Chapter 61 First Meeting: What did Danheng say to Onfaros...?
Onpharos, the heartland.
The authority of [Gateway] itself is inclined towards teleportation. Following the Black Tower's instructions, Tian injected power into the Engraving Anchor. With the assistance of the geniuses, you briefly arrived here.
You feel a wave of dizziness and can't help but gag, which brings to mind the concern for March 7th.
"Are you alright?" she said. "It's a pity I can't be by your side in my true form right now... We need to gather all twelve flames to try and wrest back control from the ancient masters. My consciousness will remain here, but my body will have to be controlled by Changyeyue. She will help us find Teacher Danheng."
You rubbed your forehead. Tian, standing beside you, cautiously looked around, then took your hand and softly comforted you:
"Little Grey, if you feel scared, you can talk to Tian."
This is the core of Onphalus, and it differs from [outside the myth] in that it doesn't resemble an audience seating area, but rather... the internal structure of a computer.
The surroundings were filled with complex machinery and tangled wires, making it look like a giant computer mainframe. You and Tian could only carefully step over the wires to reach a huge screen.
The screen is showing the progress of the latest comeback.
A white-haired girl wearing a crown, who calls herself "Caesar," sits high on the throne, while a purple-haired girl with strange scales around her eyes stands respectfully beside her.
“…Ah!” Tian exclaimed, “Although my memory is very hazy, Tibo seems to have mentioned that these should be—the demigod Crydella of the [Law] and the demigod Hathene of the [Ocean]…! I have to contact them quickly!”
Fireworks said listlessly:
They don't seem like the type to trust people easily. We'll have to think long-term to gain their trust.
You quickly scan the screen in front of you and find a small button in the corner.
[Authorizing administrator privileges...]
[Insufficient permissions! Warning, insufficient permissions! After three failed authentication attempts, the system will hibernate for two system hours.]
It seems you cannot make any real intervention in Onfaros through this screen; you can only observe from the perspective of an outsider.
Fortunately, you swipe the screen and find that the scene can be rotated. Soon it passes Caesar and shows the bustling market of the holy city, with pedestrians coming and going on the street.
...But how can we establish a connection with the people of Onphalus?
Forced authentication bypass?
—No, although given enough time, the geniuses might be able to crack this access key, you've run out of time. Besides, I've already failed authentication once, leaving me with only two chances left…
You're deep in thought, and all you can hear for a moment is the hum of the exhaust fan.
...
"Sometimes I feel like it's all a dream, and I never imagined it really was a dream."
In my memory, Bai E had just woken up from that beautiful dream of the Elegant Secret Pavilion, found you at the heart of the cosmic vortex, and gazed at the surging tides in the basin.
"But dreams always end," you said softly.
“You’re right.” Bai’er laughed instead. “If we’re just indulging in daydreams, what about everything in reality? ... I’ve always heard you talk about your adventures with Pinocchio, and I’ve learned a lot from it. People have to wake up.”
He said, "If reality is too cruel, then take action and start working hard from this day forward. And... at least you're still here with me."
"I will always be by your side," you said.
...
A dream...that's right, a dream!
Changyeyue's mastery of the power of [memory] has reached an extraordinary level. She can use dreams to unknowingly envelop you and Bai Exilian. Could she also control the dreams of the people of Onfaros?
If we can control people's dreams, then can we tell them the truth about Onphalus in their dreams and guide them to spontaneously rebel?
What you few individuals might not be able to accomplish, if you were to gather the will of the entire planet… Moreover, these people themselves, as data of the scepter, cannot be eradicated. As long as the seeds of rebellion are planted in their hearts, they will act like a virus, constantly attacking the scepter's calculations and refusing to cooperate with the calculation process, forcing the calculation speed to decrease.
As the old saying goes, he who wins the hearts of the people wins the world.
It's like an emperor waging war. If Lai Gushi were the emperor, you would be the foreign rebels, and the ordinary people of Wengxing would be the subjects. To fight against external threats, one must first secure internal stability. The rebels alone might not be able to defeat the emperor's elite troops. But what if the people themselves realized the incompetence of the deposed ruler and refused to obey his rule, instead supplying the rebels with provisions?
"..." March 7th looked shocked. "When did you become so smart? I feel like it's theoretically feasible—let me ask Changyeyue!"
After a dozen seconds, her voice rang in your mind again, “Changyeyue said it is possible, but if the scope is the entire Onfaros, it will be quite difficult and will require the assistance of other demigods.”
"How many demigods are specifically needed to assist us?"
"Hmm, two is enough? With her, there are three demigods in total, which is more than enough."
Tian immediately raised her little hand, "Tian can help!"
You lowered your eyes, "Then the remaining one, the demigod that Changyeyue can contact, who has trusted us enough from the beginning to cooperate with us..."
Fireworks chuckled a few times:
[Need a hint from Lady Fireworks, little gray-haired one? ...Now that you've returned, none of the people of Onpharos know you yet, except for—the missing [Earth], whose spark hasn't been passed on. And besides Long Night Moon, you have another companion who can enter Onpharos...]
Just then, the excited voice of March 7th echoed in your mind:
"Chang Yeyue found Teacher Danheng! On the way back to the train, she intercepted him! If Teacher Danheng were to inherit [Earth]—"
*
Dan Heng quietly looked at the pink-haired girl in front of him who called herself "Chang Ye Yue" but looked exactly like San Yue Qi.
