"Mm, the Astral Express's fuel is provided by the Trailblaze, theoretically meaning as long as the train keeps moving, this magical express can run indefinitely like a perpetual motion machine. But, what the conductor said about running out of fuel isn't entirely baseless. If there's no fuel, the train really might stop."
--------------------------------------------
Welt followed up.
"When the fuel runs out, the Astral Express will stop on the Silver Tracks. The starry sky is vast, and it's hard to say whether they will receive help or not."
"Of course, if before that we use the alliance omen to summon the Xianzhou Luofu, or find a few friends, we could disembark early. However, restarting the Express afterward would be a huge problem."
"It wouldn't be much easier than when Himeko repaired the train before."
March 7th, "So that means we'll all freeze into ice sculptures?"
Stelle shook his head and said seriously, "Only cute ones like you."
"Right, huh, I don't want to turn into a beautiful ice sculpture floating in space." March 7th waved her hands repeatedly; she didn't want to recall the feeling of being frozen.
"It's fine, I'll ask big bro to light a fire for you by then." Stelle patted his chest and promised.
"Then there won't even be ashes left!"
"It seems I arrived at just the right time."
While everyone was discussing, a gentle voice spoke again.
It came from March 7th's room.
"You, you, you! Why are you coming out of my room!" March 7th pointed in shock at the slowly emerging Black Swan, glancing behind her.
The room didn't seem to have changed.
"Such a cute room." Black Swan smiled softly, circling her eyes.
"Setting aside how you bypassed the Express's security and boarded, Miss Black Swan, what did you mean just now?" Dan Heng looked at Black Swan and asked.
"The Astral Express relies on exploration to absorb fuel. So, what if the Astral Express could reach a world even the Aeon Akivili has never reached?"
"The Eternal Land, Amphoreus, "
....
The news Black Swan brought indeed made the crew members excited.
"A world even Akivili has never reached, can we really do it?" March 7th folded her arms, hesitating.
"Hmm, we need to discuss this together. But if we can reach Amphoreus, we probably won't have to worry about fuel for the Express ever again."
Reaching a world even Akivili had never been to, bringing Trailblaze there...
If it truly worked, the Astral Express wouldn't have to worry about fuel even during the next few Amber Era's.
However, such a major decision about the train's travel direction still needed everyone's discussion.
March 7th sneakily poked her head out, glancing into the carriage. When she saw Pom-Pom pacing with short legs and talking to Himeko, she felt relieved.
It seemed Pom-Pom had already been comforted by Himeko.
After a while, she would go out and discuss things with Himeko.
Amphoreus, a world even Akivili hadn't been to. If they succeeded in exploring it, wouldn't their names spread across the galaxy?
Her eyes started to drift as she imagined what pose she should strike when they reached Amphoreus.
She also wondered if there were any scenic spots worth photographing there. Oh right! She needed to buy local specialties, snacks, treats, everything, and prepare Pom-Pom's share too…
"What is Passenger March 7th looking at?"
Pom-Pom's voice woke March 7th up. She turned her eyes and saw Pom-Pom standing in front of her, short legs and all.
There were still faint tear streaks on Pom-Pom's face, and its eyes were still watery.
"Hehe, nothing." March 7th scratched her head and smiled awkwardly.
Pom-Pom nodded slightly, pointing a finger at March 7th: "As long as Passenger March 7th is fine, that's good."
Then Pom-Pom walked back to the carriage on its short legs.
March 7th just let out a sigh of relief when Pom-Pom turned back and looked at her.
"Tomorrow Pom-Pom is going to do a big cleaning of the train, so Passenger March 7th, please be prepared."
"Eh?" March 7th froze.
Before she could react, Pom-Pom had already walked a distance away.
'Hmph, daring to steal the conductor's limited edition snacks, you must be punished!'
Thus, March 7th stared blankly at Pom-Pom's little back as it walked away, hands behind it.
...
"The Eternal Land, Amphoreus… it's worth a try."
Himeko pondered, calculating what would be needed to go to Amphoreus and whether it was reachable.
After all, that was a world even Akivili had never been to.
A world untouched by an Aeon was highly tempting to those who walked the Path of Trailblaze. Completely worth trying!
Although they hadn't spent much time with Black Swan, Himeko could tell she wasn't malicious.
Even if something unexpected happened after reaching Amphoreus, it wouldn't be too severe. As long as the train's fuel could be replenished, solving a few troubles for her wouldn't be an issue.
However, before that…
"The Xianzhou Luofu is about to hold the Martial Exhibition Ceremony. General Jing Yuan specially sent us an invitation. What do you all think~?" Himeko handed the choice to everyone.
March 7th's eyes lit up, and she grinned; lively events were her favorite!
"Even if we're going to Amphoreus, we can't ignore our friends. That guy Jing Yuan may be scheming, but we can't miss such a festival. I'm in."
