Collapse, survive

The Masked Fool? (Previous?)

You can name Sangbo specifically.

Fang Jie then understood who was practicing Tai Chi.

But this seems to make it even more convincing.

So, am I a blood sinner?

"!"

The excitement of boarding the train vanished, replaced by...

He was suddenly kicked again, let out a "sigh," and was no longer so overly excited. His original plan for contact and communication crumbled midway...

The Starry Sky Train has gained another disappointed person.

Silence is the train at this moment.

Walter felt a pang of pity. After a long while, or perhaps not long after, he picked up the cup of coffee that Himeko had refilled for him. He pretended to be depressed and hadn't drunk it yet, and handed it to Fang Jie: "Take it easy. The galaxy is vast, and any miracle is possible. There is hope. Don't underestimate hope. Although it is colorless, formless, and intangible, it contains infinite energy."

Fang Jie, of course, also believed in miracles and hope. He took the coffee and drank it all in one gulp.

"Ugh……"

The mouthfeel was extremely impactful, like drinking a calm, still ocean, where you could not see what was underwater, only a sense of profound depth.

It can't be described as unpleasant, but it's also quite delicious. If I had to choose one word to recommend it to someone, Fang Jie would only say "delicious".

This flavor is so unique, it's worth sharing.

Whether you feel lost, disappointed, frustrated, dejected, or questioning the meaning of life...

Drink it, it cures all diseases.

"Old Yang, have a drink too."

"Shall we clink glasses? Okay, actually it's not bad, right?"

Coffee diplomacy.jpg.

After drinking this cup of coffee, what else is there to hide?

Walter lowered his guard, and the two continued their heart-to-heart talk, recounting the strange events, including his inability to have ever met Fang Jie and the extra memories he had.

A strange thing... that made Fang Jie suddenly realize something.

Regarding Walter's dream, three days ago, the time coincided with his last journey between the two worlds.

"It does match, but this..."

Fang Jie even considered that he had gone to a bubble world, or a place haunted by the Masked Fool, after all, it was the Milky Way.

But Walter denied it, saying that he came from the original world and was on the Star Train, so Aha couldn't possibly kill him himself.

That's the mystery—it's the work of fictional historians!

That possibility cannot be ruled out, but aren't you the Blood Sin Spirit of [Void]? My resistance is not low either. What level of fictional historian could silently infiltrate the train and fabricate all of this?

What picture?

The two looked at each other, speechless.

Therefore, we cannot rule out another possibility, which involves changes in time and world lines, either of which would be quite significant.

It's not just about going against time; it's about understanding the past, the present, and, as long as it doesn't change, about creating a new world line from nothing to something, perhaps forever.

How will those who know all this see him? How will Kiana see him? How will Otto see him?... Everyone will be changed by what he brings, and different memories will surface...

Like a dream, or at least like this for Walter at this moment, everything is reflected in the changes in his memories.

The two looked at each other. Walter saw Fang Jie's existential crisis and the question of whether to run away; Fang Jie also saw Walter's hesitation, wondering whether to seal away this monster within himself.

"Let me think about it. Let me think about it carefully."

Walter was even more conflicted than Fang Jie, not knowing who he was thinking of or what he was pondering. He picked up his coffee and ate slowly.

"We really need to think more positively, because at least for now, only you are affected."

Fang Jie also picked up a coffee and started drinking.

Instead of running away, he remained optimistic, figuring that he wouldn't feel guilty about persecuting Lao Yang anyway.

If you dare to elbow me, I'll elbow you back when you were a kid, you believe me!

P.S.: Waaaaaah, the weather's warmed up again! Oh my god, now I'm in the mood to wish everyone a good morning, noon, and evening, and have a happy day!

Hey everyone, I'm begging for votes for the new month! (?o?o)

Chapter Thirty-Four: How is this world depicted?

Pam is the best train conductor, sternly warning the monsters and demons boarding the train—even if you take off your masks and become Ah-ha, you are not allowed to cause trouble.

After that, they made meticulous and thoughtful arrangements for the 'home'.

Even a lone sail on the open sea cannot help but yearn for a safe harbor.

Each nameless passenger should have their own room, but the available rooms on the train are quite limited these days, so the vacant storage rooms have to be allocated to the Star Core Essence who just boarded the train not long ago.

It is vast, allowing one to unleash their imagination and create their own home, thus the Star Core Spirit...

They slept anywhere—on the sofa, on the floor, in the big bed on March 7th, and even in cardboard boxes.

Meanwhile, Rin, Yae Sakura, and Pam led them to the guest room carriage.

This is not surprising. They are just passengers, visitor-level passengers, and have not decided to embark on the path of being anonymous travelers. The guest car was prepared for this purpose, with rooms specially reserved.

Temporary accommodations are not exactly home, but they still need to be readily available.

But there's a solution!

"Passenger, Fang Jie, would you like to join the Starry Sky Train and become a [Nameless Passenger]?"

Pam interrupted Fang Jie and Walter's heart-to-heart talk, creating an awkward atmosphere.

Fang Jie's distracting thoughts vanished instantly. "You, Pam, truly delight me," he said with a wistful expression. "Actually, I've been an unknown person for a long time."

Walter gave a wry smile, his previous hesitation vanishing and his expression regaining its composure. He pushed up his glasses and said, "There's no need to rush to give an answer. Becoming an anonymous guest means that you no longer dwell on the past, but choose to forge ahead into the future. From now on, you'll love exploring the world more than taking care of yourself."

