The monumental victory on the Astral Express's battlefront sent shockwaves throughout the cosmos. The astonishing points included, but were not limited to: the Emanator of [Preservation] named Kevin possessing the strength to overwhelm the legendary walking calamity; the Amber King personally descending to bestow his blessing upon said Emanator; and the annihilation of a Lord Ravager and his army of tens of millions with a single sword strike!
In an instant, Kevin's fame soared once again. Following his defeat of Rupert III, Kevin's name was once more on everyone's lips!
Although many questions about the battle remained unanswered, the victory successfully inspired the other fronts. The IPC employees, who had been pinned down on a planet by the Legion, rode the winds of this victory to successfully break through the Antimatter Legion's planetary blockade, shifting the battlefield back into the starry sky.
Meanwhile, the Astral Express and the Xianzhou Luofu were undergoing tense reorganization and repairs. Everyone knew that although this victory had defeated a Lord Ravager—and the strongest one at that—it was not enough to dictate the outcome of this massive, galaxy-spanning war. Only one of the six battlefronts had been won; five others remained locked in fierce conflict.
According to intelligence from the Xianzhou Alliance, the Xianzhou Yaoqing had achieved a major victory in a clash with the Lord Ravager Xingxiao, which was another piece of good news. However, the situation on the remaining fronts was, realistically speaking, far from optimistic.
A war of attrition was far more grueling than a battle of swift annihilation, and right now, the other fronts were all bogged down in the quagmire of a protracted war!
This, however, was as expected. The Luofu and the Astral Express, now a free combat force, could theoretically head to other fronts to provide strategic aid, but...
This now-empty battlefront could not be left unguarded. If the Antimatter Legion, without a Lord Ravager, or perhaps with a different Lord Ravager, were to exploit this opening and enter the central star systems, the consequences would be unimaginable.
In the end, the only force that could be freely dispatched for reinforcements was the Astral Express.
---o---
Aboard the Xianzhou Luofu, Jingliu silently sheathed her ice sword. Gazing at the group of fallen "rebels" before her, she turned and left without a word.
The Ten-Lords Commission would handle the rest.
Before the great war began, Jing Yuan had sought out Jingliu, asking her to guard the Xianzhou Luofu's rear.
With ninety percent of the Cloud Knights participating in the battle, the rear would be vulnerable. There would undoubtedly be those with ulterior motives who would take this opportunity to stir up trouble on the Luofu. With Jingliu there, he could lead his troops into battle with peace of mind.
After dealing with the minor disturbance on the Luofu, Jingliu rejoined the "main force."
The crew of the Astral Express did not immediately set off to reinforce other fronts. Instead, they accepted Jing Yuan's invitation to the Seat of Divine Foresight to discuss subsequent matters.
If fighting a calamitous legion was truly that simple, the Antimatter Legion would have long been a beaten dog chased by everyone in the universe, not the face of destruction that terrified all living beings.
"Aiya, little doll, we meet again! I must say, my Aurumaton still needs improvement. I saw that machine of yours... what's it called? The [Heavenly Father], right? Why don't you lend that big fellow to this old man for some research? We can exchange knowledge and promote mutual progress?"
To the utter astonishment of the crowd, a very much alive Master Gongshu walked up to Tesla with practiced familiarity, chattering away at her as she stared back in horror.
"What the—! You... Are you a man or a ghost?!"
Tesla looked at the "resurrected" Master Gongshu in terror. What's going on? Is this some kind of Xianzhou technology?!
"Eh... How strange. Little doll, I can understand your expression, but the rest of you... why do you all look so weird!?"
Master Gongshu looked completely baffled. What was wrong with these kids? Did they look like they'd just seen a Suiyang?
"Master Gongshu... didn't you perish together with that Doomsday Beast? Could it be that your dying resentment was so great that your ghost has started to wander? I'll be sure to burn some small Aurumatons for you tonight so you won't be bored on the other side..."
Seeing Master Gongshu acting as if nothing had happened, March 7th quickly shut her eyes, clasped her hands before her chest, and began muttering at high speed, looking for all the world like she was trying to send his spirit on its way.
"Hah? Little doll! Don't tell me you all thought I was personally piloting that Aurumaton? How could I, the great Master Gongshu, be reduced to being blown up by that beast?!"
After hearing March 7th's muttering, Master Gongshu's cheerful, ruddy complexion instantly turned ashen with frustration.
"Have you people never heard of autopilot? Do you not understand what remote real-time control is?!"
Master Gongshu stomped his foot in exasperation. What was this nonsense! He was alive and well, how did he get "declared dead"?
If General Jing Yuan hadn't called him over for this meeting today, this bunch of rascals would have probably already erected his tombstone! The embarrassment would have reached his third maternal granduncle's home!
"Er... Master Gongshu, you never told us your Aurumaton was remote-controlled. We were just concerned for you, which led to this big misunderstanding..."
Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Tingyun quickly walked over to Master Gongshu, speaking softly to smooth things over. In truth, none of it mattered. The important thing was that Master Gongshu was safe; that was all that counted.