"...Why do you think I should believe you?"
His sharp gaze swept across her eyes, empty red eyes, devoid of any luster, hidden in the darkness like a wild beast lurking to ambush its prey.
Dan Heng warily summoned the attack cloud, "You are not March 7th."
Chang Yeyue said helplessly, "I am indeed not March 7, but I contacted you because of March 7 and the others... Besides her, there is also the Pioneer."
Dan Heng paused, “…Is she alright? I haven’t seen her since I retrieved the [Sky] fire…”
Upon hearing your name, his expression visibly softened, but even so, he remained vigilant, twirling the cloud in his hand and blocking in front of him.
"You say this was at their behest, what evidence do you have?"
March 7th hurriedly tried to explain, "Oh, just tell him our code: 'Observe the corner and infer three, the emperor's command is absolute'—"
"Wait, that only proves you're here, not that I'm here too."
You said in a deep voice:
"I have a better way."
...
Dan Heng watched as Chang Yeyue's expression changed repeatedly, as if she wanted to laugh but held it back tightly, her face turning red from holding it in. He couldn't help but feel a little strange.
"What are you laughing at?" He took a deep breath, barely suppressing his irritation.
"Oh, you wanted evidence, didn't you? I'm talking to them right now, trying to figure out what can prove everyone's identities."
The long night moon said meaningfully:
"Danheng, do you remember what you said when you came to talk to the Pioneer alone at the Black Tower Space Station shortly after you met her, seeking her advice?
Dan Heng was taken aback.
A long silence filled the air. A blush belatedly crept up Dan Heng's ears. He coughed a few times, and his originally cold gaze seemed to melt away like a block of real ice, becoming uncertain and unpredictable.
"Hurry up and tell me," Chang Yeyue urged mischievously. "You don't remember, do you?"
"I don't forget anything."
"How could he not remember our first meeting? It's just... just a little embarrassing..." Dan Heng retorted.
March 7th asked curiously, "Why did Teacher Danheng react like that? What were you whispering about behind my back?"
You just smiled and said nothing.
Finally, Danheng sighed, as if giving up:
“I said at the time… if you’re referring to my opinion on you boarding the Star Train—my attitude is simple: it doesn’t matter.”
His ears turned completely red, and the crimson at the corner of his eye became even more pronounced. "Really... only she could ask such a question. It seems that she and March are indeed connected to you."
March 7th stared in disbelief, “…Wow, Teacher Danheng, what cold words you said. Completely different from what you said later!”
She thought about your relationship with Bai E again, and couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. You see, she has always supported Dan Heng. After all, it's better to keep the good stuff in the family. If you and Dan Heng really get together, you'll definitely stay on the Starry Sky Train together, and then she can visit you often and without any hindrance!
If you hit it off with someone, you'll definitely go on a date with them, greatly reducing the time you spend in the car with them.
Sigh, it's no use talking about this now. It's all because Teacher Danheng was too aloof at the beginning...! No, no, after rescuing Bai E and saving Ongfaros, she has to find a way to get Bai E on the bus too!
"It was an accident at the time."
Knowing that you could see him from this side, Dan Heng awkwardly explained, but this only made things worse:
“I don’t like talking to strangers, and… I came later…”
He ultimately didn't continue.
It's such a cliché story of love growing over time, and love blossoming in the heart. But it's a bit late to talk about this now. Back in Ohma, even though you tried to hide it, you couldn't conceal the sticky atmosphere between you and Bai'er, an atmosphere that no one else could possibly intrude upon.
Love is a very strange emotion. At first, he inevitably felt lost and dejected, but you seemed very happy, and Bai Er seemed to genuinely like you. So he thought, well, this is not bad either. He would rather see your smile than stand by your side.
When he thinks of you, a smile involuntarily appears on his face. Because this happiness is given to him by you, he hopes that you will be happy too.
Besides, you and he will be traveling together on the train from now on. Dating isn't without arguments and breakups; with such a long lifespan, he has plenty of patience to wait.
After listening to March 7th explain your plans, Changyeyue nodded.
"At first, I only wanted to find you and confirm your safety. But now the situation has changed, Danheng, we need your strength—"
"Go and inherit the fire of [the earth]. Leave the rest to me."
-----------------------
Author's Note: Actually, I've been thinking that, generally speaking, fanfiction adds a new character to the main storyline and changes the main storyline to advance the plot (and usually this new character is the protagonist). However, because of the immersion aspect, the main characters in this story are not much different from the original work... Even the characters added later, like Ruan Mei, Aha, and Hanabi Sangbo, cannot truly enter WFLS. At most, they can provide some off-field support and team battle support, but they cannot truly change anything. So how can I write something different from the original work?
Then I noticed that the official portrayal of WFLS mostly focuses on the Golden Blood, emphasizing their sacrifices and the relay of their legacy—but rarely touches on how ordinary people in WFLS resist their fate. Therefore, I want to highlight this difference: what truly defeats the Laikushi and the Iron Tomb, besides the main characters, is the power of the ordinary people—the masses are the main body of social history and its creators. That's roughly my thought.
Therefore, some original plot elements will appear later on. Following the original story exactly would be too boring. We won't be as meticulous about historical accuracy; as long as it adheres to basic logic, it will be fine. Let ordinary people and heroes work together to save WFS!
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