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At the riverside crossing,
March 7th and Stelle were engrossed in their phones, unwilling to look away even for a second. Welt and Dan Heng stood nearby, providing protection—a scene reminiscent of Luofu families accompanying their children outdoors nowadays.
"Strange, why hasn't Miss Tingyun arrived yet?" Old Yang wondered aloud.
"We can't operate this star ferry without the authorized personnel," Dan Heng remarked, eyeing the large vessel prepared by the Sky-Faring Commission.
Despite being from Xianzhou, unfortunately, Dan Heng did not possess a driver's license or know how to pilot a star ferry.
Meanwhile, March 7th and Stelle seemed unperturbed.
March 7th was absorbed in watching Little Gui Zi's live stream, while Stelle repeatedly played Jing Yuan's character promotional video "Heaven and Earth as Chessboard," occasionally pausing to add comments via chat.
Meanwhile, Stelle was repeatedly playing Jing Yuan's character promotional video, "The Universe as Chessboard," occasionally pausing to send comments via live chat.
"Here I am, sorry for keeping you all waiting."
Tingyun finally arrived at the scene.
"I got delayed by some trivial matters, please bear with me—and don't mention it to Lord Yukong," she pleaded.
"No problem, let's board the star ferry first," Old Yang urged them on.
In no time, everyone had embarked onto the star ferry, piloted by Tingyun.
Naturally, this included her attempt to strike up camaraderie with the group.
"My name is Tingyun, and my role within the Sky-Faring Commission's merchant fleet is that of a Ferry Guide. You must be members of the Astral Express Crew?"
"No need for introductions, we're already quite familiar with you from 'Honkai Star Rail!" March 7th looked up and greeted her warmly.
"'Honkai Star Rail?"
"Oh, it's the game you've been playing, right?"
"Heh...yes, even I have heard about this immensely popular game. Alas, due to my busy duties, I haven't had the chance to experience it myself; otherwise, I certainly would indulge in it."
"Hmm..." responded Old Yang.
Dan Heng remained silent.
March 7th and Stelle continued their deep immersion in the game.
Tingyun forced a slightly awkward smile.
Phantylia internally muttered, "Why does the atmosphere feel different from what I imagined?"
"Could it be that this game genuinely reveals some information?"
"No way. If that were true, they wouldn't have cooperated with me at all..."
"Oh well, overthinking won't change anything.
"Let's just focus on reaching our destination first."
"Oh right, soon I'll need to take precautions ahead of time. We don't want anyone on this train getting caught up when the World Tree starts growing; that would certainly add some excitement."
In Little Gui Zi's stream:
"Hey folks! Although I'm dying to witness Kafka's interrogation too, Fu Xuan needs to [Prepare for Interrogation]."
"We'll just have to stay here at the Exalting Sanctum and wait for news from the Divination Commission's guide!"
"But this place is familiar, isn't it?"
"Do you remember where we were choked by the Golden Spear last time?" Guinaifen maneuvered her character around for a tour.
Soon enough, she noticed a crowd gathering in the square.
"Something's happening! Let me go check it out!"
Just as she arrived, a story event triggered.
A Cloud Knight soldier lying on a stretcher let out a blood-curdling scream, covered in shimmering golden ginkgo leaves, his body beginning to mutate rapidly.
At that moment, a pair of short legs sprinted towards the scene, swift enough to kick up a cloud of dust behind them.
"Everyone, step back!"
The Vidyadhara girl leaped into the air, performing a 360-degree spin, her tail crackling with lightning as it swept across.
Instantly, the previously screaming soldier collapsed silently.
From beneath her wide sleeve, the girl produced a gourd and instructed those nearby, "Quickly give him this medicine; make sure he lies still!"
Her actions flowed smoothly like water.
However, in the very next second, more Demonic Yin Bodies emerged, contorted and crawling off the ground.
"I...I meant..." The girl let out an awkward laugh.
"Make them lie down quietly!"
"Bam!"
[Combat begins!]
At the sight of this petite figure, March 7th instantly screamed with excitement.
"Ahhh, it's my daughter Bailu!"
Dan Heng and Old Yang were startled by her exclamation.
"What?! Bailu is joining the fray?" Stelle quickly moved closer to watch alongside them.
Rolling his eyes, Dan Heng had initially dismissed the scene, planning to rest against the train window. He foresaw that a major battle might soon ensue, needing to conserve his energy for what lay ahead. However, as he glanced over, he spotted Bailu appearing just as depicted in the storyline—bearing not only the distinctive features of the Vidyadhara clan but also adorned with dragon horns and a dragon tail!
"Hmm?"
"She is...this generation's Holding Light Dragon Venerable?"
Intrigued, Dan Heng joined the others, taking a seat to watch closely.
March 7th cast him a surprised look. "No way, Dan Heng? You're not a Bailu fan, are you? I'm warning you, she's my daughter, so don't even think about..."
"Your imagination runs wild, March," Dan Heng sighed helplessly.
Swiftly, these Demonic Yin Body soldiers were defeated, bringing the battle to an end.
Bailu placed her small hands on her hips and chided, "After that stern lecture, can you now behave and lie down quietly?" She then turned to address the Astral Express Crew, saying, "Thank you, Uncle and Big Sisters, for helping calm the patients' emotions. Your 'Charged Anesthetic Strike' technique is truly impressive."
"However, with your intervention, these cloud riders have sustained additional injuries. I'll need to work harder to realign their bones and provide proper bandaging. Ugh, this just makes my workload even more overwhelming!"
Seeing Bailu's sulky demeanor, March 7th chuckled mischievously, revealing her sharp canines.
"How adorable! I must interact with my little Bailu daughter right away!"
As expected, the conversation unfolded according to March 7th's wishes.
She asked Bailu, "Where did you come from (seriously, where)? What about your father?"
"I don't have a father."
"What about your mother?"
"I don't have a mom either."
Bailu shook her head, her large eyes filled with sincerity.
The March 7th from the storyline remained speechless...
And so did the March 7th outside it.
"Waaaahh..."
"What am I doing?!?!"
Witnessing March 7th's distress, Stelle sympathetically patted her on the shoulder.
Then, she opened the chat window.
"Ha ha ha! Sorry, but I can't help laughing."
"Oh no, all my week's worth of merit points vanished from laughter!"
"How to Kill a Conversation in Three Sentences - A Guide by March 7th."
"Sincerity is the ultimate trump card."
"Unstoppable!"
"At night, March 7th lying in bed, thoughts swirling: 'I'm truly doomed' (doge face)."