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"Hey, hey, hey! What kind of inappropriate conversation are you two having?!" A blush crept across March 7th's cheeks as she frantically waved her hands in the air. "How can you casually talk about such things...?"
"I really can't stand you both sometimes. As expected, Teacher Dan Heng is much more reliable." March 7th huffed indignantly.
Bochang and Stelle exchanged smiles, their surroundings filled with a joyful atmosphere.
Putting aside the banter, in this dimly lit alleyway, the pink-haired girl spread her hands open and turned to serious matters.
"Getting back on track... It's still early... Should we continue separately or together?"
"What do you think, Bochang?" asked Stelle, looking at the black-haired youth.
He responded, "Let's split up; it'll be more efficient that way. If anything happens, just contact me or Dan Heng promptly."
"Understood, Bochang. Don't get all fussy like Dan Heng though."
March 7th casually waved his hand.
With arms crossed, Bochang replied, "I remember someone just mentioned that the infallible Dan Heng should be more reliable... How come you've changed your mind after only a few seconds?"
"That's none of your business, nyah nyah nyah..." March 7th stuck out his tongue at Bochang and then swiftly pulled Stelle away, running off.
Leaving the black-haired youth alone.
Shaking his head, Bochang continued strolling around Belobog. Not long after, an unexpected person appeared before him.
"Phew... You really made me search high and low..."
It was none other than Sampo Koski.
Just moments ago, they had knocked him unconscious and buried him in the snow, yet he managed to catch up surprisingly fast.
"Sampo? I thought the Silvermane Guards would have captured you."
Bochang found himself cornered in a narrow alleyway by Sampo.
Sampo flicked his blue short hair and said, "The Silvermane Guards? Thanks to you, I nearly got caught... but fortunately, I ran fast enough."
"I'm quite curious, why did you bump into me right away, knock me out, and then bury me in the snow? As far as I can tell... I don't recall doing anything to provoke you."
Sampo produced two short knives from his hands, which were his weapons.
In reality...
One could also call them daggers; the distinction is merely semantic, with similar meanings just differing in terminology.
"Encountering strangers amidst ice and snow, wouldn't any normal person become suspicious? And indeed, it proves that you're not ordinary. Let me ask you, Sampo... Were you intentionally waiting for us there?"
Before arriving at Belobog, Dan Heng and March 7th had asked Bochang similar questions earlier.
Naturally... he gave the same response.
Dan Heng had also remarked, "March, you should learn from Bochang's vigilance; it could save us a lot of trouble."
"Hmph... It seems you know quite a bit, don't you? I, Sampo, don't mind dealing with clever individuals, provided that...you truly are smart and not just a clueless idiot."
Bochang could tell immediately.
Sampo appeared to be in a rather foul mood, which was understandable. Anyone who gets knocked unconscious, left in the snow, and narrowly escapes capture by Silvermane Guards would understandably feel irate.
"Well? Did you come here just to exchange some harsh words?"
Bochang wasn't worried about Sampo attacking him directly, nor did he rush to summon his Vow Spear. The reason being...
Three Invisible Hands were already prepared.
Unlike using the Dragon Talisman, which consumes physical stamina, the Invisible Hands draw upon mental energy, requiring less exertion but offering correspondingly lesser power than the Dragon Talisman. Bochang had discreetly tested this before.
Sampo's breathing slowed as he said, "Of course not... I just thought we could have a proper conversation. You've taken a tour around Belobog; what do you think of this place?"
"It's alright," replied Bochang, who had indeed explored the city and found its atmosphere generally acceptable.
If it weren't for the rift's influence, it would be even better.
"If you visit the Underworld, your opinion might change." Sampo shook his head with a sigh. "Your earlier assessment was quite accurate. When I awaited you there, my intentions were indeed not benign, but only to show you the true nature of this realm's ruler."
"Let me leave it at that, friend. If you encounter difficulties in the future, feel free to seek me out in the Underworld. Of course... perhaps by then, I may proactively find you myself, being the naturally compassionate soul that I am..."
As Sampo spoke, he gradually retreated, sheathing his dual blades and disappearing into the shadows of the alleyway.
Seeing this, Bochang withdrew his Invisible Hands.
The shift in Sampo's attitude essentially occurred when the Invisible Hand appeared.
If Bochang hadn't used this ability, perhaps Sampo wouldn't have left so easily.
"Did he detect the Invisible Hand?"
Had Sampo not been caught off guard by their surprise attack, it would have been nearly impossible to knock him unconscious within such a short time... His strength was indeed formidable, yet even with his prowess, he shouldn't have been able to sense the Invisible Hand.
Unable to fully comprehend this, Bochang gave up pondering and muttered instead, "So what was his real purpose for coming here... Was he trying to abduct me?"
To prevent any further unexpected incidents involving others, Bochang preemptively contacted them using his phone, arranging an early rendezvous.
Within half an hour, the entire Trailblazer squad had assembled.
Dan Heng spoke first, "I didn't expect Sampo to confront us directly. It seems the waters of Belobog run deeper than we anticipated. From now on, we must be even more vigilant in our actions. Let's avoid splitting up again for the time being."
"Aiya, don't worry! With the four of us together, there's nothing we can't handle." March 7th spread her hands and looked at the gray-haired girl. "See, Stelle has a Stellaron within her, Bochang carries various mystical gadgets, I possess unique hexaphase ice, and Dan Heng has... umm... whatever his past Enigmata was."
"Anyone daring to cause trouble for us will be truly unlucky!" March 7th placed her hands on her hips.
Stelle echoed, "Truly unlucky."
"Hiss... How long has this parroting been going on?" March 7th stared speechlessly at Stelle. This time, Bochang did not repeat after her, which left the gray-haired girl slightly disappointed.
Dan Heng sighed, pressing his forehead with frustration. If Welt Yang were here, he might not have felt so overwhelmed; at least they could discuss matters properly.
These three individuals before him... none seemed entirely dependable.
While Bochang might be reliable, he was still a novice, and most of the time, Dan Heng had to take the lead.
In case of any real issues, Bochang would simply say, "Dan Heng, you handle it" - not much different from what March 7th implied.
Speaking of which...
During this Trailblazer expedition, Welt Yang initially wanted to join them but stayed behind with Himeko to guard against potential threats from the Antimatter Legion. This allowed the younger generation the opportunity to prove themselves.
Next, the four exchanged the intelligence they had gathered, piecing together a broad picture of Belobog's situation.
Concepts like the Overworld and Underworld were discussed, along with terms such as Silvermane Guards, the Architects, and the Great Guardian. Each one emerged during their briefing.