Chapter 334

Professional Hunter.

The dusk of East Gorte was always stained with a rust-colored hue. Killua and Gon sat side by side on the grassy slope beside the abandoned railway, the light of the sky casting shifting shadows on their faces.

"Hey, Killua." Gon stared unblinking at Liuying's hesitant expression on the sky screen, "Why doesn't Liuying go with Star? She clearly longs for adventure; if she wishes, Jizi and Mr. Waerte would surely agree."

Killua was playing with a stone, flipping it nimbly between his fingers; hearing this, his motion stalled, and he clenched the small stone in his palm.

"I guess there must be some reason he can't say out loud, right?"

"She might have a terminal illness, her days numbered…… or she looks like an ordinary girl but her true identity is a galaxy‑wide wanted thief…… or…… she feels inferior, thinking she doesn't deserve to stand beside Star."

Killua stammered as he voiced his guess.

Gon suddenly sat up straight, grass blades rustling down from his hair, "Liuying should definitely join the train! If she has a terminal illness, Star can take her across the galaxy to look for a cure; if she is a wanted thief…… though that's unlikely, we could restrain her so she stops committing crimes; if she feels inferior, Star will surely help her overcome it!"

"In short, they are friends, and friends should join hands to become better, right? Killua."

Killua stared at him blankly.

This guy always does that, turning complex matters into something as simple as splitting a bun—yet somehow making it impossible to refute.

"You……" Killua chuckled lightly, brushing the grass seeds off the back of his neck.

The distant sky‑screen image shifted, Liuying and Star running through the streets of Pinokangni like two feathers lifted by the wind, lightly gliding over the neon sea.

"... That's how friends should be, Gon, you're right."

——

"On the way to the secret base, Star suddenly saw something calling for help."

"Upon closer look, there was a cartoon figure identical to Zhongbiao Xiaozi shouting for help…… no, it was Zhongbiao Xiaozi himself!"

"Tick-tock! Save me! Save me, ah! Someone's going to die! Come on!"

"Star politely asked what the thing was, but this made Zhongbiao Xiaozi panic, the bell clanged loudly: 'Hey! I'm a clock, not a thing!' but he quickly reacted, 'Wait——you... can you see me?'"

"Star looked at Liuying, and Liuying likewise stared at her, bewildered: '…What's wrong?'"

'"I saw… a clock with hands and feet."'

'"Could it be…you really can see me?" Zhongbiao Xiaozi jumped up with joy, "Tick-tock! Great! Great! Misha is saved!"'

'"I'm Zhongbiao Xiaozi, the big star of Pinokangni, the sweet‑dream town! I and my friends protect this town's peace——they are the Hano brothers, Mr. Soda, the Origami Bird, the Hamster Ball Knight…… and Misha! Misha is in danger——Tick-tock! Save me! Save me!"'

'"Liuying also came to her senses: '…A clock with hands and feet? Zhongbiao Xiaozi? Did you see a cartoon character that doesn't exist in reality?'"'

'"You can't see it?"'

'"Liuying looked around, her expression growing more confused: 'Um…where? I can't see it…'"'

'"Tick-tock! I guess only a frank, pure, child‑hearted child can see me—for example, this gray‑haired friend!"'

'"Star pointed at Zhongbiao Xiaozi with a blank expression: 'He says you're not frank enough, pure enough, or child‑hearted enough.'"'

'"Upon hearing that, Liuying looked aggrieved and innocent: '…Where am I lacking in frankness, purity, or child‑heartedness…!'"'

——

New Elios.

'"Yea——!!!"'

The receptionist on the first floor of the administrative area shook her hand, a few drops of coffee accidentally splashing onto today's visitor register; the corridor echoed with Cangjiao's recent cheer, and the flock of pigeons outside the window fluttered away in surprise.

'"What's up with Little Cangjiao…"'

The intern shifted his gaze from the sky‑screen, looking up to the higher‑level Special Operations Department for Void Affairs; there, Cangjiao was bursting with excitement, continually letting out cries of "Yea yea yea" because his childlike heart remained undimmed.

'"Cangjiao can see him too! Sis Liu, can you see him?!" Little Cangjiao excitedly scooted over to Liu's thigh.'

'"It seems we can all see him……" Asau Yuya narrowed his eyes, analyzing seriously, "People of Pinokangni come and go on the sky‑screen, yet so many of them turn a blind eye to a lively cartoon figure standing on the street…… Do you remember? He mentioned the Origami Bird, which Liuying also can't see——could it be that only Star is special in all of Pinokangni?"'

'"Yuecheng Liu pushed up her glasses: 'No, Misha can see him too, but he's just an ordinary doorman in Pinokangni. Could he and Star share something…… like both possessing a star core?'"'

'"Yuya couldn't help laughing: 'With such ability, still being a doorman…… what a waste of talent. If he truly had a star core inside, coming to New Elios would mean H. A. N. D. would have to enshrine him. The family surely isn't that foolish, after all a star core isn't something you find lying on the street."'

'"... Could it be…… 【Exploration】?"'

'"... That's even less likely."'

'"Yuya shook his head. '【Exploration】 would at least require doing something unprecedented——something no one has done before and no one will do after. Exploration carries a certain spirit of adventure, but a doorman…… where could he 'explore' to? His life is unchanging, with no connection to adventure whatsoever."'

'"It couldn't possibly be because Star truly has a childlike heart, right?" Liu smiled helplessly, 'If that's the case I could understand…… after all, Star is just a 'child' who hasn't been around long.'

——

'"Zhongbiao Xiaozi said Misha is about to lose his life——the situation is urgent!"'

'"He said he's about to lose his life…"'

'"Liuying jumped in fright: 'Huh? That serious? Then you should go help this…… uh, the only one who can see you, Zhongbiao Xiaozi?' After saying that, Liuying waved her hand, 'I'm not doubting you, after all anything can happen in a dream…… the place I mentioned, we can go later, no problem.'"

'"Star found the name Misha too conspicuous, so she took Liuying and rushed over to see what had happened."'

'"Not far off, several burly black‑clad men had Huangquan and Misha cornered against a wall, the atmosphere tense and ready to explode."'

'"Misha lifted his head to look at the group of black‑clad men, trying to intervene: 'Everyone, please calm down……'"'

'"Yet the men acted as if they hadn't heard him, completely ignoring him and staring fixedly at Huangquan, indicating they wanted to give her a good beating."'

'"Huangquan lowered her gaze, sighing helplessly: 'How did it come to this……'"'