Chapter 63: Two Sentences That Will Haunt March 7th for Life
At the riverside crossing, March 7th and Stelle were glued to their phones, unwilling to tear their eyes away even for a moment. Nearby, Welt and Dan Heng stood guard, creating a scene reminiscent of modern-day Luofu families watching over their children during outings.
"Strange, why hasn't Miss Tingyun shown up yet?" Old Yang muttered aloud.
"We can't operate the starskiff without authorized personnel," Dan Heng added, glancing at the massive vessel prepared by the Sky-Faring Commission.
Despite being from Xianzhou, Dan Heng unfortunately lacked both a pilot's license and the skills to operate a star ferry.
Meanwhile, March 7th and Stelle seemed completely unfazed. March 7th was engrossed in Little Gui Zi's live stream, while Stelle repeatedly replayed Jing Yuan's character promotional video, "Heaven and Earth as Chessboard," pausing occasionally to comment in the live chat.
"Here I am, sorry to keep everyone waiting," Tingyun finally announced as she arrived.
"I got held up with some minor issues. Please forgive me—and don't mention this to Lord Yukong," she pleaded.
"No problem, let's board the star ferry first," Old Yang urged.
In no time, everyone had boarded the ferry, with Tingyun taking the helm. She attempted to break the ice by introducing herself.
"My name is Tingyun, and I serve as a Ferry Guide within the Sky-Faring Commission's merchant fleet. Are you all members of the Astral Express Crew?"
"No need for introductions—we already know you from Honkai Star Rail!" March 7th exclaimed warmly.
"Honkai Star Rail?" Tingyun asked, tilting her head.
"Oh, it's that game you've been playing, right?"
"Heh… Yes, I've heard about how popular it is. Unfortunately, my duties haven't left me any time to try it myself, or I definitely would have."
"Hmm…" Old Yang responded noncommittally.
Dan Heng remained silent.
March 7th and Stelle continued to immerse themselves in the game.
Tingyun forced an awkward smile.
Phantylia thought to herself, Why does the atmosphere feel so different from what I expected? Could it be that this game reveals more than it should? No, if that were true, they wouldn't have cooperated with us at all…
"Oh well, overthinking won't help. Let's just focus on reaching our destination."
"Oh, and soon I'll need to prepare precautions. We don't want anyone getting caught up when the Ambrosial Arbor starts growing—that would certainly add some excitement."
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In Little Gui Zi's live stream:
"Hey, everyone! As much as I'd love to witness Kafka's interrogation, Fu Xuan needs to [Prepare for Interrogation]."
"For now, we'll stay here at the Exalting Sanctum and wait for news from the Divination Commission's guide!"
"But doesn't this place feel familiar?"
"Remember where the Golden Spear choked us last time?" Guinaifen maneuvered her character around for a quick tour.
Soon, she noticed a crowd gathering in the square.
"Something's happening! Let me go check it out!"
As she approached, a story event triggered. A Cloud Knight soldier lay writhing on a stretcher, covered in shimmering golden ginkgo leaves, his body beginning to mutate rapidly.
Suddenly, a pair of short legs sprinted toward the scene, kicking up dust behind them.
"Everyone, step back!"
A young Vidyadhara girl leaped into the air, spinning 360 degrees. Her tail crackled with lightning as it swept across the area. In an instant, the screaming soldier collapsed silently.
From beneath her wide sleeve, the girl produced a gourd and instructed those nearby, "Quickly give him this medicine and make sure he stays still!"
Her movements flowed effortlessly like water.
However, moments later, more Demonic Yin Bodies emerged, contorted and crawling across the ground.
"I… I meant…" the girl stammered with an awkward laugh.
"Make them lie down quietly!"
Bam!
[Combat begins!]
At the sight of the petite figure, March 7th screamed with excitement.
"Ahhh, it's my daughter Bailu!"
Dan Heng and Old Yang were startled by her outburst.
"What?! Bailu is joining the fight?" Stelle quickly moved closer to watch alongside them.
Rolling his eyes, Dan Heng had initially planned to rest against the train window, conserving energy for what lay ahead. But as he glanced over, he saw Bailu appear exactly as depicted in the storyline—bearing the distinctive features of the Vidyadhara clan, complete with dragon horns and a dragon tail.
"Hmm?"
"She's… this generation's Holding Light Dragon Venerable?"
Intrigued, Dan Heng joined the others to observe closely.
March 7th shot him a surprised look. "No way, Dan Heng? Are you secretly a Bailu fan? I'm warning you, she's my daughter, so don't even think about…"
"Your imagination runs wild, March," Dan Heng sighed helplessly.
Swiftly, the Demonic Yin Body soldiers were defeated, bringing the battle to an end.
Bailu placed her small hands on her hips and scolded, "After that stern lecture, can you now behave and lie down quietly?" Turning to address the Astral Express Crew, she said,
"Thank you, Uncle and Big Sisters, for helping calm the patients' emotions. Your 'Charged Anesthetic Strike' technique is truly impressive."
"However, because of your intervention, these cloud Knights have sustained additional injuries. I'll need to work harder to realign their bones and bandage them properly. Ugh, this just adds to my workload!"
Seeing Bailu's sulky demeanor, March 7th chuckled mischievously, revealing her sharp canines.
"How adorable! I must interact with my little Bailu daughter right away!"
As expected, the conversation unfolded according to March 7th's wishes.
She asked Bailu, "Where did you come from (seriously, where)? What about your father?"
"I don't have a father."
"What about your mother?"
"I don't have a mom either."
Bailu shook her head, her large eyes filled with sincerity.
The March 7th from the storyline fell silent…
And so did the March 7th outside it.
"Waaaahh…"
"What am I doing?!?!"
Witnessing March 7th's distress, Stelle sympathetically patted her on the shoulder.
Then, she opened the chat window.
"Ha ha ha! Sorry, but I can't stop laughing."
"Oh no, all my merit points for the week disappeared because of laughter!"
"How to Kill a Conversation in Three Sentences – A Guide by March 7th."
"Sincerity is the ultimate trump card."
"Unstoppable!"
"That night, March 7th lay in bed, thoughts swirling: 'I'm truly doomed'."