Kafka's gaze lingered on [Yingxing] for a moment, her smile seemingly tinged with a hint of complexity.
"True enough."
She repeated softly.
"You are Yingxing, and he is Blade."
Her slender fingers seemed to tap unconsciously at her side in a light rhythm, as if playing a melody on invisible strings that only she knew.
"You talk too much."
[Jingliu]'s cold voice suddenly cut in, breaking the delicate atmosphere.
She didn't even draw her sword; instead, frost gathered in her palm, instantly condensing into a crystal-clear, razor-sharp ice Blade. The tip pointed directly at the throat of Kafka's projection—though it couldn't cause any actual harm to a projection, the aura was overwhelming.
"Tell me! What exactly is your purpose? The Stellaron Hunters do not appear without reason."
"My purpose? Haven't I already said it?"
Facing the ice Blade pointed right at her, Kafka didn't even blink, her smile remaining perfect.
"I hope you will change your destination—"
She paused deliberately to ensure everyone's attention was fully focused before slowly uttering the name:
"The Xianzhou 'Luofu'."
"The Luofu?!"
The name was like a massive boulder thrown into a still lake. The reaction of the High-Cloud Quintet was the most direct—
The lazy smile on [Jing Yuan]'s face vanished instantly, his eyes becoming as sharp as the Lightning-Lord he had yet to summon.
The ice sword in [Jingliu]'s hand made a faint "crack" sound as the chill intensified.
[Dan Feng]'s brow furrowed, the majesty of a High Elder unconsciously leaking out.
[Bai Heng] stopped her playful bantering, her Tail stiffening.
[Yingxing]'s action of wiping his tools stopped completely, his expression turning solemn.
Dan Heng, who also hailed from the Xianzhou, was clearly shocked as well.
"This Xianzhou ship is currently very close to you; it's a distance that can be reached in just two Warps."
Kafka acted as if she hadn't seen their reactions, continuing on her own, her tone as relaxed as if she were introducing a tourist attraction.
"And on the Luofu, there is currently a—Stellaron."
"A Stellaron!"
The members of the Astral Express Crew exclaimed in surprise, exchanging shocked glances.
They had just finished dealing with the Stellaron crisis on Jarilo-VI; how did this thing show up again like it was punching in for work?!
"A real stroke of bad luck, isn't it?"
Kafka tilted her head slightly, her tone carrying a hint of perfectly measured, infuriating sympathy.
"Stellaron Hunters, what exactly are you up to?"
Welt Yang took a step forward, his cane lightly tapping the floor, his gaze behind his glasses full of scrutiny and authority.
"The Xianzhou Alliance isn't as easy to talk to as we are. Once you're in the sights of 'The Hunt', you'll no longer be the hunters, but the hunted."
"Speak plainly, Kafka. Stop speaking in riddles."
Himeko's voice carried an unquestionable calmness. She stood with her arms crossed, her red hair like a static flame.
"It's simple."
Kafka followed suit, reining in some of her playfulness.
"The eruption of this Stellaron has nothing to do with us Stellaron Hunters. But unfortunately, the Xianzhou side seems to have already pinned this debt on us."
She waved her hand lightly, and the image of a man was immediately projected beside her—black hair, eyes wild and pained, being escorted by several Cloud Knights.
"My companion, Blade, was taken away by the Cloud Knights. I want to bring him back, and at the same time..."
She looked toward the Astral Express Crew.
"...assist in resolving this Stellaron crisis to clear our names. For you, this is also a valuable Trailblaze, isn't it?"
"Nothing to do with you? Who would believe that!"
March 7th let go of Stelle, hands on her hips, her pinkish-blue hair almost bristling.
"What a coincidence! A Stellaron erupts and you just happen to appear at the Xianzhou, and your companion even gets caught! This Script is way too cliché!"
Just as the cabin was filled with suspicion, vigilance, and a flood of information, and the atmosphere grew tense—
"I believe her."
A soft, familiar, yet subtly different female voice suddenly rang out beside March 7th.
"Aaaaaahhhhh—!!!"
March 7th was scared out of her wits, jumping like a startled rabbit, then scrambling to cling onto Stelle, who was nearest to her, nearly knocking her over.
"A ghost! Another Kafka?!"
Beside Stella, another [Kafka] had quietly appeared at some point.
She also held a red umbrella, her posture elegant, her face wearing a smile identical to the projection's, yet seemingly with a bit more playfulness, as she studied her "other self" with great interest.
"Hehe!"
Stella, who had just stealthily recovered the two "casualties" and quickly completed the summoning operation, poked half her head out from behind [Kafka], sticking out her tongue with a successful prankster's grin that screamed "Surprised? Unexpected, right?".
[Kafka]'s gaze shifted between the projection and Stella, finally settling on the projection Kafka's face, her smile deepening: "Do you think... I know about the 'Script'?"
Her tone was gentle, yet it plunged the entire Parlor Car into a bizarre, double-Kafka mirrored silence.
Everyone looked at the projection, then at the living [Kafka], and finally turned their eyes in unison toward the "innocent" (?) Stella.