After a long while.
Xia Ye, along with March 7th and A Xing, walked out of the council hall.
“This Grand Protector is quite open-minded, huh!”
March 7th walked backward with her hands behind her back, in front of Xia Ye and A Xing, recalling the scene of their meeting with Cocolia, the Grand Protector of Belobog.
Cocolia had immediately excused Bronya and Gepard.
Then, upon hearing Xia Ye's claim of being able to resolve the Star Core issue, she readily agreed to cooperate and even arranged for them to rest at a grand hotel—
“That Hilva sister said that the Grand Protector wouldn't listen to anyone's opinions, I think there must be some misunderstanding!”
“A Xing, what do you think?”
Xia Ye looked at A Xing, who was stroking his chin thoughtfully.
“I don't think so!”
A Xing shook his head with a frown:
“If the Grand Protector was truly that simple, she wouldn't be able to lead Belobog to survive in this cruel world—"
“March, the leader of a civilization wouldn't easily trust people, and entrust the fate of the world to a few strangers they met for the first time!”
“Ah?”
March 7th blinked innocently.
Xia Ye is one thing, but even A Xing has his own opinions, this makes me look stupid, how can that be!
“How come I can't tell anything's fishy?”
“Dumb!”
Xia Ye tapped her head and explained:
“In matters of world survival, she dismisses her advisors, even keeps her daughter, the next Grand Protector, in the dark. Even if she believes our claims, believes we can solve the Star Core, what about after the Star Core disaster? The world's development, the people's future, shouldn't these be discussed beforehand? Will she wait until it's over and then think about it at the last minute?”
“I see!”
March 7th pretended to understand with an enlightened expression.
“Forget it, you're better off just being cute!”
“What! Xia Ye, you’re mean!”
March 7th felt personally attacked and shoved her fists against Xia Ye!
Xia Ye let her little fists pound her, and looked at A Xing, who could follow her line of thinking:
“A Xing, what do you think will happen next, and what should we do?”
“Ask me?”
A Xing scratched his head.
It’s obvious you’re the leader of this operation!
“I think we need to be careful from now on. Since the Grand Protector doesn't intend to cooperate with us, she will naturally need to eliminate unstable threats like us. As for what we should do next—"
“I’ve always felt something strange. With our strength, we could have directly found the Star Core and sealed it. Why do we need to find this Grand Protector to cooperate?”
“March?”
Xia Ye looked at March 7th again.
“Well—I think I heard Ji Zi and Uncle Yang mention it, but I forgot what they said!”
“Then listen carefully as I say it again!”
Xia Ye said, "We walk the path of pioneers, encountering planets suffering from disasters, helping to save the world, even becoming the main force, but there's one thing. The people of this world must have the will to save themselves. If, when their civilization is about to collapse, they still don't have the determination to die, then such a civilization is simply not worth saving!”
“So, we’re trying to see the people’s determination in this world?”
March finally understood this time!
“That’s right!”
Xia Ye’s peripheral vision glanced at a shop on the side of the road, then looked at March 7th and A Xing with a smile, saying:
“But we still have some time. Let's go for a walk around the city and try some Belobog delicacies along the way~”
“Okay!”
March 7th was always too lazy to think.
Just follow Uncle Yang and Ji Zi’s instructions.
Now with Xia Ye, she doesn't even need to use her brain anymore. Hearing that she could eat delicious food, her eyes lit up, and she pulled A Xing to run:
“Xia Ye, hurry up, let’s go to that Goethe Grand Hotel Cocolia arranged, they have free meals!”
“Coming~”
After Xia Ye’s group left.
Bronya walked out of the store on the street, her expression complex as she looked at their backs.
“Will Mother really target them?”
“And what exactly is the Star Core?”
The young Grand Protector heir furrowed her brows in confusion. Those words seemed deliberately spoken for her to hear. What exactly were the intentions of these people from another world? Were they really here to save the world, or were they up to something?
“Forget it, I’ll just ask them directly!”
Bronya wasn't the type to hesitate. She was about to go and talk to the train crew, but—
“Bronya-sama!”
A Silvermane Iron Guard ran over, saluted, and reported: “There are signs of dimensional rift in the residential area. Cocolia-sama ordered you to lead the evacuation!”
“I understand!”
Bronya was puzzled. How coincidental was this?
However, since there was a dimensional rift, she should evacuate the people first. Belobog's population couldn't afford any more losses!
...
“Wow, so cold!”
“It even has the aroma of grains!”
March 7th blew out a puff of cold air: “That old man didn't lie to me. It really is a different flavor to eat black bread and soda ice in winter!”
“As long as you like it~”
Xia Ye took a bite of the sliced Belobog sausage. It tasted exactly like the Harbin sausage she had eaten before!
As for the black bread and soda ice.
Simply put, it's black bread soda (Kvass) frozen into ice, then shaved into ice shavings, topped with delicious yogurt, and sprinkled with crushed fine sugar—
It's a sweet treat perfect for little girls.
“We’ve eaten our fill—"
“Let's get down to business!”
It was already night. The train crew arrived in Belobog in the afternoon, met Cocolia near dusk, which means they had already eaten two system hours worth of delicacies.
“Where are we going?”
Coming out of the small diner, Xia Ye led March 7th and A Xing back to the central square. The two were a bit puzzled. Were they going to confront Cocolia again?
“This way~”
Xia Ye led them onto a downward walkway.
A slow-moving electric car passed by them.
“Are we going to take the electric car somewhere?”
“You’ll know in a bit, March!”
Turning another corner, a wide passage leading to a deeper underground appeared before the three.
However, at the end of the passage, there were a considerable number of Silvermane Iron Guards guarding it. Obviously, the Grand Protector didn't want anyone to enter here—or perhaps she didn't want anyone to leave from here either!