"Sigh... Fine, fine, I'm partly to blame for this too. If I had told you in advance that the Aurumaton was remote-controlled, this whole farce probably wouldn't have happened!" Master Gongshu shook his head with a sigh.
"Ahaha, right, right..." March 7th chuckled awkwardly.
"Everyone, let us head into the Seat of Divine Foresight. I wonder why General Jing Yuan has summoned us," Jingliu, who had been watching the show from the side, stepped forward to say. Only then did everyone remember that Jing Yuan had been waiting for them inside for quite some time!
"No big deal. General Jing Yuan isn't petty enough to care about a little bit of time, right?" March 7th nudged Stelle with her elbow, who still hadn't recovered from Master Gongshu's "resurrection."
"Huh? Oh! Right, right, right!" Stelle replied perfunctorily.
"Sigh..."
Dan Heng, walking behind them, watched this scene and shook his head helplessly.
The group boisterously entered the Seat of Divine Foresight, only to find four figures already waiting by the main table.
Jing Yuan sat in the seat of honor, with Himeko and Welt seated on either side, while Wende sat opposite Jing Yuan.
As for Kevin, the man had returned to miHoYo Planet right after the battle, looking very hurried as if he'd thought of something.
"Everyone, this great victory against Fenfeng would not have been possible without your great contributions. Although the hero of the hour has already departed, we must still properly celebrate this hard-won victory. However, with the other fronts still under pressure, I can only offer you tea in place of wine. A toast to you all!"
Jing Yuan raised a cup of hot tea to the crowd, and those below also picked up the cups that had been served.
"General Jing Yuan, you're too kind. Without the Xianzhou's considerable support, the pressure we faced would have been much greater," Welt also raised a cup of tea, thanking Jing Yuan.
"Alas, Mr. Welt, you need not be so formal. The Xianzhou and the Astral Express are already firm allies. Furthermore, in this time of war, it is only right that we help each other," Jing Yuan said with a faint smile.
"In that case, we won't stand on ceremony. Our thanks to General Jing Yuan for his generous support." Himeko also raised a cup of tea to toast Jing Yuan, as did Wende.
They drank the tea together, and then everyone took their seats. Jing Yuan had prepared a fine banquet to celebrate their success!
Inside and outside the Seat of Divine Foresight, the atmosphere was jubilant!
For both the Luofu and the Astral Express, this victory banquet was extremely important. If they had rushed to provide aid elsewhere without any rest, their initial fervor would have been crushed by a brutal war of attrition. But with the encouragement of a victory feast, the effect would be entirely different.
---o---
After the banquet ended, Jing Yuan exchanged a few more words with Himeko and Welt before inviting Wende alone to the rear of the Seat of Divine Foresight.
The back courtyard was silent, save for the crisp chirping of cicadas.
Only Jing Yuan and Wende were in the pavilion. Even Yanqing, who was responsible for Jing Yuan's "personal protection," was not present, which showed just how much importance Jing Yuan placed on this conversation.
"Brother Wende, have you been well lately?"
Jing Yuan, acting like a caring older brother, filled Wende's cup. The aroma wafting from the cup made Wende pause. He glanced at the "wine" in his cup, then looked at Jing Yuan with a strange expression.
Are you serious? You put bubble tea in a wine pot?
"I've been well. I wonder, General Jing Yuan, for what reason have you invited me here...?"
Wende took a sip of the Immortal's Happy Tea in his cup with a faint smile, looking completely unguarded.
"Inviting Brother Wende here was indeed a bit abrupt, but there is truly something I do not understand, and I wish for you to clear my doubts."
Jing Yuan spoke to Wende with a sincere expression.
"Of course. As long as it is something I know, I will certainly clear the General's doubts."
Wende appeared unconcerned, but inwardly he was puzzled. Although it was common knowledge that Wende was the nominal owner of miHoYo Planet, the public affairs of the Astral Express were still handled by Himeko and Welt, and matters concerning miHoYo Interstellar Inc. were entirely entrusted to Otto. What kind of question would require the esteemed General of the Luofu to ask him personally?
"In that case, I will not beat around the bush. It is well known that Master Diviner Fu Xuan's divination arts are exquisitely profound. Yet, in a divination regarding the resolution of the [Destruction] crisis, your figure, Brother Wende, appeared..."
Jing Yuan smiled and drained the milk tea in his cup, his gaze toward Wende saying everything.
"..."
"Brother Wende need not tell me directly, but it would be best for me to have some idea. After all... from the establishment of miHoYo Interstellar Inc., to miHoYo Planet, then to Astral Express Lines Two and Three, and even the sudden appearance of the [Preservation] Emanator, Kevin... behind the emergence of all these things, there has been an invisible hand pushing them forward..."
"And the one pushing all of this forward is you, isn't it, Brother Wende?"
Wende looked at Jing Yuan with admiration. Although one could discover some of these issues by simply connecting the dots, to sort through the phenomena so clearly and identify the person behind the scenes... was this not to be expected of the Divine Foresight?
"Correct. But... what of it?"
