Chapter 27 Reunion with an Old Friend
After a brief hiatus, the train will soon embark on its next leap forward.
Dan Heng was conspicuously absent from the meeting prior to the leap forward.
"Danheng, are you alright?" You knocked on the think tank door and heard a muffled sound from inside.
"I'm fine, I'll be there later."
Despite lingering doubts, you chose to give him the freedom he needed.
Inside the observation car, you explained Danheng's situation to everyone, and then listened to the train conductor's countdown.
"The train is about to jump, please..." Before Pam could finish speaking, a holographic projection suddenly landed in the middle of the crowd.
The woman wearing sunglasses, who identified herself as Kafka, asked you to change your destination.
You recognize the woman in the projection—one of the fearsome Star Core Hunters.
Kafka claims that a star core has recently erupted in Luofu and demands that the train travel to the Immortal Ship Luofu.
“My companions are also in Luofu.” As Kafka introduced herself, the image of a tall, thin man dressed in black appeared before you.
Once you see the man's face clearly, your pupils dilate suddenly.
The reason is simple—this companion of Kafka was once your close family member, Yingxing, who should have died in the Rebellion of the Moon.
Yingxing was your father Huaiyan's prized disciple. After completing his studies, he went to Luofu to work as a craftsman.
When you came to Luofu to become a disciple of Jingliu, he was your guardian.
Over the years, although he is not related to you by blood, he has long become your family.
He is exceptionally talented and has earned the title of Master of Metallurgy at a young age, which is your pride.
Unfortunately, he became an accomplice of Danfeng during the Yinyue Rebellion, and was tainted with the flesh and blood of Shuhu, becoming an immortal monster and acquiring a new name—Ren.
For so many years, you and Huaiyan have been searching for his whereabouts, and Zhu Ming has posted missing person notices for him everywhere.
You thought you would never see him again in this lifetime, but you never expected that you would meet him again in this way.
You clutched the hem of your clothes, unable to hear what Kafka was saying anymore, only wanting to keep yourself from crying in public.
After a brief communication session, the group immediately began an emergency discussion, debating whether or not to go to Luofu.
In the end, Himeko and Danheng stayed on the train, while [unclear] led the rest of you to Luofu to help quell the Star Core disaster.
Soon, the train arrived at Luofu Star Chahai, and you returned once again to your long-lost second hometown.
"Be careful, everyone, something's not right here." The Cloud Cavalry's excellent reconnaissance skills quickly alerted you to the unusual surroundings.
Xingchahai is a major freight hub in Luofu, but it was unusually quiet at this moment.
As you expected, the demonic entity lurking in the shadows soon launched an attack on you. You fought your way through the obstacles and finally rescued a girl who called herself Tingyun.
The girl led you to the Sichen Palace, while you secretly observed the surrounding movements.
"We've arrived, please come in." The young woman was very courteous, inviting them to meet the leader of the Sky Ship Bureau—Yu Kong.
Centuries have passed, and each company has a new batch of people, no longer the colleagues you are familiar with.
You felt inexplicably sentimental.
Things have changed, people have changed; that's just how it is.
You try to adjust your mindset and meet the Sky Master with everyone.
Yu Kong declined your offer, presented evidence to suspect you of colluding with the Star Core Hunters, and demanded your detention.
Just as tensions were about to rise, a familiar voice rang out.
Then you saw Jingyuan's holographic projection.
The last time you met was before you decided to become a sea patrol knight. Back then, he was already a general of Luofu. Hundreds of years have passed, and he is even more adept than before, possessing an all-knowing cunning that makes his words impossible for you to refuse.
Therefore, you were forced to stay in Luofu to help Jingyuan capture the Star Core Hunter Kafka.
□□ took you aside to discuss things. After you finished, you saw that Jingyuan's projection was still in the same place, so you tried to talk to him.
"Jingyuan, it's been a long time."
"Yes, it's been a long time. I didn't expect to meet you again in this kind of setting." Jing Yuan's eyes in the projection were filled with a hint of nostalgia.
