Really want to put this trap on Dan Heng's neck
Chapter Text
[ "Remember, be cautious with every step you take. We still know so little about this world," Dan Heng instructed Stelle.
"Don't worry, with the three of us here, what can't we solve?" March 7th looked at Stelle with a smug expression, gesturing, "You have a Stellaron in your body, I have the unique Six-Phased Ice, and Dan Heng has... uh, some kind of mysterious past."
Mentioning Dan Heng's past, Stelle immediately widened her mouth into an "O" shape, looking completely eager to hear gossip.
Dan Heng promptly turned his head aside, seemingly trying his best to avoid the topic.
"Anyone who dares to cause us trouble is just unlucky!" March 7th clenched her fists and waved them around haphazardly, acting fierce, but her cute appearance made her look like she was just playfully whining.
Stelle: "Unlucky for them!"
"?" March 7th, put her hands on her hips: "How long has this repeating symptom been going on?"
Stelle then gave a mischievous, smug look.
March 7th felt slightly speechless. Before Stelle came to the train, she thought this taciturn girl was quite shy, but now... could this be her true nature?
On the way to their destination, the trio encountered many monsters. According to Dan Heng, these were all Fragmentum monsters created by the Stellaron.
Apart from a few lively monsters, most of them had already turned into ice sculptures in the heavy snow. ]
[ ..... ]
~Akame Ga Kill World~
In the lands far north of the Empire, Esdeath, at the Military campaign headquarters, was watching the scene on the light screen with a somewhat absent-minded expression.
Born in the northern border region of the Partas Clan, she was no stranger to this snowy landscape.
Through Stelle's perspective, the land still showed signs of a previous civilization, but the traces were very faint. Years of accumulated snow covered the roofs, the stone walls looked even more solid against the snow, and the old gates were mostly buried by snow, as if they were corners forgotten by time.
This desolate scene reminded her of her hometown, the Partas Clan, which had been destroyed more than a decade ago—perhaps the now deserted Partas Clan looked like this now?
While she was reminiscing, Esdeath felt something nudging her foot.
Coming back to her senses, she saw a scantily clad man prostrating himself at her feet, rubbing his boots like a puppy eager for a head pat.
The man's muscles were tight and strong, clearly honed through countless trials. In the past, he might have been a strong warrior capable of standing alone in the army—but in front of Esdeath, he knelt, trying to please his master with extreme flattery.
Esdeath subconsciously tightened her grip on the iron chain in her hand. The chain was connected to the collar around his neck, and the man had no choice but to lie at his master's feet.
He obediently licked Esdeath's boots.
"How boring,"
Esdeath rolled her eyes and sighed,
"Is this the strongest warrior in the north?"
She raised her leg and stomped hard on the man's head. With a burst of force, the man's head shattered like a smashed watermelon, blood and brain matter splattering everywhere.
A sweet, metallic scent filled the air, and Esdeath took a deep breath. The intoxicating smell eased her previously suppressed mood.
She looked up again at the light screen—
Whenever the scene lingered on Dan Heng's face, a flush began to appear on Esdeath's snow-white, delicate face.
As a sadist queen, her interest wasn't just in torturing and conquering ordinary people, but in conquering beautiful young men who looked incredibly strong at first glance.
And this young man named Dan Heng perfectly met her requirements.
His marksmanship was probably unmatched in the entire empire, especially when he wielded his spear to take other people's lives. His handsome, indifferent face showed no emotion, as if everything was as it should be.
In a one-on-one fight... perhaps even she couldn't easily defeat him, but that's precisely why this challenging target aroused her long-dormant desire for conquest.
Esdeath picked up the bloodstained black collar on the ground and licked her lips with relish.
"If I put this thing around his neck, what kind of expression would appear on his face?"
"I really want to see..."
—
[ The train trio walked through the snow for a while longer. March 7th suddenly noticed that a nearby snowdrift had moved.
"Hey, did you guys see that? Something seems to be moving in that pile of snow..."
"It's just an ordinary snowdrift. Are you sure it's not your imagination?"
"Definitely not, my eyesight is great! Let's go, let's get closer and take a look."
