Why are you looking at me?
Fang Jie shook his head and avoided looking at Rin. "Same here. Peace would be best. That means Rin agrees too."
He pointed at the parts that had been blown apart by the Stellaron Spirit after he controlled them. They were still coated in Six-Phase Ice, and he gave March 7th a meaningful look.
These were all...
"Alright, no need to say it. It's fine as long as there are no objections." March 7th cut him off and decided to act as if nothing had happened. At least the two Belobog higher-ups who had invited them had no objections.
Sampo's crimes were unforgivable!
So, after a slight detour, the group still arrived in Belobog.
As they passed through the curtain of snow, the warmth rushing toward them felt wonderfully comfortable.
"We're here."
There was no hiding Gepard's pride and confidence.
"Welcome to the City of Preservation, Belobog."
"Wow, it doesn't seem so cold anymore!"
March 7th immediately perked up and pulled out her camera.
Click, click, click!
Fang Jie did not have anything like that, so he could only record it with his eyes... Projection should be able to recreate it, right?
Though he was still somewhat concerned about Rin, he was thrilled to finally set foot in the warm city before him. "We're finally here."
It had been such a long journey.
The city residents also noticed this motley group. They gathered in twos and threes, whispering among themselves. March 7th and the Stellaron Spirit were dressed far too strangely, especially since they were not wearing stockings. It brought a sense of novelty to this somewhat old-fashioned apocalyptic fortress.
Gepard had no intention of wasting time. "Everyone, please follow me. That is Clipper Fort, the heart of Belobog and the headquarters of the City Builders."
Originally, the Great Guardian's affairs were busy, and Gepard would need time to arrange an introduction. They would not have been able to see her until tomorrow.
But hadn't they just defeated Belobog's city defense forces? Delaying for another day would make it seem as though there might be an ambush waiting for them.
As for taking them there like this, perhaps they might... assassinate the Great Guardian?
Gepard had never considered such a thing.
"Ah, we're going right away? I wanted to experience the local culture first. Don't you agree... Hey, Stelle, what are you doing?!"
The moment she looked away, the child had run off.
Her target was a trash can on the street. She charged straight toward it, curiosity overflowing from her and radiating such carefree delight that no one dared look directly at her.
Fang Jie carefully committed that precious scene to memory and smiled knowingly.
"Smack~"
March 7th slapped a hand to her face, wearing the same helpless expression as Dan Heng.
"Let's get going. We need to see the Great Guardian."
Local culture could wait until later.
Gepard had no objections. He even planned to study that trash can carefully afterward—anything that caught the attention of such a powerful warrior had to have a reason.
That was the persuasive power of strength and beauty.
Dan Heng had even less reason to object. Even if March 7th did not rummage through trash cans, he had long since gotten used to it.
Still...
"Are you planning to come with us?" He looked at Fang Jie, then at Rin, the silent floating object who had said nothing throughout the journey. She was like a mute, with Fang Jie speaking for her the whole way.
Besides, Rin had been wary of them all along.
Dan Heng trusted his instincts. She had been wary of everyone outside Belobog, as though facing a great enemy, as if they might go insane at any moment, beat her to her knees, seize her, and drag her back into some secluded prison...
Fang Jie understood what Dan Heng meant. In the end, they were two separate groups. Though both were outsiders to Belobog, they were not allies. If they went together...
"I won't be going with you, and neither will she. Maybe next time." Fang Jie had no intention of drawing the Stellaron beside Cocolia's attention. He had already learned his lesson from the "Honkai Will" once. "My goal is to board the Astral Express. It isn't merely because I have some matters to discuss with Mr. Welt. Boarding the Astral Express was my goal from the very beginning."
"Our contact with the train has been temporarily cut off. If we receive any news, I'll contact you." Dan Heng indicated that he understood. The galaxy was full of all kinds of people, and the Astral Express generally did not turn anyone away.
"Then please come with me. I'll arrange accommodations for you."
Bronya had no objections to them splitting up, nor did she intend to divide and conquer them. Still, she was happy to see them separate of their own accord, so she led Fang Jie and... his companion, who had been asleep the entire time, toward the Goethe Hotel.
What? The little floating object?
Bronya merely regarded her as some sort of mechanized porter. She had been carrying a patient on her back the whole time. What a helpful assistant.
As the finest hotel in Belobog, the Goethe Hotel stood between the Administrative District and the Residential District. Many Silvermane Guards patrolled nearby, preventing unnecessary trouble... namely, Sampo sneaking in again to stir up trouble, sow discord, and commit evil deeds.
There was really no need to say anything to Bronya, whose expression had been serious all the way and whose butt hurt. Fang Jie simply followed her as she insisted on handling his check-in arrangements. She also prepared three rooms for the Astral Express crew before leaving with the Silvermane Guards.
As for Fang Jie needing only one room, that was completely unimportant.
"Rin, is there anywhere you'd like to see? I know a little about Belobog. I'd recommend visiting the Eternal Freeze Monument, or we could just wander around near the hotel..."
No, I choose sleep.
Rin stepped on Yae Sakura's sleeping face and responded with a cold, disdainful expression.
Why would she need to look around to learn anything? She could just browse the local network.
Compared to that...
Fang Jie's earlier words had reminded her of the past. What an awful guy.
If you want to look around, then go. Why drag me along?
"Alright, then. I won't disturb you."
Being subjected to cold violence was still better than direct violence. He would leave it to the miracle tomorrow might bring.
Trusting in miracles, Fang Jie chose a chair and sat with his back to the door. He braced Jizo Mitama against the floor with his left hand, closed his eyes, focused his mind, and felt the power of corrosion circulate.
