The next morning.
As the morning sun rose, Kiana, Himeko, and the other members of the train crew had just finished tidying up.
The clever foxian girl was already standing at the door.
"Good morning, everyone."
"You looked travel-worn yesterday, so after you settled in, I did not disturb you further. Do you have any plans for today?"
"Oh, Miss Tingyun."
Himeko had quite a favorable impression of this enthusiastic receiving envoy.
"We plan to stay on the Luofu for a while, then continue exploring other worlds."
"We have a few general destinations in mind—Herta Space Station, Jarilo-VI, and Penacony are all along our route. If we have the chance, we would also like to visit the other Xianzhou ships."
"You certainly know how to pick places~"
Tingyun smiled.
"However, the other flagships of the Xianzhou Alliance are not as prosperous as the Luofu. If we are speaking of a place most suitable for hosting merchants and tourists, this is the one."
"Come, I will show you around."
Under Tingyun's lead.
The group boarded a starskiff and toured the Luofu.
"There—your train is parked at the Starskiff Haven. Do not worry, the Cloud Knights are guarding it. It is very safe."
"This area is Cloudford's cargo route. Trade ships from other worlds load and unload their goods here. Mm... aside from the Corporation, the Luofu is probably the most prosperous commercial metropolis around."
At the mention of trade, Tingyun's interest was obvious.
"Corporation? Which corporation?"
The white-haired girl was full of question marks.
"The Interastral Peace Corporation. They are a corporate consortium in this region. They issue currency and monopolize many resources. Mm... you could think of them as a giant enterprise of the space age."
Bronya had stayed up all night reviewing materials and had gained some understanding of the various factions.
"That is correct. The Yaoqing has the closest cooperation with the Corporation. The Luofu also has some dealings with them."
Tingyun cast her an approving glance.
"Interstellar capitalists? Uh, if the Northern Union shipgirls heard that, they would probably charge over waving sickle-and-hammer flags and shouting 'Ura'..."
"What? ..."
Tingyun did not quite understand, though it sounded impressive.
The starskiff moved forward, carrying them through the various realms within the Luofu.
"This is Everwinter Plain. Over there is Exalting Sanctum. Today I will give you a general overview. If we have time later, we can explore in detail."
"After all, the Luofu is much larger than it appears."
Each realm aboard the Xianzhou was a small world unto itself.
There were bustling streets, vast open plains stretching to the horizon, and even coastal regions.
Kiana clicked her tongue in amazement.
"Ah, this is just like the mini-universes inside Eternal Snowfall. Mm, just a bit smaller than ours."
"You have seen realms before?"
Tingyun was slightly surprised.
Whether outworlders or interstellar merchants, most were stunned by the exquisite design upon first setting foot on the Luofu. Yet they seemed accustomed to it.
"Mm... they are just different methods of carving out subspaces, right? The Commander's ship contains mini-universes that can house stars and construct entire star systems. They are indeed much larger~."
Mei nodded.
"Hm? ..."
Tingyun caught the key point. Her ears twitched and her eyes flickered.
"You mean to say that the realms created by the Starsea Empire can contain an entire star system?"
"Mm-hm. Those would only be the smaller ones. Some can fit a single star, others can hold hundreds or thousands."
"Mm, though if the volume gets too large, it becomes troublesome for the Commander to construct."
"!!!"
Seele spoke casually, but a storm had already risen in Tingyun's heart.
As the chief of a merchant guild, she had long cultivated the ability to judge others from the subtlest words and gestures.
If someone was dazzled by the Luofu's prosperity and reacted in shock at everything, they likely came from a remote region or a resource-poor world.
But what were they saying?
Realms large enough to contain star systems? Creating stars at will?
For their so-called Commander, was scattering stars across the void merely "troublesome"?
That surpassed the Xianzhou's realms by far—no, it was nearly divine power.
In an instant, Tingyun elevated the importance of the Starsea Empire several levels in her mind.
These were absolutely not outworlders from some backwater nor shabby interstellar tourists. Behind them stood a civilization beyond imagination.
"Tsk... it seems this humble one has made the acquaintance of some truly extraordinary people..."
