Collapse, survive

Fang Jie was utterly despicable. He handed over the milk tea again, saying, "Good boy, go back to sleep."

Xing He Jing was easy to bribe; he happily took several cans of tree sap milk tea from Fang Jie and skipped away.

It feels like they traded Bronya for her, but she was given to Seele instead.

After shooing Xingbao away, Fang Jie turned to Yae Sakura and said, "Well then, let's continue our previous topic. Miss Yae Sakura, welcome to the new world. And, if you don't intend to stay, I can send you back to your original world."

Ling's mouth moved, but she didn't say anything more.

If Fang Jie respected Yae Sakura's choice, then she was... conflicted.

"Go back?"

Yae Sakura looked blankly at herself, wondering where she could go back to.

Five hundred years have passed, and the fox spirits who have been entangled for five hundred years now seem to have found a new home. They no longer torment each other, sharing and experiencing each other's hatred and loathing. She can go back...

Can not go back.

Yae Sakura lowered her eyes: "Your Excellency, may I ask you a question?"

Fang Jie sighed: "Please speak:"

"Karen, she..."

Knew it.

"The saintess you know passed away five hundred years ago."

Fang Jie spoke concisely, observing Yae Sakura's darkening eyes and Rin's gloomy expression, without going into too much detail.

"Five hundred years..."

Time rolls by, leaving us feeling powerless. Determination, courage, love, and hatred all change and become distorted in the river of time, until they are unrecognizable and even stranger to ourselves.

"If you don't know what to do for a while, stay and get to know the world anew."

Seeing her expression, Fang Jie made a suggestion.

Ling hesitated, her feelings complicated and bitter. She felt it was better not to suggest that Fang Jie reconnect with the Milky Way. She knew Fang Jie's intentions were good, but it was wrong of him to start the conversation.

Fang Jie also realized this. To be honest, he didn't really want Yae Sakura to stay. The Void was harmful.

"Or, I could send you back, so you can settle your scores and avenge your grievances. The person who killed that saintess is still alive."

"Sir, in your opinion, am I someone who needs hatred to live?"

Yae Sakura spoke softly, gazing at Fang Jie and Rin, who had been hiding behind him.

Ling subconsciously looked away, then glared back, her expression turning cold.

What are you looking at? I'm the one who saved you, you traitor!

Fang Jie shifted his position to block her, just as he had blocked Xing Mo from touching him: "Sorry, I just think people always need a goal, even if it's hatred, especially when they have nowhere else to go."

Fang Jie understands this very well. Now that he has a goal, he is not so afraid of even thinking about going to Erbengzi in the future.

"Target?"

Yae Sakura had no goals, only confusion.

Life and death are trivial matters to her; life has lost its meaning. She might seek death at any time, if not Theresa, but Kiana, or Himeko... Oh, Rin has already banned her Herrscher powers in this aspect, so she can't become a Stigmata.

"If I can't think of any goals, I need you. Would you be willing to come with me?"

Fang Jie made the suggestion again.

Yae Sakura was somewhat surprised: "This is... an invitation?"

She thought that since the man had already invited Ling, what else did he need her to do?

“Yes. Even if I’m not in this world, one day I will take Bell back to do something important. In the process, I must be wary of many things, especially Otto, the man who killed the saintess and wants to resurrect her. Please help me keep an eye on her.”

Fang Jie was very frank, which was also the reason he drove away the Star Core Spirit. The child was too young to listen to the tricks of these adults.

Dan Heng said he did the right thing.

"resurrection?"

He wasn't trying to eavesdrop; it was just that Natasha's clinic was really in poor condition.

And you guys who aren't fox people, not Suiyang, and not dragons, can you please stop touching taboos so casually?

Danheng had no choice but to step in and disrupt the atmosphere: "Mr. Walter has contacted me. He wants to... meet with you all."

As he spoke, Danheng added a sentence.

"If possible, could you please set off as soon as possible? Would tomorrow be alright? I'm sorry, it's a bit rushed, but I could tell from Mr. Walter's voice that although he seemed calm when he said this, he was actually very anxious. If Himeko hadn't stopped him, he probably would have already rushed down."

It's rare to see the usually composed Walter like this.

However, it wasn't Walter's request to urgently invite Fang Jie and his group; it was because Dan Heng cared about this matter and rushed over as soon as he received the news.

Walter always paid attention to others, but never asked about his affairs; Danheng could do the same.

That's the meaning of having companions; they care about you and are concerned about you.

So tomorrow?

Fang Jie said with a serious expression, "I have an appointment tomorrow. Let's go right now. Ring—elbow, get in the car with me."

Danheng, you've come at just the right time!

Modern solutions are not going to be polite.

P.S.: Why is the weather getting even colder? Is this still March? What did I do to deserve this? *tears* O(╥﹏╥)O.

Chapter Thirty-Three: In the Name of the World

A long time ago, or not long ago.

Himeko was preparing coffee, meticulously processing the coffee beans with a single-molecule hand saw, and... ingredients that are difficult to describe in human language. It's not that humans can't describe them, but rather that it's hard for humans to accept that they still conform to the original understanding of those ingredients, creating a stunning cup of coffee.

Pam has already slipped away.

Walter adjusted his glasses and had already moved to another carriage, watching the frozen planet below.

