Chapter 180: Little March, the Big Genius
As if seeing a dark future looming, March 7th's expression turned to terror, her vision suddenly darkened, and she nearly collapsed to her knees powerlessly.
"Oh~!"
With an extremely exaggerated expression, Stelle's face changed in a second. She clutched her chest, as if performing a play on stage.
Assuming the delicate, tear-wiping posture of Lin Daiyu, a few tears welled up in her golden eyes, her expression mournful, feigning sorrow melodramatically:
"I weep for A-Qi~!"
March 7th was nauseated awake by Stelle's put-on voice. Her small face instantly morphed from terror to fury, and the fire of anger burned in her eyes.
"You're making this girl so mad!"
"Caelus!"
Pushing away Fengta, who was massaging Caelus from behind, March 7th's expression was savage, like a Samoyed climbing out of hell. Her left hand formed a claw, her right a fist.
"Look at the 'good' work you've done!"
March 7th's hands, like drills, rotated back and forth on Caelus's temples.
"Hmph hmph, didn't expect that, Caelus-zai."
Even though the shared sensation of being drilled also came from both sides of her head, Stelle still resolutely hugged Caelus from the side, forcefully twisting Caelus's shoulders with both hands, and then held him tightly from behind.
"Retribution came so swiftly!"
She wanted to avenge being headlocked just now.
"Isn't it funny? I think it's at least more interesting than Shut Up's jokes?! Please, my lady hero, have mercy."
Caelus, locked from behind by the brute-force Stelle, struggled fiercely. However, the vast difference in their physical prowess meant he could only bury his head in March 7th's embrace, enduring the girl's vicious head-drilling while screaming in agony.
With her anger level off the charts, March 7th paid little attention to the curves being pressed against her chest.
Anyway, Stelle and Caelus shared a body sensation. She had plenty of physical contact with Stelle when they played, which, rounded up, amounted to intimate contact with Caelus.
"Sister Himeko! I want to format Shut Up!"
March 7th was still very interested in Shut Up's cold jokes, but cold jokes about her were quite unnecessary.
Every time future junior Nameless ones mentioned the mature and steady Senior March 7th, the first thing that came to mind would be Shut Up's cold jokes. That kind of thing was absolutely unacceptable!
"Alright, March, I support you."
Himeko's smile was extremely gentle, but a faint red glow flickered in her eyes.
She had long wanted to format that broken robot!
"Please note, formatting the device will clear all user data such as dining habits, calorie planning, metabolic efficiency, etc.!"
Detecting the keyword, Shut Up, clinging to Caelus's front like an obedient student, immediately issued a warning:
"Improper operation during formatting may lead to severe consequences! Including but not limited to life support system malfunction and train derailment."
"It's just formatting a drink-mixing robot, how could something like that happen?!"
March 7th rolled her eyes, glaring at Shut Up with an expression that said, "Do you think this girl is stupid?" and tilted her small head up.
"Format."
"Operation involves risks, please proceed manually."
A virtual projection screen popped up in front of Shut Up. Below a warning sign combining a triangle and an exclamation mark were two buttons:
[Exit this Operation], [Proceed with Formatting].
Little March gritted her teeth, her expression seemingly a bit reluctant.
But after considering the consequences, and then hearing Shut Up's Otto-esque refined yet extremely punchable voice, what were clearly warnings to the user sounded like provocations.
This was bearable, but Little March could not bear it!
With a grit of her teeth and a stomp of her foot, March 7th's small hand slammed onto the [Proceed with Formatting] option.
"I sincerely thank you for this time we've spent together, and wish you a pleasant journey in the future~"
"This unit is about to format and enter self-destruct mode. Dear Nameless ones, we shall meet again in the next Kalpa of Return!"
It was like a cardinal's closing remarks after a sermon, making Welt's veins throb on his forehead.
"W-w-w-what's happening?!"
Hearing the keyword "self-destruct," March 7th snatched back her small hand like lightning, curling her arms and retreating several steps, looking like a little girl seeing sparks fly from a fuse while setting off fireworks.
She frantically clutched her small head: "Why would formatting cause self-destruction?! Sister Himeko! Quick, tell me how to cancel the process!"
Even Himeko and Welt's faces changed; neither of them knew that formatting would trigger self-destruction.
Given the personality of whoever designed, or rather, renovated Shut Up, this wasn't impossible.
"Miss March 7th, please don't worry. My previous master, in order to give everyone ample time for rational thought, also left a safety measure. Please continue with the manual operation."
Shut Up comforted her in Otto's tone, while two options popped up again in front of it.
[Confirm Termination of Formatting], [Cancel Formatting Process]
"Huh?"
March 7th blinked her smart, sparkly big eyes, her willow brows furrowed, her pretty little face scrunched up. She stared at the two options for a long half-minute before she finally processed it.
"There's no choice at all!"
"Pfft! Ah hahahaha!"
Lying in Stelle's embrace, seeing Little March's series of reactions, Caelus was utterly amused, roaring with laughter and banging on the table.
March 7th slowly caught on, her small face gradually turning from light to dark: "Caelus, you already knew the consequences of clicking format?"
"Oh haha, Stelle and I… haha—pressed the format option on the second day after getting on the train."
Don't ask, just assume it's Otto's voice. As a veteran captain, Caelus simply couldn't resist!
March 7th shivered all over, clutching her hair, stomping her feet forcefully. Her emotions swung wildly; she completely lost her composure.
