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The Trailblazer squad journeyed steadily northward.
Since Serval did not know Stellaron's exact location, they had to search methodically along the way.
As they progressed, March 7th remarked, "No wonder you didn't want to cooperate with Sampo, Bochang. Seems like you already had leads all this time. Keeping it hidden from us, huh?"
"It was just a coincidence, um... I happened to dream about it." Bochang had no intention of revealing the Sheep Talisman's abilities, thinking, Anyway, even if I don't disclose it, neither Dan Heng nor March 7th will press further.
Just as that thought crossed his mind...
March 7th countered, "And you claim you dreamed about it? Seriously, can't you be a bit more straightforward... Do you think any of us would believe it was just a dream?"
Stelle raised her hand and said, "I believe him."
March 7th fell silent, taken aback.
"...," Dan Heng remained silent.
Bochang fell quiet for a moment.
To be honest, claiming it was from a dream... wasn't entirely deceptive, as he had indeed obtained the information about Serval through his Dreamscape encounter.
The pink-haired girl watched Bochang and Stelle, speechless.
Noticing the tension, Dan Heng broke the silence, saying, "March, don't pry into the secrets of the Astral Express crew members... If Bochang doesn't wish to disclose more, this explanation is sufficient."
[Dating Options have been activated.]
[Option 1: Say nothing, tacitly accepting the current narrative—Completion Reward: A Salted Fish, exceptionally delicious whether cooked or eaten dry.]
[Option 2: Tell the truth: "Actually, I used my ability to infiltrate Serval's Dreamscape and learned the location of Stellaron from her."—Completion Reward: Being captured by the Silver Wolf.]
[Option 3: Stick to your stance: "I genuinely saw it in a dream." — Completion Reward: Duck Head... reportedly tastes quite good.]
These rewards weren't just disappointing; they were utterly abysmal.
Bochang couldn't even bring himself to consider them seriously.
Both options revolved around food...
"Seems like this is the third appearance of salted fish. They say 'three strikes and you're out,' so today I'm taking you down!"
"Option one."
Without uttering a word, Bochang simply followed quietly alongside everyone on their journey.
The black-haired youth, now wearing the black bear mask, had significantly increased his strength. He could easily keep pace with the group, even slightly surpassing their speed at times.
Bochang's silence somewhat disappointed March 7th.
Neither Dan Heng nor Stelle showed any change in expression; they seemed unconcerned about how he knew Stellaron's location.
["Rewards being distributed - Congratulations! You have received Salted Fish. Note: This item has been stored in the system space and can be directly accessed for use."]
The group of four advanced silently.
Soon, they encountered the rift.
To the north of Belobog, the rift had completely engulfed the area, teeming with countless rift creatures.
The Silvermane Guards were engaged in combat against these monsters to protect Belobog.
Bochang and his companions couldn't bypass the rift itself but could circumvent the frontline Silvermane Guards.
Since they had already left the city, as long as they weren't in a rush, they could take a detour to avoid the areas where the Silvermane Guards were stationed.
Pausing at the edge of the rift, Dan Heng looked back towards the city.
Groups of Silvermane Guards, previously patrolling within the city, began emerging en masse.
"Do the Architects intend to use the Silvermane Guards to capture us?" March 7th wondered aloud.
Confused, March 7th asked Dan Heng, "It seems clear that they intend to capture us, but... their response is too slow. Once we enter the rift, there's no chance they can catch up."
As Bochang and his group crossed into the rift,
Serval remained stunned in the machine shop. Moments ago, Pela had contacted her about Bochang and the others' situation. She couldn't believe it was true and hadn't anticipated that last night's rehearsal with Bochang would be their final one.
Those guys...
They actually broke through Belobog's shield barrier and headed towards Stellaron.
The Great Guardian claimed they were attempting to steal Stellaron.
Although not yet confirmed if Bochang and his companions were the culprits,
still...
Pela was nearly certain they were guilty; their disappearance coincided far too suspiciously. To suggest they weren't responsible for breaching the barrier seemed utterly unbelievable.
"Dammit... They clearly promised to return on time for..." Serval abruptly stopped, realizing then that when Bochang left yesterday, he hadn't given her a definitive assurance. Instead, he just gave her a deep look. In retrospect, that gaze held profound meaning.
Serval abruptly stopped banging on the table, realizing... when Bochang left last night, he hadn't given her a definitive response. Instead, he had merely looked deeply into her eyes.
Reflecting back on it now, that gaze seemed to hold infinite meaning.
"Did he know yesterday that he wouldn't return to work today?"
"The vanished bassist... Was my dream last night also a premonition of today's events?"
A flood of doubts surged through Serval's mind. Rubbing her temples in frustration, she could sense that something significant was unfolding in Belobog, yet at that moment, she wasn't sure what action to take.
The scenes from her dream began to resurface bit by bit. Serval found it difficult to describe this feeling; never before had she remembered a dream so vividly.
The story of the band overcoming obstacles and destroying Stellaron felt as if she had lived it herself.
In reality, the battle against Stellaron was indeed ongoing.
However...
The protagonists were not the four band members, nor was it Serval herself.
Instead, they were Bochang, Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng.
"Darn it!" Serval abruptly stood up, leaning her hands on the table. "Regardless of what's happening now... as long as I find Stellaron, everything will be revealed!"
"Belobog is already in chaos, and my involvement won't make much difference. Stellaron... I must see Stellaron! The secret that has haunted me for years, I am determined to unravel it!"
Recalling the dream, she knew Stellaron was the source of all calamities.
Serval felt increasingly unable to control herself.
Having made her decision, the blonde big sister swiftly began packing her belongings. She prepared to cross the Silvermane Guard Restricted Zone and enter the rift, seeking out Stellaron.
Going alone would clearly not suffice.
Thus, Serval decided to join forces with Pela and others.
Since Cocolia was mobilizing the Silvermane Guards to search for Bochang and his group, Serval saw an opportunity amidst the chaos—it wouldn't raise any suspicions.
Meanwhile...
Bochang and his group traversed through the rift.
The area was teeming with monsters; they encountered several every hundred meters or so.
Fortunately, their combat prowess was exceptional. Ordinary rift creatures posed little threat to them.
Bochang would unleash a Dragon Blast from afar, instantly pulverizing enemies into dust. Dan Heng and the others barely had a chance to engage.
March 7th pouted discontentedly, "Bochang, next time we encounter monsters, please don't jump in... It makes us feel like mere spectators watching your show. Even though your Explosions are impressive, you shouldn't steal all the spotlight."
"Alright, alright, I won't hog the kills then." Bochang shrugged. After having his physique enhanced three times, using the Dragon Talisman against small fry felt effortless. He hardly experienced any stamina drain unless he unleashed too many blasts within a short span, causing slight fatigue.
"How powerful could my full-strength attack be now?" Bochang pondered as they continued their journey.