After hearing Acheron's answer, Screwllum maintained the same flawless courtesy as always. His metal face showed no ripple of emotion. He turned his head and set his gaze back on Wei Qing.
"The paths the two of you walk—whether it is the potential to ascend to godhood, or a goal-driven attempt to slay a god—are far beyond the scope of ordinary Pathstriders. This only strengthens my conviction that today's visit was necessary."
"I proposed this conjecture because I believed you might find it interesting. One of you is an Emanator walking a Path that is, for all practical purposes, unclaimed. The other pursues the road of ending Nihility."
"Understanding the essence of a Path may prove beneficial to your respective pursuits."
"Ending Nihility and becoming Nihility are two completely different roads," Acheron said—rarely offering her own opinion so directly—clearly unconvinced by his framing.
"Precisely, Miss Acheron." Screwllum turned toward her. "My research is not meant to encourage anyone to attempt becoming an Aeon. It is meant to offer an angle—one that helps you understand the Path, and understand your own circumstances."
Then his gaze returned to Wei Qing.
"And as for you, Mr. Yi Qing…"
"If you acknowledge the possibility that you occupy a 'candidate' position, you may be able to perceive the flow and intent of the Trailblaze Path more clearly—thus fulfilling the Navigator's duty more effectively, perhaps even guiding Trailblaze's future."
"Thank you for sharing this, Mr. Screwllum." Wei Qing spoke solemnly, even though he'd already known the concept. "It truly does provide… a new perspective."
"Whether or not I'm any 'candidate,' I am the Astral Express's Navigator now. My duty is to steer the train and carry on Trailblaze's will. As for what lies farther down the line…"
Wei Qing smiled, easy and unburdened.
"I'll leave that to the future."
Screwllum nodded slightly. "A pragmatic and wise attitude. I'm pleased we could have this exchange."
His eyes swept across the four present in the car.
"Then, Mr. Yi Qing—now that you are the Astral Express's new Navigator—have you formed any preliminary plan for the Express's next heading?"
"To the outside world, the Astral Express has been 'missing' for years."
"Now it has resurfaced—and the Interastral Peace Corporation has discovered it. In the near future, the IPC will almost certainly publicize its cooperation with you during the Qilan Star incident."
That was the IPC for you: if there was profit to extract, they extracted it—always.
This time, they hadn't managed to squeeze much out of Qilan Star. The "target" everyone cared about, the Stellaron, had also been taken first by the Express.
But the IPC could still profit from the incident.
Reputation.
That was the point.
Even in this era, the name of the Trailblaze and its Nameless still carried weight. Now the Express had reappeared, and its first act after returning was to "cooperate" with the IPC—while once again resolving a Stellaron crisis.
What did that imply?
It implied Trailblaze approved of Preservation. It implied the Astral Express trusted the IPC.
If the IPC marketed it correctly, that "implied trust" alone could be minted into a fortune.
That was exactly why the market expansion branch manager had dared to accept Granholm's terms without informing headquarters.
That was the face value of the Trailblaze brand—understand?
Unfortunately for the IPC, they were going to be disappointed.
Because at most, in a year or two, the Astral Express would be clocking out and entering dormancy. Their abacus beads were doomed to fall short.
"Given your special status, and Mr. Granholm's condition, the Express's movements will undoubtedly attract the attention of multiple parties," Screwllum continued.
Wei Qing glanced at Granholm, pondered for a moment, and answered evenly, "The Express's top priority is ensuring Senior Granholm can walk his final stretch in peace."
"During this period, the Express will remain in a relatively quiet star region. We won't be making long-range jumps."
He did not mention Ifrit's one-year invitation. For that matter, Wei Qing preferred as few people as possible to know.
If word got out and the Astral Express was labeled as "collaborating with Destruction" because of Ifrit, it would cause endless problems down the line.
A brief silence followed.
Screwllum tapped a finger lightly against the observation car's window. The train's subtle sluggishness could almost be felt through the glass.
"Mr. Yi Qing, your plan is reasonable. But there is something I'm not sure the crew has noticed."
