Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• The crew brings an unconscious man—Jiang Yao—aboard the Astral Express after finding him floating in space. Herta says he may wake soon or remain unconscious indefinitely; Ruan Mei might help, but she is unreachable.
• Jiang Yao wakes in a recuperation pod on Herta Space Station. From the crew’s names and the nearby Stellaron, he deduces that he has entered the Honkai: Star Rail setting shortly after the Jarilo-VI expedition.
• He reveals that he is actually the Aeon of Voracity, having replaced Oroboros. After fighting Qlipoth and passing through the wall, he is eager to enjoy the wider universe’s food—and determined not to repeat Oroboros’s indiscriminate eating.
• He leaves the pod, follows the smell of food to a station kitchen, and decides that taking a modest meal is fair compensation for the Astral Express crew “running him over.” He selects two different eggs and begins preparing fried eggs with meticulous care.

Character developments

• Jiang Yao is exuberant, gluttonous, and comically self-assured, but he also has a refined appreciation for ingredients and cooking technique. He sees himself as a more discerning successor to Oroboros.
• Though powerful enough to have fought Qlipoth, Jiang Yao is currently focused less on cosmic affairs than on food—and on eventually improving the crew’s meals.

Significant themes

• Voracity versus culinary appreciation: Jiang Yao contrasts his predecessor’s mindless consumption with his own belief that food deserves care and discernment.
• Comedic contrast: An Aeon with immense cosmic power treats a simple pair of fried eggs as a serious culinary undertaking.
• A new beginning: Passing through Qlipoth’s wall opens Jiang Yao to a universe of unfamiliar ingredients and experiences.

Character interactions

• Herta discusses Jiang Yao’s condition with Himeko and Welt, while the crew worries that they may have struck him with the Express. Herta reassures them that a direct collision would have been fatal.
• Jiang Yao has not yet met or spoken with the crew after waking. He privately regards them as dependable for bringing him aboard and plans to repay them by making better food—especially as relief from Himeko’s coffee.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Yao carefully fries Melodi-Dove and Teyvat Bird eggs separately, using fragrant Snowfield Bear oil. He prefers his eggs fully cooked and finishes them with a decorative smiley face made from ketchup and barbecue sauce.
• The cooking smells reach Peppy, whose unusually sensitive nose makes him abandon his playtime with Asta and hurry toward the kitchen.
• Asta initially worries Peppy has detected a threat, then lets him lead the way and uses a blessing to speed after him.
• Peppy reaches Jiang Yao and eagerly expects to be given the eggs. Jiang Yao pulls the plate away at the last moment and tastes the food himself, leaving Peppy bewildered and disappointed.

Character developments

• Jiang Yao takes pleasure in cooking and treats his first meal after getting past Qlipoth’s wall as a small celebration. He is fond of dogs, but values proper manners—and wants to taste his own cooking first.
• Peppy is torn between loyalty to Asta and the irresistible smell of the eggs. His hunger overcomes his restraint, and he becomes convinced the food will make his life complete.
• Asta shows concern for the station’s safety and trust in Peppy, readily following him once he acts strangely.

Significant themes

• Temptation versus self-control: Peppy’s internal struggle collapses under the irresistible aroma.
• Food as comfort and celebration: Jiang Yao’s simple fried eggs carry special meaning after his long deprivation.
• Humor through mismatched expectations: Peppy assumes his food-loving “host” will share, only to watch Jiang Yao eat the eggs himself.

Character interactions

• Asta plays with Peppy, notices his sudden alertness, and encourages him to lead her wherever he wants.
• Peppy races to Jiang Yao and begs silently with his posture and expression.
• Jiang Yao teases Peppy by bringing the eggs close, then snatching them away to take the first taste—prompting Peppy’s incredulous reaction.

Chapter summary

• Jiang Yao wakes up on Herta Space Station hungry and cooks himself two fried eggs using snowfield bear oil and two kinds of eggs. He takes great pleasure in their flavor, while Peppy watches and whines, desperate for a taste.
• Lead Researcher Asta arrives, recognizes Jiang Yao from when Welt and Dan Heng brought him in unconscious, and offers to help him contact his companions. She messages Himeko with their location; Jiang Yao is eager to join the Astral Express, insisting it is because he admires the Trailblaze—not because he hopes to find more food.
• Asta notices the eggs and is overwhelmed by their aroma. Though embarrassed to want some of Jiang Yao’s meal, she accepts when he offers to cook more. He quickly makes four additional eggs, one serving for Asta and one for Peppy.
• Peppy immediately devours its portion with little regard for manners. Asta eats more delicately, but as she takes her first bite, the flavor of the eggs and oil bursts in her mouth.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao is courteous and generous, sharing food even though he has only just woken up. He also shows an enthusiastic interest in joining the Astral Express.
• Asta, despite her wealth and status, is unexpectedly captivated by an ordinary-looking meal. Her appetite clashes comically with her attempts to remain composed and considerate.
• Peppy is intensely food-motivated and openly jealous at first, then delighted once Jiang Yao gives it a serving. Its high intelligence is noted, even as it eats like an extremely eager dog.
• The chapter builds a friendly rapport between Jiang Yao and Asta through her offer of help and his generous response.

