Chapter 234: Fate

This inevitably made Heimu feel a rare sense of relief.

Since the transmigration, I've been proceeding cautiously, as if walking on thin ice, while also dealing with Aha's sudden whims, and now I finally see a path that might achieve the core goal even faster.

"Maintain surveillance over Winterwood City; intervene only when necessary."

Heimu cast a final glance at Chang Ye Yue and A Xing moving on the hologram, and said, "The focus should still be on Letu."

"Command confirmed," the system replied.

Qingque snapped open her eyes, first feeling the cold, hard surface beneath her butt—unlike the soft bed in her room.

A crisp, slightly biting air filled her nostrils, not the familiar incense and blanket scent of home.

She sat up, blinking bewilderedly.

What came into view was the once-familiar, verdantly fresh bamboo grove.

Tall bamboo stalks, dense foliage, winding stone steps upward, and faint birdcalls in the distance…

Everything seemed frozen in the way it was when she last "left."

"... No way? Again?"

Qingque murmured, the lingering unease left by the "immortal's dream" instantly replaced by a stronger sense of gloom.

All she wanted was to leisurely slack off, play cards, collect her salary, and plan her retirement early!

This unknown "adventure" doesn't fit her life plan at all!

She brushed away nonexistent dust from herself and sighed as she stood up.

After loosening her stiff neck a bit, she saw not far away the gray‑haired figure that had left a strong impression, walking at a steady pace up the stone steps toward her.

Still wearing that plain training robe, still bearing that expression that seemed unchanged even if the heavens fell.

It was the self‑proclaimed "Hua" who called himself the "Grand Master."

A reflexive smile piled onto Qingque's face—a harmless "obedient smile" honed in Tai Bu Si when dealing with superiors or troublesome colleagues.

Inside, it felt as if a hundred sparrows were wailing: "Leave me alone! I really just want to be a quiet Salted Fish!"

Hua stopped a few steps in front of her, his gray eyes calmly fixed on her, and after a moment, he unexpectedly spoke, his tone laced with a hint of teasing.

"We really do have fate together."

The smile at the corner of Qingque's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

Fate? What fate?

Is it the fate of "forced overtime," or the fate of "being re‑educated even in dreams"?

But does she dare say it? She doesn't dare.

The person before her is apparently a Marshal‑level big shot!

If she offends him in a dream and it harms her real‑world career, or worse, her luck at cards, what then?

So Qingque tried to make her smile look more sincere, more "surprised by favor," and nodded repeatedly in a resigned tone:

"Yes, yes, senior, you're absolutely right! Truly… a monumental fate! Hehe, hehehe…"

She forced a dry laugh, while the little person inside her wept: What kind of daydream is this! Why does it come with a drama plot! Can I request a channel change?!

Letu training space.

Xing shook her slightly dazed head, focusing her gaze.

Not far away, a figure instantly put her on alert.

White long hair, deep blue eyes, a slightly confused expression—that was the girl who suddenly appeared last time and then unleashed astonishing combat power.

This time, that dangerous man didn't seem to appear.

This girl looked… uh, as if she had become much more normal.

The two stared at each other with wide and narrow eyes, frozen for a few seconds, seemingly checking whether the other's condition matched the "her" who almost destroyed the training room last time.

Xing hesitated briefly, then decided to break the awkward silence.

She raised her hand, waved, and tentatively greeted, "... Hi? Nice to see you again. Are you... awake now?"

The white‑haired girl blinked, seeming to relax, her tense shoulders easing, and gave a slightly energetic yet apologetic smile: "Hmm! I'm awake! Last time… uh, sorry! I caused you trouble! I'm Qiana, Qiana Kaslanna!"

(Split personality? Or some kind of power surge?)

Xing quickly labeled her in her mind, but seeing the friendly attitude, she relaxed a bit and stepped forward: "It's fine, the training room is for sparring. I'm Xing, from the Starry Sky Train, a Pioneer."

"Starry Sky Train? Pioneer?"

Qiana repeated the two unfamiliar terms, her blue eyes full of curiosity.

She hadn't heard of them, but given his earnest introduction, she replied politely: "I'm a student at Saint Freya Academy! I'm working hard to become an outstanding Valkyrie!"

"Saint Freya Academy? Valkyrie?"

Now it was Xing who was puzzled.

It sounded like some special school or profession?

The atmosphere lingered in a subtle silence.

Both quickly searched their mental databases and found no trace of the terms the other mentioned.

Xing thought the other might hail from a planet not yet officially linked by the "Startrack," thus information‑blocked, and tried a more "universal" approach: "Um… Qiana, which planet are you from? Which star system?"

"Ha?"

Qiana looked bewildered by the question and instinctively answered, "Planet? Star system? I… I'm from Earth! Taiyang Xi, Earth!"

(Earth? Taiyang Xi?)

Xing furrowed her brows, feeling those words sounded familiar, as if heard somewhere.

Maybe glimpsed them in some database?

She couldn't recall at the moment.

"Earth… hmm, noted."

Xing nodded, thinking it might be a remote planet with a low level of civilization.

Qiana retorted, not wanting to be outdone: "And you? Xing, where are you from? What is the 'Star Rail' you just mentioned? Is it an impressive vehicle?"

"The Star Rail is just the Star Rail!"

Xing thought the question was simple: "We ride the train along the stellar track opened by the Star God of Exploration, A Ji Wei Li, heading to unknown worlds; that is Exploration."

"…Star God? Exploration? A Ji Wei Li? Stellar track?"

Qiana's expression shifted from curiosity to bewilderment, then to a subtle doubt as if asking, "Are you reciting some fantasy novel lore?"

She examined Xing closely—gray hair, golden eyes, a serious expression, attire a bit odd yet tidy, eyes clear as not a liar, though their words were absurd.

(Universe? Star God? Destiny? What are all these things!)

Qiana's mind was a mess.

(Either she's someone immersed in her own world… hmm, a person with an especially vivid imagination? Or… maybe what she says is true? Yet she doesn't seem mentally ill, could she really be… an alien?!)

Xing watched Qiana's "information overload" look and realized she might have never encountered these concepts.

She scratched her head, trying a simpler explanation: "You can think of a tremendously great existence called the Star God; they walk along different destinies, representing some fundamental laws of the universe. Our Train Group follows the footsteps of the Star God of Exploration, to explore new worlds, meet new friends, solve troubles… hmm, that's about it."

Qiana opened her mouth, feeling as if she were listening to a celestial script.

Star God? Destiny? Cosmic laws?

This setting is even more exaggerated than the sci‑fi comics she secretly read!

"Over here… the situation is quite different."

Qiana decided to talk about her own world, lest she seem uninformed: "On Earth, there is a periodic disaster called Honkai. It spawns monsters called Collapse Beast and individuals who gain special powers called Herrscher, causing massive damage to human civilization. The Destiny Organization I belong to, under which Saint Freya Academy trains Valkyries like me, fights Honkai and protects everyone."

"?"

Now it was Xing's turn to show a confused expression.

That sounds like some kind of planetary‑scale ecological disaster?

It sounds a bit like Xianzhou battling the Abundance spawn, yet it seems different.

"You… are on a single planet, fighting this thing called Honkai?"

"Yeah! What else?"

Qiana found Xing's confusion odd: "Earth is our home! Isn't protecting it the most important thing? Do you Train Group members run around without protecting your own hometown?"

"Our 'hometown'… is the train."

Xing thought for a moment, "Each world the train stops at can be a temporary home. As for protection… if we encounter a world in need, we'll lend a hand."

She recalled Beloberg's journey…

"Eh?"

Xing suddenly got stuck.