Chapter 358

"I'm afraid it's not just me, Screwllum, and many more in the future, who might all turn their attention here," Ruan Mei chuckled. "I look forward to your guidance in the future, Mr. Ai Yue."

"No problem at all." Ai Yue waved his hand casually, only to see the train conductor Pom-Pom, already standing at the door, urging him on with a silent gaze. "Anyway, see you next time."

After leaving those words behind, he glanced at the now empty corner of the platform and then strode into the train carriage.

Accompanied by the sound of machinery, this train, with its simple appearance yet fantastical interior, once again embarked on its journey.

Inside the observation car, the fox-girl, boarding the train for the first time, gazed at the dazzling starry sky outside the window, her eyes filled with a hint of expectation, yet also revealing a subtle sense of unease.

Because the train's next stop was her theoretical hometown, the Luofu Xianzhou, a place she had completely forgotten.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Great Extinguisher: What? I'm attacking the Stellar Train?

Tingyun found it difficult to describe her current feelings.

Is it a case of feeling apprehensive about returning home? No, not really, because she has absolutely no knowledge of this so-called hometown. All her understanding comes from online searches, and while these searches are vast and rich enough to form a very detailed concept, Tingyun finds it difficult to describe it as "hometown."

To be honest, she had only just learned the concept of "hometown".

If one cannot consider it their hometown, then there is no question of "feeling timid."

However, it must be admitted that she was indeed somewhat nervous, and this nervousness mainly stemmed from her own experiences.

"Are you thinking about the Luofu Xianzhou?"

Just as Tingyun was lost in thought, an elegant and gentle voice pulled her back to reality. Tingyun turned her head and saw Himeko holding a cup of coffee, smiling at her, "Don't worry too much. Whatever that guy who stole your life wants to do, at least he hasn't succeeded yet."

"Hmm... hmm." Tingyun blinked, then nodded. She subconsciously reached for the coffee, but then saw March 7th and Xing behind Himeko winking and waving their hands at her, their meaning all too clear. So she withdrew her hand. "Um, I'm actually not thirsty..."

I almost forgot, the "Stellar Train Survival Rules" I taught her before March 7th mentioned that you shouldn't drink Himeko's coffee casually.

"Don't worry, this is for entertaining guests, and it perfectly meets the most basic coffee brewing standards." Himeko smiled gently and moved the coffee forward a little. "I think you need a cup of coffee like this to calm your mind right now."

"Then, I shall respectfully accept your offer."

Faced with Himeko's enthusiastic invitation, Tingyun had no choice but to bite the bullet and accept the coffee cup from her hand. Under the regretful and sorrowful gazes of March 7th and Xing, he closed his eyes and, with the air of a warrior cutting off his own arm, took a small sip.

But then her eyes widened in surprise, and her ears twitched involuntarily. "Delicious, so good!"

Regardless of Tingyun used to drink tea or coffee, she has lost those memories now, but even someone who knows nothing about coffee can appreciate its beauty.

Moreover, this cup of coffee seemed to possess magical power; just as Himeko said, she truly calmed down because of it.

"Right? After all, these beans were carefully cultivated." Seeing the surprise on Tingyun's face, Himeko couldn't help but smile as well. "Although I didn't contribute much to it."

March 7th and Hoshino also approached with incredulous expressions. Hoshino, in particular, had almost been taken to the lab for emergency treatment just two days ago because she refused to believe in such superstitions and drank five cups of Himeko's coffee. At this moment, she was wary of any black liquid and couldn't believe that coffee made by Himeko could taste normal.

It's fair to say that rather than "Himeko made delicious coffee," they'd rather believe that "Tingyun was transformed into a taste monster by Ruan Mei."

Dan Heng, who was sitting in the corner reading a book, didn't come over, but his eyes kept drifting over, clearly interested in what was going on with the coffee.

Xing even called out Ai Yue, who was in his own carriage, trying to get him to analyze the ingredients of the coffee from a theological perspective.

