75. Black Swan: I've Learned My Lesson / 76. To Clarify, This Really Is Season Two, Not a Reboot...

March 7th looked at Black Swan in confusion as she repeated herself. She only knew this place was a vacation resort and understood nothing else about it. Of course, almost everyone thought the same way. Only a small number knew the truth, and Black Swan happened to be one of them.

"Still haven't realized it? This so-called land of dreams is actually the result of the Family using some unknown means to carefully maintain a meticulously crafted beautiful dream."

Black Swan patiently explained. March 7th was still somewhat bewildered and did not see what was wrong with that, so Black Swan continued.

"The Memory Zone that Caelus fell into was what dreams originally looked like: chaotic, dangerous, mysterious... Beasts of memory lurked within that ever-changing labyrinth—the Memory Zone Memes."

By the time Black Swan had explained that much, March 7th understood. Her eyes widened in disbelief. So the dream they had entered was like some seaside amusement park, and once someone accidentally fell into the water, they would have to face endless dangers and monsters. This was completely different from what they had been promised.

"She's right, everyone. I heard regular guests here mention that the first stop after entering a dream should have been the Dream Hotel, not skydiving."

Himeko joined Black Swan in explaining. March 7th and Caelus looked at each other and discovered that both of them had experienced skydiving. Honestly, that way of entering dreams was pretty absurd. It had not considered the feelings of people with a fear of heights at all.

Still, little March thought it was rather fun and even wanted to try it a few more times.

"Because of some accident, the hotel is currently undergoing repairs. That's what I heard."

Himeko continued.

"Under what circumstances would a building need repairs? Considering his experience just now, the answer is obvious."

"Oh no, is this amusement park sinking?"

March 7th looked at Black Swan in shock. She had thought that as long as she did not do anything reckless, the place she was staying in would not sink. But the situation was worse than she had imagined. Even if they did nothing, this place was going to sink.

"Penacony's beautiful dream is sinking, returning to what it originally was... falling into the deep sea."

"If this information became known to the outside world, then regardless of the guests' actual safety, the reputation of the Planet of Festivities would inevitably suffer. With the Grand Gala approaching, they had no choice but to conceal it."

Welt gave his assessment of the matter. Everyone felt that it made sense. The Grand Gala had to be held, so even if the dream was about to sink, they could only grit their teeth and keep the music playing, keep the dancing going.

"Now that you mention it, I remembered something. That fire demon boss, the Grand Duke of Fiery Nether, received an invitation too."

Caelus stroked his chin. He had not given the matter much thought before, but now that Black Swan had brought it up, it matched some of the clues.

"What does that have to do with this?"

March 7th asked curiously. She knew that Caelus had taken a trip back to the Space Station and killed a fire demon boss along the way. Acheron's invitation had even been contributed by that very thing.

"What if the Family deliberately invited the Grand Duke of Fiery Nether here so it could cause trouble, then pinned the blame for the dream world sinking on it?"

Caelus looked at Black Swan. A slight change appeared in her eyes, and she agreed with his guess.

"That is indeed possible. The Grand Duke of Fiery Nether released Memory Zone Memes, threatening the guests' safety. That would also explain why Memes that implied death and murder appeared in a dream the Family claimed was absolutely safe. In Penacony, anyone could be lying—perhaps even the Family itself."

"The Family might lie, but my dear Robin definitely wasn't involved."

Caelus said along with Black Swan. At a time like this, of course he had to believe in the woman he liked. During the time he had spent with Robin, Caelus had come to understand what kind of person she was. Unless all her kindness and cuteness had been an act, she could never be a bad person.

March 7th wanted to complain about when Robin had become Caelus's, but she was also Robin's fan, so she let it go. She did not believe Robin was a bad person either.

"Miss Black Swan, we now fully understand the current situation. Returning to your initial proposal... why did the Garden of Recollection choose to cooperate with the Star Rail Express?"

Himeko looked at Black Swan and asked. If not for her help, Caelus would still be fighting that monster called a Memory Zone Meme to the death. She had indeed been a huge help, but of course it was not free.

