Welt's cane remained suspended in midair.
Behind his glasses, his eyes had widened to an almost unbelievable degree, and every trace of composure had vanished from his face, replaced by pure shock and disbelief. Even after everything he had witnessed throughout his long life, the sight before him still exceeded his expectations.
Beside him, the playful smile that usually lingered on Void Archives' face disappeared completely, while his golden-green eyes contracted sharply.
For the first time since arriving in this unfamiliar world, genuine fear appeared on his face. His expression stiffened, and even his breathing seemed to grow noticeably heavier as he stared into the distance.
"What kind of power is that? It's even more terrifying than a Herrscher. Just the energy density radiating from him is enough to make me feel fear..."
Void Archives stared at the distant figure standing before the train and subconsciously muttered.
"A Divine Key can feel fear too?"
Even though Welt's words sounded like a joke, his own heart was far from calm.
Void Archives was no ordinary existence. Even among the Divine Keys, he possessed knowledge and experience that surpassed most beings, so for someone like him to openly admit inferiority was almost unheard of.
As far as Welt knew, the only entities capable of making Void Archives react like this were the Herrscher of Origin, the Herrscher of Finality, or perhaps the mysterious young man floating before that mysterious train.
Welt's gaze settled upon the youthful figure standing in the void of space, his eyes narrowing slightly as countless thoughts flashed through his mind.
Just who exactly was that young man?
And what secrets were hidden within that strange train behind him?
He knew that, at this point, speculation alone would accomplish nothing. No matter how many possibilities he considered, they would remain nothing more than guesses until they uncovered the truth.
Needless to say, whether to obtain information or simply to survive, they needed to establish contact.
"Maybe that man can help us return to Earth. Let's go ask."
Void Archives suggested as he urged Welt to move.
In truth, the two of them had never intended to end up in this situation.
Back then, while saving their world, they had accidentally entered a spatial transfer point and had been thrown into an entirely unfamiliar region of space. Ever since then, they had drifted from planet to planet with no way of locating Earth's coordinates, wandering through an endless sea of stars without any clear destination.
The vast cosmos stretched endlessly before them, yet the place they wished to return to seemed more distant than ever, as though it had become nothing more than an unreachable point somewhere beyond the endless expanse.
Not long after arriving in this new world, their situation only worsened.
At first, they had been mistaken for intruders and subsequently hunted down, leaving them with no choice but to steal a spaceship to escape.
Yet not long after that, they encountered interstellar pirates, and even more problems followed one after another, barely giving them a moment to catch their breath.
In short, their journey through this new world had been filled with one disaster after another. If not for their considerable strength, experience, and ability to adapt under pressure, they would have died countless times already.
With that in mind, Welt and Void Archives immediately piloted their battered spaceship toward the Astral Express, cautiously closing the distance while remaining prepared for anything that might happen next.
===
At the same time, Lucian finally noticed the approaching spaceship.
Initially, he paid it little attention, assuming it was just another spaceship passing through this region of space.
However, after taking a closer look, a hint of surprise appeared on his face.
It was only natural, for the people aboard were actually familiar faces.
Welt Yang and his old companion, Otto Apocalypse, though he was not exactly Otto.
Lucian quickly pieced everything together.
If Welt had already appeared in this world, then the real Otto had undoubtedly met his end long ago.
In other words, the one standing beside Welt should have been Void Archives occupying a soulium body.
'Has the timeline already reached 2158?'
Lucian silently recalled the original history of Honkai: Star Rail.
From what he remembered, the Astral Express's journey had restarted in 2158. After that, it would gradually encounter Welt and Void Archives, followed by Dan Heng, then March 7th, and finally Stelle.
As he thought about that, Lucian could not help but wonder whether recruiting the future members of the Nameless was one of this script's hidden completion requirements.
He carefully considered the possibility.
Himeko loved adventure, loved traveling, and also enjoyed meeting fellow travelers while expanding the circle of companions aboard the Astral Express.
Objectively speaking, the Astral Express would probably become much livelier with more passengers, and having trustworthy companions would undoubtedly make the journey through the endless cosmos more interesting.
However, Lucian was equally aware of one important fact.
He did not particularly want Welt and Void Archives to board the Astral Express right now and disrupt his peaceful two-person world with Himeko.
