Chapter 217: Jing Yuan: The Xianzhou Luofu fleet, setting sail for Penacony!
"You invaded the kitchen of the dining car, claiming it needed disinfection, causing forty-two fragrant, crispy, crunchy Pom-Pom Pies to vanish, and you took the last bowl of Express hotpot from the top layer of the chiller, leaving the Conductor to starve—"
"—Do you plead guilty, Pom?"
On the screen.
Pom-Pom, the Conductor of the Astral Express, was aggressively interrogating the camera.
"You did this yourself, didn't you… but I did take the Express hotpot."
The person answering the question was named [ Akivili? ].
Because this was a Dreamscape Bubble.
According to Dr. Edward at the Dreamscape Sales Store.
The content of this memory… belonged to the fallen Aeon, Akivili.
"Ahem. Don't get cocky, I haven't finished listing the dishes yet, Pom!"
"And the case of the missing items from the Express Data Bank, the incident where SoulGlad was used to water the plants in the Parlor Car, the noise attack on the Conductor during break time, the break-in at the Conductor's private snack vault…"
"Wait, wait, wait—a total of forty-six malicious incidents! Do you admit that you were responsible for all of them?"
[ Akivili? ] replied: "I'm sorry… I really am the worst Nameless in the world."
"No, you're not, Pom."
"Is there anyone worse than me?"
"Of course there is."
"Who?"
"The guy who blew the Express in half, Pom."
After watching this Dreamscape Bubble.
Aventurine shook his head helplessly.
He quipped: "Is Akivili really that mischievous?"
"And… how did Pom-Pom exist back then?"
Topaz took a sip of her drink.
Indifferently, she said: "This is just a meme-style Dreamscape Bubble, you wouldn't take it seriously, would you?"
"If I saw it in reality, I certainly wouldn't take it seriously, but this is inside Feathered Spirit's game. He specifically added this segment to the main plot; it's hard not to overthink that this Dreamscape Bubble might be hinting at something."
At this moment.
A mature woman's voice came from behind: "It seems our Director Aventurine is planning to switch careers to the Genius Society and solve the mystery of Akivili's fall."
Hearing this voice.
Topaz and Aventurine both stood up from their seats.
The person who arrived was Jade, also one of the Stonehearts.
After the three greeted each other.
Jade got straight to the point: "The technical department has finished."
"The video collection has been brought over."
"I reached a cooperation agreement with the theater manager; he agreed to rent the hotel's cinema group to me."
Aventurine was stunned.
"Extracting my story arc was enough, why did you rent a cinema?"
Jade smiled slightly: "Naturally, so that the IPC employees here in Penacony can come and study together."
Regarding the game "Honkai: Star Rail".
The company attached great importance to it.
Before the Penacony plot began, they had already established a relevant technical department.
Specifically responsible for advancing the plot the moment an update was released.
Extracting the story arc involving Aventurine and compiling it into a video collection.
This made it convenient for Aventurine, the business executor, to understand all the plot points regarding himself immediately.
Now the story arc was complete.
But how to proceed specifically still required Aventurine's judgment after watching it.
Hearing Jade's words, Aventurine was a bit surprised and asked: "You've watched it in advance?"
"Your plot duration is not short. I brought it to you the moment production finished; I didn't have time to peek, you know."
"However, the result should be good, otherwise the technical department would have specifically marked it."
A flash of relief crossed Aventurine's eyes.
He had a rough idea.
However.
He suddenly thought of something.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
He asked: "The situation in Penacony right now is like undercurrents swirling; aren't we being a bit too flashy by making such a big move?"
"It doesn't matter. You've already appeared in the plot anyway; no matter what tricks you're hiding, they'll be exposed sooner or later."
"This time, we are going to openly display the IPC's methods."
"Besides, the Family itself has problems."
Aventurine smiled.
Hearing Jade say this.
He instantly felt his bargaining chips become much more solid!
"Then let's go."
"Let's go to the cinema and take a look."
"Although the Trailblaze journey is quite interesting, right now, I'm still more concerned about my own plot!"
Topaz, nearby.
A flash of surprise appeared in her eyes.
Could it be.
In the game.
Aventurine actually succeeded?
Did he really create an opportunity for the company to reclaim Penacony?
How did he do it?
Topaz also became interested.
Looking forward to seeing the true methods of this colleague.
...
Xianzhou, The Luofu.
Jing Yuan, Jingliu, Blade, and Dan Heng.
The four of them arrived at the statue of the High Elder in the Scalegorge Waterscape.
The plot of [ Cloudless, Leaving No Trace ] was still vivid in their minds.
The final ending surprised all four of them.
It actually ended with a battle between Jingliu and Blade…
Blade was granted a brief death by Jingliu's sword.
Then they each stepped onto their own future paths.
After watching such a plot.
Jingliu and Blade no longer had the mood to fight.