Significant themes

• Food as pleasure and connection: Jiang Yao’s cooking brings Asta and Peppy together and turns a simple meal into a shared moment.
• Humility and mistaken impressions: Jiang Yao sees the eggs as ordinary, while their aroma and taste prove irresistible to Asta and Peppy.
• Comedy through contrast: Asta’s prestigious position and refined restraint, and Peppy’s initial longing, contrast with their shared enthusiasm for the same simple food.

Plot points and events

• Asta and Peppy devour Jiang Yao’s fried eggs, finding them astonishingly delicious. Asta briefly abandons her usual composure and is disappointed when the food runs out.
• Jiang Yao is pleased to see others enjoy his cooking. Asta introduces herself as Herta Space Station’s lead researcher; he describes himself as a gourmand who learned to cook because he likes eating.
• Asta asks how Jiang Yao chose the eggs. He explains that they came from carefully raised Melodi-Doves and Teyvat Birds, whose upbringing included ideal conditions, music, clean Fontaine water, and special feed. He says he identified their quality by tasting them.
• Asta is left baffled by the elaborate explanation and wonders how anyone could learn such a skill.

Character developments

• Asta lets her enthusiasm overcome her dignity, then regains her composure and openly praises Jiang Yao’s cooking. Her curiosity and admiration grow, though his explanation leaves her confused.
• Jiang Yao shows that he enjoys cooking for others as much as eating. He is relaxed and generous about sharing his methods, while privately hoping his connection with wealthy Asta will help him obtain more ingredients.
• Peppy enthusiastically shares Asta’s appreciation of the eggs.

Significant themes

• Food as pleasure and connection: Sharing a simple meal creates warmth and brings the characters closer.
• Talent and experience: Jiang Yao’s exceptional discernment contrasts with Asta’s assumption that his results must come from rare ingredients or formal expertise.
• Comedy through contrast: Asta treats ordinary fried eggs like a grand delicacy, while Jiang Yao regards his unusual abilities as perfectly normal.

Character interactions

• Asta and Peppy’s enthusiastic eating amuses Jiang Yao, who responds warmly to their praise.
• Asta and Jiang Yao exchange introductions and discuss his cooking, with Asta’s curiosity prompting his detailed account.
• Their friendly conversation ends on a comic note: Jiang Yao’s “simple” tasting method is so extraordinary that Asta cannot imagine how to reproduce it.

Plot points and events

• After resolving the crisis on Jarilo-VI, the Astral Express plans to travel to the Xianzhou Luofu, but communications are disrupted after the Aeon of Voracity, Jiang Yao, appears in the star system.
• Soon after the Express makes its jump, the crew finds Jiang Yao unconscious and floating in space. Welt and Dan Heng bring him aboard and take him to Herta Space Station for treatment.
• Jiang Yao wakes while the crew is eating a lavish meal arranged by the station. Himeko and Welt leave to check on him; March 7th considers going too, but Himeko encourages her and the exhausted Stelle to keep eating.
• At Jiang Yao’s room, Himeko and Welt find him cooking egg fried rice while Asta and Peppy watch eagerly. Asta has already tasted his cooking and is captivated by it, while the newcomers are baffled that she is so excited over a simple dish.
• Jiang Yao finishes cooking before greeting Himeko and Welt, explaining that he gives food his full attention while preparing it and thanking them for rescuing him.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao is introduced as courteous and deeply devoted to cooking, treating food with reverence even when guests arrive. His culinary skill quickly makes a strong impression on Asta.
• Asta becomes determined to keep Jiang Yao close, briefly considering using her wealth to persuade him before remembering the Express rescued him. Her appetite—and enthusiasm for his food—overpowers her usual composure.
• Himeko and Welt respond with confusion and skepticism at first, since the dish appears to be ordinary egg fried rice. They also show concern for the crew’s wellbeing by letting Stelle, March, and Dan Heng rest and eat.
• March 7th empathizes with Jiang Yao because, like her, he was once alone and helpless. She wants to check on him, though she ultimately stays behind.
• Stelle is presented humorously as intensely focused on eating after the difficult journey.

