---o---
Misha looked at Gallagher, and a segment of memory, both familiar and strange, suddenly surfaced in his mind. He couldn't help but call out Gallagher's name.
"Gallagher..."
Hearing them address each other, Fu Zhu and the others understood completely. The Misha before them was indeed the Trailblazer senior of their Astral Express—Mikhail!
This was now beyond doubt.
Having confirmed Misha's identity, Fu Zhu breathed a sigh of relief. What better way to find the legacy than to have its owner lead them to it?
He was only a little concerned about whether Misha's memories had fully returned.
"Misha? Do you remember anything?"
Misha furrowed his brow as if trying to recall something, then shook his head with a look of regret. "I'm sorry, everyone. I can't remember."
The expressions on everyone's faces fell with disappointment. Suddenly, Xing raised her hand, drawing everyone's attention.
"Did we forget something? Didn't Gallagher lead us to see the Watchmaker's legacy before? That empty Memoria bubble!"
Fu Zhu looked at Xing with some surprise. "Sis, you guys already found the legacy?"
Xing nodded, a hint of resentment suddenly appearing on her little face. "It's all because you never stick with us, big bro... always sneaking off to bring back some beautiful woman..."
Big bro clearly has me and March 7th, two beautiful girls, by his side! Even if he likes older women, isn't Sister Himeko right here!
Under Xing's resentful gaze, Fu Zhu silently averted his eyes and looked toward Himeko and Welt. "Then let's take Misha to that empty Memoria bubble. I think I understand Xing's idea. Since that bubble is the legacy Senior Mikhail left for us, perhaps Misha can remember something through it."
The others agreed that this method was viable and all turned to Misha, seeking his opinion.
Misha naturally nodded in agreement. He also wanted to know what was going on. Fu Zhu and the others gave him a strange sense of familiarity, as did Gallagher.
Led by Gallagher, the Express crew and Misha arrived at a pavilion on a high platform. An old man with white hair was sitting in a wheelchair inside, holding a Memoria bubble in his lap.
Misha looked at the old man in the wheelchair, and ripples of emotion disturbed the calmness of his eyes. He stepped forward and gently touched the bubble, his figure merging directly into it.
"It seems Misha is indeed Senior Mikhail." Himeko concluded, watching this scene. She then turned to Fu Zhu and Xing, smiled, and stepped aside to gesture for them to go forward. "Go on."
"Huh?" Xing was a little confused, pointing at herself. "Sister Himeko, you want me and big bro to go in?"
Himeko nodded. "You two are the youngest on the train. I'm sure Senior Mikhail would be very happy to see you inherit the will of [Trailblaze] left by your predecessors."
Fu Zhu and Xing exchanged a look and walked forward together, reaching out to touch the Memoria bubble in Mikhail's arms.
The next moment, Fu Zhu and Xing appeared in a pure white space. Misha stood before them, smiling.
Fu Zhu was the first to step forward, asking with some hesitation, "What should I call you now? Misha? Mikhail? Or the Watchmaker?"
Mikhail smiled and shook his head. "No matter the name, they all point to the same person. And I am but a fragment of that long life, so you can choose whichever name you like."
Fu Zhu and Xing nodded, no longer dwelling on the matter of his name. The latter asked with some confusion, "Senior Mikhail, what exactly is the Watchmaker's legacy? Is it this Memoria bubble?"
Mikhail nodded, but then quickly shook his head again.
"Pardon me. The Stellaron is indeed a fact, but Mikhail's legacy is merely a rumor spread on the streets. I bid farewell to my hometown in my childhood and embarked on a [Trailblaze] journey, passing through one station after another. Finally, I stopped at Asdana. My friends and I built the first iteration of Penacony and have striven for its future ever since...
My entire life has been about moving forward, doing my best to break through the obstacles that blocked my path. But in the end, my body became like a broken-down locomotive, and I left behind no tangible property. The only two 'assets' I can pass on to the next generation... are these."
Mikhail raised his hands, and a pocket watch and a hat materialized in his previously empty palms.
Mikhail's eyes were filled with gentleness and expectation as he looked at Fu Zhu and Xing.
"May this [pocket watch] guide you on the path forward..."
"May this hat offer you some small shelter from the wind and rain of your journey..."
"May your journey lead to the stars."
---o---
Outside the Memoria bubble, Himeko and the others waited anxiously for several minutes. The bubble on the wheelchair began to gradually dissipate and vanish, and the figures of Fu Zhu and Xing quietly appeared before them.
But this time, Misha was no longer with them.
Himeko pursed her lips. She realized that Misha must have returned to where he was supposed to be. She couldn't help but let out a soft sigh, but she quickly composed herself and looked at Fu Zhu, who was holding a pocket watch, and Xing, who was now wearing a hat.
"It seems you have received the [legacy]. Senior Mikhail... did he say anything else?"
Fu Zhu looked down at the pocket watch in his hand and solemnly put it away in his inventory. "Mikhail didn't say much, but I am very clear on what he hopes we will help him with regarding the Stellaron. Of course, even if he hadn't said anything, we would have done it. But as for where the Stellaron is..."
Hearing Fu Zhu ask this, Himeko and the others couldn't help but smile.
"We already know where the Stellaron is. Sunday told us."
"Hmm? Sunday? Is he here?"
Fu Zhu looked around curiously. As it happened, Sunday and Robin were walking over together at that very moment.
When Fu Zhu saw the siblings, before he could even greet them, he noticed the resentful expression on Robin's face. He was a bit confused. If he remembered correctly, this should only be the second time he and "Fu Zhu" had met.
Why was she looking at him like that?
Robin saw the confusion in Fu Zhu's eyes and silently mouthed a phrase at him.
"Mr. Murderer."
Fu Zhu immediately straightened his back. Crap. Did that Sparkle woman spill the beans about everything?
Fortunately, after mouthing the phrase, Robin didn't do anything else. Instead, Sunday walked up with a smile and greeted him.
"Mr. Fu Zhu, hello."
"I know I'm good, but how are you, Mr. Sunday?" The moment Fu Zhu saw Sunday, he couldn't help but tease him.
Sunday paused for a moment, then asked with a confused look, "What do you mean by that?"
"If I were you, I'd check the news right now."