Nighttime, Deep Blue Metropolis, Skysea Group Headquarters.
"Father, you sent for me?"
Isabelle entered the office, looking at her father, whose back was turned to her behind the desk.
"Isabelle, the matter you entrusted to me has yielded results. However, I need to confirm something with you again. Are you... truly prepared to become a Star Envoy?"
As the office chair slowly turned around, the Star Source Cube held in Dorian's hand immediately appeared before her eyes.
Seeing the cube, Isabelle's body couldn't help but tremble slightly. However, this excitement didn't last long. After a few deep breaths, Isabelle's gaze hardened as she replied, "Yes."
Seeing her expression, Dorian understood that some words no longer needed to be said. He placed the Star Source Cube on the table and earnestly began explaining some precautions to Isabelle.
"Alright, since you've thought it through, I respect your choice."
"You must have realized that what's inside here is the Natural Star Source I specifically bought for you, named Absolute Zero."
"However, even though we have the Star Source, I don't plan to let you absorb it immediately."
"I will only give you this Star Source once you pass Woolf's training and gain his recognition."
"At the same time, I will then send you to the best Star Envoy Academy in the City of Steam, giving you the opportunity to use it as a springboard to fully enter the core circle of Star Envoys within the Seven Floating Cities."
"But you must be aware that once you become a Star Envoy, the protections and privileges originally designed for ordinary people in the Federation will no longer apply to you."
"And as I gradually expand the group's business, the group, and you within it, will face unimaginable dangers."
"Even so, do you still want to become a Star Envoy?"
If this had been a short while ago, Isabelle would have refused without a second thought. She clearly knew what becoming a Star Envoy meant and what responsibilities one had to bear afterward. But after that incident, she already had a definitive answer in her heart.
"Don't worry, Father, I won't disappoint you."
"Besides, even if I don't become a Star Envoy, aren't the inevitable dangers still going to come?"
"Therefore, instead of praying for the enemy's mercy, I'd rather seize the opportunity in my own hands."
"Is that so... It seems you've truly grown up after experiencing so much."
"Father, no one stays a child forever, do they?"
"...True."
With that, Dorian placed the Star Source from the table back into the specially prepared safe. After taking a deep look at the Star Source, Isabelle left the office without looking back.
She knew clearly that only by quickly passing the test of Coral Knight · Woolf could she truly acquire the Star Source named Absolute Zero. Only then could she truly gain the power to protect herself in this dangerous world. After all, she never wanted to experience that terrible feeling of leaving her life in someone else's hands ever again.
Meanwhile, Ember Base, inside the cafeteria.
"Wow! Let me see, let me see! I know you all definitely brought me gifts!"
Just as Chen Kong, Chen Xing, and Caroline entered the base cafeteria, a soft, joyful cheer suddenly rang out.
The next second, Jing Liuli, riding her star-printed pillow, launched like a purple 'missile' from the corner of the cafeteria. She sped towards the three newcomers with a dangerously low, almost ground-hugging flight.
Seeing this, the trio instinctively stepped back half a pace, avoiding being hit by this purple missile and instantly crushed.
Fortunately, after a month, Jing Liuli's Star Tool control had clearly improved. She performed a graceful pull-up, soaring over their heads, then circled around them. Her small eyes darted, and she dive-bombed to an abrupt stop in front of Caroline's suitcase. Then, without asking for Caroline's permission, she blinked her big eyes and slyly reached her small hand towards the latch on Caroline's suitcase, looking quite mischievous...
Thankfully, her little trick didn't succeed. Someone lightly slapped her wicked little hand just as she extended it.
Smack!
"Ouch!"
Jing Liuli pouted, looking at Caroline with an aggrieved expression.
"Caroline, you're so mean!"
In response, Caroline bluntly said, "Someone who messes with other people's things without permission is meaner, wouldn't you say?"
Hearing this, Jing Liuli defiantly puffed out her chest, and the little bear pattern on her pajamas trembled along.
"What do you mean? I'm just openly looking in front of you, aren't I? How is that messing around?"
Caroline sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead in exasperation.
Fortunately, Caroline had extensive experience dealing with childish antics. Instead of debating whether Jing Liuli was "messing around," she simply squatted down, opened her suitcase, and took out a cute blue owl eye mask.
"Here."
"Whoa! It's even a Deep Blue Metropolis limited edition!"
Jing Liuli took the owl eye mask, hugged her pillow, and excitedly began flying wildly around the cafeteria. A moment later, she put the eye mask on her head and stopped in front of Caroline and the others, spinning a few times on the spot.
"Look, look! Don't I look like a night-patrolling owl knight now?"
As she spoke, Jing Liuli even earnestly 'ha-ha-ha' punched the air a few times. However, her soft, fluffy punches seemed to lack any destructive power whatsoever.
But her actions weren't entirely useless. Even the usually unsmiling Caroline couldn't help but be amused by her cute behavior.
It had to be said, although they all grew up in the base together, no matter how much time passed, Jing Liuli always managed to maintain that initial joy, like a child who would never grow up.
However, before Jing Liuli could say anything more, Caroline's peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of the long table that used to be full of students, now with only a few scattered meal trays.
So she subconsciously said, "Speaking of which, the cafeteria is quite deserted now."
Hearing this, Jing Liuli's adorable punching motions came to an abrupt halt. Then she hugged her precious pillow tightly and said in a voice almost too soft to hear, "Mm... because Dr. said that children who didn't pass the final assessment couldn't stay at the base anymore."
