Chapter 114

"Hi, Star." Kafka, upon seeing her approach, her smile softened: "…You haven't changed at all. I'm really sorry to let you see me in such a sorry state."

"Are you okay? Any injuries?" Star looked at her with concern.

"Are you concerned about me?"

Kafka blinked slightly, a warm feeling rising in her heart: "I'm fine. The Immortal Vessel treats prisoners courteously. On the train, I didn't speak with you because I already knew then that here you would talk to me privately. So I thought, why not leave everything for now? You seem to have a lot you want to ask me."

"What did Fu Xuan see?"

"The Immortal Vessel's Star Core turmoil has no direct relation to us. But if you stand from Elio's perspective, you can't say the Star Core Hunters are innocent. We had already foreseen all this, but we remained indifferent until the right moment to intervene."

Kafka calmly continued her explanation: "Fu Tai Bu is so surprised because she discovered three facts."

"First, the Star Core Hunters are not enemies of the Immortal Vessel, which you already know, though you still don't believe it."

"Second, the one who brought the Star Core into the Immortal Vessel and activated it is someone else; this involves both internal troubles and external threats. The traitors within Luofu and external enemies want to overthrow the Immortal Vessel. Tai Bu rushing to find the general must also be to inform him of this."

"But that's all Tai Bu knows, because Elio also didn't tell me the key information. He foresaw that the Divination Commission would use the Exhaustive Observation Array on me. To prevent any mishap, right now I only know what the Immortal Vessel Alliance should know."

"The third fact is, if the Star Core Hunters aren't the instigators of all this, then why am I and A Rèn here?"

Kafka finally curled the corner of her mouth into a smile: "——It's for you."

In Star's astonished expression, Kafka spoke unhurriedly: "The answer is just this interesting: the Star Core Hunters appearing here, A Rèn being captured, me being drawn into the Exhaustive Observation Array—all of this is to bring you—the Astral Express—to the Immortal Vessel."

Marvel Universe.

Peter Parker stood before the door of the New York Sanctum; half an hour earlier, he had received a message from Stephen Strange inviting him to meet. He could guess what they'd discuss without thinking too hard—it most likely concerned that miraculous light curtain in the sky.

Taking a deep breath, he raised his hand and knocked on the heavy wooden door. The sound of the knocker striking echoed unusually clearly on the evening street, yet no one answered for a long time. Just as he was about to knock again, the door opened silently.

"Come in." A low voice came from inside.

It wasn't his first time visiting the Sanctum, but each time he couldn't help exclaiming "wow oh wow oh"; the air was filled with the scent of ancient tomes and sandalwood, and the surrounding walls were hung with all kinds of mystical artifacts.

"Parker, come find a seat."

The voice came from the high spiral staircase; Stephen Strange's signature mustache came into view. He held a coffee cup, looking down at himself: "Don't be late next time."

Parker walked up the stairs and saw more than one person sitting by the fireplace: Steve Rogers, Dr. Banner, and… Mr. Tony Stark!

"You brought Parker?" Tony raised his hands, his tone somewhat dissatisfied: "Wizard, you should have given me a heads-up."

"Don't worry, it won't take much of your time." Stephen Strange took a deep breath and said, "You all know that the people in the light curtain can observe our world; they have the means to interfere and influence us… Aside from that, one person has caught my attention."

"Who?" Peter asked curiously.

"Elio——although he has never appeared in the light curtain, from Kafka's words we learned that this person can foresee the future." As they spoke, everyone noticed the Eye of Agamotto flashing a strange light on Stephen Strange's chest.

They all knew this was the Sorcerer Supreme's most marvelous and important treasure, inside which a gem capable of reversing time was set. With it, Strange could freely observe the past and even the future.

"Oh, I think I get what you mean." Tony raised an eyebrow: "You couldn't be saying that Elio is also a Sorcerer Supreme, holding the same kind of gem as you, could you?"

"I can't be certain——that's why I invited you all." Stephen Strange let out a long sigh: "To be honest, we know very little about their world, whether it's the star gods or their emissaries; research is lacking, and continuous observation is necessary…"

"Observation is fine, but we need to change venues." Tony's gaze swept over the Sanctum, then he smiled slightly: "How about my Stark Tower?"

——

"The Astral Express is coming to Luofu, no mistake, and it will also do something big in the Immortal Vessel. In the future that Elio has chosen, the power of the Hunt is indispensable. For this, you must make contact with the Alliance…"

"So I definitely had to trick you into coming here. I need you to make contact with the Luofu general, help them resolve the Star Core turmoil, so that the Alliance owes you a favor. That way, at the most critical moment in the future, the Immortal Vessel will lend you a hand."

Kafka gave a gentle smile: "How? Isn't it unexpected? The notorious Star Core Hunters did all this just to make you a hero of the Immortal Vessel—who could have imagined such a plot?"

"The strategist throws himself into the fray, merely to gain half a chance against heaven… It seems Elio's true purpose is to bridge the Alliance and the Train." Zhongli chuckled.

"However, my lord, there's something I find strange."

Hu Tao furrowed her brows in confusion: "The key of Elio's plan is to make the Alliance owe a favor, but according to General Jing Yuan's words, the Immortal Vessel has its own means and ability to handle the Star Core. Now that the Star Core Hunter matter is settled, there's no need for the Train crew, right?"

"Sect Master, it's not that simple. Since Elio foresaw that Fu Xuan would use the Exhaustive Observation Array on Kafka, he surely also foresaw that this Star Core crisis would be different from before."

Zhongli lowered his head in thought: "Moreover, the Immortal Vessel now faces internal and external troubles; the 'traitor' Kafka spoke of likely refers to the secret transmission of the Medicine King colluding with Abundance. While the Immortal Vessel might easily handle a single crisis, if 'Destruction' and 'Abundance' were to strike simultaneously, causing an uproar throughout Luofu…"

"I'm afraid… General Jing Yuan's position may not remain secure."