Such powerful power could not be drawn lightly. Clones, dual forms, dimensional slashes...
.
.
P.S. I'm working hard to build up chapters in reserve. Please bookmark, recommend, and send monthly tickets for the new book! (?o?o)??
Trailblazing Was Always an Unknown Road, So Why Worry About Others' Hardships
Fang Jie sat with his eyes closed in deep meditation, cultivating both mind and spirit. He had no idea how much time had passed.
"I'm telling you, this is a brand-new and interesting world! And Himeko and Uncle Yang aren't here, so we absolutely have to have a good time!"
Before anyone appeared, March 7th's cheerful voice rang out from afar.
"Come on, let's bring Fang Jie with us. We still haven't properly introduced ourselves to him, even though he seems to know all of us already..."
The moment the door opened, Fang Jie, who had his back to them, did not turn around.
A powerful BGM began playing—
"Boom buzz~, dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun, boom boom boom, wah wah wah wah wah~"
The Stellaron Spirit's eyes lit up, her golden gaze filled with the radiance of I learned it.
March 7th choked for a moment. "Uh, well... is this also some little tune from your hometown?"
She really wanted to praise him, but Fang Jie's humming was far too tone-deaf!
"It's the favorite of the great Senti." Fang Jie had liked Senti even before she was born. He stopped humming, and his tone suddenly became full of stories, cool and aloof. "You came."
"Yeah, we came. That Great Guardian arranged for us to stay at the most comfortable inn in town and get a good night's sleep. We'll talk about the Stellaron afterward. Tomorrow at noon, she'll send someone to invite you over and properly discuss your situation. Come on, let's go sightseeing together. We can talk while we walk. Don't you want to become a Nameless too? Who just stays in their room all day?"
Cocolia's invitation?
Fang Jie did not care and continued his cool act.
"You shouldn't have come."
"Ah, then I'll leave?"
The Stellaron Spirit was polite. She prepared to sneak back to her room, somehow feeling there might be a wardrobe waiting for her there. Maybe even a Belobog demon.
"Don't you dare back out now." March 7th refused to let her go and grabbed her. "Why shouldn't we have come? Oh, stop pretending already. Come on, let's go have fun together."
"Miss March 7th, I see you don't understand at all."
They could clearly match wavelengths, yet she insisted on ruining the mood. Little March gave him no face whatsoever.
"Understand what? I don't want to understand that sudden, inexplicable feeling!" March 7th put her hands on her hips, looking incredibly imposing.
Fang Jie eventually stood up, turned around, and the chair behind him automatically... flew away. "Mr. Welt is still as young as ever, right?"
"Uncle Yang? Young... Well, I can't really say." March 7th's expression became subtle. "Come to think of it, I heard Uncle Yang used to lead a secret organization, saved planets, worked as a teacher, and even drew animation keyframes! Seriously, he's practically an alien... You've heard about all that too?"
Alright, she had to admit that part of why she came to see Fang Jie was because she was curious about that.
Maybe she could pry out some alien secrets.
Fang Jie became animated. "Now you've asked the right person. That child Welt? We watched him grow up. To think he's become such an old-timer now. I still remember many amusing stories from when your Uncle Yang was little..."
Because he was far too animated, Little March choked and looked somewhat disgusted. "You? How old are you supposed to be?! Hey, wait, could it be that you too..."
Little March was suspicious.jpg
Little March looked up at the fifty-thousand-year-old big shot.
"I'm at least one month old. At most, I'm probably around the same age as Stelle? Hard to say. There are things in my memories that I don't remember remembering."
Fang Jie stopped putting on the airs of an elder. There was no need to argue seniority with Little March. He ignored her expression of that's it? and her eye roll, turning instead to the Stellaron Spirit.
Mm, Starchild.
Stelle pointed at herself, looking at Fang Jie uncertainly. "You're like me?"
She was still dazed. Not long ago, she had been copying human children's behavior and acting like a parrot, while Little March dragged her around everywhere.
March 7th was big sister!
"You seem to know a lot about us."
"Ah, was it that obvious?"
"You didn't hide it at all, hey."
While the conversation here was lively and harmonious, Dan Heng had already checked the room for security risks and walked over. "March."
"I'm coming, I'm coming. I'm inviting Fang Jie along. Later, we'll go see that Eternal Freeze Monument Stelle suggested."
Dan Heng looked at Fang Jie. "Coming with us?"
"Sure. Rin, I'm heading out. You should get some rest too."
He still had to give her some freedom, even if she might... Fang Jie could not stop her anyway.
There was no response, as though she had fallen asleep.
Thus, the group of four wandered around Belobog. March 7th snapped pictures everywhere, while Stelle was constantly drawn to unfamiliar things and fell behind whenever no one was watching. Dan Heng read a book while keeping an eye on the children to either side, handling it all with ease.
Fang Jie looked at everything!
He looked at Belobog, and he looked at the Astral Express crew. Both were scenery.
His mood gradually calmed. Though Belobog was truly in terrible shape, it still gave him the desire to take a proper look at its shining points.
They had arrived at the Eternal Freeze Monument.
This landmark of Belobog's Upper City stood at the center of the plaza. It consisted of two elements: gears symbolizing knowledge and industrial power, and a massive ice crystal symbolizing The Eternal Freeze. It depicted a huge ice crystal sealed within iron gears, symbolizing how civilization's struggle against The Eternal Freeze had been brought to an end beyond steadfast walls, while human civilization remained unshaken.
"Look, that ice sculpture has such a strange shape! It somehow feels like it fits this city perfectly." March 7th immediately grew excited, her camera clicking nonstop.
Before you continue