"You've found us, haven't you? With [Diti], tracking must be even more effortless now."
"If Kafka's trail leads to Stargazer Navalia, activate this gadget and ensure she doesn't slip away."
Tingyun had completed their testing.
All preparations were finalized.
The Astral Express set off for Stargazer Navalia—the crucial shipbuilding hub of the Roaming Immortal Ark.
Seeing this, March 7th couldn't help but ask, "Stargazer Navalia... The game plot already hinted that Kafka might hide there. Couldn't General Jing Yuan preemptively set up a dragnet and ambush her?"
"Ha ha ha..." Jing Yuan let out a polite yet slightly awkward laugh. "Miss March 7th, your thinking is perhaps too simplistic. If we can anticipate this plot development, why wouldn't the Stellaron Hunters and their allies do the same?"
March 7th tapped her head thoughtfully. "I assumed we could gain the upper hand, but if everyone sees the same plot developments, aren't we all starting from scratch again?"
"That may not be entirely true. By adapting to circumstances and seizing opportunities as they arise, we might still gain some advantage."
March 7th muttered, "Your words are so hard to understand."
"It seems this General has been well-prepared; there's no need for concern," Old Yang explained.
Just then...
Jing Yuan, who had appeared confident until now, suddenly showed a change in expression. The holographic projection flickered repeatedly, as if experiencing interference from another signal.
After approximately five seconds,
the projection returned to normal, but Jing Yuan's composure had vanished, replaced by deep seriousness.
"Ladies and gentlemen, my apologies, but I must immediately head to The Shackling Prison."
"What happened? Has the Stellaron Hunter already arrived?" Old Yang asked.
However,
Jing Yuan seemed too pressed for time to explain. The hologram abruptly disappeared from the sand table, leaving everyone staring at each other in confusion.
"Uncle Yang, what...should we do now?" March 7th sought guidance anxiously.
With Jing Yuan's departure, Fu Xuan moved to the central seat, subtly indicating that since Jing Yuan was gone, he would take charge of the situation.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let's remain calm."
"Since General Jing Yuan didn't elaborate further, it seems the situation has not yet reached its most critical point.
"In the unfolding scenario, Kafka is about to make their appearance soon.
"I can buy us some time to observe the plot progression," Fu Xuan continued. "Let's decide our course of action after confirming the Stellaron Hunters' brewing conspiracy."
"Fu Xuan-sama, you're quite considerate," Stelle remarked appreciatively.
Fu Xuan gave a slight nod, implying, "Needless to say?"
Meanwhile, on another front, Jing Yuan was urgently rushing towards The Shackling Prison at top speed!
To his surprise, this time, not only had Kafka arrived, but another Stellaron Hunter—Silver Wolf—had shown up as well! Alongside Blade.
It seemed the Stellaron Hunters were treating Luofu like their second home!
Not that Jing Yuan chose not to provide more information; rather, the communication link had been abruptly cut off! There simply wasn't enough time!
Suddenly,
A screen automatically illuminated on Yuzhao.
Two brief lines of information appeared on it.
After swiftly scanning through them, Jing Yuan felt as if struck by lightning!
"...What?! Even she's here?!
"And that... Luocha too?!"
Jing Yuan had to cover his head with one hand, overwhelmed.
Under normal circumstances, the appearance of any single individual from this group aboard the Xianzhou would demand utmost attention!
Yet now, unexpectedly, they've all converged at Luofu's The Shackling Prison!
Even if every one of them had come voluntarily to surrender, The Shackling Prison wouldn't have the capacity to hold them all immediately!
Even Jing Yuan found himself immensely troubled at this moment.
"Yanqing, hang in there..."
At the Palace of Astrum,
With Fu Xuan's reassurance, everyone slightly eased their concerns and continued watching the unfolding events.
By now, the scene had reached Stargazer Navalia.
Using Ditti to initiate tracking, they searched for clues across the map.
"This is... part of a Cloud Knight weapon, severed by some sharp object..."
"It must be that wicked woman, no doubt! She wields a long and swift blade!"
"This is a jade token belonging to a shipbuilder supervisor, used to open gates."
"Someone deliberately sabotaged it after use; perhaps it was Kafka."
As they watched Streamer Little Gui Zi busily searching for clues within the game, the audience enjoyed their leisurely time.
Even Fu Xuan took a moment to sip some water amidst this stretch. Despite being engaged in capturing Kafka, the atmosphere remained relatively relaxed.
Old Yang had also calmed down from his earlier shock, sitting as steady as a rock in his seat.
However, the feeling of unease seemed to pass like tossing a bouquet, now landing in Dan Heng's hands! For some reason, he suddenly felt unsettled.
