The group finally arrived at the Star-Skiff Haven.
"Welcome to the Star-Skiff Haven. As you may have noticed, order and efficiency are crucial here."
As soon as they disembarked, Tingyun began explaining the six commissions of the Xianzhou Alliance.
"Everything related to aviation, navigation, and commerce falls under the jurisdiction of the Sky-Faring Commission."
"Wow, as expected of a... uh, ambassador of something, you're really good at giving speeches." March 7th commented.
Tingyun brought a hand to her mouth and let out a playful laugh.
"It's part of my job as an Aeroambassador. After all, I frequently receive foreign merchants, and it is my duty to guide them. However, I'm afraid I can't be as hospitable as I'd like. We must head to the Palace of Astrum as soon as possible to meet with Lady Yukong."
She pointed to the majestic building towering behind her—the Palace of Astrum, headquarters of the Sky-Faring Commission.
"I understand the urgency, but before we go, we need to make some preparations." Welt stated calmly. "In the meantime, could you inform Lady Yukong that we will be heading there soon?"
Welt stepped in, requesting some time to prepare before the meeting.
"Don't worry, we're not going anywhere." he reassured her. "But please, let Lady Yukong know that we will be presenting ourselves shortly."
Tingyun hesitated for a moment, but in the end, she sighed and reluctantly nodded.
"Alright… but don't take too long."
With that, she walked away, her ears and tail swaying slightly with her steps.
Aleph's eyes remained fixed on her for quite some time.
Welt let out a heavy sigh.
"I'm definitely getting rusty if I can't keep up with someone like her anymore…"
As he spoke, March 7th noticed something off—both Aleph and Stelle had been suspiciously quiet for too long… far too long.
She turned around, only to find Stelle staring at a garbage container with shining eyes, inching closer and closer to it. Meanwhile, Aleph was gazing nostalgically at the ever-distant figure of Tingyun—more specifically, her tail and ears.
March 7th frowned and clicked her tongue before calling Aleph out.
"Hey, what's with you and tails and ears? Also, staring at girls for that long is… a bit weird, Aleph."
Aleph blinked and murmured wistfully.
"It's just… I used to have a part-time job at a pet store and… well, a lot of things happened there."
"A lot of things? Wait, did you recover some of your memories again?" March 7th asked curiously.
Aleph sighed and gave a small shrug.
"That's where I met my first girlfriend, for example. And it's also where I discovered heaven on earth… Ahhh, petting cute animals—such a relaxing, glorious act."
March 7th looked at him as if she had just heard the most absurd confession—something on the level of being told that Welt Yang was secretly an idol or that Dan Heng enjoyed crossdressing.
"...Petting animals?"
"Yeah, especially dogs, cats, foxes, and reptiles."
March 7th blinked.
"Wait a second… foxes? But foxes aren't sold in pet stores."
Aleph smirked in amusement, shaking his head slightly.
"The owner was a visionary."
"But I still don't get it—what does that have to do with Tingyun's ears and tail?"
"My instincts are screaming at me—her ears and tail are top-tier material for petting! They look so silky and fluffy… Ahhh, what a marvel."
Aleph's gaze became dangerously bright, making March 7th take a few steps back, a small bead of sweat forming on her forehead.
"Heaven on earth… paradise at my fingertips… If only I could touch them… Stelle's soft hair has been a good substitute, but in the end, it's just that—a substitute. I need the real thing!"
March 7th briefly wondered if smashing that nearby vase over Aleph's head would bring him back to his senses.
At that moment, a loud noise caught their attention. They turned just in time to see Stelle being driven away from the trash by an old lady armed with a broom.
The girl dodged swiftly, while the old woman, despite wielding just a broom, moved with the precision of a skilled lancer.
March 7th and Aleph couldn't help but wonder—was she perhaps a former Nimbus Knight?
Without thinking twice, Stelle ran and hid behind Aleph, using him as a human shield.
The girl quickly jumped behind Aleph, taking cover while the old lady grumbled about disrespectful youngsters who lacked decency.
Welt placed a hand on his temple in resignation.
"I'm definitely getting too old for this..."
March 7th put aside the strange conversation with Aleph to focus on something else.
"Tingyun is cunning."
Welt shook his head.
"I wouldn't say cunning... she's just prioritizing her interests. It's natural that she doesn't trust us immediately—we're outsiders. And her urgency isn't unjustified. If we make mistakes or cause trouble, the consequences will fall on her since she's the one who brought us here."
