At the border of the Shackling Prison.
There was a conjunction.
One path led into the city of the Xianzhou Luofu, while the other led to the docks, away from the Luofu.
At this moment.
Kafka, Silver Wolf, and Blade stood at the intersection of these two paths.
Blade had initially remained calm.
But as the figures in his vision drew closer, his grip on his sword grew agitated and frenzied.
"Those emotions are surfacing, Kafka. I can feel it. This feeling again! This kind of—"
"Then let it out. [Mara-Struck]..." Kafka murmured softly.
Ahead, four figures were approaching.
Silver Wolf rubbed her chin.
"Huh, what a coincidence?"
"It almost feels like we're in another one of Elio's scripts."
"Whatever."
"You guys fight. I'll go check out the new character over here."
"Whoa! Isn't this our dear General Jing Yuan?!"
Silver Wolf, who had been looking utterly bored just moments ago, widened her eyes the instant she saw the newly released banner. Her eyes sparkled with excitement!
As if, to her, Honkai: Star Rail was far more interesting than reality!
But in Blade's eyes—
Everything around him was just background noise.
His gaze was fixed solely on Dan Heng!
"It's time to pay the price! The time has come!!"
"Look at yourself!"
"Have you finally mustered the courage to face your past?!"
"High Elder of the Vidyadhara—"
"Dan! Feng!"
Blade was usually a man of few words, silent as the grave.
But the moment he laid eyes on Dan Heng in this form, his restraint shattered like glass!
In these few short minutes, he had spoken more than he had in the past year combined!
His voice was sharp and forceful, each word striking like a hammer!
His mental state had never been better!
Inside the Shackling Prison.
Hearing the commotion, Jing Yuan, Yanqing, Luocha, and Yukong quickly made their way over.
Their expressions were grim.
The very air around them seemed to thicken into a suffocating weight, twisting and clashing like turbulent waters!
Yanqing wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
"[Dan Feng...]"
"I've heard of that infamous name."
"A sinner who committed ten heinous crimes—"
"Who betrayed Xianzhou and incited chaos."
"A criminal exiled for eternity."
"What's going on with Xianzhou today? How did so many high-profile criminals sneak in?!"
Now he understood why General Jing Yuan had chosen to let the Stellaron Hunters go first.
There was no catching them!
There were simply too many!
Dan Heng frowned at the exhilarated Blade and explained:
"I've already severed all ties with the past you speak of."
"I have nothing to do with your history."
"Dan Heng…" Blade sneered. "Do you think changing your face and taking on a new identity will erase your past sins? You… you didn't even suffer the consequences!"
"I'll make you feel this pain, [Dan Heng]. I'll make you understand the agony of [mortality]!"
Blade launched his attack without hesitation.
Dan Heng motioned for the rest of the Express crew to stay back as he engaged Blade alone.
Meanwhile, Stelle spotted Kafka from a distance.
Kafka responded with a gentle smile.
March 7th glanced between their group and the Stellaron Hunters, then asked warily:
"We don't have to fight the Stellaron Hunters too, right?"
Stelle reassured her: "Relax, this is the 1v1 phase. Team battle hasn't started yet."
Old Yang took a step forward.
His attention was fixed on the man emerging from the depths of the Shackling Prison—
The one who called himself Luocha.
Luocha also looked up, meeting Welt's sharp gaze.
With a faint smile, he asked: "Have we met before, Mr. Welt?"
"Why do you regard me with such hostility?"
"You remind me of someone I once knew," Welt replied.
Luocha's expression shifted slightly.
"Ah, so you must be the friend General Jing Yuan mentioned."
Jing Yuan coughed awkwardly.
"General?!"
Luocha studied Jing Yuan's uneasy demeanor, then said calmly:
"General Jing Yuan, I did not lie."
As he spoke, he raised the ornament in his hand as if to show Jing Yuan.
"My power comes from [Yaoshi], that much is true. But like you—"
However—
To Welt, Luocha's movement looked like he was raising a gun toward Jing Yuan.
Instantly, a surge of cold dread shot down Welt's spine!
Star of Eden, Zeroth Power Output—Activate!
Luocha sensed the danger immediately and leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the crushing gravitational distortion that swallowed the space where he had stood.
Welt's right hand crackled with dark-red lightning as he vanished from sight, reappearing mid-air to strike at Luocha!
March 7th and the others were stunned!
"Wait, wasn't this supposed to be 1v1?!"
"Why is even the usually composed Mr. Yang suddenly throwing hands?!"
The sky, already a chaotic clash of water dragons and blood-red energy, now erupted with cyan light and crimson lightning.
At that moment—
Jing Yuan stepped forward.
"Yanqing, with me."
"Yes, General!"
The two moved to stand directly in front of Kafka.
"Kafka, we were going to let you leave, yet you chose to linger."
"So?" Kafka tilted her head, her expression playful.
"So now, you're not leaving."
"With the Express crew here, you—the one who brought the Stellaron to Xianzhou—will be held accountable!"
Hearing Jing Yuan's accusation, Yanqing's eyes sharpened.
"Finally!" he thought.
He had suffered a loss against Kafka before and had been itching for a rematch.
Now, with the General by his side, this was his best chance to capture this high-profile criminal!
Kafka sighed softly.
"What if I told you… I wasn't the one who brought the Stellaron here?"
"Then why are the Stellaron Hunters making such a grand appearance?" Yanqing demanded.
Kafka shook her head.
"It seems no words will convince you."
"Then let's fight."
"This chaos is already overwhelming—"
"Might as well add fuel to the fire."
"Silver Wolf—"
However—
Silver Wolf, still absorbed in her game, didn't seem to hear her.
She muttered irritably: "Another [Gaze of the Abyss]? Who the hell keeps pulling [Heart of the Abyss]?!"
Kafka: "..."
"Silver Wolf, a little help?"
"Pulling. Busy."
"No time for fighting. Let Kafka handle it."
"Tch, fine."
Silver Wolf tapped her wrist twice casually.
Before Jing Yuan and Yanqing, a livestream of Guinaifen's broadcast appeared.
"Take a look."
"In this game's storyline, I've already been captured by you. Master Diviner, Fu Xuan, is about to use the Divination Commission's array to uncover my true intentions."
"Even if you don't trust me, Honkai: Star Rail's story doesn't lie."
"Now, will you believe that we have nothing to do with Xianzhou's disaster?"
To be continued…
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