Before noon, Gepard arrived on time and invited Fang Jie to Clipper Fort.
"Guest, Lady Cocolia is already waiting for you."
"It is time to go. Please forgive me if I have done anything wrong."
Fang Jie nodded. Gepard might never understand why he was apologizing and would only assume it was about what happened earlier.
He still did not bring Rin. She was not suited to meeting soldiers, high-ranking humans, or anyone of that sort. It would be best to kill them all before she ever saw them—the more miserable their deaths, the more satisfying it would be.
Yae Sakura could not protect everyone forever. Sooner or later, she would awaken.
A car was waiting outside the door, powered by geomarrow and warmly accommodating.
Sure enough, one had to fight for everything, especially respect.
Soon, under swift and efficient escort, Fang Jie passed through the crowds and arrived at the heart of Belobog.
"Guardian, the outsider has arrived."
Seated in the center of the room was a familiar figure. Although Fang Jie had never actually met Cocolia over there, this Cocolia Rand had a sharp expression and imposing authority—the strength of a leader...
He could sense an immense energy within her. At first glance, she was far stronger than the Astral Express trio, who had been concealing themselves.
"You have done well, Gepard. Withdraw and get some proper rest."
Cocolia's expression was gentle. Who knew how many people she had given such instructions to today, as though her conversation with the outsiders yesterday had gone very well.
Gepard bowed silently and withdrew. Cocolia appeared quite polite. "Please, sit. Outsider, I am Cocolia Rand, Guardian of Belobog. I have already understood the intentions of the other group of outsiders. As for why you have come, we may discuss it now."
A similarly piercing gaze swept through the room. Neither side descended into a back-and-forth of "What are you looking at?" and "Looking at you, so what?" That gaze immediately withdrew.
Cocolia's expression changed slightly as she invited him again. "Please, sit."
This interrupted Fang Jie's pursuit of that gaze. The light in his eyes, like a pool of jade-green water, receded. He sat down openly across from Cocolia and faced her as though ready to listen.
What was there to discuss? Not having the ability to save the world was not her fault, but giving the world hope only to shatter it afterward was an unforgivable sin.
Do not make promises of hope lightly. Fang Jie weighed his own capabilities and spoke seriously. "Then let us discuss Belobog's future."
"The future?" Cocolia raised a brow. The expression was not dignified enough, but she did not care. She had smiled far more than usual today already; what difference did this make?
She crossed her hands before the table and propped up her chin. This version of Cocolia was not especially polite.
"Outsider, what does Belobog's future look like in your eyes?"
"There is still a sliver of life in this desperate situation."
"A desperate situation, a sliver of life." Cocolia neither confirmed nor denied it. "Yesterday, I spoke with the Nameless from beyond the stars. They asked to seal away and take something called a Stellaron, because it was obstructing their path of departure and spreading disaster."
"They were straightforward, powerful, and confident—especially Miss March 7th. I appreciate her frankness. So, outsider, there is no need for us to dance around each other. Have you also come for the Stellaron?"
Fang Jie had nothing to hide. "I am interested in the Stellaron, but it is not something I can touch in my current state. What I seek is Belobog itself—more precisely, the people here."
"Oh." An unexpected answer. Cocolia's smile faded. "Please continue."
"I want to become one of the Nameless and walk the Path of Trailblaze." Fang Jie first stated his own request. "As someone who has just begun exploring the universe, I must remember that exploration of the universe without bonds to family, companions, and friends is no longer exploration. It is merely invasion. I must never forget something so dangerous."
"Therefore, the foremost attitude when approaching a planet should be to seek consent: exploration on a voluntary basis."
"But take note: unlike the Nameless who have already boarded the train, they are more noble. Even if what they give exceeds what they gain, they will still move forward steadfastly. I have not yet boarded the train. Belobog is my final undertaking where what I can repay may exceed what I invest."
What flexible principles. Cocolia did not dislike them. Or rather, she was more accustomed to this sort of conversation—talking about investment and returns, rather than shared interests or sealing the Stellaron together.
Unfortunately, you came one step too late.
Unfortunately, there were only two of you. One of them was still "unconscious," and you had openly admitted that you had not yet boarded the Astral Express.
"I am delighted to meet such a noble person." Cocolia appeared much warmer. "I have fully understood your side's position. I would like to ask about this part where you said 'your people' are what you seek."
Frankly, Cocolia did not understand what kind of repayment that counted as, so she had to ask.
"For similar people, and similar matters."
Fang Jie looked at Cocolia, but his gaze was not fixed solely upon her. "There are countless worlds in the universe, similar yet different. Within those worlds are countless people, likewise similar yet different. Their fates often follow familiar paths and overlap with one another."
"You are not that person I have yet to meet. Your homeland was not as fortunate as hers, but I believe that even for this small measure of 'similarity,' Belobog has reasons worthy of my attention. Thus I came, I saw, and I remain."