"Mm, allow me to correct you... this is a personal request and does not represent the Garden. The answer is simple, Miss Himeko. I merely wish to make an exchange... an exchange involving memories."

"Beyond my duties, I also have certain personal aesthetic pursuits. I am a Memokeeper, and also a collector. I wish to witness those precious memories that are crystalline and brilliant—such a desire is easy to understand, isn't it?"

"And you, the Nameless of the Star Rail Express, practitioners of Trailblaze... I believe in your potential, and I believe that you will shine with a unique brilliance upon this stage."

"That is why I wish to be friends with all of you. The place where nightmares and beautiful dreams converge... could there be a more suitable cradle for memories?"

Black Swan explained her purpose for helping the Star Rail Express in one breath. She had made it very clear: what she wanted were the memories of the Nameless' Trailblaze. Caelus and the others' adventures everywhere, such as saving Belobog and saving the Xianzhou, were memories worth collecting.

Black Swan: Behaving Now

Caelus raised an eyebrow slightly and flirted with Black Swan using his eyes. Black Swan merely smiled and raised both hands in a gesture of surrender. She had the ability to peek at memories and could indeed obtain the Nameless' memories without giving anything in return. But after being beaten up by Acheron earlier, she had been left with psychological trauma. She feared that these Nameless might have methods similar to Acheron's. If she got beaten up again, she could retire early.

In short, she behaved after getting beaten up.

"I understand, but before answering you, we still need to have a discussion."

Himeko felt that the matter was worth discussing, so she did not immediately answer Black Swan. They would discuss it among themselves first.

"Of course."

Black Swan smiled and nodded, then went to the hotel bar to order a drink, leaving the time here to the Express crew.

"Many of Miss Black Swan's words were suggestive, but I am concerned about the worst possibility. If the abnormalities in the dream truly exist and were not naturally occurring, but instead driven by someone behind the scenes, then that person most likely wishes to undermine the Family's control over Penacony."

Himeko spoke. As the Express's navigator, she had far more to consider than Caelus and March 7th. The others would hardly oppose her decisions, so she needed to be even more cautious.

"The Nameless have no intention of provoking conflict, but someone specifically called us here because they wished to see Trailblaze enter the stage. That gives us even less reason to stand by and do nothing."

Himeko continued. Since this matter involved the Clock Keeper's legacy, they had already come all this way. They could not just run away because they feared danger. That would not fit the Path of Trailblaze either.

"Alright, let them know the price of provoking the Nameless."

March 7th clenched her fist. She was usually easygoing, but she never avoided a fight when it was time to fight. Caelus even wondered whether she had some berserker bloodline.

"Let me tell you about what I discovered in the dream. Unfortunately, it is bad news."

Welt spoke at that moment. There was nothing to discuss regarding Himeko's words, but he had made a new discovery.

"According to reliable information, some people witnessed a tall man in silver armor in Penacony. I asked the Hound Family Line for information and interviewed quite a few guests who claimed to have seen this intruder."

As Welt spoke, he took out his phone and sent Caelus a video file.

"Then I received this. Caelus, I sent it to you. Open it and take a look."

Hearing that, Caelus took out his phone and opened the video. March 7th curiously leaned over his shoulder and poked her head over to watch with him.

A chibi Silver Wolf appeared on the screen, holding a loudspeaker as she spoke. Caelus immediately perked up when he saw her.

"Aunt Silver Wolf!"

Caelus had never expected to see Silver Wolf here. Although this was something like a recording, it still meant the Stellaron Hunters were involved in this incident. Maybe he could even see his mom here.

"Can you hear me? Star Rail Express, long time no see. Is Penacony fun?"

Silver Wolf greeted them in her usual lazy voice, but she became more energetic afterward, because in her eyes, this was about to get interesting.

"Let's get serious. I know you're all investigating Penacony's anomalies. Or rather, we're very pleased to see this happen. The deeper you investigate, the better your chances of learning the truth behind this beautiful dream."

"The Family is hiding something, and we have firsthand intelligence too. Now, I've decided to generously share it with all of you. Too bad your lovely vacation is about to end."