That's it, Pat~

Pam also said in a serious tone: "And most importantly—becoming an anonymous guest means that the responsibilities you will bear will far outweigh the rewards."

This is not empty talk, but a real belief held by generations of nameless individuals, especially those who continued to practice this path after the fall of the Pioneers.

At this moment, on the Star Train, facing this question, it is impossible to lie about one's own beliefs.

Fang Jie asked himself these questions, and then remained pleased:

"Yes, I am willing to be an anonymous visitor."

This has never been a choice. If he doesn't become an unknown person, where should his appearance, figure, social etiquette, fine character and personality, and even his soul be placed?

Should I go back to Honkai Impact 3rd and become a captain?

How long has the captain been dead?

Go to the Second Decade and become their savior...

Take it slow, take it slow for now.

Besides, work is work, and life is life. Why should an anonymous person be such an inconvenient thing? This choice will always welcome those who choose it, or those who are not human.

"Very good, Passenger Fang Jie, the conductor will prepare a room for you. Please wait a while."

This is why Pam needed the solution to provide an answer immediately: after the Star Core Spirit chose the vacant storage room, the train no longer had enough rooms for new passengers.

If Fang Jie joins, he must... choose the last separated carriage!

During the standard "Exploration" journey, the train crew members will land at the designated coordinates in a safe and stable landing pod. In the variant "Exploration" journey, the Star Train will detach its last carriage for use as a landing pod, and carry sufficient life support resources to ensure that the unidentified passengers can use the carriage as a safe haven after landing.

Furthermore, the recycling rate of train carriages was only 42.4%.

In other words, this carriage...

To date, it has received zero negative reviews.

Pam needs to be renovated before it can become a 'home' option.

This was the train conductor's duty. Pam walked happily into the depths of the train, full of fighting spirit.

"It seems the problem that has been bothering you has been resolved."

Himeko stepped out of the guest room carriage with graceful steps, and her smile became even brighter as she looked at the completely empty coffee cup. Pam's cup had been drunk by Fang Jie.

"Yes, thank you, Himeko, and the train conductor."

"Why thank me? It was all done by the train conductor. The train conductor is the one who should be thanked."

Himeko calmly took out new coffee beans and ground them, looking at Fang Jie with complete indifference:

"Hello, new partner. I'm sorry to inform you that although you have made your decision, the welcome ceremony cannot be held immediately. We are still missing a few partners who can form a circle around you."

“I’m really looking forward to it, Himeko… Miss.”

Fang Jie didn't do anything reckless by calling her "Auntie," and calling her "Teacher" wouldn't have been appropriate either.

Himeko's smile remained unchanged. She stopped grinding her coffee and extended her hand: "No need to be so formal, just call me Himeko. I'm not the person you know. I'm the navigator of the Starry Sky Train, Himeko. Welcome aboard, and I look forward to an interesting journey together."

"I am looking forward."

Fang Jie grasped that hand and felt its warmth.

Actually, Himeko and I weren't friends yet, but comrades-in-arms, having once shared life and death. Although, given her temper, I'm sure she'd scold me if we met again.

My hot-tempered sister!

I quite like Fang Jie.

I like them both.

Seeing this, Walter seemed to have thought of something, and his eyes hardened. Himeko didn't care about the past. Everyone who boarded the Star Train had secrets, but no one would deliberately inquire about them.

"I think you still have some questions that need to be answered before you can join us more happily."

Although the initiation ceremony was not yet complete, Fang Jie was now one of their own. Himeko suddenly blinked, took out a small projector, and displayed—a scene from the Yalilo-VI.

Pam has her ways of eliminating barriers and building consensus.

Himeko also has it.

"This is……"

Fang Jie saw the burning frozen planet, the work of his. It was on a scale visible even from outer space, igniting the sky and the earth, recreating a corner of the ocean, yet it continued to burn...

"Keep watching."

Himeko possesses ingenious ideas that even the Black Tower admires, and she even repaired the Star Train back in her teenage years. So when she realizes that the Star Train might be in danger, that it's a trap...

Then it won't just be Walter's problem anymore.

After some investigation, she provided solid evidence.

"Look, this is what it looked like three days ago."

In the snow and ice of Yalilo-VI, a bolt of lightning, the Thunder Cutter Bird, raged mercilessly. Even though those birds were all monsters that brought destruction, and were no more than ten meters long like flying Honkai Beasts, they were not small either.

In short, once something happens, there's always a way to find out.

"Look again, this is what it looked like a month ago."

There are no obvious changes, really none. The observable part, the only place the Star Train would never overlook, is a dark-looking area, well, the Destiny Vision, which is anchored to the boundary and harvesting energy.

This monster must be dealt with; Pam can't stand seeing people stealing electricity.

That's all. Apart from that, there's nothing else that can be observed. But that's enough for Himeko to conclude that she didn't use observational data, but instead 'painted' her own memories.

A screen with no black cubes, everything is 'normal', updated three days ago.

“Walter, it’s not just you who had a dream. Although it’s easy to ignore, when I look at these things, I can always see another version of them, which lasted until three days ago.”

Himeko smiled as she uttered something terrifying.

This is clearly the Starry Sky Train.

“I once learned that Blood Spirits are the obsessions of those who walk the path of fate. They are born from the shadow of [IX], see themselves as the subject of the crime, and unknowingly repeat the actions of the deceased in their previous life.”