The Envoy of Abundance from Onphalus

　Schwarz answered without mincing words, “Mr. Russell visited here forty-six hours, twenty-eight minutes, and seventeen seconds ago. He left a message and instructions: if you come, treat him with courtesy and provide him with the necessary assistance.”

　"Mr. Russell? He's been here?"

　March 7th exclaimed in surprise, eagerly asking, "Where is he now? Where is he?"

　"Mr. Russell left the mechanical settlement 23 hours, 14 minutes and 5 seconds ago. He claimed that his blessing here was complete and that he needed to return to where he came from."

　Schwarzlo's electronic tone was smooth and waveless.

　The light that had just shone in the three men's eyes dimmed again. They had hoped to find Mr. Russell and get his help, but it seemed that Mr. Russell had no intention of getting involved in their adventure.

　It seems that in the end, they themselves will have to bear the risks and responsibilities.

　Dan Heng composed himself and spoke again: "We have come here to inquire about the Star Core. It is very likely the source of the Yalilo-VI disaster."

　Upon hearing the words "Star Core," Schwarz's red eye visibly brightened, and his tone hardened: "Relevant information about the Star Core is classified at the highest level of security. Access is insufficient; request rejected. ****."

　Although rejected, the three exchanged excited glances—he knew it! Sambo hadn't lied this time after all!

　"Mr. Schwarz,"

　Danheng tried to persuade them, "We are not searching for the star core for personal gain. The persistent cold waves, the spreading rifts, and the monsters spawning on this planet are likely all related to it. Our goal is to resolve it and buy a chance for Yalilo-VI to survive."

　"The logic chain is reasonable, and the motivation assessment is neutral to slightly benevolent."

　Schwarz's single eye gleamed with the light of calculation. "But the risk assessment shows that, based on the data you have presented so far, the probability of successfully processing the star core is below the safety threshold."

　"I'm sorry. I cannot entrust critical information concerning the survival of a planet to low-probability variables. If you want to obtain the information, you must prove to me that you have sufficient strength to become a high-value variable that can reverse the formula. Otherwise, there's no point in discussing it."

　"Hey, let's be reasonable! We really are good people!"

　Xing tried to win the other person over with sincerity.

　"Trust is based on calculation and empirical evidence. For mechanical units, unverified promises are not credible."

　Schwarzko's voice remained unwavering: "Show your strength. That's the only way to get information."

　There was no turning back now. Dan Heng took a deep breath, and Ji Yun silently appeared in his hand. March 7th unfurled the Six-Phase Ice Crossbow, and Xing also gripped her baseball bat tightly.

　Schwarzkopf's massive metal hand gently stroked Clara's head, his voice unusually soft: "Clara, retreat to a safe area."

　“Mr. Schwarz…”

　Clara's little face was filled with worry. "They are Mr. Russell's friends, and they must be good people... Please don't hurt them..."

　"The target of the calculation is a strength assessment, not annihilation."

　Schwarz assured, "The probability of damage has been kept to a minimum. Don't worry."

　Clara nodded, then ran off, glancing back every few steps, and hid behind a thick metal pipe in the distance, peeking out her little head nervously.

　As Clara moved away, the atmosphere in the plaza instantly tensed. The massive mechanical leader and the trio from the Star Sea faced each other across the distance, with only the low rumble of the Earth Core Engine and the faint sound of energy flow remaining in the air.

　The battle is about to break out.

　……

Golden Branches Through the Ages: Chapter 113 The Secret of the Star Core

The three exchanged a glance, needing no further explanation; the same tactics they used on the space station should be fine.

Dan Heng took a deep breath, the whirring of his spear rang out, and he stepped forward first, the tip of his spear pointing directly at the core of Schwarz, launching a fierce frontal attack.

March 7th swiftly shifted to the side, the Six-Phase Ice Bow materializing in her hand. Arrows imbued with the power of ice whistled out, not aiming to kill, but precisely targeting Schwarz's visual sensors and joints, attempting to disrupt his judgment and actions.

Xing's figure moved like a ghost along the edge of the battlefield, gripping the baseball bat of unknown origin, searching for the slightest opening in the robot's attack mode, preparing to deliver a heavy blow.

However, the gap in strength was clearly visible. Schwarz's massive metal fist swung out with unimaginable speed, striking the shaft of Jiyun's spear with pinpoint accuracy.

The immense force sent Dan Heng staggering back several steps, gun and all, his hands going numb.

Danheng had a deeper assessment of Schwarzroth: he could only outsmart him, not force him.

The ice arrows of March 7th struck Schwarz's thick armor, only creating a small burst of ice before shattering and dissipating instantly, failing to produce an effective freezing effect.

Xing spotted an opening and swung the bat with all her might at Schwarz's side, but only heard a loud "clang" as the bat almost slipped from her hand. The recoil made her arms numb and sore, and only a shallow white mark was left on the armor.

The battle turned into a difficult war of attrition. The three of them, through their tacit cooperation and dodging, narrowly avoided Schwarz's attacks time and time again.