The starskiff continued onward and descended near the bustling streets of Starskiff Haven.
"This is Exalting Sanctum Avenue, the largest commercial district in Starskiff Haven."
"Why not take a stroll here and see if anything catches your interest? I also know several excellent restaurants I can recommend."
Tingyun guided them through the district.
As the economic center of the Xianzhou Alliance, the Luofu gathered merchant guilds from all directions. The streets were crowded and lively.
All kinds of exotic goods from different worlds dazzled the eye.
"This one! And this one! I'm bringing these back for the Commander and for Mom!"
Kiana picked out several items, had them wrapped up, and turned to leave with them.
"Wait a moment??"
The shopkeeper thought he had encountered a brazen street robber and shouted at once.
"Hey!! Young lady, you haven't paid yet!!"
Clack—
Several Cloud Knights approached. Petty theft might exist on the Luofu, but such an audacious bandit was unheard of.
"Huh?! What?! You have to pay for things you buy?!"
The white-haired girl was stunned. Her question made Tingyun freeze on the spot.
"You... ah, this humble one is a bit confused..."
...
Half an hour later.
"We are terribly sorry. We have grown used to life in the capital."
In a private room of a restaurant at Starskiff Haven, Himeko expressed her apologies to Tingyun.
Having lived so long in the utopian world of the Starsea Empire, they had long forgotten the concept of paying for goods.
If they liked something, they simply took it—or had Bulins or Angeloids craft one for them.
Having just arrived on the Xianzhou, they naturally had no local currency such as credits or shields. Tingyun had to step in and resolve the matter.
Even this table of dishes was her treat.
"No matter, no matter. It is but a small sum. Consider it a meeting gift."
Tingyun lightly fanned herself.
"In truth, it was my oversight for failing to remind you to exchange for Xianzhou currency. My apologies, my apologies~"
She was exceedingly polite and sincere, making even Kiana feel embarrassed.
"We intend to stay here for a while. We cannot trouble Miss Tingyun for food and clothing expenses forever."
"As it happens, we brought some items from the Starsea Empire. They should be exchangeable for your common currency here, yes?"
Himeko took out several scrolls.
When traveling between worlds, currency systems differed everywhere. Yet certain goods were universally tradable.
Swish, swish, swish—
She activated the scrolls, and a small pile of gold, silver, and various ores was unsealed.
"Oh!"
Tingyun was rather curious about this technique of sealing items within magical scrolls.
She casually picked up a few pieces and examined them carefully.
"Mm... fine quality. Some of these minerals do not exist here. They should fetch a good price at the merchant guild."
"Do you have any other specialties? This humble one would love to broaden her horizons."
Himeko thought for a moment.
Some items within the Starsea Empire were non-commercial. However, with technological iteration, many older models of equipment had become obsolete and piled up in warehouses.
Coincidentally, the Astral Express carried some. Since they would only gather dust, they might as well be sold to aliens.
Swish—
She produced another scroll and infused it with power.
Boom!—
A dark-yellow humanoid mecha was summoned outside the restaurant, standing tall and drawing startled cries.
"This is a modified Zaku. It is capable of atmospheric maneuver combat and requires a pilot to operate."
"We also have more advanced models, though we did not bring many aboard the train."
"Huh?"
Tingyun stared in disbelief.
It somewhat resembled a gold-figure automaton to her eyes.
"Ah, forgive me. This humble one is not versed in craftsmanship. Perhaps we should consult the Artisanship Commission later? ..."
Himeko took out several smaller scrolls and, with a series of crackling sounds, summoned various pieces of equipment.
There were mass-produced Teigu brought back from the Akame ga Kill world, weapons obtained from worlds like RE:Zero and Goblin Slayer, as well as small magical devices crafted by their own academy.
"Oh..."
Tingyun examined each one without blinking.
The styles were entirely different, clearly originating from completely different worlds.
Most outrageous of all, there were even game consoles and manga. Based on the successful experience in the Nyarlathotep world, the vanguard team thought they might conquer other alien civilizations through cultural exports.
"..."
Though Tingyun was not knowledgeable about weaponry and equipment, she keenly sensed a business opportunity.