Significant themes

• Food as care and connection: Jiang Yao’s cooking draws people together and expresses his respect for both the meal and the people who will eat it.
• Belonging and rescue: The crew’s decision to help Jiang Yao, and March’s empathy for his isolation, suggest that the Express may become a home for him.
• Humor through contrast: The grand descriptions of a simple fried-rice dish clash with Himeko and Welt’s disbelief, while Asta’s extraordinary enthusiasm hints at just how good it tastes.

Plot points and events

• After Asta permits Jiang Yao to cook again, he offers Himeko and Welt some egg fried rice. Though Asta worries that sharing it might make the Nameless want to recruit him too, both accept because they are hungry.
• Jiang Yao serves portions to Asta, Himeko, Welt, and Peppy. Asta eagerly devours hers, while Himeko and Welt are astonished by how delicious the rice is and quickly join in.
• Everyone finishes the meal, leaving their plates spotless. Welt praises it as the best egg fried rice he has tasted, and Himeko finally understands Asta’s earlier excitement.
• Welt assumes the exceptional flavor comes from rare ingredients and asks Asta where she bought them. Asta reveals that the rice is ordinary protein rice and the eggs are basic chicken eggs. Himeko and Welt realize Jiang Yao’s cooking skill is the true secret.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao shows modest generosity by sharing his cooking, and his skill impresses even experienced travelers.
• Asta shifts from eager anticipation to delighted indulgence, then feels embarrassed about her table manners. Her fear that Himeko and Welt might compete with her to recruit Jiang Yao adds a playful, gacha-inspired edge.
• Himeko and Welt move from simple curiosity to wholehearted appreciation. Welt’s questions about the ingredients prompt the reveal that Jiang Yao—not special supplies—made the meal extraordinary.
• Peppy finishes eating quickly, while the humans remain absorbed in their food.

Significant themes

• Skill transforms the ordinary: Jiang Yao turns basic ingredients into an unforgettable meal.
• Shared enjoyment and hospitality: Food brings the group together and puts aside earlier doubts.
• The joy of immersion: The characters’ delight in eating is likened to the pleasure of a Trailblaze journey.

• The crew’s feast: Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng wait for Himeko and Welt before touching a lavish meal. The centerpiece is plump beetles from a distant primeval forest—fatty, tender, and descended, in a very diluted way, from True Stings linked to Tayzzyronth’s pre-ascension bloodline.
• Jiang Yao’s cooking leaves a mark: Himeko and Welt return after visiting Jiang Yao, who has promised to cook them breakfast. They reassure the others that he is fine. Though the two have only recently eaten his exceptional egg fried rice, it has ruined their appetite for everything else: even the feast’s tempting aromas now make them yearn for more fried rice. Jiang Yao’s claim that he is tired is actually a way to restrain his own enormous appetite.
• The beetles are a hit—mostly: Stelle and March eagerly compete for the beetles, delighting in their soft, springy shells and rich, savory flavor. Dan Heng also praises them and eats freely. The girls urge Himeko and Welt to join in, teasingly treating them like family elders who should let the younger crew have their fill.
• Himeko and Welt’s predicament: They try the dish out of politeness and genuine hunger, but find it only mediocre, with heavy seasoning masking a fishy taste. Seeing everyone else relish it, they silently wonder whether Jiang Yao’s cooking has somehow damaged their ability to enjoy other food.
  Character developments and interactions: Stelle and March’s playful rivalry over food continues; Dan Heng shows uncommon enthusiasm; and Himeko and Welt share an unspoken, bewildered understanding. The scene contrasts the crew’s delight with the two adults’ post–Jiang Yao disappointment.
  Themes: Food as a source of camaraderie and comedy; the lasting impact of extraordinary cooking; and the gap between one person’s taste and another’s expectations.

Key plot points

• Himeko and Welt find that, after tasting Jiang Yao’s Egg Fried Rice, the reception feast seems bland. They realize his cooking has ruined their appetite for ordinary food.
• March asks whether Jiang Yao will join the Astral Express. Himeko and Welt recognize the chance to recruit him—and imagine enjoying his cooking throughout their travels.
• Before they can act, Asta visits Jiang Yao late at night and offers him a job as the space station’s head chef, with an enormous salary, ingredients supplied, and extra pay for additional meals.
• Jiang Yao reflects that Asta seems less like an employer and more like a wealthy, hungry person asking for food. When she assumes money is the issue, he insists he has no interest in Credits.

