Moze didn't bother explaining his actions further. "I don't know what you think, but I won't waste my life on such meaningless choices.
Listen up, I've been stealthily trailing these escapees. I know what they're planning next. Their plan is to lock down all entry and exit points of the Shackling Prison to delay the outside world from learning about this.
The worst outcome is that we all fall under that giant wolf's claws, and the Shackling Prison is sealed. No one would know our situation, and for a long time, no one would know they escaped either.
The best outcome is—"
Stelle raised her hand, interrupting, "We win big!"
Moze crossed his arms, giving Stelle a cold, appraising look.
For some reason, Stelle felt she could read his expressionless face, as if it were saying, "This person's brain is broken. How pitiful."
"The best outcome is sealing the gates, burying ourselves with the enemy in this deep prison. We absolutely cannot let that giant wolf escape. Over time, the outside world will notice, and reinforcements will come. Whether we're still alive by then isn't something we should concern ourselves with."
Dan Heng gave a cold laugh. "Mr. Moze sure knows how to comfort people."
"As a Yaoqing native, my entire life has been about seeking a worthy cause to die for."
"I have to leave here alive. My companions are waiting for me."
[Honestly, with Moze around, Dan Heng's robotic vibe feels toned down.]
[You're so right.]
[Dan Heng really values his friends. Looks like he's got some character arc shine.]
——
Hanya wasn't fazed by death. Perhaps she had died long ago, or grown numb to it, or as a judge, she'd seen too much of it.
To Moze's statement, she simply replied, "Hanya, as a being of the underworld, has already died once."
Stelle pointed at herself. "I'd like to get out alive too."
"No need to worry. With me here, even if there's a sacrifice, I won't let you be the first." Dan Heng's gaze burned as he looked at Stelle.
Hanya gave a faint smile. "You're just as good at comforting as Mr. Moze. None of you are under the Ten-Lords Commission, so there's no reason for you to sacrifice yourselves for this. As a judge, guarding the Shackling Prison is my duty. If anyone can stop Hoolay from escaping and causing harm, it should be me, not you.
When we reach the gate, I hope you'll all do your utmost to help me seal it. After that, I'll do everything I can to fight the borisin. You should find a place to hide and protect yourselves. Now, let's head up!"
[Teacher Dan Heng steps up when it counts.]
[In this robot showdown, Moze takes the win.]
[Miss Hanya's pretty good at comforting too.]
[Sigh, this family would fall apart without Dan Heng.]
——
Meanwhile, on the other side.
The Shackling Prison had become a killing field. The jailers fought desperately, but Jiaoqiu could only watch them fall.
Just one step from the gate, facing Jiaoqiu—a foxian and a hostage—Hoolay seemed eager to devour him.
However, Modu suggested keeping Jiaoqiu alive, noting his value as a Yaoqing envoy. As long as they could escape the Luofu, they could do whatever they wanted with him later.
Hoolay glared at Modu, furious. Modu's words trampled on the borisin's pride.
"In my absence, how far have you fallen to such a pathetic state? Bargaining with livestock? In my memory, the Yaoqing would never negotiate such a deal with Dulan's descendants."
Jiaoqiu thought to himself. Whether for Feixiao or the Yaoqing, he couldn't let Hoolay leave the Luofu.
So…
In a split second, he devised a plan to break the situation, recalling the fourth rule: Never mention "Jingliu" in front of Hoolay.
"Deal. Of course, I have value in staying alive… My status, my knowledge of the Xianzhou, and I know things your subordinates don't."
Hoolay narrowed his eyes. After 700 years of imprisonment, what he needed most was information. From what he'd observed, Modu was utterly lacking in grand strategy. For now, the best plan was to extract useful intel from this livestock.
"Lowly beast, wag that pitiful tongue of yours and plead for your miserable life. Speak."
"I'm sure the Warhead doesn't know… the woman who defeated you, Jingliu. She's recently returned to the Luofu. Your chance for revenge is right in front of you."
As the rumors suggested, the mention of "Jingliu" silenced Hoolay…
Modu, seeing this, sensed trouble.
