RNP Page 52
Page 52
"Oh, I see. I'm really curious. If there really is such a thing as a parallel world, what would I be like? Maybe I wouldn't be like I am now, but would grow up normally and become a different person."
"boom!"
After Seele finished speaking, she hurled her scythe, which struck and destroyed a wandering automaton.
"It's a minor issue, just some wandering scrap metal. Go on, have you seen me in another parallel world? Or is there something else going on?"
"In a sense, we have indeed met. However, Seele in that world was much younger than you, born in the Cocolia Orphanage, and had a relatively gentle and sweet personality, speaking softly. I imagine she was quite popular, at least I liked her a lot~"
"Ah, that's really great. The soft and cute me is the ideal, unlike the me now, who is like a tomboy with a terrible temper, and many people don't like me. If I met the me in a parallel universe, I would definitely choose to protect the other person."
Seele's tone wavered slightly as she pulled the scythe from the automaton and slung it back over her shoulder.
"However, it doesn't matter that things have turned out this way. At least, people like Bronya and everyone in the Earthfire will understand me."
“Seele.…”
Bronya's tone sounded somewhat weak. She knew that Seele was a kind person at heart. In the past few days, she had learned a lot about Seele, such as her difficult upbringing, how she had to compete with many people for even a sip of clean water, and how she had to exchange scavenged scraps for biscuits from street vendors.
Even so, Seele retains her kindness and helps many people.
But all this suffering should not have happened. If her mother, Cocolia, had led her properly, then even if Seele couldn't have the soft and cute personality that Baizhi described in the parallel world, she would at least have been a child with a happy childhood.
"Bronya, what are you blaming yourself for? I'm not the kind of person who complains about everything. On the contrary, your arrival and Bai Zhi's arrival have given me a lot of hope."
“You know, getting injured and bleeding is commonplace for me. I’m very tolerant of it, but just like wounds that always heal, the threat of the Rift will always arise, and people just deal with it again and again, over and over again.”
“After people are rescued, they always return to a dull and miserable life. I even had the illusion that the entire lower zone had come to a standstill, and no matter how hard we tried, it was all in vain. So, I kept hoping for a miracle.”
“And before that, Bronya, you came. You were willing to listen to everything we had to say. You had a kindness that others didn’t, so I looked forward to the day when you could change everything.”
"And now, Bai Zhi is here too. Although I looked down on you, you little dwarf, it seems you're quite capable now. I really want to go and see the islands and stuff."
"Shorty..."
Bai Zhi took a deep breath. To be honest, this was the first time she had heard someone address her like that. Even when she hadn't shown any special qualities on the Immortal Ship, people always called her Dragon Girl or Physician Bai Zhi.
Although I knew Seele didn't mean any harm by saying that, I still felt inexplicably annoyed. Doesn't she know what it means to judge a book by its cover?
Judging people by their appearance is a big no-no.
So, amidst Bai Zhi's displeasure... the Chicken Talisman was activated!
Amidst the astonished gazes of the other two, Bai Zhi slowly floated up, only stopping when her head was level with Xi'er's.
"..."
Seeing Bai Zhi float to the same level as them, Seele and Bronya fell silent.
A moment later, Seele burst into laughter, while Bronya covered her mouth, trying hard not to laugh out loud.
"Hahaha, hey hey hey, you're way too competitive!"
"It's not about competitive spirit, it's just that I feel more comfortable from this perspective!"
Bai Zhi pouted, but she would never admit that she did it because she was annoyed by being called a shorty.
No, once she's finished dealing with things on this planet and returns to the Immortal Ship, she absolutely must ask Bai Lu if the Pill Cauldron Division has any medicine that can make people grow taller.
As an interstellar civilization with the potential for longevity, even if the Pill Refining Bureau is not as powerful as the Golden Elixir of Laozi in mythology, which can instantly grant immortality, it is still possible that a medicine for achieving eternal life using Jianmu wood as a material still exists.
If the elixir of immortality exists, then surely there must be an even easier one, one that can make people grow taller.
When the time comes, she'll get her hands on that drug and transform herself into a tall, long-legged beauty like Xing, who's taller than most androids. Everything will be perfect, all that's left is to get it done.
Thinking of this, Bai Zhi suddenly felt full of energy. She couldn't wait to deal with Cocolia and then return to the Immortal Ship!
"Okay, okay, I get it. You're just like the tsundere characters in literature."
Seele suppressed a laugh.
"I'm not a tsundere. Tsundere is outdated now. Never mind... I won't argue with you. Let's hurry over to the Mechanical Settlement."
"That's what makes it interesting, Little Baizhi. You're only starting to feel like a child now. You're not like before, when you were mature and composed. Apart from your appearance, you didn't seem like a child at all."