Character developments and interactions

• Himeko and Welt shift from bafflement over their changed palates to enthusiasm at the prospect of recruiting Jiang Yao.
• March, Stelle, and Dan Heng notice Himeko and Welt’s unusual behavior, but accept Welt’s explanation that they are thinking about the Express’s next destination.
• Asta is earnest and nervous, laying out increasingly generous terms because she fears Jiang Yao will refuse.
• Jiang Yao remains focused on food rather than money, answering Asta calmly and directly.

Significant themes

• Food as a source of power and connection: Jiang Yao’s cooking transforms others’ priorities and inspires competing efforts to keep him close.
• Belonging and home: The conversation frames Jiang Yao as a possible Trailblazer, while the chapter humorously suggests that, for him, home is wherever good food is.
• Money versus personal desire: Asta assumes a lavish salary will persuade Jiang Yao, but his lack of interest in Credits complicates her offer.

Key plot points and events

• Asta fears Jiang Yao will leave and realizes her wealth cannot solve that problem. Remembering how extraordinary his cooking was—and how disappointing the station’s food tastes by comparison—she desperately looks for a way to keep working with him.
• Jiang Yao proposes a straightforward exchange: Asta supplies ingredients, and he cooks for her. He cannot promise to stay in one place, so he offers durable desserts and snacks that can be stored and eaten later.
• Asta eagerly accepts and asks whether she can request particular dishes. Jiang Yao is happy to oblige, seeing the arrangement as a reliable source of food and supplies.
• Both consider the deal an excellent bargain. Asta leaves delighted; Jiang Yao, confident he has secured future provisions, heads to the Seclusion Zone to find True Stings for breakfast.

Character developments

• Asta shows how deeply her enjoyment of Jiang Yao’s cooking has affected her: she is willing to bargain for continued access to it and is unusually anxious not to offend him. Her wealth remains powerful, but her cravings are beyond its reach.
• Jiang Yao reveals his practical, candid nature. He distinguishes Asta from the Corporation’s association with Qlipoth, and is willing to cooperate with her while keeping his independence and mobility. He is also an enthusiastic and adventurous eater.

Significant themes

• Money has limits: Asta’s riches can purchase almost anything, but cannot guarantee Jiang Yao will stay—or replace food she genuinely loves.
• Mutual benefit and honest negotiation: Their arrangement succeeds because both state what they want plainly and each gains something valuable.
• Luxury changes expectations: After tasting Jiang Yao’s food, Asta finds ordinary meals intolerable, highlighting how difficult it is to return to less satisfying comforts.

Character interactions

• Asta initially approaches Jiang Yao anxiously, but his offer transforms her disappointment into excitement. Her cautious request for custom dishes is met with easy reassurance.
• Jiang Yao treats Asta as an individual rather than rejecting her because of the Corporation’s ties to Qlipoth. Their friendly exchange ends with both feeling they have secured a remarkably good deal.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Yao, the Aeon of Voracity, enters the Seclusion Zone to harvest meat from Ruan Mei’s artificially cultivated Starcrusher Swarm King. He carefully takes a premium cut beneath its jaw, prized for its lean texture, rich flavor, and hallucinogenic gland.
• He adjusts the culture fluid so the Swarm King will evolve in a way that improves its meat, and discovers that Ruan Mei’s experiment also produced True Sting pupae—another valuable ingredient.
• Jiang Yao then obtains a small amount of high-quality wheat by reverse-decomposing Basic Ingredients. He plans to use the wheat and the True Sting’s flavorful fat to make soup dumplings.
• The next morning, Asta invites March 7th, Stelle, and Dan Heng to an extravagant breakfast. Himeko and Welt are missing, however, and neither responds to messages or calls.
• The three initially enjoy the food and assume there is no urgent problem, but after breakfast they recognize that Himeko and Welt’s absence—following their odd behavior the night before—may signal trouble.

Character developments

• Jiang Yao is shown as a confident, resourceful gourmand who treats powerful creatures as ingredients and uses his Aeon abilities to secure and improve them. His concern for the Swarm King is practical: keeping it calm preserves the meat’s quality.
• March 7th and Stelle are carefree and easily distracted by excellent food, but become concerned when they notice Himeko and Welt remain unreachable.
• Dan Heng is more alert to the missing adults, having already tried to find them that morning.
• Asta remains generous and considerate, arranging a lavish meal despite being unable to attend.

Significant themes

• Voracity and culinary obsession: Jiang Yao’s power and perspective turn even dangerous creatures into gourmet ingredients.
• Transformation and cultivation: The Swarm King’s artificial development can be redirected, raising questions about how living beings are shaped for others’ purposes.
• Comfort versus uncertainty: The crew’s pleasant breakfast briefly masks the growing concern over Himeko and Welt’s unexplained disappearance.