March 7th pouted.
"But we're not here to cause trouble!"
She huffed, frustrated.
"It doesn't matter." Aleph intervened. "We're not here to cause trouble. We have nothing to hide and no bad intentions."
"Though... I do have intentions with the Stellaron," he thought, feeling somewhat guilty.
March 7th shot him an exasperated look.
"That's what we thought in Belobog..."
Welt raised a hand to calm the discussion.
"Keep a cool head. The meeting with Yukong doesn't have to go badly... but it's not without risks. We need to take it seriously."
March 7th looked concerned.
"Do you think it'll end up like in Belobog...?"
Aleph chuckled.
"Are you afraid they'll put us up in a hotel just to send an army after us when we try to rest?"
March 7th didn't laugh. Instead, she gave him a blank stare that could rival Stelle's. Aleph blinked, surprised.
"Wait... Cocolia actually did that to you?"
Welt shook his head and crossed his arms.
"The Xianzhou Alliance wouldn't do something that drastic. But Lady Yukong will definitely ask us some tough questions. Questions like, 'Why did you arrive in Xianzhou just now?' 'How did you learn this information so quickly?' or 'Who leaked this data to you?' The wrong answers could cause unnecessary hostilities."
March 7th scratched her neck with a worried expression.
"Knowing us, either Aleph or I will say something we shouldn't..." Aleph immediately shook his head, but she ignored him.
"Hmph, stupid animal lover."
"And if it's not us, it could be Stelle."
Stelle pouted. At some point, she had climbed onto Aleph and was now riding on his back. The guy didn't complain and let her do as she pleased.
"I'm way too cool to mess up like you two."
Welt adjusted his glasses with a sigh.
"I'll do the talking. You three just stay alert."
Before they could continue arguing, Stelle's phone rang.
It was a message from Tingyun.
The girl raised an eyebrow.
"How did she get my number...?"
As she checked her messages, a notification from Burroughs appeared in Aleph's mind.
[By the way, Master. Tingyun's original objective was to contact you, but she failed because she couldn't access me. Apparently, she thought her great charm had won you over. It seems she wanted to use you to extract information. Master, you truly are troublesome.]
Aleph frowned.
"I don't know how to feel about that..."
And so, the group prepared for their meeting with Yukong.
*********
Shortly after, they met with Tingyun at the entrance of the Astrum Palace. The Aeroambassador greeted them with a smile.
"This is where we part ways, benefactors," she announced with a slight bow. "Lady Yukong will receive you. From this point on, you must walk the rest of the path alone."
March 7th tilted her head.
"You're not coming? I thought you'd be with us until the end."
"I've fulfilled my role by bringing you here. Don't worry, I made sure to inform Lady Yukong about your situation." Tingyun replied calmly.
With those words, she bid them farewell and walked away.
Aleph watched her for a few seconds before shaking his head and moving forward with the others. He wondered—did she really seem like someone who could be fooled so easily?
[Well, she was quite enthusiastic with her looks, Master. Only a true pervert or worse could stare at a woman like that for so long. You should be grateful she chose to test that method on you instead of handing you over to the Knights.]
"..."
Aleph didn't know how to respond, so he just remained silent.
.....
The interior of Astrum Palace was as imposing as one would expect from the headquarters of the Celestial Transport Commission.
Towering pillars with intricate designs, gleaming details on the door frames, and a solemn atmosphere that made even Stelle—and to a lesser extent, Aleph—stand a little straighter.
In the center of the main hall, waiting for them with a sharp gaze, was Yukong.
Unlike Tingyun, Yukong carried herself with a far more severe presence—though no less striking.
Her dark hair, with bluish highlights, was elegantly tied up, and her fox-like ears twitched slightly as she scanned the newcomers with eyes as sharp as blades. There was no warmth or hospitality in her expression.
…Aleph did his best not to stare at those twitching ears or that fluffy tail.
[...At least that's some progress.]
"Greetings, guests of the Astral Express. I am Yukong, leader of the Celestial Transport Commission." she said firmly. "Tingyun has informed me of the purpose of your visit. Receiving guests is not usually one of my responsibilities… But considering that you already know about the Stellaron and have declared your intent to help, I thought I should at least meet you in person. And tell you that, on behalf of the Xianzhou Alliance, I reject your help."
