Chapter 414: Pinokanni

"Oh, right, there's also the Black Tower…"

Heimu suddenly recalled the "invitation" she sent to the Black Tower in the cosmos.

"We'd arranged to chat at the Space Station before… tsk."

She weighed it carefully.

Going to see the Black Tower now? The risk coefficient spikes.

My power isn't at the Complete Form; if the Black Tower has some "surprise" prepared, or worse, has made contact or even cooperated with Polka Kakam…

Then going there voluntarily would be walking into a trap, wouldn't it?

"The Black Tower is patient, but that doesn't mean it won't set traps."

Heimu shook her head, "No rush. Let her wait a bit longer, be more curious for a while. I need to restore my condition first, at least have a few more cards in hand."

She made up her mind and temporarily set aside the meeting with the Black Tower.

"By the way,"

Heimu suddenly remembered another matter, "How are Chang Ye Yue and A Xing doing? The Winterwood City affair is over; they should be looking for Huo Huo. The Xingyue World Suppression Force promised to help jump to the Fifth Holy Grail War timeline… what's the progress?"

She opened the dedicated communication interface with Chang Ye Yue and sent a concise inquiry.

Then she turned on the remote observation screen, ready to see Chang Ye Yue's real-time situation.

The screen lit up.

First flooding her eyes was a dazzling, ethereal brilliance.

Nihong neon signs flickered with vibrant colors, massive Holographic Projections floated midair, playing upbeat music and animated scenes.

The streets were spacious, flanked by uniquely shaped, dreamlike buildings that shimmered with flowing light.

The air seemed to carry a sweet, cloying fragrance and cheerful humming.

People dressed fashionably or oddly, strolling, chatting, laughing on the street, most faces showing relaxation and hedonism.

Occasionally an amusingly designed "vehicle" drifted by lazily.

Farther away, towering structures rose into the clouds, resembling massive gramophones or dance-floor light pillars.

"What is this…?"

Heimu froze for a moment, then squinted, examining carefully.

The varied skyscraper façades were covered with huge Holographic Projection posters; a blue‑haired songstress danced lightly on one of them, her voice silent yet seemingly palpable through the image's ethereality.

Her gaze swept over a bouncing sign at the corner that read "Beautiful Dream Bubbles Special Drink!"

She glanced past a roadside fountain that automatically changed shape, spraying rainbow‑colored mist; then lingered on a few pedestrians' hands holding odd objects shaped like both clocks and tickets.

Heimu's mouth twitched slightly.

"…Pinokanni."

Chang Ye Yue held the Black Umbrella, walking through the bustling street.

Crimson eyes calmly scanned the surrounding bizarre scenery, the umbrella rim casting a small shadow on her delicate face.

She was indeed a bit bewildered.

Her memory still lingered on the outskirts of Winterwood City; she and A Xing were preparing to rest briefly, awaiting the Black Curtain Lady's next instructions.

Then… a faint light seemed to flash.

Opening her eyes again, she found herself standing on this overly bustling unfamiliar street.

A Xing was nowhere to be seen.

Just a second ago, he was standing beside her.

"Is this… the battlefield of the Fifth Holy Grail War?"

Chang Ye Yue felt puzzled.

She wasn't unfamiliar with modern cities of the Xingyue World, but this place… its technology seemed far more advanced, and the atmosphere was entirely different.

There was no weight of historical sediment, nor the hidden gloom of Magic; only an overwhelming joy.

She slightly frowned, trying to sense the world's foundation.

The next moment, a flash of understanding crossed her crimson eyes.

The intangible perception spread silently like a jellyfish's tentacles.

She could clearly feel the dense, almost solid "Memory Substance" permeating the air.

These emotional sediments and memory fragments from billions of dream visitors formed the city's unique "soil".

Moreover, she faintly sensed several clear, powerful destiny auras intertwining here—"Harmony", "Joy", "Void"… even a trace of "Memory".

This is definitely not the Xingyue World!

This is one of the main stages of her universe, the Star Rail's Grand Event Star, Pinokanni!

Chang Ye Yue suddenly understood.

No wonder it felt familiar; she had seen descriptions of this place in the data shared by the Black Curtain Lady.

A passerby laughed as they walked by, unknowingly passing through a silently appearing, semi‑transparent deep‑red jellyfish that floated beside Chang Ye Yue.

The jellyfish's tentacles swayed gently.

Through the unique perception of a memory‑walker, Chang Ye Yue quickly confirmed her judgment.

This truly is Pinokanni, with Memory Substance highly active.

At that moment, she received a direct message from the Black Curtain Lady.

【Heimu】: Chang Ye Yue, what's the situation?

Chang Ye Yue's thoughts flickered slightly, replying covertly.

【Chang Ye Yue】: Lady. Situation unclear. While waiting for orders in Winterwood City, A Xing and I experienced a spatial shift and arrived here directly. A Xing is separated, currently alone. Location confirmed as Pinokanni.

Getting separated in an unfamiliar place isn't good news.

Heimu looks at the bizarre scene on the screen, then glances at the confirmation message from Chang Ye Yue, takes a deep breath, and exhales.

Sys——tem——!

She almost squeezed those two characters out between her teeth.

【System】: Ding dong.

Scanning spatial coordinates… confirmed.

Current location: Star Rail Universe, Grand Event Star Pinokanni.

Deviation from target coordinates: massive.

Error code: WLD-JMP-ERR-.

"Communicating with Type Moon Suppression Force…"

The system's electronic voice continues to broadcast, "Communicating…"

A familiar circular loading icon appears at the center of the main screen, beginning to rotate slowly.

Heimu: "…"

She watches the spinning circle, feeling the blue veins at the temples throb.

"I just wanted to find a little Hu Niang! Is it that hard?!"

She can't help but low growl at the screen.

"Ding dong."

The loading circle disappears.

A line of concise text floats on the screen:

【From Type Moon Suppression Force (translated by system): The Holy Grail is gone, where does the Fifth War come from?】

After the text, a pixel‑style "open‑hand" emoticon is attached.

Heimu stares at that line, stays silent for two seconds, then quickly types a reply on the Virtual Keyboard: "Where did the Holy Grail go? Wasn't it purified?"

She just sent it, and a small window pops up beside the system, automatically playing a clip evidently retrieved from Chang Ye Yue's recording—

It is the final moment in Winterwood City, where the Holy Grail's soft golden phantom just descended, and under everyone's eyes it burst with a "puff" like a soap bubble, turning into a burst of colorful fireworks and a huge doodle smiley, then vanished completely.

At the same time, a cheerful sound rings in everyone's mind.

Heimu's face turned black.

"... It's Aha again!!!"

She can almost hear the string of her Reason String tightening.

That Fun God!

She suppresses her anger, continues typing: "Even if that Holy Grail is gone, aren't your Type Moon worldlines as countless as cattle?! Parallel World! Singularity! Just find a worldline that still has a Holy Grail and is in the Fifth Holy Grail War, and that's it?!"

The other side is silent for a few seconds.

Then a new reply drifts over:

【Suppression Force: We're scared (>﹏<)]

Followed by a pixel‑style "shivering" emoticon.

Heimu: "…"

She looks at that emoticon and shivering face, at a loss for words.