Character interactions

• Jiang Yao handles the Swarm King without revealing his aura, takes its meat while it is unconscious, and modifies its culture fluid. His actions contrast casual culinary humor with the formidable power he wields.
• Asta indirectly treats the young crew to breakfast, prompting playful enthusiasm from March and Stelle.
• March, Stelle, and Dan Heng discuss Himeko and Welt’s absence; their initial joking and appetite give way to shared concern when calls and messages go unanswered.

Key plot points and events

March 7th, Stelle, and Dan Heng grow concerned when Himeko and Welt ignore their messages and calls. Stelle suspects something has happened to Jiang Yao—and, although she doesn’t know it, she’s right: Himeko and Welt went to the kitchen that morning to find him.
Jiang Yao is already preparing soup dumplings from True Sting meat. He carefully prepares the filling and dough, makes thin wrappers, and folds eighty dumplings. Asta has rapidly acquired a special emperor-bamboo steamer after Jiang Yao mentioned needing one. Once the dumplings are cooked, Jiang Yao serves them in five baskets, with chili vinegar for dipping.

Character developments and interactions

• Stelle shows concern for Jiang Yao and tries to explain Himeko and Welt’s absence, though she gets the details wrong.
• March 7th corrects Stelle for repeatedly calling Jiang Yao “the Drifter,” emphasizing his name.
• Jiang Yao demonstrates his skill, patience, and exacting standards as a cook, as well as his dislike of wasting food.
• Asta, Himeko, Welt, and Peppy gather around the kitchen and are enthralled by the meat’s aroma. Peppy drools, Asta discovers a new appreciation for meat, and Himeko and Welt’s hunger is made obvious.

Significant themes

The chapter celebrates food as both craft and pleasure: good cooking demands care, technique, and patience, while the anticipation of a meal makes its eventual enjoyment even more satisfying. It also highlights respect for food and the warmth of people gathering around a shared meal.

Chapter summary

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Yao serves Xiaolongbao filled with True Sting meat to Asta, Himeko, Welt, and Peppy. The buns’ subtle fragrance draws everyone in, and the broth’s aroma bursts through the kitchen once the wrappers are opened.
• Asta, Himeko, and Welt are so eager that they eat the buns straight from the steamer, ignoring both the heat and the proper way to enjoy them. Jiang Yao eats more carefully, sipping the broth first and adding chili vinegar.
• Elsewhere, March 7th, Stelle, and Dan Heng search for Jiang Yao and the missing Himeko and Welt. Their inquiries lead them to Asta’s private kitchen, where the enticing aroma reaches them before they arrive.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao takes pride in sharing the food and savors it with the confidence of an experienced cook. The taste also reminds him of Tayzzyronth, whom he briefly mourns.
• Asta, Himeko, and Welt abandon their usual composure in favor of devouring the buns. Their shared enthusiasm turns the meal into a lively, comic scene.
• Peppy simply wolfs down the food, serving as the group’s least formal diner.
• March 7th and Stelle trade a brief, teasing exchange as they follow the smell. March is puzzled about who is cooking, while Stelle immediately focuses on the food.
• Dan Heng helps the search party by suggesting they ask after Asta, which finally gives them a lead.

Significant themes

• Food as shared pleasure: Cooking and eating together brings the characters closer and gives Jiang Yao joy beyond simply eating.
• Sensory temptation: The irresistible aroma overrides hunger, etiquette, and even the group’s search.
• Ceremony versus appetite: Jiang Yao follows a careful ritual, while the others’ eagerness makes them disregard manners and burn their mouths rather than waste a drop.

Key plot points and events

• March 7th, Stelle, and Dan Heng follow the delicious smell to Asta’s kitchen, where they find Asta, Himeko, Welt, Jiang Yao, and Peppy enjoying freshly made buns.
• The three mistakenly suspect that Himeko and Welt are bravely taste-testing Asta’s dog food. In reality, Jiang Yao has cooked an exceptional meal using True Sting meat—though the others don’t know what the filling is.
• The newcomers catch the group eating and notice Himeko and Welt’s unusually blissful expressions. After some awkward attempts to explain why they hadn’t told anyone, March and Stelle promptly ask to join in.
• Dan Heng also wants a bun, despite having already eaten. Jiang Yao serves the newcomers Xiaolongbao, while the shortage of chairs leaves Dan Heng nearly seated alongside Peppy.
• Asta quietly takes an extra steamer, hoping to secure her share before Jiang Yao leaves with the others.