The statement was as sharp as a door slamming shut.
March 7th blinked a few times before turning to Welt with an expression that said, See? I told you this would happen.
Welt, however, remained composed and replied calmly.
"We do not seek to impose our presence here, Lady Yukong. But the Stellaron is still in a containable phase, and we can provide assistance before the situation escalates."
"Assistance?" Yukong raised an eyebrow, her expression unchanged. "The Xianzhou Alliance has endured for over eight thousand years. Do you really think a mere anomaly like a Stellaron is enough to threaten us? We've faced far greater crises and survived. We do not need outsiders meddling in our internal affairs."
March 7th exhaled in frustration, muttering under her breath.
"Great… another place that rejects us outright."
"Typical."
Aleph yawned. This conversation was already too much for him.
Yukong didn't seem fazed by the remark.
"Then, Mr. Yang. If you've seen that our help is unwelcome in Xianzhou, I suppose we're wasting time here. We can leave." March 7th said, crossing her arms.
"You have arrived at a delicate time, just as security is at its peak. If you think we can overlook such a coincidence, you are mistaken." Yukong's gaze grew colder. "While you're here, you will not have unrestricted movement. Your conveniently timed arrival raises questions—questions that require answers."
"…Huh? What is that supposed to mean?" March 7th frowned.
The tension in the room increased noticeably.
Stelle glanced at Aleph, who maintained a neutral expression, but Welt, noticing the shift in atmosphere, intervened immediately.
"We understand your concerns and will answer your questions." he said calmly. "We do not wish to create unnecessary conflict."
Yukong nodded slowly, but the intensity in her gaze did not diminish in the slightest.
"You'd better choose your words carefully."
The weight of her warning lingered in the air, marking the point where the conversation would cease to be mere formalities and become an interrogation.
And so, with the growing sense of being caught in a web of suspicion, the group prepared to face Yukong's questions.
...
The atmosphere in the room tensed immediately. Yukong regarded them with a seriousness that seemed to cut through the air like a well-honed blade. Her voice, though polite, carried a heavy weight of suspicion.
"According to the access records of the Star-Skiff Haven, someone recently hacked our system. They opened the Jade Gate, allowing the Astral Express to enter our territory." She paused briefly, letting her words sink in before continuing. "The hacker in question was skilled—even taunted us with her own symbol. It was Silver Wolf of the Stellaron Hunters."
A moment of silence followed. Then, her sharp gaze settled on each of them.
"What do you have to say in your defense?"
Stelle and March 7th exchanged uncomfortable glances. Aleph felt a pang in his stomach—he should have eaten more.
Before they could respond, a hologram materialized in the room. A tall, elegant figure with a serene smile appeared before them.
"Come now, Yukong, is it really necessary to be so harsh with our guests?" Jing Yuan spoke with a nearly lazy tone, his expression relaxed. "If we're too hostile, soon the entire galaxy will say that the Xianzhou Alliance doesn't know how to treat its visitors."
Yukong straightened up and crossed her arms, though her expression showed she wasn't entirely convinced.
"But, General Jing Yuan..."
Jing Yuan continued speaking, his smile never fading.
"Besides." he added. "I highly doubt that a crew as noble and righteous as the Astral Express would work with the Stellaron Hunters. After all, you've been their mortal enemies on multiple occasions."
He inclined his head slightly, as if offering an apology to Welt and the others.
"I apologize for interrupting your meeting. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jing Yuan, and I am the general of the Luofu. The Nimbus Knights are under my command."
"General, this is an internal matter of the Luofu..."
"It's true, as Helm Master Yukong said, this is an internal matter of the Luofu. My apologies to all of you, but I'm afraid we cannot accept your kind offer of assistance with the Stellaron. As you may know, the Stellaron is located on the Luofu, a vessel of the Xianzhou Alliance. It is our responsibility to resolve this issue on our own."
Yukong nodded approvingly. However, Jing Yuan added something else.
"But, obviously, it would be discourteous to let you leave empty-handed. While I cannot accept your help with the Stellaron, I do have a small favor to ask of you."
The members of the Astral Express exchanged glances. Welt adjusted his glasses and calmly asked.
"It is an honor to meet the General in person. May I ask what this favor entails?"
Before Jing Yuan could respond, Aleph took a solemn stance and intoned.
