The Star Train's Journey Through the Heavens

Chapter 63 Return to the World of Collapsed Iron
"Gudong"

Xing downed half a glass in one gulp, then gave Zhu Zhuqing a thumbs up: "Delicious!"

Zhu Zhuqing carefully picked up the coffee, afraid of spilling it, and took a small sip while squinting her eyes under Xing's urging gaze.

The rich aroma bursts on the tongue, smooth and without a trace of bitterness.

Zhu Zhuqing's narrowed eyes suddenly widened, revealing a look of surprise, and she exclaimed softly, "It's really delicious! It's the most perfect coffee I've ever had in my life!"

Ok?
Her large, golden eyes were filled with confusion. What happened? How come she was completely unharmed?
Could it be that Himeko's new flavor is actually normal?
Xing took another sip of coffee with a puzzled look in her heart. This time, she didn't swallow it whole, but held it in her mouth and savored it.

The familiar smell instantly flooded her mind, and Xing felt a chill run down her spine.

That's right, this is a normal Himeko coffee.

"I've already tried it. Since you like it so much, Sister Xing, I'll give it to you." Zhu Zhuqing reluctantly put down the coffee and pushed it towards Xing.

Could it be that the kitten was acting out my act? Xing suddenly realized, feeling as if she had seen through the truth.

"No need. It's your first time on the bus. If it tastes good, drink more," Xing said haltingly, sounding somewhat injured.

Zhu Zhuqing happily pulled back her coffee, took another small sip, and her face was full of happiness.

Xing, refusing to believe it, took another sip.

"Cough cough~"

"Ah Xing, what's wrong with you, Ah Xing? Why are you foaming at the mouth?" Meng Huaifeng shook Xing's shoulders frantically.

"I...I'm fine." Xing looked in Zhu Zhuqing's direction. Zhu Zhuqing remained expressionless, still happily sipping her coffee.

On March 7th, looking on in surprise, she ran to Zhu Zhuqing's side and watched her drink, confirming that she wasn't faking it.

"This doesn't make sense," March 7th said, full of confusion.

“One person is enough to try the new product. Since Xing is so proactive, I’ll leave this task to her. The coffee for the three of you is made by me using my martial spirit.” Himeko revealed the secret with a sly smile as she spoke to Xing.

"No!"

I have been betrayed three times...

The star could no longer rise and fell into a peaceful, infant-like sleep.

"Tsk tsk, harming others will ultimately harm oneself; one who reaps what one sows will not live." Meng Huaifeng clicked his tongue, shook his head slightly, and picked up his coffee to enjoy it with peace of mind.

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Xing, who had fallen into a deep sleep, and was extremely curious. What was wrong with her? Was there any difference between Sister Ji Zi's new product and the one she was drinking?

Zhu Zhuqing reached out and took the cup that Xing was drinking from. There was about a third left. She took a sniff and, although the aroma was slightly different, it still smelled pretty good.

"Gudong."

Zhu Zhuqing's face froze instantly, and then she slumped onto the coffee table with a 'thud'.

"Seriously, curiosity killed the cat," Meng Huaifeng commented again.

Even though Himeko showed mercy, the newcomer ultimately couldn't escape the same fate.

Ah Xing's move can be considered a strategist putting himself into the game, but he lost half a move, suffering a thousand losses himself while injuring the enemy eight hundred.

As Pam prepared the feast, the two, who had been sleeping like babies, slowly woke up. They seemed to have forgotten about the coffee, and Hoshino was itching to have another round of Himeko's hand-ground coffee.

However, Himeko regretfully declined this time. If she had another drink, she might have to sleep until the next day, and Pam would be sad if there weren't enough people for dinner.

Pam prepared a very lavish meal, and the group enjoyed it immensely.

After helping Pam pack her things, everyone sat on the sofa and their expressions gradually became serious. The sounds of March 7th and Star playing around also unconsciously quieted down.

Now it's time to get down to business.

"Huaifeng, how long does it take for your system to open the return wormhole? What is the maximum duration it can maintain?" Himeko asked.

"To travel to a fixed world, it takes ten seconds to anchor the world coordinates. Once the wormhole is opened, it can only last for a maximum of three seconds. If it takes any longer, it will consume an extra energy for another travel." The system only has this one broken function, but Meng Huaifeng, who always plans before acting, has already figured it out.

"So, within these ten seconds of anchoring to the world coordinates, can you move? After you move, will the wormhole open in the original location or follow you?"

"I can move. Compared to the dimensions of the world, the distance I move is negligible. As long as I don't instantly travel from the south of the Milky Way to the north, it won't have any impact. And the location where the wormhole opens follows my movement," Meng Huaifeng said.

"Oh, so you can prepare on a moving train. What's the maximum distance you can open a wormhole to?" Himeko asked again.

"Within a three-meter radius, you may designate any area as you wish."

"Is there a delay?"

"No."

"That makes things easier." Himeko smiled easily, radiating charm.

……

The next day, the entire train crew, having rested and recuperated overnight, were full of energy and high spirits.

Meng Huaifeng and Pam were both in the driver's cab at the very front of the train, ready for anything.

"The wormhole will last for a maximum of three seconds. The current train has nine carriages and is 234 meters long, so the train's speed must be at least 78 meters per second. Just in case, we will control the speed between 90 and 100 meters per second. Don't go too fast either. After passing through the wormhole, we need to stop as soon as possible to stabilize it. It would be too much of a waste of time to run too far back." Himeko's voice came from the phone.

“Understood, Pam,” Pam replied. “Then, I’m off, Pam.”

“Let’s begin,” Himeko replied.

Pam pushed the lever, and the Star Train slowly started moving in the starry sky, its speed increasing rapidly.

"We've reached the predetermined speed, we can proceed to the next step, Pam." Pam stabilized the train's speed, and the train began to move forward at a constant pace.

"System, return to the previous world and anchor to the Collapse Iron World," Meng Huaifeng said to the system in his mind.

"Anchoring to the Collapse Iron World, estimated time 10 seconds. Ten, nine, eight..." The system's voice rang in Meng Huaifeng's mind.

"seven."

"six."

"five."

Meng Huaifeng spoke in sync with the system's countdown, while the others listened intently.

"Four."

In the control room, the entire train crew gathered.

Himeko radiated a silvery-white light, and her red skirt fluttered and rustled even without wind.

"Everyone, prepare! Unleash the power of exploration with all your might to generate the Silver Rail!"

Following Himeko's words, Walter, Danheng, March 7, Hoshi, and Zhu Zhuqing all shone with a silvery-white light, channeling the power of pioneering into the device beneath their feet, just as Himeko had instructed them.

The silver tracks formed behind the train were brighter than ever before, making even the stars appear somewhat dimmer.

"three!"

Meng Huaifeng's voice became a few decibels louder.

"two!"

The silver-white light emanating from everyone in the control room merged into one.

"one!"

Meng Huaifeng stretched out his right hand and pressed it against the glass in front of the driver's cab. A wormhole suddenly appeared three meters away, right in front of the train, and instantly swallowed the train!

(End of this chapter)