In the Name of the World.

Fang Jie was utterly shameless as he offered over another milk tea. "Good girl, be good and go back to sleep."

The Stellaron Spirit was easy to bribe. Happily taking several cans of Tree Sap Milk Tea from Fang Jie, she skipped away.

It felt like he had traded Bronya for her, except he had traded her to Seele.

After coaxing Star away, Fang Jie turned back to Yae Sakura. "Then, let's continue our previous conversation. Miss Yae Sakura, welcome to this new world. And if you don't intend to stay, I can send you back to your original world."

Rin's lips moved, but she said nothing.

If Fang Jie respected Yae Sakura's choice, then Rin was... conflicted.

"Go back?"

Yae Sakura's gaze was vacant. Where could she even return to now?

Five hundred years had passed. The demon fox that had entangled her for five centuries seemed to have found a new home, no longer tormenting each other, living together and sharing each other's hatred and resentment. She could go ba—

She could not go back.

Yae Sakura lowered her eyes. "Sir, may I ask a question?"

Fang Jie let out a sigh. "Please."

"Kallen, she..."

Of course.

"The Saintess you knew passed away five hundred years ago."

Fang Jie kept it brief. Seeing Yae Sakura's eyes darken and Rin's gloomy expression, he did not elaborate too much.

"Five hundred years..."

Time rolled relentlessly onward, leaving people powerless. Determination, courage, love, admiration, hatred—all of them could sour and warp in the river of time, until they became so unrecognizable that even you found them unfamiliar.

"If you don't know what to do for now, stay here first and get to know the world again."

Seeing her state, Fang Jie made the suggestion.

Rin hesitated. Even with her complicated, inevitably bitter feelings, she thought Fang Jie had better not suggest getting to know this galaxy again. She knew Fang Jie meant well, but the moment he set off, he had already done something wrong.

Fang Jie realized that too. To be honest, he did not particularly want Yae Sakura to stay. Nihility harmed people, after all.

"Or, I can send you back. A life for a life, a grievance for a grievance. The man who killed that Saintess is still alive."

"Sir, do you think I am someone who needs hatred in order to live?"

Yae Sakura's voice was faint as she watched Fang Jie, and Rin, who had been hiding behind him the entire time.

Rin instinctively looked away, then glared back, her expression turning ice-cold.

What are you looking at? I saved you, traitor!

Fang Jie shifted to block her view, just as he had blocked Star from touching Rin. "Sorry. I just think people always need a goal, even if it is hatred—especially when they have nowhere to go."

Fang Jie understood that very well. Now that he had a goal, even the thought of eventually going to the Second Honkai eruption did not frighten him nearly as much.

"A goal?"

Yae Sakura had no goal. Only confusion.

Life and death were trivial matters to her. Her life had lost all meaning, and she might willingly seek death at any moment. If not Theresa, then Kiana, or Himeko... Oh, Rin had already sealed away her Herrscher authority in that regard. She could no longer turn into a Stigmata.

"If you can't think of a goal, then I need you. Are you willing to come with me?"

Fang Jie made the offer again.

Yae Sakura was somewhat surprised. "Is this... an invitation?"

She had thought this man had already invited Rin. What else did he need her for?

"Yes. Not in this world, but one day, I will take Rin back to do something important. During that process, I must remain wary of many things—especially Otto, the man who killed the Saintess and wants to revive her. Please help me keep an eye on him."

Fang Jie was very frank. That was also why he had sent the Stellaron Spirit away. The child was too young to hear these adult schemes.

Dan Heng felt he had done the right thing.

"Revive?"

He was not trying to eavesdrop. Natasha's clinic simply did not have the conditions for it.

And you people who were neither Foxians, Suiyang, nor dragons—could you stop casually touching taboos?

Dan Heng had no choice but to step forward as the spoilsport and ruin the mood. "Mr. Welt contacted me. He wants to... meet everyone."

As he spoke, Dan Heng added one more thing.

"If possible, could you set out as soon as you can? Would tomorrow work? Sorry, I know it is rather abrupt, but I could tell that although Mr. Welt sounded calm when he said it, he was actually extremely anxious. If Himeko had not stopped him, he probably would have come down already."

It was rare for the steady Welt to be like this.

However, urgently inviting Fang Jie's group had not been Welt's request. Dan Heng was simply very concerned about the matter and had hurried over as soon as he received the message.

Welt had always cared about others, yet he had never asked about Dan Heng's own affairs. Dan Heng could return that kindness.

That was what companions meant. They cared about you. They valued you.

So, tomorrow?

Fang Jie wore a solemn expression. "I already have plans tomorrow. Let's leave right away. Rin—elbow, get in the car with me."

Dan Heng, your timing was perfect!

Fang Jie was not about to stand on ceremony now.

P.S.: Why was the weather getting even colder? Was it still March? Where the hell had I been sent? I was crying.

In the Name of the World.

A long time ago—or perhaps not so long ago.

Himeko brewed coffee, carefully processing coffee beans with a single-molecule hand saw, along with... materials that were difficult to describe in human language. It was not that humans could not describe them, but rather that it was difficult for humans to admit they still fit their original understanding of "materials." Together, they became a shocking cup of coffee.

Pom-Pom had already slipped away.

Welt adjusted his glasses. He had also hidden in another carriage long ago, gazing at the frozen planet below.

"I wonder whether everyone's Trailblazing is going smoothly."

To be honest, he was worried.

