Some time before the revival of the Ambrosial Arbor.
Welt cheerfully piloted a starskiff through the Jade Gate. Unlike Stelle and her group, he received proper guidance this time and landed successfully at Central Starskiff Haven without any incidents.
However, the tranquil atmosphere of Stargazer Navalia struck him as odd. Wasn't there supposed to be a major disturbance here? Why is it so quiet?
After some brief thought, Welt decided to ask a passerby. He grabbed a foxian and inquired, "Excuse me, where on the Luofu has something big happened?"
The passerby pondered for a moment. "Something big? What kind are you talking about?"
Welt asked earnestly, "Something critical, like a matter of life and death for the Xianzhou, an apocalyptic event."
The passerby replied, "…Does this place look like it's facing an apocalypse to you?"
Welt was at a loss for words. They had a point. The Xianzhou was as calm as a typical peaceful day. At first glance, it seemed like something had happened, but in reality, nothing had.
But Himeko wouldn't have sent him baseless messages, would she? How strange…
Bang.
While walking, Welt suddenly bumped into a blond man. He was about to apologize instinctively, but when he saw the man's face, he froze.
He had seen this face on two people before.
"Sorry about that, sir," the blond man said with a smile before attempting to walk past Welt.
Welt grabbed him back, rubbing his chin as he scrutinized him closely.
He examined every detail of Luocha meticulously, his intense gaze making Luocha's back prickle. What's wrong with this guy? Have I provoked him or something?
Luocha forced a smile. "…? Sir, you seem quite interested in me."
Without thinking, Welt replied, "Yes, your face, your physique… they remind me of an old acquaintance. His body… tsk tsk tsk, it felt pretty good."
What Welt meant was that "a certain blond bishop and a certain golden cube felt great to pummel"—solid, satisfying hits that never broke no matter how hard you struck, making it both stress-relieving and gratifying.
But to Luocha, the comment made the atmosphere subtly… philosophical.
Gulp.
Luocha swallowed hard, his heart rate picking up. His face flushed slightly as he gently placed a hand on Welt's shoulder. "Sir, we've never met before. Those words… they're a bit too improper!"
"I know my charm is hard for most to resist, but it's not your fault."
Welt gave a faint smile. "Sir, you're mistaken. What's improper about it? I was just reminiscing about that exhilarating feeling and got carried away."
Luocha's inner thoughts: ! Is this… is this the legendary…?!
He… he's not planning to kidnap me in broad daylight because I'm this handsome, lock me in a basement, and whip me day and night to satisfy some weird fetish, is he?
Welt's inner thoughts: Sigh, what a pity. If this guy really is Otto, I'd drag him home and whip him day and night for real.
"Sorry for disturbing you. I was just trying to confirm if you were that old acquaintance of mine. My apologies," Welt said sincerely. "I tend to overthink things. Sorry about that."
Luocha sighed. "No worries. The galaxy is vast, and it's not uncommon for people to look similar. I can understand your reaction."
"But it sounds like you and that acquaintance had quite a good relationship, reaching that level."
Welt adjusted his glasses, his gaze distant. "Yeah, you could say my relationship with that guy was 'quite good.' During our closest times, we were practically inseparable."
What Welt was thinking of was the image of him stringing Otto up like a punching bag and beating him senseless. It felt so good—solid punches, and he could taunt him with lines like, "You may have lost Kallen, but you've still got me! I can be your life's companion and stay with you for the rest of it."
Meanwhile, Luocha's mind conjured a mosaic-filled scene, a blur of flesh tones too scandalous to behold.
Why did he feel a strange thrill? Was it because of the resemblance, making him imagine himself in that scenario?
No, no, no, he couldn't let himself get sucked into this! Luocha was definitely not a masochist!
"Haha, t-that's… uh, quite an enviable friendship," Luocha said with a strained laugh.
At the mention, Welt suddenly grinned, a hint of pride in his voice. "You probably don't know, but when I was young, that guy did something awful to me. Luckily, I had reliable companions by my side, which gave me the strength to rise up and pin him down."
Welt raised a fist. "The moment I turned the tables, I paid him back in full, using his own methods against him over and over (by destroying his Kallen figurine), listening to his delightful pleas for mercy."
Luocha: Wow, there's even an underage angle?!
Welt continued, "It's a thrilling, blood-pumping story. If I weren't in a rush, I'd tell you the whole thing… but let me share the ending. That guy who looks just like you—what do you think his fate was?"
Luocha asked curiously, "What was it?"
"Guess."
"Hm… you two ended up together, happy and blissful?"
Welt thought for a moment. Happy and blissful? He was definitely happy and blissful. Whether Otto was, he wasn't sure.
Well, probably. Otto never denied it, so that was as good as confirmation.
"Uh… you got part of it right," Welt said.
Luocha followed his own logic. "Let me think. If it fits the 'happy and blissful' standard, then you must have built a happy, fulfilling family, right?"
Welt clapped his hands, impressed. "Smart."
Luocha grew more confident in his theory. "But due to some obvious reasons (you and your friend are both men), you also adopted an obedient, well-behaved child, right?"
"Not bad, brother! You've got some skill!"
Luocha reached his final conclusion. "Congratulations! You're living the happiest life in the universe. No matter the struggles in between, overcoming hardships to be with the one you love, with a harmonious family and a happy life—that's enough."
Welt laughed heartily. "Exactly, that's enough. Brother, it's a shame we didn't meet sooner. Let's add each other as friends and chat more later."
Luocha laughed too, his back drenched in cold sweat. "Haha, let's pass on that. I believe the stars are round. Even if we head in opposite directions, we'll meet again someday."
With that, he turned and fled without looking back, his figure somewhat disheveled.
Welt stood in place. "…But the Xianzhou isn't a planet."
Boom—
As he lamented losing a potential friend, a thunderous sound echoed from the distance. An ancient tree surged skyward, growing rapidly toward the heavens.