"Alright, stop fooling around," Himeko finally nipped the farce in the bud. "Since everyone's here, let's have a discussion about our next destination."

"I've troubled all of you benefactors." Hearing Himeko's words, Tingyun's expression darkened. "If it weren't for me, none of you would have had to make the trip to the Luofu Xianzhou..."

Tingyun knew that the train's original route did not include the Luofu Xianzhou, but the reason they were going there was solely to take Tingyun home.

"There's no need to take all the blame on yourself, Miss Tingyun." Himeko shook her head. "Judging from the current situation, this matter involves far more than just you. As the nameless guests, we cannot ignore the danger we already know about. Even if you don't choose to return to the Immortal Ship, we still have to go to Luofu and notify the local authorities."

"Yes, this is definitely more than just an accident," March 7th nodded. "You've seen the news online; there's also Tingyun in Luofu now!"

As the head of the Minghuo Merchant Group, Tingyun was considered one of the wealthiest people in Luofu Xianzhou. However, her disappearance and that of the Minghuo Merchant Group did not cause any ripples in Luofu Xianzhou. The reason for this was that, in the eyes of the people of Luofu Xianzhou, Tingyun had not disappeared.

When March 7th and the others discovered through the internet that there was still a Tingyun on the Luofu Xianzhou, it was hard to describe the horror they felt at that moment.

The fact that the fake Tingyun was able to infiltrate the Luofu Xianzhou so smoothly, mingling among those close to Tingyun without revealing any flaws, demonstrates just how powerful the imposter's disguise was, and also provides the best explanation for Tingyun's amnesia.

She didn't "lose her memory," but rather someone "stole her memory." The person impersonating her used this memory to infiltrate the Luofu Xianzhou with ease.

Therefore, it's not hard for the nameless guests to imagine that the other party's elaborate scheme to infiltrate the Luofu Xianzhou was not simply to seize a merchant corps; there must be a huge conspiracy hidden behind it.

"There aren't many people who can do something like this. Through investigation and elimination, perhaps we can find some clues," Himeko said from the side. "We have already contacted the Interastral Peace Corporation, hoping to find possible clues through their vast network. Perhaps we will have some results in the next few days."

"Thank you everyone, I really don't know how to repay this kindness." Tingyun looked at the crowd before her, her eyes welling up with tears. "Thinking about it carefully, I realize that I was able to survive thanks to the help of so many people..."

"There's no need for words of gratitude. The most important thing right now is to find out what exactly happened on the Immortal Ship." Himeko smiled and moved on from the topic. "If there really is a powerful being trying to attack the Luofu Xianzhou, then what is its purpose?"

"The Luofu Xianzhou is not just a single force; it is backed by the entire Xianzhou Alliance," Dan Heng said. "As a powerful force directly under the Hunt Star God, it is not something that just anyone dares to provoke. Therefore, the other party must have its own confidence to do such a thing."

"A force capable of rivaling the Xianzhou Alliance?" Himeko pondered. "That immediately narrows down the pool of suspects considerably."

"Perhaps I can answer some of your questions?"

Just as everyone was pondering, a woman's voice abruptly interrupted their conversation.

Everyone looked toward the source of the sound—a mature woman whose main color was purple and who was holding an umbrella.

Although her figure appears very illusory at this moment, clearly not her real body but using virtual projection technology, everything else is very realistic, indicating that her real body is not far away.

"Stellaron Hunters, Kafka?" Himeko recognized her at a glance. "You guys haven't left the vicinity of the space station yet?"

"After all, there are still some things to do, so naturally we can't leave." Kafka smiled. "I've heard about what happened. You plan to send this Miss Tingyun home and report the possible conspiracy to the administrators of the Luofu Xianzhou, right?"

"That's true, but what does that have to do with you?" Himeko took two steps forward and retorted sharply, "The Stellar Train has no intention of getting involved with you, and besides, I don't think the Stellaron Hunters would be so kind."

