in love with me!"

Dan Heng: So you called me over for this?

"Follow a Path to its end, and you become a god."

Following Stelle's absurd words, Bai Tang also raised a question. "When their humanity fades, are they still the same person?"

"Theoretically, they no longer count as one."

Dan Heng ignored Stelle's antics and answered Bai Tang's question. "Their humanity fades, leaving only divinity. They will do nothing but continually follow their Path. Their past no longer has anything to do with Them."

Bai Tang asked, "What if their humanity doesn't fade?"

Dan Heng said, "They would only be a powerful Pathstrider, an Emanator of a Path."

March 7th said, "Huh? We're talking about something this serious?"

They had just been talking about whom they hated and liked, and now it had turned into an academic discussion?

Stelle said, "I want to hear something juicy!"

Bai Tang said, "If you want something juicy, you can read this artist's comics. They're sure to be juicy."

As she spoke, she pulled out a comic collection.

Stelle took it. "I'll go get a taste right now!"

Xu Zhao was a legendary woman, the Aeons' strictest mother, and a comic artist who liked to put off her work until the last moment and write juicy material.

Bai Tang collected local specialties everywhere as if collecting cards. For example, she had several complete sets of Xu Zhao's comics, intending to keep one for herself and give the others away.

Look, one had come in handy.

But after collecting a small portion of her cards, she had run out of money. She needed to find a way to earn some, though compared with earning money, she would rather find a wallet.