Not long after the Astral Express escaped the domain of Nihility, it traveled for another full day in the direction of Herta Space Station.
After that day, the train's speed had clearly slowed.
And now, in the observation car, Pom-Pom, the conductor of the Astral Express, stood before all the passengers with a regretful expression and announced a piece of deeply unfortunate news.
"Ahem… dear passengers, today Pom-Pom has a very bad announcement to make."
A hush fell over the car.
Everyone glanced at one another, then turned their eyes back toward Pom-Pom.
In the end, March 7th was the first to break the silence.
"So… this is it, huh? The time has finally come to face reality? It's okay, we… we can handle it!"
Beside her, Stelle immediately reached out and patted March 7th on the shoulder, her tone calm as she tried to comfort her.
"It's okay, March. No matter what, the situation now is still better than when we were trapped in Nihility."
March visibly relaxed a little after hearing that, but her brows were still furrowed.
"I mean, yeah, that's true… but next time you try to comfort me, could you maybe not do it by comparing which disaster is less awful?"
"Ahem. Next time for sure," Stelle replied.
But hearing the two of them go back and forth, Pom-Pom froze.
"Huh?"
It stood there stiffly, then looked at March 7th and Stelle and asked, "Pom-Pom hasn't even said what the problem is yet. March 7th, Stelle… how did you already know what Pom-Pom was going to announce?"
Its voice was full of confusion, as though this was absolutely not the reaction it had been expecting.
March 7th blinked at that, then couldn't help bursting into laughter.
"Ahem, well, that's because we've gotten smarter lately!"
"So you can't underestimate me anymore, Pom-Pom!"
Even Stelle's lips curled up just a little, the faintest trace of a smile.
At that moment, Himeko gave a light cough and stepped forward.
"Pom-Pom, actually, it's not strange that everyone reacted like that."
She walked over to the train's console and projected several sets of data into the air.
"Right after the Astral Express broke out of Nihility, its speed did return to normal. For a while, it was even capable of short-range jumps."
"But everyone must have noticed that starting this morning, the train's speed has obviously been dropping."
Himeko pointed to one of the downward-sloping graphs.
"At this rate, honestly, all of us had already realized something was wrong. The train's propulsion system is probably having issues."
Pom-Pom's ears drooped.
"So… everyone had already figured it out."
"Pom-Pom had wanted to act like everything was fine, at least so everyone could stay at ease a little longer…"
March 7th quickly waved her hands.
"Pom-Pom, don't say that! We're not blaming you, we were just worried!"
Naturally, Pom-Pom wasn't the type to stay down over something that small for long. It took a deep breath, then continued.
"Ahem. Since all the passengers have already noticed, Pom-Pom won't beat around the bush anymore."
"We're currently facing a very serious problem. Maybe because the train has gone too long without a proper resupply, and because it was corroded while trapped in Nihility, the energy reserves in the core are almost depleted."
It paused, and its voice dropped.
"Based on the remaining power… it may… may no longer be enough to carry us all the way to Herta Space Station."
The moment the words left Pom-Pom's mouth, the first one to react was Kallen.
She had originally come to this meeting only because, as a passenger hitching a ride, she figured it was better to at least look cooperative.
But the moment Pom-Pom said that, her body visibly stiffened.
According to her own senses, they really weren't that far from Herta Space Station anymore.
She could even vaguely feel Kiana's presence already.
So the Astral Express should be somewhere near the station by now.
At a normal speed, it should only take a few more hours to get there.
A few hours.
Kallen's mouth twitched slightly.
For a distance this short, the Astral Express still couldn't make it?
Seriously, what kind of cursed constitution did the Astral Express even have?
It had only just escaped Nihility, and now this?
Not enough power? Insufficient reserves?
You're the Astral Express! The protagonist crew of Trailblaze itself!
And that's your range?
Kallen took a deep breath and swallowed the complaint that had reached the tip of her tongue.
No complaints. No complaints. She was only freeloading on the train right now.
But if the Astral Express really couldn't make it the rest of the way, then she'd have no choice but to step in early.
She withdrew her gaze and looked back at Pom-Pom.
The little conductor stood in the middle of the car, wearing the expression of someone who thought they had committed a terrible mistake.
"Pom-Pom knows this news has disappointed everyone."
"As conductor, failing to keep the train in proper condition is Pom-Pom's fault…"
"Pom-Pom, don't say that." Himeko's voice came from the side.