Character developments

• Jiang Yao demonstrates not only remarkable cooking skill but also patience in savoring the meal. He is pleased that Asta enjoys his food, seeing her satisfaction as a source of future security.
• Asta is generous enough to share, but worries that once Jiang Yao leaves she will lose access to his cooking. Her discreet grab for an extra steamer reveals her playful, self-interested side.
• March 7th and Stelle quickly abandon their suspicions once they smell the food, showing their enthusiasm—and appetite—more clearly than their concern.
• Dan Heng remains the dry, observant voice of reason, though he too is tempted by the food.
• Himeko and Welt are caught enjoying themselves with less dignity than usual and are surprised to learn the others weren’t told about the meal.

Significant themes

• Food as pleasure and social bonding: Jiang Yao’s cooking draws the group together and overcomes their initial misunderstandings.
• Comic contrast between suspicion and reality: The newcomers imagine danger and secret dog food, only to find an irresistible breakfast.
• Scarcity and selfishness: With limited buns and chairs, everyone must compete—lightheartedly—for a share.
• Belonging and companionship: The crowded kitchen becomes an informal gathering place for the Express crew and their friends.

Character interactions

• March and Stelle comically misread the situation, while Dan Heng silently critiques their assumptions.
• Himeko and Welt share awkward, synchronized reactions when confronted, then exchange looks with Asta as they search for an explanation.
• March and Stelle quickly join the feast, and Dan Heng follows their lead.
• Asta’s quiet bun-hoarding contrasts with Jiang Yao’s relaxed generosity, as he serves the newcomers without complaint.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Yao, newly awake and feeling well, has cooked steamed buns for the group. March 7th is surprised to find the patient doing the cooking, while Stelle jokes that people with squinty eyes are “monsters.”
• March and Stelle immediately start eating. Dan Heng suspects the buns may be tampered with, but their aroma—and everyone else’s enjoyment—eventually convinces him to try one.
• The buns prove extraordinarily delicious. Their filling contains True Sting, whose connection to Dan Heng’s Vidyadhara heritage and the Path of Permanence gives him a brief, overwhelming sense of power.
• Everyone eats all ten steamers’ worth of buns. March and Stelle regret having eaten so much earlier: they want more but are too full to continue.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao is cheerful, confident in his cooking, and attentive to the best way to serve it. He is also puzzled when Stelle cries while eating, mistakenly wondering whether something is wrong with the food.
• Dan Heng moves from wary suspicion to wholehearted appreciation, joining the others in recognizing Jiang Yao’s cooking as exceptional.
• March 7th and Stelle enthusiastically urge Dan Heng to eat, then share their frustration at being too full for more. Stelle’s regret echoes Himeko’s earlier warning against overeating.
• Himeko, Welt, and Asta are already enjoying the meal when the trio arrives. Their earlier lack of appetite and silence now make sense to March, Stelle, and Dan Heng: they had experienced Jiang Yao’s cooking first.
• Peppy finishes by licking his lips, apparently savoring the meal too.

Significant themes

• Food as extraordinary pleasure: Ordinary ingredients become a near-miraculous meal through Jiang Yao’s skill.
• Warnings and consequences: Stelle’s overeating returns as a “boomerang”—Himeko warned her, and now she regrets not listening.
• Suspicion giving way to trust: Dan Heng’s concerns about Jiang Yao and the food dissolve once he tastes the buns.
• Appetite versus limits: The group’s enjoyment is tempered by the simple fact that they ate too much to enjoy more.

Key plot points and events

• After tasting Jiang Yao’s cooking, March 7th, Welt, and Himeko praise it enthusiastically. Stelle is equally impressed and wants to keep eating his food.
• Stelle and March realize Jiang Yao may not be joining the Astral Express and plead with him to come along. The crew admit they had been so absorbed in his cooking that they never properly invited him.
• Himeko offers to help Jiang Yao travel wherever he wants, including with Asta’s assistance, but also sincerely invites him to join the Express.
• Jiang Yao accepts, imagining how the crew’s abilities could help him cook and experiment with ingredients.
• The group welcomes him aboard. Asta, who had hoped Jiang Yao might stay with her, is disappointed, though she reminds herself that she still has a deal with him.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao shifts from considering a quiet life at the Space Station to choosing the lively Express, largely because the crew’s powers could support his cooking.
• Stelle and March 7th reveal how attached they are to both Jiang Yao and his food, urging him to join in increasingly desperate fashion.
• Himeko takes the lead in inviting Jiang Yao, balancing practical offers of help with a genuine welcome that isn’t dependent on his culinary talent.
• Welt and Dan Heng support the invitation and are pleased when Jiang Yao accepts.
• Asta briefly sees a chance to travel with Jiang Yao, then loses it when he chooses the Express; her disappointment is played for comedy.

