Luofu

Luofu Port - Stargazer Navalia

The group from the Astral Express stepped onto the deck of the Xianzhou. The moment they arrived, they were greeted by rows upon rows of densely packed shipping containers.

"Looking at these rows of containers, this doesn't seem like a port meant for receiving tourists," Stelle asked, sounding a bit puzzled.

"Yeah, and there isn't a single person here. It feels so eerie... ugh, it's actually kind of creepy," March 7th said, hugging her arms and nodding with a hint of fear.

"This layout looks a bit like the Port of Calamity. I suspect that whoever opened the gate for us probably isn't someone from the Luofu. Silver Wolf, the hacker of the Stellaron Hunters—she's the only one who would pull something like this," Xiao Xi offered, sharing her suspicions.

"Xiao Xi's guess makes a lot of sense. Everyone, stay alert. Let's head forward and see what we can find," Welt instructed.

The four of them moved forward cautiously. As they rounded a corner, they spotted a soldier in standard-issue armor collapsed on the path.

"Ah, what's this? Is he okay?" Seeing the situation, March 7th hurried forward to check on him.

"March, use your Six-Phased Ice to stop the bleeding first. Don't let his wounds worsen," Welt observed calmly.

"Got it, Mr. Yang."

The treated Cloud Knight slowly drifted back to consciousness. He forced the words out through his teeth: "Ahead... be careful."

Ahead? Stelle walked a short distance forward. "Mr. Yang, the path ahead is filled with injured Cloud Knights."

"Ah, so the Luofu has been invaded by enemies? What should we do about these injured Cloud Knights? It's not right to just leave them here, is it?" March 7th asked, looking worried.

"I can create a small, temporary space to house them," Xiao Xi proposed. "A space created with the power of the Path of Hope will also aid in these Cloud Knights' recovery."

"Then let's do that. Thank you, Xiao Xi," Welt agreed.

After Xiao Xi placed the injured Cloud Knights into the space, the group continued onward. They wove through the many shipping containers blocking their view, rescuing quite a few Cloud Knights along the way.

The group finally reached an open area, where they could hear the distant sounds of a skirmish.

"Miss Tingyun, look out!"

A foxian lady and two Cloud Knights were surrounded by Mara-Struck monsters.

Seeing their arrival, one of the Cloud Knights shouted, "You folks up there, hurry over and help!"

Stelle and March 7th were about to rush in to assist, but Xiao Xi reacted quickly and grabbed their arms. "We can help, but be careful of that foxian named Tingyun. I can guarantee you there's something seriously wrong with her."

"I can sense the power of Destruction on her, and it's likely at the Emanator level. Be extremely careful."

After Xiao Xi's warning, Stelle and March 7th made quick work of the situation, dispatching the blocking Mara-Struck in just a few minutes.

"I have seen my benefactors. This humble one is named Tingyun, a mediator for the Sky-Faring Commission's trade guild. I thank you all for your warm assistance, though there is one thing I do not understand."

"The Starskiff Haven is under a total lockdown. I wonder how you all managed to get in?"

"That's your own business. We only entered the port because we received a 'clear to dock' response from the Jade Gate. Speaking of which, we'd like to ask: you Xianzhou locals lured us into this place filled with danger—what exactly is your intention?"

Faced with the interrogation from the clearly suspicious Tingyun, Xiao Xi had no intention of indulging her. She shot a glance at Welt and countered Tingyun's questioning with a direct retort.