Chapter 91

Acheron gave the answer Welt wanted to know.

[...]

Welt was somewhat silent.

[I am not the person you know, and my hometown was not as lucky as your world.]

Acheron sighed lightly.

[...I am very sorry.]

Having stirred up Acheron's sad memories, Welt was somewhat apologetic.

[It's okay, if this can resolve your doubts, I don't mind.]

Acheron shook her head and said.

[But I still want to know, under that appearance of The Hunt, Miss Acheron, what kind of "power" drives you to walk alone until now.]

[...]

[Mr. Welt, before answering this question, I want to continue the topic just now.]

[I like your metaphor very much.]

[Indeed, birds are born to fly, but in the distant past, their ancestors could only look up at the high sky from the ground.]

[They saw that distant light from outside the sky pierce through the clouds and shine on the earth.]

[So time and time again, generation after generation, birds spread their wings and flew high, trying to touch the zenith, just because the sun was there.]

[Then, if when the last bird finally flew into the sky, it saw that the end of the light was not the sun, but a pitch-black sun...]

[Then what exactly are we doing... to walk towards the light?]

Hu Tao: "I thought I would know some of Miss Acheron's background."

Hu Tao: "But the riddle she and Mr. Welt played is completely incomprehensible?"

Welt: "..."

Welt: "It's a pity that Miss Acheron's past is so tragic."

Acheron: "There is nothing tragic or not tragic, because this result was doomed from the beginning..."

Zhongli: "The end of the light is not the sun... but a pitch-black sun..."

Zhongli: "Is this passage a metaphor for Miss Acheron's experience in her hometown?"

Venti: "Sounds like... a not-so-good ending."

Stelle: "So, why walk towards the light?"

Stelle: "Can't you do it without walking towards the light?"

March 7th: "Oh my, it's just a metaphor... are you nitpicking here?"

Lumine: "Then what does the light here refer to?"

Lumine: "And the pitch-black sun... what does it refer to?"

Dr. Ratio: "Pitch-black... sun... so that's it..."

Dr. Ratio: "It's surprising."

Aventurine: "Professor, what did you see?"

Aventurine: "Can you share your insight with us?"

Stelle: "Requesting sharing!"

Miss Sushang: "Requesting sharing! +1"

Guinaifen: "Requesting sharing! +2"

Furina: "Requesting sharing! +3"

Dr. Ratio: "I can reveal the answer to you, but it's not as good as you thinking about it yourself."

Dr. Ratio: "At least in the process of thinking, your brains will constantly improve..."

Stelle: "Oh? Thinking about things has the effect of improving intelligence?"

Stelle: "Alright then, don't say it, let's use our brains more."

Stelle: "Being able to become smarter is not a bad thing."

Miss Sushang: "I agree, I should use my brain more."

Guinaifen: "Oh my, when did Miss Sushang become so self-aware?"

Miss Sushang: "Little Gui, you're asking for a beating!!"

The video continues.

The scene shifts,

to Black Swan.

[...]

Black Swan looked at the phone in front of her,

and after a moment of silence, chose to answer.

Subsequently, a voice came from the phone.

[Long time no see!]

[Are you having fun in Penacony—Acheron?]

As soon as the call was connected, a rough and heroic voice came through.

[This voice... is not that Constance from before.]

[Is it her companion?]

Black Swan listened to this strange voice and started muttering.

[Although I don't know what you are, or what you are planning...]

[But my bullet will find you soon—before that, you'd better find a coffin shop in Penacony quickly, let the boss save a good quality one for yourself, you fake.]

The voice on the phone started to be impolite.

[Fake?]

[So that's it, she brought my whereabouts to another person tracking Acheron.]

[Who are you?]

Black Swan finally understood what was going on,

and began to ask the person on the phone.

[Eh?]

[Did I call the wrong number?]

[Damn it, who are you?]

The person on the phone asked back with a very aggressive tone.

[I am a Memokeeper of the Garden of Recollection.]

Black Swan stated her identity.

[Hah! Not bad, I like this kind of tough guy.]

[Are you the bodyguard of that fake?]

[Or someone else?]

[Forget it, it doesn't matter.]

[I'll save a bullet for you too, wash your forehead and wait.]

The voice on the phone learned of Black Swan's identity,

and decided to reward her with a bullet too.

[I don't know what you're talking about—but you know Acheron, that Galaxy Ranger, right?]

[I have something to ask you.]

Black Swan didn't care about the rude words of the person on the phone,

she went straight to the point and started asking about Acheron's origin.

[Haha, want me to help you write a will?]

[Sure, go ahead.]

The person on the phone agreed.

[Not a will—I just want to ask you, how exactly did she "become" a Galaxy Ranger?]

Black Swan asked the question she most wanted to ask.

[Uh...]

The person on the phone was stunned, seemingly not expecting Black Swan to ask this.

[She is not a Pathstrider of The Hunt at all, you are, right?]

