Leon: "I need to correct you, Stelle. March has talent—her photography skills are top-notch."
Stelle: "My bad, I was too hasty."
March 7th raised her brows: "You two—ugh, fine. Photography's a talent too. Let's fix the mining cart first."
The group divided tasks clearly and finished the repairs in no time.
"You guys are pretty quick with your hands. I thought you were all pampered types who'd never done manual work."
Seele was quite surprised, looking at the Astral Express crew with newfound respect.
March 7th: "Uh… why would you think that?"
Seele said bluntly: "Sorry, I judged by appearances. Your clothes are clean and neat, made of new material, so I assumed."
March 7th lifted her snowy chin with a hint of pride.
"We're fearless Nameless who brave countless challenges, Trailblazing world after world. Of course our hands-on skills are maxed out."
Stelle wasn't convinced: "Sounds like she's trying to fool a newbie like me. Leon, is March exaggerating?"
March 7th immediately shot Leon a look, subtly signaling him.
Leon seemed to miss it, smiling as he answered.
"The Express crew is one big, loving family. How could she fool you?"
At this, March 7th cutely raised an eyebrow, her smile harder to suppress than an AK's recoil.
But Leon's next words gradually froze her grin.
"Every journey, March takes hundreds of photos for everyone, with master-level shooting skills."
"So March isn't lying—her hands get the most action, so her skills are definitely maxed out."
① "Report: I request permission to laugh out loud."
② "I've had professional training, but I almost couldn't hold back a laugh."
The curve of March 7th's lips flipped into a pout.
She reached out, and Stelle's waist suffered for it.
It didn't actually hurt, but Stelle played along, grimacing to appease her.
① "March, why don't you hop in the cart? I'll push you."
② "Cart's fixed—onward to the main mining area!"
Options like these?
No-brainer.
Hardly anyone would pick two.
March 7th: "No way! It's a downhill path ahead—what if it doesn't stop?"
Hearing this, Stelle covered her face, pretending to sob.
"Oh, has the trust between us already crumbled? My heart's like a lone sail in a frigid sea breeze, cold and teetering…"
Such a dramatic scene—it was hard not to laugh.
March 7th's forehead sprouted a few black lines.
"…Uh, don't be like that. It's not that serious… Fine, I'll get in the cart, okay?"
Stelle instantly switched expressions: "Come on, come on, your veteran driver's ready to roll."
March 7th shivered for no reason: "Suddenly got a bad feeling…"
One minute later—
The screen went black.
No game visuals, only dialogue at the bottom.
March 7th's panicked voice came first.
"Wahhh! Pull it back, pull it back!"
"Too fast—it won't stop!"
"Leon, save me!"
Seele furrowed her brows, about to speed up, when a gust of wind suddenly surged beside her.
Before she could react, Leon's figure flashed through the air.
Huh?
Her eyesight was sharp—she shouldn't have seen wrong.
Leon actually had wings?
"How can a person have wings…?"
Bronya, seeing this, patted her shoulder.
Though it was her first time seeing Leon fly in person, she'd heard Gepard describe it before, so she wasn't too shocked.
"Beyond this world, there's a lot we don't know."
"Beyond this world…"
Seele murmured, then gave a self-mocking smile.
"This underground world's barely hanging on. I don't have the luxury to think as far as you do."
"…"
Bronya's lips pressed together.
She needed the truth, even if it was the last thing she wanted to see.
If the outsiders' claims were confirmed, she'd have to make a decision.
Otherwise, Belobog would have no future.
No chance to reconnect with the cosmos or revive the prosperity recorded in history.
In the players' view, only the sound of flapping wings and the whistling wind of a rapid dash could be heard.
March 7th: "Huff… huff… Saved! Thanks to you, Leon."
Leon: "Actually, I was a step late."
March 7th: "Huh? What do you mean?"
Leon: "It was the guy behind you who kindly stopped the cart."
The screen gradually brightened.
March 7th turned to look back, spotting a towering robot wielding a chainsaw.
"Uh… hello?"
She awkwardly waved.
"Such a comical way to start a fight. So this is how we run into enemies?"
"Some of you chatters need to chill. Leon wouldn't deliberately lag on something like this—it's not like he's pranking Sampo."
March 7th: "Why's there a menacing giant here?!"
Seele: "Hmph, that model's definitely one of Svarog's lackeys. Don't worry, I've got experience dealing with them."
Stelle: "Scared? Nah. Just thought I'd give our naturally gifted, cute little March a chance to shine…"
"Hm? What kind of chance?" March 7th's voice paused, startled.
"You said your Six-Phased Ice is awesome, right? A little trick to freeze it into a punching bag—no problem, yeah?"
Stelle raised her bat, blocking a swing from the Automaton Grizzly's chainsaw.
The chainsaw ground against the bat, sparking fiercely.
"Hmph, watch this girl's skills—Hiyah!"
Stelle spoke with exasperation: "March, I'm so good to you, and you're trying to get me killed!"
March 7th: "…Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to! I didn't control the landing right…"
Stelle: "Forget apologies—unfreeze my feet first!"
March 7th panicked: "Once Six-Phased Ice goes out, I can't control it!"
Seele: "…Are all you offworlders this bad at combat awareness?"
The game shifted to turn-based combat, but the interactive voice lines nearly had players in stitches.
[March-wife's plotting to murder her husband!]
[Well, since Ah Xian picked the female protagonist, more like murdering her wife.]
March 7th: "This time I won't freeze off-target, yee—↗ha↘↓!"
Leon or Stelle or Bronya or Seele: "…"
Seeing this ellipsis signaling speechlessness, countless players burst into pig-like squeals of laughter.
Another classic pig-teammate moment.
Stelle: "…Dear March, are you dead-set on playing me to death?"
March 7th's voice was thick with guilt.
"Actually… I can explain…"
[Don't bother—explain it during tonight's punishment.]
[Tell us about this punishment.]
[Gotta be QZone stuff.]
[Fish gliding in shallows, zither-harp harmony, dragon-riding phoenix, Diaochan moon-worship…]
[Where's my Guanyin Lotus?]
[That's too basic, no fun.]
[You've got some taste there.]
[Confirmed: you haven't read enough of Ah Xian's doujins. We learned from her works.]
[Now I've gotta check those out…]
March 7th: "Ahem… stand still, and I'll give you a proper blessing!"
Stelle: "Leon, I'm hurt. Heal me."
Leon: "…Alright, my lady."