Golden Hour at Oti Mall.
Neon lights flowed, and Sunday, disguised, stopped in front of an inconspicuous milk tea shop, tilting her head slightly, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
The golden-haired Chair's words, as if from Prophecy, still echoed in his ears:
[For those who are lost and seek answers, set out! To that... cough, that place where [ Eternity ] began!]
An antique parchment map, transformed from a strange soap, lay quietly in Sunday's palm, its striking scarlet mark pointing directly to this place.
"[ Eternity ] Holy Land..."
Sunday murmured softly, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the edge of the map.
He didn't really have much of an impression of this shop. Was the shop owner also an [ Eternity ] Emanator like that Chair?
Just then, a steady voice suddenly rang out from behind, interrupting Sunday's thoughts:
"I mean no offense, but sir, it's best if you don't go near there. There have been some unusual occurrences in the area, and the Family is investigating."
On Sunday, he turned around abruptly, his eyes instantly locking onto the source of the sound—and the train ticket that was faintly visible behind the other person's clothes.
Looking at the man before him, the doubts in his heart spread like ripples.
Strange, the Astral Express should have departed long ago, so why are there still Nameless in Penacony?
Sunday quickly concealed the wariness in his eyes, and a perfectly timed smile appeared on his face, "Sir, you are right. Please be careful as well."
After speaking, he turned around without hesitation and strode confidently into the bustling crowd.
Please wait—
Welt called out to him, and his old-fashioned cane had silently tapped the ground, making a soft thud.
"While it's safe to dream, please be careful of oncoming traffic."
Sunday paused, but didn't turn around. She simply turned half her body to the side, her voice calm and even. "Thank you."
He took another step, and his figure quickly disappeared into the colorful crowd.
Watching that rapidly receding figure, Welt did not leave immediately. He stood there, tapping his cane lightly on the ground, and briefly fell into deep thought.
It is no coincidence that this former spokesperson for the Order is here.
Not long ago, the Astral Express brought back the remains of an ancient beast from [ Ginnungagap ], fulfilling its promise to a genius.
Originally, she planned to return to the Xianzhou Luofu to participate in the [ Wardance ], but then Little March sent news that a serious Prison of Deep Seclusion had escaped, and she was going to have a showdown with him on the Skysplitter.
"Young people these days..."
Welt sighed helplessly, shook his head, and returned his thoughts to the main topic.
Through the connections made by Ms. Herta of the [ Genius Society ], they made some favors with Ms. Nguyen Mai.
Just then, Welt and Himeko also wanted to get some information about the train's next stop—[ Amphoreus ]—from these geniuses.
There was nothing that could be done; the person on the train who knew [ Amphoreus ] best was only thinking about milk tea, but given their special status, it was understandable.
Upon hearing that the Church of Eternity had intervened in Amphoreus, the expressions of the two geniuses visibly changed.
Of course, it wasn't fear of those divine beings in the Church... anyway, Ms. Herta seemed quite excited.
Welt frowned slightly, perhaps because he could use this opportunity to make contact with Ye Yan...? The thing these geniuses most wanted to study was undoubtedly the [ Aeon ].
So, Ms. Herta recommended that they stay in Penacony temporarily and seek the help of another genius Screwllum.
The reason is simple: as everyone knows, there is a highly respected deacon in the [ Church of Eternity ] who comes from the Planet Screwllum.
The scene shifts to the gleaming observation deck of the [ The Radiant Feldspar ]. Himeko, holding a steaming cup of coffee, walks gracefully towards Screwllum, who is standing by the railing.
"I never expected to run into Mr. Screwllum at Penacony. I thought the Genius Society hadn't received an invitation to the event."
Himeko stood beside Screwllum with a gentle smile on her lips.
Screwllum slowly turned around. "I have no interest in the [ Harmony ] celebration, so declining the invitation is only natural. But because of this, I missed everyone's wonderful adventures. Conclusion: pursuing rationality also has its drawbacks."
"If all of you geniuses were to Charmony Festival with your presence, the story would likely take a completely different turn."
"Next stop, Astral Express and Garden of Recollection have reached a cooperation agreement?" Screwllum took the initiative to get to the core issue.
"They only offered one option. Did Ms. Herta tell you that?"
Himeko's smile deepened slightly, "That's, after all, a world beyond the comprehension of the Nameless, so I sent her a letter hoping that the all-encompassing [ Erudition ] could provide more information."
"Perhaps the reason is not just that."
"Indeed, there is another reason: Miss Black Swan mentioned that Amphoreus is a world influenced by multiple Path, one of which is [ Erudition ]."
Upon hearing this, Screwllum immediately pointed out the problem. "Logic: Ordinary Pathstrider do not leave traces in the Mirror of the Garden of Recollection."
"That's right. So this matter is most likely related to the Emanator, or even the Aeon. That's why I'm Curiosity if the genius has any clues."
"Unfortunately, the Club's members rarely interact, and most of them have died at the hands of the Lord Ravager. I have never heard of the name [ Amphoreus ]."
" Ms. Herta is the same. However, she did seem interested and said she wanted to investigate, probably because she's backed by the Garden of Recollection; she's always been very interested in [ Remembrance ] technology."
"During this time, the train also met Ms. Nguyen Mai through her introduction, and brought back an ancient beast skeleton for the latter from [ Ginnungagap ]."
However...
Himeko's tone shifted subtly, her fingertip lightly tapping her chin, a complex and enigmatic light flashing in her eyes. She carefully chose her words, refraining from fully stating the second half of her sentence:
"She seems quite interested in one of our companions who is far away in the Xianzhou Luofu."
Analysis: All things in the universe, whether carbon-based life, silicon-based life, energy life, or information life...
Screwllum stared steadily at Himeko, his words calm and Reason:
"... At their underlying logic, they all exhibit varying degrees of fascination and desire to explore the concept of ' Eternity.'"
"I am no exception."
Meanwhile, at the Golden Hour, another bustling street corner
Just as Sunday's figure disappeared into a relatively quiet corner, his steps stopped abruptly, his tone carrying a predictable calm:
"I was taking a chance. May I explain myself?"
"Yes, but before that—" Welt's voice came from behind him, and footsteps approached unhurriedly.
Before he finished speaking, the ancient walking stick, carrying an irresistible force, gently pressed against Sunday's lower back.
A faint yet unsettling stream of pinkish-black energy swirled around the tip of his staff. Welt adjusted his glasses.
"Put your hands behind your back and answer my question in short sentences."