Only you and him still carry the memories of the past.
"The matter of the star core..."
"Don't worry, Luo Fu has its own way of dealing with this." Jing Yuan interrupted your concerns and then hurriedly cut off the communication.
You sighed softly, fully aware of the difficulty of this matter.
The seemingly calm Luofu Mountain hides countless secrets beneath the surface; who can say for sure?
I just hope you can help him this time...
Jingyuan has arranged the highest standard of food and lodging for you as compensation, and also took this opportunity to keep you in Luofu.
Since things have come to this, you have no choice but to follow Jingyuan's arrangements.
□□ suggested sending a message to the train crew to let them know they were safe, but the message couldn't be sent, which immediately made you nervous.
It seems that the situation in Luofu is not optimistic.
A pink-haired girl jumped out to lighten the mood, saying that since we've come all this way, we might as well take this opportunity to explore Luofu.
The two girls walked ahead, making a lot of noise, and excitedly looked around.
You and □□ walked side by side, the atmosphere somewhat heavy.
"In your opinion, what are General Jingyuan's plans?" □□ had long observed that your relationship with Jingyuan was unusual, and your previous conversation with Jingyuan further confirmed his suspicions.
“Yu Kong is right. It’s normal for him to suspect that we have ties with the Star Core Hunters. It’s just that he needs a reason to keep us in Luofu. Hunting Kafka is just an excuse.” You sighed and then expressed your guess, “I suspect that the Star Core Hunter Blade, who has already been captured, is not in the Prison of Shadows right now.”
"Is that so?" □□ asked thoughtfully.
"The arrival of this star core is suspicious and full of doubts; it may not be as simple as it seems."
"Don't worry, we'll help," the □□ said reassuringly.
When Kafka mentioned Luofu before, your expression was off. He naturally understood that you, like Danheng, had different feelings for Luofu.
"Yes, thank you. But there's no need for the children to know this."
You and [the other person] tacitly kept this conversation to yourselves. Some heavy truths are not suitable for naive people to know.
"Mom, look what I found!" The Pioneer ran over to you excitedly, clutching a clever bird. "I was walking on the road just now, and suddenly I fell down."
You take the ingenious bird she hands you; the little bird, which was supposed to deliver goods to Luofu, now lies stiffly in your hand, unable to move.
"Something must be broken somewhere; it can be fixed with a little work." You smiled knowingly, and then explained the function of the mechanical bird to everyone.
"See that red sign up ahead? They sell Luofu specialties there, do you want to try them?" As a Xianzhou native, you are naturally very familiar with the scenery of Luofu.
"We want to eat! We want to eat!" the two children shouted excitedly, pulling you and [unclear] towards the small shop.
A moment later, each of you had a cup of Immortal's Happy Tea, and the table was filled with Luofu specialty flavors.
You borrowed tools from the shop owner, sat down and skillfully disassembled the parts of the Machine Bird, and then replaced them with new ones.
"Mom, how come you can do everything?" Pioneer stared intently at your movements, and March 7th couldn't help but ask what you used to do for a living.
“I used to be a blacksmith at the Zhu Ming Bureau of Works, so I’m very familiar with these things.”
"Wow, Mom is amazing! I want to hear your stories from the past." The Trailblazer was excited, and even the □□ was quite interested in your experiences.
Looking into the three pairs of eager eyes, you smiled and then began to tell your story of your childhood.
You spent most of your childhood in your hometown of Zhuming.
As Huaiyan's daughter, you naturally inherited his talent for forging and were born with an interest in these ingenious tools.
On one occasion, you accompanied Huaiyan to a friend's gathering and unexpectedly met the renowned Luofu Sword Master Jingliu.
You were so amazed by her fluid swordsmanship that you immediately decided that you must spar with her someday.
After that, you gradually shifted your focus to learning swordsmanship and made up your mind to become a disciple of the Mirror Style.
