After receiving Zhao Xuemei’s business card, Zhao Anlong’s mind went blank.
｛I have acquired the cross-life-track positioning business card: Zhao Xuemei.｝
What the hell is this? He looked up.
“Wait, who exactly are you? “
At this moment, Zhao Anlong finally detected a vague sense of familiarity from the face and stature of the person before him.
“Thank you for helping me defeat the Defender before. I haven’t properly expressed my gratitude; consider this my apology to you. “
As Yang Zicang spoke, Zhao Anlong’s gaze gradually sharpened, and then he roared in fury:
“You goddamn bastard! You… you, how can it be you of all people! “
The vague emotion in Zhao Anlong’s heart, whether anger or something else, lingered for only a moment before being utterly replaced by immense shock and curiosity. He carefully compared it with the figure in his memories, and the two images gradually overlapped.
Indeed, it was this man.
“How did you end up like this? And you, you bastard, weren’t you just… a few days into this world back then? It hasn’t even been a year yet! “
Cuckoo, Little Bird, She Liqing, and She Liyu, who was stealthily climbing up the stairs and peeking over the edge, were completely dumbfounded.
“What! ” She Liyu nearly fell backward off the stairs, and She Liqing almost doubted her own ears.
Little Bird swooped down beside Zhao Anlong in a flutter. “You know him? You actually know him! “
“That’s a long story. If you’re willing, we could go downstairs to the bar and talk slowly. I believe you also know that the competition between Wager and me has now settled with an agreement. Speaking of which… “
Yang Zicang looked up at the speaker on the wall and reached out to grasp the necklace.
｛I invested 10N in the Double-Sided Golden Skull Gem Pendant on behalf of Qigi.｝
｛I begin cataloging a life experience worthy of remembrance.｝
A bright, spinning point of light began to appear on the gem!
｛-Heroic Flash: Sight of the ‘Resurrected in Disappointment’｝
“Mr. Mus, ” Yang Zicang called out, “can my new Heroic Flash be counted toward the bid on the Wager Hall President’s room? “
“You!” Zhao Anlong, who had been examining the business card in his hand, raised his arm with a trembling motion, “You bastard, even managing to get a Flash that hard to obtain…“
He also turned his head to look at the speaker. Everyone present who knew the mutual agreement turned their gaze toward it.
A slight rustle of mic static came from the brass speaker.
— _”In that case, this would not be a fair competition.
— “However, since Chairman Wager may also wield influence through memories and events recorded therein, I can, ahead of time, affix a notation to your Flash.“
“What does ‘affixing a notation’ mean?” Zhao Anlong, quick-tongued and impulsive, hastily voiced the question on behalf of everyone there.
Meanwhile, Yang Zicang, already with his own subtle inkling, had begun to suspect the answer.
— “By ‘affixing a notation to this Heroes’ Flash,’ I mean that if the eventual occupant of the Presidential Suite ends up being this Chairman, Yang, his Flash can be recorded and replicated by the Divine Code within the Suite itself.“
“Thud!“Zhao Anlong felt as though struck by something and slammed a punch into the door panel.
So that’s it!
Quietly relieved to hear Manager Mus’ confirmation, Yang Zicang continued:
“Manager. The earlier agreement placed a restriction on my soon-to-be-obtained Heroes’ Flash for the labor liberation wave—it forbade its participation in the auction’s appraisal.“
— “What is it you wish to say?“
Yang Zicang nodded slightly. “Now, that once-impending achievement has met with a new danger. Is there no way this, too, can be counted toward the auction or the notation itself?“
Zhao Anlong, who had shaken his head and already begun walking toward the room with the card in hand, stopped in his tracks and turned around.
“That depends on whether the ‘Group Radiance Flash’ conceived by Chairman Wager can also, like this Track of Fate of yours, start a new turning point midway after the treaty is signed. Personally, I suggest it would be safer for you to create a new ‘Group Radiance Flash’ on your own.“
These words reminded Zhao Anlong of the latest situation in Woodblight Continent he had seen in various newspapers on the ship. Even on this soon-to-be-destroyed continent, people were still birthing new Glows and Radiances, especially a figure called the ‘White Violet Hero,’ a newcomer to the Fogfolk who was currently in the spotlight.
“Wait a minute. Did you just say something about a labor liberation wave? Are you the lucky bastard from the newspaper on the boat a few days ago?“
……
She Liqing and She Liyu finally breathed a sigh of relief, their worries fading about the inn possibly housing a terrifyingly powerful warrior.
Turns out this newcomer was someone the Chairman had known long ago.
The group walked downstairs. She Liqing and She Liyu, a few steps behind, exchanged quiet words, both hearing the respect in each other’s voices for the Chairman.
So Chairman Yang had only arrived in this world in the middle of last year.
In the underground bar on Level -1, the lighting was warm yet secretive.