Significant themes

• Food creates connection: Jiang Yao’s cooking turns admiration into a strong desire for companionship.
• Belonging and hospitality: The Express crew welcomes Jiang Yao as a person, not merely as a useful cook.
• Comedy through competing motives: The crew’s sincere affection overlaps with their very practical enthusiasm for his meals.

Plot points and events

• Asta explains that she isn’t upset with Stelle; she was simply excited about Jiang Yao’s cooking and sleepy after eating two baskets of buns. Her casual reveal that she had also eaten at Jiang Yao’s the previous night leaves Stelle—and especially March 7th—envying her.
• March persuades Jiang Yao to cook aboard the Astral Express. He agrees, joking inwardly that he can use the crew’s cravings as an excuse to “taste-test” extra food.
• Stelle asks why his cooking is so good. Jiang Yao says it comes from practice and offers to teach the others. Stelle eagerly asks to become his apprentice, but Jiang Yao decides she should watch him cook first, wary of what she might try to use as an ingredient.
• Jiang Yao hints that he once lived comfortably and ate widely, but someone ruined his circumstances, leaving him with a more limited diet. He now needs to recreate some dishes to see whether they taste as he remembers. The crew respects his privacy and doesn’t press him.
• With Jiang Yao set to join the Astral Express, everyone prepares to depart. After arranging future transactions with Asta and receiving an interstellar phone, Jiang Yao secretly roasts the True Sting Pupa.

Character developments and interactions

• Asta keeps up a playful rivalry with Stelle by revealing how much she has eaten, while recognizing just how extraordinary Jiang Yao’s culinary ability is.
• March 7th eagerly secures Jiang Yao’s promise to cook aboard the train and is delighted at the prospect of never worrying about meals again.
• Stelle enthusiastically seeks an apprenticeship, though her real interest is largely in getting to sample more food. Her confidence and playful response to March show she won’t be easily discouraged.
• Jiang Yao agrees to join the crew and shares a small piece of his troubled past, while keeping its details private. His warm generosity is tempered by a comically self-serving love of eating—and by caution about Stelle’s cooking potential.
• Himeko and Welt look on fondly, pleased that March’s enthusiasm has helped bring Jiang Yao into the group.

Significant themes

• Food as companionship: Cooking and shared meals create excitement, closeness, and a sense of welcome aboard the Express.
• Curiosity balanced with respect: Jiang Yao’s past remains mysterious, but the crew accepts his choice not to elaborate.
• Humor and appetite: The characters’ exaggerated devotion to food drives much of the chapter’s playful banter and reveals their personalities.
• A new beginning: Jiang Yao’s decision to travel with the crew marks the start of a new shared adventure.

Plot points

• Jiang Yao roasts three rare True Sting Pupae. Although they taste excellent, he debates whether to share the two he hasn’t eaten, then repeatedly invents reasons to keep them.
• He ultimately saves the remaining pupae for a later plan, sealing them in two Light Cones—[The Origin of Life] and [The Meaning of Life]—which will preserve their flavor for a century.
• At lunch, he makes Egg Fried Rice at March 7th and Stelle’s request. Afterward, he gives Asta [The Origin of Life], asking her to deliver it to Ruan Mei as a surprise.
• Jiang Yao officially joins the Astral Express. He chooses a modest room near the kitchen and is appointed master of the dining car, with the crew trusting him to manage it.
• While inspecting the train’s supplies, he discovers that its ingredients are remarkably limited. Disappointed, he regrets leaving Asta’s well-stocked space station.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao’s generosity clashes with his appetite: he considers repaying Ruan Mei for raising the pupae and Firefly for once feeding him roasted True Sting, but keeps rationalizing why the pupae aren’t good enough to give away. His self-justifying inner monologue is played for comedy.
• Asta readily agrees to pass Jiang Yao’s gift to Ruan Mei without asking questions.
• The Express crew welcomes Jiang Yao and helps settle him in. Himeko and Welt work with Pom-Pom to revise the train’s plans after his arrival; Dan Heng returns to the Data Bank, while March and Stelle retire after lunch.
• Jiang Yao is pleased by the crew’s trust in him, especially his control of the dining car, but his excitement gives way to dismay at the sparse pantry.

Significant themes

• Generosity versus self-interest: Jiang Yao wants to honor his debts, yet struggles to part with food he loves.
• Trust and belonging: The crew makes room for Jiang Yao and entrusts him with an important role aboard the Express.
• Abundance and expectation: Jiang Yao assumes the train’s travels mean it has diverse supplies; discovering otherwise punctures his hopes—and his confidence in his choice to board.

