Starry Sky Railway: Starting with a furious outburst at Aha

Chapter 12 The Crouching Dragon and the Young Phoenix

"Her wounds are healing very quickly; she will be fully recovered in at most one more system session."

"Thank you." Zhou Yuan nodded to the researchers, feeling quite fortunate. The star core had given her a life force that ordinary people couldn't match, which was why she survived that attack.

“Now that you’re awake, I’ll leave the responsibility of taking care of her to you,” March 7th patted Zhou Yuan on the shoulder. “Sister Himeko said that you should go to the main control module to find her when you wake up. I have other things to do, so I won’t stay with you.”

"Ok."

"Let's exchange beacons then, so it'll be easier to contact each other later," March 7 said, taking out his phone.

Zhou Yuan shrugged:

"I have not."

"Well...we'll talk about it later. I'm going now, bye-bye."

After seeing off March 7th, Zhou Yuan found a chair and sat down in front of Xing's bed, beginning to think.

"Ha's power has been withdrawn?" Zhou Yuan glanced at his right index finger. The golden thread on it was still there, but his own power had clearly disappeared.

"Why? Is this punishment for me? But I insulted so many star gods!"

"Oh well, if it's gone, it's gone."

Zhou Yuan sighed and decided to stop thinking about these trivial matters.

No one can predict Ahab's temperament; whether He grants or takes it back is entirely up to Him. Thinking about it this way is a complete waste of time.

When Zhou Yuan came to his senses, Xing, who was lying on the bed, had already woken up. Her eyes darted around as she looked at Zhou Yuan.

"I'm sorry," Zhou Yuan said instinctively.

"What do you mean, 'sorry'?" Xing sat up in bed. "I'm telling you, I just dreamt that I was too grandma."

Zhou Yuan: "......"

"Huh? Isn't this joke funny?" Xing asked, tilting her head, seemingly unconcerned about Zhou Yuan's earlier use of her as a shield.

"I also dreamed of you, March 7th, Danheng, so many people... and a very handsome guy with dark skin and white hair, physically tall."

"I'm glad you're alright." Zhou Yuan smiled and patted Xing's gray hair on her head before standing up. "How are you feeling? If you're alright, let's go. Himeko is waiting for us."

"Let's go." Xing took a few steps forward, then returned to Zhou Yuan's side. "You go first."

"Don't you know the way?"

“I’m just giving you a chance to show me the way,” Xing said.

Halfway there, the black tower puppet beside them suddenly activated. She turned her head, saw Zhou Yuan and Xing behind him, and asked Zhou Yuan:

"This is the Star Core Essence you were talking about? Quickly bring her to my office."

“It’s her,” Zhou Yuan nodded in response, then stepped forward to block her view. “However, I have to break my promise.”

"Breaking your promise? What do you mean?" Black Tower asked.

"Whether she cooperates with your experiment depends on her own wishes." Zhou Yuan didn't want Xing to do any simulated universe work, but considering her differences from his own, he didn't take it upon himself to refuse on her behalf.

"Okay." Black Tower tilted its head in response and then stopped moving, seemingly having logged off.

"You think you can just fool me like that?" Zhou Yuan frowned, staring at the Black Tower puppet, seemingly in disbelief.

"Who are you talking to?" Xing peeked over and asked.

“No,” Zhou Yuan shook his head, turning the Black Tower doll’s head away. “I’m wondering what this doll can be used for.”

Xing pondered for a moment: "I don't think so, do I?"

"???"

After chatting for a while, Zhou Yuan handed the holographic map to Xing and pointed out Himeko's location:

"I have other things to do. Go find Himeko yourself."

His intuition told him that he didn't need to show up for the later events.

"alright."

Watching Xing's figure disappear, Zhou Yuan withdrew his gaze.

By this time, the turmoil at Black Tower Space Station had subsided, and the crew members were all mobilized to carry out post-war repair work, which meant that the main storyline of Black Tower Space Station had come to an end.

"No, it's not over yet."

Zhou Yuan looked down, seemingly seeing through layers of obstructions to the tightly sealed compartment, where a pseudo-commander insect was being conceived.

After a moment of silence, Zhou Yuan turned and walked towards the Starry Sky Train parked on the platform.

This insect is related to Ruan Mei's research, and in Zhou Yuan's memory, she wasn't a bad person. Therefore, Zhou Yuan didn't intend to intervene prematurely.

Zhou Yuan just wanted to go back to the train and get some sleep. He had told March 7 the truth at first; the sofas on the train were surprisingly soft.

After boarding the train, Zhou Yuan lay down on the large red round sofa in the carriage, curled up, and quickly fell asleep. This time, he slept peacefully.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhou Yuan was jolted awake by a shaking. He turned around groggily and fell off the sofa.

He felt something pressing down on him, opened his eyes, and saw the hem of the skirt, which looked like flower petals.

"Wait, what is this?"

Before Zhou Yuan could react, two screams rang out simultaneously, and both March 7th and Xing took a big step back.

"Zhou Yuan, you...you're being a pervert!" March 7th shouted.

“…Unexpected,” Zhou Yuan realized what he had seen, but the grogginess of just waking up helped him suppress his emotions. He sat back on the sofa as if nothing had happened. “Why did you wake me up? Is the train about to depart?”

