Chapter 182: Stellaron Hunter Kafka! Xianzhou Luofu!
Just as March 7th and Stelle were talking to Welt, Pom-Pom walked over with a pitter-patter of small steps.
The cute, rabbit-like conductor's head, topped with a large conductor's hat, swayed as they asked Stelle, their voice full of programmed cheer.
"Have you received the introduction to the passenger stops? Are you excited?"
Stelle, still new to the rhythm of the Express, honestly shook her head. "I haven't received it yet."
"Oh, you haven't received it yet?" Pom-Pom feigned a small gasp. "After the cold and exhausting journey on Jarilo-VI, aren't you looking forward to what kind of planet the next stop will be?"
"I like any kind of planet!" Stelle nodded seriously, her golden eyes bright. She truly wanted to learn more about the world.
This response aligned perfectly with the spirit of trailblazing.
Pom-Pom was quite relieved, showing a cute smile and putting their small paws on their hips. "Pom-Pom is very happy that you can enjoy this trip."
"A long, long time ago, this train brought the Trailblazers to one planet after another, and now it's just like it used to be."
[Inorin's Note: The original text mistakenly said "Mumei," who is a character from Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress. Pom-Pom is referring to the Trailblazers or the Nameless.]
"When the passengers are ready, gather near the front of the train; the meeting is about to begin."
Himeko had been waiting here for a long time, nursing a cup of fresh coffee. She smiled warmly and greeted everyone as they gathered.
"Good morning. You are all very punctual."
"Dan Heng isn't here yet," March 7th reminded her, looking around.
Himeko just shook her head slightly, her smile unperturbed. "It's alright. Dan Heng is rarely late, so there must be a reason."
She added in a softer tone, "Dan Heng's situation is quite special, and we hope to protect him as much as possible."
Pom-Pom walked to the very front, their cute, mascot-like face becoming serious and earnest, taking on the full authority of the train's conductor.
"Dear passengers, the Warp Route Meeting officially begins."
"First, I want to thank all the Trailblazers for successfully resolving the Stellaron crisis at the last station, allowing the Express to continue speeding along the path of the Trailblaze."
"This is our credit, right, Stelle?" March 7th said proudly, nudging her new friend.
"Mhm," Stelle nodded, her small face showing a faint, shy smile.
"Next, I am going to announce the name of the next station."
Pom-Pom was about to make the announcement when a strange electrical signal suddenly crackled in the center of the cabin. The static converged, forming the image of a woman composed of shimmering, unstable blue lines.
This was a holographic projection. The woman, impossibly beautiful and dressed in a stylish coat, let her lips curve into a slight, knowing smile.
"Long time no see, everyone on the Astral Express. I am Kafka."
"Good timing, everyone is here. It seems a self-introduction is quite unnecessary."
Under the wary gaze of March 7th and the others, Kafka's projection stepped lightly, as if solid, toward the front of the ship.
"Himeko, I apologize for interrupting your gathering," she said, her voice smooth and strangely hypnotic. "But I believe you will understand me after hearing my request."
Slowly turning around, Kafka stated her purpose: "I want to ask you to change your destination."
This sudden, hostile intrusion caused the atmosphere in the room to fall silent, the air thick with tension.
After a long moment, Himeko, with one hand resting on the other, remained calm and responded naturally.
"Stellaron Hunters. I've seen your group, but only on the IPC's bounty list. That's an astronomical sum, and it doesn't matter if you're dead or alive."
"Do you know what your bounty is?" Himeko said this to warn Kafka, to remind her of her place.
Kafka, however, looked unconcerned, almost amused. "Hmm, I don't really care. The IPC's bounty list... rather than infamy, it's more like a holy praise. The larger the number, the deeper the praise."
"You wanted criminals sure think optimistically," March 7th muttered softly under her breath.
"So, Herta has also praised you," Himeko slowly stated the information she knew about the Stellaron Hunters.
"A madman who claims to see destiny, leading a group of desperate lunatics, chasing the most dangerous things in the universe... Herta rarely praises anyone."
This made the smile on Kafka's face deepen, and her voice became light and teasing. "Chasing the most dangerous things in the universe? On that point, your train and our group are the same kind of people, aren't we?"
The Astral Express, in its trailblazing, was indeed chasing Stellarons.
However, to an astute observer like Welt, the goals of the Astral Express and the Stellaron Hunters were diametrically opposed.
Welt frowned, adjusting his glasses, and spoke decisively. "You've come to the wrong place, Kafka. We don't intend to accept your request, nor do we intend to get involved with the Stellaron Hunters."
Getting involved with the Stellaron Hunters would be asking for trouble on a universal scale.
Kafka clearly wasn't someone who would leave after a simple refusal. "Perhaps one day you'll be willing to visit us personally, and then we can talk again."
She hadn't yet stated the reason for her purpose, so how could she just leave like that?
"Have you all heard of the Luofu?"
Welt's eyes sharpened. "One of the Xianzhou Alliance's six giant ships, the Xianzhou Luofu. We know of it."
