March 7th walked closer for a look.
The two men before her eyes were both wrapped in bandages. Especially the certain someone—he looked gravely injured, like he'd just barely snatched his life back from the gates of hell.
Yet he acted like nothing was wrong, calling for the three to sit while casually fishing things from the hot pot bottom for himself.
Dan Heng also raised his head, glanced at the three, then continued busying himself with the task at hand:
"Good that you're here—sit quickly… The meat will be ready to eat soon."
March 7th sat beside the certain someone and asked curiously:
"What's with all those wounds? Got scratched by a teddy bear?"
"Cut the crap." The certain someone retorted: "If a teddy bear was that badass, I'd raise ten of them to bite everyone I meet."
March 7th narrowed her eyes into slits, looking carefully—the certain someone moved freely, not showing the slightest sign of serious injury.
"Hurry up and say it—what exactly did you two do? It can't really be that you got beaten like this by Fragmentum creatures, right? I saw those little mountains you piled up."
"Little mountains…?" Dan Heng paused upon hearing this.
Bronya and Seele sat down one after another; they too were very curious about the two's injuries.
"No rush—let's eat our fill first." The certain someone said calmly.
March 7th nodded and simply picked up bowl and chopsticks, starting to snatch meat with the certain someone.
Bronya accepted the bowl and chopsticks Dan Heng handed her, thanked him, then couldn't help asking Zeig:
"Um, Executor—did you kill all those Fragmentum creatures?"
The certain someone nodded: "How was it? Your Excellency also thinks it's very artistic, right? Hahahaha!!"
Seele clipped some vegetables while saying:
"Don't just focus on eating—what's next? Since you've already started acting, it wouldn't be good for us to interrupt anymore. If the situation gets worse, that'd be bad."
She saw Clara sleeping beside them.
Even the disabled Perkins and the package of mechanical components were stacked behind Dan Heng.
It was hard to imagine the efficiency of these two.
The certain someone chewed his food, speaking unclearly:
"Next is simple. Later, just cooperate a bit—it'll save a lot of trouble."
If it were a normal casual rescue of Clara, she might still politely refuse their request, and then they'd have to spend time proving their sincerity.
But a life-risking rescue—that carried different meaning.
…
The white-haired girl slowly awoke, opening her sleepy eyes.
Firelight flickered on her pretty face, bringing her a bit of warmth.
The steaming aroma of food lingered in her nose, and her stomach let out an untimely growl.
She slowly raised her head; the scene in her eyes was hazy.
It seemed a group of people were sitting on chairs, each holding bowl and chopsticks, gathered together happily discussing something.
Only after her vision cleared did she remember she had been saved by Zeig and Dan Heng.
The girl couldn't help speaking:
"Um…"
"Hm?" Hearing Clara's voice, the certain someone looked at her and smiled:
"Clara… you're awake."
He showed a gentle smile, his tone like a kind big brother from next door.
"Yes, big brother Zeig, you… you're still alive… that's really great." Clara couldn't help smiling, full of joy.
She vaguely remembered that Zeig had sacrificed himself to cover her and Dan Heng's retreat, staying behind alone.
In the end, Clara could only watch helplessly as Zeig was struck down, trampled, gradually submerged in the tide of monsters…
After that, big brother Dan Heng knocked her out and went alone to rescue him…
Thank goodness—he really brought him back.
Seeing Clara's face filled with guilt, Zeig quickly beckoned:
"Come, come—hurry and move your chair over. The pot bottom is still hot! March, quickly shift your chair aside—make room for Clara."
"Oh oh." March 7th hurriedly moved her chair to let Clara sit beside Zeig.
"Thank you, big brother Zeig."
Clara gratefully brought her chair and sat down.
Dan Heng stood, took bowl and chopsticks from the long table beside him, and handed them to Clara.
"Thank you, big brother Dan Heng…" Clara accepted with both hands, thanking him.
"No need for thanks, hiss…" A flash of pain crossed Dan Heng's face as he withdrew his arm.
Clara caught this and immediately looked at Dan Heng's arm.
It was wrapped in bright red bandages—clearly having bled a lot.
She asked worriedly:
"Big brother Dan Heng, you… are you okay!"
"It's nothing." Dan Heng was very calm.
Next, the certain someone looked gently at Clara and said caringly:
"Clara, are you hurt anywhere? We still have some medicine here—it works great!"
With that, he picked up a medical kit from beside his feet, hugged it with both hands, and placed it next to Clara.
Clara quickly waved her hands, declining:
"No… no need, Clara isn't hurt anywhere—Clara is fine…"
"Really? Your… Commander, help Clara check—better not to leave any hidden issues!"
Bronya nodded and came to Clara's side, speaking softly:
"Clara, let me take a look for you, okay?"
"But… but…"
She ultimately couldn't refuse Bronya.
In Bronya's examination, she found Clara had no major injuries—just some scrapes on her ankles.
"Hm, good—nothing serious. Just a little treatment will do."
With that, Bronya opened the medical kit.
The medicines inside were nearly depleted; only one or two bandages remained.
Bronya took out a bottle of red potion with only a thin layer left at the bottom and murmured:
"Hm, good—some left. Clara, don't move, okay."
"Ah…"
Clara's mind went blank. When she saw the nearly empty medical kit, her guilt deepened.
She couldn't help looking at Zeig—his body wrapped full of bright red bandages, undoubtedly having faced life and death.
Medicine was already scarce in the Underworld, and the last bit of potion was actually being applied to her by Bronya.
Her eyes reddened, and she choked:
"Really… thank you all so much…"
If not for saving her, big brother Zeig wouldn't have been beaten like that by the monsters.
"Sigh, don't say more—eat meat, eat meat! Hahaha!" With that, the certain someone took Clara's bowl and kept piling meat into it.
Gradually, her bowl overflowed with meat.
After handing the bowl back to Clara, the certain someone said melancholically:
"Sigh, the Fragmentum in the Underworld is spreading faster and faster… Didn't expect so many monsters—like they're endless. Who knows how people here will live in the future."
Dan Heng looked at Zeig and said calmly:
"Without resolving the Stellaron, the spread of the Fragmentum won't stop. Humanity's living space will eventually be swallowed by the Fragmentum…"
"Stellaron, Fragmentum…" Clara looked at everyone and whispered:
"That thing called the Stellaron—if resolved, can it stop the Fragmentum spread…?"
The certain someone nodded and explained everything about the Stellaron and the Train crew's goal.
His tone throughout was gentle and soothing.
Like bathing in spring breeze.
Watching this, Seele and March 7th…
—looked like they'd seen a damn ghost.
Yet Clara fell completely for it, asking more and more, her gaze growing eager, believing everything she heard.
Bronya and Dan Heng assisted from the side—one speaking softly and gently, the other affirming and nodding.
As for Seele and March 7th…
The certain someone had once said:
The best help from those two was to keep their mouths shut.
"…"
The three talked for a long time.
Finally, Clara stood up, patted her chest, and promised:
"N-no problem—Clara will definitely do her best to help everyone!"
March 7th and Seele silently ate their vegetables.
Hearing Clara promise so readily, the two exchanged a glance.
It seemed…
It seemed to have worked!
But what did that have to do with them?
Eat vegetables… eat vegetables.
…