"That's true, but I also have my own goals, so this time we can be considered... aligned in interests?" Kafka smiled, seemingly unconcerned about the slight hostility in Himeko's words. "In short, I will share some information with you; how you use it is none of my business."

After saying this, she continued without waiting for the nameless guests to respond, "First of all, on the Luofu Xianzhou, a star core is about to erupt."

"Star Core?" March 7th exclaimed instinctively, then realized, "Wait, was this also made by that guy pretending to be Tingyun?"

"As for the connection between these events, that's up to you to decide," Kafka said with a smile. "However, I can tell you that without the intervention of the Stellar Train, more than half of the innocent people on the Luofu Xianzhou would likely have perished."

"How is this possible? The Xianzhou Alliance is a powerful force capable of drawing power directly from the Star God. How could a single star core cause such immense damage?" Dan Heng rarely showed such excitement. "Or is there some other conspiracy involved?"

"Well," Kafka paused, then glanced at the silent Ai Yue, and continued, "I can only say that what happened in Luofu is somewhat similar to what happened at the Herta Space Station."

After saying this, she gracefully bowed to everyone, and then disappeared as abruptly as she had appeared.

Only a somewhat somber atmosphere remained in the carriage.

"It seems this matter is more complicated than we imagined." Himeko was the first to break the silence. "If Kafka's last words were meaningful, then we might already know who's behind this."

"Antimatter Legion? That does match the destructive power on Tingyun." Thinking of the Void Soldiers they encountered in the space station, March 7th couldn't help but speak up, "But why would the Antimatter Legion do this? Offending the Xianzhou Alliance for no reason isn't a wise move, is it?"

"Do the Antimatter Legion even have brains?" Xing blinked, looking bewildered. "I thought they were just a bunch of madmen who only thought about destruction."

"That's not entirely your fault. After all, that's pretty much the attitude the Antimatter Legion has shown to the outside world." Dan Heng shook his head slightly. "However, before this, they didn't have much interaction with the Xianzhou Alliance. If what Kafka said isn't an exaggeration, then this is undoubtedly inviting a powerful opponent into their lives."

"The Xianzhou Alliance is very united. If the Antimatter Legion really caused such a tragic massacre on the Luofu Xianzhou, then the other Immortal Ships won't stand idly by." Tingyun, who already knew about the Xianzhou Alliance through the internet, nodded. "However, the most urgent task is to find a way to notify the Luofu Xianzhou."

Tingyun's tone was filled with obvious anxiety. After all, even if she no longer had any special feelings for Luofu, this matter was still inextricably linked to her, and the fox-woman girl did not want any innocent people to die because of it.

"Things are a bit troublesome. After all, we don't know what kind of infiltration has occurred beneath the seemingly harmonious exterior of the Luofu Xianzhou," Himeko said with some worry. "If we rashly send out a warning message and alert those lurking enemies, we might inadvertently cause chaos ourselves."

"Well, for now, the person impersonating Tingyun doesn't know that the real Tingyun is still alive, which is our biggest advantage." Dan Heng nodded, then showed a hint of regret, "It's just a pity that this time, I'm afraid I can't be of much help."

"Why?" Xing asked, puzzled. "Aren't you planning to come with us to Luofu?"

"Other immortal ships might be fine, but Luofu... I'm strictly forbidden from returning to Luofu." Dan Heng's tone was somewhat cryptic. "'No one may set foot in any of their territory,' that's what they declared."

Xing nodded, seemingly understanding, then felt March 7th tugging at her sleeve. "Don't ask about this, it'll bring up Dan Heng's painful memories!"

"Mr. Ai Yue, what do you think?" Himeko turned her gaze to Ai Yue, who had remained silent until now. "Do you know something about the Luofu Xianzhou?"

Ai Yue was about to speak, but suddenly shut his mouth. At the same time, a communication request bell rang on the train, and the initiator... was from the Interastral Peace Corporation.