Silver Wolf's voice gradually became cheerful, while the smiles on Caelus and March 7th's faces gradually shifted into agony. They had come here for a vacation. Once they got involved in this matter, things like shopping, beautiful dreams, and enjoyment would be beyond their reach.

March 7th grimaced and did not even want to keep listening. With Silver Wolf's confirmation, this was practically a guaranteed dangerous situation. The Stellaron Hunters had a terrible reputation, but their character was still passable.

"Enter this code into your Dream Pool—that device you use to dream—and go check out the hidden map! I packed the location coordinates together for you. Just copy them with one click."

Silver Wolf gave them a string of code. Caelus and March 7th looked at each other. Neither of them had found anywhere on the Dream Pool to enter code. That thing was clearly a bathtub, so what did it have to do with computers?

"I assume you've already heard about Sam. Look forward to it. That guy has a simple personality and likes fair and square victories. You'll definitely get along, so I hope none of you get crushed by his enthusiasm!"

"Oh, he asked me to tell you this: in the unreachable dream, the show is about to begin. Good luck. Every faction is making its move. Nameless, don't fall too far behind!"

Silver Wolf mentioned Sam at the end, and the video ended. Caelus felt that he had received a little too much information, so he sorted it out with March 7th.

"If I understood correctly, Auntie means that in the unreachable dream—that is, the Dream Hotel—there's a big silver guy waiting for us to go settle things with him?"

"That should be it. Those Stellaron Hunters... they actually have arrangements in Penacony too. They're really impossible to get rid of!"

March 7th still disliked the Stellaron Hunters by name. In her eyes, what had happened at the Space Station had all been their doing. Even if it had been for Caelus's birth, they had gone too far. They were not good people.

"I'm not going. What's in it for me?"

Caelus shook his head repeatedly. March 7th looked at him speechlessly. It was not like he could simply refuse to go. Although she did not want to go either, was retreat really an option on the road of Trailblaze?

"The Molten Knight—Sam. It is said that he is a remnant of the Glamoth Iron Cavalry, a genetically modified soldier from birth. His perception differs from ordinary people's, and he acts decisively without leaving any room for mercy. He is a dangerous individual no less threatening than Kafka or Blade."

Welt pushed up his glasses. His intelligence network was truly extensive; he even knew things like this. In any case, Caelus and March 7th had never heard of the man. They had come for a vacation, not to duel a member of the Stellaron Hunters.

"This is a letter of threat. For what comes next, we do need to visit the scene."

Welt summarized. Silver Wolf had not directly threatened them into going to the dream world, but if they wanted to investigate the truth, they could only grit their teeth and go. This was an open scheme. Unless the Express crew decided to give up entirely and drift along until Penacony's affairs ended, whether they could still move around freely afterward would be left to fate.

"Fine, I'll go."

Caelus said dejectedly. No one would force him if he did not want to go, but he could not just leave his companions alone. Especially little March, that fool—what would she do if he did not go?

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A Clarification: This Really Is Season Two, Not a Restart

I noticed that many readers had misunderstood and thought this was a restarted novel. I have to explain this important matter again.

The chapters before Chapter 24 were meant to explain the cause and effect, letting new readers understand roughly what the beginning was meant to do. I could not simply continue writing from where the previous book left off, because new readers would not understand what was going on. So I had to spend some words explaining it. However, because this site's rules prohibit duplicate chapters, the content had to be heavily revised. After revising it, old readers could no longer understand it and misunderstandings arose.

In truth, old readers only need to start directly from Chapter 24. That is where this continues from the first book's progress: after the Xianzhou, entering Penacony. The relationship developments are all still there, and the wives are all still around. So you can see that I did not avoid mentioning what happened in the previous season. Caelus's weapon is still a lance, he still learned the Stellaron's skills, and Acheron is still the main wife.

It was still my failure to explain clearly that caused the misunderstanding. Let me explain it a few more times!

