Chapter 14 Chapter 14: Welt Feels Restless
Chapter 14: Welt Feels Restless
At the same time, if one could infinitely raise their perspective to near the planet's orbit outside the atmosphere, they would discover a long, gray-black train miraculously parked in space, motionless.
In most people's common sense, trains are clearly a type of ground transportation that cannot move without tracks. This wondrous scene inevitably makes people marvel.
But thinking from another perspective, perhaps those aliens you know nothing about simply prefer this kind of style?
"Space readings abnormal! Star rail stability rate has dropped to 12%!"
On this peculiar interstellar train, a small doll wearing a conductor's cap on its head explained the current situation to the passengers: "Docking plan changed. The docking time at this station will be extended from seven days to indefinite."
"Indefinite?"
The silver-haired girl in front instinctively questioned this conclusion, and the red-haired woman beside her promptly provided an explanation: "To use a regular land train as an analogy, our current situation is like the track ahead suddenly breaking, with a bottomless abyss below... At times like this, we have no choice but to hit the emergency brakes, right?"
"To be honest, Stelle, we've encountered this kind of situation many times already. I don't even need to guess to know that the cause this time is definitely another Stellaron. As for the nature of that thing, uh... how was it described again?"
The pink-haired girl standing on Stelle's other side scratched her head in frustration, unable to articulate it properly.
Fortunately, Welt, who had been carefully observing the data all along, stepped forward in time and explained: "In fact, as of now, no individual or organization has yet uncovered the true nature of Stellarons."
"The only certainty is that the descent of a Stellaron brings about drastic changes to civilization and ecology, and can cause spatial distortions like Fragmentum zones. The reason Jarilo-VI has become such a frozen planet... is likely inextricably linked to the Stellaron."
"Based on our conjecture, Stellarons are actually calamitous seeds sown by a certain Aeon into various worlds. If we don't eradicate the source of the disaster, 'The Trailblaze' cannot proceed."
It is widely known in the universe that all current 'star rails' and 'anchors' were gradually carved out within the boundless Imaginary energy thousands of years ago by the Aeon of The Trailblaze—Akivili—leading the very Astral Express they are on now.
Without these rails and anchors, almost no one could determine their destination or orientation within the starry sea. And Stellarons are substances that can obscure these anchors.
This is also why, when the Stellaron first descended upon Jarilo-VI, not many chose to stay and face the hardships with the planet. Because even if they successfully repelled the invasion of the Antimatter Legion, they would be completely cut off from the rest of the universe thereafter.
Many who originally lived on this planet chose to flee their homeland, let alone those alien speculators who were only there to earn credits?
"That's right, that's right! Uncle Yang, that's exactly what I meant to say!"
After hearing Welt's explanation, this pink-haired girl's eyes immediately lit up, and she even proudly puffed out her chest.
Maybe she isn't that clever herself, but clearly having a knowledgeable external brain is also something worth being proud of.
"So... Sister Himeko, are we actually a group of chivalrous cosmic heroes?" Thinking of this, Stelle's eyes couldn't help but sparkle faintly like her companion's.
Galactic Baseballer or something like that—doesn't that sound really cool?
"If that makes you feel motivated, then of course you can say that." Himeko slightly spread open one palm and said: "For this trailblazing journey, I want to entrust it to you, March 7th, and Dan Heng."
"The purpose of the journey is also clear: find the Stellaron that brought disaster to this world and caused spatial distortions, bring it back to the Express crew—we'll handle everything after that."
"As for us... someone has to stay behind on the train; otherwise, Pom-Pom would be lonely."
Saying this, Himeko curled her lips into a charming smile at them: "If you have no objections, you can go talk to Dan Heng now and prepare to set off."
"He's probably already started compiling ecological and survey data about Jarilo-VI, right? Before starting a journey, it's never wrong to gather more information."
"Ah, Sister Himeko, don't worry! With me taking care of them both, absolutely nothing will go wrong!" Like a child finally free from adults' supervision, before Stelle could respond, March 7th grabbed her wrist and pulled her away.
Watching the figures of the young man and women depart, Welt couldn't help but sigh: "It's not our turn again this time..."
"I know you really want to go, but we also have to let the young ones walk more and build their bonds."
Himeko still smiled as she responded to Welt. But as the eldest senior in the entire Express crew, Welt's brow remained furrowed: "Maybe there is indeed a reason of unextinguished passion... but that's not my main concern..."
"For some reason, I feel an unsettling palpitation in my heart... Judging from the results shown by the detectors, there shouldn't be anything on Jarilo-VI powerful enough to seriously threaten little March and the others."
"But there is indeed one point difficult to verify: the train's detectors cannot accurately scan things more than a hundred meters below ground. Could it be that before withdrawing, the Antimatter Legion left some terrifying biological weapon on Jarilo-VI?"
However, for it to reach a level where they would feel unable to cope, it would at least have to be something like the Doomsday Beast they encountered last time at the space station—specifically created to destroy an entire planet.
"Unexplained palpitations? Hmm... I haven't felt anything at all myself, nor received any indications from The Path."
Even so, Himeko didn't take it lightly. Instead, she nodded seriously and said: "However, your intuition has never been poor. Presumably there really is some unknown danger hidden on this planet."
"In that case, it seems we two parents looking after children will just have to be even busier, keeping an eye on these little ones' whereabouts at all times."
Himeko didn't mind this kind of constant concern for their own kids at all. On the contrary, she seemed to relish it?
"Well... alright then. It seems that's all we can do."
Welt gently placed his palm on his chest. That palpitation feeling within him still hadn't eased at all.
What in the world... is causing it?
There is an illustration here; it can be viewed after updating the version.
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