Once the warp jump was complete, March 7th had captured it all on her camera—a perfect snapshot of the moment.
In the photo, Pei Guang was spinning at high speed, Stelle and March 7th were hugging each other, striking a pose, while in the background, Silver Wolf and Seele clapped enthusiastically. Himeko, Welt, and Dan Heng could be seen in the far corner, watching the spectacle unfold.
It was a snapshot of pure chaos, yet somehow, it was beautiful. Even Welt and Dan Heng couldn't help but smile and shake their heads at the scene.
As the warp started, everyone—whether they were spinning, standing, clapping, or taking photos—was suddenly flung across the cabin.
With the sound of bodies hitting the floor and laughter echoing, the warp ended. By the time the jump was over, everyone was scattered across the train. But true to their resourceful nature, Pei Guang caught March 7th mid-fall, summoning an oversized cushion just in time for them to land softly.
Seele, meanwhile, entered her phantom illusion, completely avoiding any impact.
Silver Wolf had tried to catch Stelle mid-air, but unfortunately, she wasn't strong enough. Instead, she ended up being pulled into Stelle's arms as they both crashed to the ground.
Stelle groaned, "Ow, ow, ow… March, did you get that on camera?"
Despite the rough landing, Stelle's priority was making sure March 7th had captured the memorable moment.
Still lying on top of Pei Guang, March 7th shakily raised her camera, checked the photos, and nodded. "Got it. I captured everything. Not a single person missing."
Looking at the people in the shot, March 7th's smile was so bright it was impossible to hide.
As the group lay there in their pile of chaos, Pom-Pom re-entered the scene after the warp had finished.
Seeing the scene of everyone sprawled across the floor, Pom-Pom's face froze. "What… happened here?"
Sensing Pom-Pom's confusion, Himeko approached and showed Pom-Pom the footage she had recorded. The video revealed Pei Guang spinning in the middle, Stelle and March 7th pushing him along, while Silver Wolf and Seele clapped from the sidelines. Pom-Pom squinted and re-watched the video three times to make sure he wasn't seeing things.
Finally, Pom-Pom's face stiffened in disbelief.
Himeko smiled. "What do you think?"
Pom-Pom sighed, "It's giving me a headache."
Himeko chuckled, "Better add it to the rules."
Pom-Pom grumbled, "Adding it... adding it..."
And so, from that day forward, a new rule was implemented aboard the Astral Express: along with the prohibition of jumping and flipping during warp, there was now a ban on handstands and spinning. As for any other stunts? Well, Pom-Pom figured they'd just wait to see what Pei Guang came up with next.
For now, though, Pom-Pom had a throbbing headache. Having such an unusual passenger was certainly entertaining, but the unique chaos that came with Pei Guang always kept Pom-Pom on its toes.
The warp ended, and Pei Guang finally stopped spinning, the effects of the warp catching up to him. With Stelle's help, he managed to get back on his feet.
Stelle: "Pei Guang! That was super cool!"
Pei Guang: "Cool or not, I'm feeling a little... dizzy!"
At that moment, Pei Guang realized the meaning of the saying, "Don't court disaster". But he didn't regret it—spinning during a warp was something very few could ever claim to have done.
March 7th quickly sent the group photo she had taken to everyone aboard the Astral Express. After saving and admiring the picture, the crew stood up as well.
But when Pei Guang, Stelle, March 7th, and Seele looked out the window, their eyes widened in shock at the sight of the Xianzhou Luofu.
Pei Guang: "Tech meets cultivation, huh? I didn't expect the second main quest after the beginner area to look like this. Wait... what's that?"
In Pei Guang's field of vision, a golden giant appeared briefly. The moment it locked eyes with him, it vanished.
March 7th: "Pei Guang? What did you see?" She followed his gaze but only saw the majestic Xianzhou Luofu, far larger than any planet, floating before them.
Pei Guang, still deep in thought: "I think I saw a giant? Maybe I'm just seeing things from the dizziness."
March 7th: "If it's a golden giant, I think I've heard of it before. It might be..."
Dan Heng, recalling the legend: "The Arbiter-General, did you see the Arbiter-General?"
Seeing the Arbiter-General wasn't unheard of, but Dan Heng's analysis suggested that what confused Pei Guang was not just seeing it but perhaps the Arbiter-General seeing him.
As they chatted, Silver Wolf, chewing on bubblegum, casually interrupted: "Alright, everyone, I've hacked into Xianzhou Luofu's system. Soon, a machine will escort you aboard."
Welt, always practical, glanced at Silver Wolf: "Quite the handy ability. But entering like this is bound to cause some trouble."
Pei Guang, unfazed: "Not a big deal. Just tell them straight up that Silver Wolf, a Stellaron Hunter, hacked us in. If they ask who was behind it, say it was my idea to have Silver Wolf hack the system so we could board. Our mission is to save lives—people on the brink of death. If their leadership has half a brain, they won't bother us. And if they do, well, we'll just teleport away."
March 7th sighed, slipping into her usual sarcastic tone: "There it is! Pei Guang, the man who never lies! I'll bet a credit that when we get to Luofu, someone will think Pei Guang is lying or picking a fight when he tells the truth."
Stelle, ever the fan of Pei Guang's antics, added: "Oh, mighty Pei Guang! Once again, show us your art of using truth to confuse the masses. I want to see it again."
She joked because, ever since meeting Pei Guang, she'd realized he never told a lie.
Listening to their banter, Himeko held her head: "Honestly, if I didn't know anything about Pei Guang and just heard him talking like this, I wouldn't believe him either."
Pei Guang shrugged: "It can't be helped. Traditional methods—tell the truth, and nobody believes it. Tell a lie, and everyone buys it. Besides, even if Silver Wolf didn't help us, odds are we'd still be treated as enemies for entering by unconventional means, especially if we're shouting about saving lives. Unless this Xianzhou's leaders are particularly sharp... but when are they ever? As a player, I know the drill: most leaders are a bit off."
Himeko chuckled, an idea forming: "Oh? Want to place a bet?"
Pei Guang: "Bet on what? That the leadership isn't all there? Hmm... even though I lose every bet I make, since it's with you, Himeko, I'll give it a shot. I bet the leadership on this Xianzhou is off their rocker and won't trust us."
Himeko: "Then I'll bet the opposite. And what are we betting on?"
Pei Guang thought for a moment: "Alright, if I lose, I'll treat you to all the fun, food, and drinks you want here on Xianzhou. Deal?"
Himeko smiled: "Deal. And if I lose, all your reasonable expenses on Xianzhou are on me."
As the bet was made, March 7th and Stelle looked on in despair.
March 7th: "It's over. Pei Guang's going to lose everything, again."
Silver Wolf, intrigued, asked: "Huh? But Pei Guang's sharp—he's got loads of experience, and he's always making predictions that come true. Can't he win?"
Stelle shook her head: "Nope! Pei Guang's cursed to lose any bet."
Silver Wolf: "Wait, what? Cursed to lose every bet?!"