Chapter 128: Light Cone "Nanook: From Now On, Please Call Me 'Noodle Star God'"
Nanook had no intention of dignifying such a boring provocation with a response. But being spurred on by Aha like this, a faint, dangerous chill flickered through his golden eyes.
"My name is Fu Huimian," he stated, his voice as cold and still as a frozen lake.
"Fu... Huimian?" Fu Xuan and Qingque froze in unison. 'Braised Noodles?'
This name... wasn't it a bit too... down-to-earth? Who on earth would have "Braised Noodles" as part of their name?
Yet, it was precisely because the name was so ridiculous that Fu Xuan and Qingque were inclined to believe it was real. After all, if the name were fake... one would barely be able to say it aloud with a straight face. Who would invent such an absurd pseudonym? In comparison, the name "Nanook" suddenly sounded far more like an alias.
Especially when the man before them projected the very image of a cold, taciturn master from a lofty peak... Fu Xuan and Qingque glanced at each other, each seeing the desperate struggle to suppress laughter reflected in the other's eyes.
"Brother... my condolences." Qingque gently patted Nanook's arm, her tone overflowing with theatrical sympathy. "Names are given to us by our parents. If you really don't like it... you can actually apply for a name change at the Divination Commission."
Nanook said nothing. Internally, however, a single thought echoed with the force of a supernova: 'The Xianzhou Luofu, as expected, should welcome destruction.''Phantylia was right.'[Fuli has generated a new Light Cone: "Nanook: From Now On, Please Call Me'Noodle Star God'"]
Even Leon found it difficult to keep his expression neutral. He knew the name Nanook had intended to use was a combination of the Trailblazer's surname and his own Path: Fu Huimie. 'Fu'for Fu Xuan, and'Huimie' for Destruction.
But saying "Destruction" outright would have been far too obvious, so he'd opted for a homophone.
'Huimie'(Destruction) had become'Huimian' (Braised Noodles).
Fuli, the Aeon of Remembrance, had instantly understood Nanook's predicament and, in its own unique way, had immortalized the moment as a Light Cone.
Now, he truly had become the Noodle Star God.
'Excellent,'Leon thought, thoroughly amused.'The Noodle Star God and the Antimatter Legion... a perfect match.'
The aura around Nanook darkened perceptibly. It seemed that coming up with a pseudonym was somehow more difficult than annihilating an entire galaxy.
"Amber King," Qlipoth's voice rumbled, devoid of inflection.
Qingque blinked. 'Now that name sounds like something a fanatical believer of the Path of Preservation would name their child,' she mused. It exuded a sense of simple, earnest piety. After all, Amber King... Amber Lord... he really had the guts to claim that name.
She couldn't help but marvel. This group of people were truly one-of-a-kind, and they had such a pleasant way of speaking.
"The Omniscient..." Nous's synthesized voice rang out, perfectly steady.
Fu Xuan's eyebrow twitched, and she hesitated, words catching in her throat. But as she looked at the mechanical scholar before her, with his calm temperament and rational gaze—a world away from the grinning man in the yellow suit—she ultimately swallowed her doubts.
Ding-dong—
Leon's phone chimed at the perfect moment. He glanced down to see a message from Stelle.
[Stelle: Hey, big bro, what are you doing?]
[Leon: On the way to the Divination Commission... stopped at the Cloudhymn Inn for a bit.]
"The Divination Commission?" Stelle looked at the reply, a little surprised.
"What's wrong?" March 7th asked, leaning over her shoulder.
"Big bro said he and his friends are going to the Divination Commission," Stelle reported, looking up.
"Wow! He beat us to it! He's already off having fun at the Divination Commission!"
Caelus pouted. "Ask him what's fun there."
[Stelle: What's fun at the Divination Commission?]
She hit send. The screen flashed.
[Send failed.]
"Hmm? It won't send?"
March 7th poked at her own phone. "Let me try... Eh, mine won't send either!"
"Weak signal?" Stelle guessed.
"Did someone tear down the local base station?" Caelus's imagination was already running wild.
