Collapse, survive

Uncle Yang's expression wasn't bad to begin with, and accepting the gift made him feel even more relieved and nostalgic.

Not long after, or perhaps a long time later, I finally got to eat the cafeteria food from that day, and the feeling was truly... strange.

"I'd actually like to see it, but compared to those, thank you, Fang Jie, I really... haven't tasted such a fresh and familiar flavor in many years."

He eagerly took the boxed lunch.

While constructing with power can replicate the taste of memories, how should I put it, replication is still lacking a certain 'soul'.

Then it's Pam!

Come here, train conductor, eat this gift that will increase my favorability!

"Welcome back, passenger Fang Jie. Please do not disturb the conductor. A star orbit stability test is underway!"

Pam accepted the gift and gestured for him to move aside, suggesting he should rest instead.

The pioneering team is all catching up on sleep.

It's currently the exploration team's rest time. Once the spatial readings return to normal, Pam will start the train and leave this unstable space zone.

Thus, after bringing Uncle Yang a gift that evoked mixed feelings, he didn't immediately bring up the new research topic... He needed some quiet time.

So, Fang Jie went back to himself—

A bare room.

"I call this minimalist style."

as well as.

"Why is the Star Core Essence here?"

Fang Jie stared at the sparse furnishings in the room. There was a cardboard box from who-knows-where, inside which a cat was sleeping a Star Core Spirit, and lying there like a little raccoon, sleeping soundly.

When she was silent and still, she was truly a beauty, with a magnificent face that stirred Fang Jie's desire.

Where's my pen? Where's my pen?

"Forget it, I'm not the same person I used to be. Adults shouldn't argue with children."

Scratching his head, Fang decided not to disturb her. She looked really tired, probably having slept since he left.

His expression was anything but peaceful...

It was peaceful before, but now that he's back...

The raccoon frowned, as if dreaming of the past, when she was still working hard in Belloberg, embarking on her first exploration as a newcomer... not counting the Black Tower Space Station before the start of the newbie mission.

In short, the grand scheme of events has split into two paths—

One story concludes with the creation engine, Cocolia, the illusory universe, and the gaze of [Preservation]—everything related to that final battle, even Fang Jie's coronation of her under the name "Uncle Yang's Thirteen Trials"...

The images flashed back and forth, eventually piecing together a blurry and unreal memory.

The final frame of the image froze one second before the star core dissipated with Cocolia. In that brief instant, it seemed as if an unfamiliar voice approached her ear... and then whispered...

But the sound was fleeting.

When Xing tried to go back to the previous frame of her memory, she found that the film in her hand had been cut cleanly and neatly, leaving no trace.

Then, she heard the woman's voice again:

—At the end of your journey, all the mysteries that have troubled you will be solved.

Then, she dreamed of Sambo again, seemingly talking to someone...

No, wait a minute, please wait a bit.

The scene unfolded before her eyes again. She had just entered Belloborg, fallen into the lower district, and was following the storyline with great enthusiasm. She had just reached the exploration of Nail Town.

What's going on? This save file is wrong.

This wasn't the first time. Before she fell asleep, or rather, before she wondered why Fang Jie had gotten on the bus, she left everyone a gift—a handmade bear doll from Natasha.

Damn it, they didn't even remind her! She was so slow to realize she could have found these souvenirs. I'll definitely do it next time!

Then he disappeared again, and I couldn't find him to ask him anything.

Uncle Yang said he has his own pioneering spirit...

Belloberg is already in this state, what are you still exploring? Wait, you're still working on "Uncle Yang's Thirteen Trials"? Take me with you, take me with you!

Xing is full of energy, itching to join, and eager to get started.

March 7th also thought about it, but all of that stopped at "It's come to this, let's go to sleep first".

Now that everything has come to this point, the story that should have been settled—Bronya succeeding as the High Guardian, the upper and lower districts merging once again to form the complete Beloborg—suddenly another... To be continued.

And the food smelled delicious.

Strange, what is this scent?

Delicious, love to eat, eat more.

He could hear a hallucination: "You bastard, you're just like Kiana."

She instinctively opened her mouth, letting the fragrant food continue to be fed into her mouth, satisfying her desire for sleep and her appetite at the same time... Woohoo! Xing turned into a smacking-lipped little raccoon.

When she finally woke up, the bare room was now furnished with unique pieces of furniture, all of which Fang Jie had obtained from Himeko's room—you could say it was another form of scavenging.

Although she treasured it quite a bit, and found it very interesting—for example, this life-size Hyperion model, a highly commemorative souvenir that only captains could have—Fang Jie decisively took it.

Now, it deserves a better new home. Fang Jie has arranged it in a display case, where it stands there looking handsome and spotless.

Coming to her senses, the Star Core Spirit opened its eyes!

She was utterly astonished: "How did you get into my room?"

Fang Jie thought she was probably still half asleep.

"Why don't you take a good look at whose room this is? I'd like to ask you how you got in!"

"Um, uh, um... the door wasn't locked."

Xing recalled her tumultuous memories and finally emerged from the chaotic illusions—which didn't seem like illusions at all—to find 'reality' and remember how she came to be.

Yes, just like Danheng's room, just like March 7th's room, just like Xing's 'room', Fang Jie doesn't lock the door.

