Ch. 261The Road to Exploring Happiness

Serval encouraged the crowd to be brave in love, while Pela took the lead for the Mechanical Tide’s next song, “Happiness,” alongside Lin Feng. Their performance began with Pela becoming deeply immersed in the song’s sorrowful lyrics.

  • Lin Feng sensed that Serval’s feelings for him had grown beyond friendship and considered asking her on a date.
  • Serval urged the audience to pursue love bravely, then introduced Pela as the band’s next lead vocalist.
  • Pela announced that she and Lin Feng would perform “Happiness” and encouraged him before they began.
  • Lin Feng and Pela sang together as Pela connected emotionally with the lyrics about a winter farewell.

Ch. 262The choice of happiness

Pela chose to express her feelings for Lin Feng during Mechanical Tide’s performance of “Happiness,” while Gepard realized she had grown attached to him. As snow fell over Belobog, Cocolia reflected that she had no right to seek happiness, and Himeko asked March 7th what happiness meant to her.

  • Pela took Lin Feng’s hand onstage and sang “Happiness” with newfound resolve, and Lin Feng clasped her hand in return.
  • Gepard watched Pela perform and concluded that she had developed strong feelings for Lin Feng, like his sister Serval.
  • Cocolia looked at Belobog’s night sky and decided that, after ruining so many lives, she had no right to pursue happiness.
  • Snow began falling as Himeko watched from the Eternal Monument and asked March 7th what she thought happiness was.

Ch. 263Bronya took the stage

After Pela and Lin Feng finished their song about happiness, Bronya took the stage but froze from stage fright. Lin Feng and the audience encouraged her, and she began her performance with renewed confidence as Cocolia watched and reflected on Lin Feng's kindness.

  • March 7th told Himeko that she found happiness in living each day fully and treasuring new experiences.
  • Pela and Lin Feng finished their performance, and Pela said she valued making precious memories with Lin Feng more than fame.
  • Pela introduced Bronya as the next performer, but Bronya froze onstage, unable to speak because of stage fright.
  • Lin Feng reassured the crowd and asked them to encourage Bronya, prompting applause that helped her regain confidence.
  • Bronya introduced herself as a member of Mechanical Tide and promised to give Belobog an excellent performance.
  • Cocolia watched from a private restaurant and reflected that Lin Feng's gentleness and kindness made him strong.

Ch. 264Youth Was Nothing More Than This

Bronya performed “More Than Friends” as lead singer at the Eternal Engine Workshop’s outdoor stage, expressing her affection for Lin Feng through the song. Serval admired Bronya’s performance as the crowd gathered in the snow.

  • Serval played keyboard, Pela accompanied her on drums, and Lin Feng joined on bass as Bronya prepared to sing.
  • Bronya sang “More Than Friends” to Lin Feng, and they traded lyrics while their feelings for each other grew harder to conceal.
  • Bronya’s sweet, polished performance filled Everwinter Monument Plaza and drew passersby to watch.
  • Serval recognized that Bronya’s voice and youthful presence suited the song better than her own or Pela’s.

Ch. 265Gepard's worries

Bronya sang a love song with Lin Feng at Everwinter Monument Plaza and chose to take his hand, following her own feelings rather than only her duty to Cocolia. Watching from the crowd, Gepard suspected that Serval and several other women were falling for Lin Feng and resolved to warn his sister.

  • Lin Feng invited Bronya to take his hand during their performance, and Bronya accepted while singing about love.
  • Bronya realized she wanted to explore a future with Lin Feng, whether she remained in Belobog or joined the Astral Express.
  • The audience was moved by Bronya's song, while Gepard caught himself humming along before a Silvermane Guards Captain reminded him to quiet down.
  • Gepard concluded that Serval, Pela, and Bronya seemed unusually close to Lin Feng and blamed him for the band's new focus on love songs.
  • Gepard decided to speak with Serval during his next patrol and warn her against an unrealistic romance with Lin Feng.

Ch. 266Himeko's realization

As Bronya performed with Lin Feng, March 7th grew competitive while Himeko reflected on love and the paths she had chosen. Himeko concluded that people had to be brave and act if they wanted to grasp a possible future.