Cocolia narrowed her eyes. Frankly, she did not really understand. The universe was outside her field of knowledge, and Fang Jie's reason was even harder to understand than "shared interests." It was closer to a "personal factor."
Yet it sounded quite believable. He had already offered such an absurd-sounding reason—why would she not believe him?
"I am curious. If there truly is someone similar to me, what similar thing happened to her?" She really was curious.
Then she saw Fang Jie looking back at her with a strange expression. "She just caused a great cataclysm and destroyed the city where I lived. Millions of people in the Far East died because of it, and I nearly suffered bombardment from fission bombs caused by it... a type of extremely powerful weapon."
The atmosphere became a little awkward.
Cocolia really wanted to ask, You did not come here to take your anger out on me, did you? Personal factors involving private grudges were nearly impossible to resolve. It was difficult to believe he had come with good intentions.
Fang Jie looked very magnanimous. "Do not worry. You are not the Cocolia I know. I will not be petty."
"Well then, that is... for the best."
Cocolia maintained her smile.
"Returning to the previous topic, the 'people' you seek are... me?"
This topic was awkward too. What did he want her to do?
"Not only you. Frankly, even people unknown to Belobog are something I seek." Fang Jie tried not to show favoritism. "In the galaxy, theoretically, everyone may become someone with great power. The possibilities are limitless."
The Anti-Matter Legion had much to say about that. Whether you were human or not, the Voidrangers welcomed you.
The Swarm had something to say too. Give birth for me.
The Abundance denizens depended on the circumstances. If they were not hungry, they would first trick you into seeking Yaoshi's blessing. If they were hungry, you were a meal.
"Yes, people are a resource."
Cocolia did not find it harsh. What hurt her most was that Belobog could not even sustain those resources.
What civilization could speak of civilization without enough population? Even miracles required a sufficient foundation. After all, everyone's limitless potential was only theoretical.
"'City Builders' remember history so they may remain steadfast in heart. I know that in the distant past, before the Eternal Freeze descended and before the Legion invaded, this world was once extraordinarily prosperous..."
"The Aeons connected our planet to other worlds, and we learned of countless possibilities in the vast galaxy. The development of geomarrow resources attracted the City Builders, and through them, we heard of the Amber Lord. Under Their gaze, we began constructing walls, laying the foundations for Belobog's Preservation today."
"If what you seek is something similar—a transaction based on human resources—then I can answer you now. I would be very willing."
Cocolia readily agreed, smiling reservedly as she sold people with absolutely no restraint.
"Then what can you offer us in return? Bring us that sliver of life?"
Her decisiveness was unexpected. She even sounded as though she did not regard people as people at all, with no dignity involved.
What a qualified leader.
Frankly, Fang Jie had never confused this Rand with the Cocolia of Anti-Entropy. He could still distinguish right from wrong and gratitude from grievance. But he knew very well that both Cocolias were... insane.
He said solemnly, "Perhaps it will be a sliver of life, or perhaps another crisis."
"Are all outsiders so confident and forthright? It is enviable." Cocolia did not mind hearing what sort of crisis it would be and gestured for him to continue.
"First, we need to be honest about what kind of desperate situation Belobog is facing." Fang Jie did not intend to speak of Honkai, nor was he in a hurry to speak of Nihility. Instead, he spoke of Belobog.
"The Fragmentum phenomenon caused by the Stellaron, and the Eternal Freeze." Cocolia's answer was quite perfunctory.
"Cocolia, I am speaking to you sincerely. You should not conceal the current situation. Those are merely surface-level matters. The Stellaron is indeed a crisis, but I am not concerned with that. Belobog is entirely capable of handling it itself, no matter how it chooses to do so."
Fang Jie did not want to discuss the Stellaron. It looked dangerous, but in reality it was not safe at all. Still, there were ways to deal with it.
"What I want to discuss is the Legion, the Anti-Matter Legion, and the company. Beneath the three mountains weighing on Belobog—the Stellaron included—there are also countless smaller problems within Belobog itself. Such as human nature long suppressed. Perhaps a riot, an uprising, or some other attempt to destroy the existing order and rebuild it is already brewing. But that future should be decided by the people of Belobog themselves."
Fang Jie had originally planned to get involved too, but after waking up today, Belobog's image of harmony among its people had elbowed him awake.
First, stabilize the crazy woman. All the crazy women. At least give the kid some time to grow.
And Sampo, I must repay you for that red sausage you buried in the snow—with a grand, dramatic conflict.
This world, still not awake, did not know it had been placed upon the cosmic gambling table as a stake in a massive wager.
"The Legion, the company?"
Cocolia turned those two words over in her mind, slightly bewildered.