This wasn't just about leaving the Luofu anymore. Judging by Hoolay's demeanor, he clearly intended to stay, throwing all their plans into chaos.
"My lord! This slave is spouting nonsense. I've never heard such news! Allow me to kill him at once!"
"Shut up, Modu!" Hoolay finally pieced it together. "As for you, slave… from now on, you stick to my side. You speak when I tell you to speak; you move when I tell you to move. Otherwise, I'll tear you apart inch by inch. Understood?"
Modu still didn't give up. "My lord!"
"Modu, we'll linger here a bit longer. But don't be afraid. From the moment I step out of this prison, it's the Xianzhou people who should fear. I'll make them understand what true calamity means. Now, Dulan's cubs, follow me!"
[???]
[I didn't understand a single word. Why aren't they leaving?]
[And what's with Jiaoqiu? Acting all cryptic before, now sweating bullets?]
[I don't get it, and I'm ready to leave a bad review.]
[This part wasn't executed well. It needed more inner monologue to show the mind games clearly.]
[Big bro, explain it, or I'm still lost in the fog.]
[Modu's initial plan was to use Jiaoqiu as a hostage and get Hoolay off the Luofu. Then Jiaoqiu dropped Jingliu's name, making Hoolay decide to stay on the Luofu, which is why Modu panicked.]
[What's the difference between leaving or not?]
[Simply put, Modu's goal wasn't just to free Hoolay but to take him away from the Luofu. The difference is huge because the mastermind behind this needs Hoolay elsewhere.]
[So, the one rescued could've been anyone—Zhang San, Li Si, or Hoolay. He's just a pawn.]
[Jiaoqiu mentioning Jingliu was a bit of a heart-stabbing move. If Hoolay heard Jingliu was on the Luofu and still left, it'd prove he's scared of her. The key is, Hoolay likely realized from Modu's attitude that whether he leaves or stays, the borisin are already doomed.]
——
Hoolay led his large group out of the Shackling Prison's gates.
Dan Heng and Stelle, turning into Bolt-like sprinters, charged toward the closing gates.
At that moment, Dan Heng transformed into a legendary javelin king, wielding Cloud-Piercer and hurling it with force!
But it was too late. The gates slammed shut.
Cloud-Piercer clattered to the ground.
[Cloud-Piercer never leaves my side!]
[Blade: That's not how you use Cloud-Piercer.]
[So Dan Heng's a ranged fighter!]
[Hear me out: what if Cloud-Piercer's full name is Cloud-Piercer Never Leaves, and Dan Heng shouts "Leaves!" We've been misunderstanding all along.]
[Oh, you're so right!]
[I'm leaning on the wall, and I'm sold!]
[Haha, makes sense. Cloud-Piercer's always been a ranged weapon.]
——
Meanwhile, in the Seat of Divine Foresight, a Cloud Knight rushed to Jing Yuan, too frantic to salute, gasping, "Report! Communications with the Shackling Prison are cut off. We received a message from a mechanical bird… A prisoner riot has broken out, and the high-security prisoner… Hoolay's whereabouts are unknown!"
Jing Yuan's brow furrowed slightly, yet he remained calm. "What of the Yaoqing envoys and the Nameless?"
"No news yet! We're working to restore contact with the Shackling Prison!"
"General Jing Yuan, General Huaiyan, as we suspected… the rise of the Ambrosial Arbor wasn't the end but the beginning." Feixiao glanced at Jing Yuan and Huaiyan. "The hand of the Antimatter Legion reaching toward the Xianzhou has planted the seeds of Destruction. From this moment until the unseen future, the Xianzhou Alliance will face an even greater challenge—a dual threat from Destruction and the abominations of the Abundance.
If this is what they want, I'm ready to face it! As the Marshal's envoy, I'll mobilize the Luofu's Cloud Knights to pursue Hoolay."
A faint, barely perceptible smile crossed Jing Yuan's face.
"The things lurking beneath the pond can no longer stay still. As I said before, my task is to 'stir the muddy waters and let the clear rise.'"
