"Dan Heng, what happened? Where are the others?"
"General Jing Yuan, here's what happened..."
In the docking area not far from The Reverie Hotel in the Asdana Star System, Dan Heng's eyes flickered with surprise and suspicion as he watched Jing Yuan and the Luofu's Cloud Knights arrive almost instantaneously.
Even with the Astral Express's Warp capability, traveling from the Asdana Star System to The Reverie Hotel should have taken a considerable amount of time...
So why had General Jing Yuan and the Luofu's Cloud Knights arrived so quickly?
Could it be that the Xianzhou's navigation technology had surpassed even the Astral Express, crafted by the Trailblaze Aeon Akivili himself?
Hmm... It wasn't impossible. After all, the current Astral Express was no longer the same vessel it once was, and its Warp speed had naturally diminished significantly.
Still... even accounting for that, this Jing Yuan before him, and the entire Luofu Cloud Knight contingent, were definitely suspicious.
As for what was wrong, apart from the unnervingly swift response, Dan Heng couldn't pinpoint anything else amiss.
Though Dan Heng knew perfectly well that the Jing Yuan before him was certainly an impostor, he couldn't afford to dwell on it at the moment.
Whether this Jing Yuan was real or fake, whether the Luofu Cloud Knights were genuine or imposters—Dan Heng couldn't say for sure.
But he knew one thing: on Penacony, his companions were undoubtedly in danger, struggling to hold on, awaiting his arrival.
So, when Jing Yuan and the Luofu Cloud Knights materialized before him, Dan Heng hesitated only briefly before swiftly recounting the entire situation to this "Jing Yuan."
If this Jing Yuan was real, all the better. Even if he was fake, as long as this crisis could be resolved smoothly, what did it matter if Dan Heng treated him as genuine?
"I see," Jing Yuan replied, nodding gravely after hearing Dan Heng's explanation. He glanced at Lumina, Herta, and Acheron, who were present, before declaring with unwavering resolve, "Then we mustn't delay. Let's enter Penacony at once."
"All Luofu Cloud Knights, hear my command!"
A Blade materialized in Jing Yuan's hand, golden lightning crackling across his body. Behind him, a majestic and awe-inspiring figure materialized, its colossal form seeming to become the very center of the cosmos.
Jing Yuan hovered in the vast Sea of Stars, his imposing frame bathed in golden light. The normally laid-back Jing Yuan had vanished, replaced by a General ready for war.
He pointed the tip of the Blade at The Reverie Hotel and issued his command to the assembled Luofu Cloud Knights behind him:
"Enter Penacony! Rescue our allies and eradicate evil!"
"Understood!"
At Jing Yuan's command, countless Starskiffs carrying the Luofu Cloud Knights surged forward with unwavering resolve, crossing the Memetic Substance's barrier and forcefully entering Penacony.
Witnessing this, much of Dan Heng's doubt dissolved. A tide inexplicably rose around him, engulfing his entire body.
The next moment, as the tide receded, the dragon-horned High Elder stood before them.
Dan Heng first nodded toward Jing Yuan, who remained suspended in the Sea of Stars, then turned his gaze to Lumina and the others present. "Excuse me," he said.
With that, Dan Heng transformed into a tidal wave, leaping into Penacony alongside Jing Yuan.
"Holy crap, is that the Jade Abacus of Allying Oath? Now that's some freaking power!" Boothill exclaimed, watching the entire Luofu Cloud Knight army advance into Penacony.
"But... isn't that freaking fast?"
Even Boothill quickly sensed something was off.
Dan Heng had only just activated the Jade Abacus of Allying Oath, yet the entire Luofu Cloud Knight army had materialized here in the next second?
That couldn't be right, could it? Even if they'd been stationed right outside the Asdana Star System, they couldn't have arrived this quickly, right?
Could the Jade Abacus of Allying Oath have some kind of teleportation function?
Holy crap, a single Jade Abacus can teleport the entire Luofu Cloud Knight army? That's freaking badass!
Boothill scratched his head, utterly bewildered by the Cloud Knights' lightning-fast arrival.
But soon, he found a reason that he himself found entirely convincing...
"That boy is clever. Even if he sensed something was amiss, he still followed his original line of thinking and entered Penacony." Herta, having observed everything, crossed her arms and nodded slightly, approving of Dan Heng's decision.
"Heh heh heh, because he had no other choice," Lumina chuckled softly. "If even the Xianzhou Alliance's Jade Abacus of Allying Oath has malfunctioned, then something far more serious must be happening in Penacony."
"Better to strike first than wait for certain doom."
"After all, Jing Yuan and the Luofu Cloud Knights—created using the combined power of Harmony and Order—would perfectly match Dan Heng's memories in both word and deed, as well as in strength."
"What else could he do but believe?"
Lumina's voice, neither too loud nor too soft, carried just enough to reach the ears of those nearby, plunging everyone except Boothill into thoughtful silence.
"Huh? Created using the powers of Harmony and Order?"
"Fork... that scene we just witnessed—it couldn't have been fake, right?"
"Damn it! They even dare to impersonate the Xianzhou Alliance! Watch me go in and shoot those imposters to death!"
Hearing this, Boothill didn't overthink things like the others. He drew his guns, strode forward, and prepared to charge into Penacony, ready to blast every last fake to kingdom come!
"Um... I... I want to go too." Listening to Boothill's "impulsive" rant, Little Swarm, standing obediently by Lumina's side, gently tugged at her sleeve and asked hesitantly.
Though she hadn't spent much time with the Astral Express Crew, Little Swarm cherished the sense of belonging and relished the crew's genuine care for her.
So, when she learned that the reinforcements Dan Heng had brought were imposters, a flicker of worry immediately surfaced in her eyes.
"Mm, go ahead. It should be about time now. Go clean up the mess." Lumina chuckled softly at the worry in Little Swarm's eyes and ruffled her hair.
"Mm-hmm."
Lumina's caress didn't last long; she quickly withdrew her hand.
Little Swarm, feeling the warmth disappear from her head, nodded. Tiny blue wings sprouted from her back, and with a gentle leap, she followed the path of the Luofu Cloud Knights into Penacony.
"Hey, wait up! I'm coming too!" Seeing Little Swarm fly off, Boothill glanced around nervously before dashing after her into Penacony.