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Inside the observation car, the atmosphere was thick with the weight of a monumental decision. The entire crew was gathered, including Dan Heng, who had been briefed on Kafka's cryptic message and the Stellaron crisis unfolding on the Xianzhou Luofu.
"The situation is as follows," Himeko announced, her voice resonating with authority. "Regarding whether to intercept the Luofu's trajectory, we will decide by democratic vote. Raise your hand if you agree; keep it down if you disagree."
She scanned the room. "Three, two, one."
In an instant, every hand in the room shot upward—except for Dan Heng's. He remained leaning against a bulkhead, arms crossed and eyes closed in a silent, stoic refusal.
"???"
Kenta and Stelle both turned to stare at March 7th. Just an hour ago, she had been the loudest voice in the room, delivering a passionate oration on why they shouldn't trust a single word that "wicked Stellaron Hunter" said. She had sworn a blood oath to vote no.
"I thought you were a firm 'no'?" Stelle asked, her voice flat with deadpan accusation.
March 7th scratched her cheek, her face flushing a guilty pink. "Uh, well... thinking about it calmly, if she isn't lying and we don't go, thousands of innocent people could suffer. Now is not the time to be petty! Hehehe..." She struck a pose of profound, selfless wisdom.
Stelle just sighed and shook her head. "You unprincipled woman." She stood with hands on hips, looking like a disappointed parent.
"I am very principled!" March retorted, her voice rising an octave. She stole a quick glance at Kenta. When she saw him watching her with an amused, knowing smirk, her face turned a deep crimson and she whipped her head away, suddenly very interested in a nearby potted plant.
Himeko, watching from the periphery, took a slow sip of her coffee. I seem to have discovered something I shouldn't have, she thought. Something is definitely going on there. I'll keep an eye on it.
The Navigator's thoughts then drifted to Stelle. She remembered the gray-haired girl asking her yesterday if there was a coffee blend that could "make someone fall hopelessly in love with one sip." When told no, Stelle had immediately pivoted to asking for a blend that could "induce a conscious coma so she could do whatever she wanted."
Himeko let out a soft, maternal sigh. Let the young people sort out their own chaos. It's none of my business anyway. She turned back to the group. "Five to one. The motion carries. The Astral Express will depart for the Xianzhou Luofu."
She looked at Dan Heng. "And you? Are you staying behind?"
Dan Heng nodded once, his expression unreadable. "Yes. I won't be joining this excursion."
Himeko then turned to Welt Yang. "Then the mission is in your hands, Welt. I've noticed you've been itching to get back into the field."
Kenta's eyes lit up. "What? The head coach is finally getting off the bench?!" He had immense faith in Welt's power. Based on the man's sheer presence, Kenta was pretty sure Welt could survive a black hole and still make it back for dinner.
Welt nodded reassurringly. "Leave it to me."
"Target: Xianzhou! Let's go!" March 7th cheered, her previous embarrassment forgotten in the excitement.
The Warp Jump
"Warp jump commencing! 5... 4..." Pom-Pom's voice crackled over the speakers.
This was Kenta's first real jump. He watched the stars outside the reinforced glass, waiting for the universe to blur. Stelle had scurried over earlier, whispering that he must stand during his first jump to receive the "Blessing of the Trailblaze."
Kenta couldn't say no to her "puppy-dog" eyes, so he stood. As the countdown hit zero, a faint blue halo enveloped the train. Without a second to blink, a crushing sensation of weightlessness and a massive "leap" hit his senses.
March 7th, who had been standing confidently at the front, immediately lost her battle with physics and hit the carpet with a dull thud. Kenta, however, braced his core and managed to stay upright, though his knees buckled slightly.
He let out a long breath of relief. Then, he turned around.
Stelle was lying flat on her back directly behind him, her eyes squeezed shut and her arms spread wide—almost as if she had been waiting for him to fall backward into her embrace.
Kenta: "..."
She actually planned this? Raccoon, you...
Stelle, realizing a warm body hadn't landed on her, peeked one eye open. She saw Kenta staring down at her in judgmental silence.
In a move that would have made Newton weep and Gauss retire, she spun 180 degrees on the floor, her hands frantically fumbling with the carpet. "Credits... credits... Damn it! Where did my credit point go?!" she shouted, her voice suspiciously loud.
Ignoring her, the crew turned to the window. Before them sat a sea-spanning giant ship, a technological marvel of jade and steel that dwarfed anything they had seen before.
"Wow... is that the Luofu? It's massive," March 7th whispered.
Dan Heng stood by the glass, his expression a complex tapestry of nostalgia and pain. He turned to Kenta. "How do you feel?"
Kenta stood in silence for a long time, searching for a spark of recognition. "Nothing."
Dan Heng had mentioned that Kenta was once known as the Carefree Wanderer on this very ship, but the memories remained locked behind a heavy iron door.
"It's okay," March comforted him. "This is the perfect chance to go explore and see if anything triggers a flashback."
Himeko began the docking sequence. "This is the Astral Express. We have entered Luofu airspace, requesting landing permission from the deck."
The reply was fractured and electronic. "Welcome to... Luofu Spaceport... Xingcha Sea... Please wait patiently for connection... Please wait..."
"Definitely an AI," Kenta remarked sagely.
March 7th gave him an adorable eye roll. "Tell us something we don't know."
Eventually, the massive "Jade Realm Gate" groaned open.
"Let's go," Welt commanded.
"Be careful," Himeko added, a habitual warning for her wayward Trailblazers.
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