Stelle's answer was exactly what Silver Wolf and Firefly had expected.
However, both of them still had unfinished business to attend to, so they couldn't accompany her for the time being.
For now, Stelle had to go it alone, but if any accidents occurred, they would rush to support her immediately.
Afterward, facing Mo Xin's repeated inquiries, Stelle pondered for a moment before finally telling her the truth of the matter.
To Stelle's surprise, Mo Xin's reaction was far calmer than she had imagined—she only widened her eyes slightly, remained silent for a few seconds, and then nodded gently without much emotional fluctuation.
After hearing this, Yunli couldn't help but look at Stelle and complain, "You Trailblazers really do find trouble wherever you go."
Stelle immediately waved her hands in protest. "I'm not taking the blame for this! Clearly, the trouble started it!"
Compared to the silent Mo Xin, Stelle and Yunli's reactions were much more composed, even finding the leisure to joke around.
Stelle ٩( 'ω' )و: "Don't worry. With me, the Galactic Baseballer, here, there's nothing a bat can't solve. If there is, then I'll just swing again."
Stelle continued, "And a senior once said: Life is like being forced; since you can't resist, you might as well enjoy it."
Yunli (ง •̀_•́)ง: "Uh... although that metaphor is quite abstract, the sentiment is indeed correct. As a swordsman, one should naturally forge ahead and help those in need."
"The future is inherently unpredictable. Instead of exhausting yourself worrying about things that haven't happened, it's better to cherish the present. Mo Xin, rest assured. With your Master here, I'll never let you fall before me."
Listening to their heartfelt comfort, a warm current quietly flowed through Mo Xin's heart. Her restless mind, which had been like a startled bird, finally began to settle down.
She took a deep breath, and when she opened her eyes again, her gaze had returned to its former state.
"Thank you, Master Yunli, and Stelle. I feel much better."
Seeing this, a genuine smile appeared on Stelle's face, and she reached out to gently pat Mo Xin's shoulder.
"It's a small matter. I'm glad you've cheered up."
Mo Xin nodded gently, but then seemed to hesitate, a trace of doubt in her eyes.
Sensing her Disciple's thoughts, Yunli took the initiative to guide her.
"Disciple, if you have something to say, just say it. Your Master won't mind."
"Me too!" Stelle added.
However, Mo Xin didn't speak immediately.
Especially seeing the fighting spirit burning in their eyes, a surge of guilt welled up in her heart.
But she bit her lip, and after much deliberation, she finally spoke up.
"I understand, but... Master Yunli, Stelle, what are your plans next?"
Hearing this, Stelle immediately pulled out her metal baseball bat. Her gaze suddenly became sharp, and with a light flick of her wrist, blue electrical sparks snaked up the bat, crackling in the air.
"As a member of the Astral Express, there's no reason to ignore a world in peril."
"Besides, I, Stelle, have traveled the worlds for years relying on this bat. I've never followed a damsel-in-distress script."
"It's bound to be a fight from start to finish—slaying gods if gods block the way, slaying Buddhas if Buddhas block the way—until I finally save Muyun City."
If one ignored Stelle's nonsense from before, Yunli still nodded in deep agreement.
"As a swordsman, I cannot turn a blind eye to this."
"And although I haven't known Captain Chen and the others for long, I am not a heartless person. Therefore, I will also do my utmost to save Muyun City."
Although Stelle seemed unreliable, her eyes, like Yunli's, were filled with fighting spirit without the slightest hesitation.
But the brighter their light shone, the heavier the guilt in Mo Xin's heart became. She felt that her previous panic was completely out of place compared to their determination.
This was because, in her heart, she was actually more inclined toward the second option Silver Wolf had proposed—leaving with her family.
Mo Xin wasn't afraid of death; she just couldn't stop worrying about the safety of her sister and family. This attachment made it impossible for her to completely disregard a way out.
Setting aside any strange ideas, Mo Xin's original intention for joining the Ability Bureau was, in the end, simply to protect her family and maintain her current life.
Normally, if it were for her duties, she would go all out and not shy away from fighting evil alongside the Captain and the others.
But now, even if she believed in Master Yunli's strength, that destructive prophecy was ultimately a giant sword hanging over their heads.
For a minuscule hope, could fate really be shaken?
This question circled repeatedly in her mind, and she couldn't let it go for a long time.
While Mo Xin was secretly grieving, Yunli had already noticed the retreat in her eyes.
As her Master, she wasn't angry at all, nor did she show any disappointment. She only sighed softly and walked slowly to Mo Xin's side.
When disaster strikes, feeling fear is a natural instinct.
Moreover, Mo Xin had only been training for a few months. Asking her to save the safety of an entire city now was truly a bit too much.
And she could roughly guess what the other girl was truly worried about—it wasn't a fear of death, but a fear that her own abilities weren't enough to protect the people she wanted to guard.
Yunli sighed inwardly, but her expression remained calm as she comforted her Disciple in a gentle tone.
"Alright, instead of agonizing over such a distant problem, why not solve the trouble that's right in front of you first?"
Mo Xin subconsciously asked, "What trouble?"
A teasing smile curled Yunli's lips as she patted Mo Xin's shoulder.
"It's been a few months; final exams are coming up soon."
"Instead of thinking about how to save the city, why don't you think about how not to fail your classes first? Otherwise, how will you explain it to your parents?"
Mo Xin (⊙▽⊙)?!: "Eh?!!"
The anxiety that had been gradually subsiding in her heart erupted once again at this moment.
She hurriedly pulled out her phone to check the date.
[December 26th]
The end of the month was approaching, and there were only about two weeks left until the exams!
Mo Xin suddenly became frantic, pacing in circles while scratching her head.
"Why are there such torturous things as exams in this world?! And why does time pass so quickly? I feel like the semester just started!"
Watching Mo Xin spin around in a panic, Yunli and Stelle laughed out loud quite unkindly.
"Master Yunli, have you already finished your revision?" Mo Xin asked with a glimmer of hope.
Yunli shook her head decisively.
"Then why aren't you worried at all?"
Yunli's eyes curved into crescent moons.
"Who do you think has been helping you clock in? Just barely not failing is enough, and besides, whether I fail or not has no impact on me."
Hearing this, Mo Xin finally realized the situation belatedly.
Seeing this, Stelle immediately put her hands on her hips and tilted her chin high, looking incredibly proud of herself.
Stelle ঌ( ˘▽˘ )໒: "Hehehe, I've never even been to primary school, so I don't have to take exams at all!"
Mo Xin (＞m＜): "Who asked you?! And what exactly are you so proud of!!!"
With Yunli's help, she successfully made her Disciple temporarily forget about the existence of the crisis.
However, to accommodate her situation...
Yunli specifically helped her Disciple request a few days of leave from the Ability Bureau.
So that the latter could have a good rest.
The matter was temporarily settled there.
"Strange..."
"Yunli, what's wrong?"
"I feel like I've forgotten something."
"Since you've forgotten, then don't worry about it. Let's go grab something to eat."
"Alright, then... Wait, don't run! That's a trash can over there!"
...
Meanwhile, inside the Ability Bureau.
Mu Yao looked at the empty hall and fell into deep thought.
"What happened to helping your Senior Sister pick up the takeout?"