After all, the quiet atmosphere aboard the Astral Express was something he had only recently begun to enjoy, so he had no intention of allowing unexpected guests to interfere with it so soon.
In the end, after weighing the pros and cons for several moments, Lucian finally arrived at a compromise.
For now, he would simply arrange a place for them to stay.
If the script later required additional Nameless to satisfy its completion conditions, he could always return and bring them aboard at that time.
Having made his decision, Lucian activated Absolute Hit.
In the next instant, his figure vanished without leaving behind even the slightest trace of his presence.
===
At the same time, inside the battered spaceship, Welt suddenly blinked.
"Huh? He's gone."
Lucian had disappeared so completely that Welt initially assumed he had simply returned to the train without making another sound.
"He probably went back to that train, right?" Void Archives replied casually. "It's not like he suddenly appeared behind us or anything."
Right after speaking, he jokingly glanced backward, but the moment he did, his entire body froze.
"..."
Seeing Lucian standing directly behind him, the smile on Void Archives' face disappeared instantly, while cold sweat nearly broke out across his back.
The mere fact that he had failed to notice Lucian's arrival at all was enough to send a chill through him.
Fortunately, Lucian had shown no hostility.
If someone capable of unleashing that monstrous level of energy had launched a surprise attack just moments earlier, then regardless of whether Void Archives was a Divine Key or Welt possessed the Star of Eden, the outcome would have been disastrous.
In fact, they might not have even realized they were dead before it was already over.
Noticing Void Archives' reaction, Welt immediately stood up and turned around, his grip on his cane tightening instinctively as he caught sight of Lucian.
"Welt Yang. Void Archives."
Lucian calmly spoke their names.
"I know you got lost and ended up here by accident. I also know you're trying to find a way back to Earth. But too bad, I don't know Earth's coordinates."
As soon as those words left Lucian's mouth, both men froze, and their minds went blank for a brief moment.
Neither of them had introduced themselves.
Neither of them had explained their circumstances.
Neither of them had even asked a single question.
Yet Lucian had already answered the very thing they wanted to know, as though he had seen straight through them from the very beginning.
Welt and Void Archives exchanged silent glances.
A powerhouse.
A genuine powerhouse.
In their minds, the young man standing before them was the kind of powerhouse whose methods simply could not be comprehended through common sense.
"We currently have no direction," Welt whispered as he leaned toward Void Archives. "I suggest we hitch a ride on that train while we search for a way home."
"Agreed," Void Archives whispered back, nodding immediately. "Besides, I'm very interested in this young man."
"But we should ask for permission to join him."
"Good. I really don't want to stay on this junk spaceship any longer."
And so, after only a brief discussion, the two of them quickly reached a decision.
Hitching a ride while searching for Earth's coordinates was undoubtedly far more efficient than wandering aimlessly through the endless universe like headless flies.
Taking a step forward, Welt spoke politely.
"Since you already know where we came from, then you should also know we mean no harm. In that case, would it be possible for us to—"
Before Welt could finish speaking, however, Lucian raised a hand to stop him, silently signaling for him to say no more before his figure disappeared once again.
Several moments later, he returned carrying two tickets for the Astral Express, known as Star Rail Passes, that he had obtained from Pom-Pom.
"Here."
Lucian handed one ticket to each of them.
"Consider yourselves registered passengers of the Astral Express. Take these tickets."
Welt looked down at the two tickets in his hand, then looked at Lucian before lowering his gaze to the tickets once more.
A sense of relief immediately welled up within him.
Since they had been given these tickets, that probably meant they had been accepted as passengers.
"Aliens really are generous."
Void Archives remarked with a grin as he carefully examined the ticket in his hand.
At the very least, this meant they could finally stop living inside their barely functioning spaceship.
"Let's go take a look at that train," Void Archives said excitedly with a bright smile. "A vessel capable of traveling freely throughout space must contain incredible technology. Maybe I can even reproduce it."
Dressed in a spotless white uniform, with golden hair and handsome features, he should have appeared like a refined gentleman. Unfortunately, the moment he opened his mouth, that carefully crafted image immediately fell apart.
"Sir, may I ask your name?"