You had to plead with Huaiyan for months before he finally agreed.
From then on, you went to Luofu alone to study, where you met Jing Liujingyuan and his group, and also met Danfeng, whom you fell in love with at first sight.
You slowly recall the past, deliberately omitting the names of your friends, and tell them about your unforgettable childhood.
As you listened to your story, several people laughed heartily at times and praised you loudly at others.
Amidst laughter, you gradually let down your guard, and your heavy mood quickly dissipates.
...
That night, you lay on your hotel bed and sighed as you looked at the words "Message failed to send" on your phone.
I wonder how things are going with Danheng?
You left in such a hurry that you didn't even have time to say goodbye to Danheng.
This trip to Luofu is probably not going to be so simple.
While I was lost in thought, a message popped up.
[Jingyuan: Old friend, would you like a cup of tea?]
The location sent by Jingyuan was the teahouse closest to the hotel.
It seems you have no choice but to go now.
You hurriedly dressed and headed to the teahouse for your appointment.
"An old friend has come here. I was in a hurry and did not entertain you well. Please forgive me." Jing Yuan said with a smile as you pushed open the door.
Seeing him again after hundreds of years evokes a deep sense of emotion in you.
Once upon a time, he was a spirited young man who dreamed of becoming a seafaring knight-errant and traveling the world. Now, however, he has become a general in a high position.
"Jingyuan," you said slowly, sitting opposite him.
The last time you met was before you decided to set off. Back then, he also made a point of taking the time to personally brew you a pot of tea.
He told you then to remember to come back and visit when you have time, and to chat with him about your experiences among the stars. Little did you know that this parting would last for hundreds of years.
When old friends meet again, there are so many things to say, yet no one knows where to begin.
Jingyuan initiated the conversation by asking if you were getting used to the food and lodging here.
You nodded, and then started talking about his recent situation.
You two tacitly avoided mentioning the past, only sharing some everyday moments.
"It seems you've gained a lot along the way, and you've come to a more open-minded perspective." Jing Yuan said with some satisfaction.
When he saw you off that year, you still looked melancholy and extremely haggard.
Now, after a century of travel, my mindset has changed greatly, and I have gained a gentler and more composed demeanor that comes with the passage of time.
You shared your travel experiences with him and talked about some of your life insights.
The tea in the cup was replenished again and again until the bright moon hung high in the sky. Only then did Jingyuan reluctantly bid you farewell.
"After this incident, if you have time, go back to Luofu more often."
"Okay." You nodded gently, which was your way of agreeing.
After saying goodbye to Jingyuan, you wandered aimlessly through the streets.
Apart from the patrolling Cloud Riders, the streets were deserted.
Memories gradually overlap with the sights and sounds before your eyes. You walk through familiar streets and alleys; the scenery remains the same, only the people you knew have changed.
Just then, a wanted poster for the Star Core Hunter was displayed on a roadside bulletin board. You stared at the portrait of your deceased friend, your nose tingled, and tears involuntarily streamed down your face.
You recalled your first meeting with Yingxing. At that time, he was only a head taller than you, timidly hiding behind Huaiyan like a frightened kitten.
Then, you went to Luofu to study and met him, full of vigor and ambition.
He patted your head and said, "Little girl, it's time to go home."
The days you spent together in Luofu were the clearest years of your memories. You remember the research lab that was always lit up, how he was stubborn but soft-hearted and accepted your food, the first hairpin he made for you, and the sword he made himself in your hand—now his only remaining possession.
The night breeze was cool, and it dried your tears.
My phone suddenly lit up; it was a message from the Trail Blazers asking where I was.
You casually wiped away your tears with your sleeve, took a few deep breaths, and after regaining your composure, you returned the way you came.
There was always a light on in one of the rooms on the second floor of the teahouse not far away.
The white-haired general watched your figure gradually disappear into the street, then gently closed his eyes.
That painful past is an unspeakable wound for you all.
Old friends are either dead or insane, only the living still reminisce about the past...
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