"This isn't your fault. No one could have predicted we'd be trapped in Nihility for that long."
"Himeko is right," Welt added, pushing up his glasses.
"In that kind of environment, simply keeping the train functioning at all was already difficult. Energy depletion was inevitable."
The car fell silent for a moment.
Then, someone spoke.
"Actually… everyone doesn't need to worry too much."
Every eye in the room turned toward the source of the voice—Dan Heng.
He stepped out from the corner, his expression calm and composed as ever.
"Dan Heng? Wait, do you have an idea?" March 7th's eyes lit up immediately.
Dan Heng gave a slight nod and moved to stand among them, his gaze sweeping across everyone present.
"Based on my judgment, at our current speed, the Astral Express shouldn't be very far from Herta Space Station."
He paused, as though calculating something.
"If my senses aren't wrong, then with my speed, I should be able to cover the remaining distance in a few hours."
March 7th blinked in confusion.
"Wait, Dan Heng, are you saying—"
"I'll go to Herta Space Station alone," Dan Heng said evenly.
"I'll find Madam Herta and ask her to send someone to receive the train. That way, the Astral Express won't have to burn through the last of its remaining energy."
Everyone stared at Dan Heng, each with a different expression.
March 7th was the first to wholeheartedly approve.
"Dan Heng! You're way too reliable!"
Stelle's brows shifted slightly too, but in the end she nodded slowly.
"That really is a workable solution."
Himeko fell into thought, her gaze lingering on Dan Heng.
She was weighing whether the plan was truly feasible.
She knew Dan Heng's strength very well.
Though he usually spoke little, when it came to crucial moments, the Express's guard had never disappointed anyone.
And he was right.
With the partial return of his High Elder power, crossing a stretch of space like this alone really wasn't impossible for him.
"Dan Heng," Himeko said at last, her voice solemn.
"Do you think this is manageable? Do you need someone to go with you?"
She asked seriously, looking straight at him and missing none of the subtleties in his expression.
Because no matter what, crossing that much space alone was not something easy, even for Dan Heng.
If something happened along the way, being alone would still be dangerous. If Welt accompanied him, it might be much safer.
Dan Heng shook his head, utterly certain.
"There's no need."
"I know my own condition best. I'm still far from Dan Feng at his peak, but crossing this short a distance through open space with my own body isn't too difficult."
He paused, then added, "Besides, the fewer people there are, the smaller the target. That's safer."
Himeko studied him for a few more seconds, then slowly nodded.
"I understand."
"Then we'll do as you suggest."
She stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder, firm but not heavy.
"Be careful."
Dan Heng inclined his head slightly, saying nothing more.
Then he turned and started for the car door.
That was simply Dan Heng's style—once a decision was made, he acted immediately.
"Dan Heng!"
March 7th's voice rang out just as he was about to leave the car.
He stopped and turned his head slightly.
March 7th hurriedly said, "You… you really have to be careful, okay?"
Stelle also spoke up.
"Dan Heng, even if you don't say much, you're the most reliable one out of all of us."
"So the reliable one has to make it back alive. Otherwise who's going to clean up our messes later?"
At that, something shifted faintly at the corner of Dan Heng's mouth.
It was such a small movement that anyone who wasn't paying attention might have missed it.
But everyone saw it.
Because Dan Heng almost never smiled.
It seemed that, in the face of his companions' concern, he truly was happy.
"I know. I'll come back."
Then he turned away and continued toward the car door.
March 7th stared after him and muttered quietly, "Did Dan Heng just smile?"
"Mm," Stelle said with a nod.
"He really smiled?"
"Mm."
"You saw it too?"
"Mm."
"Then I wasn't imagining it."
March 7th suddenly felt strangely touched.
Even if, by actual age, Dan Heng as a long-life species was already an old man, that sense of difference never really existed among them aboard the train. Out of everyone on the crew, the three of them were the closest.
Even if Dan Heng was always stone-faced and taciturn, he had never once let them down when it mattered.
"Dan Heng!"
Just as he was about to step out of the car, another voice stopped him.
This time, it was Kallen.
Dan Heng halted again and turned back.
His brows moved slightly, and a flicker of confusion passed through his eyes.
Miss Kallen?
Why was she stopping him?
A number of possibilities flashed through his mind.
Surely she wasn't going to offer him encouragement too?
No. Probably not.
Although Miss Kallen had grown much closer to the Express crew over the last few days, that still didn't seem like something she would bother doing.
Then what was it?
