[This background music, this creepy atmosphere, why does it feel so unsettling?]
[Going by horror movie logic, this is where they'd hit you with a knife.]
[Stop saying that!!!]
[Watching this web drama has me on edge.]
[Actually, it's more like a ghost story. Aside from the music turning eerie, it's not that bad.]
Caelus and Firefly kept running, searching for an exit.
Suddenly, the entire screen flickered, accompanied by a glitching noise. It startled many viewers hiding under their blankets at night.
After entering the next door, Firefly glanced around and said, "The exact same room?"
"██Help█ ███ █ Help ██…"
Text slowly appeared around the black-and-white TVs in the room…
Caelus grabbed Firefly's hand, choosing another door to escape.
But the lights flickered eerily again, and they ended up back at the starting point.
[Ghost loop?] [I checked, there's no horror tag!] [I'm home alone, and my delivery's at the door—I'm too scared to get it!]
"It's happening again… No, wait, could it be…" Firefly scanned the room.
The TVs glitched again, emitting pained wails, "█Said███Not█Possible█ ██ █Open the box ██…" "Help, grab him! We're out of options… Don't let him escape! Stay back! Save me!"
Faced with the bizarre scene, Caelus clenched his fists, and they chose another direction to leave.
But they returned to the same starting point.
This time, as they neared the exit, an unsettling feeling was accompanied by an alarm bell…
After several loops, Firefly could no longer tell which way they came from, "Oh no… Which door was the first one?"
"█Please█You██ █I████ ███ █Scared█…" The pained voice grew stronger, heart-wrenching. "Save me! Hand over that thing!" "Mikhail, come back, where are you?" "Help! Grab him!" "We're out of options… Don't let him escape! Penacony must save itself!"
The countless voices turned into mental pollution. Caelus clutched his head, suddenly realizing something, "The way we came? Right, that's it!"
Caelus pulled Firefly and chose a door to leave.
The alarm grew even more piercing…
As they entered, "█ ███ █ ███ ██ ███ ███ █ █ ████ ██" "Please help me… Please help me… I don't want to die!"
Firefly grabbed Caelus, "The TV's flashing is so blinding… Be careful, something's coming…"
The TV suddenly emitted a piercing white light… An eye-like entity appeared on the screen… …Then materialized into reality…
Caelus instinctively pulled out his bat, shielding Firefly behind him.
The monster, covered in eyeballs, loomed above them. It let out a shrill screech.
[Light and fun!]
[This monster's design is pure SAN-point-draining madness.]
[Not scary at all, someone get me new pants.]
[Heh, the atmosphere was built up perfectly—don't do it again.]
[Oh no, the monster's here—Firefly's not gonna…?]
[Just watch, why worry about this stuff?]
Caelus stepped forward alone to fight, but after two or three rounds with the monster, he fell to one knee, groaning in pain.
Firefly was firmly grabbed by the monster.
The audience's hearts were in their throats.
Just as Firefly seemed in grave danger, a hand emerged from a magic circle on the ground, temporarily easing the situation…
At that moment, the ground surged, and countless crystal hands restrained the monster, saving Firefly.
The audience finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The camera panned to a woman with black lace hair—a character who appeared early in the PV but hadn't shown up in the main story until now: Black Swan.
She spoke elegantly, "Without the right method… you can't escape the shadow of 'death' unscathed."
Firefly carefully studied Black Swan, "You are?"
Black Swan's lips curved slightly, a glimmer of light emerging from her hand, "Relax, little miss, I'm on your side. Why not call me… 'Memokeeper' Black Swan."
Caelus rubbed his aching chest and raised his bat again.
At the same time, the monster broke free from its restraints and charged.
With Black Swan's assistance, Caelus could barely hold his own against the monster.
Clearly, Black Swan didn't want to drag this out. She drew a card, and the monster was pinned by immense gravitational force, unable to move.
