Chapter 420: Chat

Xing nodded: "Hmm, on our Star Rail we also have an Uncle Yang, Wa'erte Yang. He also wears glasses, uses a cane, is very reliable, and seems to know more than the entire think tank combined. He's the train's strategist."

The two exchanged details about the "Walther/Teacher Yang" they each knew—appearance, habitual gestures, that steady reliable yet slightly old‑fashioned aura……

The more they talked, the more they felt the resemblance was absurdly high.

Qiana scratched her head: "No way… it's really the same person, right? But Teacher Yang has been teaching us all the time; he sometimes goes on business trips, but I've never heard him go open any Star Rail…"

Sheng Fuleiya's students still have some insight into the teachers' daily routines.

Xing also thought: "Our Uncle Yang does often talk about his rich travel experiences and meeting many people… but he says he's from a place called Earth, and it seems he hasn't returned for a long time."

"Earth?"

Qiana had no particular reaction to the word, "Eh, we also call our side Earth. But the universe is so vast, it's not strange to have planets with the same name, right?"

"Perhaps, quite a coincidence."

Xing didn't probe further, keeping the doubt in mind for the time being.

She changed the subject: "Talk about your companions, then? You just mentioned Ya Yi and Bronya."

Talking about a good friend instantly brightened Qiana, sweeping away the earlier gloom: "Ya Yi! Lightning Ya Yi! She's my best friend and roommate! Her cooking is super—delicious! Her personality is great, gentle, and powerful! She just worries about me a bit too much sometimes… Bronya is also a super‑awesome person! Don't be fooled by her usually expressionless face and blunt speech; she's actually very reliable! And she's insanely good at games! I've never beaten her!"

"Super good at games?"

Xing caught the keyword, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah! No game can stump her; her reaction is as fast as a monster! She's almost cleared all the records in our academy's game hall!"

Qiana's tone carried a hint of admiration and a bit of frustration, "Damn it, next time I'll definitely beat her once!"

In Xing's mind, an image instantly flashed of a gray‑haired girl who is always expressionless, her fingertips dancing over a Virtual Keyboard, famed as "no system she can't hack, no game she can't beat."

"…I think I also know a friend like that."

Xing's tone was a bit subtle, "Her name is Silver Wolf. She's also a gaming maniac, her skill is absurdly high, and she's especially good at all kinds of… um, electronic‑device matters."

She chose her words carefully, not directly saying "hacker."

"Wow! Really? If the two of them meet, they'd definitely have a lot in common!"

Qiana said excitedly, then curiously asked, "Xing, what about your companions? Your Star Rail must have many interesting comrades, right?"

Speaking of the Train Group, a warm smile appeared on Xing's face: "Hmm, there are many reliable companions. Navigator Aunt Jizi, who loves making coffee but takes great care of us; Train Captain Pam, a bit timid but keeps the train impeccably organized; and Teacher Dan Heng, erudite, strong in combat, though a little quiet…"

She paused, her smile fading slightly, with a barely perceptible worry: "Also San Yue Qi… a girl who's always full of energy. She…"

Qiana noticed Xing's mood shift and asked concernedly, "What's wrong with her?"

"She… has temporarily disappeared."

Xing whispered, "Just recently. We're still trying to find her."

She didn't go into detail about how San Yue Qi vanished out of thin air in her room, merely stating the fact plainly.

For some reason, in this peculiar training space, facing this girl from another world who is also "suffering" here, she felt a slight trust that she could confide in.

"Disappeared?!"

Qiana gasped, her bright blue eyes full of concern, "How could this happen? Any leads? Need help?"

As a Valkyrie, protecting others and aiding companions is a creed etched into the bone.

Xing shook her head: "There are no concrete leads yet. Uncle Yang and everyone on the train are working on it. Thanks for your concern, Qiana."

She didn't want the mood to stay heavy, forcing a smile, "She's a very strong girl, and her luck's always been good; I believe she'll be fine. Maybe in a few days she'll hop back on her own, bringing a bunch of weird souvenirs."

She almost let slip the story of Ya Yi once being affected by a Herrscher's consciousness, but stopped herself just in time.

The two chatted a while longer, the topics ranging from their own adventure experiences, bizarre enemies they'd met, to favorite foods, and then some training and combat insights.

While they talked, they both noticed that tonight's Training Room was unusually quiet.

The expected white‑haired cold‑noodle guy or the fiery‑temperamental guy never showed up.

"Strange, are the instructors off today?"

Qiana stretched her neck to glance at the empty surroundings.

"Maybe it's system maintenance?"

Xing had a thought, "Or… they have their own matters to attend to?"

"Never mind! No one coming to beat us up is a good thing!"

Qiana shouted with joy, relaxed and fell back, sprawled out in a big‑letter shape on the floor, "Finally get to rest! Nightly extra training every day, I'm almost getting dark circles! Ya Yi keeps asking me if I'm staying up late gaming…"

Xing also loosened her tense nerves, lying down mimicking Qiana, looking up at the seemingly endless soft white‑light ceiling.

Xing also relaxed their tense nerves, imitating Qiana's posture by lying down, and stared at the soft white‑light ceiling above that seemed endless.

"Hmm?"

"You know… why did we meet here?" Xing asked the lingering question in her heart.

"You say… why did we meet here?" Xing voiced the doubt that had lingered in their heart all along.

Qiana was silent for a few seconds, then answered honestly, "But I think it's definitely not a bad thing. Though training is exhausting, getting to know you and becoming a bit stronger to protect those we want to protect… doesn't seem too much of a loss?"

Xing turned her head, looking at the white‑haired girl lying beside her, who was gazing at the 'sky,' her blue eyes reflecting light, not bewildered, just full of the vigor of her age.

Xing turned their head, looking at the white‑haired girl lying beside them; she was gazing at the "sky", her blue eyes reflecting light, without confusion, only the vigor belonging to someone her age.

Xing gave a soft smile, then turned back, gazing at the pure white, "Not too much of a loss."

Perhaps this wondrous fate that began with a beating across worlds is itself an Exploration story worth delving into.

Perhaps this cross‑world, beat‑started, marvelous destiny is itself a "Exploration" story worth exploring.