The central plaza was bustling with people.
The overall atmosphere wasn't apocalyptic, there were even bards playing music and singing.
And the most eye-catching thing, aside from the towering castle in the distance, was the giant monument made of machinery and crystals in front of the castle.
“This is the "Eternal Winter Monument", built to commemorate the great deeds of the Great Guardian "Alysandr" in eliminating the winter and saving humanity!"
Gepard looked at the monument with reverence.
“It has the air of sorrowful tears.”
“What do you mean by sorrowful tears?”
March 7 blinked with curiosity, and A-Xing also looked at Xia Ye curiously. Did he mean the crystals that made up the statue?
“The "Mourning Jester" drove the gondola across the stars, to the desolate world of silence, singing a mournful dirge for the collapsing civilization and the dead. The world on the verge of collapse finally gave birth to sorrowful pearls, which is what the sorrowful tears are!”
“So sad…”
March 7 felt a pang in her heart.
On her journey of exploration, she had indeed seen devastated worlds, but she had never seen an entire civilization perish—
Of course, Yarilo-VI nearly did!
“Sorrowful tears…”
Gepard looked at the monument, his gaze a little dazed:
“A collapsing civilization—so the beings called "Mourning Jesters" back then thought that there were no humans left in this world?”
“There must have been some power that affected their observations. But if the "Mourning Jesters" knew that there were still survivors in this world, they would surely be very relieved.”
“Xia Ye, how do you know so much?”
March 7 felt helpless. Even though she was the senior, she was completely outmatched by Xia Ye in knowledge about the galaxy. It was so embarrassing!
“Heh, if you spent a little less time goofing off and spent more time looking through the databanks with Dan Heng, you'd know as much too!”
“Nah, I don't even want to look at the index!”
“Lazy bum!”
“Nuh-uh, nuh-uh, nuh-uh!”
“Everyone, we should go see the Great Guardian now—”
Gepard gathered himself. After the exchange, he had no doubt about the identities of these extraterrestrial visitors.
“However, after seeing the Great Guardian, I want to talk to you about the "Crack" and the "Crack Creatures". The Silvermane Guards have been fighting them all along, but the situation is not optimistic. I hope to solicit your opinions!
“No problem!”
Xia Ye agreed readily.
The "Crack" is a phenomenon where the stellar core mutates, causing spatial distortions and erosion. The Astral Express crew are experts at dealing with these kinds of things!
“Then let’s go—"
Before Gepard could finish, a young woman with the same golden hair as him walked out of a store on the edge of the plaza. Seeing Gepard, she waved and greeted him.
“Gepard, you’re back in the city!”
“Big sis?”
Soon, Gepard's sister came before them.
Xia Ye looked at the rock-and-roll beauty.
Her silky golden hair, the same color as Gepard's, had streaks of blue and purple, and the ends of her long hair had a faint blue glow, looking both seductive and dashing!
Her face was exquisite and beautiful, her figure was great too, and her fashion style was very cool. The asymmetrical black stockings on her long legs were also incredibly eye-catching!
Most importantly—she was at least forty years old!
Of course, that wasn't important. On Xianzhou, beautiful women hundreds of years old were commonplace. If you cared about age, you were doomed!
“Who are these?”
“They’re extraterrestrial visitors who just arrived in Belobog. I’m taking them to see Cocolia now.”
“Oh? It’s been a thousand years since extraterrestrial visitors last came to this planet. Are you here on vacation?”
Hila looked curiously at Xia Ye, who was at the front.
“Sort of,”
Xia Ye smiled slightly:
“I also want to see if I can help in any way. Your situation seems a little rough!”
“Really?”
Hila looked back at the towering castle behind her, a mocking smile appearing on her pretty face: “Unfortunately, our Great Guardian isn't someone who likes to take advice from others. If you want to help, she probably won’t appreciate it—!”
“Big sis!”