Bronya's lips curled up slightly, and her mood brightened considerably from her earlier sadness.
She found that although Bai Zhi and Belloberg looked different, they had the same normal emotions, which made her feel at ease and comfortable.
106 and the train crew's reunion
“Xing, Danheng, how do we deal with this Schwarz? He says we can’t prove we can change the future.”
Outside the mechanical settlement, March 7th frantically tugged at his hair. They had obtained some information from other places, and perhaps this ancient android might possess some data about the star core.
However, when they came to inquire, they were refused, and the other party believed that they could not change the predetermined future they had predicted.
On the contrary, they might refuse to provide information to them because they know the location of the star's core and cause even greater damage.
"How about we beat him up? If we can subdue him, maybe we can handle it?"
Xing brandished his baseball bat. "It's time to show Schwarz the power of the Galaxy Bat!"
Dan Heng shook his head helplessly. "No, we are pioneers, not space pirates. Violence isn't forbidden, but it shouldn't be used like this..."
"What should we do? Schwarz is too stubborn. I can't think of a way to persuade him. How about we call Uncle Yang down? He's very capable. Let Uncle Yang create a lot of things. That would definitely change the future, right?"
After thinking for a moment, March 7th made the suggestion.
She had witnessed Walter's abilities firsthand; he often conjured various gadgets by hand, including food and small appliances.
If these foods and items are mass-produced, it will surely improve the happiness of the people in the lower city. Wouldn't that be considered changing the future?
“No, Uncle Yang’s abilities are indeed very strong. He can even create things with his bare hands. However, he once said that the things he creates have a limited lifespan. So, even if he conjures something up, it will disappear before long. If that happens, the deceived people will probably be even angrier.”
After a moment's thought, Danheng refuted March 7's idea.
He knew very well that March 7's idea was actually feasible, because he had observed that although the things Walter created had time limits, those time limits were not very short, especially for some things that were not particularly complex.
If it were actually used to make food, it might actually fill one's stomach, but other things would eventually disappear.
"And more importantly, this is our experience. If we want to be qualified pioneers, we can't just ask for help every time we encounter a problem... Maybe we should go back first and help the people of the entire Lower City, so that Swallow knows that we can do it."
"Ah..." March 7th exclaimed somewhat dejectedly, "It will probably take a long time. Although I am very willing to help the people of the lower city, what do I need to do to change their future?"
"Just thinking about it, it seems like a huge and troublesome thing, doesn't it?"
March 7's expression turned somewhat dejected. She did indeed sympathize with the people of the lower city and was willing to help, but she preferred more travel to staying in one place for an extended period.
If it's something that requires patience to do for a long time, that's really not her forte.
"Ugh... This is our own battle, we can't ask Uncle Yang, Himeko, or the Black Tower Space Station for help. This is giving me a headache..."
However, just as March 7th, Danheng, and Xing were pondering how to change Schwarz's mind, a voice suddenly appeared in their ears.
"Sister March 7th, Brother Danheng, Sister Xing, what are you all worried about?"
"This sound..."
March 7th paused for a moment, then looked up in surprise.
Sure enough, it was Bai Zhi, whom she had been longing for, floating towards them.
"Little Angelica, you're finally back!!"
March 7th was the first to act, rushing forward without hesitation and grabbing Bai Zhi in a tight hug.
The scent of citrus, mixed with the clean smell emanating from her clothes due to her body heat, rushed into Bai Zhi's nostrils, making her freeze and slow her heartbeat.
Of course, there's also the warm embrace of March 7th.
However, Bai Zhi's stiffness did not last long. Without hesitation, she clasped her hands together and patted March 7's back.
"Alright, Sister March 7th, it's only been a few days since we last met, no need to be so excited."
“It’s not excitement, but a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I was actually quite worried about you during March. She was worried for a while because you went missing, but she calmed down after you sent her a message. Then you appeared in Belleburg. You know the situation in Belleburg right now, and she was afraid that you might encounter some danger.”
Dan Heng walked over, looked at Bai Zhi, and said sincerely, "Besides, you were part of the train crew. You saved our lives on that icy planet. We all treat you like family."
"Don't worry, what's happening on Belloborg won't hurt me, and the Immortal Ship fleet will arrive soon."
"A fleet of immortal ships?!"
Dan Heng was slightly startled, then even more surprised. If his comprehension was correct, the Immortal Ship Fleet had come for Bai Zhi?
But does Bai Zhi's status warrant the deployment of the Immortal Ship Fleet?
He didn't know the rest, but he knew that even if Bai Zhi was the future Dragon Lord, it wouldn't warrant such a large-scale deployment of the Immortal Ship Fleet.
Under normal circumstances, the deployment of the Immortal Ship Fleet is configured according to wartime requirements.
