Collapse Iron Live Broadcast Connects All Worlds, Scares Away Wuzhan at the Beginning

"Why does life sleep? Huh? Isn't it because it's tired that it sleeps?"

Robin gracefully closed the book and chuckled, "Of course it's not that simple. This question definitely involves some metaphors. Combined with the theme of Pinocchio's 'Dreamland', perhaps we can unearth some secrets behind the family."

"Tsk, boring." Zoro sat cross-legged on the edge of the observation tower, wiping his Wado Ichimonji. Without looking up, he said, "Whether he's asleep or not, the 'Watchmaker's Legacy' is the most noteworthy, right? Doesn't it sound a lot like One Piece? Maybe it hides Pinocchio's most precious treasure, like... the ownership of Pinocchio? Maybe it's related to that [Harmony] Star God."

Robin held his forehead helplessly: "You two are really..."

She took a sip of her coffee. "That whole idea of ​​ownership... doesn't make sense if you think about it carefully. As the father of Pinocchio, the watchmaker must have been the creator of this dream. What if the one who inherits Pinocchio is the Extinction Clan? Wouldn't all our efforts be wasted?"

"Furthermore, the nominal owner of Pinocchio is the Tongxie family. While they appear respectable, this type of family is extremely stubborn. I don't think they'll hand Pinocchio over to anyone else."

Chapter 320: Pinocchio (Part 9)

“I don’t remember this paragraph in the invitation… Are you saying there’s a coded message in it?”

"This is what's so intriguing. The invitation the family sent was a music box, which, when wound, would produce harmonious music. But the one delivered to us contained a discordant background sound. I transcribed it and found that it matched the frequency of the gravitational waves generated by the train's jump. Using the spatial curvature of the train's engine as the key, I obtained the above text."

Walter lowered his head in thought. "...This is a common way for nameless people to ask for help."

"I can't say for sure yet," Jizi said, her fingertips resting on her chin. "It could be the Masked Fool. Judging by the technique, the Riddler and the Otherworldly Demon could have done it, too."

"When was it discovered?" Walter asked.

"I told Pam right away when you were dealing with the Rover core."

"No wonder you asked to be seen earlier. The company envoy also mentioned the name 'Watchmaker'. I'm afraid the invitation he received contained similar ciphertext—and it was also deciphered."

Walter folded his arms. "...There's another thing that bothers me. When I mentioned the invitation, the family leader said, 'As the de facto manager of Pinocchio, it's our responsibility to help you resolve any problems.' Now it seems there's a hidden meaning in that."

"And Miss Mockingbird beside him... Although I don't understand singing, I can hear the strangeness in her voice. How can a singer who is about to take the stage have a voice that reveals a hint of strangeness?"

Jizi narrowed her eyes, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the rim of Suleda's cup: "You suspect that the family was not the one who sent the invitation, and - is hiding something from us?"

-

Absolute Zone Zero.

The piano sound stopped abruptly.

Evelin's fingers paused as she sorted through her schedule. The interruption in the piano music was too sudden—Yao Jiayin's playing was usually very coherent, never pausing mid-song. She looked up and saw Yao Jiayin staring blankly at the keys, her fingertips suspended in mid-air, as if caught by something invisible.

"Miss?"

Yao Jiayin blinked as if awakening from a dream, but didn't respond immediately. Her gaze passed over the piano and out the window, toward the shimmering, magnificent sky. Evelyn followed her gaze—the Pinoconnie on the sky was particularly dazzling, the magnificent scenery dyeing the entire night sky of New Eridu a dreamy color.

"Could it be that someone did something bad to Mockingbird..." Yao Jiayin suddenly spoke, her voice so soft that it seemed like she was talking to herself. "No wonder I feel a strange sense of disharmony when I hear Miss Mockingbird speak."

Evelyn put down the documents and walked quietly to the piano. She noticed that the young lady's left hand was unconsciously pressing against her chest, a small movement she made when she felt uneasy.

The young lady has always valued music. Ever since she heard the world-renowned singer was going to perform, she'd been eagerly anticipating it. But unfortunately... the unexpected always comes before expectations.

"Miss, don't worry too much. Her brother is the boss of Pinocchio." Evelyn handed over a cup of perfectly warm black tea. "Even if you don't believe in the family's strength, you should believe in a brother's love for his sister."

"but……"

Yao Jiayin took the teacup but didn't drink. Her fingertips traced circles around the rim, her gaze fixed on the sky. "Even I can see that Pinocchio isn't at peace at all. It seems like everyone has their own agenda. I'm afraid Miss Mockingbird will be caught in the middle and become a victim..."

Evelyn frowned slightly. She didn't want the young lady to be overly sentimental, and even less did she want her to worry about things in the universe that were beyond her reach. But when she saw the tender worry reflected in the profile of her face in the sunlight, she couldn't bring herself to utter any words of reproach.

