On a roadside bench.
March 7th, Zeig, and Dan Heng sat silently, watching a large group of Silvermane Guards walk back and forth.
March 7th shrugged:
"Hey, look! Now even we don't get to play."
Dan Heng's gaze was calm, still as an ancient well:
"We should still go see if there's anything we can help with. After all, that building… was also a place we once stayed."
A gentle breeze blew through their hair.
Zeig sat between the two, leaning against the backrest, legs crossed, narrowing his long, narrow eyes:
"Friend, we're the Astral Express trio of delinquents, not the Sherlock Holmes Detective Agency. Going to do this kind of thing—wouldn't that be getting ahead of ourselves?"
March 7th lay draped over the bench's armrest, lazily saying:
"Thanks for the reminder—don't remind me again in the future."
Dan Heng, sitting on the other side, couldn't help but look at Zeig:
"Zeig, didn't you go investigate? No leads?"
Earlier inside Qlipoth Fort.
Based on the testimonies from those injured Silvermane Guards, it was enough to confirm that indeed a group wearing Silvermane Guard uniforms had set the fire.
In the subsequent investigation by Pela and Gepard, the scope of suspects gradually narrowed.
Now all the new recruits in the Silvermane Guard camp had been detained.
A certain someone extended his well-defined hand and patted Dan Heng's shoulder:
"I've got a rough idea of the situation at the Silvermane Guard recruit camp. They're all noobs—even the mole hidden among them is one. Carrying oil drums so enthusiastically, and only managing to get them in by using my name. Even if we find out who, they're probably just small fry under the boss."
Dan Heng said gravely:
"You mean there are other enemies behind those fake Silvermane Guards who set the fire?"
A certain someone shook his head:
"I didn't say that. Maybe they really pulled off a miracle with brute force—soloed the museum with a few barrels of oil, who knows."
Dan Heng glanced lightly at his two teammates.
One draped over the armrest, one lying back on the bench—both looking utterly lazy, clearly with no intention of getting up to help.
"So, what are your plans next?" Dan Heng asked.
March 7th: "Just lie here, I guess. If something really comes up, wait for Pela or Gepard or whoever to call us."
A certain someone: "Same here."
March 7th: "Besides, we're not locals—investigating this kind of thing, they obviously have the advantage. If we act on our own, we might even mess up their plans."
A certain someone: "Same here."
March 7th: "Most importantly, I'm really tired and don't feel like moving."
A certain someone: "Same here."
Dan Heng: "…"
"Sigh." In the end, Dan Heng could only let out a helpless sigh.
"I understand. You two rest well first. I'll go see if there's anything that needs assistance."
Under March 7th and Zeig's gazes, Dan Heng stood up, patted his clothes, and left on his own.
The museum burning happened on the day Dan Heng was on duty. He always felt that if he hadn't gone off to the snowfield on his own, this wouldn't have happened.
In the end, his face wasn't as thick as the other two.
After Dan Heng left, the bench felt even more spacious. A certain someone scooted over a bit.
March 7th also scooted her butt over, then flopped back against the bench, listlessly saying:
"Sigh, I thought we came here for a vacation—didn't expect the heavens still love playing jokes."
"Yeah, maybe this is protagonist aura—trouble follows wherever we go." A certain someone lay beside her in agreement.
A gentle breeze brushed through their hair.
After a moment of silence, March 7th slightly turned her head and spoke:
"Hey, you really not planning to do anything? Don't forget you're still the Executive Officer. Dan Heng and I have no positions at all—you're a big shot, yet you're slacking off here too?"
Upon hearing this.
The corners of a certain someone's mouth curved up slightly:
"You say that like I've ever exercised any authority or ordered any Silvermane Guard around. Since I've never exercised any rights, how could I bear the corresponding obligations?"
"You're so clear-headed about this—you don't want to live anymore!"
"Didn't expect that, huh."
So.
The two continued sitting.
Sat until both entered another world.
"zzzZZZ…"
"zzzZZZ…"
Passersby on the roadside couldn't help but glance at the two.
Two young people in the prime of life, handsome guy and beautiful girl, yet at the age when they should be striving, chose to slack off.
"Sigh, kids these days really have worse stamina. Back in my youth, my energy was way more vigorous than theirs!" An old man passing by commented.
"Exactly! In my youth, I could go five days without sleep no problem! Now that I'm old… truly old!" A nearby elementary school kid chimed in.
Just like that.
The two slept until evening.
Moon and sparse stars.
A chill pulled March 7th back from the other world.
She slowly opened her pink-blue eyes, feeling her waist and back aching.
Sure enough, that sleeping posture wasn't kind to the body.
March 7th yawned, then lifted the black coat covering her.
She looked in surprise at Zeig beside her, who was playing a game:
"Wait, you really stayed here with me?"
A certain someone's sharp-featured face was illuminated by the screen's glow, his fingers tapping rapidly:
"What's weird about that."
March 7th rubbed her eyes, lazily saying:
"I thought you'd go cause trouble."
Given Zeig's usual behavior, it wouldn't be strange if he'd yanked her chair away and left her sleeping on the ground alone.
At the very least, he'd dump her here and run off to do whatever.
So why was he honestly sitting beside her playing games this time?
"What's there to cause trouble over."
A certain someone set aside the screen displaying 'Victory' in big letters and silently put his black coat back on.
After putting it on, he stood up with his phone and said casually:
"Let's go, dinner time."
"Oh."
March 7th pounded her back and stood up too.
The two really did head toward the snack stalls.
…
The next day.
A Silvermane Guard outpost was smashed by a mysterious group again.
…
The day after.
Graffiti with insulting words appeared on the walls of Qlipoth Fort.
…
The fourth day.
A large number of Silvermane Guards were hospitalized due to food poisoning.
…
Over these days, Zeig hadn't stayed in Qlipoth Fort but, like March 7th, checked into the Goethe Hotel.
In the hotel lobby.
A certain someone still picked a corner and silently ordered some fried food.
After these few days of events, March 7th felt increasingly uneasy and had no mood to fight Zeig for food.
Seeing her teammate still acting as if nothing was wrong, March 7th complained:
"Hey hey hey, Dan Heng's been worked to death these past few days—are we really not going to lend a hand? You don't know about those incidents?"
A certain someone silently nodded, very naturally watching a drama on his phone while eating fries.
"I know—so that's exactly why it has nothing to do with us. Tomorrow we head back to the space station to collect some interest."
"?"
…
At that moment, Dan Heng stood with the others by the wall of Qlipoth Fort.
They silently used tools to clean off the graffiti.
[Architects are despicable and shameless!!]
[Give me back my wife and children's lives!!]
[t's all your fault… all your fault!!]
…