Planet Gokan, the Northern Wasteland.
Scorched earth stretched everywhere as far as the eye could see. Crater after crater from heavy explosions pockmarked the barren ground.
On the edge of this desolate wasteland stood a crumbling, fortified ruin.
Figures moved frantically among the rubble. Their clothes looked centuries old, deeply stained with dirt, blood, and grime.
When March 7th and Himeko stepped through Yuki's portal, the bleak scene and the people's appearance startled them. Gaunt faces. Dust-caked skin. It was hard to imagine the sheer horrors they had endured.
The sudden appearance of Yuki's group instantly put the wary residents on high alert.
But when they spotted Jingliu stepping through the rift, joyous cheers erupted across the camp.
"The War-Goddess! It's the War-Goddess!"
"She's back! The War-Goddess is back! We're saved!"
Some shouted excitedly, weeping tears of joy at her return.
March and Himeko looked at Jingliu, utterly confused.
She explained calmly. When she had passed the battlefield two days ago, she had charged right in, mercilessly fighting the Abominations of Abundance. As a veteran of centuries of such brutal wars, she had become a lethal War-Goddess on the field, completely stunning the native fighters. With her peerless swordsmanship, she had easily beheaded the Denizens of Abundance's vanguard leader. The resistance fighters had gone wild.
Since then, they had respectfully called her their War-Goddess. She had become quite the popular figure here.
"No way!"
"That's amazing! The true Sword Champion of the Luofu!" March marveled as other fighters enthusiastically recounted Jingliu's exploits.
"Sword Champion is a title of the past," Jingliu shook her head. She could no longer use that title. As a Xianzhou exile, she had to respect the rules.
"Hehe, even if it's the past, you're still the Sword Champion!"
"I've decided! I want to learn swordsmanship from you, Miss Jingliu!" March grinned brightly, announcing it to Yuki and Himeko. "Uh, Miss Jingliu, you'll teach me, right?" she added shyly.
"Yes. Anyone who wishes to learn, I will teach." Jingliu nodded, not refusing the eager girl.
"Yay! Thank you, Master Jingliu!" March beamed with boundless gratitude.
Jingliu waved it off mildly.
"If March wants to learn swordplay, she could just ask me, you know. I know a thing or two," Yuki casually chimed in.
"No way! You'd probably ask for something weird in return! No thanks! Never!" March saw right through his teasing.
Jingliu, however, looked slightly curious. The incredibly handsome, overwhelmingly powerful man knew swordsmanship too? Just how many talents did he possess?
Soon, the group was led into the depths of the ruins to meet the resistance leaders.
Contrary to expectations, the three commanders weren't dressed any better than their frontline soldiers. Two men and one woman, all just as battle-worn and weary.
Their names: Marko, Fyodor, and Yelena.
After brief introductions, Himeko learned the tragic history of the conflict. The planet had once hosted fifty disparate tribes, each with its own leader. Eventually, the tribes had formed a global federation, peacefully unifying the planet.
These three were among the federation's ten original ruling leaders. And they were the only ones who had actually organized a resistance against the Denizens of Abundance. The other seven had unconditionally surrendered after witnessing the terrifying, immortal might of the Abundance forces.
This ruin was the very last stronghold still fighting.
Hearing this, March's anger flared.
"How could they?! Most of them just surrendered? Are they really okay with being slaves?!" March fumed indignantly.
"There's no other choice, little miss."
"The gap between us and the Denizens of Abundance—in raw strength, in technology—is vast. If we don't surrender, what else can we do? Fight monsters that literally won't die?" Yelena sighed heavily.
Though the others had betrayed them, she understood the grim reality. The longer the brutal war dragged on, the more she felt the suffocating futility of it all. Surrender had seemed like the only logical way out for the others.
"Then why didn't you surrender?" Himeko probed gently.
"Because we absolutely refuse to be slaves to those Abominations!" The two men's eyes blazed with fierce defiance.
"We've heard of their horrific reputation. After they drain a planet dry of its resources, they abandon it. They move on to the next. They leave the world to wither and die."
"We won't let our mother planet suffer that fate. That would shame our ancestors. It would shame our planet," Fyodor, a grimy, burly man, spoke with fierce, unyielding conviction.
Every word rang with profound truth. His companions nodded in solemn agreement.
March, Himeko, and Jingliu were deeply struck by their resolve. Such unwavering faith, in the face of overwhelming, immortal Abundance forces, was incredibly rare and precious.
"Your conviction resonates with me as a Nameless," Himeko regarded them with deep respect.
"We Nameless will never turn a blind eye to the darkness before us. We will fight alongside you." She officially offered the Express's help.
The leaders' dirty faces lit up with sheer hope.
"With the Nameless of the Astral Express and the War-Goddess with us... We have hope again. Thank you."
They bowed deeply. The soldiers standing around them immediately followed suit.
"Don't mention it," Himeko smiled warmly.
"Right! As cosmic rangers, we can't just ignore evil!" March puffed out her chest, eager to jump into action.
"Let's discuss the current tactical situation," Himeko got straight to business.
Twenty minutes later, they had a solid plan: launch a decisive assault on the main Abundance army encamped fifty miles away.
March and the others had one highly specific task—target the enemy commander. Take out the commander, and they win the battle.
The resistance had seen Jingliu's terrifying power firsthand. They enthusiastically pinned their hopes on her leading the strike. March and the others? The resistance assumed they'd just be on support duty.