Kafka hadn't lied.
After two jumps, the train appeared before the Xianzhou Luofu's Jade Gate, slowly docking.
Himeko wasted no time, immediately identifying herself to the Luofu and requesting landing permission.
"Welcome to… Luofu Spaceport… Star Skiff Sea…"
"Please wait patiently for docking… Please wait patiently for docking…"
The signal was intermittent, not very stable.
Stelle: "Sounds like an automated AI voice. Does the Xianzhou's gate not need human guards?"
Dan Heng's gaze sharpened, but he said nothing.
After waiting a moment, no further response came.
Himeko: "The signal's still repeating, but there's no sign of docking guidance."
Hearing this, worry crossed March 7th's face.
"Maybe the Stellaron Hunters didn't deceive us. Something's really wrong with the Xianzhou Luofu…"
"A ship arriving at an empty spaceport—lots of horror movies start like this!"
Stelle: "You mean Dead Space or Alien?"
March 7th: "…Can't it be both?"
Dan Heng: "Don't overthink it."
"Ah, there we go." Himeko's expression lifted.
The steady-paced AI female voice sounded clearly this time.
"The Jade Gate is opening. Xianzhou Alliance: Luofu welcomes guests from afar. Please follow the guidance and dock in an orderly manner."
Welt nodded: "We're heading out, Himeko. Be careful on the train too."
Himeko smiled: "No worries. I've got Leon and Dan Heng here, don't I?"
Both were far from weak.
Though Leon was injured, his poison techniques rivaled his medical skills.
His poisons could threaten not only organic life but even inorganic life with tailored methods.
With the train's security systems, safety wasn't a major concern.
① "Uh… I suddenly don't want to go…"
② "Trailblazer! Let's go!"
Ah Xian casually picked one.
March 7th shot Stelle a look: "Oh, come on. The moment you step off, you're more energetic than anyone. I'm already worried about the Luofu's trash cans."
Stelle: "Slander! That's slander! I never rummage through trash cans!"
March 7th scoffed: "Sure, sure, you never do."
Stelle wiped the crumbs from her mouth and said seriously: "Himeko, why aren't you going?"
Himeko: "There's a lot to handle on the train. I'm swamped."
Uh… okay then.
Stelle scratched her head, glancing at her companions, feeling like something was missing.
What was it…
Right!
Where was Leon?
When did he vanish?
Following the protagonist's first-person perspective, the players noticed something was off too.
But the next second, the answer revealed itself.
"The landing shuttle is ready, Welt. Take care of the kids," Leon said, approaching from behind.
Welt: "I will."
Stelle raised her hand weakly: "…I don't count as a kid, do I? You must mean March, right?"
Leon exchanged a glance with Himeko and Welt, chuckling lightly.
"In my eyes, you're a kid too—the playful type."
Meeting Leon's half-smiling gaze, Stelle flushed, realizing he knew all about her antics in Belobog.
Cough… change the topic.
"When did you go prepare the landing shuttle? Can't the train just head straight into the Luofu?"
Leon: "I started preparing during the first jump. As for the train, of course it can't go directly into the Luofu…"
"Though the train can detach from the silver rails, that's only for special circumstances. Normally, it can't."
"I see."
"Let's go. Wishing you all success."
The three nodded and quickly headed toward the docking car.
…
Watching their figures disappear into the observation car, Dan Heng returned to the think tank, his mood low, saying nothing.
Pom-Pom went to check the train's energy, leaving only Leon and Himeko in the observation car.
"Is Dan Heng running from something tied to the Luofu?" Himeko asked, gracefully sitting on the sofa and looking at Leon across from her.
"Maybe."
Leon nodded casually.
Everyone had their past. If Dan Heng didn't speak, he wouldn't pry.
Now temporarily out of the players' sight, he felt a bit unaccustomed.
When idle, there was always some shameless thing urging him to work and make results.
While Himeko was distracted brewing coffee, he gave that thing a punch, and it quieted down.
Oh, it should be called a reward.
Leon didn't know why Aha liked playing the masochist, nor did he want to.
Rewarding Aha to avoid its noise was a fair trade.
"What do you think of Kafka's words?" Himeko asked.
"They're true but don't reveal her real intentions—or rather, the main goal of this script."
Leon's tone was calm, but his gaze was complex as he stared at the fresh coffee Himeko had brewed.
Looks like he'd have to drink it this time.
Didn't expect her to be in the mood to craft a new blend.
Himeko didn't pause, frowning slightly.
"Honestly, I can't quite figure it out. Kafka shows up uninvited just to lure us to the Luofu to deal with the Stellaron—"
"But the premise is that we have the strength to protect ourselves and the leverage to intervene."
"According to galactic history, the Xianzhou Alliance can 'summon gods,' calling upon Lan to aid in battle."
"Hundreds of years ago, the Luofu was invaded by the Abundance Emanator Shuhu leading the Abundance's forces, sparking a universe-shaking war."
"Even then, the Hunt Aeon didn't appear on the Luofu."
"The Luofu's general is the Hunt's Emanator, meaning—"
"To make a difference in key moments, we need strength close to, if not equal to, that level…"
At this, Himeko glanced toward where Dan Heng had disappeared.
Finally, she met Leon's eyes.
"I'm not sure about Dan Heng, but I know you have the power to repel a Destruction Emanator."
"Kafka sought out the Astral Express because her real target is you, right?"
Leon was silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head.
"Yes and no."
"Destiny isn't a single path. If the solution involves me, it only means one thing."
"—The calamity facing the Luofu is beyond what a Hunt Emanator alone can handle."
Some things he didn't say.
With Aha as a smokescreen, Elio's script was unlikely to target him.
Simple logic: who'd dare call a Joy Emanator to save the day?
Even the galaxy's top-tier quick-acting heart pills wouldn't help.
Even so, Leon rarely did the grand things a Joy Emanator might.
That said, the possibility couldn't be ruled out.
Who could say Aha wouldn't leak parts of his abilities and past to Elio for fun?
For amusement, Aha could do anything.
"Darling, you've got to go! The Luofu can't do without you!"
"Without your help, the Luofu can only fight to no regrets, becoming a battered shockwave…"
"Shush, I have my own plans."
"Good then~~"
Himeko's lips pursed slightly as she activated the train's sensory radar.
After a moment, she shook her head helplessly.
"No matter how I scan, this star system only shows the imaginary fluctuations of a Hunt Emanator."
Leon offered no comment.
What criminal robs a bank without a mask?
What gatekeeper hides their face?
There were plenty of ways to conceal imaginary fluctuations—it just depended on whether the Emanator wanted to use them.
Some Destruction Emanators, for instance, were brazen, acting openly.
Few were exceptions.
The chance of a Destruction Emanator targeting the Luofu existed but was low—less likely than an Abundance Emanator.
Without definitive evidence, it wasn't the main focus of suspicion or thought.