At the top of Horizon Port, the office of Portmaster Ayla, the "Star-Speaker," stood in stark contrast to the chaos and clamor of the Lower District. Spacious and quiet, it seemed detached from the rest of the port. An immense curved observation window overlooked the vast sea of stars and the bustling Port District, where starlight mingled with the luminous trails of ships, casting a cool glow. A faint, unfamiliar fragrance lingered in the air, soothing the mind.
Lin Ye entered alone. Star-Lord and the others remained in the outer reception area, "accompanied" by Iron Curtain guards. This was Ayla's requirement, and a necessary precaution.
Ayla still stood before the window, her posture straight, dressed in a star-blue robe embroidered with intricate silver stellar patterns. A veil concealed her face, leaving only eyes as deep as the cosmos, seemingly reflecting billions of stars. She did not turn. Her calm, ethereal voice sounded directly in Lin Ye's mind. "Welcome, wielder of thunder. Your arrival has made the threads of fate in this star sector... more tangled and brilliant than ever before."
Lin Ye stopped several meters behind her and quietly extended his [Dimensional Energy Perception], only to feel as though it had plunged into an endless starry sky. He could not gauge her depths. This Portmaster's strength far exceeded what appearances suggested.
"Star-Speaker," Lin Ye said without preamble, his voice steady, "let's dispense with the pleasantries. I came for two reasons. First, a covert third-party force has appeared in the Port District. Their technology is sophisticated, their intentions unclear, and they are unusually sensitive to chaos. Who are they?"
Ayla slowly turned, her star-like eyes settling on Lin Ye with a hint of scrutiny and curiosity. "You encountered the Observers." It was a statement, not a question.
"The Observers?"
"An extremely