The three slowly approached the snowdrift and found that there was actually someone hiding inside. It was so cold that the person was shivering, but they were unwilling to come out.
"Hey, don't hide, you're freezing." March 7th craned her neck and looked into the snowdrift, advising, "And it's no use holding back your voice..."
"Step aside, March."
Dan Heng walked over with a serious expression and effortlessly swept away the snow covering the man's butt with a single spear strike. The sudden force made him lose his balance and stumble to the ground.
"Ouch!" A blue-haired man rubbed his butt and staggered to his feet. "Hey, buddy, is that necessary? Hiding in the snow isn't that big of a deal, you don't need to poke me with a spear, do you?"
He had just finished venting his dissatisfaction when he realized that the three people in front of him didn't seem easy to mess with.
Dan Heng looked serious, March 7th frowned with her hands on her hips, and Stelle... had a smile that suggested she was enjoying the spectacle.
The expression on his face immediately changed from cloudy to sunny, his face changing so quickly that it caught people off guard.
He clapped his hands, smiled "hehe," and said, "Uh, but I can't blame you heroes for this! Haha, I just appeared too suddenly. This hit was worth it; otherwise, how would I get to know you as good friends? Haha..."
"Is Commander Gepard here? I'm quite familiar with him."
March 7th tilted her head: "Who?"
Seeing March 7th's reaction, the man's eyes darted around, and he immediately guessed the identities of the three. His tense expression relaxed.
"Oh, you're not Silvermane Guards? You should have said so earlier. We're all on the same side, isn't this unnecessary?"
"Sampo Koski, nice to meet you." ]
[ ..... ]extremely high martial arts skills, but also knows how to neutralize force.
Chapter Text
[ "My name is Stelle," Stelle introduced herself.
March 7th glanced at Stelle with a complicated expression, inwardly marveling at how innocent she seemed to outsiders at this moment.
"Alright, alright, I got it. I didn't expect to meet fellow travelers in this freezing weather. Business hasn't been good lately, but don't worry, I, Sampo, never hog all the good stuff."
Sampo was enthusiastic, seeing that Stelle seemed to be the easiest to talk to among the three, and proactively extended a hand to her, saying,
"How about we team up? I have some reliable information: the Silvermane Guards' main force has been transferred to the front lines, which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity…"
Stelle looked at him blankly: "What business?"
"This is a bit much, folks. It's okay if you don't trust me, but you don't have to play dumb to this extent, right?"
Seeing that the expressions on their faces didn't change at all, Sampo's tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed, and he immediately changed to a new attitude, clapping his hands and laughing, "Forget it, meeting is fate after all. Ask me anything you want to know, and I'll tell you everything I know!"
Stelle asked a few questions about human settlements, learning that the only city on this planet was called 'Belobog', where they could find shelter from the wind and snow, and the Silvermane Guards were essentially the city's police force.
"Take us into the city, then? We're not very familiar with the roads." March 7th suggested.
"Enter the city? Going back already? I haven't made a sale today, little sister. Showing the way is a piece of cake, but—" Sampo shook his head, just about to continue, but when he turned his head, he caught sight of Dan Heng's murderous gaze.
The pressure from the cold-faced little Azure Dragon!
Sampo's forehead immediately broke out in a few drops of cold sweat, and he changed his tune with considerable pragmatism, his attitude immediately making a 180° turn.
"—But I just love helping people, haha, kindness is my synonym! Come with me, friends, and keep your voices down, lest we be discovered by the Guards." ]
[ ..... ]
~Runeterra World~
"Haha, I actually kind of like this kid."
Inside a certain underground base in Zaun, Silco held a wine glass in one hand, watching Sampo's ancestral face-changing performance with great interest.
As the leader of the major forces in Zaun, Silco, who grew up in the Undercity, had seen countless acts of flattery and face-changing, and Sampo's performance made him feel a sense of familiarity.
Jinx lay on a beam high up in the room, listlessly swinging her braids and blowing blue bubbles out of boredom:
"But if he were stronger, he wouldn't have to be like this."
"You're right, but that's what I admire about him."