"When docking with the Express, my probes captured abnormal data. According to my observations, the Astral Express is… not in good condition."
Damn it.
Wei Qing's heart jumped.
Screwllum had noticed the train's wear and tear too?
This was borderline crew-only information. Wei Qing had only just become Navigator; he wasn't even sure if it was appropriate to share it with outsiders.
So he looked to Pom-Pom, silently asking for guidance.
Pom-Pom didn't seem too bothered. He glanced at Wei Qing, then at the weakened Granholm, and finally gave a small nod.
"It's okay, pa. Mr. Screwllum is a trustworthy friend, pa. And with how the train is right now, maybe this genius gentleman can give us advice that helps, pa."
With Pom-Pom's permission, Wei Qing stopped hiding it. He nodded, his tone slightly heavier.
"Your observation is accurate, Mr. Screwllum. The Astral Express… is truly exhausted."
"After Akivili fell, the Express lost its most crucial source of maintenance. Even with the careful care of Nameless across generations and Pom-Pom's dedication, the wear accumulated over countless Amber Eras has brought it close to the critical threshold."
"By Pom-Pom's account, the train needs a complete rest—meaning a long dormancy and overhaul period. Our original plan was: after completing Qilan Star's Trailblaze, we would find an appropriate star region and enter dormancy."
Screwllum nodded. "Consistent with my initial diagnosis."
"The Astral Express is a miracle of an Aeon, but its operating principles are fundamentally different from conventional starships. It is closer to a living singularity of the Path itself. Standard mechanical repair methods have limited effect."
He turned toward Wei Qing, his faceplate holding that distinctive researcher's focus.
"Mr. Yi Qing, as the new Navigator—and an Emanator of Trailblaze—you may be able to perceive more than anyone. Have you attempted to 'nurture' the Express using your Path power?"
"I have," Wei Qing replied. "But the results aren't great."
"The Express's damage is conceptual. It's the withering that comes from Trailblaze's own dormancy after the Aeon's fall. My power is like a cup of water against a forest fire—I can ease symptoms slightly, but I can't solve it at the root."
And honestly, it was strangely "neat."
Ifrit's promised time was one year.
Granholm's remaining lifespan was about one year.
The Express's safe operating window was also roughly one year, maybe a bit more, but not two.
After the appointment with Ifrit, Wei Qing could seamlessly escort the Astral Express into dormancy—then let it sleep until the red-haired Navigator hundreds of years later.
From the perspective of an immortal, a year or so wasn't much. That was within what Wei Qing could tolerate—otherwise he wouldn't have agreed so casually to becoming Navigator.
"I see," Screwllum said simply.
"This is indeed a structural problem. The Astral Express's 'health' is directly tied to the activity level of the Trailblaze Path. When the Path falls dormant, the train naturally weakens."
He paused, as if retrieving and analyzing data.
"By my calculations, even with you maintaining it as an Emanator, the Astral Express's safe operating window under current conditions is limited. Forcing long-range jumps or high-intensity Trailblaze operations may accelerate core degradation."
Pom-Pom's ears drooped, his voice small and sad.
"Pom-Pom knows… the train is really tired, pa…"
"No need to worry too much, Conductor Pom-Pom." Screwllum's tone remained steady. "All creations have their life cycles. That the Astral Express has endured to this day is, in itself—"
He changed tack smoothly.
"In fact, beyond visiting the Express, I also received a communication request from Miss Herta. She appears to have developed interest in certain Path-related research."
"I've also heard that Miss Ruan Mei is involved. I asked Miss Herta about it, but she insisted it would be a discovery that would 'shock the cosmos'—and that she wants to surprise me in person."
"Would the Astral Express be willing to attend with me?"
"Reason: Perhaps those two ladies can provide suggestions regarding the Express's condition."
Wei Qing's eyes shifted slightly.
This universe was really small.
Herta and Ruan Mei?
What "research" could it be?
…Isn't it just them fiddling with that arm of his? What else could they possibly produce?
Screwllum looked at him.