"I wonder how everyone's expansion is going?"

To be honest, he was a little worried.

After all, March 7th needs no introduction; it's a super short March.

The star who just boarded the Star Train wasn't just one... well, she and March 7th were practically identical.

Danheng must be very enterprising now.

"It's alright. Yalilo-VI is a very small planet and doesn't have any Envoy-class imaginary reactions. What kind of trouble can't they handle?"

Walter comforted himself.

His anxiety stemmed from some strange dreams he'd had recently, about three days ago.

In his dream, he seemed to have returned to the days when he was still lurking in St. Freya Academy, or rather, teaching and educating people. He recalled those young children, so vivid and clear, their voices and appearances still lingering in his mind.

However, dreams and reality are different. Kiana had just entered St. Freya Academy before she dreamed of the final moment of despair and hope, and Welt vaguely heard Kiana mention someone who didn't exist in reality.

—Fang Jie.

It's strange. Even if dreams have no logic and no reason to cause such changes, does it foreshadow something bad?

Walter has seen too many incomprehensible things in the galaxy to suffer mentally from them.

"I guess I'm just too homesick."

With a wry smile, Walter hardened his resolve. He absolutely could not let Himeko find him. Being invited to taste coffee—maybe it was just a strange dream from drinking too much coffee.

"Beep, beep."

At that moment, my phone sent a message notification.

Himeko: Welt, hurry to the observation car! Arilo-VI is showing abnormal changes. There's an entity with extremely strong imaginary number reactions, and its intensity is still increasing. If this continues, this planet will be ignited…

Walter: Coming right away!

With great strides, Walter was almost ready to use warp in the Star Train.

Domain anchoring is a great help to the nameless travelers, but it also has distance limitations. At least if you want to warp to the size of a star system... you'll still have to rely on a train.

He entered the observation car, where Himeko and Pam gazed solemnly at the frozen planet.

"Look, it's ignited, but the imaginary reaction has stopped increasing, and the impact and intensity are mismatched, which is frankly somewhat inefficient."

It was a spectacular sight that could be seen with the naked eye even from outer space: ice and snow were burning, thunder roared in the sky, and a storm was about to break.

But whatever the intention is, it's far too inefficient.

"What's burning?"

It doesn't look 'natural' at all, especially the wildly divergent imaginary number reactions.

Of course, there was no reaction from Dan Heng and the others, so it probably wasn't a battle.

Are they locals doing this?

Walter's Conjecture.

"Maybe, no need to rush. I'll contact them. You have a cup of coffee first, and don't run away, train conductor."

A bead of cold sweat immediately dripped from Pam and Walter's foreheads, and they hurriedly made up excuses.

"Ah, Himeko, I suddenly remembered I have work to do..."

"Train conductor, you've worked hard. Please take a rest."

"It's not that we're deliberately cutting off contact to give young people a chance to grow..."

"This time, that time."

Himeko smiled broadly as she shared her masterpiece, which she was so proud of.

We can also enjoy a drink together amidst the dazzling fireworks, savoring the beauty of life.

"Himeko, you've worked hard too. Leave the contacting them to me."

Walter stiffly took the coffee, then suddenly looked down and frantically tapped his phone, seemingly to check messages but actually to contact Danheng.

Answer it quickly, answer it quickly, answer it quickly!

As if he had heard a call, Dan Heng reliably received the message, and Walter, not wanting him to break off the communication too quickly, unusually patiently inquired about their pioneering efforts in advance...

It's only been a few days, what can be explored?

Yes, Mr. Walter, yes.

Danheng shared a barrage of news with him, both from his hometown and from people who hadn't come but were familiar with him...

As Walter read on, he felt a sense of bewilderment and confusion, struggling to understand why the words were so impactful. He felt like Joseph Joestar, who, despite having once saved the world, was now suffering from dementia...

No, I'm still young.

At least he's mentally clear-headed.

and so.

"?"

In a daze, Walter picked up his coffee and drank it down as usual.

This kind of habit that you can't get used to at all, that's probably what a habit is.

Welt's expression grew increasingly grave as he confirmed again, "Danheng, do you mean that the Herrscher of Corruption from 50,000 years ago has arrived in the galaxy, specifically requesting to see me? She's accompanied by the unconscious Yae Sakura, and a... Fang Jie? I mean, Danheng, are you awake?"

“Mr. Walter, we did encounter the Masked Fool, but I am perfectly lucid. From what I have seen and heard, we have also encountered the following natives on this planet: Cocolia, Bronya, Seele…”

There are photographic evidence; let the facts speak for themselves.

Danheng is actually meticulous.

Walter silently drank all his coffee, which made Himeko serious as well.

"What's wrong? Is their expansion not going well?"

"Haha, it went pretty smoothly. There are no major problems with Arilo-VI, everything is normal. It's just that Cocolia betrayed us, Bronya is wanted, and we encountered... Seele, hahaha, I knew it. There was even a Honkai energy reaction, and there was even a Herrscher, and a... Blood Sin Spirit certified by the Masked Fool?"

Danheng's article, complete with pictures and text, was kindly provided by March 7th. The photos are authentic and credible, and not just a coincidence of names. Walter's lips twitched uncontrollably as he read it.