Chapter 31: Encounter in Another World, Watching the Storm Together
After Caesar and the rest of the Sons of Calydon departed for the starting line, Wise and Belle immediately got to work. The siblings moved in practiced sync, booting up the HDD system. The moment Caesar's crew arrived at the competition venue, Wise would establish a direct neural link with Eous, ready to provide real-time tactical guidance.
Nearby, Paimon drifted over to Lumine's shoulder. The little floating companion tilted her head, her gaze drifting toward the retired Geo Archon. "Hey, Zhongli," she piped up, her voice laced with sudden concern. "If you're all the way out here in another universe, what about Liyue? Is it going to be okay without you?"
She still vividly remembered that Zhongli was the ultimate stabilizing force of Liyue Harbor—even if he technically spent most of his time drinking tea and listening to storytellers these days.
Lumine turned her golden eyes toward him, silently echoing the exact same question.
Zhongli slowly retracted his gaze from the unfamiliar, alien sky above them. His composure remained as unshakeable as bedrock. "There is no need for concern. Before I departed, I awakened Azhdaha. I requested that he temporarily reside near Liyue Harbor to manage any unforeseen circumstances., Xianyun and Madame Ping—two of my oldest friends—are currently residing within the city."
He crossed his arms, his deep voice carrying a soothing, authoritative cadence. "also, we are now in an era of human governance. The Qixing operate the city in a highly orderly fashion, vastly different from the chaotic period of the Archon War. Having Azhdaha stationed there is merely a precaution against the absolute worst-case scenario."
Ever since the tragic fall of Guizhong, the Lord of Geo had always paid careful attention to the stability of his rear guard.
Zhongli spoke of deploying an ancient, devastating dragon lord as if he were merely locking the front door before a vacation. It was his 'ultimate insurance' policy, making his absence truly foolproof.
"Azhdaha?!" Paimon gasped, her tiny hands flying up to cover her mouth. "He... he's recovered? Can he actually handle it without going crazy?"
A faint, rare warmth softened Zhongli's amber eyes. "My old friend possesses a deeply resilient origin. With your unique assistance, Paimon, the abyssal erosion plaguing his mind has been completely eradicated. He suffers from some minor energy depletion, but there are no major issues."
"Although his power has not yet returned to its absolute peak, his sheer status and millennia of combat experience are more than sufficient to deter any petty individuals. also, he is only stationed as a deterrent; he does not need to take action unless absolutely necessary."
He paused, his gaze shifting toward Belle and Wise, who were rapidly typing away at their consoles. "However, this journey to another world is a remarkably rare opportunity. Lumine, Paimon... do you two not wish to explore the surroundings?"
Paimon immediately shook her head, crossing her arms with a dramatic shiver. "No, no, absolutely not! Ever since I got dragged through the Sumeru desert with Lumine, whenever I see this kind of dry, sandy terrain, I get this horrible feeling that I'm about to fall headfirst into some exhausting, life-threatening adventure!"
"Lumine and I will just wait right here for the race to start."
Lumine smiled faintly, nodding in complete agreement with her floating companion's assessment.
"But what about you, Zhongli?" Paimon asked, tilting her head. "Are you absolutely sure you don't want to take a 'leisurely stroll in another world'? You love doing that!"
Zhongli's gaze swept across the cracked, arid earth beneath his boots and the jagged mountains looming in the distance. "The primary focus of this trip is the competition," he stated smoothly. "also, the pulse and whispers of this foreign land have already shared many fascinating stories with me. Observing quietly from a single vantage point is, in itself, a deep form of understanding."
Paimon blinked, clearly impressed. "Oh! As expected of the Geo Archon. Your rock-listening abilities are super convenient!"
A massive yawn suddenly interrupted her praise. Paimon rubbed her eyes, her eyelids drooping heavily as she drifted down to drape herself over Lumine's back. "Ugh... I'm still a bit sleepy. I'm gonna take a nap. Remember to wake me up when the motorcycles start revving."
