Seeing the tense standoff, March 7th hurriedly waved her hands. "Hey, wait! We're just passing through. We don't even know him—we're not his accomplices!"
Gepard remained unmoved. "Save your excuses for the courtroom. Guards, seize them!"
While they were talking, Sampo had somehow already run a long way off. "Goodbye, everyone! You can keep the guards busy for me... Hey, hey! What's this?"
Suddenly, golden chains appeared around Sampo, who had already gotten away, and Xiao Xi dragged him straight back.
"Hmph, I knew you were up to no good," March 7th snorted.
"Surely this proves we aren't accomplices," Dan Heng said, addressing the officer in charge.
"Th-this..." Gepard hesitated before replying, "Yes. Please forgive us for our earlier suspicions. I'm Gepard, an officer of the Silver-Mane Guards. Judging by your appearance, you don't seem to be locals. May I ask where you're from?"
After handing Sampo over to the Silver-Mane Guards, the tension between the two sides abruptly eased. Gepard cautiously tried to learn more about them.
"We're not natives of this planet. We come from beyond the stars, and we have a matter to discuss with your leader." As expected, Dan Heng dutifully took on the role of explaining their situation.
"This..." Gepard seemed hesitant. "I can report this to the Supreme Guardian, but whether she'll agree to meet with you is beyond our control."
"Whatever the outcome, thank you, Officer Gepard." Hearing his response, Dan Heng shook his head and didn't press the matter.
Just as they were heading toward Belobog, a commotion suddenly broke out behind the guards.
"Don't panic! Hold your formation! What's happening in the rear?" Gepard's authoritative voice quelled the disorder behind them.
"Reporting, sir! It's Sampo—Sampo has escaped!" one of the guards reported.
"Phew." Gepard's expression darkened slightly. "There's no time to turn back and catch him. Hold your formation. We're returning to Belobog."
"Yes, sir!"
"I'm sorry you had to witness that," Gepard said to them apologetically.
"It's not the guards' fault. That Sampo almost tricked us too," March 7th reassured him.
They left the snowy wilderness and came upon towering city walls. After following Gepard inside, they could feel the temperature rising. Compared to the outside, this was clearly somewhere ordinary people could survive.
"Everyone, please come with me. The Supreme Guardian has agreed to meet you." Before long, Gepard returned with the Supreme Guardian's response.
As soon as they entered Qlipoth Fort, they heard an argument from inside.
"Leave, Bronya," a golden-haired, middle-aged woman scolded.
"Yes, Mother." The silver-haired girl glanced at them as they came in, then left in silence.
Then Cocolia's dignified voice rang out from the dais. "Welcome, visitors from beyond the stars. I am Cocolia Rand. What brings you here?"
Dan Heng was just about to bow when Xiao Xi grabbed his arm. "Wait! Something's wrong with Cocolia. I can sense the Stellaron's presence coming from her. She must be in contact with it."
"The Stellaron. You came here for it." At that, Cocolia's voice instantly turned cold.
"Don't pretend, Lady Cocolia. I can sense it—you've been working with the Stellaron, haven't you?" Xiao Xi said solemnly.
"Utter nonsense..." Before Cocolia could finish, Xiao Xi had already unleashed the Golden Flame and sent it surging toward her.
The golden flames burned away the ice crystals Cocolia had summoned to protect herself, then restrained her in an instant.
After confirming that Cocolia herself posed no immediate threat, Xiao Xi sent her flames probing deep into Cocolia's consciousness.
Stellaron, what's going on? Weren't you supposed to help me save this planet? Why can't you even defeat a little girl? Cocolia roared inwardly.
"Silence," the Stellaron coldly rebuked her. "How was I supposed to know an Emanator would arrive on this remote planet at such a crucial moment? Damn it, we were so close."
"Here you are. Found you." At that moment, both sides of the argument heard Xiao Xi's voice.
"Damn it." The Stellaron hissed and tried to flee, but the Golden Flame had sealed off the entire Sea of Consciousness, leaving it nowhere to run.
"You think that means I'm out of options?" Suddenly, the Stellaron gathered all its strength and attacked Cocolia's consciousness.
"What?" Faced with the Stellaron's sudden attack, Cocolia was completely unprepared.
"Ah!" Cocolia's consciousness let out a pained cry. The Sea of Consciousness, shaped by her mind, was damaged and began to destabilize. While Xiao Xi was busy stabilizing it, the Stellaron seized its chance and hurriedly escaped through a tiny crack.
The situation was urgent. Cocolia's Sea of Consciousness couldn't collapse here. If she died, even if Xiao Xi could prove that the Supreme Guardian had been controlled by the Stellaron, the people here would surely reject them.
While holding things together, Xiao Xi sent a wisp of Path power after the Stellaron and attached it to the entity, leaving a marker so they could find it when it was time to deal with it.
"Steady your mind. Hold on to yourself." Xiao Xi's grave voice echoed through the Sea of Consciousness. "My power can heal you. Don't resist."
With Cocolia's cooperation, they finally restored the Sea of Consciousness that the Stellaron had damaged.
Outside, everyone waited anxiously to learn what had happened. As soon as they saw Xiao Xi and the others awaken, March 7th hurriedly asked, "How did it go? Xiao Xi, did you catch that Stellaron?"
Xiao Xi shook her head. "It got away, but I left a marker on it. It won't be hard to deal with it later."
As she spoke, Xiao Xi looked at Cocolia, who was leaning on the table as she struggled to stand. "Lady Cocolia, do you have anything to say about working with the Stellaron?"
Cocolia was silent for a long while before replying hoarsely, "I have nothing to say. The Stellaron deceived me. I foolishly thought I could use its power to save this planet, but now I see..." She gave a bitter laugh. "It was nothing but a lie. And I was a fool."
"Lady Cocolia, you don't have to despair," Stelle said. "The Astral Express came here to deal with the Stellaron, since it's also obstructing our Trailblaze. The one thing we never expected was that you'd be working with it." Stelle explained the Nameless' original purpose.
"And it seems that last obstacle has now been removed," Dan Heng added.
"...Then I thank you. I'll do everything I can to help. Once I've made amends for my mistakes, I'll resign and exile myself as penance," Cocolia replied gravely.
At that moment, noticing the heavy atmosphere around them, Xiao Xi offered another possibility. "Cocolia, do you still want to save this planet? Truly save it?"
At Xiao Xi's words, Cocolia paused in surprise, then quickly understood. "I do... Of course I do. Are you willing to—"
"I haven't made up my mind yet," Xiao Xi said, shaking her head. "So prove it to me. During this mission to seal the Stellaron, show me that your character and determination deserve this chance to save your planet. I'll provide whatever help is necessary along the way, but you'll have to do your part too."
Cocolia's voice was resolute. "I... I understand. Give me a day to make arrangements. In the meantime, feel free to explore Belobog. After a day, please accompany me to the Underworld. Let me make amends for... my mistakes."