Heading to the Robot Settlement

A mobile phone—truly a marvelous invention.

Jing Yan toyed with the device after receiving it.

This thing was a product of high technology.

As the owner of the Herta Space Station, a friend of Miss Herta, and the navigator of the Astral Express, Miss Himeko naturally possessed many such high-tech gadgets.

Compared to the smartphones Jing Yan had seen in his past life, the biggest difference with this one was its ability to generate a personalized appearance based on the owner's preferences and needs.

For instance, the phone's current appearance—its casing—was a colorful and mysterious pattern.

"Right, are you two still keeping an eye on the situation up there?" Jing Yan asked.

"Ah, you mean the Overworld?" March 7th replied.

"Even though Himeko and Uncle Yang can observe things from space, they aren't tech experts like Herta, so they probably can't hack in directly. Of course, I can't rule it out entirely, but since this mission is for the three of us, they likely won't be helping us for now."

March 7th answered.

"Mm." Jing Yan nodded upon hearing this.

"That's not what I meant; I'm talking about the movements in the Overworld."

Jing Yan added, "I did something special before coming down here."

"Bronya."

"The commander of the Silvermane Guard in the Overworld, a person who stands below only the Supreme Guardian and above everyone else—I did a little something to her head."

Jing Yan said with a smile.

"Did something... to her head?" March 7th and Stelle looked a bit frightened.

"It's not what you're thinking," Jing Yan clarified.

"Bronya used to be from the Underworld, just like me. We both grew up in the Rivet Town orphanage, but she was chosen from a young age to be the successor to the Supreme Guardian, and her memories were suppressed. I simply helped her recall them."

"Even though she hasn't fully recovered her memories yet, she will likely start to harbor doubts about Cocolia's true intentions."

"But even so, she can't really help us much, can she?" Stelle asked, puzzled.

"At first glance, that seems to be the case, but it's not necessarily true." Jing Yan smiled.

The Verbal Domination Jing Yan had once used on Bronya didn't just help awaken part of her memory; it had another purpose.

That was to awaken the power of "Harmony" within her. This power could be used to resist his own, but it could also be used to attempt to break the memory seals—though she hadn't realized before that Cocolia's scientists had tampered with her mind.

"But Bronya seems to be very devoted to her Mother, doesn't she?" March 7th frowned slightly from the side.

"Yes, which is why I didn't pin all my hopes on her. Besides, with the help of the Stellaron, Cocolia's strength will be unprecedentedly powerful; that's not something Bronya can stop on her own."

"Still, it's better to have done something than nothing at all," Jing Yan admitted.

"Mm, that's true." Stelle nodded in agreement.

"By the way, didn't you meet any friends the day you entered the city?" Jing Yan inquired.

"Friends?" March 7th pondered for a moment.

"Oh, sorry, I was having so much fun playing earlier that I kind of forgot."

"In the Overworld, we chatted with the owner of a mechanical workshop about music. That lady is full of energy, and she used to be a guitarist!"

"Her name is Serval!"

"How could I forget that? I'll go ask her." March 7th said apologetically.

Soon, she received a message from Serval.

"The Fragmentum invasion is getting worse. My brother has gone to guard the Restricted Zone. You guys be careful."

Seeing this, March 7th immediately replied, "You take care too."

Then, she showed the message to Jing Yan.

Jing Yan nodded after reading it.

"Just as I expected, Cocolia in the Overworld has started to move. We need to pick up the pace."

"Right."

March 7th suddenly spoke up.

"I just heard you're going to the Robot Settlement. What kind of place is that?"

"What, are you two coming along? Not waiting for Dan Heng?"

"Dan Heng is probably having a blast over there."

"Though, in reality, he might just be lost."

"Let's see what he says," March 7th said helplessly.

"I've already sent him a message, anyway."

"He hasn't replied yet, but he doesn't seem to be in any trouble."

"Mm, by the way, March 7th, you follow the Path of 'Preservation,' right? What is your understanding of this Path?"

Jing Yan asked.

March 7th was a mysterious girl who had lost her memories; when she was discovered by the Astral Express, she had been frozen inside a unique substance known as Six-Phase Ice.

Because the day she was unsealed from the ice was March 7th, she was named March 7th.

Compared to the likes of Bronya, March 7th had, in a sense, been subjected to less indoctrination.

She was also not burdened by ties such as national sentiment, so her thoughts should be relatively purer.

This was why Jing Yan wanted to obtain answers from her and hear her understanding of the Path.

"Jing Yan, are you asking me about my understanding of the Path of Preservation?" March 7th asked, appearing somewhat puzzled by the question.

However, she answered immediately afterward: "Of course it's to protect others, does that even need asking?"

"And then?" Jing Yan continued to ask.

"And then? Let me think..." March 7th rubbed her head, brushed back her pink bangs, and continued: "Then, I don't really know. Anyway, I quite like drinking iced fruit juice; maybe that has something to do with it?"

Jing Yan was left speechless by this remark.

That sounded completely unrelated.

"Alright."

Jing Yan said, "That's all, I have nothing else to ask."

He then turned and walked away.

In his view, the Path each person awakened might be related to the influence of their surrounding environment, though it was also possible that it had nothing to do with that and was simply a result of their personality.

The Robot Settlement was to the north of Boulder Town.

The junction was the Vagrant Camp.

When Jing Yan, March 7th, and Stelle arrived, they noticed some people limping toward them from ahead.

They exchanged glances, feeling that something was off, but still stepped forward.

"What's the situation?" Jing Yan asked.

"Hurry and leave, young man, it's not safe to go through ahead!"

The vagrant said unhappily before heading toward the camp's tents. From the length of his stride, Jing Yan could tell that the man's injuries were mostly superficial.

However, it was clear that there was still some danger ahead.

Not far from the camp was a lift, and beside it were various mountain paths and intersections. Apart from the jagged gray rocks, the surface was covered in white frost and snow.

The lift was situated on a bridge made of steel, and at the far end of the bridge stood a large iron gate, which was tightly shut.

Jing Yan knew that was the residence of Mr. Svarog, the leader of the Robot Settlement.

With the gate currently closed, he had no intention of forcing his way in.

Standing on the iron bridge, they could easily see people and some mechanical constructs fighting on the rocks on the lower level nearby.

"Not bad." Just as Jing Yan had expected.

It seemed that some trouble had arisen here as well.