"Well, Mr. Yi Qing?"
"Would the Astral Express be interested in making the trip? I believe those two will be very pleased to meet you."
To be honest, Wei Qing didn't really want to go.
Given the Astral Express's condition, he didn't particularly trust those two geniuses to have any practical solution.
And he'd just crossed paths with them on the Xianzhou not that long ago. Even with his disguise, there was still a risk of being recognized.
So maybe refuse?
They still had that appointment with Ifrit coming up, after all—
Then:
A notification chimed in Wei Qing's head.
[Ding! Target detected: your nemeses—two wicked 'Erudition brats,' Ruan Mei and Herta!][An arm-severing grudge—how could it go unpaid?! Back on the Xianzhou Luofu, those two Erudition brats used despicable means to chop off one of my arms! Such hatred—uncle can't endure it, aunt can't endure it either!][Special Main Quest issued: "A Gentleman's Revenge Is Never Too Late."][Objective: Accept the invitation generously. Meet Ruan Mei and Herta as the Astral Express's Navigator, and repay the "severed-arm gift" with an appropriate counter-gift.][Reward: Determined by the creativity and effectiveness of the revenge.]
"…?"
Wei Qing almost lost control of his expression.
An arm-severing grudge?
What kind of nonsense was that?
He wasn't so weak that he got "played" by two Erudition geniuses. He had given that arm up voluntarily—with generosity, okay?
He clicked his tongue internally.
Fine.
He should've been used to this brain-dead system and its deranged translations.
But one thing did catch his attention:
Special Main Quest.
That was new.
Previously, tasks were simply "Main Quest" or "Side Quest." Now a "Special Main Quest" suddenly appeared?
And it was another "performance-based reward" quest.
The last time he had a performance-based quest, he had walked away as a Destruction Candidate.
And this time it was labeled special.
…He was suddenly tempted.
Wei Qing weighed it quickly, then decided to ask the others.
"What do you think?"
Pom-Pom answered first.
"If it helps the train, Pom-Pom thinks we should go take a look, pa!"
Pom-Pom still didn't know about Ifrit's one-year invitation. In his mind, the train was going to wander a bit and then "go rest" anyway. If those two geniuses could help, it was worth checking.
Granholm gave a faint nod and left the decision to Wei Qing.
As for Acheron?
She looked indifferent. She was only riding the Astral Express as a convenient "ride." Even if she had opinions, she wouldn't voice them.
Wei Qing paused as if thinking deeply, then made his "final" decision.
"Since Mr. Screwllum has extended a sincere invitation, and this may benefit the Express's condition, as the new Navigator, I believe it's worth the trip."
Screwllum nodded. "Understood. I will forward the Astral Express's coordinates and planned itinerary to Miss Herta. I believe they will be very interested in meeting a newly appointed Emanator of Trailblaze."
Wei Qing laughed quietly to himself.
This meeting probably wasn't going to end pleasantly.
But with a system quest hanging over his head…
He was wading into this mud pit for sure.
"Then when do we depart? And where is the meeting location?" Wei Qing asked.
After all, at this point in the timeline, Herta Space Station likely hadn't even been built yet.
Screwllum tapped the air, pulling up a projection.
"Miss Herta and Miss Ruan Mei are currently at the 'Spiral Gap' Institute—one of Miss Herta's mobile research stations. Its coordinates are relatively concealed."
"If the Astral Express's condition allows another jump, we can depart in three days."
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 155)
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 (Chapter200)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter110)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter230)
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Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 200
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 180
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/5
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 230
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 220
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/30
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 120
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 135
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 110
I Can Copy Unique Skills 100
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My Harem Is Indescribable 90
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 95
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 68
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105
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Transmigrated as Sukuna 75
Checking In in Demon Slayer 80
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 85
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 70
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 65
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 70
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 70
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 65
Why did they assign me to Uma 65
MYGO Beauties 65
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 55
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 65
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 45
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 45
The Uma Musume Who Became 40
I'm Definitely Not the King of 45
After Maxing Out Every Class 45
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