After all.
The game had already played out that entanglement of grievances.
To imitate the plot in reality… it felt a bit too dramatic.
Just like in the game.
After traveling through the Luofu.
Jingliu was willing to surrender.
To accept judgment and head to the Shackling Prison…
At this moment.
Blade suddenly received a message.
Jing Yuan's expression was somewhat subtle.
The person who could message Blade… naturally, it could only be that group of Stellaron Hunters.
And after the previous incident and the exposure of the game plot.
The Stellaron Hunters faintly showed signs of becoming allies of the Xianzhou…
After reading the message, Blade suddenly spoke: "I have to go."
Facing the gazes of the three.
Blade hesitated for a moment.
But still explained: "Kafka says… an unprecedented battle is about to erupt in Penacony."
"I'm going to help."
Jing Yuan's mouth curled slightly.
Blade had changed.
How could he have said anything to them before?
Now, he must have started treating them as… friends again.
That's why he informed them before leaving.
One has to admit.
"Honkai: Star Rail" had changed a lot!
Times had changed, and people were no longer the same.
But during this period, the four of them had faintly established a subtle connection once again.
Dan Heng's expression shifted slightly.
"A great war…"
He thought about the message the Express crew had sent him earlier.
The Express crew had already headed to Penacony.
If a great war were truly to break out…
The Express crew would likely be dragged into it!
Dan Heng immediately stated: "I am going to Penacony as well."
Blade looked at Dan Heng with some annoyance.
Wasn't it me chasing you before?
Now it's you chasing me?
Dan Heng didn't explain.
He picked up his phone directly.
He inquired about everyone's safety in the [ Astral Express Family ] group chat.
Seeing the two so anxious.
Jing Yuan spoke unhurriedly: "Heh… it seems you two have both found your own destinations."
"For us to gather here again for these few fleeting days can be considered a stroke of fortune."
Pausing slightly.
Jing Yuan said in a deep voice: "Things have reached this point, so I won't hide it from you all any longer."
"I once received a hint from Feathered Spirit in a dream."
"He… had long predicted this battle that would occur in Penacony!"
As soon as this was said.
Dan Heng and Blade were both slightly startled!
Even Jingliu raised her head slightly.
Facing Jing Yuan, she sighed: "Still the same as before, Jing Yuan."
"Always silent, yet arranging everything in the shadows?"
Jing Yuan didn't bother pretending anymore.
He laid his cards on the table.
"That's right."
"Ever since I received Feathered Spirit's warning, I immediately had the Luofu make preparations."
"In that corner of the future, Dan Heng, you and I fight side by side, with countless Xianzhou fleets behind us."
"It seems the time has come."
"Our Xianzhou Alliance will definitely not be absent from this great war."
"And this time, the preparations will be even more thorough; the edge of the Xianzhou will be fully revealed in this battle!"
Jing Yuan's words were resonant.
Calm and confident.
Blade, standing to the side.
Appeared expressionless.
But inside, his heart was tumultuous!
Because.
Kafka hadn't said who they were going to fight in Penacony at all!
And Jing Yuan clearly stated he would stand on the same front as Dan Heng.
Blade subconsciously thought.
Could it be a confrontation between the Stellaron Hunters and the Astral Express!?
He quickly sent a message to Kafka to confirm.
Kafka didn't reply.
Silver Wolf sent a video.
Blade tapped on it.
The scene within.
Was Sam fighting a purple-haired woman.
That purple-haired woman had a cold expression.
The red sword light was extremely powerful.
Even Sam could barely cope.
"It seems the enemy we have to face is this person…"
Blade breathed a sigh of relief.
Luckily, it wasn't a battle between the Astral Express and the Stellaron Hunters…
Otherwise.
Thinking about having to face the countless warships of the Xianzhou Alliance.
That would truly be… troublesome.
At this moment.
Jing Yuan mobilized the Jade Abacus.
Projecting the intelligence sent by the Divination Commission in front of the four.
An image of a purple-haired woman was projected out.
Jing Yuan explained: "According to the Divination Commission's analysis, the great enemy we have to face is likely this woman…"
"Previously, Feathered Spirit released a video titled 'Rondo Across Countless Kalpas'."
"Acheron—this is the name of this purple-haired woman."
"In the video, Acheron's strength and terror were evident."
"Bearing endless blood debts, even the Memokeeper of the Garden of Recollection cannot pry into her deep-sea-like memories…"
"The Divination Commission's assessment is: Acheron… possesses at least Emanator-level combat power!"
"Conservatively estimated, she belongs to the most powerful type even among Emanators!"
Listening to Jing Yuan's description.
Blade's gaze tightened.
It matched!
Acheron…
She was also an enemy of the Stellaron Hunters!
This time… they would actually be standing on the same front again?
A surge of excitement rose in Blade's heart!
He wondered if this Emanator's blade could grant him death?