Silco tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass in one gulp, then followed her topic and said,
"Those who survive to the end in harsh environments are often not those with great strength or intelligence, but those who are like him, who know how to read the wind and steer the rudder, and understand how to observe people's expressions."
"Even the strongest will have a day when they become weak, and that will be their death. But these people who walk between strength and weakness… hmm, not bad."
He nodded at Sampo in the light screen again, as if in appreciation.
If Sampo could come to Piltover, he would definitely try to get him to join his team. This kind of person is as cunning as a fox, and you can't buy them with sincerity. The only thing that can move them is enough benefits and interests.
Silco didn't hate this approach.
—
[ Under Sampo's guidance, the group quickly traveled through the snowfield."
"So, why are you hiding from the Silvermane Guards?" March 7th asked curiously along the way.
"Uh, it's just that I've privately collected a few ancient relics, nothing serious. Blame those officials for having only one track mind."
"Speaking of which, what are your guys' backgrounds? This kind of skill is rare even in the Belobog military camp, hey… I'm not asking around, just concerned about my friends."
Along the way, Sampo tried to extract some valuable information from Stelle and March 7th while laughing, but Dan Heng stopped him in time.
The group came to a small road, and suddenly, a few guards wearing blue uniforms and silver face armor came out and blocked their way.
Dan Heng immediately felt uneasy: "This is?"
Sampo scratched his head, a look of apology on his face: "Uh, remember the Silvermane Guards I mentioned? It's them…"
Dan Heng sighed. He didn't expect that even with such caution, they couldn't escape a battle.
As soon as the fight started, taking advantage of the others' attention being drawn, Sampo immediately slipped away, his escape speed as fast as humanly possible, disappearing into the wind and snow in an instant.
Fortunately, the strength of the guards was not strong. Under the joint offensive of the three, they couldn't resist at all and retreated repeatedly.
Just as March 7th shot out a rain of arrows, a burly man with a strong physique walked out from behind the guards.
He easily raised his hand and dissolved all of March 7th's arrows. When he stood in front of the three guards, he was like an indestructible wall. ]
[ ..... ]
~Baki World~
"Strange, why are the arrows completely ineffective against him?"
Inside a certain dojo in Tokyo, Retsu Kaiou, covered in sweat, put down the spear in his hand and looked at his teacher, Kaiou Kaku, who was sitting quietly and drinking tea.
After witnessing Dan Heng's spearmanship, which could be described as one man being equal to a thousand, Retsu Kaiou once again developed a strong interest in spearmanship. For this reason, he specially invited his 146-year-old teacher to Tokyo to personally correct the shortcomings in his spearmanship.
However, he found that no matter how hard he practiced, he could never grasp the essence of Dan Heng's spearmanship and was far from his realm.
Clearly, that young man seemed to be much younger than him…
Retsu Kaiou came to Bairin Temple to learn martial arts at the age of four, and was praised as the number one genius of Chinese martial arts since he was a child. Swords, spears, swords, halberds, and sticks were his homework since he was a child. Seeing that Dan Heng's spearmanship was far superior to his own, he felt a sense of inferiority like a frog in a well.
His spearmanship and boxing skills were far apart, only because he had always believed that a person's fists were the most powerful and free weapons. But after witnessing Dan Heng's spearmanship, he began to waver in his beliefs since childhood.
…So it turned out that his spearmanship was worlds apart from others.
And today, after witnessing Gepard easily defuse March 7th's arrow rain offensive, he was even more surprised.
"I understand, teacher. These people from another world not only have extremely high martial arts skills, but also know how to neutralize force."
Before Kaiou Kaku could put down the teacup in his hand, Retsu Kaiou affirmed to himself,
"And it's a very pure form of neutralizing force!"
"Pfft… cough cough cough!"
Kaiou Kaku almost couldn't hold back when he heard this, and coughed violently from being choked by the tea.Mr. Zhongli, please judge, who is more powerful, the Geo Archon or the Preservation Aeon?
~Baki World~
"That's not neutralizing force, but I'm not sure what it is exactly... Their world has too many bizarre powers, far beyond the 'skill' category in martial arts."