She flicked another card toward Caelus and Firefly, instantly opening a portal. "See you next time. Go now."
Firefly reacted swiftly, grabbing Caelus' hand and heading for the portal.
At this moment, the audience finally relaxed.
[Thank goodness, with all that buildup, I was really scared something would happen.]
[Thank you, Black Swan, thank you!]
[Finally out!]
[See, just some fake suspense—told you miHoYo wouldn't knife anyone.]
Caelus woke from the dream again… The first thing he saw was Black Swan's elegant face.
"You're awake, little sleepyhead. Looks like you had a good dream. So, did you dream of me?"
Caelus held his forehead, "You saved us?"
"I only helped you escape that memoria, that's all. Welcome to reality—the Daydream Hotel—the most familiar and safest place for you. You're lucky your mental state is still stable, unaffected by that Primal Dreamscape. Not bad."
"Firefly?" Caelus looked around, "Did she escape?"
Black Swan chuckled, covering her mouth, "You're quite concerned about that little lady. Understandable—even in the face of 'death,' she did everything to keep you safe… Even I'm a bit charmed. I know you've got a head full of questions, but don't rush. First, let your worried companions know you're safe."
Caelus sighed heavily, "Thanks."
He and Black Swan walked out of the room, spotting the Express crew gathered on the stairs, discussing…
March 7th stood with her hands on her hips, "So suspicious… No way it's that coincidental. That woman's definitely got issues."
Himeko: "But she did find the Trailblazer and saved him—for now, we can only hear out her requests…"
Welt Yang: "That Memokeeper clearly came prepared. We should be cautious."
Caelus glanced at Black Swan, feeling a bit awkward, but Black Swan seemed completely unfazed.
Soon, they approached the group.
Black Swan spoke first, "Miss Himeko, as promised, I've brought the kid back."
The group exchanged information, explaining the events and their context.
In the camera, Caelus seemed somewhat downcast.
[What's wrong with Caelus?]
[His girlfriend's gone, probably heartbroken.]
[Yeah, he had a wife, and now she's gone after waking up.]
Welt Yang summarized, "So, the one who attacked you was a woman in red, skilled in illusions, capable of disguising as others…"
Caelus nodded, "That's right."
Black Swan smiled, "Her name's 'Sparkle,' a Masked Fool who infiltrated Penacony… Don't worry, that girl won't bother you all for now. She's probably gloating somewhere, thinking she succeeded."
"You seem to know her well."
Black Swan didn't shy away, "Of course, I know everyone here. In Penacony, anyone can lie… but 'memories' don't. So, I need to clarify something: Sparkle's tricks can trap people in illusions, but that eerie dreamscape has nothing to do with her—it comes from Penacony itself."
"Itself?" Caelus furrowed his brow at the word.
"Haven't you realized? The so-called 'dreamland'… is the result of the Family's carefully maintained creation, a designed sweet dream. But the memoria you fell into—that's the dream's true form: chaotic, dangerous, mysterious… a shifting maze inhabited by beasts of memory…"
From their conversation, Black Swan gave the final answer, "Penacony's sweet dream is sinking, reverting to its original state… falling into the deep sea."
March 7th was shocked, "Sinking? You mean… the dream world is collapsing?"
"Exactly." Black Swan nodded, "The incident at the Dreamscape Hotel is a omen."
Welt Yang let out a long breath, "I see. That explains the unease in the Family's words. If this news got out, regardless of the guests' actual safety, the Star of the Festival's reputation would take a hit. With the Harmony Festival approaching, they have to cover it up."
"The guests' safety might not be guaranteed either… That monster you encountered is proof enough. Need another hint? It's a memoria meme… A meme symbolizing death and murder—how could it appear in a dream the Family claims is 'absolutely safe'? In Penacony, everyone can lie—perhaps even the Family itself."
[So that's how it is?]
[This world feels massive.]
