Is Numby a Pig?

A draft of dust swirled in the draft, dancing in the cold, pale moonlight filtering through the crack in the door.

Half of a warehouse outside had collapsed, crashing onto the stone pavement with a dull thud.

Xingheng stood behind the door, holding a baseball bat, his shadow blending into the shadows of the pillars. Welt took off his coat, folded it neatly, and placed it on the willow trunk, his cane resting casually beside him.

"Are we really just going to sit here like this?" March 7th asked, clutching his bow, his boot heels clicking on the brittle floor tiles. "There's not even a light."

Jingxing, who was leaning against the half-rotten door, shifted his weight and slightly moved his sleeve. "Hundreds of Mara-Struck are searching the streets for the life force of living people. If Miss March 7th wants to go out and relieve some pressure on the patrolling Cloud Knights, I can open the door for you anytime."

March 7th curled her lip and rested her head on the cargo box. "Then forget it."

"Since we're just sitting here anyway," Jingxing said with a smile, changing the subject. "I'd like to hear about the recent Trailblaze experiences of everyone on the Astral Express."

Xing leaned against the wooden crate opposite him and suddenly spoke up, "How about we start by telling the story of that guy named Sampo we met on the snowfield?"

"Sampo?" Upon hearing the familiar name, Jingxing blinked, thinking to himself, "It seems that after Sampo left the Dual-Phase Paradise, he went to Jarilo-VI and even had dealings with the Astral Express."

"... Looks like you guys were fooled by him too?" Jingxing joked with a smile after gathering his thoughts.

Welt smiled gently, cutting off the conversation. "Although we were tricked by him once, it was thanks to his guidance that Jarilo-VI, sealed by the Fragmentum Snowstorm for seven hundred years, was able to reopen the upper and lower levels. In the end, we sealed the Stellaron, Miss Bronya took over as Supreme Guardian and reorganized the cabinet, and the Builders led the residents of the Underworld back to the surface. Before we left, we even helped Belobog re-erect the external beacon."

"Simply put," Xing said succinctly, "We saved the world, mission accomplished."

After listening, Jingxing put his hand on his hip and raised one eyebrow thoughtfully. "He casually dragged a lonely star that had been out of contact for seven hundred years back into the global market network."

"More or less," Xing said.

"I have a question about that book," Jingxing smiled, "Did you ask Belobog how much wealth he had before you accepted the beacon?"

The warehouse suddenly fell silent.

March 7th was stunned. "... What family fortune?"

"Yaliluo-VI received an investment from the company before the Eternal Freeze," Jingxing Xing said casually, as if discussing the price of pancakes at a street stall. "With the arrival of the Stellaron, the mortgage loan from seven hundred years ago has become a dead debt. Now that the train has connected the beacon, the company's risk control system has immediately flashed a red light—the whole universe knows that their debts should be settled with interest."

March 7th's eyes widened in disbelief. "You want to calculate interest on a debt from seven hundred years ago?!"

"In the company's eyes, civilization may perish, but debt will only continue to snowball." Jingxing Xing pointed to the void. "In less than half a month, the liquidation letter from the Strategic Investment Department will be slammed onto Jarilo-VI's meeting table."

Xing remained silent for a long while before finally managing to say, "... Your company is very skilled at this kind of business."

"Thank you for the compliment." Jingxing accepted it readily.

Welt adjusted his glasses, his gaze turning serious. "In your opinion, who will the company send on this trip?"

"It will most likely be Topaz, one of the Ten Stonehearts," Jingxing said. "The Strategic Investment Department specializes in tackling these kinds of tough challenges."

Xing raised an eyebrow slightly. "Then can you control her?"

"Interdepartmental command is unacceptable." Jingxing glanced at her and gave a vague reply.

Welt nodded solemnly. "Thank you for the reminder. I will have Himeko inform Bronya of this later, so we can make preparations as soon as possible."

March 7th, who was by the door, had already pulled out her phone. She crouched in a corner by the window, holding it up to find a signal. The faint light from the screen illuminated her face. "No need to wait, I've already connected to Luofu's signal! I'll send it directly to Bronya!"

Her fingers flew across the screen as she muttered, "' Bronya's urgent warning! Someone named Topaz is coming with a pig to collect debts, hide the vault quickly!'... I'll add the informant's name to increase credibility."

"Miss March 7th, if my name appears in your chat history, I wouldn't mind keeping your train as collateral." Jingxing curled his lip.

"Alright, alright, you're being mysterious." March 7th stuck out her tongue and quickly pressed the send button.

A short while later, my phone vibrated.

March 7th glanced down at the documents, then relaxed. "Done! She said the cabinet is preparing to audit the accounts of past dynasties, Belobog is grateful for the Astral Express Crew's help."

"Bronya has always been prudent and thorough," Welt said gently.

"That's right, don't you even know whose friend you are?" March 7th proudly shook his bow.

Tingyun had been sitting quietly on the outermost side of the cargo box, covered her mouth and chuckled softly. Her fluffy fox tail brushed against the hem of her skirt in a gentle arc. "The Ten Stonehearts... I've often heard merchants in Mingxuan Wharf mention them. They are all tycoons who walk under the Aeon of Preservation. Mr. Jingxing was able to determine the identity of the visitor so easily; he truly has extensive knowledge."

Her voice was soft, her tone like lukewarm water dipped in syrup, without a trace of harshness.

Jingxing turned his head to look at her.

Tingyun her head back slightly, her eyelashes fluttering, her fox ears twitching slightly, and smiled perfectly as she met Jingxing's gaze.

"If a merchant can't even figure out the buyer's background, he'd be torn to shreds long ago," Jingxing said casually. "But Miss Tingyun's composure in such a chaotic situation at Cloudford is quite surprising."

Tingyun's eyes darted around, her fingers disappearing into her wide sleeves. She sighed softly, "Sir, you flatter me. I was just separated from my colleagues, and my heart was pounding with anxiety. Listening to my benefactors discuss important matters in the cosmos was just a distraction, to keep my mind from being filled with those eerie noises outside the door."

Her expression was sincere, with just the right amount of fear and worry in her eyes.

Jingxing didn't respond, but simply shifted the position of his hand that was in his pocket.

A faint, golden, imaginary glimmer silently seeped into the ground from between his fingers, wandering between the old blue bricks and stone crevices, and quietly biting into the four corner nodes along the wooden beams and pillars. He effortlessly wove the entire atmosphere of the old warehouse into an invisible barrier.

Tingyun's gaze followed the moonlight through the crack in the door to the outer corridor, its tail tip lightly tapping the floor. "Sir, you certainly have a strong personality, unlike an ordinary employee."

The room fell silent.

Welt adjusted his glasses, glanced thoughtfully at the ground, and sat calmly upright.

A wisp of gray-white mist rose from the other end of the street at dawn.

Jingxing leaned against the doorpost, the Imaginary Energy in his sleeves taut and steady at his will.