“Two guests from the fourth floor, I really like this new story of reunion. Allow me to play a tune for you.“
“Thank you, Mr. Coco Longfinkle.“
The chaotic mice band hopped around a bit, and when the conductor raised the little stick in his claw, the music began to play.
The group picked a booth and sat down.
“What name do you go by now? ” Although Zhao Anlong still carried that oppressive, swaggering aura about him, having mixed in this region for so long, he had at least learned a few taboos to avoid.
“Ah, back then I just randomly picked the name Yang Buchen. You can also call me Ziegler, or anything else—it doesn’t matter anymore. ” Yang Zicang ordered a few glasses of wine, while Cuckoo had long since hopped onto the bar, eagerly waiting.
A cart was wheeled over; Zhao Anlong grabbed a cup and took a sip, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. “This wine… can it nourish Stellar Yuan? “
“Nourish Stellar Yuan? “
“Not just that, Cuckoo, ” Biak turned his head, “but I’m not telling you what else it does. “
“Surely that little cuckoo’s bird-brain can’t contain anything beyond the ken of normal folk? ” Zhao Anlong deliberately belittled the bird.
The little bird hopped up, its claws scraping against the bar’s edge, scowling at him with a sinister glare. “A mere loser running for your dear life—you’re no longer worthy of my direct gaze. From now on, I’ll look at you like this, slant-eyed. “
“You! “
“Enough, Anlong, ” Yang Zicang stepped in to mediate. “That creature is sly and treacherous; be careful it doesn’t hide on you and scheme in secret. Say, do you want to try putting that business card from Fulrry Zhao to use? “
“Alright. ” Zhao Anlong, who already had the card pinched in his hand, immediately used Chrono Investment on it.
The business card instantly burst into ethereal flames, spreading out with a whoosh to form a starlit void portal that shimmered like a mirror by his side.
Inside this “portal,” a passage through the emptiness of the starry sky seemed to stretch across space, with another identical gate on the far side, where a blurred, graceful silhouette appeared.
“You!” Yang Zicang, caught mid-sentence, watched in disbelief as Zhao Anlong didn’t hesitate for a moment, immediately using this cross-Track of Fate positioning card.
｛I am awaiting a response from the target I have located.｝
As the Model’s mental voice echoed in his mind, Zhao Anlong suddenly tensed inside. He turned to the portal beside him, his thoughts racing back to the day he had vanished without a proper goodbye, after unexpectedly gaining supernatural capabilities spanning over ten thousand years. Since then, he had been constantly worried about this classmate, who had tumbled into this alien realm alongside him. The two had already confirmed their relationship here, only to lose each other not long after.
He tried countless ways to contact her, yet found them all fruitless. When he finally had a chance to return, it came at a time when he was pushing his power to new heights, and due to reasons like shattered meridians and particular weapons, enemies lurked everywhere. This left him unable to even catch a glimpse of Zhao Xuemei before he was forced to leave the Old Fate Trajectory again, managing only to leave a single message behind.
Deep down, he really did feel grateful toward that newcomer who had summoned him back home. After all, this gave her—Zhao Xuemei—a way to know he wasn’t simply gone by choice, nor dead.
Zhao Anlong’s gaze was almost obsessively fixed on this luminous door. On the other side of the door, a shadowy figure seated on a chair paused for a few breaths, then turned a blurry head to look in his direction.
{Anlong, is that you? }
……
In Hub Town, Zhao Xuemei was reviewing the data regarding the exploration and stabilization of the Third Hub Town. Although the process was more tortuous than imagined, the one who had worked the hardest was not among those involved.
It was actually that big star, Little Machao, over there in a frequency-lost region.
Lost in thought, she suddenly heard within her mind the message of Zhao Anlong’s attempt to triangulate her location across tracks of fate.
｛Zhao Anlong, an inviter from another track of fate, wishes to locate your position.｝
She froze for two breaths, as if she could not believe the voice she had just heard. She turned her head to see a hazy luminous doorway materializing nearby.
When she confirmed this invitation to cross tracks of fate, a streak of light traced down the center of the luminous door, splitting it apart. It opened like two wrought gate-valves, and the harsh light of reality poured through quickly, forming a long brilliant road through the void.
Yang Zicang was astonished, staring at the two gateways now connected by the light-path bridge—one so familiar, and yet so oddly unfamiliar.
There was no time for words. Utterly ignoring everyone around them, Zhao Anlong—limned in the music from the small stage—planted his hand on an armchair’s cushion and leaped upwards; running without a backward glance, he sprang into the open gate. On the other side, the woman holding his sword rushed toward him, and he wrapped his arms around her at once.
“Wow! ” The cuckoo and little bird fluttered over, peering inside between the extended heads of She Liqing and She Liyu.
“Hey hey, you shouldn’t watch what’s coming next. Humans, that girl is getting embarrassed. ” The cuckoo turned around and quickly pecked them twice on the head.
Yang Zicang rubbed his forehead, feeling a mix of emotions. This proved that the gift from his self-proclaimed “son ” and “future teammate ” was genuine. Staring at his glass, he still felt a vague resistance in his heart.
