Stelle's Haul

Once the picture was taken, March 7th couldn't wait to grab the camera and check the photo.

She first examined her expression and pose, then zoomed in to check whether the Everwinter Monument in the background fit the composition. Only after checking everything did March 7th nod in satisfaction.

"I really am a beautiful girl. As photogenic as ever."

She held the camera screen in front of Bai Luoming and said smugly, "See? I didn't expect someone who usually dresses as messily as you to look pretty good in photos."

Bai Luoming lowered his head to look at the camera in March 7th's hand.

In the photo, March 7th's sudden tug had pulled him off balance. He looked like an innocent passerby dragged into the frame against his will, with a trace of startled confusion still on his face.

Bai Luoming studied the photo and said narcissistically, "Hmm, my pose isn't great because you pulled me, but I still look good. Just as I'd expect from myself."

"What? Your pose before that was way too stupid!" March 7th retorted to Bai Luoming as she saved the photo and uploaded it to the cloud.

Then she picked up the pink icicle charm hanging from the side of the camera and carefully checked whether the knot tying it to the camera had come loose.

After confirming that the charm was still securely attached, March 7th looked up at Bai Luoming.

"It's still pretty early. How about we go check out that Perpetual Motion Mechanical House Gepard recommended?"

"I want to go back to the hotel and lie down." Bai Luoming yawned.

"How can you spend all day thinking about sleep? Come on!" Hearing Bai Luoming's answer, March 7th promptly grabbed his arm and pulled him along.

March 7th had figured Bai Luoming out: he was like a toad. Poke him once, and he'd hop once. If no one poked him, all he thought about was sleeping.

With her pulling him along, Bai Luoming could only follow helplessly. "Come on, big boss March, can't we go tomorrow? I feel so tired."

"Hey, how can a Nameless say he's tired? As punishment, you're coming with me!" March 7th immediately shot back.

"Sigh, fine, big boss March 7th."

Seeing Bai Luoming looking half-dead, March 7th quickened her pace and urged him on. "Come on, come on! It'll close if we're too late!"

As she pulled Bai Luoming along, his feet dragged two tracks through the thin snow.

He responded halfheartedly, his gaze wandering aimlessly over the shops along the street. But when it passed a bookstore, it stopped, and so did his feet.

Bai Luoming stopped so suddenly that March 7th was pulled to a halt too. She looked back at him in confusion. "What's wrong?"

"Look over there." Bai Luoming looked back at March 7th and jerked his chin to one side.

March 7th followed his gaze, and her eyes lit up at the familiar figure by the entrance.

Without another word, she immediately changed direction and strode toward the bookstore entrance, pulling Bai Luoming along.

Dan Heng stood at the entrance, holding several old books and flipping through their pages.

"Teacher Dan Heng! What are you doing here?" March 7th called out, her clear voice tinged with excitement. "Did you find any useful information?"

Dan Heng shook his head, his voice low. "Most of the material in the bookstore has been uniformly compiled and abridged. It's hard to find anything useful."

Hearing this, March 7th invited him along. "Perfect timing, then. Come to the Mechanical Workshop with us! You won't find anything by digging further anyway, so why not come relax your brain with us?"

Bai Luoming added from the side, "Yeah, you can't rely on reading alone to gather intelligence. Observing things firsthand is part of an investigation too."

Dan Heng looked from one to the other. After a brief hesitation, he nodded and chose to go with them.

And so, the three headed toward the Perpetual Motion Mechanical House.

Along the way, March 7th vividly recounted her and Bai Luoming's trip from the souvenir shop to the Everwinter Monument, focusing on how Bai Luoming had gotten a huge sum of Shields from that swindler Sampo.

"...And then I used that money to buy this!" She handed the camera to Dan Heng, showing him the photo they had just taken together and drawing particular attention to the charm on the side.

Dan Heng studied the photo and gave his assessment. "The composition is good, and the charm looks nice too."

March 7th's attention shifted from the photo itself to the charm, and she lifted her chin proudly. "This is the first souvenir I bought in Belobog!"

Before she had finished speaking, a figure emerged from a narrow alley nearby, humming an off-key tune.

The person was walking rather fast and bumped straight into March 7th, who was gesturing animatedly.

"Ow!" The collision made March 7th stagger. She was just about to complain when she looked up and met a familiar pair of golden eyes.

The tune on Stelle's lips stopped abruptly. She rubbed her aching shoulder, a bulging cloth bag still in her other hand.

When Stelle saw that it was Bai Luoming and the others, her eyes lit up. She raised the cloth bag to her chest and waved it at them like she was presenting a treasure. "Ta-da! This is what I found today!"

March 7th looked at the snow and dust all over her and pressed a hand to her forehead. "How many trash cans have you... opened?!"

"What are you talking about?" Stelle corrected her. "I was exploring Belobog's hidden treasures, rescuing those valuables from places no one knew about!"

Bai Luoming applauded Stelle. "Whoa, you should've said so earlier!"

Ignoring his teasing, Stelle opened the cloth bag and displayed her finds one by one: a pile of Credits that looked to be worth a few thousand, a small bag of faintly glowing Geomarrow fragments, a dozen or so Shields, and a strange metal component with worn edges.

"Why were these things in trash cans?" March 7th was profoundly shocked.

"No idea," Stelle answered confidently. "But I believe I can always dig up something good."

Bai Luoming picked up a Geomarrow fragment and examined it closely, confirming that it did indeed contain an energy reaction and wasn't waste.

He fell silent for a moment. "Could this be the divine power of Trailblaze? How can you find just about anything...?"

Dan Heng reminded Stelle, "It's best not to bring things of unknown origin straight back to the hotel."

"What do you mean, unknown origin? I collected these bit by bit, and it was hard work, you know?"

With that, Stelle prepared to head for the nearest trash can and continue her treasure hunt.

Realizing she wanted to search another trash can, March 7th immediately stepped forward, grabbed her wrist, and declared, "Today's trash can exploration time is over!"

"Wait! There are three more marked spots nearby that I haven't checked!"

Stelle tried to pull free, so March 7th hung the camera around her neck, freeing both hands, and gripped Stelle's wrist tightly as she dragged her forward.

Stelle looked back and cast Bai Luoming a pleading glance, hoping he would uphold justice.

Bai Luoming seriously analyzed both sides' demands, cleared his throat, and gave his judgment. "Although Comrade March 7th's use of force lacks a democratic spirit, from the perspective of team safety management, it is more in line with our current core interests."

"You're just going whichever way the wind blows!" Stelle accused Bai Luoming on the spot.

"I never take sides," Bai Luoming said with a solemn expression. "I only stand on the side that benefits everyone."

And so the four reunited. Dan Heng first asked Stelle whether she had noticed anything unusual.

Stelle thought for a moment and answered, "Now that you mention unusual discoveries, I really did find something!"

Dan Heng put away his joking expression and pressed her. "What exactly was it?"

"I discovered..." Stelle deliberately stopped there, keeping everyone in suspense.

"What did you discover? Hurry up and tell us! I hate it when people stop halfway through," March 7th urged her.

Seeing the others looking at her curiously, Stelle made sure she had kept them in enough suspense before continuing.

"I discovered that the people in Belobog seem pretty rich. They throw away hundreds of Credits at a time."

"..."

All right, that was just like Stelle.

And so, amid the group's antics, the Perpetual Motion Mechanical House's enormous gear-shaped sign finally appeared before them.