"Well, there's no one queuing in the lobby now. Let's go find Miss Elly," Himeko decided.
"I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused. Your rooms are now ready," Elly explained in a soft voice, reaching into a drawer to retrieve four elegant room cards, which she handed to the group.
"These are your Dream Passports. They serve as your room keys and also integrate all the functions and information for your stay at the Dreamscape Hotel, providing intelligent assistance," Elly elaborated as she introduced the cards in her hand.
"Additionally, they are special Penacony souvenirs, unique and exclusively yours."
As she spoke, Elly gestured towards the elevator area not far away, offering a gentle blessing: "May you all enjoy sweet dreams in Penacony. You can access your rooms from those elevators over there."
"Yay! Let's go now!" March 7th cheered, and the four of them, room cards in hand, headed towards their rooms.
The scene shifts, and we see Stelle arriving alone at her room, surprised to find the door wide open.
Upon entering, she sees a familiar blonde figure standing in the room, his back to the door. Hearing Stelle's footsteps, he turns around – it's Aventurine.
"What a coincidence, we meet again," Aventurine said with a smile.
"This is my room. Why are you here?" Stelle asked, somewhat perplexed.
[Bronya: Sneaking into a girl's room uninvited is not gentlemanly behavior.]
[Firefly: Stay alert. This guy is definitely up to no good.]
[March 7th: Be careful, okay? If there's any danger, make sure to call me first... and also Uncle Yang and Himeko!]
[After mentioning herself, March 7th somewhat sheepishly added Yang and Himeko, realizing that if the sky were to fall, Uncle Yang and Sister Himeko would be there to hold it up.]
"Don't be tense. I'm just here to bask in your good fortune. This room became yours just half a system hour ago; before that, it was mine. Lucky building number, lucky floor, lucky room number – I went to great lengths to book this auspicious spot. I'm giving it to you now, so cherish it well, my friend."
"You gave up this room for me?" Stelle asked, puzzled.
"What else? You think the Family just gave it away?" Aventurine rolled his eyes. "This Penacony is a genuine land of dreams. How many people in the entire galaxy would willingly spend half their lives just to get an entry ticket to the Dreamscape Hotel?"
[Seele: Come to think of it, why is Penacony so popular?]
[Gallagher: Penacony's location is quite special. After checking into the Dreamscape Hotel, you can enter the dream world through the dream pool, experiencing real beautiful dreams. Dreamchasers from all over the galaxy come here to live and die in dreams, enjoying the pleasure of escaping reality.]
[Seele: It sounds... like a very desperate place.]
[Gallagher: For some, it's heaven. For others, it's hell.]
"Think about it. What kind of people can stay here? If it weren't for my strategizing, the Family wouldn't dare offend these celebrities and bigwigs to open a backdoor for an unexpected guest like you."
"So, let's sit down and talk—by all accounts, I've earned that right, haven't I?"
"You should talk to Welt or Himeko," Stelle replied calmly. "I can't make decisions."
"Wrong. You're exactly who I need to talk to," Aventurine responded. "Simply put, my friend, I need your help. Perhaps you don't know yet, but Penacony is far more complex than it appears. The Family has eyes everywhere here. I'd rather not spell it out, but you understand."
"My goal is simple: help the company reclaim some things that rightfully belong to it. If you're willing to help me, once it's done, you'll receive a handsome reward, along with the protection of the Preservation."
[Sunday: The company indeed has ulterior motives for Penacony... or should I say, it's as expected, isn't it?]
[Welt: The land of exile, Penacony... It was originally the company's prison, but now the Family has built one of the largest playgrounds in the galaxy. The company must have been looking for ways to reclaim it for a while.]
[Aventurine: Who knows? Perhaps we can look forward to the story's ending together.]
[After posting a comment, Aventurine casually put his phone aside and leaned back in his chair to continue watching this good show. The plan hadn't even been implemented yet, and it was already about to be fully disclosed. The board members must be troubled now, but at least it doesn't matter to him personally, after all, this job hasn't been pushed onto him yet.]
"Why me?" Stelle tilted her head, asking in confusion.
"Because you're different from the others. You're special, special enough to flip the entire table. Don't you want to use that power? Or don't you want to break free from it? Don't you want to make a name for yourself across the universe with it?"
"That power that people fear yet desire is within your grasp—isn't that right, Miss Stellaron Hunter?"
[March 7th: I knew he wasn't a good person. Stelle, you must be careful about your safety, don't let some shady character catch you off guard.]
[March 7th completely forgot what she had said earlier when she saw the fee for her friend. This woman has no principles.]
[However, since it was out of concern for her, Stelle forgave her words.]
[Fuxuan: Interesting... So, you're a Stellaron?]
[Stelle: ....There is indeed a Stellaron inside me, but I'm not some kind of Stellaron being!]
The viewing continues.
Stelle asked with a suspicious look, "How did you know that?" Her eyes revealed a hint of confusion and vigilance.
However, faced with Stelle's questioning, Aventurine just smiled slightly. "Now I know."
[Stelle: !!! You tricked me into revealing it!]
[Aventurine: Now I know too.]
[Welt: Whatever you're planning to do, don't try to exploit members of the Express Crew.]
[Herta: Be careful, if you disappear, I'll be very troubled—losing a suitable experimental subject.]
The corner of his mouth curved up, and he said with a half-smile, "Heh, you don't need to answer me now. Thinking also takes time. When the time is right, I'll naturally come to find you."
Then, he changed the subject and continued, "Of course, you can also discuss it with your companions, or even try to use me in return. I welcome it because it shows me your value."
Then, Aventurine slightly restrained his smile and said seriously, "I never do business at a loss. I hope you friends... won't disappoint me."
"I can't make decisions," Stelle reiterated.
He waved his hand, seeming somewhat helpless as he said, "I told you, there's no need to rush to answer, because no matter what, the result won't change."
"Heh, you don't need to answer me now. Thinking takes time too. When the time is right, I'll naturally come to find you."
"Of course, you can also discuss it with your companions, or even try to use me in return. I welcome it because it shows me your value."
"I never do business at a loss. I hope you friends... won't disappoint me."
"I can't make decisions," Stelle repeated.
"I said, there's no need to rush to answer, because no matter what, the result won't change."