Kaiou Kaku cleared his throat, nodding at Gepard with considerable appreciation,
"However, this person's strength should also be remarkable, not even batting an eyelid when seeing Dan Heng and the others."
"One who harbors thunder in his chest yet maintains a serene countenance can be appointed a great general. Rie, you still need to learn from them."
"Yes!"
—
[ "Commander Gepard, they're with the blue-haired ringleader!" the soldiers who had just fought with Stelle said.
"Who's with him? I want to state in advance that I'm not quibbling! We're really not with that bad guy. Look at how he abandoned us without the slightest hesitation."
March 7th stood with her hands on her hips, getting angrier the more she thought about it, "We kindly rescued him from the snow, but he used us to deal with you. Don't let him provoke you—"
"As citizens of Belobog, you have the right to defend yourselves, but not now." Gepard turned to signal the guards beside him, "Take them back first."
"But we're not citizens of Belobog!" March 7th said anxiously.
"What did you say?"
Gepard finally turned his head to examine the attire of the three carefully. The black-haired, cold-faced youth remained silent, while the gray-haired and pink-haired girls' clothing was indeed very different from Belobog's.
The key was that in this freezing weather, they dared to dress so... scantily, completely unlike what people from Belobog would usually wear.
If ordinary people dressed like that, they would have frozen to death in this wilderness long ago.
"March 7th, quickly show her the photos!" Stelle was quickly reminded.
"Ah, Stelle, you're so smart! That's a great idea!" March 7th quickly took off the camera from her waist and walked towards Gepard, "You haven't seen what your planet looks like, have you? Let me show you the photos I took of Jarilo-VI..."
After seeing the photos, the soldiers next to Gepard were incredulous.
"You're saying this white ball is... here? The place we live? This is too..."
"It is said that long ago, travelers from beyond the sky often came here... But after the 'Great freeze' occurred, no one has ever crossed the snow curtain to come here."
After a brief moment of thought, Gepard finally concluded that if the outsiders' words were true, then it was beyond their jurisdiction and belonged to the 'Great Guardian's' responsibility.
"You must come with me to meet the Great Guardian." Gepard's voice softened a lot, "Outsiders, follow me. Belobog is behind this snow curtain."
The group followed Gepard's footsteps through the snow curtain. After passing through several defense zones, they finally arrived in the city of Belobog.
This was a city enveloped in warmth. On the streets, the fusion of white steam and metal created a unique visual experience. The deep blue sky was divided by towering chimneys, which occasionally spewed out grayish-white clouds of steam.
On the cobblestone streets, copper heaters and exhaust vents embedded in the walls could be seen everywhere, emitting dull clicking sounds of gears.
Stelle and the others followed Gepard through the commercial district. The shop windows were filled with mechanical toys and steam-powered mechanical devices, attracting the curious gazes of children. ]
[ ..... ]
~Runeterra World~
"This city's style is like Piltover."
Jayce walked to the window of the laboratory, leaning on the windowsill with his hands, looking down at Piltover from top to bottom, from the districts to Progress Plaza, and then to the Council Hall, the highest point of the city...
After careful comparison, although the overall style differed, the application of technology was remarkably similar.
There was still unmelted snow on the ground in Belobog. Although the city didn't seem that cold, it was definitely not as warm as the pleasant climate of Piltover.
"It seems that the scientific level of different worlds is uneven."
Viktor looked at the city in the sky as if it were a reflection, slightly lost in thought,
"Ms. Herta's research can rejuvenate people, but this city's technology is similar to ours. If we can develop more advanced Hextech, we should be able to completely surpass Belobog."
"We can't be so sure. Maybe this city also has its own 'Hex Crystal'?"
Viktor remembered Gepard's earlier mention of the "Preservation Aeon." Could it be that the Aeon's power was also manifested in this city?
—
[ "This is Belobog, the last bastion of humanity."
"The last bastion?" March 7th showed a puzzled expression.
"..." Gepard took a deep breath, speaking in a stiff tone as if he were standing on the podium in elementary school reciting a text, "Seven hundred years ago, monsters from beyond the sky (the Antimatter Legion) ignited the planet. At that time, the earth became scorched, filled with burning magma and boiling smoke."