Welt sighed helplessly at his companion's demeanor before finally asking the question himself.
Before he could receive an answer, Lucian simply extended his hand toward them.
"When you get to Herta Space Station, tell them the Astral Express recommended you for a job..."
Lucian paused briefly before continuing.
"If fate's on our side, we'll meet again."
As soon as those words left his mouth, Lucian gently pushed against the shoulders of both Welt and Void Archives.
In that instant, space distorted, and the scenery before their eyes changed in the blink of an eye.
Just like that, the two of them disappeared from the battered spaceship entirely, leaving no trace behind.
Watching them vanish, Lucian nodded in satisfaction.
"Sending them to work at Herta Space Station is perfect. If I ever need them later to check off a completion requirement, I'll just go pick them up."
Satisfied with his solution, Lucian vanished and returned to the Astral Express.
As for the battered spaceship, he simply left it drifting silently through the vastness of space.
Whoever found it could keep it.
===
Meanwhile, at Herta Space Station, Welt and Void Archives suddenly materialized inside the space station's reception center in the Base Zone.
For a brief moment, silence filled the area as dozens of curious gazes simultaneously landed on them, their sudden appearance drawing the attention of everyone nearby.
"..."
"..."
Both men stood there completely stunned, as neither of them had expected this outcome.
Originally, they had thought Lucian intended to let them board the Astral Express. At the very least, they had assumed they would travel alongside him, considering that staying close to a powerhouse of that level would provide countless opportunities to learn about new civilizations, different planets, and the countless mysteries hidden throughout the cosmos.
Instead, Lucian had handed them train tickets and immediately shipped them off somewhere else to find employment.
Yes, they had worked on Earth, but now that they had arrived in an alien civilization, somehow they were still expected to work.
"Hey, this place seems technologically advanced."
Void Archives quietly examined the surroundings, his gaze sweeping across the sophisticated equipment, automated terminals, and unfamiliar architecture with unmistakable interest.
"Maybe he intentionally sent us here."
Welt also looked around, carefully observing the bustling research station and the people moving through it.
"Just think about it. He knows our circumstances, right?" Void Archives said in a lowered voice. "Sending us to a place like this gives us access to advanced knowledge and information. If we want to find a way home, wouldn't a research facility be more useful than wandering aimlessly through space?"
After hearing that explanation, Welt slowly nodded, finding it increasingly reasonable the more he thought about it.
It was only natural.
They had entered an entirely new world, so there was indeed much they needed to learn. Compared to drifting endlessly through the cosmos without direction, remaining in a place dedicated to research and exploration was undoubtedly a far better option.
In the end, with renewed confidence, the two of them approached the reception desk and presented their Star Rail Passes.
"We were recommended by the Astral Express for employment. Could you help us register?"
Welt explained calmly to the receptionist.
"Employment? Recommended by the Astral Express? Wait, wasn't the Astral Express missing for years?"
At first, the receptionist looked surprised.
However, after seeing the Star Rail Passes and noticing the refined appearance, composed demeanor, and extraordinary presence of the two men, she quickly regained her professionalism and immediately nodded.
"Please wait for a moment. I will notify Madam Herta."
===
Half an hour later, with the Star Rail Passes serving as proof of their identities, Herta ultimately accepted them. Out of consideration for the Astral Express, she even allowed Welt and Void Archives to remain at the space station as official staff.
As a result, the two of them began a brand-new chapter in their lives.
Welt, despite his tremendous accomplishments and wealth of experience, was assigned to security duty.
Void Archives, on the other hand, became a research assistant.
And just like that, the two legendary figures entered the glorious ranks of office workers.
Meanwhile, aboard the Astral Express, Himeko never even had the chance to learn what either of them looked like.
===
"By the way, who does that spaceship belong to? Does it belong to the pirates?"
Standing by a nearby window, Himeko looked toward a battered, old-looking spaceship that drifted silently through space, seemingly abandoned.
Lucian glanced at the spaceship and smiled faintly.
"A couple of wanderers. I already found them stable jobs. Lifetime employment, too."
He answered casually, his gaze briefly lingering on the spaceship before turning away.
'Goodbye, Welt Yang. Hopefully, you enjoy your new job.'
===
[A bonus chapter for every 300 Power Stones]
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