The woman connected to my human body had miraculously acquired the same abilities as me.
The neon and clamor of Penacony had finally quieted; that grand and perilous dreamland adventure had drawn to a close. As always, the Astral Express had safely navigated its way out of the eye of the storm.
The train had also welcomed two unexpected new passengers—Miss Black Swan, that elegant and mysterious Memokeeper; and Mr. Sunday, the former head of the Oak Family, who now seemed to be embarking on a journey in search of his own answers.
Back on the familiar Astral Express, a trace of post-battle exhaustion lingered in the air, but it was outweighed by the relief of being unburdened.
"Wuwuwu, that really scared the life out of me this time!" March 7th patted her chest, still lingering in fear as she collapsed onto the sofa. "But, the desserts in Penacony were still delicious!"
"What matters is that we exposed the truth and prevented a greater crisis." Mr. Welt pushed up his glasses, his tone as steady as ever.
Himeko held her coffee, her gaze fixed on the flowing starlight outside the window. "Indeed. It is time to rest properly and plan our next destination."
Dan Heng leaned nearby, quietly flipping through data from the Data Bank, seemingly contemplating the unknown journey ahead.
Pom-Pom ran back and forth in the carriage, shouting excitedly: "Next stop! Next stop! Pom-Pom can't wait!"
The crew held a vote to decide our next destination. Unexpectedly, yet perhaps reasonably, the final choice was—Lusaka Star.
This name was not unfamiliar to us. It was the hometown of Mikhail, the Watchmaker who created the dreamscape of Penacony. After experiencing everything in Penacony, especially after coming into contact with the unfathomable power of "Harmony," everyone generally believed that if we wanted to understand the roots of it all, understand why Mikhail had chosen his path, or even explore the deeper secrets of the Path of "Harmony," then his hometown was undoubtedly the most likely place to hide clues.
Pom-Pom announced the voting results in the cockpit, and a complex atmosphere filled the carriage. There was anticipation for the unknown path, as well as exhaustion from the adventure that had just ended.
In previous trailblazing missions, especially on the Luofu and this time in Penacony, it was always March 7th and me who rushed to the front, like two energetic vanguards, wanting to be the first to see and experience everything. But this time, things seemed a bit different.
"Let Dan Heng and me be responsible for leading the landing exploration team this time." Mr. Welt pushed up his glasses, his tone as steady as ever. He looked at Dan Heng beside him, who nodded slightly in agreement.
I was a bit surprised, but upon reflection, it felt perfectly reasonable. Mr. Welt always had a scholar's curiosity about history and the eras and figures of the past; he couldn't possibly be uninterested in a figure like Mikhail, who had so profoundly influenced the interstellar landscape. And Dan Heng... although he didn't speak much, he was meticulous, and as a Data Bank scholar and a Vidyadhara, he also possessed unique insights into the essence and inheritance of power.
Mr. Sunday spoke calmly: "If possible, I would also like to go. As one who walks on the Path of 'Harmony,' Mr. Mikhail's hometown is of great significance to me." His eyes held a yearning for seeking and understanding; having experienced the upheaval in Penacony, he surely wanted to figure out the true face of "Harmony" more than anyone.
Himeko smiled and agreed: "Of course, Mr. Sunday. Your participation will be very helpful in understanding the clues of 'Harmony.' Then, this advance team will consist of Welt, Dan Heng, and Mr. Sunday."
March 7th blinked, looked at me, then at Mr. Welt and the others, and muttered: "Eh? March and the Trailblazer don't need to take the lead this time? Well, that's fine too. That dream in Penacony made my camera memory almost full, just in time to organize it..." She said, looking quite happy to be idle, but I knew that deep down, she still couldn't resist that curiosity for exploration.
I smiled and patted her shoulder: "Yeah, let Mr. Welt and Senior Dan Heng explore the path this time. We should take a rest as well." Actually, I understood in my heart that Lusaka might not require "path-breakers" like us to charge into battle; it was more likely to need detailed searching and deep thinking. In this regard, Mr. Welt and Dan Heng were undoubtedly the best candidates.
And so, it was decided. March 7th and I, along with the newly joined Miss Black Swan, and Himeko, who was responsible for navigating and guarding the train, were left to stay on the Astral Express.
Watching Mr. Welt, Dan Heng, and Mr. Sunday making final preparations on the platform and checking their equipment, my mood was subtle. On one hand, accustomed to taking the lead, I felt a bit uncomfortable suddenly being "rotated off"; on the other hand, the thought of spending a relatively peaceful time on the train with Himeko, March, and this mysterious Miss Black Swan brought a sense of inexplicable anticipation.