Counting on her fingers, March 7th tried to calculate: "The last Martial Exhibition Ceremony was held hundreds of years ago! If we miss this one, who knows when we'll have another chance!"
Hundreds of years! For all she knew, in hundreds of years her grave might not even be there. Let alone attending such an event that only happens once in centuries!
"General Jing Yuan's invitation, hmm, in that case…" Welt slightly nodded his head.
The Astral Express formed an alliance with the Xianzhou Luofu, with the alliance jade token serving as a testament of friendship. To celebrate this alliance, they would attend the ceremony as honored guests.
"Since everything is decided, our next itinerary is to head to Luofu to attend the martial arts ceremony, and then proceed to Amphoreus," Himeko said with a gentle smile.
...
Meanwhile, in the Party Car.
Black Swan gazed at a fleeting shooting star in the vast universe and smiled faintly.
"It seems the Express team has made their choice."
Eternal Land, Amphoreus --
...
Xianzhou Luofu.
As the date of the martial arts ceremony approached, the number of tourists on Luofu surged sharply.
Alongside prosperity came unprecedented pressure on Luofu's security.
Normally, this would not be an issue, but with the matter concerning the Borisin, no one dared to be negligent, especially with IPC ships! They must undergo strict inspection!
At that time, at Central Starskiff Haven, a beautiful yet melancholy figure stood at the bridgehead, staring blankly at the lively street scene before her.
Everywhere she looked was scenery different from the Ten-Lords Commission, with the aura of the living world rushing toward her, making her feel a momentary sense of disconnection.
"How is it, the Luofu of today?" Xueyi softly said as she approached Hanya's side.
"More prosperous than in our time," Hanya replied.
Xueyi had a puppet's body, not quite human, but far less eerie than Hanya's zombie body. She often worked alongside the Cloud Knights, capturing evil entities.
Though Hanya occasionally visited the living world, she never liked to stay long, nor was she suited to.
Her understanding of the living world was far less than Xueyi's.
However...
Looking at Hanya's skin, indistinguishable from an ordinary person, Xueyi's lips curved slightly.
If one didn't know Hanya's identity beforehand, who would think otherwise?
At this moment, Hanya appeared no different from an ordinary person.
But unlike Xueyi's joy, Hanya seemed a bit gloomy: "Though I've received such fortune, it is still too much for me."
Hanya's zombie body had undergone changes so profound it was nearly brought back to life, astonishing even the Ten-Lords Commission and the Xianzhou generals.
The pink-haired Master diviner of the Divination Commission scoured the archives yet found no such record.
Even that chef doctor from the Yaoqing Xianzhou, whose name carried a hint of spices, was stunned, unable to fathom what could cause a zombie body to recover so fully.
"It matters not for me; after hundreds of years, I'm used to this form. But you... if you can return to a normal body, I'd be happier than ever." Xueyi's voice carried joy, which warmed Hanya's heart.
Hanya slightly nodded and softly replied.
Just then, a familiar voice came from the side.
"What a coincidence, you two?"
Looking over, they saw Lingsha approaching gracefully, smiling warmly.
"Lingsha, Alchemy Commission Head." The two greeted her.
They were not unfamiliar with Lingsha, as the Alchemy Commission was closest to the Scalegorge Waterscape. Though the entrance there connected to the outside world, today's Scalegorge Waterscape were unlike the past.
Strange, often dangerous plants filled the place.
Those who were familiar with Godzilla-like beings could manage, but otherwise...
Unless provoked, death was unlikely, but a good beating was inevitable.
Moreover, Hanya's unique body intrigued Lingsha, who specialized in such matters.
Soon, Lingsha arrived before the two sisters, her eyes lighting up at Hanya's lifelike appearance.
"Judge Hanya, you seem no different from a living person. Have you already fully revived?"
"No, it's just some changes in my skin tone, nothing fundamentally different from before," Hanya softly shook her head.
"This is more than just skin tone." Lingsha slightly shook her head, but, considering the location, said no more.
Both knew what she meant.
A zombie body nearing full restoration was astonishing, and if one could go this far, could they eventually fully revive?
If word of Hanya's condition reached the alliance, trouble would be inevitable.
But both the Ten-Lords Commission and the Six Charioteers of Xianzhou understood the gravity of the matter and tacitly kept it secret.
Idiots must not meddle.
Only when the pests within the alliance were fully eradicated, or when any resulting storm could be contained, could this matter be publicly addressed.
For now... forget it!
"If you two are free, why not visit my Alchemy Commission? Allow me to host you properly,"
Lingsha said with a gentle smile.
"No, we still have the mission of capturing the Heliobi, so we won't trouble you," Hanya replied calmly.
"Heliobi?"
Lingsha raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Hasn't Luofu already subdued all the Heliobi?"
Most Heliobi outside were weak and could be easily suppressed by ordinary officers equipped with sealing tools.
Even if many had escaped from the Creation Furnace, it shouldn't take this long to capture them.