Wende poured himself another cup of milk tea. He still didn't understand what the man before him was trying to say. Could it be that his identity as an Aeon had been discovered by [Nous]? If not, how did Fu Xuan's Matrix of Prescience know about this?
"Mm... Actually, I do not wish to ask any extreme questions. I have only heard that your esteemed company has an employee contract, that once signed, allows one to travel freely between a bound location and miHoYo Planet. Is this... true?"
"?"
Seeing the serious look on Jing Yuan's face, Wende thought for a moment that he was joking, but he didn't seem to be...
The matter of the employee contract wasn't exactly a secret, and explaining its mysteries with the power of [Trailblaze] was perfectly reasonable. After all, the function of Realm-Restricting Anchors was known to almost everyone.
What concerned Wende was Jing Yuan's purpose in asking this. Could it be that he wanted to give up his good position as a General to become an employee of miHoYo Interstellar Inc.?
"Alas, I will not hide it from you, Brother Wende. I have been in the position of General for many years and have already developed a desire to retire. If not for the chaos caused by the Lord Ravagers, perhaps I would have already put down my armor and returned to the fields, leaving the position of General to Master Diviner Fu Xuan. However, destiny has changed. I fear there will be more changes after this war. Therefore, I wish to ask you for a contract, to let me be considered an external employee of your company. I do not ask for a salary, only to be on the roster, so that I may occasionally visit miHoYo Planet to relax..."
Faced with such a sincere request from Jing Yuan, Wende's gut reaction was that something was off. This old fox definitely had another motive. But... he truly couldn't figure out Jing Yuan's intentions. Rejecting him outright wouldn't be good either, so in the face of Jing Yuan's smiling face, he agreed to the request.
He materialized the contract out of thin air. Jing Yuan's expression was one of someone who had seen it all before. Not only did he write his name on the contract, but he also stamped it with a special seal, making the process seem all the more grand.
Finally, Jing Yuan saw Wende off from the Seat of Divine Foresight with a broad smile.
The next second, Jing Yuan's form teleported to miHoYo Planet.
Night had already fallen there. A mirror-like moon hung high in the sky, its light like water.
After observing his surroundings, Jing Yuan teleported back to the Seat of Divine Foresight. However, the friendly smile he had shown Wende was gone, replaced by a grave expression.
Only one who had experienced it personally could know the immense power this contract held...
"What Fu Xuan foresaw was indeed correct. He will indeed play a major role in this battle... or perhaps, not just this war... To be able to teleport across star sectors in an instant, this can no longer be explained by common sense."
Walking out of the Seat of Divine Foresight, Jing Yuan arrived at the Starskiff Central Haven. He watched the coming and going starskiffs, laden with cargo of all sizes.
During this period, the haven was under strict control. Ordinary starskiffs were not allowed to pass through. These endless vessels were basically all used by the Cloud Knights for transporting goods.
It was war, after all...
Jing Yuan did not linger. He walked to the location of a Realm-Restricting Anchor and slowly reached out to touch it...
The next moment, his figure appeared within the Divination Commission!
"As I thought..."
Jing Yuan slowly withdrew his hand, a flash of understanding in his eyes.
This way, it all made sense.
"I must say, for the General to pay a visit in the middle of the night without a word, it leaves me quite unprepared."
Fu Xuan appeared behind Jing Yuan at some point. Seeing him in a daze, she crossed her arms with a look of displeasure.
"Aiya, why do you say that, Fu Qing? I am merely here to report to you at the earliest opportunity."
Jing Yuan turned with a smile, then his gaze toward Fu Xuan faltered for a moment.
Fu Xuan's eyes looked as if they had been punched. She looked like she had been staying up for ten days and a half. The dark circles under her eyes were reminiscent of the long-extinct iron-eating beast recorded in the Xianzhou historical annals!
"Oh? What do you have to report to me? Present it quickly, I still have a pile of things to do."
Looking at the still-struggling Fu Xuan, Jing Yuan shook his head with a wry smile. If he were to pass the General's position to her, she would probably work herself to death within a year.
"I just had a long chat over drinks with Brother Wende. In a moment of high spirits, I signed a contract with miHoYo Interstellar Inc."
Jing Yuan crossed his arms, a smile on his face.
"Oh? And did you get the result you wanted?" Fu Xuan's tone was still cold.
"Of course. Otherwise, why would I suddenly appear in your territory?" Jing Yuan pointed to the Realm-Restricting Anchor nearby.
"..."
"By simply signing a contract, one can directly obtain the Path of [Trailblaze]... This is even more verifiable than the teleportation aspect of the contract itself."
"And this power, in this day and age where [Trailblaze] has vanished, not even an Emanator of [Trailblaze] could force another onto this Path in its time of decline."
Jing Yuan smiled at Fu Xuan.
"You mean..."
Fu Xuan's eyes were filled with disbelief.
"Yes. Then there is only one truth... He is [Akivili], or Akivili's successor. Although whether an Aeon can have a successor is still debatable, many clues can confirm one thing."
"Wende... is an Aeon."