"Hey, I found treasure!" Just as Bronya was silently sighing, an excited voice suddenly reached her ears, causing the silver-haired noble lady to widen her eyes in disbelief.
Huh? She actually found something?
Bronya followed the direction of the voice and saw Stelle—who had been squatting and rummaging through a trash can—now standing upright, her eyes gleaming as she stared at a coin in her hand.
"Is that... an ancient coin?" The well-informed Bronya immediately recognized the item in Stelle's hand. In Belobog, such a thing could indeed be considered quite valuable, but that was about it. For the people present here, it shouldn't count as any real treasure, right?
Stelle paid no attention to Bronya's puzzled gaze. Without hesitation, she pocketed the grimy coin and turned back, ready to continue digging through the garbage.
However, before she could squat down again, a faint wave of dizziness suddenly washed over her. The next moment, she felt her body go weightless—as if someone had grabbed her by the collar and lifted her up.
"Alright, Stelle, no more digging through trash cans." Yun Fan sighed helplessly. Although the game's setting portrayed the protagonist as having a peculiar obsession with trash cans, who would've thought it would carry over into reality? In-game antics were one thing, but in real life... that was a hard pass.
"Huh? No—let me go! My beloved trash can—" Regaining her senses, Stelle struggled fiercely in Yun Fan's grip. But as a petite girl, even with a Stellaron inside her, how could she possibly overpower Yun Fan? Especially when this was just an energy avatar of his.
"Sorry, not happening." Yun Fan flatly rejected Stelle's protest before turning to Bronya. "Ahem, apologies for the spectacle. Miss Bronya, would you mind leading the way?"
"Ah, yes, of course." Bronya nodded slightly, though the shock in her eyes was unmistakable. If she hadn't misseen, that girl Stelle had suddenly appeared in his grasp just now, hadn't she? Was that... spatial teleportation?
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Headquarters of the Interastral Peace Corporation...
"Topaz, Senior Manager of the Strategic Investment Department, do you confirm your acceptance of the debt recovery mission regarding 'Jarilo-IV'?"
"I confirm."
"Please hold while we process your registration... Mission logged into the corporation's central system. Note: Due to the uncertain survival status of Jarilo-IV, you may withdraw from this assignment at any time without incurring any liability on the corporation's part."
"Heh, how considerate." Topaz took the mission file from the receptionist and skimmed through it briefly. With just a few glances, she had already grasped the general situation of Jarilo-IV. And precisely because of that, her interest was piqued.
A planet hanging by a thread between life and death—yet it had somehow produced a formidable powerhouse. After all, someone capable of stealthily taking the corporation's insignia right under her nose was undoubtedly no weakling.
Of course, Topaz had also considered the motive behind the theft. Frankly, aside from serving as proof of identity, the insignia wasn't particularly valuable. If her guess was correct, the other party likely intended to "invite her into the game."
This so-called "game" was the salvation of Jarilo-IV. The one who took the insignia must have been aware of the tracking device hidden within it—yet they chose not to remove it. Wasn't this essentially bait to lure her over?
Lost in thought, Topaz pulled out a gleaming golden coin from her waist, admiring the refracted light along its finely cut edges.
"Then let's see what kind of person you really are."
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Belobog...
After having dinner with Cocolia and her daughter, Yun Fan had Dan Heng take March 7th and Stelle ahead to the hotel arranged by Cocolia. He, however, stayed behind, seemingly with something to discuss privately with the Supreme Guardian.
"Bronya, you may leave first." Cocolia, understanding his intent, instructed Bronya to withdraw, intending to have a proper conversation with this high-ranking IPC representative herself.
"As you command, Supreme Guardian." Though hesitant, Bronya ultimately complied. With a soft click of the door, the grand reception hall was left with only Yun Fan and Cocolia.
"May I ask, this esteemed—" Cocolia had barely begun speaking when an overwhelming pressure suddenly bore down on her. In that instant, the Yun Fan before her had completely transformed.
But what exactly had he transformed into? Cocolia felt that words alone could never capture or describe it. Gazing at this youth who seemed both within reach and yet as distant as the heavens, her instincts told her that the being before her might be even greater than the Amber Lord.
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Back at the Goethe Hotel...
Stelle: "Pair of threes!"
March 7th: "Heh, pair of nines!"
Dan Heng: "..." Silently plays two queens.
Stelle: "Pass."
March 7th: "Huh? You can't beat that? Hmm... pair of twos—no, pass. Ugh, I don't have a king..."
When Yun Fan returned to the Goethe Hotel, the scene before him left him momentarily stunned. Both March 7th and Dan Heng had strips of paper stuck to their faces—clearly, they had lost quite a few rounds. As for Stelle... she had her back to him, so he couldn't see her face.
"Oh, Yun Fan, welcome back!" March 7th was the first to notice him standing at the door. She trotted over eagerly.
"So, what did you and the Supreme Guardian talk about?" The curious girl asked.
"Ah, nothing much, just—pfft—HAHAHAHA!" Halfway through his sentence, Yun Fan burst into laughter. Following his gaze, Stelle—who had been facing away—had now turned around. Her face was plastered with white strips like some kind of Santa Claus, and just like March, she was staring at him with inquisitive eyes.