On the other side, Zhao Xuemei, whose breath had nearly been choked off by Zhao Anlong’s passionate moves, clenched her fair, tender fist and lightly tapped him on the shoulder.
“People are watching, stop messing around. “
Zhao Anlong pulled back his lips and, following his lover’s slightly shy gaze, looked toward the door on the other side. On the sofa, he could see the burned man, chin resting on his hand, staring intently at his glass.
An infinite feeling of trustworthy camaraderie welled up in his heart.
“Don’t worry, he’s one of us. “
Zhao Xuemei studied the lone figure’s somewhat familiar silhouette. “Who is he? “
Zhao Anlong glanced back, smiling slyly, and leaned in to whisper softly in the beautiful woman’s ear: “Yang Zicang. “
……
The name card of this light door transformed into a pure and profound starry navy blue. Within seven days, it could be used once more. Anyone who stepped into the other party’s Track of Fate also needed to return before the time ran out; otherwise, they would be rejected by this world.
Zhao Xuemei strode into the bar, sword in hand. Seeing Yang Zicang in such a state, her eyes were rimmed with red.
“It’s okay. I’ve been taking medicine recently. With the Ability Sphere, I might recover by next month. “
“Thank you for helping me find the most important person. “
Hearing that her close friend, so important to her, was safe, Zhao Xuemei finally felt relieved. She began to look around, then stared in surprise at a fuzzy mechanical mouse and a wind-up doll in the distance. “Where is this place? What city are we in? “
“It’s a rather special inn. Anyway, let’s sit down first. “
A group of them sat together, and for the first time in a long while, they all felt the warmth of security and joy.
Not long after, Zhao Anlong, who couldn’t bear to let go of Zhao Xuemei’s hand while holding it, took the initiative to propose a pact with Yang Zicang’s association to jointly secure the management rights to the fourth floor.
Actually, even without any association, if all the tenants on the same floor agreed, it was possible to invite someone as a guest into a real-world room.
Now, even if they signed no agreements, as long as both agreed in front of Coco Lang, the room invitation for this month could be confirmed.
“Can we invite one of the hotel’s guest rooms to visit the ‘Old Fate Trajectory’? ” Zhao Anlong asked excitedly, glancing toward the manager seated by the little stage.
“Not before you move into the Presidential Suite. But once you’re settled there, by dedicating a bit of Radiant Narratives and a Millennium of Time Sequence, you can make such a small wish come true. “
Hearing that it might actually be possible in the future, Zhao Anlong let out a faint sigh. He figured that by then, he probably wouldn’t need this function anymore. Who knew how long that would take.
“You decide on the fourth-floor room, Anlong. “
“Good, I was thinking the same thing. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know how to get back to the ship. Oh, speaking of which—— “
He turned to Yang Zicang. “I didn’t expect you to find an opportunity to stir up such a commotion as soon as you arrived. Though I guess that reporter must have borrowed some power from the statue. Ah, right, you mentioned earlier that this situation took a bad turn. What’s that about? “
Yang Zicang touched his chest, the shrapnel still aching inside his body. “Someone wants to reverse the current momentum of the labor issue. “
“Reverse the momentum?! “
The surrounding group mulled it over in surprise, and then She Li—who had read the situation—suddenly slammed a fist onto his thigh.
“I see. I got it. It must be that some people didn’t get a share of this ‘Group Radiance Flash,’ so they’re taking this angle to get involved in the final window before all countries agree to revise the labor captives problem! If they can change the outcome of this trend, that flash will belong to them instead. “
“Yeah, ” She Liqing nodded. “Even if they don’t manage to complete that revision, I think they’ll still get a good deal out of it. “
Zhao Xuemei listened for a short while and pretty much gathered from the others’ conversation that, here, she needed to find opportunities on her own to rewrite the outcomes of various people and events, breaking the world’s fate.
“These people really are despicable, ” she said. “So… Buchen, do you have any idea how they’re going to try and reverse this trend that’s already sweeping through every country? “
“The rise and fall are all due to the very same factor—they only need to target me. “
……
Two hours later.
Yang Zicang’s figure appeared in the villa, in the room that originally belonged to Xue Qi.
As soon as he could spread the Musing Night, he saw the back of Hailikoni sitting on the chair in front of the desk, her back to her. Hearing the commotion, Hailikoni immediately stood up and hurried over.
“Did you assault our soldiers? “
“No. On the contrary, I helped you retrieve the lost documents. All the records are in my Fog Citizen ID. “
“They won’t care. ” Hailikoni shook her head nervously, frowned slightly, and said, “There’s already an urgent broadcast reporting this. Major General Ross sent me to ask what’s going on. I feel something’s seriously off about this situation—he’s been placed under house arrest at the bureau. “
“Ross. ” Yang Zicang thought for a moment and asked, “Where are my two friends? “
“They went to the leased land and haven’t returned yet. “
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