At the critical moment of life and death, the Great freeze suddenly descended—the sweeping storm was unannounced, the invading legion was covered by blizzards, and only Belobog remained—
The steadfast [ Builders ] established this city, and under the protection of the [Preservation] Aeon, Belobog, though ravaged by wind and snow, is forever warm. ]
[ ..... ]
~Genshin Impact World~
At the storyteller Iron Tongue Tian's place, several idlers drinking tea were discussing endlessly while listening to Gepard's story.
"The Aeon can actually protect the entire city? I'll be damned! Then, according to this, isn't he as powerful as our Liyue's Geo Archon?"
"Hey—brother, that's not right. The Preservation Aeon can certainly protect the city, but it doesn't say he can subdue the demons and monsters of the four seas and pacify the evils of the world, right? If we didn't have our Geo Archon's skills, you might be eaten by a demon as soon as you leave Liyue Harbor."
"This brother is right, and did you forget?"
A merchant-like man recalled,
"During the Rite of Descension a few years ago, the Geo Archon would personally bestow divine guidance, directing Liyue's operations for the year. Liyue's prosperity today is inseparable from the Geo Archon's guidance!"
"Indeed, although the Preservation Aeon sounds powerful, our Geo Archon is more humane."
"But the Preservation Aeon can protect several planets!? Those planets might be bigger than our Teyvat!"
"Why are you always siding with outsiders? No matter how powerful that Aeon is, in Liyue, on the Geo Archon's territory, a dragon can only coil, and a tiger must lie down... Whether Preservation or no Preservation, if it were during the Archon War, the Geo Archon might have subdued him."
"Damn... you're talking nonsense!"
The people who had been chattering endlessly just now suddenly started arguing. None of them could convince the other, so they finally turned their attention to the two young men drinking tea quietly not far away.
One was dressed in the style of Snezhnaya and looked less than twenty years old.
And the other was actually the consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Zhongli! There were rumors in Liyue Harbor that this Mr. Zhongli was knowledgeable and erudite.
Even strange anecdotes that many old people didn't understand, this consultant could bring up easily.
The people quickly came to Zhongli, bowed, and asked for advice,
"Mr. Zhongli, you are talented and fair. Please judge, who is more powerful, the Geo Archon or the Preservation Aeon?"Seele is so cute, her counterpart must be very cute too, right?
Chapter Text
"Hmm..."
Zhongli's hand holding the teacup paused slightly.
Sitting across from him, Tartaglia immediately grinned from ear to ear, playing with the celadon teacup in his hand with great interest, his eyes fixed on Zhongli's seemingly calm face.
He also wanted to know Zhongli's answer.
"The martial strength between gods is difficult to judge. The only thing that can be compared is whether their people are happy."
Zhongli pondered for a moment before slowly putting down his teacup, raising a profound question,
"Everyone, you might as well think, are you happy?"
"Uh, my surname is Chen, right?... No, I am very happy!"
"Speaking of which, we do seem happier than the residents of Belobog. That freezing ghost place is barren, indeed not as pleasant as our Liyue."
"Yeah, Belobog looks grand, but such a cold place probably can't even grow potatoes, right?"
"The Preservation Aeon can protect them from freezing to death, but doesn't guarantee they live comfortably, right?"
Listening to the discussions, it seemed that the distinction between the Geo Archon and the Preservation Aeon had already been decided, and soon the group dispersed. Feeling that Zhongli had glossed over the question, Tartaglia was somewhat disappointed.
"There's something I don't understand."
Tartaglia couldn't help but ask,
"Does Mr. Zhongli really think the power of an Aeon can surpass that of a God?"
Zhongli looked at his clear reflection in the cup, thought for a while, and smiled slightly,
"I don't know. But there is an old saying in Liyue - 'The capable should do more.' Now that I have relinquished my position as a god, I only wish to be a carefree person in this world. But that Aeon has been fulfilling their duty of [ Preservation ] for thousands of years. I am far inferior to them in terms of the mental strength to resist erosion."
Zhongli raised his head slightly, his gaze seemed to penetrate the light curtain, through the dim, starless night sky of Belobog, looking towards a place even more distant than the Milky Way.