Xueyi said: "Most Heliobi are indeed easily subdued, but since they haven't caused major havoc, the Ten-Lords Commission needs time to track their exact locations."
Indeed, those runaway Heliobi were weak and posed little threat, but because of this, their capture was often delayed.
Even if one was possessed by a Heliobi, their strength was too feeble to cause major trouble, leading to delays over time.
Lingsha suddenly understood: "No wonder. If you need help, you can come to the Alchemy Division to find me, and I will definitely give my full support."
"If there's a need."
The three of them started chatting, feeling rather comfortable.
"Hey, I say, you guys are going too far, aren't you?! You're even opening up these little things for inspection? Why don't you just take me apart and check too?"
A voice that, for some reason, that just sounded funny to hear, rang out from the nearby dock.
Everyone turned to look and saw a squad of Cloud Knights confronting a IPC employee, with various types of cargo containers placed nearby.
Clearly, the IPC's goods had once again been stopped by the Cloud Knights for inspection.
"Mr. Scott, this is the regulation. Recently, all IPC goods in Luofu must be carefully inspected, not even the smallest slip allowed."
Yanqing looked seriously at the IPC employee in front of him, who wore a pair of small round glasses and the attire of the Xianzhou.
"Hey, little brother, why don't you listen to reason, huh? I already told you there's nothing hidden in here, and I already showed you the cargo list.
Now you still want to pry open everything? Where's the justice in that? Where's the law? Is this how you Luofu Xianzhou treat innocent businesspeople like us?!" Scott shouted confidently.
As time passed, quite a crowd gathered: Xianzhou people, foxians, Vidyadhara, and people from other places.
The instinct of people to watch drama, especially Xianzhou people, at a time like this, why would they miss out?
The bigger the drama, the better!
Hearing the surrounding noisy discussions, Yanqing remained unafraid and said in a deep voice:
"Mr. Scott, not long ago, there was a very serious case on the Xianzhou, and that case is closely linked to your IPC. If it weren't for that, we wouldn't be carrying out such strict inspections."
As soon as he finished speaking, Scott clicked his tongue again and again.
"Click, click. Why do you Xianzhou people always love using this excuse, huh? You said the same thing when I first came here, and now you're still saying it. What, you think I don't understand?
What kind of case could possibly involve the IPC! Do you think the IPC came all the way from Pier Point just to cause you trouble?!"
The more Scott spoke, the more excited he became, standing on tiptoe, trying to make his short figure seem imposing.
At this moment, he believed he was speaking the absolute truth!
"Um, Commissioner Scott, actually, there was indeed a message from headquarters telling us to cooperate with Luofu's inspection work."
At this time, an employee in an IPC mech-suit walked up to Scott and whispered.
"Huh?" Hearing this, Scott turned his head, eyes behind the glasses staring blankly at the employee.
"When was that?"
"Just recently."
"..."
After a moment of silence, Scott raised his head to look at Yanqing, and Yanqing looked back at Scott. They stared at each other.
"This way, please. I also ask that you carry out the inspection quickly. I guarantee there are no problems with this batch of goods."
Scott pointed to the containers behind him.
Seeing that he finally understood, Yanqing let out a breath of relief.
This commissioner was truly the hardest person he had dealt with recently.
Especially that persistence, if placed into martial arts, he would already be the sword master.
The inspection was completed quickly, without any issues.
"Thank you for your cooperation. I wish you a pleasant journey on the Xianzhou. Also, in a short while, the Martial Exhibition will be held; you are welcome to come watch."
With a polite bow, Yanqing led his team away.
Watching their retreating backs, Scott raised his head as if trying to poke a hole in Yanqing's flying sword with his sharp chin.
"Hiss, When did the IPC tell us to cooperate with Luofu? Could something have gone wrong at headquarters?"
Scott rubbed his chin, puzzled.
Although the Xianzhou could summon the Reignbow Arbiter's remote strike, that was an extremely high-level authority and normally couldn't be used lightly.
However, the Xianzhou Alliance indeed had great power, and since all major forces feared angering them, afraid they might really call in that strike, they all gave the Xianzhou some respect.
But that didn't mean everyone was actually afraid of them.
And as an universal peace company that had traversed countless star systems for years, when had it ever needed to give them such face?
Could it be that the IPC's status was in danger?
Should he consider defecting to the Alliance?
Scott pondered.
"Commissioner Scott? Commissioner Scott?"
"Hm? Ah, what is it?"
His thoughts interrupted, Scott turned to look at the employee who interrupted him.
"About that batch of goods, should we still deliver them?"
"Deliver what? Headquarters gave the order, send them all back to the IPC immediately. Go make arrangements."
"Yes, sir!"
After sending him away, Scott still didn't understand.
Clearly, the negotiations between the IPC and the Alliance were still ongoing.
'Why were they suddenly giving in to the Alliance? Could the IPC really have a problem?'
The three who witnessed the whole thing exchanged glances, and Lingsha chuckled softly.