Bai Luan and Stelle exchanged a smile, and then Bai Luan received a reply from Pom-Pom on his phone.
Pom-Pom: Understood, Pa.
After receiving Pom-Pom's reply, Bai Luan took out the Anywhere Door and brought Stelle from the Space Station onto the Astral Express.
The two stepped through the doorway one after the other.
Stelle's feet had just touched the familiar floor of the Astral Express, and before she could take a deep breath of the air of home, a long-planned pink and blue figure suddenly leaped out from behind the sofa in the side lounge area!
"Wa—ha!"
"Uwah!"
Stelle was caught completely off guard and was thoroughly tackled into a stumble.
March 7th successfully captured her target, hanging onto Stelle's shoulders, her eyes sparkling as she leaned closer:
"How was it? How was it? Did this girl scare you? This timing for the sneak attack was carefully calculated!"
"Yeah, I was scared."
Stelle nodded, and then said:
"I almost pulled out my baseball bat."
"Eh?! Eh?!"
March 7th immediately bounced back a couple of steps like a startled rabbit, covering herself with her hands, wearing an expression that clearly asked, "Are you serious?"
"Why are you getting angry? It was a joke! Just a joke!"
Then March 7th looked at Bai Luan and greeted him with a smile:
"Long time no see, Bai Luan."
"Long time no see, March."
"When I heard a while ago that Stelle went to the Space Station to play, I guessed she would return this way."
Bai Luan said this while putting away the Anywhere Door:
"So you were waiting here, 'guarding the tree stump to wait for the rabbit,' just waiting to scare her?"
March 7th put her hands on her hips, lifted her chin slightly, and her face practically screamed the words, "That's right! It was this young lady's brilliant scheme!" Her smugness was palpable.
Pom-Pom, who had witnessed the entire scene, covered its face with a small paw, its ears seeming to droop slightly, and its tone filled with the frustration.
"It's Pom-Pom's fault, I shouldn't have told all the passengers that Passenger Bai Luan was going to open the Anywhere Door, Pa."
Clearly, a certain lively passenger had made perfect use of this information.
"Hahaha..."
Bai Luan shifted his gaze to Dan Heng, who was silently watching the show, and asked:
"Dan Heng, what's your take?"
Dan Heng, suddenly called out, paused slightly, seemingly not expecting the fire to spread to him.
After a brief silence, he concisely replied in his characteristic tone, which sounded like stating an objective fact:
"I'm used to it."
"Hey! Dan Heng!"
March 7th immediately protested.
"What is this world-weary, seen-it-all tone? You make it sound like I cause trouble all the time!"
Hearing this, Dan Heng silently turned his gaze towards her, saying nothing, just watching calmly with his cyan eyes.
Three seconds later.
March 7th's momentum visibly weakened. Her eyes darted around, and her voice became much softer:
"...O-okay, even if there were... it wasn't that many times! Most of the time, I'm very reliable!"
"Alright, everyone, quiet down."
Himeko elegantly clapped her hands, her voice gentle, yet it quickly brought silence to the Astral Express.
After seeing everyone's attention focused on her, Himeko lowered her hands:
"While I'm happy that everyone on the Astral Express is always full of energy, we have something important to announce now, so it's best to be quiet."
Welt Yang nodded in agreement from the side, then looked at Bai Luan.
"I recall that your Anywhere Door seems to have some limitations and won't be usable again for a while. Since you haven't returned, are you planning to travel with us again for a period?"
"That's right, Uncle Yang."
Bai Luan stretched his arms, his tone relaxed.
"After being cooped up doing research in the Space Station laboratory for so long, I felt like I needed to get out, breathe some fresh air, and change the scenery. I'll follow the Astral Express to Trailblaze and see the world, and also accompany Stelle... hmm, play around? Staying stuck in one place isn't very friendly to mental and physical health."
Himeko smiled at Bai Luan:
"Welcome aboard, but next, let's hand the floor over to Pom-Pom."
Pom-Pom nodded towards Himeko and said:
"The Astral Express just received a message from the Xianzhou Luofu. Judging from the summary, it seems there might be a conflict with our upcoming travel plans."