Gepard hurriedly interrupted her:
“I’m taking the guests to the Klipper Fortress first!”
“Go, go, go,”
Hila waved her hand dismissively:
“Don’t listen to your sister, you’ll learn the hard way. Just you wait, no matter what you want to do, Cocolia won’t let you get your way!”
“Thanks for the reminder, beautiful.”
Xia Ye knew that Hila was right. After all, she was once best friends with Cocolia, so she definitely knew Cocolia's personality well.
And someone influenced by the Stellar Core would only have a more extreme personality!
“Wow, you’ve got a sweet mouth, kid!”
Hila patted Xia Ye's shoulder and laughed heartily:
“Just call me Hila. Go with Gepard. After you’ve seen Cocolia, come find me. I’ll be your tour guide for Belobog!”
“Okay~”
…
Entering the Klipper Fortress.
The echoes of history washed over them.
Although it wasn't built for very long, the weight of the responsibility of the survival of all humanity gave the fortress a more solemn air.
“Gepard!”
Walking down the corridor of the Million-Man Meeting Hall, a beautiful figure chased after them and looked at Xia Ye and the others curiously.
“I heard the Iron Guards report that extraterrestrial visitors have graced Belobog. Are these the ones?”
“Yes, Bronya-sama!”
“Bronya-sama?”
March 7 looked at the young girl in front of her. She was so young, yet she was Gepard's superior?
“I am Bronya Rand. Nice to meet you all.”
Bronya's greeting was very standard, clearly the result of a strict upbringing and a very well-behaved, elegant demeanor.
“Please follow me. I’ll take you to see Mother.”
“Mother?!”
A-Xing was surprised:
“Are you a princess?”
“No, I'm just a soldier,”
“Bronya-sama is Cocolia-sama’s daughter, the successor of the Great Guardian, and also the leader of the Silvermane Guards,”
Gepard explained.
“So she’s a princess then!”
March 7 muttered under her breath.
“Miss Bronya, let’s go.”
“Please——”
Xia Ye, March 7, and A-Xing walked behind, observing Bronya in front of them.
Her hair color was the same as Silver Wolf's, silver-grey.
However.
Unlike Silver Wolf's single-vortex canard hairstyle.
This Big Bronya had long hair that reached down to her calves, braided into three vortex canards!
The tight blue and white military uniform accentuated her long, slender figure.
The metal-adorned knee-high boots and the thick black stockings peeking through the boots and the front of the uniform created a unique absolute domain!
“A-Xing, do you think he’s got his eye on her?”
“He’s been staring at her like that!”
“He shouldn’t be, Xia Ye’s look at Bronya is different from the way he looks at Ji-Xiong. It’s not lewd at all!”
“That’s true. The way he looks at Ji-Xiong is too lewd!”
“Yep, that’s real love!”
“I’m telling you guys!”
Xia Ye listened to the “whispers” beside him, speechless:
“You guys can't even gossip in private?”
“Hee hee~”
March 7 was unafraid. It was meant to be heard by him and to tease him, after all, if he wasn’t around, it wouldn’t be effective!
“Clack—!”
The huge wooden door opened, and the meeting hall was in sight!
Xia Ye looked around. The meeting hall was empty, which was a bit strange. Apparently, Cocolia had gotten the word and sent everyone away.
And the Great Guardian standing on the round platform—
Uh, she could only be described as still having a certain charm!
Don’t even mention the beautiful, cold and seductive face and the mature and sexy figure.
The clothes she was wearing were all openwork, especially the one-piece black stockings, the large openwork design from the thighs to the waist, was practically designed to attract attention—
She didn't look like a mom at all!
“See? That’s a lewd look!”
“I see, this guy likes mature women!”
Ignoring the “malicious slander” from the brainless and unhappy duo behind him, Xia Ye decided to deal with them later. Now, it was time to face the Great Guardian whose soul was deeply influenced by the Stellar Core!