The scene shifts to a vast, boundless hall, deep as the ocean, where a lady in alluring black stockings and with a graceful figure stands shoulder to shoulder with Stelle. Not far from them, Aventurine sits quietly.
The entire hall is filled with a mysterious and fantastical atmosphere, as if one is immersed in a dream.
Looking around, the interior of the hall resembles a vast underwater world.
Giant whales leisurely swim within it, their massive bodies swaying gracefully in the water, giving an endless sense of awe; countless crystal-clear bubbles slowly rise, making crisp and pleasant sounds as they burst.
"As agreed, I've brought her. The transaction is complete," the lady said.
"Thank you for your help, Recollector. A truly splendid 'driving the tiger to swallow the wolf' strategy," Aventurine clapped his hands and stood up.
"Black Swan, you…" Stelle looked at the lady in front of her in surprise.
"Stelle: What does this mean! I've been sold?!"
"Yanqing: A book I once read said that the prettier a woman is, the more she lies."
"Jingliu: Interesting."
"Jing Yuan: …"
"As Stelle watched this elder sister tell Aventurinethat the transaction was complete, she felt there was no one left to trust beside her, and only the warmth from The Train's garbage cans could console her fragile heart."
Aventurine looked at Stelle's shocked expression and laughed heartily: "Hahahaha, it seems our Namelessfriend hasn't figured out the situation yet. No worries, I'll explain it to you."
"In short, my friend, you should thank this lady. Not only did she not scheme against you—on the contrary, she saved you…"
"From that Sea Ranger."
As Aventurine finished speaking, an illustration appeared in the upper right corner of the viewing channel. The photo on it was of the lady who interrupted Aventurine's actions in the room during the last viewing.
It read: Invited Guest claiming to be a Sea Ranger: Acheron.
"Botio: What the heck, never heard of that name."
"What do you mean?" Stelle in the video asked with a look of astonishment.
"Exactly, I love that surprised expression," Aventurinereplied with a smile.
"Friend, let's be frank now. This woman named Acheron is far from as simple as you imagine. What Sea Ranger…" Aventurine chuckled and slowly uttered a sentence: "She is an Emissary. She brings death and end."
"Whose Emissary?" Stelle pressed nervously.
"Perhaps The Hunt… Destruction… or even The end. It doesn't matter. One aspect of these Trailblaze—they all point to the same outcome." He shrugged indifferently:
"Let me give you some Company intel, friend. Do you know Duke Inferno—Afrit of Tophet?"
"Duke Inferno: ?"
Stelle rubbed her head: "Who?"
"Looks like you have no impression at all… After all, it's the Annihilation Gang, so it's normal. Then let me explain to you…" Aventurine paused, then continued:
"This Duke Inferno is a fire demon from Tophet, an elemental life form. It's said that his origin is somewhat related to a certain genius…"
"He and his cronies formed the Eternal Fire Mansion, viewing Nanook as their patron—though in reality, they are led by this Duke. They burn, kill, and plunder everywhere, enacting the will of 'Destruction,' not even sparing other Annihilation Gang members."
"Who knows what went wrong in the Family's head, or if someone interfered, but these guys actually received an invitation letter. The Eternal Fire Mansioncertainly wouldn't refuse, coming fiercely, vowing to burn The star of the Festival into a sea of fire…"
At this point, Aventurine paused to build suspense:
"But don't worry, they won't be attending. Do you know why?"
Looking at Stelle's puzzled expression, Aventurinewas silent for a moment before finally revealing the answer: "Because Afrit is dead."
"They were annihilated on their way to the appointment. The culprit brutally murdered Afrit in a miraculous way and stole the invitation letter received by the Annihilation Gang. The Eternal Fire Mansionalso fell apart and scattered like birds and beasts—"
"Sparkle: This is so much fun, Aventurine, tell me quickly, who killed this clown?"
"Aventurine: I'm afraid, The Fool, nothing has begun, so naturally, I don't know who killed Duke Inferno, but we might as well keep watching."
"Sparkle: So, Mr. Clown, what are your thoughts on your death?"
"Duke Inferno: The Fool, do not try to provoke me."
"Duke Inferno: But… we come from fire, born in fire, spreading, burning, destroying, until the fuel is exhausted, leaving behind a pile of dead ashes. Burning is the life of a fire demon, the beginning and the end. We are born towards death, only to implement a portrayal of the cosmic truth: all things are born for 'Destruction'."
"March 7th: Wow, is it really that calm to see yourself die?"
"Welt: I have to say, Afrit is indeed a practitioner of the Destruction Trailblaze, not only destroying others but even accepting his own fate of being destroyed."
"Duke Inferno: You understand the meaning of Trailblaze, friend. Would you like to join the Annihilation Gang?"
"Welt: No."
Aventurine hinted: "And after that, a mysterious Sea Ranger arrived in Penacony, checking into The Reverie Hotel with a music box… Do I need to continue, friend?"
Stelle's eyes widened, her mouth slightly agape, her face filled with surprise: "Are there other proofs?"
Aventurine merely shrugged: "Sea Rangers are elusive and rarely interact with each other. This disguise is too effective; as long as she doesn't confess, there's no way to prove it. The Company has ways to investigate, but it takes time."
"So, friend, it's your choice… You can leave here now, immediately, without looking back, and forever give up the chance to get closer to the truth." Aventurineturned to look at the whale nearby, speaking with his back to Stelle: "Conversely, you can also accept my invitation and learn a fact, a fact that could overturn Penacony."
"If you want to know the truth, follow me."
Aventurine walked upstairs, and as the perspective shifted, the appearance of this hall was revealed to everyone—The Reverie Hotel's reception area.
"Jing Yuan: As expected, it's a peculiar sight that only exists in dreams. Truly a rare sight."
Stelle pondered for a moment in place, then quickly followed.
"Very good, I knew you would come. Oh, that Recollector… Never mind, I won't ask any more." Aventurine shrugged: "After all, I said you could consult with your companions, or even use me in return. I welcome it! Because this is also a way for you to show me your value."
"Stelle: This guy clearly feels like he's using me, but he looks so… upright. What a contradictory feeling."
"I never make a losing deal, I hope everyone, 'friends'… don't disappoint me." With that, he smiled slightly, extended his hand in an inviting gesture, and slowly said, "Come, this way please."
Aventurine walked down the corridor with Stelle, speaking:
"Ah, right, I think I said something after that… What was it?"
"Ah… a familiar corridor, a familiar room. Do you remember? Our last meeting was in this very place."
Aventurine led Stelle to a slightly ajar room door. "We're here, just behind this door. Hold your breath, and wait and see—"
As Stelle reached out to push the door open, Aventurine beside her said: "Oh, I finally remembered… friend! After that, we played a pleasant game."
"Look, this moment is exactly like that moment, isn't it?"
The door opened, revealing a standard hotel room, exactly like Stelle's own.