"Miss..." Evelyn chose her words carefully. "The train crew has saved countless lives during their explorations, right? You have to trust them. If Pinocchio is truly plotting something and wants to sacrifice Mockingbird, they won't sit idly by."

-

"Walter also felt that this event might not be as simple as he had imagined. He was curious why Xing and the others were not told about this."

Jizi shook her head. "If this is just an internal matter of Pinocchio or the family, we should not interfere."

"But you also said that this might be related to [development]."

“I said so, so…” Ji Zi smiled and looked at Sanyueqi and Xing who were slowly walking behind Walter. “…So before we set off, I told Xiao Sanyue and Danheng.”

"Hearing this, Sanyueqi scratched her head in embarrassment, while Xing beside her looked at her with a disdainful expression."

Walter suddenly realized what was going on and couldn't help but laugh: "So I was the only one who was kept in the dark."

"The issues are clear now: we still don't know which faction sent the invitation, what's the purpose of gathering all these factions at Pinocchio, and why is the family keeping quiet about this knowledge... Himeko suggests we refrain from taking any action until these questions are clarified."

"Until then, everyone just needs to enjoy their sweet dreams."

"Who is this watchmaker?" Xing suddenly asked curiously.

“When discussing the stars of the event, we have to mention the watchmaker, the household name of Pinocchio. Wealth, fame, status… He has forged a career everyone aspires to, becoming the very symbol of dreams.”

"How much truth there is in these stories... is unclear," Jizi explained patiently. "The watchmaker's origins and past are widely debated, and some suspect he is a family figment. His legacy... is more of a rhetoric."

-

DC Universe.

Bruce Wayne leaned back in his chair, his knuckles resting on his chin, his eyes fixed on the slight frown on Jizi's face when she talked about "the watchmaker from Pinocchio."

"A household name?" he murmured. "...that's an interesting way of putting it."

Alfred came over with a silver tray and placed a cup of steaming black tea on the edge of the desk. "You seem very interested in this historical figure from a thousand years ago, Pinocchio?"

"It's not interest, it's suspicion." Bruce didn't look away. "A man known as the 'Father of Pinocchio' couldn't be just a simple tycoon with money and status, compared to the creator of this dream. He could be one of the three pioneers who came here, and it was through the three of them that Pinocchio was created."

Alfred raised his eyebrows slightly: "Not one of the three?"

"Pinocone is a grand undertaking. It's not a miracle that could be created by just one person. Furthermore, I'm more inclined to believe that Watchmaker is an organization or a code name. After all, over a thousand years have passed, and the family has had ample time to blur this historical concept."

Bruce paused. "I even have a guess... that the watchmaker who originally created the Pinocchio might still be alive—but he's been imprisoned by his family for some reason."

Alfred narrowed his eyes. "Did you come to this conclusion from that ciphertext?"

Chapter 321: Pinocchio (10)

Bruce nodded.

"Master Wayne, since you mentioned conjecture, I have some opinions of my own." Alfred gently wiped the rim of the cup. "I agree with your conjecture that the watchmaker is still alive - but I don't think he is imprisoned, but rather stays in Pinocchio voluntarily."

Bruce frowned slightly: "Why?"

"Perhaps Pinocchio and this watchmaker are inextricably linked. This dream city needs him. The so-called 'legacy' is to succeed him, to be deeply bound to Pinocchio," Alfred said softly. "Of course, this may be a cage... but people are always good at building cages for themselves, calling them missions."

-

"After the chat, everyone went back to their rooms. Xing had just walked to Sanyueqi's door when she heard her excited voice."

“Wow! What a huge bathtub…”

"Xing pushed the door open and saw Sanyueqi jumping for joy. Especially when she was talking about the current situation, she was not as serious as Uncle Yang and Jizi. Instead, she seemed even more excited."

“At first I really thought this was just a vacation, but now… I feel like this [event] is going to be something special! With various factions deciphering riddles and vying for an inheritance, it’s straight out of a detective novel!”

“Maybe there will be classic scenes like family members turning against each other, families being torn apart, people being separated by the Yin and Yang, and rivers of blood flowing. That would be so exciting…”

-

grim Reaper.

"Every time this little girl makes a prediction, seven or eight out of ten times it's correct."

Under the night sky of Karakura Town, on the roof of Urahara Shoten, Yoruichi stretched lazily and looked at Sangetsuchi with interest.

"Oh?" Urahara Kisuke adjusted the brim of his hat, his fan covering half his face. "I didn't expect you to pay so much attention to her?"

"I have to pay attention. Do you remember when we were in Beloberg? She told Dan Heng to use her 'hidden power'... and it turns out she actually has it, and it's the power of Luofu Dragon Lord."

