After Herta left, Ye Yan wiped the already spotless bar counter again, his fingertips brushing across the smooth surface, leaving a slight coolness.
He leaned against the bar, waiting quietly for the next customer.
Before she even arrived, her clear, melodious voice, like the tinkling of silver bells, reached Ye Yan's ears, exaggerated to the point of sounding like an aria from a musical:
"Ha! Listen to the echoes of the starry sea! Feel the silence spreading! This body... is a servant of [ Eternity ]!"
"May this radiance cleanse the dust from the universe!"
Accompanied by this overly dramatic announcement, a beautiful figure rushed in like a whirlwind.
Her long, silvery-white hair cascaded down like moonlight, flowing and shimmering with her movements. Her delicate, elfin ears revealed her lineage, and her Jade eyes that burned with an almost fanatical excitement.
Fulisina was draped in an elaborate, dazzling silver-white robe. As the sleeves fluttered, she seemed to be surrounded by an invisible spotlight, making her the sole focus of attention in the Dreamjolt Bar.
"Welcome, what would you like to drink?" Ye Yan's movements were not hesitant at all; he continued wiping the crystal-clear glass in his hand, his tone calm.
Fulisina's gaze instantly fell on Ye Yan behind the bar. Her emerald eyes widened, her cherry lips parted slightly, and she let out a short gasp:
"Oh, Lord of Eternity, why do you imprison your flawless divine body in this tiny tavern?"
"Just out of interest, would you like something to drink?" Ye Yan raised his eyes, his gaze calm and unwavering.
Fulisina took a deep breath, straightened her back, clasped her hands together in front of her chest, and solemnly declared:
"Hmph~ As the agent of [ Eternity ]... Your most devout believer! I pray... I beseech my Lord to grant me a cup of [ Eternity ], a drink symbolizing supreme glory!"
The moment she finished speaking, a glass of clear, pure liquid appeared in her devoutly outstretched palm.
Filled with awe and excitement, Fulisina closed her eyes as if performing a sacred ritual, and drank the contents of her cup in one gulp.
"Hmm?" She clicked her tongue, a hint of confusion creeping onto her delicate face. "No rain has come, no nectar has appeared... Ah, this seems to be just an ordinary glass of water..."
Seemingly realizing that saying this went against her character, Fulisina immediately coughed violently, shaking her wide robe sleeves as if to cover it up, and composed herself.
"Hahahaha~ So that's how it is! The truth of ' Eternity '... is the indestructible foundation that sustains the existence of this world!"
"This cup of the simplest and purest spring of life reflects the immaculate essence of Eternity!"
Ye Yan as Fulisina completed her performance, moving from shock to piety, from confusion to forced sublimation, and the wine glass in his hand gleamed even brighter.
"Well said."
On the Radiant Feldspar, Firefly returned to the temporarily opened [ Jade Pawnshop ] and explained what she had seen and heard to Jade.
To convince Firefly of the authenticity of [ Jade Pawnshop ], Jade told her the deserved fates of the people on the list:
A wealthy young man pursuing the girl he admired lost all his possessions in exchange for a single gift that would move her, and from then on, he lived in poverty.
A gambling addict, in exchange for "luck," acquires endless wealth, but at the cost of severing all close relationships.
The righteous and awe-inspiring Intellitron detective, in order to capture a wanted criminal guilty of heinous crimes, offered his own storage system in exchange—his Remembrance as a [detective] would be completely erased.
This means he will forget who he is and what sacrifices he has made.
"Isn't it an interesting phenomenon? I fulfill some people's desires and bestow favors upon them. And these favors soon return to me, accompanied by even greater desires."
"When people witness the fulfillment of others' desires, they themselves develop the same, endless desires. In the end, I'll be able to fish out what I want from this whirlpool."
"And what I'm best at is waiting, just so happens. So now, do you understand what you're going to have to give up, Miss Samuel?"
"Or should I address you as...?"
Jade paused deliberately, then clearly uttered the long-forgotten code name. "The remnant of the Glamoth Iron Cavalry— [AR-26710]?"
"... Not surprising at all."
Firefly's expression remained almost unchanged. Facing a senior executive of the " Strategic Investment Department," Cornerstone was one of the Ten Stonehearts of " Jade of Credit," it was not surprising that the other party knew her background.
Cold, elegant, and captivating – that's the impression Jade left on her.
"You're much calmer than I expected. Entropy Loss Syndrome... it's truly an undeserved disaster, isn't it?" Jade sighed softly, as if lamenting her experience.
"To prevent the Republic's most powerful weapon from falling into the wrong hands, the Glamoth people incorporated this [insurance] into the genetic compilation of their warriors."
"And the cost... because these Iron Cavalry were never considered independent [people], there was naturally no cost to speak of."
"But you are different. Now you are Stellaron Hunters, a [ Firefly ], a vibrant life... a life protected by [ Eternity ]."
"So, you knew all along..."
The Firefly whispered, their gazes fixed on the Jade.
"The 'reputation' of the Church of Eternity is known throughout the world, and countless lives covet its power, don't they?"
Jade said calmly, "The former Firmament Frontline has been destroyed, but the company has detected a unique [ Eternity ] energy fluctuation in that star field."
"And the source of that power—" her gaze sharpened, "Is that [ the Weaver of Eternity ]... or rather, Fulisina, the Emanator who wields the authority of [ Eternity ]."
"I see..." Firefly's voice lowered, "No wonder you said I couldn't provide equivalent collateral."
"Besides the existing [ Eternity ] protection, it's also because... [everything I have] means nothing to you..."
Jade didn't respond directly, but changed the subject. "Miss Firefly, I'm equally Curiosity. The Stellaron Hunters each have unique identities, and the connections between them are quite interesting—they're so close and strong, yet they maintain their individual independence."
"Just as the Ten Stonehearts followed [ Diamond ], you should also have a leader. I'm Curiosity what kind of person he is, and Curiosity every Stellaron Hunters is like you..."
Jade's tone suddenly turned cold, chillingly sharp. "Walking the Path of [ the Finality ], yet striving to move in the opposite direction of fate?"
"If you have the chance, I hope you can all come and visit my pawnshop," Jade invited Firefly, her tone regaining its composure. "And I'm willing to patiently wait for that day to arrive."
"Can I interpret this as [ Diamond ] secretly extending an invitation to the Stellaron Hunters without the company's knowledge?"
The Firefly keenly grasped the key point, Jade smiled slightly:
"If possible, I would prefer you to consider this as my personal action, not representing the company or the Strategic Investment Department."
" The Stellaron Hunters and the company have had many dealings, but the [ Ten Stonehearts ]... we have no connection. I can pass on your proposal, but before that, I have a question..."
"You know who I am, so you can probably guess that my partner is likely monitoring this room. If she wanted, it would only take a few seconds for the entire Pier Point to see this meeting."
Firefly asked, "What makes you willing to risk becoming a pawn just to accomplish all this for [ Diamond ]?"
"Because, generally speaking..." Jade replied calmly and firmly, "We are [the same kind]."