However, to confirm his thoughts, he still asked tactfully, "Little Angelica, what is the purpose of the Immortal Ship fleet coming here? Is it to help Belloborg?"
"Well... actually it's because of me. Because I made a small contribution, General Jingyuan values me more. After discovering that I was in Beloborg, he dispatched a fleet to help and protect me."
"hiss...."
Even the usually composed Dan Heng was taken aback by Bai Zhi's words, gasping in shock. It was truly outrageous; he couldn't fathom what kind of contribution Jing Yuan could possibly make to issue such an order.
It's important to understand that although Jing Yuan is a general, he doesn't rule everything. The main agencies of the Immortal Ship are also involved in the decision-making process. After all, the allocation of various resources before departure is not arranged by the general, but by other departments.
If a general issues orders that do not conform to the rules of the Immortal Ship, he will be held accountable after the relevant records are uploaded to the alliance's higher-ups.
So, what exactly did Bai Zhi do to make Jing Yuan so nervous? It couldn't have been that she cured the Demon Yin Body, could it?
The thought flashed through Dan Heng's mind, but he immediately shook his head with a laugh. This conjecture was a bit far-fetched. He admitted that Bai Zhi was indeed something special, and he even wondered if Bai Zhi had inherited some of the traits of the Immortal Dragon and reverted to her ancestral form.
Even if that were the case, he didn't believe that Bai Zhi could handle something like the Demon Yin Body.
After all, even the Celestial Ship, which was also protected by the Star God, couldn't solve this problem.
107 The Wrath of the Silver Wolf
"If the Immortal Ship fleet arrives, it can indeed solve the problem of the star core... However, it is precisely because of the star core that the star orbit is blocked. Even if the Immortal Ship fleet sets sail, its speed will probably be extremely slow due to the blocked star orbit."
Dan Heng calmly analyzed the possibility of the Immortal Ship fleet arriving here.
Star orbits are powerful channels connecting different worlds, allowing interstellar spaceships to travel at lower costs and faster speeds, even easily exceeding the speed of light, achieving a near-warp effect.
However, the star core has the effect of blocking star orbits. Without the help of star orbits, even the celestial fleet would probably not be able to go fast. The simplest way is to quickly warp to the last point where the channel is blocked, and then slowly fly over from that point.
To put it simply, star trails are like high-speed trains. With the support of the tracks, reaching a place with a station is fast and stable. A planet without star trails is like a remote mountain village without stations or tracks, only a narrow mountain path. You can get in, but you can probably only get there by bicycle or on your own two feet.
The efficiency and speed of the two are worlds apart.
Although the Celestial Fleet itself has very powerful drive engines, it is still far inferior to the star track established by the pioneering forces. Therefore, it would probably take quite a while for them to cross the line while being blocked.
"So, Brother Danheng and Sister Sanyueqi are both worried about the Star Core?"
Bai Zhi broke free from the warm embrace of March 7th and then asked with some curiosity.
“Yes, that’s right, Little Angelica. We’ve gotten some information from the other people in the lower city. The AI controller here, Swaro, has been around for quite a while. He probably has information about the Star Core. If we can get our hands on that information, we can take down the Star Core in one fell swoop and complete our mission on this planet.”
"However, Swallow has always felt that we cannot change the predetermined future, so we have been struggling with what to do: whether to go back to Rocky Town to help more people, or to do something else."
March 7th sighed, "Xing even wanted to take action directly, but Danheng and I persuaded her not to, otherwise we could all have become space pirates."
"Space pirates...maybe even Tianno warriors or something."
"What Tenno warriors?"
Upon hearing Bai Zhi's words, March 7th asked a question with some confusion.
"Ahem, it's nothing. The Tenno warriors were just a group of righteous people I knew. They were good at robbing the rich to help the poor. Sister March 7, let's talk about the Star Core. I'll also introduce the two people behind me."
Bai Zhi laughed it off, brushing aside what she had just blurted out, and then pointed to Bronya and Seele following behind.
"Greetings, outsiders. Although this is not our first meeting, please allow me to introduce myself. I am Bronya Rand, currently the commander of the Silvermane Iron Guard, and beside me is my partner Seele."
Bronya took the lead, walking confidently to the front of the group and introducing herself.
"This...isn't this the person we've been looking for? Hey, why are you wearing different clothes? You look great!"
March 7th never gets to the point; instead, he's first and foremost amazed by the secondary silver wing suit Bronya is wearing.
"...Hello, Miss Bronya. We're so sorry that you were caught in the crossfire last time, but that was definitely not our intention."
Compared to March 7th, Danheng grasped the key point quickly and immediately stood up, speaking in a slightly apologetic tone.
No matter what, the other party was an official who ruled this city, and the pursuit of them was carried out under orders. We brought them to the lower city and made them suffer a lot.