"Miss Kallen, is something the matter?"
"If you're thinking of accompanying me to the station, there's no need."
He paused, then added, "I can handle it alone."
Clearly, he assumed she wanted to help.
But this time, he was wrong.
Kallen shook her head.
"You misunderstand. That's not why I stopped you."
Then she walked up to him and stopped.
And from inside her clothing, she pulled out something.
A cube.
A strange cube covered all over in eyes.
That was right—this was Prison Realm, the item she had previously used before the Four Divine Bow Generals of the Xianzhou Alliance to capture Mobius in plain sight.
Even now, Mobius's body was still lying in there.
There was no point letting Prison Realm and Mobius rust away at her side forever.
So Kallen decided to squeeze a little more value out of it.
Dan Heng's pupils contracted slightly at the sight.
There was no helping it. The object was just too eerie.
Simply staring at it gave him the sensation that he himself was about to be swallowed.
And for some reason, he had the vague feeling that something was sealed inside it.
Something that, for some reason, felt strangely familiar to him.
Well… probably just his imagination.
Dan Heng was silent for a moment, then asked, "…Miss Kallen, what is this?"
"A special gift I prepared," Kallen answered simply.
"A special gift?"
"Yes." Kallen nodded. "It's a present for Madam Herta."
Dan Heng fell silent again.
He looked at the cube covered in eyes, then at Kallen, then back at the cube.
Miss Kallen was planning to give that to Madam Herta?
Who in the world would use something like this as a gift? Would anyone actually like it?
Then again… if the recipient was that strange genius, maybe she really would be interested.
So Dan Heng asked again, "Miss Kallen… are you friends with Madam Herta?"
"Mm." Kallen nodded again. "To be honest, you could say we're old friends."
"And this special Curio is a gift I once promised I would give her."
Dan Heng's gaze fell back on the cube.
Those eyes were still staring at him. A few of them even blinked.
His brows drew together.
"So what exactly are you asking me to do?"
"Please help me deliver it to her, Mr. Dan Heng." Kallen held the cube out toward him.
"Just say it's from a friend. No need to tell her who."
Dan Heng looked at the cube but didn't take it immediately.
"Why can't I tell her it's from you?"
Kallen was quiet for a second.
"Because I want to give her a surprise."
Dan Heng looked at Kallen for another few seconds.
He had plenty of questions, but the reason she gave did sound plausible enough.
"I understand."
He reached out and took the cube.
The instant it entered his hands, he felt the eyes wriggle faintly against his palm.
The sensation was strange—like holding something alive.
Dan Heng's brows tightened again, but his face remained blank.
"I'll deliver it to Madam Herta."
"Thank you," Kallen said.
…
Two hours passed.
Now Dan Heng was traveling alone through the galaxy, making for Herta Space Station.
From time to time, shooting stars streamed past him, adding a little color to the vast expanse of space.
But Dan Heng had no attention to spare for any of it.
His eyes remained fixed on the point of light ahead, growing larger and larger.
That was Herta Space Station.
Unfortunately, just as he finally arrived at his destination, something unexpected happened.
"…A Imaginary barrier?"
Dan Heng said it uncertainly as he looked at the enormous shield before him.
To be fair, ever since the Astral Express first began its journey, a certain chance encounter had led them to forge a very positive relationship with Madam Herta of the Genius Society.
And in order to give the train better maintenance—and to satisfy a little of Herta's curiosity—this was far from Dan Heng's first visit to her station.
But the station before him now was not quite the same as the one he remembered.
In the past, while security had certainly been strict, it had never been so severe as to deploy something as costly as an Imaginary barrier.
Could it be… that something major had happened in the galaxy lately, enough to make even the usually unbothered Madam Herta this cautious?
No.
Dan Heng immediately realized he might be overthinking this.
Or perhaps, more accurately, he had been overthinking everything lately.
Herta was a genius. It made sense for security around her station to be tightened a little—after all, the place had been attacked by the Antimatter Legion not that long ago.
Still, as he looked at the barrier in front of him, Dan Heng found himself in a difficult position.
Normally, the proper procedure would be to send a transmission to the station, then wait for the staff to verify his identity and grant entry.
But unfortunately, Dan Heng had not come aboard the Astral Express this time, which meant no one had transmitted ahead for him.
With that in mind, the Path energy within him began to stir.
But not because he intended to force his way through the barrier.
He merely wanted to release a powerful enough Path fluctuation to act as a signal to the station.