The Eternal Freeze was imminent, and the Stellaron was about to be lost. The only solution she could think of was to imitate the first Great Guardian, make a wish to the Stellaron, and create the new world it promised, or...
Trigger a new Eternal Freeze and personally end everything, rather than allow an ugly destruction in the future.
Compared to that, the Legion was too distant. Though it had once destroyed Jarilo-VI to its final moment, it had then been indiscriminately swallowed by the Eternal Freeze as well.
As for the company...
"The company? Why the company?"
"To collect a debt, of course."
Then she remembered some matters from the old civilization, matters that had seemed unimportant.
It was when Jarilo-VI faced the Legion, as the various factions evacuated Jarilo-VI, that the company's representative extended a loan to Jarilo-VI for resisting the Legion's attack and rebuilding their homeland. The loan term was 290 years.
After that, Jarilo-VI lost contact with the wider universe.
Even so, seven hundred years later, Belobog's Winter Zone Shield still maintained an exchange rate of one to fifty against Credit Points. If the new world were created and they reconnected with the universe...
Could the principal, seven hundred years of interest, and the penalty for default simply go unpaid?
That was the company, not the Underworld.
Just as she could abandon the Underworld and sell Belobog's people as resources, that astronomical debt to the company also had to be honored.
"So it truly is a desperate situation."
Even Cocolia laughed.
As she laughed, like Agni, her gaze suddenly sharpened. She had never lacked decisiveness, nor the ruthlessness to act upon it.
Fang Jie had been guarding against her going insane the entire time and reminded her, "You are not thinking of taking me—taking us—and keeping Belobog isolated to avoid the company, are you? Even if you could do that, there is still the Anti-Matter Legion, is there not?"
"..."
Cocolia stopped smiling.
Fang Jie truly knew how to block both paths.
She looked at him somewhat miserably, waiting for him to offer that sliver of life. No more talk of desperate situations. She was numb; she had been numb for years.
Fang Jie went along with it. "You have already traveled far down the road of betraying Preservation. The principle of aiding the weak with strength and valuing action over thought has gradually slipped into severing the weak and eliminating the weak to preserve the strong."
Bronya had inherited the ideals Cocolia held in her youth. She had not yet been crushed by cruel reality. Sending her to the Underworld might still save her.
Of course, Bronya could not learn the Guardians' secret before that, and she needed helpers from the Astral Express—or at the very least, she needed to meet Seele. Otherwise...
To persist in a belief without turning back required being a little crazy. Normal people found it difficult to keep going.
Fang Jie spoke with certainty. "You cannot trust Preservation. You do not believe miracles can happen, nor do you believe kind-hearted people would be willing to protect Belobog from the ravages of the Legion and the company. There is no need for us to debate that. I am not one who has received the Amber Lord's gaze, and I have not even boarded the Astral Express yet."
Cocolia did not argue. "Then what is your ideal? To pursue Trailblaze? As far as I know, the Aeon of Trailblaze is already dead."
Even in this backwater, Cocolia knew of Akivili's death. That showed the Aeon's influence—and Cocolia's pragmatism.
Fang Jie waved a hand. "Let us not discuss Aeons. You and I do not need to consider facing beings of that level. There is truly no need.
Generally speaking, having ties to an Emanator is enough to protect a planet. More than one, even.
To put it more bluntly, on the grand stage of the galaxy, if there is no Emanator behind you, you are nothing."
Cocolia strongly agreed with that. Was that not why Jarilo-VI had been abandoned by all the outsiders who thought little of it, because a Lord of Ruin stood behind the Legion? Only the company, after assessing the risks, chose to issue a loan.
It might have been an astronomical sum to Jarilo-VI, but what did it amount to for the company?
Even if it became bad debt, it was worth gambling on a possibility—a miracle of Preservation. There were always miracles in the galaxy. So long as a little hope was sown, a miracle might be reaped. Why would the company begrudge such an investment?
Unfortunately, Jarilo-VI had not produced a miracle in the end. The first Great Guardian had chosen to make a wish to the Stellaron for Preservation, leaving behind a fatal blow to the faith of those who came after.
The more Belobog's people believed in the Amber Lord, the less the succeeding Great Guardians and upper ranks who knew the truth could speak. They could only conclude that Belobog's survival was the Amber Lord's blessing.
It was far too divided.
Returning to the present, Fang Jie met Cocolia's incredulous and inevitably suspicious gaze and spoke with certainty. "Yes, behind me stands an existence that is at least an Emanator."
There was more than one, even. If she continued to destroy herself through Nihility, she would eventually see one of them.
There was no need to bring that up just to frighten Cocolia. If he said it, she would probably lose confidence instead. Belobog truly did not need several Emanator connections.
Cocolia had no reason not to believe him. Reality was already desperate enough. Even if the Stellaron's sliver of life succeeded, it would only be lingering on in misery, just like the past seven hundred years.
Before you continue