  • Gepard decided Serval had little chance with Lin Feng and resolved to intervene before she risked another heartbreak.
  • Himeko teased March 7th that Bronya was a rival, and March 7th insisted she would not lose to her.
  • Himeko watched Bronya sing with Lin Feng and wondered whether they might become lovers as the song described.
  • Himeko reflected on leaving her home world and on the imagined life in which Captain Lin Feng had been braver with Murata Himeko.
  • Himeko concluded that people should be bold in love and reach for the future they wanted.

Ch. 267Place your bets!

March 7th persuaded Himeko to start a betting pool over which Mechanical Tide band member would become one of Lin Feng’s wings first. She proposed a stake of 300,000 Credits, offering her limited-edition Pom-Pom doll as collateral despite having no Credits of her own.

  • March 7th reflected that acting bravely and directly would have worked better when she first pursued Lin Feng.
  • March 7th suggested that she and Himeko bet on which of the three Mechanical Tide girls would succeed first with Lin Feng.
  • Himeko agreed to the wager and asked what they would stake.
  • March 7th proposed 300,000 Credits, then admitted she did not have that much money.
  • March 7th offered her limited-edition Pom-Pom doll as collateral and reminded Himeko that its value was hard to measure in Credits.

Ch. 268Place your bets now

March 7th and Himeko bet on whether Serval or Bronya would become Lin Feng’s first romantic partner, with March choosing Serval and Himeko choosing Bronya. As Bronya sang beside Lin Feng, they both experienced strange fragments of memories, and Bronya’s growing feelings left her uncertain about taking the next step.

  • March 7th persuaded Himeko to wager 300,000 Credits and a limited-edition Pom-Pom plush, then chose Serval as Lin Feng’s likely first partner.
  • Himeko chose Bronya, reasoning that she and Lin Feng already knew each other and would have more time together.
  • March 7th privately trusted Serval’s maturity and figure to appeal to Lin Feng, while Himeko remained confident in Bronya.
  • Bronya held Lin Feng’s hand and sang at Everwinter Monument Plaza, recalling how their lives had brought them closer.
  • Lin Feng heard the phrase “Bunny 19C” in a memory fragment and wondered whether Bronya shared a past-life bond with him.
  • Bronya blushed as she sang to Lin Feng and realized that her own feelings were stirring, though she was afraid to act on them.

Ch. 269Bronya's curtain call

Bronya finished singing a love song with Lin Feng, then returned to the band to prepare for Mechanical Tide’s finale. She introduced “Interstellar Travel” as a song about humanity’s desire to journey among the stars.

  • Bronya completed her song while holding Lin Feng’s hand, and the crowd cheered and praised her performance.
  • Bronya reflected that her singing had brought Belobog’s people together and helped her understand their shared hopes.
  • Serval reminded Bronya to let go of Lin Feng’s hand, and Bronya blushed as she released it and returned to her place onstage.
  • Bronya privately regretted not being braver with Lin Feng, then set her feelings aside to focus on the finale.
  • Bronya introduced Mechanical Tide’s final song, “Interstellar Travel,” and dedicated it to the people of Belobog.

Ch. 270The desire to command the stars

Serval inspired Belobog with a vision of reconnecting Jarilo-VI to the Sea of Stars, while Himeko saw her song as a way to give the people a future to strive for. Gepard worried that Serval planned to leave with Lin Feng and decided to speak with her the next morning.

  • Serval sang about Jarilo-VI reconnecting with the Sea of Stars, stirring Belobog's people to look toward the stars.
  • March 7th pointed out that Serval had repeated Himeko's famous words, and Himeko said Lin Feng's efforts could help Belobog find aspirations beyond surviving the Stellaron crisis.
  • March 7th decided to invent a more impressive line for her ultimate after comparing it with Himeko's.
  • Gepard watched Serval and worried she intended to board the Astral Express with Lin Feng, recalling how she had protected and supported him.
  • Gepard resolved to talk with Serval the next morning and, if she remained determined to go, wish her a safe journey.

