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Meanwhile, at Luofu's The Shackling Prison.
Blade, imprisoned within his cell, sat with closed eyes, motionless like a statue. He was well aware that following protocol, Jing Yuan would soon arrive personally to interrogate him.
At this thought, the corners of Blade's lips couldn't help but curve slightly.
"How eagerly I await..."
Even before the encounter, Blade had prepared what he intended to say:
"There were five individuals, yet only three paid the price..."
Suddenly, a line of glowing text appeared before him.
Blade recognized it as Silver Wolf's doing—an alteration of reality visible only to Stellaron Hunters.
[Plans have changed, immediately escape from The Shackling Prison!]
A spark ignited in Blade's eyes.
He couldn't comprehend why the "script" had suddenly changed.
Nor did he understand why they needed to prematurely escape from The Shackling Prison, even before Jing Yuan's interrogation could take place.
In his current state, it was unsuitable for deep contemplation.
Therefore,
all he needed to do was follow instructions.
"Boom—!!"
In the instant his eyes lit up, a violent explosion erupted within the cage.
The guards stationed nearby were startled.
Suddenly, they spotted a battered sword.
A figure swiftly seized hold of that blade.
"The dangerous prisoner has escaped! Quickly inform the General!"
However, before they could flee, a cascade of crimson light appeared before their eyes.
This commotion swiftly drew more Cloud Knights to the scene.
Undaunted, Blade dragged the ancient sword across the ground, leaving a trail behind like an unrolling painting. Along this path, vivid red flowers—the otherworldly safflowers—bloomed profusely.
A voice rang out nearby:
"All units! Defend the perimeter of The Shackling Prison at all costs until the General arrives!"
Blade smirked.
In the next moment, he materialized directly in front of those soldiers.
With swift strikes, he muttered through a cold sneer, "Steeped in sin... yet you dare judge me."
"A world corrupted by impurities... yet you dare call it Xianzhou."
As Blade unleashed carnage, he felt a long-forgotten frenzy and release wash over him.
In Blade's eyes, he seemed to glimpse that person's figure, fueling his movements with even greater fervor.
However, soon after, his gaze slightly narrowed as more shadows began appearing before him. The curse of the Demonic Yin Body was starting to impair his control over his body.
His breathing grew rapid, yet the number of Cloud Knights rushing to defend continued to increase, including several rare masters among them.
"...Strange..."
"How...did you know...?"
"Why would I attempt...an escape...at this time...?"
On the Astral Express, Kafka's sudden appearance compelled everyone's immediate attention.
"Long time no see, everyone on the Astral Express."
March 7th felt her arm hairs stand up instantly. She whispered in astonishment to Stelle beside her, "Even the entrance line is the same!"
"Do you think they're going to reenact the game's storyline again?"
Her concerns were quickly dispelled.
Instead of introducing herself with, "I am Kafka. Ah, perfect timing, it seems everyone's here," she walked towards another projection.
Kafka, observing herself on the live stream, remarked, "Impressive indeed. It seems you've been keeping up with this game."
Pushing his glasses, Old Yang began, "Since the Stellaron Hunters are aware of this game, you must know—there is now not just one Elio who can foresee fate but also a Feathered Spirit capable of turning destiny into a game.
"Your arrival on the train has already been depicted through the game's storyline."
"Oh, yes, that's correct," Kafka replied, her smile widening further. "That was indeed my original script. Next, I will say, 'Fifteen system hours ago, a Stellaron aboard the Roaming Immortal Ark... exploded.'"
Sure enough, the Kafka on the live stream echoed these lines verbatim.
"But now, the script has changed. How about this? Let's first watch this performance together, and afterward, I'll explain the purpose of my visit."
March 7th wore a puzzled expression. "You didn't hijack our communications just to watch the live stream with us, did you?"
"Of course not, I have my own agenda." Kafka casually seated herself on a nearby sofa, acting as if she belonged there.
It seemed Kafka had activated the gravity sensing system.
Himeko understood that this was merely a remote projection. While they could forcibly cut off the communication, doing so would be the worst approach.
"Let her sit there for now; let's see what unfolds in the game plot first."
Old Yang nodded, sharing the same sentiment.
Initially occupying the edge seat was March 7th. Seeing Kafka's hologram beside her, she hastily switched places with Star.
"I don't want to sit next to this woman..."
"You're more familiar with her, so you take that spot then."
Having temporarily decided to observe and adapt, everyone settled down peacefully together, focusing on the live stream.
In the unfolding narrative, Kafka began explaining her intentions:
"...It's quite simple. The Stellaron holds no significance for us, but Xianzhou has already pinned the blame on the Stellaron Hunters.
"My companion Blade was taken by the Cloud Knights. I must bring him back, resolve the Star Core Crisis, and clear our names." As she spoke, Kafka's holographic image transitioned to show Blade.
Upon seeing him, Dan Heng's gaze immediately darkened.
As expected! This storyline indeed features Blade's appearance!
According to Kafka, Blade had been taken away by the Cloud Knights...
Indeed, earlier segments of the storyline featured scenes related to The Shackling Prison.
Considering the time discrepancy,
it meant that...
In reality, Blade is currently imprisoned in The Shackling Prison.
Jing Yuan has not yet interrogated him.
However, Jing Yuan and his team must have seen these developments as well.
So, what would they do?
Knowing that Blade will escape...
they would undoubtedly bolster The Shackling Prison's defenses with all their might!
Originally, Blade's imprisonment was just part of the Stellaron Hunter script's progression.
But now, he may truly be unable to escape!
Dan Heng experienced a sudden realization, followed immediately by an overwhelming sense of disbelief.
This stroke of fortune seemed too abrupt...
Their relentless nemesis genuinely turned himself in!
He actually landed himself behind bars!