Lumine let out a soft, doting chuckle, reaching back to pat Paimon's head. "Alright, alright. I'll call you later. Sleep well."
A short distance away, a chaotic scuffle finally came to an end. Stelle was dragged back by the collar of her jacket, courtesy of an exasperated March 7th. The chaotic little raccoon's grand plans for inter-world trashcan exploration were forcefully put on indefinite hold.
By now, Caesar and the rest of the competitors had officially lined up at the venue. The Tour de Inferno was moments away from kicking off.
Lumine reached over her shoulder, gently shaking the sleeping fairy.
Paimon groaned, rubbing her eyes groggily as she floated up. "Ugh~ Lumine? Has the race started already? I feel like I literally just closed my eyes."
At the control station, Wise's fingers flew across the keyboard. He successfully established the neural link with Eous, his voice now transmitting directly to Caesar through the small Bangboo's speakers.
The surrounding multiversal guests watched this process with intense curiosity. It clearly wasn't a standard remote-control setup. Wise's physical body remained seated at the monitors, but his focus was entirely split. It was as if he had projected a fragment of his very consciousness into Eous's mechanical frame, smoothly piloting two bodies at once.
Dan Heng watched the screens, his teal eyes narrowing thoughtfully. 'If this specific technology can completely bypass physical distance and dimensional barriers... then the next time the Express explores Amphoreus—a world that even Akivili never managed to set foot in—perhaps we could use a similar method.'He crossed his arms, his mind calculating the tactical advantages.'After all, when dealing with a completely unknown, uncharted world, one can never be too cautious. I refuse to let my companions walk blindly into danger.'
Just as the archivist opened his mouth to inquire about the mechanics, Belle noticed his interest. She puffed out her chest, her voice bright and tinged with unmistakable pride. "This is our custom HDD system! It can establish a direct consciousness link, completely bypassing the chaotic spatial turbulence of the Hollows, allowing us to communicate and guide in real-time."
"My brother is currently controlling Eous through consciousness projection synchronization! It's exactly like having an extra set of eyes and hands right next to Caesar on the track!"
Stelle and Paimon, standing shoulder-to-shoulder, let out identical gasps of awe. "Whoa, that's so cool!" they exclaimed in perfect unison.
"The Eous that my brother is piloting is also a core member of our family," Belle continued, though her bright tone softened slightly. "These systems, this equipment... they are all things our teacher left behind for us. The entire reason we became Proxies in the first place was to gather clues and find out what happened to our teacher."
A heavy, melancholic silence settled over the young woman. This sudden confession wasn't an accident; she and Wise had made a joint decision the previous night. If they wanted to earn the genuine help of these incredibly powerful multiversal companions, absolute honesty was the only foundation they could build upon.
Seeing the raw vulnerability in her expression, Dan Heng respectfully kept his technical questions to himself, offering a silent nod of understanding.
Lumine watched Belle closely, a deep sense of empathy swelling in her chest. The Proxy's story struck a deeply personal chord. In many ways, they were walking the exact same path—separated from their precious family, stepping into the dangerous unknown, and beginning an endless journey to reunite with their loved ones.
Suddenly, the massive monitors flared with vibrant life.
At the starting line of the Tour de Inferno, the deafening roar of the crowd threatened to tear the sky apart. High above the starting platform, the colossal, ragged flag of the Biker Alliance snapped violently in the arid wind.
"It's about to start!" Belle gasped, her melancholic mood instantly vanishing. She clenched her small fists, her voice trembling with a potent mix of excitement and nervous anticipation.
Every eye in the room locked onto the screens.
On the track, Caesar gripped the handlebars of her heavily modified motorcycle. She turned her head toward the imposing figure beside her, her eyes burning with unyielding fighting spirit. "Overlord Pompey! It's finally the finals! This time, I'm going to give you a good, hearty showdown!"
Pompey sat atop his own monstrous machine, his massive arms crossed over his chest. A low, rumbling chuckle vibrated from his throat. "Heh heh. You talk a big game, little girl. You'd better try a hell of a lot harder this time. Don't bore me."
