Pei Guang and the others were making their way to the matrix as instructed before, but they hadn't gone far before Stelle suddenly sneezed.
"Someone must be thinking about me!"
She rubbed her nose as March 7th rolled her eyes. "Do you ever feel like something's off?"
Stelle looked over at Pei Guang. "Off? What's off? Ah Guang, is there something wrong?"
Pei Guang tilted his head thoughtfully. "Off? Nah, nothing comes to mind. Wait—there is something! Wasn't that Qingque lady supposed to guide us? Where'd she go?"
Just as he finished speaking, Qingque rushed over, calling out, "Here, here! Sorry for the delay! Lady Fu Xuan sent me to guide you. Can't have you wandering into trouble in unfamiliar territory!"
March 7th smirked. "Makes sense, but… who's at risk of trouble here?"
The group's destructive potential was well-documented. With Welt absent, Stelle and Pei Guang's unchecked antics could wreak havoc.
And why stop them? They hadn't done anything truly harmful, so there was no need to hold them back.
Qingque continued cheerfully, "Alright, everyone, follow me! I'll show you one of Xianzhou's unique transportation methods, 'Entering the Painting.' The principle's a bit complex, so just think of it as a short-range starskiff. Very convenient!"
As Qingque explained, she demonstrated how to use a special device for rapid transit. The method was simple—step through a special gate, and you'd be instantly transported to another location.
Using this method, the group quickly arrived at one of the three terminal bases, the Emerald terminal. This terminal was distinctly green-themed.
Once there, Qingque began her explanation. "Let's see… this is the Emerald terminal. As for its purpose…"
Pei Guang, always quick with a quip, muttered, "Space? So are the other terminals about space and karma?"
Qingque blinked before nodding seriously. "Exactly. The next two terminals will extract temporal information and karmic information."
As she spoke, Qingque activated the terminal, causing several runes to appear across its surface. A glowing green screen materialized nearby, displaying strange symbols.
With precision and efficiency, Qingque manipulated the runes and completed the activation in no time.
"Done!"
Qingque observed the reactivated terminal with a satisfied smile. March 7th, however, looked skeptical at how easily it was accomplished.
"You just pieced those runes together, and that's it?"
Qingque nodded confidently. "The more complex something is, the simpler it needs to be to operate. Ever heard of the principle of simplicity?"
Pei Guang smirked, adding his own commentary. "Or maybe it was so complicated before that, when things went wrong, they realized a simple system was better. Complex setups only delay fixing problems when you're scrambling for spare parts or missing pieces."
March 7th blinked. "That… actually makes sense?"
Pei Guang nodded sagely. "Of course! Complex systems might protect against external threats but usually end up being a barrier for their own users. Who hasn't been locked out by their own overly secure system?"
Qingque chuckled. "Exactly! Sometimes the biggest hurdle isn't the enemy—it's our own tech. Why make it harder for ourselves? Anyway, this one's done. Let's move on to the next terminals. By the way, isn't it surprising how cleanly the path has been cleared of enemies?"
She glanced around, noticing the thorough devastation in Welt's wake. While the enemies were gone, the collateral damage was evident—cracked floors, broken tiles and general disarray.
Still, Qingque shrugged. "At least the machinery's intact. If the budget allows, we'll replace the damaged areas. If not, patchwork will have to do."
The journey to the other terminals was uneventful, thanks to Welt's earlier efforts. The only hiccup came when they encountered a Herta Puppet that identified them as enemies.
Pei Guang's hacking prowess quickly turned the tide, and the robot switched sides, allowing them to proceed unimpeded.
With all terminals reactivated, the group returned to the Seat of Divine Foresight, where Welt waited, calm and collected.
March 7th greeted him cheerfully. "Uncle Yang, we're back! How'd it go on your end?"
Welt responded, "All enemies have been eliminated. I even relocated the survivors to safety. However, the Construct Engines suffered some damage—they weren't designed for combat, after all."
A hint of regret crept into his tone as he mentioned the wear and tear on the engines, a result of their intense use.
Pei Guang reassured him. "Durability issues, huh? No problem! Once this is over, we'll reinforce them with tougher materials. Maybe even make them heavier for more impact."
Welt considered. "We could also add some weapon systems. They won't handle stronger enemies, but they'd be great for clearing out basic threats."
Pei Guang grinned. "Exactly! Mowing down enemies is an art. And while strength is temporary, style is forever. Let's give them dual energy blades while we're at it."
As the group chatted, Fu Xuan approached, now sporting a fully repaired outfit. "You did well. I can feel the Seat of Divine Foresight's terminals shining again. Before we interrogate Kafka, do you have any questions?"
Fu Xuan had identified Pei Guang as the team's de facto leader and wanted to gauge his thoughts before Kafka's arrival.
Pei Guang replied nonchalantly, "Nothing, really. I already know everything I need to know. I'm just here for the story beats—hopefully, we can speed through them."
Fu Xuan raised an eyebrow. "You know everything? Then enlighten me. What's the source of Xianzhou's rebellion? What are the Stellaron Hunters' goals? Kafka won't arrive for a while, so let's hear your thoughts."