"Don't... Don't press anymore! March! If you keep doing that, I'm really gonna be a goner!"
Feeling a sharp pain surge through his entire body, Wende's eyes shot open as he struggled to stop her next move.
Although this girl had mastered the massage techniques he had taught her, wasn't she a little too proficient?! Where was she getting all this strength! What happened to the finesse he taught her!
"Ehehe, I was just worried you wouldn't wake up! So I used just a tiny bit of force."
March touched the back of her head, looking embarrassed. Her large, pinkish-blue eyes darted away, not daring to meet Wende's gaze.
It seemed that, probably... in her panic, she hadn't exactly followed Wende's techniques...
"Um... but Wende really did wake up."
Stelle crouched on Wende's other side, gently poking his cheek with her finger.
"So, what was the reason I passed out in the first place?"
Wende stared expressionlessly at Stelle, who showed not a hint of remorse, and spoke in a flat tone.
"Uh... Little Stelle doesn't know."
Stelle gave an awkward laugh, a flicker of panic in her golden eyes, before turning her head to the side.
"Sigh... Why do I feel like this is the worst injury I've sustained since the fight with Phantylia," Wende muttered, then shot a resentful glance at Tingyun and Jingliu, who were sitting nearby as if nothing had happened.
If it weren't for the two of them providing the assist, would his frontal armor have been pierced so easily?
"Hiss..."
Sitting up from the floor, Wende felt a sharp pain in his abdominal muscles. He quickly used the power of Abundance to heal himself, which made it feel much better.
"Sigh, Stelle, how has your head gotten even harder since we arrived on Punklorde?"
Wende patted Stelle's head with a sigh of wonder.
"Uhm..."
Watching the harmonious scene between the two, March couldn't help but recall the moment they had first arrived, when Stelle had gone on a rampage, mowing through hordes of monsters.
The combined speed of her, Himeko, and Dan Heng couldn't even keep up with Stelle's kill rate. In a sense, her head really was the most "iron" of them all...
"Ehehe..."
Under Wende's touch, Stelle unconsciously closed her eyes, looking completely blissful. The Wende-energy she had been missing for so long was finally replenished! No, wait, this wasn't enough!
And so, compelled by some mysterious force, Stelle followed the motion of Wende's hand and buried her head straight into his broad chest, a dazed, silly smile on her face as Wende's own expression went completely dark.
"..."
Silence was the theme song in the tent at that moment. Himeko, who had been about to say something to Wende, froze on the spot, momentarily unsure of what to do. Dan Heng, who had just stepped into the tent, looked up, saw the scene, and immediately retracted his foot and walked back out. March stared blankly at the display, then helplessly glanced to the side, only to see Jingliu and Tingyun looking on as if this were a perfectly normal occurrence.
Bzzzt... Bzzzt...
"Sigh."
Gently setting aside a now-paralyzed Stelle, who was covered in arcs of electricity, Wende sighed helplessly... How did it come to this... He thought he saw the shadow of a certain white-haired furball in Stelle's actions... Was it just his imagination?
---o---
Honkai World, St. Freya Academy Dormitory.
"Mei! I got Silver Wolf to full Eidolons! In a single ten-pull!"
A flash of white shot out from the bedroom. It then proceeded to envelop Mei, who was scrolling on her phone on the living room couch, in a flurry of hugs, kisses, and groping, a satisfied smile plastered on its face.
"Ah? Kiana, you... Wait, wait! Kiana! What are you doing! No!"
Bzzzt... Bzzzt...
"Waaah!"
"What! What's going on! Why am I detecting the Third Herrscher's energy signature?!"
"Prin... Principal!"
"Wuaaah! Why is Kiana collapsing with black smoke coming off of her!"
"This... is a long story..."
---o---
Honkai: Star Rail World, Punklorde, Frontline Tent in the Old District.
Wende sat in a chair, deep in thought. Stelle must have been influenced by a certain Schicksal protagonist to end up like this, right? It had to be.
After the brief farce, Wende decided to pull Stelle up from her paralyzed state. After all, there was a small Express meeting to hold, and it wouldn't be good to be short one person.
Everyone gathered around a circular table. Himeko used her phone to connect with Welt, who was far away on the Astral Express, thus bringing the entire crew together.
"Alright, let's first sort out the current situation on Punklorde."
Himeko, seated at the head of the table, scanned the group and began the meeting.
"Over the past few days, we've gotten a general understanding of the situation here. We've also located the epicenter of the Stellaron, which is inside that [Legendary Tower]."
"So, the problem now is how we can get to the Legendary Tower. Although the Astral Express crew is quite capable, reaching it directly won't be that easy."
Himeko shook her head.
Due to the Stellaron's presence, the monsters near the Legendary Tower were abnormally powerful, several times, or even dozens of times, stronger than the small fry they had encountered. Furthermore, the situation inside the tower was unknown; no one knew what was happening in there. If they were to rush in recklessly, they would likely suffer heavy losses.
As she said this, Himeko glanced over at Stelle.
"Ah, this..."
A certain dual-wielding warmonger gave an awkward laugh.
"So, you need to find a reliable route to get there, and you must also ensure you can leave safely," Welt added, nodding from the video call.
This would not only reduce many unnecessary troubles but, most importantly, ensure everyone's safety.
"That's right. Punklorde's underground reservoir is a very good option."
Himeko nodded and then presented her idea.
"I learned of a shortcut from that commander, Charles. Following the underground reservoir leads directly into the Legendary Tower, allowing us to avoid getting tangled up with the monsters on the surface."
"But..." Himeko's tone shifted. "This place is the old stomping grounds of that universe-renowned legendary hacker. The environment within is very complex, and it's said to be filled with many hazardous conditions."
"But it's the best path, right?" Dan Heng stated directly.
"Correct. And its entrance... is right here in the Old District," Himeko said with a faint smile.