The screen went black, followed by subtitles:
*After a brief but deadly blackout, the sealed Shackling Prison was brought back under control. Though the Nameless from the Express were unharmed, one of the Yaoqing envoys was taken hostage.
Meanwhile… the borisin Warhead Hoolay, long suppressed at the bottom of the Shackling Prison, has vanished.
Hunter and prey will now engage in a chase across the Xianzhou Luofu.*
[Is that it?]
[Ugh, that cliffhanger. Classic miHoYo flavor.]
[Sigh, I'm out of content to binge.]
[Watch Honkai Impact 3rd then.]
[Honkai Impact 3rd dropped 20 episodes on the first day, hit us with that final lesson, and now it's one episode a day. Gotta wait it out.]
[I heard Silver Wolf jumped into some Quantum Sea. Sounds pretty good.]
[Silver Wolf? You mean Bronya!]
[Oops, my bad, got them mixed up.]
[This season feels flat. No big bombshells. With three generals out there and Hoolay already beaten by Jingliu, there's no real tension.]
[Yeah, it's a bit meh. Let's call it a day!]
[Hold up, what's this Record of the First Blossom Swordsmanship? Part of the main story?]
[Yo? A surprise treat?]
[The footage is rewinding? Who used Dust of the Defeated?!]
——
At this point, the video began rewinding as if someone hit the reverse button, speeding backward.
It stopped when March 7th, Yunli, and Yanqing appeared.
From here began the true essence of Season 5.
The audience was about to receive a feast of Elation!
Yunli and Yanqing affirmed March 7th's talent.
However, they suggested she set a short-term goal.
Yunli asked, "March, let me ask you, do you have any specific, achievable goals for learning the sword? Like earning a rank or placing in the Martial Exhibition? Anyone you want to beat, like Yanqing or me?"
"Who do I want to beat… Stelle? Dan Heng? Sister Himeko? Uncle Yang?"
"If you can't think of a specific person, how about a simpler goal, like taking down a certain number of opponents with your sword?"
"I want to fight ten!"
[March Three Seven!]
[Ip Man: I know this one!]
[Master March, what martial arts do you know?]
——
"Ten?" Yunli was a bit puzzled.
"Argh, actually, 'I want to fight ten!' is a line from a drama. It just slipped out…"
Stelle shook her head. "Your head's full of drama nonsense."
[Haha, she's still going!]
[Still going!]
March 7th looked embarrassed. "I just love watching those, okay?"
Yunli seemed to catch on. "I think I get what's driving March 7th to learn the sword."
Yanqing quickly chimed in, "It's not those swordman dramas, is it?"
"Now that you mention it, that makes sense! I'm super into Xianzhou dramas and novels! I use a bow, but in the dramas, almost every hero wields a sword. I want to be a hero like that!"
Yunli threw up her hands. "See?"
Though exasperated, Yunli and Yanqing couldn't deny March 7th's dream of being a hero.
March 7th even suggested holding a grand master-apprentice ceremony for the two.
Yunli brushed it off, preferring simplicity. "No need for all that fuss. Treat us to some milk tea, and after we're done, you come back and train seriously! Deal?"
At the mention of milk tea, March 7th's eyes lit up. "Sweet, let's go to Evernight Teahouse!"
Yanqing watched the conversation take such a sharp turn. One second they were discussing sword training, and now they were off to buy milk tea?
"Uh—??"
…
Not long after, Stelle and the master-apprentice trio arrived at the signboard of Evernight Teahouse.
But a familiar figure caught their eye.
"Little boss lady, this—isn't right, is it?"
Even from behind, the voice gave away who it was.
Scott, with his usual insufferable attitude, was talking to the petite Mengming. "I've heard the Xianzhou's tea culture is profound, with a tradition of hospitality. Strange, aren't I a guest? Am I really a guest?"
[Haha, that opening line got me.]
[I'm dying, how do I hear his voice without laughing?]
[Am I a person or not? A person or not?]
[It's you! Loudmouth!]
[One line, two memes—first 'Codename Pangolin,' then 'Loudmouth'!]
[Scott showing up here? Everyone gets it—his presence means the next plot's gonna be a riot.]