Those were all places she randomly explored.

After all, she still has no fixed abode.

Damn it, as a senior, I'm no match for the newcomers in this regard. Every day I wander around March 7th's room, March 7th's bed, March 7th's bathroom, March 7th's...

Lost.

And, as the saying goes, "He who eats another's food is bound to him," Xing originally had many questions she wanted to ask Fang Jie—but since things have come to this, let's eat first.

This scene lasted for a long time; she really could eat a lot, and watching it made Fang Jie's appetite grow as well, until:

Click~!

Click~!

The sound of a camera shutter rang out, a familiar one. Was it a ruthless snapshot or a continuous shot? Fang Jie and Xing, who were squatting there eating their boxed lunches, looked up together and saw the owner of the pink dress with a look of "I've caught you! You're eating delicious food without me!" as she used her pink camera to record this moment.

"Hmph, I felt something was off. This guy wasn't in my room. And then I woke up from another strange dream, just like when you left, Fang Jie. It really was you. You really came back."

Not a famous detective, but a prophet.

On March 7th, her intuition grasped the crux of the matter: the hallucinations she also had, the hallucinations everyone shared…

"Since that's the case, I won't pretend anymore."

Fang Jie understood that this day would come sooner or later. "I originally wanted to interact with you as an ordinary person, but now I'm not pretending anymore. I'm announcing something—I will lead you all to heaven!"

Galaxy doesn't have this reference, at least not March 7th.

But on March 7th, someone would complain: "Who understands any of this stuff? Just hand over the good food! You guys are eating so happily and you didn't even include me!"

Then I'll have to give it a try. On March 7th, I'm all geared up. She's sure Fang Jie brought her some martial arts; otherwise, this young lady also knows a bit about fighting.

Fang Jie promptly presented it.

"Isn't this just a boxed lunch? You're eating it so heartily..."

Even so, March 7th had already taken out her chopsticks, but she didn't really want to squat in the corner with them; it was too strange.

Fang Jie smiled and said, "This is Uncle Yang's hometown dish, the original flavor, from the canteen where he used to be a teacher."

I squatted down on March 7th!

Although she didn't know why Uncle Yang's hometown dishes required squatting down to eat, she was quickly assimilated and integrated into the culture seamlessly.

Now that things have come to this, Fang Jie no longer wants to explain that it's simply because his family is destitute.

This is the 'drawing' that Dan Heng also saw when he woke up from his dream and came looking for it.

"..."

He choked up with tears as he tried to ask everything he wanted to. Although he didn't leave, it was difficult for him to go forward. He felt that if he took another step forward...

The three faces turned around at the same time, each revealing an unexpected and wonderful sight.

"Danheng, you're here too."

"Yay, I was just looking for you."

"Would you like some? This is Uncle Yang's hometown cuisine."

Dan Heng silently squatted down, quite...adapting to this posture.

From then on, it became common knowledge among the train crew that Walter's hometown dishes had to be eaten while squatting down.

……

……

"That kind of common sense doesn't exist in my hometown."

Walter, who had initially felt some sadness and nostalgia, now had to correct the erroneous common sense instilled in him on March 7th, and earnestly rectify it.

This was for St. Freya Academy, and also for himself.

Fang Jie silently gazed at the sky without speaking, sitting on the sofa, behaving like an honest man.

Before long, Fang Jie returned and the crew was all together. At Pam's command, the entire train crew gathered in the observation car.

Can you guess who wasn't invited?

That's right, it's King Kong!

Flying Fish Ball lost to Ai-chan and then to Pam, completely shameless. In this cruel galaxy, the train crew doesn't need two cute characters. Pam is supreme, Pam is the greatest!

"Passengers, dear passengers, we have some good news to announce: the spatial readings have returned to the normal range! The operating environment has reached a stable threshold! Train departure is permitted!"

Pam was happy to announce the news to everyone.

"The train crew thanks all the pioneers for their contributions."

applaud!

The people gathered in a circle subconsciously clapped, led by Fang Jie, creating a wonderful atmosphere. Pam enjoyed it, but still gestured with her hands—or rather, her paws—to indicate quiet.

"To prevent the recurrence of spatial anomalies, the train will leave the current station as soon as possible and enter a stable zone."

"For safety reasons, we recommend that all passengers hold on tight and remain seated until the train reaches a steady speed before moving around!"

"The time is now, immediately, right now! Passengers, get ready, the train is about to depart again, leaving Yalilo-VI. Please say goodbye to this planet one last time!"

Fang Jie looked around. Dan Heng hadn't even had a chance to have a nightmare yet. Would Kafka make it to the set?

The Star Train seems to be going a bit too fast.

But in this case...

"Train conductor, aren't you planning the route to the next stop?"

"No need to rush. We're just leaving this airspace. We still need to discuss and decide on the next stop together. Also, regarding you and Xing, let's officially join the Star Train and become nameless passengers."

Walter adjusted his glasses and explained, seemingly looking forward to what was to come.

"Oh yeah, and that one too."

Xing also remembered that she had joined the Star Train and successfully completed its first mission. Logically, there should have been a ceremony.

Fang Jie also caught up, but he hasn't completed his pioneering work yet.