"It might be that the long-range communication technology here is not yet perfected, or it's being interfered with by Stellaron energy," Welt suggested, pushing up his glasses as he offered a rational analysis.
"That's not right. Other functions still work, look." March 7th opened her photo album and the weather app; everything loaded normally.
"Then, it can only be that someone has tampered with the network." Welt's eyes narrowed slightly. "Since Kafka is here, this is likely the work of that little hacker among the Stellaron Hunters—Silver Wolf."
Meanwhile, in the Astral Express's Parlor Car, Dan Heng stood silently by the window, his gaze fixed on the towering silhouette of the Xianzhou ship in the distance. He had been standing there for the better part of an hour.
"It's rare to see you so preoccupied." Himeko's gentle voice broke the silence as she approached with a fresh cup of coffee. She followed his line of sight toward the Luofu. "Worried about them? With Welt and Leon there, you really don't have to worry too much."
Dan Heng remained silent for a moment before turning to face her. "I'm thinking about Leon. The General of the Luofu shouldn't know him, so who... is he going to see?"
"Don't worry." Himeko took a small sip of her coffee, her gaze drifting back out the window. "Even if an Emanator from another Path has truly infiltrated the Luofu, I believe Leon would never do anything to harm the Xianzhou."
"Mm," Dan Heng responded, but the tight line of his brow didn't ease.
"How about this," Himeko said, setting down her cup and taking out her phone. "I'll send Leon a message and ask how things are going, alright?"
Her fingertip tapped lightly on the screen as she composed a message.
[Himeko: Leon, how are things on your end? Dan Heng is a bit worried.]
Just as Leon finished replying to Stelle, he received Himeko's message.
[Leon: Everything is going smoothly. We're heading to the Divination Commission now.]
[Leon: Grand Diviner Fu Xuan of the Divination Commission is personally receiving us. She's quite interesting... short in stature, but with a real 'don't-mess-with-me' expression.]
"See? Leon says he and his friends are being personally received by the Grand Diviner of the Divination Commission." Himeko turned the screen toward Dan Heng, her smile graceful. "He's quite well-connected."
"...Indeed. I was overthinking things." Dan Heng let out a soft breath, but his expression remained tense.
What repeatedly surfaced in his mind was the image from Kafka's transmission—the black-clad figure being escorted by Cloud Knights. That name alone was enough to pry open deliberately sealed memories: crimson eyes, a tearing laugh, and a prophecy that coiled around him like a curse.
He closed his eyes.
Even knowing that his companions on this stop were by no means weak, the sense of unease followed him like a shadow. He had chosen to stay on the Express in the first place partly because of Kafka's words: "Blade is on the Luofu."
But at this moment... he suddenly found he couldn't sit still any longer.
"Thinking of the past again, are you?" Himeko's voice was gentle, not probing, only filled with concern.
Dan Heng's voice was low. "I can't... let them face it alone. I only fear... that the things I carry have finally caught up, involving everyone in the fallout."
"Who among us can truly be completely unburdened?" Himeko set down her coffee, her gaze clear and calm. "Even our seemingly carefree little March carries a past she can't remember on her shoulders. We walk this Path, and all we see and experience becomes our luggage—both a heavy weight to carry and the strength that propels us forward."
She took a step closer and gently patted his shoulder. "Don't think too much. According to the Astral Express's rules, we have seven standard days during a stopover. Passengers should be free to manage their own time. Himeko and Pom-Pom are on the Express; that's enough."
She smiled slightly, her eyes bright. "Go do what you feel you must do. It's better than regretting it later."
After a pause, she added softly, "After things are settled... you'll come back to the Astral Express and continue traveling with everyone, right?"
Dan Heng raised his head, meeting her smiling gaze. He finally gave a slow, solemn nod.
"Has Passenger Dan Heng changed his mind and decided to get off the Astral Express?" Pom-Pom had bounced over at some point, its long ears twitching. "Then Pom-Pom wishes you a smooth journey! After you get off, please remember to return to the Astral Express before departure time~"
The conductor puffed out its little chest and added in a lively tone, "If you could bring back some local specialty snacks while you're at it... Pom-Pom wouldn't object either, Pom!"
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