He wasn't sure whether it would work.
But at the moment, he seemed to have no better option.
So he waited.
One minute passed.
Then two.
Dan Heng floated in open space, maintaining the outward ripple of his Path power, his eyes fixed on the giant station behind the barrier.
At last, in the fifth minute, the barrier changed.
A tiny opening appeared in the pale blue curtain of light.
The opening wasn't large—just enough for one person to pass through.
And from within it, a figure emerged.
It was a man in security uniform.
He moved quickly, though his actions were laced with obvious caution. One hand rested on the weapon at his waist, and his eyes scanned the void with practiced suspicion.
When he saw Dan Heng, he visibly paused.
Then he accelerated, stopping roughly ten meters away.
"…Sir, please state your identity and your purpose here."
The man's voice came through some sort of communications device, flat and official.
"This is a station under Madam Herta's authority. Why are you here?"
Dan Heng immediately replied, "Hello. I'm Dan Heng, the guard of the Astral Express."
"I came because the Astral Express encountered an accident during navigation and is currently stranded not far from the station."
He paused, meeting the man's gaze.
"I need to see Madam Herta and ask her to send assistance to retrieve the Astral Express."
The man listened without any change in expression.
His gaze remained guarded, carefully examining the person claiming to be from the Astral Express.
"You say you're from the Astral Express?"
"Do you have proof?"
Dan Heng fell silent for a moment.
Then he took out his ticket and passed it over.
The moment the security officer received it, his fingers visibly stiffened.
He lowered his head to look at the ticket glowing faintly in his hand, then looked up at Dan Heng's face.
"Wait… you're Mr. Dan Heng from the Astral Express?"
Dan Heng nodded slightly.
"Yes."
The man's expression changed at once.
He carefully examined Dan Heng's face, as though confirming something.
"Wait, hold on, don't move, let me get a better look…"
He moved a little closer, eyes sweeping across Dan Heng's features.
"Yes, yes, it's you! I've seen you before! You, that gray-haired girl, and that pink-haired girl—you three fought the Doomsday Beast together!"
The man's voice abruptly turned excited, and a good deal of his tension melted away.
Dan Heng also relaxed a little at that. Apparently, his previous time at the station really had left some impression on the staff.
But just as Dan Heng thought he would now be allowed inside, the man gave an awkward cough.
"Ahem… well, Mr. Dan Heng, sorry. I was being overly cautious just now."
"But you know how it is—things haven't been peaceful in the galaxy lately. The station's security level has been raised a lot. Those of us in security have no choice but to be more careful."
Dan Heng nodded.
"That's understandable."
The man nodded back, then turned and flew toward the opening in the barrier.
"Please wait here a moment, Mr. Dan Heng. I'll go bring Station Master Asta to verify your identity in person."
"She's seen you more times than I have. If she confirms it, there won't be any issue."
And before Dan Heng could respond, the man's figure disappeared through the barrier.
Dan Heng: "???"
He was a little stunned.
Hadn't that security guard just recognized him?
Why did he still need confirmation?
Could the galaxy really have become that unstable lately?
oin here to read ahead.
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 180)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl 285
"Is this chat group even serious?" 150
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (This matter is completely finished.)
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 255
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 210
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 305
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer (This matter is completely finished.)
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/40
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 130
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 155
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 120
Summoning an Evil God, but the 75
Supernatural Multiverse 155
My Harem Is Indescribable 105
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 110
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 110
Still playing traditional Honk 96
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 95
What Should I Do After Switchi 51
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 80
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 105
Checking In in Demon Slayer 95
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 105
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 95
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 80
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel (This matter is completely finished.)
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 95
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 90
Why did they assign me to Uma 80
MYGO Beauties 75
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 80
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 100
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 120
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 65
The Uma Musume Who Became 70
I'm Definitely Not the King of 105
After Maxing Out Every Class 110
Honkai: World Modulation Mode 95
I, the Elden Sword Saint 60
Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 60
No One Knows Pokémon Better 60
I, Sakazuki, Won't Go Down Tha 69
From Trilobites to Titans 57
Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 75
DanMachi: My Party Members Are 86
An Anime Heroine Darkened 60
Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Links 70
Honkai: The Fire Devil 70
Honkai Transformation Cards Volume2/30
Age of Heroes, I'm Just a Back 60
Uma Musume Has No Weird Fan Le 74
At age 8, she co-starred with 42
Honkai: Schicksal Media 30
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