[Why is it that wherever the Astral Express goes, there's a huge crisis?]
[No crisis, no protagonist, right?]
Himeko steered the conversation back on track. After some discussion, she expressed reservations about cooperating with Black Swan.
Black Swan understood and went to sit at the bar alone.
Welt Yang, seeing her leave, discussed with the group, noting the multiple factions at play in Penacony, and… He had received a message.
Welt Yang adjusted his glasses, "Let me share my findings—unfortunately, it's bad news. According to reliable sources, some people in Penacony have spotted a tall man in silver armor. I inquired with the Bloodhound Family and spoke with several guests who claimed to have seen this intruder… Then I received this. Caelus, I sent it to you—take a look."
Caelus opened the video and saw a chibi Silver Wolf headshot.
[So cute!]
[Silver Wolf, Silver Wolf, Silver Wolf supremacy!]
"Ahem, can you hear me? Astral Express, long time no see—having fun in Penacony? Let's get serious. I know you're investigating Penacony's anomalies, and frankly, we're thrilled to see it. The deeper you dig, the closer you get to the truth of the sweet dream. The Family's hiding something, right? We've got some intel too. And now, I'm feeling generous enough to share it with you.
But, sadly, your lovely vacation's about to end. Enter this code into your Dreamscape Pool—the device you use for dreaming—and check out the hidden map! I've packaged the coordinates for you, just copy-paste. Oh, and—you've probably heard about Sam by now. Look forward to it. That guy's straightforward, loves a fair fight, and I'm sure you'll get along.
Hope his enthusiasm doesn't overwhelm you! Oh, he asked me to pass this on: In the unreachable dream, the show's about to begin—good luck, the factions are all moving. Nameless, don't fall too far behind!"
[Old Yang mentioned silver armor, and now Sam's brought up!]
[So Sam's here too?]
[That ties into what Gallagher said—the silver figure? It's Sam!]
[Is it possible the man in silver armor is Argenti?]
[Argenti? No way, why would he be in Penacony? Isn't he off searching for Idrila?]
Welt Yang spoke slowly, "The situation's clear. The Star of the Festival is far more complex than it seems. Around the 'Watchmaker's Legacy,' various factions, including the Family, have their own agendas, keeping each other in check.
We don't yet know what this legacy is, but this struggle will inevitably affect innocent people… It's only a matter of time. 'Fireknight' Sam, reportedly a remnant of the Glamoth Iron Cavalry, a genetically modified warrior with an abnormal mindset, decisive and relentless—a dangerous figure on par with Kafka and Blade.
This is a threat. The hidden map Silver Wolf mentioned is likely the sealed-off Dreamscape Hotel. For what's next, we need to visit the site."
Caelus crossed his arms, "What if we get caught?"
"If the Family asks, just tell them the Express is investigating the Stellaron Hunters. They should understand. Based on their response, we'll plan our next move."
Himeko saw the group had reached a consensus and decided to cooperate with the Memokeeper.
With everything settled, the Express crew needed to return to their rooms to re-enter the dream.
Caelus still seemed distracted, thinking to himself, "Looks like it's gonna be a busy time. I wonder if Firefly's back in reality… Wait, I don't have her contact info. I'll ask Black Swan…"
The next moment, Black Swan suddenly appeared before him.
"Why are you here?"
Black Swan smiled, "You look nervous. Worried about that little lady? If you've got something on your mind, why not share it with me? There's no better therapist in the world than a Memokeeper."
Caelus gave an awkward smile but asked his most pressing question, "Can you confirm Firefly's safety?"
After Black Swan's affirmative reply, he finally relaxed and entered Silver Wolf's code into the Dreamscape Pool.
Caelus lay down in the dream pool again.
He arrived at the dream's Daydream Hotel, "Back to the familiar room…"
Black Swan waved at Caelus, "This way, dear. How's it going? Feeling okay?"
"I don't know, my chest hurts, it feels bad."