Summary

• Plot and events: While preparing the Astral Express dining car, Jiang Yao reflects on the difficulty of going hungry but finds that the crew’s supplies and preparations leave him with little work to do. March 7th sneaks up to surprise him, then asks for a special meal. She chooses between egg fried rice and xiaolongbao, but finally declares that she loves anything he cooks. Stelle catches her and teases her for supposedly going to rest instead. Their bickering is interrupted first by Welt, then by Himeko, until nearly the whole crew has gathered in the dining car. Jiang Yao jokes that Himeko has arrived at exactly the right time.
• Character developments and interactions: March is playful, enthusiastic about Jiang Yao’s cooking, and flustered when Stelle catches her. Stelle openly calls Jiang Yao her “master” and claims she came to help him, prompting March to accuse her of lying. Welt’s and Himeko’s arrivals reveal that both have also made their way to the dining car soon after a meeting. Himeko, meanwhile, is secretly hoping Jiang Yao will teach her to make better coffee—not merely cook her a snack.
• Themes and tone: The chapter is a lighthearted interlude about food, affection, and the crew’s growing closeness with Jiang Yao. Comedy comes from March’s appetite and awkward devotion, Stelle’s teasing, and everyone independently converging on the dining car. Himeko’s coffee ambitions add a small note of anticipation for future interactions.

Plot points and events

• Dan Heng notices Himeko sneaking toward the dining car and suspects she is hiding something connected to Jiang Yao.
• He finds the whole crew gathered there with Jiang Yao. Everyone awkwardly claims to have come for a reason other than asking for more of his cooking.
• Himeko offers to make the group coffee. The crew immediately recoils: March and Stelle try to flee, Welt coughs, and Dan Heng is reminded of past suffering.
• Rather than share their alarm, Jiang Yao eagerly asks to try Himeko’s coffee, convinced that his appetite and curiosity can handle anything.
• Himeko is delighted that someone—especially a renowned cook—actually wants to taste her coffee.

Character developments and interactions

• Dan Heng becomes suspicious of Himeko’s unusual behavior and considers asking about it, but the others’ awkwardness distracts him. He also reflects on a recurring nightmare and an unsettling resemblance between Himeko’s expression and one from his past.
• Himeko is self-conscious about her coffee and the crew’s reaction, but Jiang Yao’s interest quickly restores her confidence.
• Jiang Yao remains outwardly genial while privately hoping for more food. His adventurous appetite leads him to accept a challenge everyone else fears.
• March, Stelle, and Welt try to conceal their desire for more food, then react dramatically to Himeko’s coffee.
• The crew’s shared history and teasing create a warm but chaotic group dynamic, while Jiang Yao’s arrival seems to be unsettling the Express’s usual dependable seniors.

Significant themes

• Found family and shared history: The crew’s reactions reveal familiarity, affection, and long-standing inside jokes.
• Curiosity and appetite: Jiang Yao’s fearless willingness to try anything embodies both his Voracity and a Trailblazer-like urge to explore.
• Embarrassment and acceptance: Himeko is hurt by the crew’s response to her coffee, but Jiang Yao’s sincere interest offers her unexpected validation.

Key events

• Himeko asks Jiang Yao for advice on improving her coffee. He surprises the crew by volunteering to taste it.
• The others, who know how unpleasant Himeko’s coffee is, try to warn him with their reactions but avoid openly hurting her feelings. When Himeko offers coffee to everyone, they all quickly leave the dining car.
• Himeko makes coffee for Jiang Yao. He remains eager, praising its aroma and promising to drink the whole cup.
• Pom-Pom arrives, recognizes the infamous smell, and panics when they see Jiang Yao waiting for the coffee. They rush off to recruit the others to stop him.
• In the parlor car, the crew admits they already knew but could not dissuade Jiang Yao. They speculate about why he would want the coffee; Stelle’s final theory is that he may have a crush on Himeko.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yao shows curiosity and enthusiasm about trying unfamiliar food and drink. He is sincere in offering to taste Himeko’s coffee, despite the crew’s warnings.
• Himeko is hopeful that Jiang Yao can help her improve her coffee, though she knows the others dislike it. She is pleased by his apparent eagerness.
• Pom-Pom goes from sympathy for Jiang Yao to alarm, then urgently seeks help from the crew.
• March 7th, Stelle, Welt, and Dan Heng share concern for Jiang Yao but hesitate to intervene for fear of upsetting Himeko. Stelle turns the situation into a joking theory about Jiang Yao’s feelings.

Significant themes

• Kindness versus honesty: The crew struggles to warn Jiang Yao without insulting Himeko.
• Curiosity and open-mindedness: Jiang Yao’s willingness to try the notorious coffee contrasts with everyone else’s dread.
• Comedic misunderstanding: His enthusiasm is interpreted as possible romantic interest, though the chapter does not confirm that he has a crush on Himeko.