Glancing between the unfolding narrative and the view outside the Palace of Astrum, Dan Heng couldn't shake the sense that Jing Yuan's abrupt disconnection felt too hasty—far uncharacteristic of such a meticulously strategic General.
In a daze, the cursed voice echoed once more in his mind:
"There were five souls, but only three paid the price..."
Dan Heng was about to speak when, at that very moment, a significant plot twist occurred in the game.
"When the trail of prey vanishes abruptly, hunters must be cautious—
"For it often signals a reversal in the chase."
Kafka! She unexpectedly appeared on screen!
Everyone immediately froze, straightening up in their seats.
It was time to pursue Kafka!
Their success now hinged on their next moves.
"Darn it, there's no way through here! We need to find a means to intercept her!"
"Benefactor, don't worry about the closed door; we can simply bypass the conveyor belt," Tingyun suggested.
They reached the other side of the gate.
To everyone's surprise, Kafka's figure truly appeared within their line of sight!
Even as the protagonist approached, she showed no intention of fleeing.
This peculiar behavior raised suspicions among all present.
"Welcome, members of the Train Brigade. You've caught me."
Not just Fu Xuan and Old Yang, even the viewers in the live stream clearly sensed something was amiss!
"Why does this feel like mom playing hide-and-seek with her little daughter?"
"Is this part of their plan too?"
"Are we really about to capture Kafka? Could it be a decoy? A projection? Some kind of puppet?"
"She's still smiling; I have a feeling we're walking into a trap!"
"Show your hand, Kafka. Our arrival here must have been part of your plan," Welt said.
"It's not a plan, but rather [the future]. We intervene among countless possibilities to make the best [future] come true," Kafka explained with a smile. "Don't flatter yourselves, Welt; Stellaron Hunters are merely [Destiny's Slaves]."
March 7th retorted indignantly, "The best future? Best for whom exactly? I highly doubt you care about anyone else."
"The entire universe—do you believe that? Naturally, it means 'best' for me."
To everyone present, these words sounded utterly nonsensical, and Guinaifen was no exception.
She decisively chose the most straightforward option:
["Let's fight already, don't waste time!"]
Welt responded, "We will take you to General Luofu. Since you claim innocence, feel free to explain yourself to him; he will render his judgment accordingly."
Kafka shook their head slightly. "No can do. I detest following others' pace."
"Time is running out. Act swiftly, or it'll be too late."
The screen shattered.
The first battle against Kafka began!
Fu Xuan had prepared to record this combat sequence...
...as analyzing Kafka's abilities would aid in devising strategies for future encounters.
A captivating smile crossed Kafka's face.
"Can you stay on your feet?"
With a swift pull of the red thread in her hand, the targeted character instantly became immobilized.
A prompt appeared on the screen:
[Use a skill to remove negative effects and counteract the [Dominate] state!]
"This must be Kafka's Word Power ability."
Under the influence of [Dominate], characters even attacked their teammates. Fortunately, Little Gui Zi's proficiency was quite high.
Using March 7th's Shield, they dispelled the control effect. In the end, they defeated Kafka at the cost of losing two team members, successfully progressing to the next chapter of the storyline!
Kafka found herself surrounded by the group, with both hands poised above her submachine guns as if ready to lower them.
"You're finally here."
In the next moment, she spun her weapons.
Firing indiscriminately towards the sky, bullets poured forth like rain!
The scene suddenly slowed down, as if someone had hit the slow-motion button. Amidst this hailstorm of bullets, a young girl moved effortlessly, almost leisurely strolling amidst chaos. With graceful gestures, she gently deflected the trajectory of each bullet.
Her every movement—calm and elegant!
It seemed akin to removing imperfections from a delicate painting.
"A mere parlor trick."
"Your every move..."
"...has been foreseen within my divine sight."
On the tip of her toe, she executed a flawless landing before the crowd.
"Fu Xuan of the Divination Commission."
"I now take custody of the criminal."
As this scene unfolded, everyone present, to varying degrees, shifted their gaze towards Fu Xuan sitting nearby.
Gently closing her eyes, Fu Xuan maintained a composed demeanor, as if this outcome were expected.
Her demeanor appeared calm and composed, as if everything had unfolded just as expected.
However, beneath the surface, her heart was bursting with joy!
"Truly deserving of this venerable one's title!"
"What a remarkably elegant and grand entrance!"
"This scene must be preserved; I'll ensure Jing Yuan sees it later!"
"Even Stellaron Hunter Kafka had no choice but to surrender obediently before this venerable one."
"I am truly too incredible!" exclaimed Fu Xuan.