[Tell me, what is Acheron's background.]

Black Swan continued to press.

[...Hahahaha, sure!]

[Didn't expect it to be a friendly force, damn it, looks like I really hit the jackpot.]

[I'll be in Penacony soon, Memokeeper, go buy a bottle of Asdana white oak, warm it up, and let's have a drink.]

[That woman's past?]

[Nobody knows.]

[But if you just want a simple answer, sure, you'd better find a chair to cushion yourself, that woman named Acheron...]

[—is an Emanator that "should not exist".]

March 7th: "Is this the scene where Miss Black Swan answered the phone before?"

Stelle: "Good heavens, this scene is only being shown now!"

Stelle: "I almost forgot!"

Hu Tao: "The person on the other end of the phone is actually Mr. Boothill?"

Hu Tao: "This is so surprising!"

Furina: "Mr. Boothill, your speed is so slow, you haven't arrived yet?"

Boothill: "Hey, miss, you probably don't know how difficult it is to travel in the universe."

Boothill: "My speed is already the result of damn racing against time!"

Miss Qingque: "Speaking of which, Mr. Boothill is quite impolite!"

Miss Qingque: "He started by telling Miss Acheron to buy a coffin and wait."

Miss Qingque: "Since you know she's an Emanator, why do you dare to say that?"

Boothill: "Lose the person, don't lose the formation. Regardless of whether you can beat them or not, the damn morale in words must not be lost!"

Boothill: "Besides, even if you really can't beat them, you still have to go!"

Boothill: "Otherwise, why are we walking the Path of The Hunt?"

Boothill: "Wouldn't it be safer to go home and sleep?"

Boothill: "This concerns the dignity of the Galaxy Rangers!!"

Jing Yuan: "Good!"

Jing Yuan: "Mr. Boothill said it very well, even I can't help but clap and sigh!"

Boothill: "Hah. To be recognized by the General of the Luofu Xianzhou, that really makes me look good!"

Amber: "So... an Emanator that shouldn't exist..."

Amber: "What does that mean?"

Paimon: "Then is this Emanator supposed to exist, or not supposed to exist?"

Paimon: "If she shouldn't exist, then why can she exist?"

Lumine: "Paimon, why are the two sentences you said so convoluted..."

Paimon: "Hmm... maybe I've heard too many riddles... a bit dizzy..."

Venti: "Speaking of which, is no one curious about what flavor of wine that Asdana white oak is?"

Venti: "I really want to taste it."

Diona: "Pah, you annoying drunkard!"

The video continues.

Black Swan's scene temporarily ends,

the scene comes to Aventurine and Dr. Ratio.

[...]

On the street, Aventurine held his head,

silent.

[Your complexion is very bad.]

[Or is this also your acting?]

Dr. Ratio looked at Aventurine, his tone flat.

[I didn't expect you to have the face to see me.]

Aventurine looked at Dr. Ratio,

seemingly somewhat unwelcoming.

[Heh, I thought this was the result you wanted. After all, I am, as you said...]

[faithfully fulfilling my duties.]

[If you can't hold on, remember to notify me first.]

Dr. Ratio chuckled.

[Is the genius of the Intelligentsia Guild planning to collect my corpse?]

[Oh my... what an honor.]

Aventurine said sarcastically.

[The members of the Strategic Investment Department must also very much hope to receive news of your death in time.]

[Don't forget, you can never see them again. This task is now on my head.]

Dr. Ratio seemed to be retorting to Aventurine's sarcasm,

but in fact, there was more to his words.

[Good, then please go report the news now.]

[Just say that Aventurine has made full preparations and can enter the field in seventeen system hours.]

Aventurine also replied.

[Shameless.]

[How do you plan to complete the task while being imprisoned by Harmony?]

Dr. Ratio asked.

[The conversation with Sunday convinced me that there is a traitor in the Family, and Penacony's secret is in that person's hands...]

[Taking this opportunity, I also put all the Cornerstone in their proper places.]

[And now I have also successfully retrieved the gift money. Since stepping into the gate of the Reverie Hotel, things haven't been this smooth...]

[Watch, I'm only one step away from victory.]

As he spoke, Aventurine's expression also became relaxed.

[It sounds like you just recounted your miserable state, using a very stubborn way.]

Dr. Ratio felt that what Aventurine said was not enough.

[That's all I can say.]

[Forgot? You have already betrayed me, Professor.]

[Go where you should go, I can't wait to see the IPC fleet surrounding Penacony.]

[You also got what you wanted, didn't you?]

Aventurine didn't want to say anything more.

[Indeed, but so what?]

[In that bag of gift money, is there a beacon hidden to call for near-orbit support?]

Dr. Ratio was still testing.

[Maybe?]

[Perhaps this is the reason why I'm still thinking about sending money when I'm dying.]

Aventurine gave an ambiguous answer.

[...You are completely crazy, damn gambler.]