"If this favor is worthy of our consideration, then the humble traveler that I am shall listen with respect and wisdom to the request of such a venerable, wise, and valiant general."
March 7th covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. Stelle, on the other hand, found this quite amusing and attempted to mimic it, adopting a stoic expression.
"Indeed, oh great general, the Astral Express lends an attentive ear to your noble request. Would you be so kind as to grace us with this task?"
Jing Yuan maintained his smile, though the corner of his eye twitched slightly.
Yukong, however, regarded them seriously, wondering if they were deliberately mocking them.
Welt let out a sigh and put a hand to his forehead.
Jing Yuan cleared his throat and continued.
"Ah, it's a matter that requires capable individuals like yourselves. A few days ago, we captured a member of the Stellaron Hunters—the one known as Blade. During the investigation, the Divination Commission detected a signal from Kafka, indicating that she is also aboard. The Commission suspects you may be in league with them, but how ridiculous is that? An honorable crew like yours would never align with criminals. There must be some misunderstanding, which led me to conclude that this must be an attempt on their part to sow discord among us."
He inclined his head slightly.
"Ordinarily, we would handle this ourselves, but dealing with the Stellaron will require a great deal of time and manpower, which could give Kafka the opportunity to move freely—and that is unacceptable. Therefore, I grant you the authority to act as you see fit to provoke Kafka and lure her to me. This benefits us both: you clear your name, and we eliminate a potential threat. So, what do you say, friends of the Astral Express?"
Welt looked at the others and asked,
"What do you think?"
Stelle stared at Aleph. She said nothing, but her eyes conveyed everything he needed to know. With a sigh, Aleph was the first to respond.
"I'll do what I can to help."
"Sure," Stelle said with a simple nod.
March 7th made a slightly annoyed expression before agreeing as well.
Jing Yuan smiled.
"I'm glad to hear that. Yukong will provide you with the relevant information. And remember, the Luofu rewards honest actions well."
The meeting concluded, and Welt led the group to a slightly more secluded area.
"Jing Yuan seems to be more than meets the eye." he said calmly.
Aleph frowned.
"I found him suspicious."
"In what way?" Welt asked with interest.
Before Aleph could respond, Stelle interrupted with another question:
"Why was he so kind to us?"
"Exactly. He let Yukong play the bad guy and then swooped in with a reasonable offer, manipulating our perception. It's a clever way to make us trust him." Welt nodded, hand on his chin. "Besides, he avoided mentioning Blade, even though they have him in custody… Why not make him talk to find Kafka? If they're so reluctant to involve us in their Stellaron issue, then why are they suddenly so willing to let us capture another Stellaron Hunter? The only conclusion I can reach is that Blade has already escaped—if they even had him in the first place—and that they want to use us as bait to draw out Kafka."
Aleph swallowed hard.
Those who are good with words always turn out to be the most dangerous.
*************
As they left the Astrum Palace, the group took a deep breath. Although the conversation with Yukong hadn't been hostile, Jing Yuan had made it clear they were walking on a tightrope.
Aleph couldn't help but feel a headache coming on from the whole ordeal.
"Why does politics have to be so complicated? Damn black-hearted bureaucrats."
As they walked through the halls, Stelle felt her phone vibrate.
"Oh, a message." She pulled out the device and checked it. "It's from Tingyun."
"What does it say?" March 7th asked, leaning in to see the screen.
"Since the conversation with Lady Yukong seemed like it would take a while, she decided not to wait for us and instead went for a stroll. She says we can find her at the dock."
...
The group headed to the dock at the Star Skiff Haven, where Tingyun greeted them with a lazy smile.
"Ah, Lady Yukong has officially assigned me the mission of being your guide. It seems we were destined to meet, benefactors."
Aleph ignored the glance March 7th shot him and tried to keep his face as expressionless as possible.
While screaming internally.
"Damn it, she's doing it on purpose!"
Even an idiot could notice the way her tail and ears moved, or the playful glint in her eyes when their gazes met... Did she just wink at him?
Wow.
[Stay strong, Master. Don't let that temptress get to you.]
"The Sky-Faring Commission has reserved rooms for all of you at the Petricor Inn. Once you're done here, how about we head to the inn for some tea together?"
.....
March 7th stretched her arms.
"Ah, I've been wanting to collapse onto a bed."
Stelle looked at her in confusion.