Miss Black Swan stood by the train window, looking elegantly at the three people preparing to depart outside, a faint smile playing on her lips, as if she could see through all the mist. She didn't seem very interested in the destination itself.
The train vibrated gently, a sign that the warp engine was starting. Himeko walked to the console and operated it skillfully, her profile looking exceptionally gentle and firm under the starlight.
"Have a safe journey," she said softly, both to the three on the communicator and to those of us left on the train.
After seeing Mr. Welt and his party off, my gaze turned inside the carriage. Himeko was focused on the star map, March 7th was still curiously pestering Black Swan, and Miss Black Swan would occasionally respond with one or two meaningful remarks. The rich aroma of Himeko's hand-drip coffee drifted through the air, mixed with the unique, steady atmosphere of the train as it traveled through the sea of stars.
Just in this moment of peace, my Data Bank terminal vibrated slightly. An unexpected name appeared on the screen—Ruan Mei.
It was her? Since we parted at the space station, although there had been occasional messages, it was truly rare for her to contact me actively.
I clicked on the message, and the content was concise and clear: "Trailblazer, come to the Herta Space Station immediately; I have something important to tell you. The matter is of great consequence, please be sure to come alone."
Between the lines, there was an unquestionable seriousness that didn't fit Ruan Mei's usual style. She was usually at ease with everything, as if all things in the world were merely culture dishes on her lab bench. What could make her so solemn?
I briefly explained the situation to my companions on the train, omitting the request to "come alone," and only saying that I had received a message from Ms. Ruan Mei and needed to go to the space station to handle some matters. Although they were a bit curious, they didn't ask further, only urging me to be careful.
After saying goodbye to my friends, I took the Interastral Peace Corporation's express line and soon arrived at the familiar Herta Space Station.
I reached Ruan Mei's laboratory, which was always filled with a cold, fragrant scent, and she was already waiting there. She was still wearing her simple and elegant lab coat, her temperament as cold as a lotus. She signaled for me to sit down and personally brewed me a cup of tea that emitted a strange, exotic aroma.
"Trailblazer, thank you for coming in time." She began, her voice calm, but deep in her eyes seemed to hide a subtle ripple. "I am already aware of the events in Penacony. Congratulations to you all for resolving the crisis once again."
"Ms. Ruan Mei, what is the reason for your summons?" I wasn't in the mood for small talk and cut straight to the point. Her solemnity made me uneasy.
Ruan Mei set down the teacup, her gaze fixed directly on me, eyes so sharp that they seemed to pierce through all appearances to the essence: "I have recently made a breakthrough in my research on life sciences, especially regarding the essence of 'Paths.' This discovery is closely related to you."
"Related to me?" My heart sank.
She nodded slightly, her tone even yet every word was startling: "Yes. Through observation and analysis of some special samples... I have discovered that female individuals who have had... deep intimate contact with you seem to have their life essence 'infected' or 'assimilated' by some special kind. They... have acquired the potential similar to yours to change their own 'Path' trajectory."
"Wh... what?!" I was so shocked that I almost jumped out of my chair, looking at her in disbelief. "Changing Paths? How is that possible?!"
A Path is the embodiment of an Aeon's will, the concrete manifestation of the laws of the universe. I could walk on different Paths because of the damned Stellaron in my body. But why... why would having an intimate relationship with me also lead to such a change? This was unheard of and overturned all my understanding of the laws of the universe.
Ruan Mei seemed to have anticipated my reaction and handed me a complex report filled with charts and data I couldn't understand.
"This is not baseless, Trailblazer. Preliminary studies indicate that the Stellaron inside you, or your special existence as a 'Trailblazer,' may have influenced the other party's life blueprint through some unknown biological information transmission mechanism during the process of extremely intimate energy exchange, unlocking the possibility for them to contact and choose different Paths."
I looked at the report, my mind in chaos. The figures of those who had fought alongside me, and even those with whom I had deeper bonds, flashed through my mind... They... had also acquired this ability? Was this a blessing, or a curse?
"The significance of this discovery is extraordinary," Ruan Mei continued, her tone holding a hint of... excitement? "It may reveal the origin of Paths, the way they are transmitted, and even... the possibility of artificial interference. In order to study this phenomenon in depth, I need a stable and controllable research subject for long-term, continuous, and in-depth observation and experimentation."