"Please wait a moment,"
Welt immediately spoke up, trying to keep her, his tone sincere. "Lady Long Night Moon, since you are Sister March 7th's sister, why not stay a while longer? Or, at least leave a more stable method of contact? We truly hope to learn more about you, after all..."
"There is no need."
Long Night Moon gently shook her head, interrupting him. Her tone was gentle but brooked no argument. "That Great One's subordinates are busy with many affairs. I appreciate the sentiment."
As she spoke, she seemed to remember something. With a flip of her wrist, a square gift box, beautifully wrapped and tied with a purple silk ribbon, appeared in her hand.
She placed the gift box gently on the bar counter, pushing it toward Welt and Himeko.
"Oh yes, for this first formal visit, That Great One specially prepared this small meeting gift for all of you. Please accept it."
Her gaze swept over the gift box meaningfully.
Then, she turned to March 7th, her eyes softening considerably, carrying a hint of appropriate apology: "March, your sister needs to handle some matters for a while and will be away on business. So, I might not be able to visit as often as before."
"Ah? Sister, you're leaving?"
A clear expression of reluctance immediately appeared on March 7th's face.
"Yes, some things must be dealt with."
Long Night Moon reached out and gently ruffled March 7th's hair, her movement tender. "Don't worry, it's only temporary. Take care of yourself."
This natural display of concern for her sister slightly eased the vigilance in the hearts of the observing Welt and Himeko.
Whatever she might be hiding, her affection for March 7th at this moment did not seem entirely fake.
"Well then, everyone, farewell."
Long Night Moon nodded slightly, a final goodbye.
The next second, her figure vanished into thin air, like ink dissolving into water, as if she had never been there at all.
"...As expected, it's a method related to the Remembrance Path."
Welt said in a deep voice, his brows tightly furrowed.
This manner of coming and going without a trace was extremely similar to a Memokeeper.
Himeko walked up to the bar and picked up the exquisite gift box, examining it carefully. "A gift? Would That Great One be so kind?"
Welt also walked over, his expression grave. "Regardless, we cannot let down our guard. But leaving it untouched is not an option either."
He mused for a moment. "I suggest we open it here. If there's an issue, we can respond immediately."
He glanced at Himeko, who nodded in agreement.
Danheng remained standing outside the door, not entering.
Welt took a deep breath and cautiously untied the beautiful purple ribbon on the gift box.
The instant he lifted the lid—
"BANG!!!"
It was not an explosion, but a burst of red light with a cheerful rhythm that erupted from the box, instantly flooding the entire Party Car!
Welt, Himeko, and March 7th nearby, all felt their consciousnesses suddenly tossed up and then dropped into a spinning kaleidoscope!
After a brief moment of dizziness and weightlessness, the light quickly dissipated.
The three of them opened their eyes almost simultaneously.
Then, they froze.
March 7th felt her perspective had become higher. She was wearing Himeko's elegant but overly mature dress, and the high heels made her unsteady.
(Why did I turn into Sister Himeko?! This dress is so uncomfortable!)
And "Welt"... he found himself unable to move, his vision limited to a scanning range. Trying to speak, only a cold electronic sound came from the speaker: "Illegal body swap procedure detected and initiated..."
(I... turned into 'shut up'?!)
The real bartending robot, "shut up," was stuffed into Welt's body. It stood stiffly in place, wearing Welt's serious face, and began spitting out bad jokes: "Why don't Lady Ruan Mei's creations eat candy?... Because it would make their teeth 'Ruan' (soft)..."
At the same time, a line of text, like a prank notification, clearly appeared in everyone's minds, accompanied by a cheeky confetti emoji:
[Surprise Package Activated! Soul Symphony Duration: 2 Days!]
「Note: Let the Jokester reign! Please enjoy this different perspective! Hehehehe—!」
Inside the carriage, a deathly silence descended.
The perspective shifted.
As if only an eye blink had occurred, the sound of bustling crowds, vendors hawking their wares, and ethereal music from an unknown source replaced the silence in her ears.
Hua opened her eyes, somewhat surprised.
What greeted her eyes was a street scene, brightly lit and steeped in ancient charm.
On both sides of the road paved with bluestone slabs stood wooden buildings with flying eaves and upturned corners, hung with lanterns of various shapes that emitted a warm, soft glow.
However, upon closer inspection, the light source of the lanterns was not candlelight but stable energy flow; fine streams of runes occasionally flashed across the window lattices of the buildings; looking up, one could even see translucent holographic street signs suspended mid-air, guiding directions.
(This must be the Luofu Immortal Boat?)
Hua felt a slight tremor in her heart.
The realism of this simulation far exceeded her expectations. It wasn't just visual and auditory; even the aroma of food wafting through the air, the cool humidity of the night, and the solid feel of the stone slabs beneath her feet were unbelievably real.
She could even feel the gentle force of the night wind blowing through her hair.
She looked down at herself.
Her original battle-ready attire was gone, replaced by simple, elegant clothing, predominantly white and light blue. The material was soft, the cut fitting, retaining ease of movement while bearing a distinct Xianzhou style—plain yet beautiful.
Her long, gray-white hair was not tied up but naturally draped behind her, reaching almost to her waist.
(Did it automatically change my clothing to match local customs? That's quite thoughtful.)
With a touch of novelty, Hua stepped forward, merging into the bustling crowd.
Shops lined both sides of the street. Some sold traditional pastries, while others flashed neon signs, offering the latest models of Jade Marks; there were stages where traditional operas were performed live, surrounded by cheering audiences, and young people gathered around holographic game stalls, shouting excitedly.
(This style... is very much like the 'retro-future' look that some cities in our era tried to create, but here it is much more natural and deeply ingrained.)
Hua observed silently, the term mentioned by a lively friend long ago surfacing in her mind—
"Cyberpunk"? Perhaps somewhat similar, but the fusion of technology and classical elements here was more harmonious, lacking some of the cold hardness and possessing more of a celestial aura.
Listening to the surrounding people converse in dialects, haggle, and greet one another, and sensing this vibrant, rich atmosphere of urban life, the usually calm surface of Hua's heart rippled slightly.
This reminded her of the city where she lived in her early childhood, before it was completely enveloped by the Honkai. Although the memory was blurred, the warmth and clamor of that 'daily life' seemed to share some commonality.
(Speaking of which, there are quite a few Foxian ethnic groups here.)
Her gaze swept over a Foxian mother and daughter walking past. The mother gently held her hopping little daughter, their fluffy ears and Tails swaying slightly with their movements.
(This seems to be a major characteristic of this place?)
This discovery inevitably reminded her of another Flame-Chaser in the Paradise—Sakura.
That taciturn "Setsuna" also possessed a pair of ears symbolizing the "Fox," although they were entirely different from these ordinary Foxian residents.
(I wonder what Sakura would think if she came here and saw so many of her 'kin'?)
The thought was only fleeting. Hua shook her head, casting aside these distractions, and continued to stroll along the street like a true tourist, using her calm eyes to carefully observe and experience this new world, so utterly different from her previous understanding.
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