Ch. 271Interstellar Travel

Cocolia reflected on Jarilo-VI’s lost connection to the Sea of Stars and the dreams Lin Feng had stirred in her, while Mechanical Tide performed its final song, “Interstellar Travel.” The song awakened a mysterious power in Lin Feng and the three girls, and Lin Feng sensed it could strengthen him for his coming battle with Stellaron Cocolia.

  • Cocolia thought about Jarilo-VI’s forgotten past as a thriving planet connected to the Sea of Stars and admitted that Lin Feng had awakened dreams she believed she could never fulfill.
  • Cocolia resolved that Bronya would someday take her place and lead Belobog toward the light, then waited for Mechanical Tide’s final song.
  • Serval introduced “Interstellar Travel,” and Mechanical Tide performed the closing number before a growing crowd of Belobog citizens and nobles.
  • As the band sang, Lin Feng and the three girls felt a mysterious power spread through them.
  • Lin Feng realized the power had grown stronger and seemed to improve his strength, which he welcomed as help for his upcoming fight against Stellaron Cocolia.

Ch. 272The Astral Express Theme Song

Lin Feng’s song “Interstellar Travel” moved Belobog’s audience and deepened Gepard’s understanding of the Astral Express and Serval’s desire to save their world. March 7th and Himeko admired Lin Feng’s performance, and Himeko wondered whether he was destined to lead the Trailblaze into a new era.

  • Gepard listened to Lin Feng’s song and admired the Astral Express Trailblazers’ ambition and courage.
  • Gepard realized Serval still intended to resolve the Stellaron crisis and save Belobog, and he decided to speak with her and ask Lin Feng for help.
  • March 7th praised Lin Feng’s song as a perfect theme for the Astral Express and admired his musical talent.
  • Himeko said Lin Feng’s song captured the Astral Express’s journey and wondered whether he was destined to become a great Trailblazer.

Ch. 273Himeko and March 7th

Himeko reflected on the meaning of the Astral Express’s journey after hearing Lin Feng’s song “Interstellar Travel,” and felt moved by what she imagined he had endured. March 7th teased Himeko about her feelings for Lin Feng, while Cocolia listened to the song and focused on Lin Feng and the performers.

  • Himeko decided that the Astral Express’s journey mattered because its travelers carried knowledge between worlds and passed the spark of Trailblaze onward.
  • Himeko imagined Lin Feng’s long hardships and felt her affection for him deepen.
  • March 7th said Himeko looked as if she wanted to gobble Lin Feng up, and Himeko rapped her on the head and denied it.
  • March 7th backed down but privately continued to think Himeko was insatiable and that Lin Feng’s arrival had made things strange.
  • Cocolia listened to “Interstellar Travel” at a restaurant near Everwinter Monument Plaza and thought about Lin Feng, Serval, and Bronya’s performances.

Ch. 274The performance drew to a close

After the Mechanical Tide Band’s performance, Cocolia reflected on Lin Feng’s arrival and her own doomed condition, while Serval celebrated the crowd’s enthusiastic response. Lin Feng began probing Serval about her wishes as he planned to grow closer to her.

  • Cocolia took the song “Interstellar Travel” as confirmation that Lin Feng could change Jarilo-VI’s fate, but gave up on messaging him because she believed her corruption left her no future.
  • Cocolia recognized that her cold strength had hidden her fragility and that the Voice of the Stellaron had led her toward ruin.
  • The Mechanical Tide Band finished its performance, and Belobog’s crowd filled Everwinter Monument Plaza with applause and chants.
  • Serval told Lin Feng she was happy with the band’s unprecedented reception and counted the performance among her life goals.
  • Lin Feng asked Serval about her other wishes, hoping to find a way to grow closer to her.

Ch. 275When the music ended and the crowd dispersed

After [Mechanical Tide] finished its successful concert in Everwinter Monument Plaza, the crowd dispersed and Himeko and March 7th headed back to the Goethe Hotel. The band gathered to celebrate, and Serval proposed a group hug.

  • Serval thanked the audience as [Mechanical Tide] ended its performance, and the crowd praised the concert before slowly leaving the plaza.
  • Himeko told March 7th they should return to the Goethe Hotel, while March 7th suggested finding Lin Feng and pulling a prank on him.
  • Himeko refused to join March 7th’s plan and walked off alone, but March 7th followed her through the snow.
  • Lin Feng and the other [Mechanical Tide] members gathered after the concert, sharing a quiet sense of achievement.
  • Serval praised the band and suggested they celebrate with a group hug.

