Chapter 44: Schrödinger's Storyline – Where Will the Next Battle Lead Us?
"Where will our next destination be?" Stelle asked, her curiosity piqued as they prepared for the next leg of their journey within the game.
Pom-Pom's eyes lit up with fierce determination. "No matter where it leads, we can't follow the game's storyline!" she declared boldly.
"We absolutely won't let it dictate our path!"
"If it goes there, we'll deliberately go elsewhere!"
Old Yang, however, remained calm and analytical.
Stelle chimed in thoughtfully, "Based on the events so far, the next destination is likely Xianzhou Luofu."
"This makes sense because several characters we've encountered originate from there."
At the mention of "Xianzhou Luofu," Dan Heng's expression shifted ever so slightly, though he didn't elaborate further. His gaze seemed distant, like the endless stars outside the train window.
"That's great! Our original plan wasn't to head to Xianzhou Luofu anyway, right, Himeko?" March 7th exclaimed excitedly. Her enthusiasm stemmed from a recent bet made during the live stream—though no one truly believed she was March 7th, nor had anyone taken her wager seriously.
Himeko, on the other hand, remained cautious. "Let's just keep watching," she advised. "I'll reserve judgment until the plot becomes clearer."
Soon, it was time for the Astral Express to transition through another Leap. Everyone braced themselves, anticipation at its peak.
Would the storyline lead them to Xianzhou Luofu, as heavily foreshadowed? Or would it reveal an entirely unexpected destination, yet unknown to the crew?
It felt akin to observing Schrödinger's cat—a mystery waiting to unfold. Himeko refrained from commenting, fearing her input might influence the outcome. The best course of action was simply to observe how the story evolved.
Pom-Pom's voice echoed over the intercom:
"Apologies for the wait, passengers! Thanks to the incredible efforts of our three Trailblazers, the rift activity has stabilized, and all stellar rail readings are back to normal!"
"The train will now resume its journey, departing Jarilo-VI. Please secure yourselves and give one final farewell to this planet!"
As everyone aboard eagerly awaited the announcement of their next stop…
A surprise unfolded!
The screen went black. A single line of text appeared at the center:
[Luofu Immortal Ferry - The Shackling Prison]
"Tick… Tick… Tick…"
In the dimly lit corridor, everything was shrouded in a thick, fog-like haze. A solitary figure trudged forward, flanked by two soldiers wielding long swords. His hands were bound tightly behind his back. Step by step, he approached the end of the corridor, where two figures stood awaiting him.
On the left sat a young man with his eyes half-closed, exuding an air of quiet authority. On the right stood a man clad in light battle armor, bearing a golden lion emblem on his shoulder. With his hands clasped behind his back, he exuded poised command.
The live-stream chat erupted instantly.
"Holy crap, what am I seeing?! It's Yanqing!"
"Xianzhou Luofu! It really is Luofu!"
"What's going on?! Why did the perspective suddenly shift to Luofu's prison?!"
"The guy on the left is Yanqing, so the standing figure must be…"
"The Closed-Eyed General! No… Divine Strategy General—Jing Yuan!!"
"JING YUANNNN!!! (Already losing it)"
"This is insane!"
As the prisoner drew closer, Jing Yuan spoke sternly. "Yanqing, pay close attention to this man when he arrives."
By now, the prisoner had been escorted directly beneath the platform. Jing Yuan addressed him solemnly. "Do you remember me?"
"Yes," the man replied, despite his captivity, a strange smile flickering across his face. Then, unprompted, he added cryptically, "There were five individuals, with three as the price…"
Both Yanqing and Jing Yuan tensed visibly. Yanqing instinctively reached for the hilt of his sword.
The man continued, his voice carrying an ominous weight. "Jing Yuan, you're not among them."
In the next instant, the prisoner's complexion turned deathly pale, as if extinguished by a sudden gust of wind. His gaze locked intently ahead, and with trembling hands, he raised a battered sword, pointing it straight at the man.
"You… are one of them!"
Then, without warning, the scene shifted abruptly.
Dan Heng jolted awake in bed, drenched in cold sweat. Gasping for breath, his chest heaved violently as he struggled to shake off the nightmare.
Within the carriage, everyone turned toward him simultaneously. This event clearly involved him directly.
Dan Heng looked equally shocked and bewildered, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He hadn't expected such harrowing imagery to manifest within the game. His panic mirrored that of his character's reaction.
"How is this even possible…" Dan Heng muttered under his breath, still trying to steady his breathing.
Himeko handed him a cup of coffee, offering reassurance. "Relax, Dan Heng. We're all here with you. No one will harm you."
"No, it's just…" Dan Heng took a sip of the coffee but nearly choked, tears welling up in his eyes.
Old Yang patted him gently on the back, concern etched on his face.
March 7th leaned over to whisper to Stelle, "This is the first time I've seen Dan Heng like this."
"The man who appeared in that vision… must be his nemesis, right?"
"Who do you think that guy is? Even Dan Heng was terrified out of his mind…"
Stelle shook her head. "I don't know either, but one thing's certain…"
"As long as we keep watching, we'll eventually learn his identity."
"And chances are, he'll turn out to be a major boss, just like Cocolia!"
"When that happens, we need to make sure our characters' levels and gear are top-notch so we can help Dan Heng defeat this enemy—and conquer his inner demons!"