[Huh? What does that mean?]
[In simple terms, everything Penacony presents now is a false facade, a bubble that could burst at any moment. But for their own interests, the Family decided to hide the truth.]
[You can think back to Belobog. To fend off the Antimatter Legion, they unleashed the Eternal Freeze, and what happened? They hurt the enemy by a thousand but damaged themselves by ten thousand! Their entire civilization nearly fell into ruin.]
[The Stellaron, the cancer of all worlds.]
[So, the Stellaron spirit is pretty impressive, huh?]
— —
At this moment, Gallagher briefly explained the full context of the story.
The Stellaron had descended on Asdana during the war era, and there were Nameless who tried to stop it.
However, after Tiernan's fall, the Watchmaker had no choice but to head to the frontlines of Trailblaze.
Seizing this opportunity, the Family from the Montour System activated the Stellaron and wielded technology beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Not only did they help Mikhail quell the rebellion, but they also joined Penacony's construction in the name of Harmony.
During the three eras of the "Dreamchasing Age," the Watchmaker, kept in the dark, sent invitations across the universe, sparking a craze for the so-called dreamland.
March 7th asked, "So, what happened afterward… how did they turn against each other?"
"Remember the 'reclaiming land from the sea' metaphor? The truth is, the Stellaron was never sealed—it just exists in the dream in another form. Think about it: what's the cost of building and sustaining such a grand 'Dreamscape'?
It's life, little lady. The dazzling Dreamscape is built upon the death of the spirit. A poison called 'happiness' flows through the dream, luring people to indulge in it, their minds slowly drifting toward the same endpoint, ultimately becoming the placenta of the Dreamscape.
Confusion, laziness, cowardice… these common human weaknesses were amplified and nurtured by the Family, turning Penacony into another kind of prison—one far stronger than the one before.
We realized it too late. By then, the Family's influence was absolute, and dissenters were quickly controlled or exiled.
Left with no options, I had to borrow the power of Enigmata to hide in this chaotic Dreamscape, spending years 'fabricating' a meme in the dream for our use—'Dormancy,' that's its true name. Ordinary people can't fall asleep again in the Dreamscape, which gave us an opening to exploit."
Hearing this, the group finally understood most of the reasons behind it.
So, in the end, the Express would have to face the Stellaron!
As for the Stellaron's exact location, they'd need to ask the winged kid.
[So that's the truth?]
[It's logical; this plot makes sense.]
[As expected, it's the Stellaron again.]
[But what's with calling him the winged kid?]
— —
Not long after, everyone regrouped, but this time the spotlight fell on Sunday and Robin.
After some discussion, Sunday believed the Gopher Wood Family had shown them kindness, so they couldn't just turn against them. He planned to try negotiating first.
Himeko rallied the group for the mission. "We followed the footsteps of our Nameless predecessors to come here; there's no reason not to continue following their path."
"Yeah, the Nameless don't back down from challenges! Caelus, right?" March 7th cast an enthusiastic glance at Caelus.
Caelus placed his right fist over his chest. "There's nothing to fear anymore!"
"Eek, when you say lines like that, I'm actually getting a bit nervous…"
Suddenly, Welt Yang interjected, "The Express Crew won't stand idly by. Mr. Sunday, Miss Robin, I'm willing to represent the Astral Express and accompany you. Having a third party present should make negotiations smoother. And if there's danger… one more person is always better."
Sunday prepared to set out immediately.
But before they left, Welt Yang pulled the Express Crew aside.
"Everyone, over here. We have some preparations to make before we go."
— —
About a dozen steps away, Welt Yang's expression carried a hint of worry.
"Although I volunteered to go along, facing the Dream Master… this trip might be more dangerous than not."
March 7th fidgeted nervously. "Huh? Even Uncle Yang's saying that? Just how powerful is this Dream Master?"
"As the leader of Penacony's branch family, the Dream Master likely has the entire Harmony faction behind them… not to mention the Stellaron in their hands. We must prepare for the worst."
"Eek, maybe Uncle Yang shouldn't go…"
"That won't do either. Putting Miss Robin aside, I feel something's off about Mr. Sunday's attitude, though I can't quite pinpoint why… At the very least, we need to ensure he doesn't switch sides mid-negotiation." Welt Yang's gaze met Caelus's. "You're carrying that token from the IPC envoy, right? Could I borrow it?"
Caelus immediately pulled Aventurine's token from his pocket.
Welt Yang knew the dangers of this move. To eliminate any lingering concerns, a third party was needed to keep things in check.
And the IPC was currently the best choice to counterbalance the Family.
[Holy crap, Old Yang is so reliable.]
[That's the charm of a patriarch! Taking on the most dangerous tasks while securing a way out for everyone else! He's so great, I'm tearing up.]
[If you've seen Honkai Impact 3rd, you'd know this is just Welt Yang's confidence.]
[What Honkai Impact 3rd? That hasn't even been released yet. Another weird comment.]
[Old Yang's a true strategist. I'm so curious how he'll perform in Honkai Impact 3rd!]
[This characterization is so good. I'm loving the Express Crew more and more.]
— —
"Facing death head-on, that man's a true hero. Even if the Dream Master is innocent, the Family's corruption is already deep-rooted. Mikhail made a mistake once; I won't make it a second time. Wish him luck…"
After Welt Yang left, Gallagher approached the Express Crew.
After some conversation, there was still one Nameless, Mikhail Char Legwork, whose whereabouts were unknown.
However, Himeko had already guessed his true identity.
Gallagher no longer hid it. "That last Nameless—he set off, stopped, then set off again… After a long detour, he returned to the starting point.
On his deathbed, he entrusted me with finding the Astral Express and delivering that invitation to the future Nameless. For this, he prepared a gift, a true 'legacy'… meant only for the heirs of Trailblaze.
Come with me. Now… it's time for it to see the light of day again."