Bang—!
The starting gun fired. The sound was a literal thunderclap, instantly detonating the pent-up tension of the crowd. Their passionate screams erupted into a roaring tsunami of noise!
Six heavy motorcycles launched forward like steel beasts violently breaking free from their chains. Engines screamed in mechanical agony, and thick plumes of acrid white smoke billowed as heavy tires screeched against the unforgiving asphalt!
The violently stirred dust formed a giant, earthy-yellow dragon that instantly swallowed the starting line. The racers surged forward, plunging headfirst into the gaping maw of the Hollow track—a chaotic, twisted dimension where danger and opportunity danced on a razor's edge!
"Oh-ho—!!!" Stelle practically launched herself into the air, her golden eyes wide with adrenaline as she watched the spectacular start. She threw a fist into the air, acting as if she were the one tearing down the track. "Go! Go! Run them over!"
March 7th leaned so close to the monitor her nose almost touched the glass. "Wow... they're so fast!"
Paimon squeaked in terror, her tiny hands instinctively grabbing fistfuls of Lumine's blonde hair. "Lumine! They're too fast! They really just drove straight into the Hollow!"
Lumine winced slightly at the tugging on her scalp but kept her gaze locked on the screen. Her expression was dead serious as she watched the riders plunge into the massive, swirling dimensional crack without a single ounce of hesitation. She silently prayed no unexpected anomalies would ambush them.
What truly shocked the multiversal guests, however, was the feed itself. Even though Caesar and the other racers had completely crossed the threshold into the Hollow, Wise was still maintaining flawless, crystal-clear real-time communication through Eous.
Outside, the official broadcast drones deployed by the race organizers immediately lost their signals the second they crossed the spatial boundary. Their footage would take at least ten agonizing minutes to buffer and transmit out of the Hollow—and even that delay was considered an unmatched technological marvel by local standards.
Yet, compared to the seamless perfection of Wise and Belle's HDD system, the official tech looked like absolute child's play. It was a staggering display of just how brilliant the siblings truly were.
On the monitor, Stelle analyzed the initial stretch of the track. She crossed her arms, looking thoroughly unimpressed. 'This doesn't look difficult at all,'she thought.'It's literally just a straight sprint. Even a trashcan could roll down this path.'
However, the very second the racers passed the first major fork and plunged deeper into the corrupted depths of the Hollow, Stelle's arrogant assumptions were violently shattered.
The track inside the Hollow abruptly narrowed into a claustrophobic corridor. Heavy steel railings, concrete barricades, and massive stacks of reinforced wooden crates completely choked the road ahead. To any rational observer, it was an obvious signal to hit the brakes and find an alternate route.
But to the absolute shock of everyone watching, Caesar didn't even tap the brakes. Instead, she leaned forward, her eyes narrowing into dangerous slits, and twisted the throttle to the absolute maximum!
The motorcycle's engine let out a guttural, furious roar.
Crash!
Caesar slammed her bike directly into the cluster of obstacles! The heavy wooden crates instantly detonated into a storm of jagged splinters. Thick steel railings groaned, twisted, and were forcefully ripped from their bolts. Amidst a blinding shower of orange sparks and the deafening crunch of metal, Caesar's motorcycle carved a brutal, unstoppable path straight through the wreckage!
"Whoa!" Paimon shrieked, utterly dumbfounded. Her small mouth hung open in a comical 'O' shape. "So that's how they solve puzzles here?! How is an ordinary person supposed to learn this completely unhinged way of clearing a path?!"
Stelle's eye twitched violently. She stared at the screen, her previous confidence crumbling into dust. "Indeed..." she muttered, her voice entirely deadpan. "Rules are meant to be broken. I was such an absolute fool for actually driving around the obstacles during the training race."
Her belief that "anyone could do it" had just been brutally run over by Caesar's hardcore, unapologetic driving style.
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