"Hello everyone on the Stellar Train, it's been a long time." After the communication was connected, Topaz's face appeared on the virtual screen. "Regarding the matter you consulted me about before, we have made some progress."

"Really?" March 7th couldn't help but reveal a somewhat subtle expression. "The company is really resourceful. We thought it would be difficult to get any clues from such vague information."

To ensure secrecy, the anonymous guests did not reveal the entire story of Tingyun, but instead inquired with the company about who was capable of such a task.

"It was indeed a bit blurry, which is why it took so long," Topaz nodded with a smile, then his expression turned slightly serious. "But the result was quite surprising; I wonder if you were mentally prepared for that—"

"It's related to destruction; someone capable of doing such a thing is very likely a Great Extinguisher."

Chapter Thirty-Nine: So you've started being a riddle solver too, huh?

The Great Extinguisher —in layman's terms, the messenger who Destiny of Destruction.

As we all know, although each type of Envoy possesses formidable strength, they also exhibit different powers due to the characteristics of their respective destinies. Therefore, not all Envoys are adept at combat.

But the messengers of Destiny of Destruction are indeed formidable in combat—these beings, who received Nanook's blessing and thus took it upon themselves to destroy all things in the world, are arguably the most destructive beings in the universe.

Therefore, when they heard that this matter might be related to a Destruction Executioner, almost everyone fell silent.

Then they all looked at Ai Yue at the same time, and the atmosphere immediately relaxed again.

What's there to be afraid of in a mere messenger? Even if the Star God of Destruction Nanook, were to come in person, he would still have to get past Ai Yue first!

"You guys," Ai Yue sighed helplessly, seeing the relieved expressions on everyone's faces, "I was really afraid that if things continued like this, I'd ruin you all."

Although he said that, Ai Yue didn't show any resistance. He paused for a moment, then took the initiative to ask, "Has the company found any specific clues?"

"Unfortunately, no. The company only found some clues that might be related to this matter based on past observation records." A few electronic voices came from Topaz's end, as if she was operating some equipment. "Has anyone heard of the Golden Rhine Civilization?"

"Golden Rhine... what's that?" March 7th and Star exchanged bewildered glances. The one with the lowest intelligence among the two nameless guests was the first to give up thinking. "Never heard of it."

"I've heard a little about it; it seems to be a civilization that worshipped Star God of Beauty?" Dan Heng, as the train's think tank manager, was quite knowledgeable here. He frowned and extracted some keywords from his memory. "However, I remember that this civilization seems to have been destroyed some time ago."

"Yes, the Golden Rhine Civilization was destroyed about six Amber Era ago," Topaz nodded. "Mr. Dan Heng is right. It was a civilization that worshipped the Star God of Beauty, and even after the Star God of Beauty fell, it maintained its former beauty and prosperity."

"But do you know how it was destroyed?"

"Miss Topaz, please stop being so mysterious," Himeko shook her head slightly, "But I suspect it's related to the conclusion you reached earlier?"

"Sorry, my professional instincts kicked in," Topaz said with a slightly embarrassed smile, then added, "Miss Himeko is right. The destruction of the Golden Rhine Civilization originated from an internal strife."

"In the company's records, this once beautiful civilization, where everyone trusted each other, suddenly began to distrust and be wary of one another, as if everything had changed drastically. They no longer trusted their own people, and even abandoned their faith in purity and beauty. The entire civilization was plunged into chaos."

"If that's all there is to it, then it shouldn't be destroyed, right?" Tingyun couldn't help but ask. "Is there no capable person in the Golden Rhine Civilization who can break this chaos?"

"Perhaps there is, but they don't have time to set things right." Topaz shook his head slightly, then continued, "Because just as this chaos reached its peak, the Antimatter Legion arrived."

"And you can probably imagine how it all ended."

"It's the Antimatter Legion again," March 7th frowned, realizing something at this point. "So, they were behind that internal strife too?"

