Chapter 134: Phainon's Commission
Stelle grabbed March 7th by the arm, intentionally letting them fall a few steps behind to create a small pocket of privacy away from Dan Heng, Phainon, and Vill-V, who were already deep in conversation.
She nudged March 7th with her elbow, her expression conspiratorial. "Phainon from the Elysian Realm, huh?" she whispered, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "And here I was just calling him 'Little Bai.' Did you see him back there? All cool and aloof like he was the second coming of the heavens, even trying to confiscate our weapons. But then his guardian shows up and..."
"And suddenly, he's a lot more polite!" March 7th finished, giggling. "See? It looks like someone can keep him in line after all."
March nervously tugged on Stelle's sleeve. "Stelle—! Keep your voice down! They can definitely hear you! Dan Heng has super-sensitive ears, you know! And that Phainon guy doesn't seem like your average person, either!"
Stelle waved a dismissive hand, her voice barely lowering. "Relax, relax, we're miles away! Besides, everything I said is true! This is called... hmm... being observant!"
Walking ahead, Dan Heng seemed to pause for a fraction of a second, but he didn't look back. He simply continued his conversation with Phainon and Vill-V, acting as if he were completely oblivious to the 'loud discussions' happening just behind him.
Phainon's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. Beside him, Vill-V covered her mouth to stifle a silvery laugh, her large eyes curving into joyful crescents. She found the commentary from their grey-haired guest rather amusing.
"I am Dan Heng," he said, pointedly ignoring the background noise as he continued his introductions. He gestured behind him. "That pink-haired companion is March 7th, and the one who... sparred with you just now, is Stelle."
"We are new to this place," Dan Heng explained, his tone steady. "We know nothing about the current situation, the threats you face, or the 'Holy City of Ochema'and'Titan of Strife' you mentioned."
"Traveling with you serves two purposes. First, to escort these refugees to Ochema and ensure the safety of these innocent people. Second, we hope to use this opportunity to better understand this world and perhaps find answers to the many questions we have."
Vill-V and Phainon exchanged a knowing glance, a silent understanding passing between them.
Vill-V's face still held an innocent and lovely smile, and her voice was as clear as a bell. "Of course, we can go together! There's strength in numbers, after all! And didn't you say you wanted to practice the will of Trailblaze? That sounds very reliable!"
Phainon simply gave a concise nod. "Alright. Follow us."
Dan Heng fell into step beside Phainon, attempting to gather more information. "The sky of Amphora seems restless. We were met with a spear attack the moment we arrived," he stated, posing his first question.
"Oh? That sounds dangerous," Vill-V blinked, her tone laced with just the right amount of surprise and concern, yet she offered no further explanation.
Dan Heng changed his line of questioning. "I heard you mention the Holy City of Ochema. What kind of place is it? It seems to be a sanctuary in this ruined world."
Vill-V smiled brightly. "Ochema... that is a holy land, protected by the last vestiges of Lord Kevin's power—the 'Titan of the Void'! It's our beacon of hope! As for how it's maintained..." She tilted her head. "Hmm... that's a proof of Lord Kevin's great power, and also a secret of the Holy City! You'll understand when you get there!"
She had cleverly sidestepped a substantive answer.
Dan Heng's subsequent questions were met with similar deflections. His inquiries, probing and direct, were effortlessly dissolved by Vill-V's charming innocence or Phainon's vague, cautious replies. The two worked in perfect tandem. One would lightly gloss over the details with phrases like 'it's a secret,''great power,' and'you'll see when we arrive,'while the other would respond with abstract concepts like'berserk'and'Titan.'
In the end, Dan Heng failed to gain any key information regarding the source of the spears that had attacked the Astral Express, the specific mechanism by which Ochema maintained its sanctuary, or even the true nature of the Titan's power.
He quickly realized that these two natives of Amphora—one seemingly straightforward and the other silent—were in fact carefully guarded, maintaining a high degree of vigilance toward outsiders. Gaining their trust, and the information they held, would be no easy task.
Just as they reached the outer perimeter of the temple, the sound of a fierce quarrel erupted from a corridor up ahead, shattering the quiet. By the time they arrived, however, the argument had already ended, leaving only a single, slightly younger person standing alone.
After learning that the one who had stormed off in a huff was named Nodus, a plan seemed to form in Phainon's mind.
He turned to Dan Heng, his tone a mixture of statement and request. "You are skilled. Could I ask you to protect Teacher Vill-V, venture into the depths of the temple, and retrieve Mr. Nodus? I must remain here to protect the refugees."
"Teacher Vill-V will answer some of your questions along the way." His gaze was sharp and candid. It was the clearest and most informative promise Phainon had made since they first met.
Stelle and March s' eyes lit up. A mission! Simple and direct! And it came with an information reward! This was a hundred times better than the game of conversational riddles Dan Heng had been playing.
Dan Heng didn't hesitate. They needed information, and Phainon's promise was the most reliable breakthrough they had.
He nodded. "No problem. We'll protect Miss Vill-V and bring back Mr. Nodus. Please be careful."
Stelle and March chimed in enthusiastically. "Don't worry!" Stelle declared, patting her chest. "Vill-V's safety is on us! We guarantee not a single hair on her head will be harmed!"
March nodded vigorously beside her. "Mhm! Leave it to us!"
With the agreement made, Vill-V led Dan Heng, Stelle, and March 7th deeper into the temple, moving quickly along a grand but visibly dilapidated corridor.
Passing through a massive, cracked archway, they found themselves before a broken, suspended walkway. Only a few lonely stone beams remained, pointing menacingly into the bottomless, dark abyss below.
"Oh no! The path is broken!" March 7th exclaimed, skidding to a halt. She peered down at the dizzying drop, her face turning a little pale. "We just took on the mission and we're already in big trouble! What do we do now?"
Seeing this, a characteristic, slightly smug smile curved Stelle's lips.
She reached into her seemingly bottomless pocket. "It's just a small problem, what's the panic? Watch me!"
In a flash, the[Bamboo Copter]from another world was in her hand. She was just about to place it on her head. "We can just fly over! March, hold on tight! Dan Heng, you..."
"Wait a moment!" Vill-V's clear voice interrupted Stelle's preparations.
Standing at the very edge of the broken bridge, she looked up at Stelle, her large eyes sparkling with a strange light—a peculiar mix of childlike innocence and ancient wisdom.
A mysterious smile played on her lips. "Leave such small matters to us! This is a good opportunity to let our guests from beyond the heavens witness a 'miracle' of Amphora!"
"A miracle?" Stelle's movements paused. She raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. Putting the Bamboo Copter away for now, she crossed her arms, looking ready to enjoy a good show.
"Oh? Little Vill-V, you can do magic, too? Come on, come on, let me see it! What kind of miracle could possibly be more convenient than my Bamboo Copter?" Her voice was full of enthusiasm, clearly anticipating Vill-V's 'miracle' with the eager attitude of a spectator.
Dan Heng, however, frowned slightly, a flicker of vigilance in his eyes. He had an instinct that whatever Vill-V was about to do was far from simple 'magic.'
Beside him, March 7th's eyes widened with curiosity.
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