2:30 AM.
The night was deep and Boulder Town was dead silent.
Not a soul roamed the streets; only rows of neatly stationed automatons stood in quiet vigil.
Riding the frigid winds, Cocolia emerged from the Fragmentum and hovered high above Boulder Town, gazing down at the formidable-looking automatons below.
“Not even a single day, and they’ve already built this many…”
Cocolia suddenly felt her own Stellaron was utterly useless.
Comparison was truly the thief of joy—another Stellaron could produce an entire automaton army in a single day, while hers hadn’t offered her any real help in years.
Instead, it just constantly droned in her mind, fraying her nerves.
Sensing Cocolia’s disdain, the Stellaron grew “enraged” and scrambled to make excuses…
It was sealed…
It was restricted…
Different Stellarons had different capabilities…
Cocolia paid no attention to its rambling excuses.
She had already concluded that the other Stellaron was far superior.
The more hers tried to justify itself, the more it proved her right.
She needed to be even more cautious.
If she could launch a sneak attack, there was no need for a frontal confrontation!
Her grand plan had yet to be realized, so she could not afford to blow her cover…
Following the Stellaron’s guidance on the cold wind, Cocolia soon arrived at her destination.
The only clinic in the Underworld.
Cocolia landed silently on the roof of a building adjacent to the clinic.
Casting her gaze toward the clinic entrance, she spotted Su Yan “spacing out.”
“Someone’s actually keeping watch…”
Her eyes swept over the automatons surrounding the clinic.
Having made up her mind, Cocolia used her Stellaron energy to jam the automatons’ sensors while simultaneously teleporting right beside Su Yan, thrusting a lance forged of pure ice toward him.
*Crack—*
The ice lance shattered, its shards spraying in every direction.
Cocolia’s stunned eyes met the gaze Su Yan turned toward her…
*Not good!* Realizing she had walked into a trap, Cocolia attempted to retreat, but Su Yan had no intention of letting her go.
Drawing his gun, he fired…
Before Cocolia could get away, the fusion ray caught up to her, fusing both her and the Stellaron’s consciousness into the square table outside the clinic.
Discovering they had turned into a table, both Cocolia and the Stellaron froze in shock for an instant.
That brief moment of helplessness was precisely the opening Su Yan had prepared for.
He pulled out the special cards he had crafted earlier, released the fusion, and then fused them separately…
One card fused with the Stellaron’s consciousness, and the other fused with Cocolia.
“Capture successful…” Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
Looking at the two cards in his hand, Su Yan raised an eyebrow in surprise.
To think the Stellaron and Cocolia would actually deliver themselves right to the Underworld…
While unexpected, it was certainly a good thing…
*Hiss!
Well, mostly a good thing?*
Without its consciousness, it was uncertain whether the Stellaron would remain dormant or begin causing trouble on raw instinct.
Just to be safe, he had better go seal the Stellaron right away!
With that in mind, Su Yan left Boulder Town and set off for Everwinter Hill.
* * *
Morning, shortly past 8:00 AM.
The noisy chatter outside the clinic roused March 7th from her deep sleep.
She slowly opened her eyes and stared at the clean white privacy curtain.
“So noisy…” March 7th muttered, rubbing her eyes as the remnants of sleep faded.
Straightening her rumpled clothes, March pulled back the curtain and looked left and right.
The neighboring beds were already empty; Stelle and Dan Heng were already up.
After a quick wash, March 7th stepped outside the clinic, only to find Stelle, Dan Heng, Su Yan, Seele, and the others sitting around the square table with solemn expressions, clearly discussing serious business.
Nearby, the Underworld residents trading for supplies kept glancing over at Su Yan and the group, seemingly drawn by something of great interest.
*Poke, poke.*
March 7th walked over to Stelle, gently poked her shoulder to get her attention, and whispered, “If you’re discussing serious business, why didn’t you wake me up?”
“Cocolia launched a night raid on the clinic last night and got captured by Su Yan…”
Stelle turned to March 7th and explained in brief.
“Captured who?
Where is she?”
The shocking news made March 7th’s head spin.
She looked left and right, trying to spot Cocolia.
“Right here.” Stelle pointed at the tabletop.
“Huh?” Following Stelle’s finger, March 7th saw three cards: one depicting a blonde noblewoman, and the other two showing identical glowing orbs.
“You can actually turn people and Stellarons into cards?
Su Yan, you’re amazing!”
Long accustomed to Su Yan’s bizarre feats, March 7th grasped the situation immediately.
“March, you’re so smart!” Stelle clapped.
Unlike Bronya and Serval, who had looked completely lost when they first saw the three cards, wearing expressions that practically screamed *What are you even talking about?*
“Of course!
I’ve always been smart.” March 7th accepted Stelle’s praise without the slightest modesty.
“In that case, clever March 7th, I have a mission for you.”
“Huh?
“A very simple one…” Su Yan glanced toward the nearby supply exchange counter, his meaning painfully clear.
“I refuse!” March 7th answered decisively.
“Fine then!
Go play with Stelle.
Dan Heng and I have serious work to do…”
“What’s that supposed to mean?!
What do you mean by that?!” March 7th put her hands on her hips, protesting indignantly.
“So, do you want to join us or not?” Su Yan asked.
“Of course I do!” March 7th replied instantly.
“Alright, let’s head inside…” Su Yan turned and walked into the clinic.
The others rose and followed, while March 7th dragged Stelle along inside.
“What about my opinion?” Stelle asked as she was dragged in.
Inside the makeshift meeting room in Natasha’s clinic:
“First order of business: treating Cocolia.”
With that, Su Yan released Cocolia from her card, swung his baseball bat, and smacked her across the head.
*Whack!*
With a single blow, Cocolia’s eyes instantly cleared up.
Compulsory Awakening Divine Machine—you deserve the best.
With her mind cleared, Cocolia naturally viewed things from a completely different perspective than when she was under the Stellaron’s sway.
Recalling everything she had done, her face twisted in agonizing pain…
Before Cocolia could say a word, Su Yan swung the bat again.
*Whack!* Her gaze grew even clearer.
“I don’t have the patience to listen to your excuses.
Abdicate the throne to Bronya.
Do you agree?”
Cocolia was no longer fit to sit in the position of the Supreme Guardian, and the people of the Underworld would never accept it.
“I agree!” Cocolia answered decisively without a moment’s hesitation.
“Second order of business: we will help Belobog clear out an area free of the Fragmentum and the snow.
Belobog will need to dispatch a unit of Silvermane Guards to mop up the Voidrangers.”
“What do you require from us in return?”
A faint spark of hope flickered in Cocolia’s dull eyes.
More safe territory meant the survival of Belobog.
Without the Fragmentum and the Eternal Freeze, having more land meant Belobog could hold out much longer.
With ample time, finding a permanent solution might actually be possible.
“It’s free.
Complimentary reconstruction support for a disaster-stricken civilization.”
To keep Cocolia from overthinking, Su Yan added a brief explanation.