At the gates of Belobog.
A Silvermane Guard looked into the distance and called out warily:
"Who goes there?!"
The surrounding Silvermane Guards heard him and immediately raised their weapons.
In their line of sight.
A masked bandit wearing a black balaclava, holding an AK, and carrying a burlap sack, was excitedly herding a blue-haired man toward them.
Behind them followed a girl with refined features, though her expression was one of utter helplessness.
Sampo was forced to keep his hands raised high.
Seeing the Silvermane Guards ahead, he immediately panicked and hurriedly turned back to speak to the bandit:
"Uh, big bro, those are Silvermane Guards up ahead—let's take a detour!"
"Detour for what? Are you trying to keep the rest of your stuff from me? Hm?!"
With that, the bandit pressed the dark muzzle of the gun against Sampo's back.
Sampo: "…"
"You, be obedient, be a good citizen!" The bandit gave a thumbs-up. "There's an old saying on the Xianzhou: hee hee coverer, Wei Junjie."
Sampo: "…"
The bandit threatened: "I hope you cooperate nicely with our work. Otherwise, the dozen or so tortures I have will surely pry open your mouth."
Sampo: "Big bro, I already surrendered! The ones you need to deal with now are the Silvermane Guards over there, not me!"
Bandit: "What guards?"
Sampo: "Silvermane Guards!"
Bandit: "Silvermane what?"
Sampo: "Silvermane Guards!"
The bandit continued pressing Sampo forward, walking straight up to the Silvermane Guards.
"Halt! Don't move! What are you doing?!" The Silvermane Guards raised their great axes warily.
Sampo immediately shouted:
"Guards, save me! He's robbing me!"
The lead Silvermane Guard frowned:
"Wait… that blue hair… I know you! It's you!"
Sampo: "…"
"Didn't expect you to turn yourself in today. Come with us!"
The bandit behind Sampo, gun still pressed against him, suddenly poked his head out and asked in confusion:
"Huh? You guys know each other?"
"And who are you?" the Silvermane Guard asked cautiously.
Sampo seized the chance, executing a high backflip to the rear, then shouted at Zeig and the Silvermane Guards ahead:
"Big bro, I'll leave these Silvermane Guards to you! We'll head off first—remember to catch up!"
With that, he grabbed Cyrille and sprinted away.
Cyrille, completely bewildered, was dragged off.
Leaving only countless footprints behind.
Bandit: "…"
"So you two were in cahoots!"
The Silvermane Guards quickly surrounded Zeig.
Zeig immediately tossed the gun to the ground and raised his hands: "Your Excellency, I'm a law-abiding citizen!"
Silvermane Guard: "You look even less like a good person than that blue-haired guy!"
Zeig: "…"
He silently removed the balaclava.
Zeig: "How about now?"
"No difference!"
"What's in that sack? Put it on the ground and let us see!"
The Silvermane Guards opened the sack and discovered Sampo's stolen goods inside, growing even angrier.
"So you really are in league with that blue-haired crook!"
…
Time flows like water from an opened faucet.
When it's time to release, it will gush forth without restraint.
Belobog.
Upper District.
Several Silvermane Guards respectfully escorted a man into the city.
"Haha, we truly failed to recognize a great person! To think you're the reclusive physician—we haven't heard from you in so long. Thank you for curing our brothers' hidden ailments today."
Surrounded by the Silvermane Guards.
The man had long ink-black hair fluttering with the snowflakes, golden pupils cold and indifferent, hands in his pockets—an aura so lofty it nearly reached the heavens.
"Um, you're called Vache, right? We didn't get that wrong, did we?"
Zeig waved his hand and said deeply:
"My name isn't important. Those stolen goods from the blue-haired guy—I'll gift them to you. Next time, don't interfere with me again. That blue-hair is hard to catch, and now you've let him escape."
The Silvermane Guards immediately felt extremely apologetic and apologized repeatedly:
"We're really sorry. You were wearing that balaclava… we genuinely thought you were that blue-haired guy's boss."
"By the way, why exactly… did you wear that kind of mask?"
Zeig placed his hands behind his back, glanced at the Silvermane Guard, and said displeased:
"To keep warm. Is that not allowed?"
"Of course, of course it is. Oh, right—we'll need to report today's events. You don't mind, do you?"
"Of course not. Follow your rules."
"Then… we'll take our leave first."
Finally sending off the Silvermane Guards, Zeig let out a sigh of relief.
They seemed to have mistaken him for some reclusive physician, but at least he'd successfully slipped into the city.
The streets here were dusted with light snow, yet it couldn't conceal the prosperity.
Compared to the Lower District he'd visited earlier, it was like heaven and earth.
In the center of the square stood a massive blue sculpture.
It looked like it would fetch quite a price.
"I'm really starving now." Zeig couldn't help frowning.
After all that trouble, he still hadn't eaten.
Though there was food in the white knot, it wasn't hot.
No—he hadn't even reunited with his teammates yet. After so long, they must be worried sick!
"Damn it, how can I be thinking about food right now?"
…
Goethe Hotel lobby.
"Young man, mind if we share a table?"
"Come, come—sit wherever. Sister, you're so pretty, I'm treating today."
"That wouldn't be right…"
"It's fine. I've got more money than I can spend."
In a corner of the wooden table in the lobby, Zeig sat with a lady, excitedly studying the menu.
The ends of this lady's hair faded into a gradient blue, and she quickly hit it off with Zeig.
"Oh my, this one isn't good—get this instead." The lady pointed at the menu and suggested.
Zeig shook his head, handed the entire menu to the waiter, and said, "One of everything, please. I want to see what the dishes in the Upper District look like."
"Hm?" At that moment, the lady sitting beside Zeig—named Serval—froze in her smile.
"Um, you didn't sneak up here from the Lower District, did you?" she asked suspiciously.
Zeig waved his hand. "No, I just arrived on this planet today and haven't had a proper meal yet."
Serval immediately grew interested:
"What? You're from off-world? For real? It's been ages since anyone came from outside."
"You don't believe me?" Zeig raised an eyebrow, pulled an AK from his pocket.
Serval: "…"
"Sorry, wrong one."
Zeig stuffed the AK back and pulled out a tablet instead, playing footage of the Herta Space Station.
"Wow, is that a space station? You really are from outside." Serval was instantly delighted.
"Yeah. Do you know about the Stellaron? After eating, I want to ask the Supreme Guardian about it. My two teammates might have already met her."
At this, Serval's smile stiffened.
"Uh, the Stellaron?" She stared blankly at Zeig. "You want to ask the Supreme Guardian about the Stellaron?"
"Yeah." Zeig nodded. "Isn't the Supreme Guardian the highest authority here? She'd definitely know more, right?"
Serval pressed a hand to her forehead and tried to dissuade him:
"Little brother Zeig, if you trust me, don't go looking for the Supreme Guardian—and definitely don't mention the Stellaron to her. Otherwise, you'll be done for without even knowing how."
Zeig frowned: "What do you mean?"
Serval said gravely:
"Anyway, since you're treating me to dinner, this is all I can warn you about."
At that moment.
Zeig's phone suddenly popped up a message.
It was from March 7th.
March 7th: Hahahaha, we've already met the Supreme Guardian, and she's even making us honored guests.
March 7th: Hey, who told you not to come? Now Dan Heng and I are enjoying VIP treatment.
Zeig immediately showed the phone to Serval:
"Then what about this?"
Serval took a sip of her drink, glanced at the chat log.
She blinked, looked at Zeig, and was silent for a long time.
In the end, she could only come to one conclusion.
…
"You're screwed."
…