"That time Tingyun was also... saying 'the person who showed up at the port must be the mastermind,' and it turns out that Tingyun was actually the Great Lord of Extinction. And that girl was right again."

Ye Yi spread his hands and said, "I now feel that this girl's unintentional words may be more effective than Elio's."

"But this time is different. Pinocchio is a dream." Urahara looked up at Yoruichi, who was squatting on the eaves. "The two things, separation between the living and the dead, and rivers of blood, are possible when Lord Hellfire comes here, but the family members turn against each other... Could it be that Mockingbird and Sunday will fall out?"

"I'm not sure, but Sunday... I feel like his mind is as meticulous as gold dust. But then again, how could someone who represents the Harmony family be a simple person?"

-

"After talking with Sanyueqi, Xing was about to go back to his room, but when he entered, he saw Shajin standing in his room."

Gold Sand greeted Xing warmly and said with a smile, "Don't be nervous, I'm just here to share in the good fortune. It's your room now, but half an hour ago—it was still mine."

"He used the room as an entry point, saying he just wanted to have a quick chat with Xing."

“What do you want to talk about?”

"Smart people are straightforward," Gold Dust smiled with satisfaction. "To put it simply, my friend, I need your help. You may not know this, but Pinot Cone is far from being as simple as it appears. The family has spies all over this place. I don't want to say it directly, but you understand."

"My goal is simple: to help the company recover something that rightfully belongs to it. If you're willing to help me, you'll be handsomely rewarded and protected by the [Protective]."

"After all, you're different from everyone else. You're special, special enough to overturn the entire card table." The ending tone rose, like a carefully choreographed magic show. "That power, don't you want to use it? Or... don't you want to get rid of it? Don't you want to use it to become famous throughout the universe?"

"The power that all fear and desire lies within your grasp..."

"Shajin suddenly lowered his voice. His breath carried a dangerous yet desirable aura, like a hook with bait hanging on it."

"Miss Star Core, am I right?"

Xing frowned slightly: "How did you know?"

"I understand now," Gold Dust smiled meaningfully.

-

Sword Art Online.

The 22nd floor of Aincrad.

The wooden house was warmed by the fire. Asuna, wrapped in a blanket, stared at the elegant yet dangerous expression of Gold Sand in the sky, and unconsciously leaned towards Kirito.

"It feels like there are no secrets when being friends with someone like him." She sighed softly, "I feel like I could be schemed against until nothing is left."

Kirito added a piece of firewood to the stove and chuckled softly. "If he were a teammate, he'd definitely be the core of the team. He's good at reading people's minds and collaborating with other factions. If our interests are aligned, he can make the entire team invincible; but if we're on the opposite side..."

Asuna rested her chin on her knees, her hair falling. "What will happen then?"

"I'm not sure. At least we haven't encountered anyone like that yet." Kirito watched the sparks popping in the fireplace. "But compared to the blatant threat of Duke Hellfire, Xing should be more wary of people like Gold Sand and Sunday... even if Gold Sand is showing goodwill right now."

In his view, Sunday and gold dust were like glaciers floating on the ocean. It was hard to guess how much volume they hid underwater. If you rashly collided with them, the result would be shattering.

-

"You don't have to answer me now. Thinking takes time. When the time is right, I'll come to you. Of course, you can also discuss with your companions and use me in return. I welcome that—because it also demonstrates your value to me."

"Oh, by the way, before we go, let's play one more game. It's simple: guess which hand I hold the chips in. Just treat it as an introduction, so you can better understand my personality and how I do things..."

"The amber chip fluttered between Dust Gold's slender fingers like a tamed golden butterfly. He suddenly snapped his fingers, and the chip drew an elegant arc in the air—and then disappeared."

"Friends, the game has begun."

"The corners of Shajin's mouth curled up into a half-smile. He deliberately slowed his movements, his fingers opening like petals. But his palm was empty; the chip had long since vanished."

"Make me a deal you can't refuse, no excuses..."

"Xing suddenly felt her palm sink. The missing chip lay quietly in her open palm. She looked up suddenly, only to meet Shajin's suddenly approaching eyes—those beautiful, arresting eyes, now gleaming with the glint of a predator."

“…There’s no room for that either.”

Chapter 322: Pinocchio (XI)

""Hello.""

"Suddenly a cold female voice came from the door."

"The two looked in the direction of the sound and saw Huang Quan blocking the doorway. His purple eyes flickered between Xing and Shajin, finally settling on the more oppressive Shajin."

"What are you doing in my room?"

-

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.

"???"

Wind Pillar Fuzukawa Miyabi was full of questions.

…So whose room is it anyway?

"Could it be that Mr. Sagine actually deceived Xing about the room? Just to cooperate with Xing?" Shinobu Kocho pursed her lips and smiled: "Oh my... This posture and distance really make people think badly. I hope Miss Huangquan doesn't misunderstand."

"But, but..."