Ch. 276A gathering at the bar

After Mechanical Tide’s victory, Serval proposed celebrating at a bar, hoping to get closer to Lin Feng. Bronya hesitated because of her duties and public image, but Lin Feng invited her, leaving her undecided as Serval assured her she could stay behind.

  • Lin Feng and Serval, Pela, and Bronya embraced onstage after Mechanical Tide’s performance, and Pela lost her glasses in the snow.
  • Serval invited the group to celebrate their victory at a bar, hoping the drinks would help her make a move on Lin Feng.
  • Pela readily agreed to go, while Bronya declined because she had paperwork and worried about her position as commander of the Silvermane Guards.
  • Lin Feng personally encouraged Bronya to come, and she began reconsidering the invitation.
  • Serval told Bronya she did not have to come if she was busy, leaving Bronya’s decision unresolved.

Ch. 277Serval Lost Her Way

Serval led Lin Feng and Pela through Belobog at night toward a bar, hoping to spend the evening with him after Bronya chose to return to the Official Residence. The group stopped when Serval realized she had gotten lost, and Pela prepared to take over the search for Nightfall Bar.

  • Serval and Pela persuaded Bronya to skip the celebration, and Bronya said goodbye to Lin Feng before returning to the Official Residence.
  • Lin Feng wished Bronya good night and told her to avoid staying up late.
  • Serval led Lin Feng and Pela through winding, poorly lit alleys near the Administrative District's Central Square.
  • Pela noticed that Serval had taken them through the same area before and offered to lead the way.
  • Serval admitted the destination was Nightfall Bar and agreed to Pela's suggestion.

Ch. 278Nightfall Bar

Serval chose Nightfall Bar as the place to treat Lin Feng, prompting Pela to object because she believed it offered disreputable services. Lin Feng became curious about the bar, and Pela reluctantly agreed to go with them.

  • Serval told Pela and Lin Feng that she planned to take them to Nightfall Bar.
  • Pela objected, warning that the bar was known for illegal transactions and insisting Lin Feng was not the sort of man who would visit such a place.
  • Lin Feng recalled Sampo recommending Nightfall Bar and grew interested in seeing it for himself.
  • Serval defended her choice and offered to take Lin Feng without Pela if Pela refused to come.
  • Pela agreed to go, but told Serval she would be responsible if Lin Feng blamed them.

Ch. 279Belobog after dark

Pela joined Serval and Lin Feng for a late-night outing at the Nightfall Bar, hoping to get closer to Lin Feng despite her nerves. They arrived to find the once-refined bar transformed into a provocative nightlife venue, leaving Serval and Pela stunned.

  • Pela decided to accompany Serval and Lin Feng to the bar because she did not want Serval to get ahead with Lin Feng.
  • Pela led Serval and Lin Feng through Belobog's streets to the Nightfall Bar.
  • Pela pushed open the bar's door and entered, followed by Lin Feng and Serval.
  • Lin Feng surveyed the bar's revealing outfits and lively atmosphere while Serval and Pela stood in shock.
  • Serval blushed as she realized the Nightfall Bar had changed from an upscale venue into a frivolous nightlife spot.

Ch. 280Lin Feng's Choice

Serval, Pela, and Lin Feng visited the Nightfall Bar, where Serval realized it had become a pleasure house and worried that Lin Feng would blame her. Lin Feng chose to stay, reassuring Serval and leaving both women impressed by his response.

  • Serval and Pela recognized that the Nightfall Bar's revealing outfits made it a pleasure house, and Pela challenged Serval over choosing it.
  • Serval explained that she had not visited the bar in about two and a half years and had not known what it was like now.
  • Lin Feng said he did not mind the venue and proposed that they stay for the celebration.
  • Lin Feng stroked Pela's hair and spoke of keeping a clear heart, reassuring Serval and deepening her admiration for him.
  • Pela fell silent and praised Lin Feng's character in her thoughts.
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