Chapter 131: Mommy, Open the Door, It's Me
"Next time I see Yukong, I'll be sure to 'report' this," March 7th said, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
"It doesn't matter," Welt spoke up, his tone steady and accommodating. "We would never force Miss Tingyun's hand. Once we encounter Kafka, leave the pursuit and combat to us. You've worked hard enough just leading the way."
"To get the Diting to start tracking, we first need to find some clues as a lead," Tingyun explained, leaning over to gently stroke the creature's back. "If Kafka is truly in Starskiff Harbor, she will have left some traces. Let's split up and search. Don't overlook anything that seems suspicious."
Before long, they began discovering traces one after another.
"This is a piece of a Cloud Knight's weapon..." Tingyun picked up a broken blade, examining it carefully. "It looks like it was sliced clean through by something incredibly sharp."
"It must be that awful woman, no doubt about it!" March 7th declared, planting her hands on her hips.
"Wait, look..." Serval pointed toward a corner. "The Diting found a strange box with a palm print on it."
Tingyun approached to inspect it, her finger hovering over the outline of the mark. "Judging by the impression left behind, the fingers are slender and the force applied was steady... This is a 'deadly' hand."
"Hmm, there's a note tucked into the box..." March 7th leaned in, her eyes scanning the paper before reading it aloud. "'Do you like it? Here's a reward.'... Damn it! Aren't we just being led around by the nose?"
She could almost picture Kafka's composed, smiling face winking at her from across time and space. Curses! Was all of this within that woman's calculations?
"Yay! A reward!" Stelle's tone suddenly shot up, and stars practically popped out of her eyes.
"Yay! A reward!" Caelus immediately echoed, clapping his hands in excitement.
Tingyun fell silent.
'Good grief,'Phantylia thought, maintaining her gentle and humble facade.'I, a Lord Ravager, have to put on this act, yet you two so-called "Stellaron hosts" can't even be bothered to pretend?'
Yes, as a Lord Ravager, Phantylia could clearly sense the Stellarons nestled within Stelle and Caelus. She could even detect the blessing of the Trailblaze that rested upon them. It was exactly as that game of Leon's had presented.
Yet, even now, Phantylia couldn't fathom it. Why would these two seemingly carefree, simple-minded creatures receive the gaze of an Aeon? To this day, she felt she hadn't managed to grasp the deeper meaning behind Akivili's choice.
"Kafka seems to have completely anticipated our every move," Welt sighed, his tone growing grave. "Everyone, be sure to watch out for traps."
At that moment, the communicator in his pocket vibrated slightly. Busy observing his surroundings, Welt didn't look down to check it—a small oversight he would soon come to regret.
"What is this? It feels like clay... Mr. Yang, look," March 7th called out, picking up a lump of a dark substance from another corner.
"This is likely material left over from the skiff-building assembly line," Welt said, taking it for a brief examination. "Although I can't identify the specific components, it should be... unrelated to Kafka."
"Got it. Let's go check over there... Eww, what's this? A grenade?"
"It's lipstick."
"'A small gift for the lost traveler'..." March 7th's knuckles went white around the brightly colored tube. She gritted her teeth. "This woman is clearly provoking us!"
As the suspicious clues were gathered one by one, Welt looked at the others. "Are these traces truly all left by Kafka? Or is this a diversion she intentionally set up?"
"Judging by the sheer number of them, she's clearly just toying with us!" March 7th crossed her arms, the image of that woman's lazy, smiling demeanor already materializing in her mind. "I can just imagine her with that 'mysterious' expression, saying word by word—'Come and catch me~'."
"That fits her usual style!" Stelle and Caelus exchanged a glance and nodded in perfect unison, wholeheartedly affirming March's judgment.
"After all, she is a wanted criminal with a heavy bounty from the Interstellar Peace Corporation, yet no one has ever been able to bring her to justice," Tingyun remarked, lightly gathering her sleeves with a faint smile. "Right now, it's as if... we have become the prey she is secretly observing."
She paused, raising a hand to point the way forward. "Let's go, Benefactors. There's no time to lose—we should be very close to her now."
In truth, Phantylia couldn't care less about any of this. Her goal was simply to keep the Astral Express crew's attention firmly locked on "pursuing Kafka" and the "Stellaron." This would provide cover for her true intentions regarding the Ambrosial Arbor and give her the opportunity to disrupt the order of the Xianzhou.
The group followed the Diting, threading through complex corridors and past silent conveyor belts. The metallic echoes of their footsteps reverberated eerily in the empty harbor.
Suddenly, the Diting stopped. Its nose twitched, and the blue light in its eyes flickered.
"The scent... has disappeared," Tingyun murmured, her brow furrowing slightly.
"When the prey's tracks suddenly vanish," a lazy, elegant voice drifted from the shadows of the container garden ahead, "the hunter should be careful..."
Kafka stepped slowly out of the darkness, her trench coat fluttering slightly, a familiar, composed smile playing on her lips.
"...because that is often a sign that the roles of hunter and prey have been reversed."
"Kafka!" Everyone's gaze tightened instantly.
"These Cloud Knights haven't fallen into the Mara-Struck state," Tingyun observed, looking at the few knights standing beside Kafka. Their eyes were slightly vacant, but they still held their weapons. She feigned confusion. "What did you do to them?"
"Just a little 'suggestion' to have them listen quietly while I speak," Kafka chuckled, her gaze drifting casually over to the Trailblazers. "Stelle, Caelus... you two know this best, don't you?"
As soon as she spoke, all eyes turned to the sibling pair.
"Don't know..." Stelle shook her head, her expression dead serious. "Unless... you come over and let me 'experience' it one more time!"
"Exactly, exactly!" Caelus immediately agreed.
"How cute..." The smile in Kafka's eyes deepened. She then turned. "This place is no good. It's a long way for the Grand Diviner to come, and that's no benefit to me. Let's meet up ahead."
According to her plan, the Grand Diviner should have received the report by now and be on her way. She still needed to delay things just a little longer.
"Charge! Don't let her get away!" March 7th waved her hand energetically and was the first to give chase.
"Mommy! I'm coming!" Caelus stuck out his tongue and nimbly darted past March.
Not to be outdone, Stelle followed closely behind him.
"March, slow down!" Welt shook his head helplessly and hurried to catch up, afraid the three troublemakers would run headfirst into a trap.
Serval trailed at the back, a chuckle escaping her lips as she watched the lively, somewhat absurd "chase" unfold. This Trailblaze journey... it really was never boring.
"Just a little bit more~ Everyone, haste makes waste," Kafka's voice purred. She nimbly slipped through a door ahead and, just as the Astral Express crew reached it, slid the heavy gate shut with a smile.
"Kafka! Open the door! It's me...!" Stelle shouted, patting the door panel.
Tingyun silently covered her forehead. This was supposed to be a tense and fierce pursuit... How did these two turn it into a scene of children chasing their mother for candy?
"Damn it, there's no way through here!" March 7th looked around frantically. "We have to find a way to cut her off!"
"Watch me!" Caelus hefted his baseball bat, looking ready to solve the problem with brute force. "I'll smash this door—"
"Benefactor, it doesn't matter that the door is closed. We can just go around via the conveyor belt," Tingyun quickly dissuaded him. "It's best... not to damage public property. We'll have to pay for it."
"It's fine!" Caelus patted his pocket, his confidence soaring. "I have money!"
If not now, when else was he supposed to use the allowance that nice rich lady Asta gave him? Who in their right mind would want to walk along those winding conveyor belts?
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