Chapter 152: March 7th: You're Not Doing So Great, Are You?
Leon and his group successfully chartered a starship, escorting Luocha to the entrance of the Shackling Prison.
"By order of General Jing Yuan, the entrance has been opened and the documents prepared. We are here to receive you," a guarding Cloud Knight announced, offering a solemn salute. "The Judge of the Divination Commission has also been informed of your arrival."
"The Shackling Prison..."
Gazing at the deep, cold maw of the entrance, Dan Heng whispered the name softly. A complex emotion flickered in his eyes. "After all these years... I never expected to return like this."
This place was, in a way, the birthplace of his current life—the very beginning of his memories as 'Dan Heng'. Or rather, from the moment he gained clear consciousness, he had been imprisoned here.
"Dan Heng..." Welt cast a concerned glance his way.
"I'm fine." Dan Heng gave a slight shake of his head, signaling that he was mentally prepared for what lay ahead.
Guided by the Cloud Knights, the group stepped into the Shackling Prison, descending deeper and deeper along a spiraling set of stone stairs.
'Oh... there's a Space Anchor here.''And another one over there.''Whoa, and one more right here!'
Leon trailed behind the group, his eyes scanning the surroundings with amusement. Almost every few steps, he spotted a glowing Space Anchor tucked away in the corner of a wall or beside a stone pillar.
These were unique items, a signature tool of the Trailblazers from the Astral Express. They could be placed in newly explored areas and activated in places already tread upon. Once active, the anchors could not only transmit information but also help a Trailblazer quickly recover their stamina and Trailblaze Power.
Of course, the network of Space Anchors was personal, much like a travel log; each Trailblazer's was tracked separately. To find such a dense concentration of them within the Shackling Prison... the implication was obvious.
'So, which one of the Express crew seniors was so keen on "checking in" at a high-security prison?' Leon wondered, a playful smirk touching his lips.
His intrigued expression did not go unnoticed. Dan Heng and Welt, walking just ahead, both felt a subtle wave of secondhand embarrassment wash over them. They immediately understood the teasing glint in Leon's eyes.
Just which of their predecessors had planted so many Space Anchors in the Shackling Prison? Were they planning to use it as a supply station, or were they plotting some grand prison break?
Neither Dan Heng nor Welt had ever given it much thought before, but now, they found themselves complaining internally about the sheer absurdity of it.
Complaints aside, however, the two men habitually and silently reached out to activate the anchors they passed, the familiar chime echoing softly in the stone corridor.
"Uncle Welt! Dan Heng! Big Bro Leon! How come you guys are here too?"
Just then, a familiar, cheerful voice called out from the path ahead.
They looked up to see March 7th, Stelle, and Caelus escorting another group of people from an intersecting passage. March was waving excitedly, her face a beacon of energy in the dim light.
"March, Stelle, Caelus. You're all here as well?" Leon responded with a warm smile, though he wasn't the least bit surprised to see Aha among them.
After all, if Aha was coming to the Shackling Prison, it was only natural that the Trailblazers would be the ones escorting him. They really knew how to play their parts.
"We went undercover, successfully destroyed a base of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, and brought them all here!" Stelle and Caelus puffed out their chests in unison, their expressions practically screaming, 'Praise us!'
"Look! This guy was the leader of that little base!" Stelle declared, pointing dramatically at Aha.
Welt adjusted his glasses, his gaze falling on the man's flamboyant attire and excessively brilliant smile. This temperament... are you sure he's from the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus? He looks more like he just stumbled out of a Masked Fool tavern.
'And this face...'Welt thought, a flicker of recognition nagging at him.'I feel like I've seen him somewhere before...'
In the next moment, a scene that stunned everyone unfolded.
As Stelle nudged Aha closer to a nearby Space Anchor, the device suddenly pulsed with a faint light. A soft hum of energy resonance, the kind that only occurred when a Trailblazer drew near, filled the air.
"Come to think of it, why are there so many Space Anchors in the Shackling Prison?!" March 7th couldn't help but shout the complaint that had been brewing in her mind. She then whirled around to face Aha, her eyes wide with shock. "Wait a minute! Why did the anchor react when you got close?!"
"Huh? Is it strange that it reacted?" Aha blinked with wide-eyed innocence. "Didn't I tell you guys? Actually... I used to be a Trailblazer, too."
As he spoke, Aha reached into his flamboyant coat and, with a theatrical flourish, pulled out two Trailblaze Passes for the Astral Express—one standard and one special issue.
"Huh?! You were a Trailblazer before?!" Stelle gasped, her jaw dropping.
"Doesn't that mean we arrested one of our own?!" Caelus was equally dumbfounded. Oh no, did they just apprehend a senior from the Express?
"No need to be so surprised. This situation isn't without precedent," Welt's calm voice cut through the chaos. He adjusted his glasses again, his expression turning thoughtful. "For example, the current head of the Interastral Peace Corporation's Market Development Department, Schneider, was also a Trailblazer on the Astral Express in his early years."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the younger members. "Before Akivili fell, the Astral Express was once a vast and prosperous network. Trailblazers were scattered across the sea of stars, and it's not strange for them to have taken different paths later in life."
Welt had studied the history of the Express extensively. Before the Aeon of Trailblaze met their end, the Astral Express was far from the single train it was today; countless locomotives once sailed the cosmic rails. However, after Akivili's fall, the Express gradually declined. It wasn't until Himeko restarted the train that its journey through the universe resumed.
"Oh..." Stelle and Caelus nodded, looking as if they'd just received a deep revelation. Their knowledge banks had clearly been updated.
"So, like that corporation executive, you were a Trailblazer before, and now you've changed your allegiance?" Stelle asked, looking Aha up and down.
"But you're not doing so great, are you!" March 7th complained mercilessly, her hands on her hips. "He became an executive at the IPC! How come you're just the 'leader' of some tiny, shady organization?"
"Sigh, what can I do? Some of us just don't strive for success," Aha sighed with exaggerated sorrow. He somehow produced a silk handkerchief from thin air and began dabbing at non-existent tears.
Behind him, a camera shutter clicked. The image captured was of March 7th scolding Aha, instantly immortalized as a brand-new Light Cone: 'You're Not Doing So Great, Are You?'.
"Wait! Aren't your hands tied?!" March 7th finally grasped the most glaring absurdity. She pointed a trembling finger at Aha. "Where did you get a third hand to pull out a handkerchief?!"
"Oh, this? I forgot," Aha said with a look of sudden realization. He then very deliberately twisted his body, stuffed the handkerchief back into some invisible pocket, and repositioned his hands to look as if they were bound tightly behind his back.
Dan Heng: "..."
Welt: "..."
Everyone was speechless. A collective retort was stuck in their throats, impossible to spit out and even more impossible to swallow.
Welt sighed internally. It was true that among the early members of the Astral Express, it wasn't uncommon for some to later join the Masked Fools. After all, the first Aeon of Trailblaze, Akivili, and the Aeon of Elation, Aha, were originally close friends. It was said that Aha was the strongest Emanator of Trailblaze, just as Akivili was the strongest Emanator of Elation.
And this person... though he claimed to be a small-time leader of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, he certainly acted far more like one of the Masked Fools.
Welt now strongly suspected that the man wasn't a heretic at all, but simply a Fool who had infiltrated the Disciples for his own amusement.
[Inorin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me!
Want to read ahead on our official home, or unlock 50 advanced chapters (plus an Ad-Free experience) to feed your addiction? Help keep this shameless translator alive here:
(P.S. Replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
🌐 Official Website: elysianreads[.]com
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters & Ad-Free): patreon[.]com/InorinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/InorinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]