Although he hadn't been in this universe for long, Welt had already learned about the major forces at play.
"But what you don't know," Kafka continued, her smile fading slightly, "is that the Xianzhou Luofu is very close to you now. A distance that can be reached by two Warp Jumps. And in four system hours, a Stellaron will erupt on the Luofu."
Kafka's smile remained, but it looked more like a mask as she sighed. "An unprovoked disaster, isn't it?"
Welt frowned in confusion, highly puzzled by the Stellaron Hunters' objective. "Stellaron Hunters, what are you planning? The Xianzhou Alliance isn't as easy to talk to as we are."
"If The Hunt targets you, you won't be hunters anymore. You'll be the prey. The Alliance will pursue you to the ends of the universe."
The Hunt is best at vengeance and pursuit. The Aeon of The Hunt, Lan, is not the strongest, but they are a generous Aeon, willing to bestow power upon their Emanators.
Therefore, The Hunt has several powerful Emanators. Being targeted by them would not end well.
"Speak plainly, Kafka," Himeko said, cutting through the tension.
Kafka stopped pretending, her expression becoming more direct. "It's simple. This Stellaron has nothing to do with us, but the Xianzhou has already blamed the Stellaron Hunters for it."
"My companion, Blade, was taken by the Cloud Knights. I need to bring him back, resolve this Stellaron crisis, and clear our names."
"It has nothing to do with you? Who would believe that?" March 7th was the first to stand up and refute, her hands on her hips. "How could there be such a coincidence? The Stellaron just erupted, and you happen to appear? Besides, you have no relationship with us, so what does the Stellaron Hunters' innocence or guilt have to do with us?"
She didn't believe such a coincidence could happen. Such things only appear in movies.
"Perhaps we can give the Stellaron Hunters some face..." Stelle said after some thought, her voice quiet.
Perhaps because Stelle felt a strange, inexplicable sense of familiarity from the woman named Kafka, she instinctively leaned towards that idea.
March 7th immediately shook her head. "No, Stelle! We don't want to listen to her."
"Besides, the Xianzhou Alliance is so powerful; can't they handle a Stellaron on their own? We are the Astral Express crew, not professional Stellaron sealers!"
To this, Kafka merely smiled slightly.
"Of course you can remain uninvolved."
"While the Stellaron hasn't yet contaminated this airspace, you can initiate a warp and go to the next world. But in due time, this Astral Express will be blocked again."
"I can tell you what the future holds. If you do not go to the Xianzhou Luofu, the Stellaron will eventually contaminate the entire ship, and approximately half of the indigenous population on the Luofu will be casualties."
"Brave and fearless Trailblazers... the benevolent Nameless have always been unable to stand by and do nothing."
Himeko did not refute. As Kafka said, the Astral Express and the Nameless were indeed like that.
Himeko asked, "Your companion named Blade will also not be spared, right?"
"As for that... no comment. The coordinates are here; everything is up to you to decide."
"Although our goals are completely different, the orbits of the stars will eventually intersect. Goodbye."
After leaving the coordinates, Kafka's holographic image dissolved into static and disappeared.
[March 7th: "That's how it is! Silver Wolf, quickly tell me what kind of conspiracy the Stellaron Hunters have!"]
[Momonga: "It does sound very wrong; the smell of conspiracy is too strong."]
[Bronya: "Stellaron Hunters... what exactly is their purpose in doing this?"]
[Nami: "Since they are wanted criminals, they shouldn't be doing good deeds."]
[Shinobu Kocho: "Silver Wolf-chan, what do you think?"]
[Silver Wolf: "..."]
[Silver Wolf: "I'm just watching with my eyes open."]
[Silver Wolf: "I just want to play games; what bad intentions could I have?"]
[March 7th: "Then what do you Stellaron Hunters mean?!"]
[Silver Wolf: "I don't know. I just follow orders. I don't know what exactly needs to be done."]
[Silver Wolf: "I have only two tasks. First, let Kafka communicate with you. Second, help you open the Jade Gate of the Xianzhou Luofu."]
[March 7th: "That's it?"]
[Silver Wolf: "That's it."]
[March 7th: "How can you not know anything!"]
[Silver Wolf: "We just follow Elio's script to fulfill the prophecy. If we knew what would happen, the prophecy would change."]
[Saeko Busujima: "That... sounds very reasonable."]
[March 7th: "Darn it!"]
Is the Astral Express going to the Xianzhou Luofu now?
[Ren: "Are you preparing to go to the Xianzhou Luofu now?"]
[March 7th: "That's right... In this situation, we can only go. Originally, we... didn't want to, sigh."]
[Ren: "Then be careful."]
Ren reminded them.
The entire Xianzhou Luofu should be facing both internal and external troubles. Externally, there are Stellarons and Emanators of Destruction. Internally, there are conflicts involving the Vidyadhara, the followers of the Abundance, and the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus.
In short, it's a mixed bag; all sorts of people, all sorts of intentions.
[Inorin Note:
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