Pom-Pom then played the message, and Jing Yuan's holographic projection appeared on the Astral Express:
"It has been a long time, members of the Astral Express."
Jing Yuan's voice came through the projection, calm and carrying a hint of familiar, lazy amusement:
"I wonder if your Trailblazing Journey has been smooth?"
Hmm... it was extremely smooth.
They successfully worked together to elbow Sunday, stopping the illegal act of forcibly extending other's vacations.
Jing Yuan's holographic projection couldn't hear Bai Luan's inner complaints, and continued relaying Jing Yuan's message:
"Recently, the Xianzhou Luofu is preparing to hold the Grand Ceremony, 'Luminary Wardance Ceremony.' You all once helped the Luofu eradicate disaster and are good friends of the Xianzhou Alliance. Here, Jing Yuan, representing the Loufu, sincerely invites you all to attend the ceremony. Please make sure to grace us with your presence."
As the words fell, the holographic image flickered slightly and then dissolved into the air.
The communication was brief, but the invitation was clear and formal.
"It really is lively."
Himeko couldn't help but sigh with emotion:
"We just extricated ourselves from The Family's 'Harmony Celebration,' and already we have a new invitation."
"As an Assistant who prefers staying put in the Space Station, I must view your life of 'either being on a business trip or on the way to one' with awe."
Welt Yang looked at Bai Luan:
"It seems you prefer the stability of the Space Station over the Astral Express's endless next stops."
"I wouldn't say that. After staying in the Space Station for too long, I also crave coming out to walk around and see different sights. So, I choose—to have it all."
Bai Luan said with a hint of pride:
"Trailblazing is also fun. Whenever I want to have some fun, I come to the Astral Express; when I'm tired, I go back to the Space Station. Only children make choices; a genius wants everything."
"Uncle is right."
Stelle was clearly very happy about having something new to play with, and said, hands on hips:
"Trailblazing is happiness."
"Thinking about it like that."
March 7th picked up the conversation.
"Our 'Trailblazing Journey' is about to turn into a 'Quick Fall Journey' of eating and drinking everywhere."
Pom-Pom looked at March 7th with a hint of confusion:
"Quick... Fall?"
"That's right, eating, drinking, and playing—a 'Quick Fall' of rapid degeneration all the way."
Dan Heng glanced at March 7th and suggested:
"Since it's a journey of degeneration, why don't we leave March behind to maintain the Astral Express?"
"I—I never said I didn't want to go! I really want to join the fun... I just hope the next place we go to for fun doesn't suddenly spawn a Friday or a Saturday to oppose us."
"It seems we still have many backup options for villain characters. I believe Monday will be very powerful."
Bai Luan then looked back at March 7th and said:
"Weekdays versus Months—my calendar is about to start fighting."
"That's not fair! I alone have to fight at least four Weekdays!"
"Look on the bright side, at least you've already fought Sunday, and Robin is on your side."
"Why does it still feel like two fists can't defeat four hands..."
Welt Yang lightly coughed, bringing the conversation back on track, and stated his considerations:
"The Xianzhou Luofu has just overcome a crisis, and holding the Martial Arts Ceremony is also a way to outwardly demonstrate its peaceful and safe status."
Hearing this, March 7th immediately said:
"Everyone said the exact same thing before we went to Penacony!"
She lightly coughed, imitating the voice of a supposed Family staff member:
"Under the protection of 'The Family,' there will be absolutely no danger~"
"No need to be overly suspicious."
Dan Heng looked at March 7th, who seemed to be experiencing a touch of PTSD, and said:
"The Martial Arts Ceremony is not like the 'Harmony Celebration,' which concealed many secrets. It is merely a festival established to commemorate the great feat of The General and the Cloud Knights fighting against the Abominations of Abundance and saving the Xianzhou."
Bai Luan glanced at Dan Heng.
Hmm... it's not entirely without secrets, and it's certainly not just a simple, joyous, ordinary festival.
The waters of the Xianzhou have never been shallow.
If you threw Stelle into them, she wouldn't even surface...