“No, no,” March 7th said, her face still flushed. She pulled Xing to her side. “Xing is considering whether to stay at the Black Tower Space Station or come with us. She said she wanted to hear your advice.”

"We never expected you to be sleeping in here. We went through so much trouble to find you, you have to give us an explanation."

After saying that, she frantically winked at Zhou Yuan.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuan immediately woke up. He looked at Xing beside him, and unconsciously recalled Xing's fate of not boarding the train—spending an ordinary life on the space station.

Given Xing's personality, this isn't a good ending. What she needs now is perhaps just to make a statement.

"Is that even a question?" Zhou Yuan thought for a few seconds, then suddenly grabbed Xing's hands and shook them vigorously. "Please, you absolutely must join our team."

"When did you become a member of the train crew? Shouldn't we be the ones saying that?" March 7th asked from the side.

Zhou Yuan ignored her and continued:

"With your arrival, our train crew has simultaneously gained both the sleeping dragon and the young phoenix. It's truly a blessing from heaven!"

On March 7th, a question arose: "Who is the Phoenix Chick, and who is the Crouching Dragon?"

"The Phoenix Chick is a star, and the Crouching Dragon is naturally you!"

"Haha, great!" March 7th praised Zhou Yuan. "I knew I had good taste."

The term "Fairy Boat Luofu" did not develop any derogatory usage, and poor March 7th was kept in the dark.

"Is that so? Okay." Xing smiled slightly, then suddenly became agitated. "Star Train, start!"

"..." Zhou Yuan and March 7 both rubbed their foreheads.

After bidding farewell to Black Tower and the others, the group prepared to embark on a new journey.

"Remember to come back and visit often," Black Tower said to the crowd, "especially that Star Core brat, and you too, what's your name?"

Her gaze fell on Zhou Yuan:

"You owe me a favor, don't think you can just run away like this."

"Don't worry, I'll be back," Zhou Yuan grinned. "As for my name... you wouldn't remember it anyway, would you?"

Black Tower shook his head seriously:

"You owe more than others, that's different."

"..."

Back on the train, Zhou Yuan expressed his desire to follow Himeko, who replied with a smile, "Of course you can. The train's doors are always open for you, as long as you're willing."

After receiving approval, Zhou Yuan took another stroll around the carriage, touching and poking at everything, finally finding a sense of home.

Lying on the sofa, Zhou Yuan heard March 7th suddenly ask:

"Himeko-nee, where did Pam go? Two extra passengers joined the train all at once, didn't it even come out to check?"

"It," Himeko said with a smile, looking at Zhou Yuan. "The train suffered considerable damage trying to stop Zhou Yuan back then, and it's probably still sulking."

"I'll go comfort it, there's no need to worry."

After Ji Zi left, only Zhou Yuan, Xing, and San Yueqi remained in the carriage.

After changing the music on the gramophone to a soothing tune, Zhou Yuan lay back down on the sofa, intending to continue sleeping.

However, before he could fall asleep, the carriage's loudspeaker blared out the news that the train was about to undergo a jump.

Upon hearing the notification, Zhou Yuan sat up abruptly and, seeing Xing and March 7 chatting on the side, joined them.

“Zhou Yuan, you’re here just in time,” March 7th greeted Zhou Yuan with a smile as he was the first to see him. “Come on, come on, join us.”

"What are you doing?" Zhou Yuan asked.

“This is Xing’s first jump, she must be very nervous. I’m teaching her some tips to calm her down.”

On March 7th, he spoke eloquently:

"You've only made your second leap, so come and follow along."

"Are you nervous?" Zhou Yuan asked Xing.

“I’m not nervous,” Xing shrugged. “Then why are you nervous?”

"I'm not nervous at all."

So, the two of them looked at March 7th together.

"Ah, I don't care." March 7th grabbed the two people's sleeves and shook them vigorously, "Come with me, come with me."

"Alright, alright." Zhou Yuan and Xing exchanged a smile and agreed.

On March 7th, he danced with joy, his tone slightly exaggerated:

“So the first step is to imagine a line and throw all your anxiety or other emotions into it! Then pinch its tail!” She pinched her fingers together behind her head.

"Okay...abstract." Xing complained, but did as she was told.

"Oh, you'll understand if you try to be more understanding," said March 7th.

Zhou Yuan followed suit, imagining the feeling of pain in his mind. He stretched his right hand behind his head, pinching his fingers and thumb together, and his gaze sharpened:

"I've got it."

“I pinched it too,” Xing said immediately.

"What?! You guys caught them all?" March 7th's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the two of them. "You've got quite the talent..."

"Never mind that, the second step is to concentrate all the emotions, like rubbing a ball, onto that one point!"

"The third step is to pull it out forcefully and throw it away!" March 7th said, waving his hand that had been hidden behind his head as if to throw it.

"Throw it away." Xing echoed, shaking her hand and casting her worries far away.

They both turned their heads and noticed Zhou Yuan, who was stuck on the second step.

March 7th smiled and comforted him:

"Are you stuck on the second step? That definitely requires some imagination to succeed."

"No." Zhou Yuan's expression was cold, his brows furrowed. "I...I really did pinch it."

As he spoke, he pulled his right hand out from behind his head, and a card came out with it.

The card was about three fingers wide and was entirely blood red.