From the train crew's earlier knowledge and bearing, the Starsea Empire was likely an unimaginably advanced super-civilization.
They possessed many things and knowledge unknown to both the Xianzhou Alliance and herself.
After a moment of thought, the foxian girl made her decision at once.
Snap.
She closed her folding fan.
"On behalf of the Xianzhou Luofu and the Whistling Flame Merchant Guild, this humble one formally extends an invitation to the Starsea Empire:"
"Let us establish diplomatic relations and sign a trade agreement! Mm... if we could also exchange envoys and establish embassies for one another, that would be even better!"
"Ah..."
Himeko was filled with emotion.
Who had the Starsea Empire last signed a trade agreement with? Perhaps the United Cosmos in the Nyarlathotep world.
The Empire rarely signed formal cooperation treaties.
Back home, we usually call it tribute.
...
The day before, when reporting the situation to headquarters, Himeko had already received Setsuna's approval.
Thus, without much effort, she agreed to Tingyun's proposal.
"The Commander has agreed. The specific treaty details will be discussed with you by Sophon."
"Excellent, excellent!"
Tingyun looked delighted.
"Mm... such a major matter should still be reported to the General, and then divined by the Divination Commission."
"Please wait a moment. This humble one will introduce you. They are all important figures of the Luofu."
...
Two hours later, within one of the Luofu's realms.
Compared to Starskiff Haven and the Sky-Faring Commission, this place felt solemn and imposing.
The buildings were even more magnificent, several times larger than those in the commercial district. Cloud Knights stood in neat ranks along both sides.
This was one of the Six Commissions of the Xianzhou—the seat of the Cloud Knights.
Each Xianzhou ship has a General who commands its forces, leading the Xianzhou in the extermination of Abundance abominations and deciding diplomatic affairs with other world civilizations.
"Everyone, please."
Tingyun led Himeko and the others off the starskiff, across a corridor bridge, and into the main hall.
What greeted them was a resplendent golden chamber.
The bluestone floor was inlaid with dark-gold patterns. At the center platform, a holographic projection displayed the structural layout of the Xianzhou Luofu and the surrounding star charts.
The classical architectural style blended seamlessly with futuristic technology, grand and imposing.
Mei felt her legs go slightly weak.
Without realizing it, she had become a representative of the Starsea Empire and was about to conduct diplomatic negotiations in the Empire's name with another spacefaring alien civilization.
Sophon accompanied them in holographic form. The Xianzhou people were accustomed to such projections and found nothing strange about it.
"Please, have a seat."
A girl gestured for them to sit.
She had long pink hair pinned into twin ring buns with golden hairpins. Petite in stature, she possessed a delicate and charming face.
She wore a flowing celestial robe woven of cloud brocade and gold-silver threads, tailored to accentuate her youthful figure just right.
Beneath the hem were light, flowing white stockings, adding a subtle allure to the classical attire.
The astrolabe ornament on her outfit revealed her identity—the Divination Commission.
To observe omens and question the arcane, to calculate the extreme and know what is to come—the Divination Commission is responsible for intelligence and information analysis aboard the Xianzhou.
"This one is Fu Xuan, head of the Divination Commission of the Luofu. Our first meeting—no, from the moment you approached the Luofu, this one had already foreseen your arrival in the hexagrams."
Fu Xuan greeted them.
"Tingyun claims the visitors from the Starsea Empire are extraordinary, far beyond ordinary outworlders. Thus, this one wished to see for herself."
As she spoke, she observed the members of the train crew for quite some time.
"Interesting... if you have the time, you may visit the Divination Commission. This one could divine a fortune for you."
By the intuition of a diviner, she sensed that Himeko and the others were different from the Xianzhou people and other visitors she usually encountered.
The karmic threads entangled around them were chaotic and tangled, beyond even her celestial eye to perceive clearly.
"However, today we shall first discuss official matters. The General is occupied and cannot attend in person."
Swish—
A holographic projection appeared beside them, showing a general clad in ancient-style armor.
"I am Jing Yuan, General of the Cloud Knights of the Luofu. There is no need for restraint. The Luofu embraces all things and naturally welcomes visitors from myriad worlds."