"If that Aeon could respond to me, I would have many questions to ask them."
—
[ Listening to Gepard's stiff reading, March 7th, Stelle and Dan Heng whispered, "He speaks so strangely." ]
"That's not his usual tone. He must be quoting some classic text." Dan Heng guessed.
"Oh." March 7th tilted her head thoughtfully, "Then why is he telling us this?"
"Because you asked." Gepard's tone was calm, but with a hint of stern rebuke.
March 7th touched her head and smiled awkwardly, trying to muddle through.
Gepard didn't want to pursue the matter and continued to lead them forward. Soon, they arrived at the central area of Belobog, a magnificent, towering fortress.
"This is the Command Center, the heart of Belobog, and the headquarters of the Architects."
Stelle asked, puzzled, "I've heard you mention 'Architects' many times along the way. Who exactly are they?"
"They are the saviors of mankind. Long before the Eternal Freeze, the Architects, defying the world's incomprehension and ridicule, insisted on building a city here. History has proven that their choice was correct."
Mentioning this past, Gepard couldn't help but reveal a look of respect on his face; this history must be of great significance to them.
"Of course, this fortress is also the residence of the Supreme Guardian."
"The Supreme Guardian?"
"They are the leaders of Belobog, elected or appointed by the Architects, who have watched over this city for generations, providing shelter for the people. The current Guardian is she promulgates Lady Cocolia Rand, and all major decisions within the city."
"I will now take you to see Lady Cocolia. You can organize your words first. Her time is precious, so she prefers concise reports."
As soon as he finished speaking, Gepard led them to the elevator, and soon arrived in front of a room at the highest point of the fortress.
After obtaining the consent of the guards at the door, he led Stelle and the others into Cocolia's office.
As soon as they entered, they saw a beautiful girl arguing fiercely about something.
She was wearing a silver-white combat uniform similar to Gepard's, but in the style of a white dress, which perfectly fit the girl's beautiful curves.
The black stockings under the skirt had a looming hollow pattern, adding a touch of sexiness to the girl's elegant and serious temperament.
Two blue gems were inlaid on the knee-high boots, but the most eye-catching thing was her classic hairstyle.
Three-turbine increase duck! ]
[ ..... ]
~Honkai: Impact 3rd World~
Seeing this hairstyle, this hair color, and the name "Bronya", Seele, who was sitting next to Bronya, finally couldn't help but stand up.
There were actually two Bronyas in the light curtain!
No!
To be precise, there was still one. Although the previous Silver Wolf had the same voice, face, and personality as Bronya, her name was different. And this Bronya "big" sister had the same name, but everything else was different.
"And this figure..."
"Ugh! What are you thinking!?"
Realizing that she was thinking wildly, Seele quickly patted her cheeks lightly, trying to correct her perception.
The Bronya in front of her was the most perfect!!
"Oh? Two Bronyas~"
Kiana smiled and leaned next to Bronya,
"I didn't expect Bronya to be quite popular in another world~"
Bronya leaned back,
Resting on Seele's soft thighs, she looked up with a "ᗜ ‸ ᗜ" expression, not knowing what to say for a moment.
Not only did two of her alternate selves appear, but even Cocolia appeared as well.
Bronya felt like she could guess what would happen next...
However, more than what was going to happen, she was more curious when Seele's alternate would show up.
She reached out and gently pinched Seele's smooth face, watching the girl's shy expression, Bronya chuckled.
Seele was so cute, her alternate must be very cute too, right?
—
[ The silver-haired girl was arguing fiercely with the lady on the stage,
"...But, such sacrifices are meaningless, you can't—"
"You may leave, Bronya, the visitors have arrived." Cocolia rudely interrupted the girl's speech with an unquestionable tone.
"..." Bronya clenched her fists, even though her vermilion lips were bitten pale, she still lowered her head obediently, saying word by word,
"Yes, Mother."
The girl's firm eyes still carried a hint of unwillingness, and before leaving, her gaze glanced in Stelle's direction.
"Guardian." Gepard took the initiative to step forward and said, "I have brought three [ Outlanders ] to see you." ]
[ ..... ]