"Star Rail: Starting by Picking Up a Lost Acheron"

Special Service

The Express crew quickly finished discussing things. Welt would remain in the real hotel to prevent problems with Caelus and the others' physical bodies, while Himeko would lead the team into the Dream Hotel to investigate the truth. Naturally, they would also need Black Swan's help.

"Miss Black Swan, please guide us through the dream."

Himeko found Black Swan, who was drinking, and spoke to her. This effectively finalized their cooperation.

"It is my honor to cooperate with the Star Rail Express. My abilities will not disappoint you."

Black Swan raised a hand to her chest in a formal salute and smiled as she accepted the dangerous task. After that, everyone returned to their rooms and entered the dream through the Dream Pools.

Black Swan naturally followed Caelus back to Acheron's room. At this time, Acheron was still within the dream. As long as there was no danger nearby, it was a perfect chance for her to catch up on sleep. She was usually like this as well.

Caelus found the hidden control panel for the Dream Pool. After entering the password Silver Wolf had given him, he did not activate it immediately. Instead, he stood there and began thinking.

"You look very nervous. Are you worried about that young lady?"

Black Swan spoke. She did not need to look into Caelus's memories to know what he was thinking about. Going in and out of that dangerous dream naturally made him think about Firefly's safety.

"If something is troubling you, why not tell me? There is no one in this world more suited to being a therapist than a Memokeeper."

"Then I'll need big sister's lap pillow as treatment support."

Caelus had originally wanted to say no, but hearing Black Swan take such initiative stirred other thoughts in him. He immediately pointed at the room's sofa.

"You've been through so much, yet you still act like a child."

Black Swan said with a smile. She knew a little about Caelus. Seeking out the Express crew had not been a chance encounter. Still, since she had already said it, she sat down on the sofa, pressed her legs together, and patted her black-stockinged thighs.

Caelus threw himself onto Black Swan's lap in only a second, earnestly savoring the feel of her black stockings and the softness of her thighs. Judging by Caelus's extensive experience with black stockings, he could give them a score of ninety-five.

"Thank you, Black Swan. You're so nice."

There was a saying that things looked bigger up close and smaller from afar. At this moment, Black Swan was so close to Caelus that all he could see were full, rounded curves. Caelus felt as though he had become small too.

"You're welcome. It is what I should do. After all, you are very special... special enough that many eyes are watching you."

Black Swan's words showed that she had learned about Caelus through certain special channels. After all, there was probably only one Stellaron like him in the entire universe. Organizations with even a little influence could more or less know about such a thing. That was the meaning behind Black Swan's hint.

"That's what happens when you're handsome. If you think I'm unsafe, why don't you stay by my side and protect me?"

Caelus directly twisted Black Swan's meaning. She had merely warned him that people were watching him in the shadows, but he wanted to lure her over as his bodyguard. Even Black Swan could not help laughing.

"You really are asking for a lot. I'm a Memokeeper, and I have plenty of things to do." Black Swan said.

"Memokeepers can appear anywhere. If you left a back door on the Star Rail Express, could you come over anytime?"

"That would be possible. I just don't know whether you would welcome me."

"I'd personally welcome you. There aren't many ladies as beautiful as you."

"What a sweet mouth. After Penacony's matters are over, I'll consider it."

Black Swan neither agreed nor refused. Whether Caelus was worth investing in would depend on his performance in this matter. As the universe's only Stellaron, surely he would not disappoint.

"Speaking of Firefly, do you think she'll be in the dream?"

Caelus brought up what worried him. At the same time, he faced Black Swan's stomach and wrapped both arms around her slender waist, feeling the softness of her lower abdomen. From this distance, he could see the opening around her waist. Her navel was covered by the black stockings of her outfit, creating a hazy sort of beauty.

"Don't worry. That was a one-way door. It only leads to waking reality. Unless that girl had an intense desire and absolutely refused to wake from the dream. How could that be? She must be rubbing her eyes somewhere in the hotel right now."

Black Swan said with a smile. She had great confidence in her techniques, but when Caelus heard those words, his expression completely froze.

"...The heart I had been holding onto has finally died."

"What is it?" Black Swan asked in confusion.