"The sun is still up."
"What...? But… but with everything we've done today, I thought by the time we left Astrum Palace, it would already be past lunchtime!"
"...I wanted to rest too." Aleph murmured. No matter how much leveling up revitalized him, mental exhaustion was still there.
"Damn it! I've dealt with enough political entanglements and paranoia for today!"
She spun around dramatically in frustration, but Aleph stopped her and, without a word, started massaging her shoulders.
March 7th froze for a second, then let out a satisfied sound.
"Mmm… this is nice..."
Stelle, arms crossed, frowned as she watched them.
Tingyun observed the scene with amusement and continued.
"All your expenses will be covered, whether it's lodging, meals, or any other needs."
March 7th's eyes sparkled.
"Really?!"
Tingyun nodded.
"Of course. Once you complete the task the General assigned you, you'll be free to enjoy all the luxuries you desire."
Without wasting a second, March 7th turned to Welt with pleading puppy-dog eyes.
"Ahem. Mr. Yang, we wouldn't reject such a generous offer, would we? That would be very, very rude, right?"
Stelle and Aleph, perfectly in sync, mimicked her expression, staring at Welt with bright, expectant eyes.
Welt pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long sigh.
"...Very well."
The mini-celebration was immediate. Stelle and March 7th high-fived while Aleph nodded in satisfaction.
"We should focus on our objective. Since Lady Yukong is extremely reluctant to involve us in this matter, am I wrong to assume that the Sky-Faring Commission has some leads on Kafka's whereabouts?"
"You are correct. The suspect knows exactly what she's doing. We can't pinpoint her exact location—she has encrypted her signals and chooses specific moments to communicate with her team."
Tingyun smiled and proceeded to show them a hologram.
"Despite her cunning, the Divination Commission managed to find something."
Kafka appeared on the screen.
"Here are the coordinates. I'll leave it to your judgment." Her voice was almost seductive. "Though you may pursue different objectives, the orbits of the stars will inevitably intersect. Goodbye."
Aleph tilted his head in confusion.
Tingyun explained.
"This is the message we intercepted from Kafka's transmission."
Welt studied the image with a frown.
"A cryptic message… as always."
"I think I heard some background noise..."
"But that won't get us anywhere! We're on a starship—there are all kinds of weird noises."
Tingyun nodded.
"The thing is, Miss March, while untrained ears might think so, for the Artisans' Commission, every machine makes a distinct sound." Tingyun added. "They can distinguish them like different melodies in a song. The General called in the Artisans, and they concluded that the background noise came from the Mira Starport shipyard."
After discussing the matter further, they decided to take a break before launching their hunt for Kafka.
"You should rest a bit and prepare for the upcoming operation. I can't wait to see you all in action!"
Welt simply nodded and separated from the group.
As Aleph checked a few things on his gauntlet, March 7th approached him.
"We should let Himeko, Dan Heng, and Pom-Pom know that we're okay. We have to make Dan Heng regret not joining the expedition!"
"Good idea."
Aleph tried sending a message to the Astral Express group chat, but...
[Error: Communication out of range.]
"..."
He tried again.
[Error: Communication out of range.]
"What's wrong?" Stelle asked, noticing his frown.
Aleph turned his arm so everyone could see the device.
"We can't contact the Express."
The group exchanged worried glances.
**************************************************************************
God, I had forgotten how heavy Luofu is as an arc. It took me so long because, as I said, there's a lot of text (I'm replaying Luofu on another account). I had to rewrite this quite a few times until I was satisfied with the chapter... And I was also writing the prologue for another fanfic. I said it before, and I'll say it again—I'm weak to temptation. In case you're curious, the title would be:
Honkai Impact: Can You Withstand My Knife?
Synopsis:
Alexander didn't have much hope for his survival in this world after his little accident. And his situation only got worse when he realized he had the most punchable face in history… that of Otto Apocalypse.
But not all is lost!
[You have received the Devil & Devil Summoner template system.]
[Would you like to claim your first ten free pulls?]
This idea came from a conversation I had with a good friend of mine (the crazy one who introduced me to Honkai Star Rail and later to HI3), who also writes fanfics—a pretty wild conversation, XD.
I mean, initially, we were talking about whether to choose Luocha or Ruan Mei. And somehow, this idea popped up... And somehow, so did a discussion about Fu Hua's thighs.