Elsewhere, Silver Wolf relied on a five-star Mourner Mask curio given to her by Elio to forcibly alter her aura.
She also changed into a Magical Girl Bro Bro costume she had bought online.
The moment their starskiff arrived, it instantly transformed using etheric construction.
Silver Wolf dragged Firefly along, moving like shadows chasing the wind, barely managing to evade Herta's gaze.
"Silver Wolf?! Do you have the proper clearance documents for this?"
"No. But you can call this 'Reinforced Little Bunny.'"
The wind howled past them. Firefly could only sigh. This woman was even more reckless than Blade.
"Sigh. Be careful."
"Relax. Don't you trust me?"
As Silver Wolf passed by, pedestrians stared in astonishment.
"What was that?"
"A streak of light?"
"Couldn't see a thing. Nothing at all."
Firefly asked softly.
"Herta seems to be right outside the Jade Gate. Didn't you want revenge?"
Silver Wolf blew a bubble with her gum, deactivated the etheric construction of her Reinforced Little Bunny, and replied without thinking.
"You think the two of us can take on the real Herta?"
Firefly shot her a look.
"Then why did you drag me to the Xianzhou?!"
Silver Wolf pointed at Ruan Mei, who was helping Feixiao inherit the [Crimson Moon] in the distance.
"See that woman over there? Ruan Mei?"
One glance was all it took for Firefly to sense Ruan Mei's terror. She instinctively grabbed Silver Wolf, ready to flee.
"Hey?! Firefly, don't be scared! Ruan Mei is our target. And Herta's weakness is her. Trust me, just this once."
"Let's run, Silver Wolf! Ruan Mei gives me a sense of dread no less than Kafka's!"
Seeing Firefly's reluctance, Silver Wolf resorted to desperate measures.
"Firefly. Last time you went to see that Jade woman in Penacony, she had no way to cure you, right?"
Firefly nodded weakly, a sinking feeling growing in her chest.
"But this Ruan Mei? Her research on life, on the Propagation Path—she's unmatched in the entire cosmos."
"She has to have a way to save you!"
Firefly froze. She let go of Silver Wolf.
To cure her Entropy Loss Syndrome. To live. To truly see the world. To dream like an ordinary person.
It had always been her greatest wish.
---
Ruan Mei had already noticed them—Silver Wolf herself, and Firefly, hiding not far away.
Silver Wolf in person. Still not one to admit defeat. But why bring Firefly to the Luofu?
According to my memories, she should be vacationing on some distant ocean planet.
[One flawless crystal fragment is in Firefly's possession.] ♪
The ethereal voice in her mind clarified everything.
"So they've come to deliver a gift."
Feixiao finished inheriting the [Crimson Moon], thanked Ruan Mei, and left.
Silver Wolf noticed Ruan Mei was now alone.
"Hmm? Perfect timing. Feixiao's gone. I've met Ruan Mei before—she knows me. You go talk to her."
"Me? Alone?!"
Before Firefly could react, Silver Wolf used etheric construction to teleport her directly in front of Ruan Mei.
Firefly's sudden appearance did not surprise Ruan Mei in the least. She regarded Firefly with her usual calm composure.
Firefly, however, lowered her head and clutched her sleeves, unable to meet Ruan Mei's icy, plum-frosted gaze.
Seeing Firefly's silent vigilance, Ruan Mei spoke first.
"Firefly?"
Firefly's eyes went wide in disbelief.
"Ah? Madam Ruan Mei, you... you know my name?"
Ruan Mei nodded slightly.
Firefly was at a complete loss.
Silver Wolf, you tricked me! Ruan Mei already knows who I am!
What do I do? Run.
Firefly quietly activated her Cicada Samusium, ready to transform into SAM and flee.
Ruan Mei noticed. A faint, subtle smile crossed her lips. A true survivor of Glamoth.
"You're afraid of me?"
"Ah?! I'm... I'm not afraid."
With a single thought, Ruan Mei created a domain of plum blossoms and mirrored water around them, isolating Silver Wolf completely.
Silver Wolf panicked.
Firefly looked up. It was the first time she had witnessed such a scene—cold plum blossoms emerging, mirrored light shimmering.
But in an instant, she realized she had lost contact with Silver Wolf. She instinctively tried to transform into SAM—only to find her Samusium transformation device frozen solid.
"What?! You—"
"Firefly. I won't hurt you. I only want to talk."
Firefly remained vigilant, ready to burn part of her life force to force the transformation and break the barrier.
Ruan Mei lowered her gaze.
"Stelle told me about you."
At the mention of Stelle, Firefly's brow relaxed. Her vigilance faded slightly. Her tone softened.
"Madam Ruan Mei... what else did Stelle say?"
"She said she looks forward to the day you meet again."
A flicker of joy crossed Firefly's face. She relaxed completely.
"Thank you for telling me this, Madam Ruan Mei. But... that girl beside Stelle, March 7th... how is she?"
Even Ruan Mei, cold and aloof as she was, couldn't help but smile faintly at the question.
Yukong, Tingyun, Feixiao.
Stelle, Firefly, March 7th.
And me? Herta, Yu Qingtu?
Even I, though not a follower of Aha's Elation, can't help but feel curious about how this will unfold. After all, I'm already involved.
Ruan Mei replied calmly.
"March 7th has been keeping her distance from Stelle lately. She's been busy training with her two little masters."
Firefly breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
"That's good."
Ruan Mei suddenly stepped forward. Before Firefly could react, she had already assessed her Entropy Loss condition.
"You?!"
Firefly stumbled back, trying to break the seal and transform into SAM.
"Sixty-five percent entropy loss. Sigh."
"Don't use that power recklessly anymore."
A slow-acting healing effect began to spread. Firefly blinked. This feeling of being healed—it surpassed anything she had experienced in a medical bay.
"Madam Ruan Mei... can you really save me?"
Ruan Mei looked away. She had a hundred ways to save Firefly.
But every method came with irreversible side effects.
Memory loss. Loss of emotion. Transformation. Loss of consciousness... Life was always fair. Ruan Mei would not forcibly alter Firefly's destiny.
Unless Firefly's Entropy Loss Syndrome reached ninety-nine percent.