Bai Tang: I'm a Nameless, after all

"Can I abstain?"

Bai Tang's face was expressionless, but anyone with eyes could see the conflict within her. "I don't know what to say about the situation on the Xianzhou Luofu. Although I want to see the Luofu's sky, I don't want to set foot on its soil."

Clearly, she wanted to go and didn't want to go at the same time.

March 7th looked at Bai Tang. "What's going on with you? You sound both wistful and desolate."

"Aren't I a Foxian?"

Bai Tang smiled. "Naturally, I lived here once. There was just a little accident."

Himeko naturally understood how Bai Tang felt. "All right, Little March, there'll be plenty of chances to ask later. Bai Tang, you can stay on the train for now. We'll let you know once we've made a decision."

And just like that, Bai Tang successfully abstained and returned to her room.

Dan Heng: "..." Could he abstain too?

The train ultimately headed to the Luofu. Bai Tang made a point of sensing the situation from her room. Several powerful energy signatures were moving around on the Luofu, and the "Destruction" she hated most was there too.

So this was the legendary Xianzhou Luofu, a land blessed with outstanding people and favorable feng shui, a rare treasure of a place. It even had several Emanator-level beings.

With that ghastly joke out of the way, all that remained was to wait.

Judging by the time, they should have met Jing Yuan by now.

Bai Tang rubbed her face haphazardly. Her expression suddenly tightened, and she almost immediately turned and rushed out of her room, running swiftly toward the train's entrance.

Her hurried footsteps landed heavily, each one pounding against the carriage floor with a series of thuds that sounded especially jarring in the quiet carriage. She figured the noise had disturbed Dan Heng.

When she reached the parlor car, Himeko was sitting by the window drinking coffee. Bai Tang hurried over, her hands constantly kneading the hem of her clothes, and said gravely:

"I detected an Emanator's presence, and it wasn't the General's. I suspect other Emanators have infiltrated the Luofu. We don't know their real objective yet."

Himeko stopped with her coffee halfway to her lips. Her gaze swept over Bai Tang's anxious face, and she set down her cup, her expression turning serious in an instant.

"What did you find?"

Everyone in the Astral Express Crew acknowledged how perceptive Bai Tang was. If she had detected something, it had to be real.

Bai Tang pursed her lips, seemingly gathering her thoughts, before quickly giving a brief account of what she had sensed.

"I detected the presence of Destruction, and I also sensed other Emanators infiltrating the Luofu. There's a strong chance that one of the Emanators who came is a Lord Ravager.

"Even though the selection of an Emanator of The Hunt is very difficult, this is the Luofu. The General wouldn't dare use his full strength here and destroy it. And with that Stellaron someone brought here, I'm afraid something terrible is going to happen to the Luofu."

As she spoke, Bai Tang raised her head. Her eyes were still without light, but Himeko saw determination in their emptiness.

"Himeko, I want to help my companions, and I want to drive the enemy out of my Luofu."

My... Luofu?

She had mentioned the Yaoqing before, too.

The Luofu and the Yaoqing.

A Foxian from the Xianzhou.

Bai Tang's story was probably even more remarkable than she had imagined.

Himeko asked only one question.

"After it's over, will you return to the train and travel with everyone?"

"Of course. I'm a Nameless, after all."

Bai Tang answered Himeko with certainty.

Her UR cards were on the train. How could she possibly run off somewhere else? She still had to go to Penacony to meet the bird siblings and see everyone on Amphoreus.

She'd have to be an idiot to leave.

"With Dan Heng, Pom-Pom and me on the train, there are enough of us to keep watch. Go on, and don't leave yourself with regrets."

"Mm. I'll bring them back in triumph."

Bai Tang didn't forget to say goodbye to Pom-Pom, either.

"Passenger Bai Tang, have you changed your mind about disembarking?"

"Of course, Conductor."

"Then Pom-Pom wishes you a safe journey. After disembarking, please remember to return to the train before departure time."

Bai Tang had barely left when Dan Heng, disturbed by the noise, came to find Himeko.

His expression changed drastically the moment he saw Blade. Then he heard that Bai Tang had gone out and breathed a sigh of relief, but the next second, he asked Himeko why Bai Tang had left.

Since Bai Tang didn't want to go, she shouldn't have gone. Had something happened in the meantime that he didn't know about?

"A Lord Ravager. Bai Tang said there's probably a Lord Ravager lurking somewhere on the Luofu, waiting for a chance to strike. She wants to help her companions."

Dan Heng's eyes widened, and he nearly cried out. "A Lord Ravager?"

When did the Luofu become so dangerous?

Blade on one side, a Lord Ravager on the other.

"But..."

Dan Heng wanted to help his companions too, but... he was forbidden from setting foot on the Xianzhou Luofu.

"Don't think too much about it, Dan Heng. According to the rules, the train will be stopped here for seven standard days. During that time, passengers are free to spend their time as they please.

"Pom-Pom and I are enough to keep watch on the train. Do what you want to do. It's better than regretting it later.

"Even Bai Tang, who said she didn't want to set foot on the Luofu, went back for this. Before she left, she even called it her Luofu."

Himeko truly was a woman fit to be a mother, a master at offering guidance.

Dan Heng froze when he heard what Bai Tang had said to Himeko.

Her Luofu...

Only then did he remember a question, one he had been avoiding all along.

Why had Bai Tang sent him a message alone when she learned that Blade had come to Belobog? Clearly, she knew about the relationship between Blade and him.

With Bai Tang's unusual appearance, one glance was enough to remember her. He was certain he didn't know her, but he hadn't forgotten the sense of familiarity he'd felt when he first saw her face.

Even if it had only lasted an instant.

And Bai Tang had answered Stelle in his place, saying that he was forbidden from entering the Luofu. Why was she so sure?

The past seemed to have caught up with him long ago.

But Bai Tang saw him as Dan Heng, unlike the others, who kept insisting he was Dan Feng.

Companions, huh.

No, he had to go out and help his companions too, and bring them safely back to the train. He couldn't let himself regret running away in the end.

Whether he could win was another question. In any case, the gravity-type High Elder would always charge in bravely to protect his companions. Even if he had to die, he would fight with everything he had to get them out of danger.

"Oh, right. I want to ask you the same question I asked Bai Tang. After this is over, you'll come back to the train and travel with everyone, right?"

Dan Heng stopped and turned his head to listen as Himeko finished speaking. In answer to her question, he nodded.

When Pom-Pom saw Dan Heng leaving, Pom-Pom told him what Pom-Pom had told Bai Tang, adding that he should preferably bring back some local specialties and the like.

Bai Tang brought back souvenirs when she went out. For example, when the strongest Emanator of Trailblaze had dragged her away, she hadn't forgotten to bring gifts back for her companions.

Dan Heng might not buy anything.

[Dan Heng: Stelle, March, Bai Tang, where are you?]

[Message failed to send]

[I'm coming to meet up with you.]

[Message failed to send]

[Bai Tang: Messages won't go through here. I'm a special case, so I can receive them.]

[Bai Tang: I've confirmed it's a Lord Ravager. I'm looking for them now. Meet up with Stelle and March first.]