"So, apart from the twelve who passed the assessment, the rest were sent out by Dr. one after another shortly after you left."
"Is that so..."
Hearing the words 'final assessment', Caroline suddenly felt as though she had been transported to another time. Because during that month in Deep Blue Metropolis, she had almost forgotten that she was an automaton, a member of the Ember organization.
Seeing Jing Liuli's spirits drop, Chen Xing, who usually 'teased' her, suddenly walked over with a gift.
"Here."
"Wow!"
Jing Liuli's eyes immediately turned into stars as she looked at the large gift bag of Deep Blue Metropolis specialty snacks in Chen Xing's hand. Facing her expression, Chen Xing immediately turned her head and feigned coolness, saying, "Ahem, don't misunderstand, I just happened to pass by a snack shop and bought it for you."
Despite her words, after a quick dart of her eyes, Jing Liuli suddenly, without warning, 'smooched' Chen Xing on the cheek. This sudden attack made Chen Xing jump as if electrified.
But before Chen Xing could react, Jing Liuli's adorable, chubby face happily spoke up first, "Thank you, Star, Liuli loves you the most!"
"..."
Lo-love?!
Looking at Jing Liuli's sparkling eyes, Chen Xing opened her mouth, then ultimately gave a tsundere huff and turned her head away. A closer look would even reveal that Chen Xing's originally fair earlobes had visibly reddened slightly, clearly embarrassed by the praise.
At this, Jing Liuli's seemingly innocent big eyes suddenly flashed with a hint of cunning.
Hehe, the little trick Tendo taught me for dealing with Star is so effective! He said Chen Xing was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. If you go against her, she'll fight you to the end. But if you go along with her, you can easily coax her. Jing Liuli hadn't believed it before, but now... Tendo was absolutely right!
And thinking of Tendo, Jing Liuli then realized that Tendo, who was usually inseparable from Caroline, was strangely not with her today.
"Caroline, where's Tendo? Wasn't he supposed to come back with you?"
Chen Kong, who had just put away his luggage, interjected, explaining to Jing Liuli, "Brother Tendo said he had something to discuss with Dr., so he told us to come to the cafeteria first to get food for him. He'll be here shortly."
"Oh, like that!"
Deep inside Ember Base, in Dr.'s exclusive laboratory.
"Dr., are you really determined to do this?"
"You know, if you fail, everything you've done... will only benefit others."
Dr., who was reviewing documents, silently put down his tablet and asked expressionlessly, "When did you find out?"
Tendo lay half-reclined on the sofa, his hands flat on the backrest, looking up at the ceiling.
"Probably when you sent everyone else out and only kept the twelve of us."
"After all, if you had sent us twelve out as well, those old foxes outside would only suspect you of having some conspiracy, and they wouldn't truly put all their effort into nurturing those Children of the Stars, because they're afraid of nurturing a tiger to their own detriment, you see."
"But if you first send some out under the guise of exchanging benefits, and then finally create a false impression of perishing with the base, then even those old foxes would absolutely not suspect anything amiss."
"After all... if Ember and you are gone, what do they have to worry about?"
Dr. was silent for a moment, then looked up at Tendo on the sofa, "Tell me, what are you planning to do? I don't think you came all this way just to show off your intelligence."
Hearing this, Tendo stopped pretending. He placed his hands on his knees and stood up forcefully. Then he looked at Dr. behind the desk, his azure eyes revealing an unprecedented seriousness and determination.
"Hand over what you originally intended for Sister Yun to me. I will complete this final task for you."
"No."
Without any hesitation, Dr., who was usually almost compliant with Tendo, flatly refused Tendo's proposal this time. He knew very well Yun Meng's position in his plan and her eventual outcome. Therefore, he would absolutely not allow Tendo to take her place.
But just as Dr. had his own persistence and stubbornness, so did Tendo.
"Dr., you seem to have misunderstood something."
"At this moment, I am not asking you; I am simply informing you of this matter."
"..."
Looking at Tendo, who wore a smile but whose eyes were incredibly domineering, Dr. remained silent for a long time before saying, "Tendo Simei, do you... know what your words mean right now?"
"Of course I do..."
Tendo took out his sunglasses from his pocket, casually saying, "...It just means that if I do this, I might not see tomorrow's sun, but what's the big deal about that?"
"Besides... it's not certain who won't see tomorrow."
As his words fell, Tendo put on his sunglasses and turned to leave.
"It's settled then, Sister Yun's matter... is in my hands."
"Wait."
Just as Tendo was about to walk out the door, Dr. called out to him.
"Tendo, you have two months to consider this. I hope you'll make a decision after careful thought."
In response, Tendo waved his hand.
"Dr., when did you think I suddenly decided to do this?"
"Besides, the word 'failure' has never been in Tendo Simei's dictionary."
With that, Tendo left Dr.'s laboratory without looking back.
Watching his retreating figure, Dr. let out a rare sigh.
"Eye of Heaven's future vision, huh? Tendo, you've really... chosen a very bad future for yourself."
"However..."
Dr. looked up. At this moment, beneath his typically rational automaton face, a rare, emotional madness emerged.
"...If it's you, I inexplicably feel that you can do it."
"This has nothing to do with rationality, but rather, it's what you called human intuition."
"Although it's truly absurd, at this moment... I truly seem to have grasped that fleeting tail-flame of a miracle."
"So, Tendo, if you want to do it, then do it."
"After all, miracles never descend upon cold automatons; they only descend upon emotional humans who also believe in miracles."
"And in that regard, I am far inferior to you."
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