Chapter 40

Her azure eyes widened, her small mouth slightly open, her whole person seeming to have turned to stone.

She understood every word Bai Hang described, but when put together they formed a picture she could not comprehend at all.

Rising Dragon Fist? Combo? A strange dance?

Is this really the person she knows?!

After a long while, Xi Lian managed to regain her voice with difficulty, filled with deep worry: "Na Ke Xia… his mental state… has actually… deteriorated to this extent?"

The abstract dance was already shocking enough; now adding such violent martial arts, Xi Lian could scarcely imagine what pain and torment Na Ke Xia was enduring.

Bai Hang also sighed, nodded, then recalled Heimu's words, his tone turning somewhat low: "The master said… he wants to save you… including Na Ke Xia and the others… there are only two ways: either 'Persuade' them, or… 'beat' them."

Hearing this condition, Xi Lian's delicate brows furrowed slightly, a hint of doubt and struggle flashing in her eyes.

(Inner thought: Battle… conquest… is this really salvation?)

But seeing Bai Hang's equally troubled expression, she did not voice her doubt, merely gently taking his hand and whispering: "... No matter what, knowing there is still hope… is always good."

【Yaliluo-VI-Beloberg】

At the same time, on the distant ice-locked planet Yaliluo-VI, Beloberg's ruler, the Great Guardian Kekeliya·Land, had just finished a day of arduous work that exhausted both body and mind.

She alone returned to her private chambers atop Kelibopo Castle, dismissing all attendants.

In the luxurious room, the fireplace's Flame crackled, attempting to dispel the planet's eternal chill, yet failing to warm the coldness in her eyes and the weariness deep within.

She took off the outer robe symbolizing power and responsibility, casually draped it over the chair back, then weakly fell onto the soft large bed, closing her eyes that held complex emotions.

The Star Core's whispers, the city's survival, the chaos in the LowerDistrict, and the prophecy about the 'outsider' that lingered in her mind…

Countless burdens weighed on her shoulders, making it hard for her to truly relax even while resting.

The night grew deep, the castle inside and out fell silent, save for the occasional wind and snow striking the windows.

Just then——

Outside the bedchamber, a tall figure silently appeared beside the heavy wooden door carved with the Guardian's emblem.

The visitor seemed to blend into the hallway's shadows, making no footstep sound, leaking no aura.

She halted before the door, silently 'gazing' at it, as if she could see through the thick wood to the ruler inside who had just lain down, exhausted in mind and spirit.

After a moment, a slender, exquisite hand clad in black lace gloves slowly rose and lightly rested upon the icy door handle.

The fingertips touched the metal, making no sound at all.

With a slight exertion, that hand could turn the handle.

Inside the door lay the exhausted, asleep Kekeliya.

Outside the door was a visitor of unknown intent, with a deep, mysterious aura.

"I suggest you best not touch that door."

A languid, pleasant female voice sounded from behind her, while a cold, hard object lightly pressed against the visitor's black robe at the back of the head.

That sensation was undoubtedly a gun barrel.

The figure beneath the black robe halted its motion, the fingers about to exert force hovering a hair's breadth above the door handle.

"Although disturbing a lady's sleep is impolite,"

The female voice behind her continued, tone calm, betraying no tension, as if merely stating a fact: "But even more impolite is to intrude uninvited, especially at such a late hour. Could you please turn around so I can see which rash guest this is? …Or we could talk somewhere quieter? The next room is quite empty."

The black‑robed figure, as instructed, slowly lowered her hand.

She did not turn immediately, but obediently walked with a near‑elegant composure toward the direction indicated by the voice—a vacant guest room on the opposite side of the hallway.

Throughout the process, she showed no trace of surprise or panic, as if she had long anticipated this encounter.

(She recognized that voice. Kama…… the voice from her past‑life game that had once brought her great comfort and longing. Strangely, beneath the black robe, her tensed nerves relaxed for a moment. It was a 'familiar' person, which is always better than a completely unknown enemy.)

The guest room's door closed behind her with a faint 'click' sound.

The room had no lights; only the cold moonlight streamed through the high windows, carving several pale patches on the floor.

The gun barrel remained firmly aimed at her back.

"Well then, this mysterious guest,"

Kafuka's voice remained clear in the dimness: "Now, can you tell us your origin, and the purpose of your attempt to disturb Lady Kekeliya's beautiful dream?"

The black‑robed figure still kept her back to them, silent.

"Hey, mute?"

A somewhat dissatisfied, younger voice rang out: "Playing dress‑up as a black wizard in the middle of the night, coming to this icy snowy place—you're surely not here just for sightseeing, are you?"

(It's Yinlang. Indeed, she's here too.)

Beneath the black robe, Heimu's lips curled slightly.

Finally she spoke, her voice passing through the black robe with a strange low resonance yet unusually clear: "Purpose? Quite simple. I merely… want that 'Star Core'."

Kafuka let out a soft 'Oh?' with a rising tone, conveying curiosity.

"What if I say… it's not allowed?"

She asked, her tone still gentle, yet the gun pressed against Heimu's skull conveyed undeniable pressure.

"Not allowed?"

Heimu gave a low chuckle, that laugh sounding especially out of place in the room: "'Star Core Hunter' Kafuka, and… Miss Yinlang, who has just been black‑listed by the Black Tower Space Station, her account sealed, seething with anger. You're stopping me to uphold the established 'Script', or simply… you don't want things to go off‑plan?"

As these words were spoken, the air in the room seemed to congeal for a moment.

"Damn! How do you know?!"

Yinlang's voice suddenly rose, filled with incredulous vexation: "And who's the one seething? That old hag's doll‑matrix Firewall is just so‑so……"

"Yinlang."

Kafuka gently interrupted her, though her voice also carried a barely perceptible gravity.

The other party not only knows their identities, but also clearly understands Yinlang's recent predicament—this is certainly no ordinary matter.

"Tsk, boring." Yinlang clicked her tongue, muttering a complaint.

Kafuka continued to ask: "Even if you know our identities, you still insist on obtaining the Star Core? This makes things difficult for us."

"Insist?"

Heimu's voice carried a hint of amusement: "Perhaps...... we can change the way. I don't necessarily have to take this one from Beloberg. You, 'Star Core Hunter', roam the Star Sea, your information network is well-developed. Find me a Star Core, any one will do. As long as you hand it to me, I guarantee I'll leave immediately and will not interfere with your...... 'performance' here."

"Hah?!"

Yinlang couldn't hold back any longer, his tone exaggerated as he retorted: "Who are you? Do you really think the Star Core is a cabbage? Just open your mouth and expect us to find you one! The thing called the 'Cancer of Ten Thousand Worlds'! You say you want it, so you want it?"

At that moment, the Black Curtain Lady let out a light laugh, sounding quite pleased.

This laugh was no longer concealed, returning to its original clear, cold, and magnetic female voice.

"Oh~, I didn't expect the 'little hacker' to have such guts."