After all, there was no need to even mention March 7th. Super Little March.

And Star, who had only just boarded the Astral Express, was not exactly... Well, she and March 7th might as well have been made from the same mold.

Dan Heng must have been Trailblazing very hard right now.

"It's fine. Jarilo-VI is a very small planet, and there are no Emanator-level Imaginary reactions. What kind of trouble could possibly appear that they cannot handle?"

Welt reassured himself.

He had been so anxious because of some strange dreams lately. About three days ago, to be precise.

In his dreams, it seemed as though he had returned to the days when he had been undercover at St. Freya Academy—no, educating and nurturing students. He remembered those children, who had also been so young. They were vivid and clear, as though their voices and faces were still right before him.

But dreams differed from reality. Before he could dream of the End Times of despair and hope, Kiana had only just entered St. Freya Academy, and Welt vaguely heard Kiana mention someone who did not exist in reality.

—Fang Jie.

It was strange. No matter how illogical dreams were, there was no reason for such a change to appear. Could it be foretelling something bad?

Welt had seen too many incomprehensible things in the galaxy to spiral into mental anguish over it.

"Maybe I simply miss home too much."

With a bitter smile, Welt steeled his resolve. He absolutely could not let Himeko find him and invite him to sample her coffee. Maybe drinking too much coffee was what had caused the strange dreams in the first place.

"Beep, beep."

At that moment, his phone chimed with a notification.

'Himeko: Welt, come to the observation car quickly. An abnormal change has appeared on Jarilo-VI. There's an existence with an extremely powerful Imaginary reaction, and its intensity is still rising. If this continues, the planet will be set ablaze...'

'Welt: I'm on my way!'

Welt strode off at a brisk pace, nearly using warp travel inside the Astral Express.

Domain Anchors were excellent helpers for the Nameless, though they naturally had range limits. To warp across distances measured in star systems... it was better to rely on the train.

He arrived at the observation car, where Himeko and Pom-Pom were both staring solemnly at the frozen planet.

"Look, it's burning. But the Imaginary reaction has stopped rising, and the effects it has produced do not match its intensity. Frankly, it's rather inefficient."

Even from outer space, it was a spectacle visible to the naked eye. Ice and snow were burning, thunder boomed through the skies, and a torrential rainstorm was on its way.

But no matter what it was trying to do, it was far too inefficient.

"What is it burning?"

No matter how he looked at it, it was not "natural," especially with the wildly spreading Imaginary reaction within it.

Of course, there were no signs of Dan Heng and the others either. They probably were not in a battle.

"Could the locals be doing something?"

Welt guessed.

"Perhaps. No need to worry. I'll contact them. You have a cup of coffee first—and Conductor, don't run away."

A drop of cold sweat immediately rolled down both Pom-Pom and Welt's foreheads as they hurriedly came up with excuses.

"Ah, Himeko, I just remembered I still have work..."

"Conductor, you've worked hard. Please rest first."

"Weren't we supposed to give the young people room to grow, so we deliberately didn't contact them..."

"Different circumstances call for different measures."

Himeko smiled brightly, sharing the masterpiece she was so proud of.

They could even drink it alongside the dazzling fireworks and savor the beauty of the moment.

"Himeko, you've worked hard too. Leave contacting them to me."

Welt stiffly accepted the coffee, then abruptly lowered his head and pulled out his phone, tapping away furiously. He looked as though he were checking messages, but he was actually contacting Dan Heng.

Pick up, pick up, pick up!

As if he had heard the call, dependable Dan Heng received the message. Welt did not want him to end the conversation too soon, so he unusually asked in advance about their Trailblazing without any impatience...

It had only been a few days. What could they possibly have Trailblazed?

There was plenty, Mr. Welt. Plenty.

Dan Heng shared a string of information from his homeland, as well as news about people who had not come but were familiar to them. The barrage came flooding in...

As Welt read, he could not help feeling lost, confused, and unable to understand why words could possess such impact. He felt like Old Joseph, as if despite once saving the world, he had now become senile...

No, I'm still young.

At the very least, his mind was still clear.

So—

"?"

In his daze, Welt picked up the coffee and drank it out of habit.

This habit that could never truly become habitual was probably what a habit was.

Welt's expression grew increasingly grave as he confirmed once more, "Dan Heng, are you saying that the Herrscher of Corruption from fifty thousand years ago has arrived in the galaxy and specifically named me as the person she wants to meet? She is accompanied by an unconscious Yae Sakura, as well as a... Fang Jie? I mean, Dan Heng, are you awake?"

"Mr. Welt, we did indeed encounter Masked Fools, but I am fully awake. From what I saw and heard, we also encountered the following locals on this planet: Cocolia, Bronya, Seele..."

There were photographs as evidence. Facts spoke louder than words.

Dan Heng was, in fact, very meticulous.

Welt silently drank all the coffee, making even Himeko turn serious.

"What is it? Is their Trailblazing not going well?"

"Haha, it's going quite smoothly. Jarilo-VI has no major problems. Everything is normal. It's just that Cocolia betrayed them, put Bronya on the wanted list, they encountered... and Seele, hahaha, I knew it. There were even Honkai energy reactions, a Herrscher, and a... Bloodsin Spirit certified by Masked Fools?"

Dan Heng's report was complete with pictures and text, while March 7th had kindly provided the photos. It was authentic and reliable, not merely a case of identical names, and Welt's mouth kept twitching as he read.