He glanced around and gestured for them to sit.
"Ordinarily, the Luofu's trade is handled by Miss Tingyun. She has expressed the desire to establish formal diplomatic relations with the Starsea Empire... hm..."
Jing Yuan pondered briefly.
He trusted Tingyun's abilities. The Luofu's present prosperity owed much to this foxian girl. He was also well acquainted with the process of signing trade agreements with other civilizations.
Swish—
Detailed reports were projected onto the holographic interfaces before everyone.
"We hope to establish friendly relations with the Starsea Empire. One land nourishes one people. By exchanging what we have and what we lack, we may develop together, is that not so?"
Tingyun said with a smile.
"We agree."
Sophon took the lead in the diplomatic negotiations on behalf of the train crew.
Directly connected to the Sophon network, she transmitted every detail back to the Starsea Empire, acting in Setsuna's stead.
Once the general direction was established, both sides quickly moved on to discussing detailed clauses.
"Mm... first and foremost, a trade agreement between our two sides."
"The Luofu serves as the Xianzhou Alliance's window for foreign trade. The fleets of the Starsea Empire may dock here for resupply and rest in the future."
"May I ask where your trade fleet will be headed? We are not very familiar with your nation. Our apologies."
"The Solar System will suffice. This is the Starsea Empire's forward outpost in this world."
Sophon marked the location of the Honkai-1 Space Station on the star chart.
"Oh... that truly is a distant world. No wonder little information has reached us from there."
Fu Xuan and Jing Yuan studied the star map thoughtfully.
As for trade goods and the like, the Starsea Empire was not particularly concerned. The Empire's homeland possessed near-infinite resources. Most imports from other worlds were simply novel trinkets for amusement.
Tingyun, however, took it very seriously, listing a long catalog—from ores, handicrafts, and local specialties to weapons and equipment.
"This humble one has another suggestion. Both sides could dispatch envoys to reside in each other's worlds to facilitate cultural exchange and communication."
She proposed sincerely.
"If you wish to explore this universe, the Xianzhou can serve as a supply point for your train. The Sky-Faring Commission is willing to allocate an area for the Starsea Empire's use."
"Approved."
After communicating briefly with headquarters, Sophon responded.
The Luofu could also serve as a forward base for the Starsea Empire, useful for researching this world's power system.
"Envoys must be girls only!"
Kiana succinctly added her condition.
"Ah? ..."
The Luofu representatives were momentarily stunned.
Upon reflection, it was normal for civilizations from the myriad worlds to have particular customs.
When doing business, one should respect the other party's rules.
"In that case..."
Jing Yuan considered for a moment.
"Tingyun, you will be responsible from now on."
"Ah? Me?"
Tingyun pointed at herself in surprise, not expecting to be dispatched to the Starsea Empire so readily.
"There is no one more suitable."
Facing an unfamiliar civilization, Tingyun's tact and adaptability made her the best choice. She handled matters properly and would not easily offend anyone.
"As it happens, the Yaoqing will soon send a contingent of Cloud Knights to the Luofu for training. There is a young girl among them. If you require assistance, she may accompany you."
"The Divination Commission also has a candidate. She loafs about all day and has practically written a manual on slacking off!! Let her accompany you to another world and gain some experience."
Fu Xuan suddenly thought of a certain master of idleness at her side and promptly assigned Tingyun two assistants.
"..."
After a brief exchange with headquarters, Sophon nodded in agreement.
"We will also dispatch a research team to be stationed on the Luofu to study this world. Tentatively, it will be led by the head of the Advanced Science Division."
"She wishes to examine and research the structure of your gold-figure automatons and the history of the Intellitron Rebellion. She also hopes to capture several Abundance abominations as wetware to test their combustion efficiency."
"Capture? Combustion efficiency? ..."
Hearing that someone was willing to help deal with the Abundance abominations, the Xianzhou representatives were naturally pleased. However, the phrasing sounded increasingly strange the more they considered it.
"A scholar, is she? May we know her esteemed name, so we may prepare a proper reception?"
Fu Xuan asked.
"Gray Tempest. You may call her Grey."
"?... What an unusual name."
An ominous premonition arose among them.