Starry Sky Railway: Opening Performance - Taixu Sword God

"I thought my luck had finally turned around since I didn't end up in jail on my recent pioneering trips, but it turns out I still couldn't escape my fate..."

Soon, the sound of Sunday came from the sky.

"[You are all guests who have come from afar, and I ultimately do not wish for war to break out.]"

"[So, before everything became irreparable, I arranged three plays.]"

"[Where should the story begin?]"

"[Let's start from when 'Pinocchone' was still 'Frontier Prison'.]"

As Yan Huan and the other two began exploring this space, Zhou Ri continued to provide explanations.

"[In the Amber Calendar 2147, the prisoner Hanunu ignited a massive war and emerged victorious.]"

"[The company calls it the 'Frontier War,' while the Asdna people call it the 'War of Independence.']"

Ahead, several puppets are also performing along with Sunday's words.

The doll clenched its fists and shouted excitedly:

"We want to turn it into a paradise of freedom!"

"The cage has been shattered!"

"The jailer has been expelled!"

Sunday said in a deep voice:

"[Mr. Hanunu was a great man, but we should not deny that while he could bring freedom to prisoners, he did not know how to give them true freedom.]"

Ahead, a large group of puppets lined up to welcome Yan Huan and her two companions.

"Respectable travelers, thank you for staying."

March 7th was suddenly quite happy:

"Hey, these puppets are pretty realistic, they even know how to welcome us."

Yan Huan said disdainfully:

"We're not the ones being welcomed, are we?"

"They were probably talking to Mikhail, Lazarina, and Ternan, those old, unknown people."

Sunday also provided the answer:

"[That's right.]"

"[Three nameless travelers remained here, attempting to convey the doctrine of 'pioneering' to the frontier prison, but unfortunately, their efforts were in vain.]"

After traveling for a while, the road ahead became even darker.

In the darkness, several puppets conspired:

"We should build another prison, not in this world, but in people's hearts."

Opening on Sunday:

"[Astena is once again engulfed in war, this time the enemy comes from within.]"

"[A prisoner remains a prisoner until death; he knows only how to fight for freedom, not how to live for it.]"

If you walk further ahead, you will reach the end of this road.

Several glowing puppets, timidly covering their heads with their hands, showed fear towards a lantern-headed puppet in front of them that was holding a copper pipe.

The lantern-headed doll announces:

"[I hope you like this land of freedom on this scorched earth.]"

Sunday sighed:

"[See, their sentences have long since ended, and the company's jailers have been dismissed.]"

"[But these prisoners are still slaves, because what imprisons them is not external things, but their own hearts.]"

"Freedom exists everywhere except in the weak soul."

"[It can help no one but those who believe in its existence.]"

The lantern-headed puppet looked at the timid puppets, gripped its weapon again, and spoke:

"[Prisoners! I command you to learn freedom, and teach your brothers—to fight for life!]"

The next moment, a large number of dolls descended from the sky and, under the command of the lantern-headed doll, rushed towards the three people on the train.

"Huh? Huh?" March 7th was a little confused:

"Why do we have to fight over watching a play?!"

Answered on Sunday:

"[Because I not only want you all to enjoy this play, I also hope you... will help me complete it.]"

"Finish it?" Yan Huan slowly pulled a grenade from his pocket:

"And such a good thing?!"

boom--

With a loud explosion, the rushing doll was instantly blown to pieces.

Seeing his army routed, the lantern-headed puppet couldn't help but sigh:

"[No one can stop your path anymore; you are free.]"

The timid puppets also stood up, bowed to Yan Huan and the others, and expressed their gratitude.

Himeko stared at the bowing dolls:

"So, in the history of Pinocchio, they should be thanking Mikhail and other nameless predecessors?"

"[That's just how it is.]" Sunday stated:

"[This concludes the first act.]"

"[Amidst the raging flames of war, the 'frontier prison' gradually transformed into a 'place of exile.']"

Himeko nodded slightly, already having the answer in her heart, and concluded:

"This is the history of Pinocchio's construction."

"With the help of outsiders, the prisoners finally gained their freedom and established a 'place of exile' in the universe."

She looked at Yan Huan and March 7th:

"But compared to the physical prison, Sunday seems to focus more on expressing people's spiritual predicament."

Yan Huan said calmly:

"How can any human being truly without any mental or emotional difficulties?"

"It is precisely because we are complex that we are human..."

Chapter 754 Ode to the Foolish Servant

The dolls bowed to the three women and gestured for them to step into the picture frame at the end of the road.

"Where do these dolls want us to go this time?"

"The next scene, of course."

Yan Huan stepped into the picture frame first, followed closely by San Yueqi and Ji Zi.

The three returned to the Grand Theater.

The sounds of Sunday and the hymn of harmony resound once more: "[He makes the stardust into rivers, and identifies the good and righteous upstream, and the evil and unrighteous downstream.]"

"[From this point on, all things received their own marks, and people came to know good and evil, benefit and harm.]"

"[This was the third and fourth day.]"

Seeing how enthusiastic he was about preaching on Sunday, Yan Huan asked:

"...There won't be a fifth, sixth, or seventh day, will there?"

“Of course,” Sunday said with a slight smile.

"I will present the rest to you all."

Guided by the doll, the three members of the train crew were taken to another dream space.

[Act II, "Ode to the Foolish Servant"]

Himeko looked around, examining this new dream space, and pondered:

“The Ode to the Foolish Servant”, the situation here is more complicated than last time.

The dolls here no longer glow like spirits, but have a dull luster and a substantial appearance.

They were in various poses, but most of them were curled up on the ground, looking quite pessimistic.

"The surrounding furnishings are quite tidy."

Looking ahead on March 7th:

"So many mirrors, what are the little figures in them doing... playing the piano?"

Sunday introduced:

"[The story that follows revolves around a power struggle.]"

"[The seven major elements—trees, flowers, birds, beasts, fruits, and insects—are all located in Pinocchio."]

"..." Sunday's words reminded Yan Huan of a book called the Bible.

"What is the connection between these things and the Garden of Eden?"

The explanation will continue on Sunday:

"[Peace never truly came to the land of exile.]"

"[This history is complex and multifaceted; please allow me to present it to you through an allegorical approach.]"