"I went too easy on myself!"
"A-Xing, hold Caelus tight for me! This girl is going to show him what a sandbag-sized fist looks like!"
This heroine will vanquish evil and uphold justice today!"
"Received! Oh~!"
Despite saying that, Stelle was even more excessive than Caelus, nearly rolling off her chair from laughing.
Little March's face darkened further. She decided to distribute Lady March 7th's "generosity" evenly, pummeling each gray-haired one with her little fists.
"Phew~ S-saved, after all."
Her pale hand, startled by the self-destruct warning, gently patted her chest to calm herself, her youthful face showing relief.
Gazing at the so-called safety measure added for "rational thought," Himeko revealed a relieved smile.
But upon closer inspection, one would notice her hands trembling with anger, veins bulging.
"Void All-Treasures!"
Her voice was still gentle, but the deliberate, word-by-word tone made one feel a dark, chilling red wind of killing intent sweep through.
Dan Heng sighed in relief. It was a false alarm; he had thought the Express's drink-mixing robot shouldn't have dangerous self-destruct programs loaded.
Welt's hand, which had been trembling like an old man's as he clutched his cane, stopped shaking.
He raised a hand to push up his glasses, remaining silent, only his lenses gleaming white.
"Who on earth designed this Shut Up's program?"
March 7th gripped the collars of the two gray-haired ones with both hands and shook them frantically.
"Don't worry, March, I'll definitely find him." Himeko promised.
"Hmph! When that time comes, he's definitely not going to have a good time!"
"Pfft…"
The sudden laughter drew everyone's attention. Bronya lightly covered her red lips, making a timely gesture befitting a newcomer on the Express.
"Please excuse my loss of composure."
Quickly reining in her killing intent towards Void All-Treasures, Himeko only then realized her lapse in composure. She casually tucked a strand of soft hair that had fallen by her ear, as if to hide her embarrassment.
The newcomer was still here; she had to make a good first impression.
"It's fine, I'm just happy. It seems our future journeys will be very enjoyable."
Bronya, meanwhile, displayed a rather pleasant smile on her face.
"Alright, today is the day a new member joins the team, so let's not mention that troublesome passenger. It wouldn't be good to set a bad example for the newcomer, Pom-Pom."
Remembering that blondie who left without a word, Pom-Pom immediately got annoyed, really wanting to personally kick that guy off the Express!
"This is…"
Seeing Pom-Pom, Bronya made a surprised expression at the appropriate moment.
"This is the conductor of the Astral Express, Pom-Pom."
Himeko extended her hand and introduced with a smile.
Bronya smiled and nodded in greeting. Being Caelus in essence, she knew Pom-Pom's personality and preferences, and quickly became familiar with Pom-Pom.
"Cough!"
Having a pleasant chat, Pom-Pom glanced at the time, then lightly coughed twice, her cute little expression turning solemn:
"Dear passengers, the ceremony for the new member joining the Astral Express is about to begin."
Hearing this, Stelle released March 7th from her embrace, Caelus stopped tickling March 7th, and only Little March, still laughing hysterically, remained out of breath.
Little March, having recovered, pounded Stelle's and Caelus's shoulders with both hands, then pulled them over. Everyone, including Dan Heng, Seele, and Welt, formed a circle.
"What is this?" Bronya looked puzzled.
"It's a blood oath!" Stelle declared confidently.
"Idiot, that character is pronounced shà!" Caelus tilted his head and bumped Stelle's small head.
"Don't mind them, it's actually just about giving a pledge of allegiance, like me, I personally crushed a… Just kidding~!"
March 7th, following alongside Stelle and Caelus, had clearly learned some bad habits, but not completely. And she kept feeling a hint of hostility in Bronya's gaze towards her.
But, hiss, it's this embarrassing ceremony again…
March 7th scratched her head somewhat awkwardly.
"I propose changing this segment to 'Uncle Yang's Eighteen Mecha Array'!"
She straightened her face, trying to look serious, but her eyes, sparkling with lively light, looked adorable no matter how one saw them.
"In that case, besides Himeko and Dan Heng, no one else has experienced it. I'll go prepare it shortly, so everyone can challenge 'Uncle Yang's Eighteen Mecha Array' once."
Welt was highly enthusiastic.
"No, no, no!"
Hearing this, March 7th's face drained of color in alarm, and she quickly waved her small hands.
"Little March was just being silly and joking!"
Watching others challenge it is fun, but challenging it herself is definitely out of the question!
"Passenger March 7th, please don't ruin the atmosphere, Pom-Pom!" Pom-Pom, with her short little hands behind her back:
"Moreover, this is an old rule of the Trailblazers. The ancestral law cannot be changed, Pom-Pom!"
"Yes, sir!"
Little March, having been lectured by the conductor, stood at attention.
Pom-Pom cleared her throat and asked solemnly:
"So, Passenger Bronya, are you willing to join the Astral Express and become a Nameless one?"
"I am willing."
Simply saying that sentence felt strange, so Bronya chose to look at Caelus as she spoke.
Paired with her gentle smile, it immediately made everyone's gazes turn odd.
Only Pom-Pom paid no mind. "Then, Passenger Bronya, please recite the Trailblazers' creed with me."
"Though the Aeons' paths rise and fall, one should have one's own resolve. Even when facing raging tides, the Express crew shall be united in direction."
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