The proud and dignified statue featured Dan Heng with a serious expression, holding a bright pink bunny rabbit: seeing this just once was enough to make anyone laugh, no matter how many times they saw it.
They all understood why Dan Heng had hurried off so quickly. With Pei Guang pulling out this piece, it was hard not to burst out laughing, especially knowing that Dan Heng holding the pink bunny had become a well-known image throughout all of Belobog.
As Pei Guang and March 7th described the situation, Pom-Pom's expression turned serious: "This is truly a valuable gift. I understand now, and I deeply appreciate it. I will place it in a fitting spot."
Pom-Pom then placed the trash-can-shaped statue in the most prominent location, ensuring that the dignity of Belobog's trash can would travel across the stars with the Nameless.
To Pom-Pom, this honor was well-deserved by Pei Guang and the others. Even Himeko and Welt had only managed to suppress the Stellaron's effects temporarily, giving the people of the planet some breathing room. However, Pei Guang, with his mysterious abilities, completely sealed the Stellaron and took it away.
Whether it was because the Stellaron was sealed or Pei Guang's presence had altered things, the planet's spatial rifts were slowly retreating. According to calculations from Himeko and Welt, the first hundred years would see only a minor retreat, but within three hundred years, the rifts would disappear completely, signaling that the planet's crisis was resolved. As for the future? Well, they would deal with that when it came.
Welt had inspected Pei Guang's wooden sword but couldn't figure it out. No matter what force he applied, the sword remained unbreakable. In fact, its very existence seemed to defy the laws of this universe. That's probably why it was able to seal the Stellaron and even absorb its power.
After securing the trash-can statue, Pom-Pom addressed Pei Guang, March 7th, and Stelle: "The train is about to depart from the current station and enter a stable interstellar zone. For your safety, please hold onto something until the train reaches cruising speed."
Pei Guang: "Oh, so we're about to hit another cutscene. Alright, I'll go find a place to hang out."
March 7th stood up as well: "Me too! Hey, Seele? What are you doing standing there? Just treat this place like home—come on, let's go!"
Stelle also got up, preparing to chat casually with Himeko and Welt.
Pei Guang walked to the window and gazed out at the snow-covered planet. He didn't feel particularly sad, just curious about whether he'd ever come across a world similar to Earth, with the same cultural background. Would he ever find the city he once lived in on this world's version of Earth?
These thoughts made Pei Guang feel a bit down, but he quickly adjusted his mood as the endless stars beyond the window were truly beautiful.
As he admired the view, Pom-Pom's voice came over the train's PA system.
"Testing… Testing…"
After a quick sound check, Pom-Pom continued: "Thank you for your patience, passengers! Thanks to the efforts of our four Trailblazers, the rift's activity has been reduced to its lowest levels, and the astral readings are back to normal! The train is now ready to depart from Jarilo-VI. Please hold on tight and say your final goodbyes to the planet!"
The train began to move, and while Pei Guang wanted to jump around the carriage in excitement, the train now had new rules forbidding jumping or rolling around during travel. This left him with a slight sense of disappointment.
As for Stelle, she finished her chat with Himeko and Welt and took a seat, waiting for the train to reach its stable cruising speed.
In an empty carriage, March 7th and Seele leaned against the window, watching Jarilo-VI slowly shrink into the distance.
March 7th: "How do you feel?"
Seele: "Honestly, pretty nervous... It's a complicated feeling. If it weren't for Pei Guang, I probably wouldn't have left."
Seele thought for a moment. Even if Stelle and March 7th had invited her, she likely would have stayed in Belobog to help rebuild the Underworld.
March 7th: "Who knows? But I get how you feel. On my first trip, I was so nervous I could barely sleep. But now, I'm super excited about the next planet we're going to! With Pei Guang, Stelle, and you, I bet it's going to be an amazing adventure. Oh, by the way, your room is right next to Pei Guang's. If you ever need something or want to return, just go to him. His teleportation is totally broken!"
Seele nodded enthusiastically: "I will! Definitely! And thank you, March."
March 7th: "Don't mention it! We're companions now, after all."
March 7th was no longer using her cheerful demeanor as a shield. She had found true companions—people she could talk to, play with, and even go wild with. Though the fear of "nothingness" still lurked deep inside her, Pei Guang's presence gave her the strength to face it head-on.
She believed that with Pei Guang's "player skills," even if she lost her memory again one day, he would definitely help her regain it and find her once more. It was a somewhat blind faith, but she knew that her trust in Pei Guang was unwavering.
Meanwhile, in his cabin, Dan Heng was enjoying a baby-like sleep under the protection of his Herta doll. With headphones on, a smile only a child could make spread across his face as he slept peacefully.
It wasn't clear how long he had been sleeping when the Herta puppet nudged him awake: "Wake up, wake up!"
In his dream, Dan Heng was poking his enemies with the pink bunny plush. He was just about to hear that satisfying sound when the doll's voice woke him up.
Hearing the knocking at the door, Dan Heng replied: "One moment, I'll be right there."
Outside, March 7th turned to Stelle and Seele: "See? I told you, he's totally sleeping in again. I don't know what trick Pei Guang taught him, but Dan Heng's been napping a lot lately."
March 7th called out to Dan Heng: "Hey Dan Heng, the conductor asked us to remind you that the navigation meeting is about to start. Same place as always, don't be late. You can nap after the meeting!"
Dan Heng: "Got it."
With that, March 7th, Stelle, and Seele made their way to the train's main hall.
As they arrived, they found Pei Guang staring up at the ceiling from the sofa.
March 7th: "Pei Guang? What's up?"
She was curious, having never seen him spaced out like this before.
Hearing her voice, Pei Guang turned around: "Oh? You're all up? I'm not tired or anything—just bored, waiting for the travel cutscene to end."
Stelle chimed in: "It is a bit boring! But speaking of which, do you know where the next stop is?"
Pei Guang: "Huh? No idea. But based on our earlier guesses, it's probably Xianzhou where Dan Heng got kicked out, and we'll have to fight some unbeatable enemies there, right?"
Seele: "I don't know much, but Pei Guang, just tell me who to chop."
Pei Guang: "No problem. When we find the boss, just hack away at it!"
March 7th quickly shook her head: "Please no, if your prediction is right, our journey is going to be full of trouble!"
When she first met Pei Guang, she didn't believe a word of his strange predictions. But after spending time together, she couldn't help but start believing—his "predictions" were just too accurate.
Seeing March 7th's conflicted expression, Pei Guang shrugged: "It's not like I want my predictions to come true. But when I show up as a player, nothing is a coincidence, and every impossible event becomes inevitable. Without conflict, there's no story. And without a story, why would they need a player like me here in the first place? Maybe this world—or certain events—need me to deal with them!"
Pei Guang wasn't being egotistical; he was simply drawing on his experience from countless games to make an educated guess.
As the four of them chatted, Pom-Pom came striding over on his little legs. "Everyone!"
Hearing this, Pei Guang stood up: "Looks like the cutscene is ending. Next up: new missions and some exciting, action-packed adventures."
March 7th: "You look like you're really looking forward to it."
Pei Guang: "Of course I am! Let's see if my guess is right. Honestly, I hope I'm wrong this time…"
At Pom-Pom's call, everyone gathered around.