Daziel's mouth twitched slightly when he saw these messages.
He used his fingers to enlarge March 7's photo and took a closer look, even able to see the faintly visible water stains...
Daziel felt a headache. He rubbed his temples and then sent a message to March 7 - "I'll fuck you to death when I get back! You slut!"
March 7 immediately replied with a [grievance] emoji.
Then, he clicked back to the group chat and replied -
[Everything is going well, but I may have to stay in Xianzhou for a few more days to deal with some things. I'll go back when I'm done.]
Several people's messages popped up on the phone screen quickly.
[March 7: Ah? Still have to stay for a few more days? [Grievance]]
[Himeko: Oh? It seems that things are not simple, busy man. [Drinking coffee]]
[Daziel: It's a bit complicated, I'll tell you in detail when I get back.]
[Welt: Be extra careful.]
[March 7: Okay, then you must pay attention to safety! [Hug]]
[Daziel: Don't worry, I will.]
After finishing the conversation with the Astral Express group, Daziel's mood relaxed a lot. He put down his phone, lay on the bed, closed his eyes, and began to rest.
…
On the Astral Express, Simultaneously…
Himeko relaxed in the train car, savoring a cup of freshly brewed coffee.
A soft smile touched the corners of her lips as she scanned the chat log on her phone.
"It seems Daziel's trip to Xianzhou is proving more complicated than we anticipated," she murmured to herself. "Herta's 'End King' prophecy from the Simulated Universe… it might just be right. This world could be far from peaceful, and he's likely walking right into the eye of the storm."
Beside her, March 7th was engrossed in her camera, scrolling through the photos she'd snapped earlier.
Hearing Himeko's words, she looked up, curiosity lighting her eyes. "What do you think Daziel's run into on Xianzhou, Himeko?"
Himeko set down her coffee cup, a playful smile gracing her features. "Who knows? But judging by the messages, he's definitely caught up in something… perhaps something, or someone, distracting."
March 7th's lips formed a slight pout. "I really hope he comes back soon. I miss him already."
Himeko glanced at March 7th's wistful expression and couldn't resist a little tease. "What, missing him after only two days? And here I thought that 'birth-inducing' coffee you had this morning was all for naught, then?"
March 7th's cheeks instantly flared crimson. She waved her hands frantically, stammering, "Hi… Himeko-san, wha… what are you even saying! We… we didn't…"
Her voice trailed off, shrinking to a near-whisper as her agitation grew.
Himeko chuckled, watching March 7th's delightful embarrassment.
"Haha, alright, alright, I'll stop teasing you. Look at you, you're practically glowing red! We only gave you that drink to see if there was any truth to that prophecy, to try and glimpse the future…"
March 7th shot Himeko a playfully resentful look, her voice still tinged with shyness and anxiety. "Himeko-san! We… we really didn't do anything! We… we were careful! Your drink was wasted on me!"
Himeko offered a meaningful, "Oh?" then continued, "Is that so? Well, it seems we might have been jumping to conclusions then."
Seeing that Himeko finally dropped the subject, March 7th visibly relaxed, a sigh escaping her lips.
She ducked her head, pretending to be absorbed by her photos, avoiding Himeko's gaze.
Himeko watched March 7th, a secret smile playing on her lips. This girl is still so naive, she thought, absolutely hopeless when it comes to teasing.
Picking up her coffee again, she took a delicate sip. "Still," she mused, changing the subject slightly, "speaking of Daziel… if he truly is the 'only solution' in Herta's 'End King' prophecy from the Simulated Universe, and if saving the world requires him to do that kind of thing…"
She paused for effect. "He's certainly not going to be lacking for female company in the future. Can you handle that? I remember you had that nightmare once, dreaming he was with other women… you were quite upset for a while."
"I used to worry about it," March 7th admitted, her voice softer now. "But now… for some reason, all I really feel is… it's enough just to be with him, you know? Other things… they just don't seem to matter as much anymore."
March 7th's hand drifted down, almost unconsciously, to stroke her sensitive lower region. A faint sensation bloomed there.
Beneath the fabric of her clothes, above that deeply sensitive area, the seductive pattern was shimmering with a soft pink light. The image was now about 70% complete…
"If he needs other women to save the world," she murmured, her voice almost lost in thought, "then… I'll do everything I can to help him. I'll support whatever he needs to do."
…
Daziel, who had been drifting back to sleep, snapped his eyes open at a "ding!" notification sound in his mind.
[Target character March 7th's depravity value increased by 5%]
[Current depravity value: 73%]
[Trigger keyword: Lonely in an empty boudoir]
[Please continue your efforts. Even with a growing harem, remember to maintain it!]
Daziel stared blankly at the subtitles floating before his eyes.
Wait, he thought, how is her depravity increasing when we're this far apart?
Are the… 'little toys' the conductor prepped not up to snuff? Is the bitrate too low?
Looks like I'll have to send March 7th a high-bitrate Purple Vibrator, and maybe remotely modulate it myself with the button… otherwise, how is this supposed to work?
…
Night swiftly gave way to morning.
The next day, Daziel dragged himself awake, still heavy with sleep. He grabbed his phone.
The screen was flooded with messages from unfamiliar numbers, each one like a death knell in text form:
[Mr. Daziel! Help! It's Scott. Those bastards in Aurum Alley are holding up the company's goods!]
[They're saying there's a problem with our shipment, and they want to confiscate everything! Isn't this just blatant bullying?]
[I'm completely lost in Xianzhou, and I honestly don't know where else to turn. I'm begging you for help!]
[You're a respected figure in Xianzhou, and a valued customer of ours. You have to help me get justice!]
…
Daziel frowned, reading through the frantic messages.
What the hell…?
This plot is all wrong.
In the original story, it should be Sushang sending a message for help, not Scott. Why Scott?
He typed out a reply:
[Scott? How did you even get my contact info?]
Scott's response was almost instantaneous:
[Oh, Mr. Daziel, it's a matter of life and death here! Please, don't worry about the details!]
[I practically begged Director Topaz to give it to me!]
[Please, have some mercy and help me! I'm just a low-level specialist, no power or influence. If these goods are seized, I'm ruined!]
Daziel cursed under his breath. "That bitch Topaz! I almost felt a little bad for her before, but she turns around and sells me out like this? Next time I see her, I'm going to give her what for!"
He paused, considering. No matter who triggered the plot – Sushang or Scott – the conflict in Aurum Alley was a critical juncture. He had to go.
It was essential for controlling the world line's development.
[Alright, where are you? I'll come take a look.]
Daziel sent the reply.
[Amazing! Mr. Daziel, you're a true lifesaver! I'm at the pier, please hurry!]
Scott's gratitude practically vibrated through the screen.
_____
Hey there! I'm Wallnut-chan! 🌸 I'm translating this fanfic and restoring some +18 scenes that were cut from the original work—since explicit content isn't allowed in China. I went through everything carefully and reinserted the scenes while staying true to the story! Hope you enjoy it!
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