"Hmm, looks like this is the place." Hanxing lay prone on a high vantage point, observing the area below through a pair of binoculars from his space. Soon, six people appeared in his field of view. According to the information he had, the three in front were Dan Heng, March 7th, and Caelus of the Astral Express Crew.
"Hey, hey, hey-" Hearing the voice come from his pocket, Hanxing instinctively took out his phone. It was Silver Wolf calling him remotely. Hanxing put on his earpiece. "This is Hanxing. What is it?"
"Nothing. I just wanted to get the comms connected first. There's some information I can give you." Searching for information was another of Silver Wolf's specialties.
Hanxing: ...
He swore that the next time he saw Sampo, he wouldn't let him die so easily. At the very least, he would torture him for six months to a year, then make him cough up every last cent he had swindled from him.
"All right, enough of that." Silver Wolf interrupted Hanxing's thoughts. "Turn on the camera through your earpiece. I taught you how."
"Beep-" Soon, Silver Wolf had a view of an enormous mine pit. "That's a pretty good spot you've got. I wouldn't have noticed you, anyway." After the compliment, Silver Wolf turned her attention to the people below.
"The three in front are the Astral Express Crew." Silver Wolf looked at the information she had hacked. "The woman behind them in purple and white is Seele, a member of Wildfire, an organization in the Underworld. The one beside her in white and blue is Bronya, a Silvermane Guard and the daughter of the Supreme Guardian, Cocolia. The one in a white top and brown skirt is Natasha, an underground doctor."
"Got it." According to the information Sampo had given him, the Supreme Guardian was the nation's leader. The Silvermane Guards were the local armed forces, serving as both the military and the police. Wildfire was an organization that maintained order underground.
"Now I just need to stay close to them." After muttering to himself, Hanxing turned around. "I didn't think you'd actually dare show up."
Behind Hanxing, a sleazy-looking man with a head of blue hair appeared out of thin air. "A Masked Fool?" Silver Wolf was startled at first, but her gaze soon turned cold.
"What's wrong, my good partner? I did bring you quite a bit of information, after all." Sampo's green eyes shone with a ghostly light. "If you really were following me the whole time, you should know I'd love nothing more than to tear you to pieces." Hanxing ground out the words through clenched teeth, one syllable at a time.
"Actually, I even know you joined the Stellaron Hunters." Sampo revealed his biggest trump card. "You wouldn't want a bounty with several more zeros on it, would you?" Hanxing looked at him coldly. An embroidered spring saber appeared from his space, and he gripped it in his hand.
"What makes you so sure I'd care about a bounty from the IPC?" Hanxing forced out the question, though he really didn't care much about it. The embroidered spring saber was already half an inch out of its sheath, emitting a faint red glow.
"Before you do anything, how about hearing what I'm here for?" Sampo backed down. He knew this guy was more than he could handle.
Hanxing clenched his teeth several times before finally lowering the blade. He also knew that, since Sampo dared to appear before him, he naturally had strength greater than his own. At the very least, escaping should be easy for him.
"Then tell me what you want," Hanxing said. "If I don't like what you say, this blade will take your head off in an instant."
"I want you to give up interfering with the Astral Express Crew. In particular, when Caelus gets hurt, don't help him."
"Am I still free to follow them?" "Do as you please, as long as you don't intervene. After Caelus gets hurt, I won't stop you even if you destroy this planet."
"Not tempting enough..." Hanxing's eyes turned blue, stars twinkling in his pupils.
"Then I'm willing to return thirty thousand Shields to you." "Thirty thousand Shields, huh-" It was indeed a tempting offer, enough to live in luxury here for a few days at least. "Before that, I want to know why."
"Because after Cocolia stabs him, Caelus will receive the gaze of Preservation," Sampo explained. "It will play a major role in the universe in the future."
"Impossible, Elio's 'script'... 'Destiny' cannot be defied." Silver Wolf grew agitated. "The future Elio gave us is the best possible future!"
"Have you forgotten?" Sampo laughed like a villain. "Protecting Caelus has always been Kafka's personal wish. It has nothing to do with the 'script.'"
"As someone who lives for a good time, why are you saying so much?" Hanxing asked. "Don't the Masked Fools just look for amusement?"
"I'm afraid I can't tell you." Sampo replied, "But I can let you in on one thing: this universe is already facing a crisis." Then Sampo left a bag behind, threw a smoke bomb at his feet, and departed without a sound.
"So, what do you think?" Hanxing asked Silver Wolf. "Do we do as he says, or keep going our own way?" "Actually, by all accounts, he's right." Silver Wolf pondered it. "Protecting Caelus really is Kafka's personal wish. It has nothing to do with the 'script.'" "We won't lose anything either, will we?" Hanxing reassured himself. "Let's do as he says."
"Since you've made up your mind, I won't stop you," Silver Wolf told Hanxing. "But shouldn't your priority now be catching up with them?"
At those words, Hanxing immediately looked down. Several more figures had appeared in front of the Astral Express Crew, one of them a robot.
"Svarog, I haven't settled the score with you from last time!" Seele spoke first, her tone merciless. "Seele of Wildfire... your resistance is without value. The calculation is clear; remaining in the Underworld is the optimal survival strategy." Svarog spoke coldly, telling them the result of his calculation.
"Here we go again-calculations, survival strategies. I don't have time to listen to you go on and on. Call off the small fry under your command, or don't blame me for what happens next." Seele threatened Svarog.
"You see, Clara. Even in an extremely harsh environment, humanity cannot avoid division and conflict." Instead of responding to Seele, Svarog began "educating" the little girl beside him. "But, Mr. Svarog..." The girl named Clara spoke up hesitantly.
"Humans who attempt to overturn the calculation are a grave threat to the Underworld's survival strategy. Calculation complete. The conclusion is clear; using force to make Wildfire and its associates submit is the most efficient solution." Svarog stated his plan, which seemed to have been calculated long ago.
A clash was unavoidable!