Ahead to the Robot Settlement

Phones really were great.

After getting his hands on one, Jing Yan started fiddling with it.

This thing was a high-tech product.

As a friend of Miss Herta, owner of the Herta Space Station, and Miss Himeko, navigator of the Astral Express, Jing Yan naturally had plenty of high-tech gadgets at his disposal.

Compared to the other smartphones Jing Yan had seen in his previous life, the biggest difference was that this phone could customize its appearance to suit its owner's preferences.

For example, the phone's appearance—or rather, its case—was currently decorated with a colorful, mysterious pattern.

"By the way, are you still keeping an eye on what's happening up there?" Jing Yan asked.

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

"Himeko and Uncle Yang can see it from space, but they're not tech experts like Herta, so they probably can't hack directly into the system. Of course, it's possible they can. But this is a mission for the three of us, so they probably won't help us for now."

March 7th replied.

"Mm." Jing Yan nodded.

"That's not what I meant. I was asking about what's happening in the Upper District."

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

"Bronya."

"She's the Silvermane Guard commander in the Upper District, second only to the Supreme Guardian and above everyone else. I did a little work on her mind."

Jing Yan smiled.

"Her mind? You did something to it?" March 7th and Stelle looked alarmed.

"Not what you're thinking," Jing Yan added.

"Bronya used to be from the Underworld. Like me, she grew up in the orphanage in Rivet Town. But she was chosen to be the next Supreme Guardian when she was young, and her memories were hidden. I just helped her remember a few things."

"She hasn't fully recovered her memories yet, but she'll probably start questioning Cocolia's intentions."

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

"At first glance, it might seem that way, but not necessarily." Jing Yan smiled.

The Verbal Domination Jing Yan had used on Bronya hadn't just awakened some of her memories. It had another purpose, too.

It was also meant to awaken the power of Harmony within her. That power could be used to counter his own, and she could also try using it to break through the memory seal. She just hadn't realized before that Cocolia's scientists had tampered with her mind.

"But Bronya seems to trust her mother a lot," March 7th said, frowning.

"Yeah, so I haven't put all my hopes on her. Besides, with the Stellaron's help, Cocolia will be stronger than ever. Bronya can't stop her on her own."

"Still, it's better to do something than nothing," Jing Yan admitted.

"Mm, that's true." Stelle nodded along.

"By the way, did you make any friends when you went into town?" Jing Yan asked.

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

"Ah, sorry! We were having so much fun that I forgot."

"In the Upper District, we talked about music with the owner of a mechanical workshop. She was so full of energy, and she used to play guitar!"

"Her name was Serval!"

"How could I forget? I'll ask her." March 7th apologized.

She soon received a message from Serval.

"Fragmentum incursions are getting worse. My brother's on guard duty in the Forbidden Zone. Be careful."

March 7th saw the message and immediately replied, "You be careful, too."

Then she showed the message to Jing Yan.

After reading it, Jing Yan nodded.

"Just as I expected. Cocolia in the Upper District has started making moves, too. We need to pick up the pace."

"Oh, 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 coming with us? Aren't we waiting for Dan Heng?"

"Dan Heng's probably having too much fun over there."

"Or maybe he's lost."

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

"We already sent him a message, anyway."

"He still hasn't replied. Doesn't look like anything's gone wrong."

"Mm. By the way, March 7th, your Path is Preservation, right? What does that Path mean to you?"

Jing Yan asked.

March 7th was a mysterious girl who had lost her memories. When the Astral Express found her, she was frozen inside a special substance called Six-Phase Ice.

She was named March 7th because that was the day she was freed from the ice.

Compared to Bronya and the others, March 7th had, in a way, been subjected to less brainwashing.

She also had no attachments to things like her homeland, so her thoughts should be purer.

That was why Jing Yan wanted to hear her answer and find out what the Path meant to her.

"Jing Yan, are you asking what I think the Path of Preservation means?" March 7th asked, seeming a little confused by the question.

But she answered anyway. "Of course it means protecting other people. What else would it mean?"

"And then?" Jing Yan asked.

"Then? Let me think..." March 7th touched her head and brushed aside the pink bangs on her forehead before continuing, "I don't know! I do like drinking chilled fruit juice, though. Maybe that has something to do with it?"

Jing Yan was at a loss for words.

That didn't sound related at all.

"All right."

Jing Yan said, "That's it. I don't have anything else to ask."

Then he turned and walked away.

In his view, the Path someone awakened to might be shaped by their surroundings—or it might have nothing to do with them at all, and simply reflect their personality.

The Robot Settlement lay north of Boulder Town.

The Vagrant Camp was at the boundary.

When Jing Yan, March 7th, and Stelle arrived, they saw several people limping toward them from up ahead.

They exchanged a glance, finding it odd, but still went over to them.

"What happened?" Jing Yan asked.

"Keep moving, kid. It's not safe up ahead!"

The vagrant sounded annoyed. Then he headed toward the tents in the camp. From the way he walked, Jing Yan could tell his injuries were mostly superficial.

Still, it was clear that there was some danger ahead.

Not far from the camp stood a lift, with branching mountain paths beside it. Aside from the rugged gray rocks, everything was covered in white frost and snow.

The lift stood on a steel bridge. At the far end of the bridge was a huge iron gate, firmly shut.

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

The gate was shut, but he had no intention of forcing his way in.

Standing on the iron bridge, they could easily see people fighting some mechanical constructs on the rocky slope below.

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

something seemed to have gone wrong here, too.