"Currently, that seems to be the case. The Golden Rhine Civilization is actually quite powerful. Under normal circumstances, Antimatter Legion of average size wouldn't even be able to break through their defense system." Topaz nodded. "But during this internal strife, the defense system was directly shut down, which allowed the legion to advance unimpeded."

"Most importantly, at least 122 civilizations have been destroyed by the Antimatter Legion for this reason in the past six hundred years."

"So that's why the company believes this is related to the Great Extinguisher?" Himeko said thoughtfully, "The collapse of internal trust, the disintegration of spiritual beliefs... could this be considered a kind of spiritual destruction?"

"Yes, according to the investigation results sent by the company, the source of this internal strife all stems from the sudden abnormal behavior of some people. Analysis suggests that they were 'switched' before they exhibited these abnormal behaviors," Topaz said. "This is very similar to the kind of thing you mentioned, isn't it?"

"As for the conclusion of the Great Extinguisher, it was not proposed by the company, but rather a deduction given by the Divination Department of the Jade Court Xianzhou within the Xianzhou Alliance."

"We understand." Himeko nodded, not saying anything more. "Thank you for your help, Miss Topaz."

"It's nothing, after all..." Topaz's gaze swept over Ai Yue, then he changed the subject, "If anyone needs any help in the future, please don't hesitate to ask. Now that our goals and interests are aligned, we should naturally help each other."

"My communication channel is online 24 hours a day. Please feel free to contact me if needed."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Topaz ended the communication, leaving the nameless passengers on the train to process this weighty piece of information.

"My benefactors, what should we do next...?"

Tingyun, who had a direct stake in the Luofu Xianzhou, seemed somewhat lost at this moment. Even though she was prepared to fight to the end against the person who killed her, she was truly helpless under the pressure of the title "Commander".

How can such a terrifying enemy be defeated? And what terrifying conspiracies must be brewing behind it?

"Don't worry," Xing patted Tingyun on the shoulder, then walked to Ai Yue's side and proudly gave him a thumbs up. "No matter what the problem is, just run it over!"

"Don't act like this is your ability!" March 7th couldn't help but complain from the side. "Don't try to show off if you're just a bully borrowing someone else's power!"

"But given the current situation, there's actually nothing wrong with that statement." Dan Heng shook his head slightly, his gaze lingering on Ai Yue for a moment. "With Mr. Ai Yue here, the resolution of this crisis is already an indisputable outcome. But besides that, we need to consider another matter."

"So, how can we minimize the damage caused by this crisis, right?" Himeko smiled and took over the conversation, then nodded in agreement. "That's what I think too. Although both involve resolving the crisis, it's naturally better to save as many people as possible."

"So, what should we do next?" March 7th scratched his head. "I can't figure it out. I'll just leave this to you guys."

"What do you think, Mr. Ai Yue?" Dan Heng turned to Ai Yue. "After all, this matter requires your intervention to resolve, so your opinion is the most important."

"I don't care." Ai Yue shrugged, appearing indifferent. "In fact, if I were to handle this directly, it might not be able to completely resolve the issue. So it's better to let you proceed at your own pace, and I'll just be responsible for the final backup."

The events about to unfold on the Luofu Xianzhou are not as simple as they appear on the surface. After all, besides the Great Extinguisher and the Luofu Xianzhou, there is a third hidden force: the Medicine Master's Legacy, which worship the Star God of Abundance.

Bringing the real Tingyun directly to the higher-ups of the Luofu Xianzhou and using that as an opportunity to Great Extinguisher would be simple, but such an action would cause the Medicine Master's Legacy to resurface and become difficult to eradicate in one fell swoop.

In any case, there is still a long time before the situation gets out of control, and Ai Yue believes that letting the anonymous guests take charge is the best approach.

After all, just as he said, he could completely cover everything – the real kind of cover-up, the kind that covers everything.

In this way, the nameless guests can get some training, and the opportunities that would have arisen will not be affected by Ai Yue's intervention. It can be considered a win-win situation.