Finally, in a moment of freezing and slowing created by March 7th, Dan Heng seized the opportunity, his figure lunging forward, his strike transforming into a streak of cold light, piercing through Schwarz's shoulder armor, revealing the intricate circuitry and components beneath, sparking with electricity.

Just as Dan Heng was about to press his advantage and expand his gains, he witnessed an unbelievable scene: the torn metal wound was not just a cold mechanical structure, but was wriggling slightly as if it had a life of its own.

The new metallic material grows and covers the area at a speed visible to the naked eye. In the blink of an eye, the damaged shoulder armor is restored to its original state, smooth as new!

"Are you kidding me?! Schwarz... can self-repair?!" March 7's voice trembled with astonishment.

A profound sense of powerlessness gripped the three of them instantly. Their attacks had little effect, while their opponents seemed to possess an immortal body.

With his physical strength rapidly depleted, Danheng's breathing became heavy, and his arm holding the gun trembled slightly; Xing felt that his hands were about to give way to the baseball bat; and March 7's arm ached from continuous shooting.

However, their desperate situation seemed to have ignited their inherent stubbornness and spirit. Their eyes met again, and they instantly reached a consensus—one last gamble!

Dan Heng let out a low shout, and some dormant power within him seemed to be awakened. A faint blue light wrapped around the spear, and he gathered all his remaining strength and hurled it out. The spear shot out like an arrow, heading straight for the side of Schwarz's chest.

At the same time, Xing gritted his teeth and swung the bat with all his might, slamming it heavily onto Schwarz's arm joint, which he had just raised to fire the laser, causing his attack trajectory to deflect instantly.

March 7th also channeled all its remaining power into the arrow, and an unprecedentedly huge ice arrow shot towards Schwarz's feet. The extremely cold ice crystals spread rapidly, and although they could not completely freeze the behemoth, they successfully immobilized its movements for a moment!

In that instant, enough time was enough for the Cloud Strike to strike Schwarzro.

Schwarz's single red eye flashed rapidly as the computing unit analyzed the suddenly escalated combined attack. The core processor issued a warning: this attack could not be completely evaded.

Although the attack was not enough to truly threaten its core, the level of power, the precision of its coordination, and the willpower it displayed in the face of adversity had already met the preset variable standards.

boom!

"Strike the Clouds" hit the target precisely. The enormous impact even caused Schwarz to stagger backward, his breastplate shattering to reveal the complex internal mechanical structure, with the spear deeply embedded within.

The suffocating smoke slowly dissipated. Schwarz raised his hand, calmly pulled the Strike Cloud from his chest, and casually tossed it back to Danheng.

Under the almost desperate gazes of the three, the terrible wound on its chest began to wriggle and heal again, soon leaving only some shallow marks.

"I'm not playing anymore! This is impossible to play!" Xing threw down the baseball bat and plopped down on the ground, too tired to even move a finger. "Mom, I want to go home... This is more tiring than rummaging through a hundred trash cans!"

March 7th slumped down, his voice weak and listless: "This guy... is even more troublesome than the Doomsday Beast... Mr. Russell's 'blessing' is just too outrageous..."

Dan Heng caught the returning spear, feeling his almost exhausted arms, and looking at the nearly unharmed Schwarz, a sense of discouragement rose in his heart, and he even felt a little bit that the other party had gone easy on him.

However, Schwarzro did not launch another attack.

The red light in his eyes returned to normal, and a deep electronic voice sounded: "Assessment complete. Your final combined attack has reached the threshold required to obtain the secret."

"You have proven your worth as variables. The combat process is terminated; we are not obligated to be enemies."

It paused, seemingly providing data feedback: "Your cooperation efficiency exceeded expectations."

"If I had not received Mr. Russell's abundant blessing, which strengthened my self-repair and structural stability, the previous battle would have been enough to severely injure me to the point of being unable to move."

"So...we know about the star core now?" Dan Heng asked eagerly after catching his breath.

“Of course,” Schwarz replied affirmatively.

……

"So, it was your first Great Guardian who listened to the Star Core's bewitchment, causing this planet to become what it is today?" After hearing the story, March 7's face was filled with disbelief and sighs.

“According to historical records, this is indeed the case,” Schwarz replied. “The power of the Star Core is alluring, but its promises are all illusory. It constantly tries to bewitch each generation of High Guardians in order to prolong its existence and influence.”

"However, the great guardians of each generation were able to resist its influence and kept looking for a way to destroy it. But at the very last moment of my record, they still had not found a way to destroy this thing and classified the record as top secret."

Dan Heng listened in silence, and everything made sense: "Then the current Grand Guardian Cocolia's sudden warrant for the arrest of all extraterrestrial visitors must also be the work of the Star Core. It sensed the threat and is trying to eliminate us, these variables."

On the other side, Xing showed little interest in these heavy historical stories. Instead, she was enthusiastically using a small mechanical part that she had just found in a corner and that was gleaming with a faint light to amuse Clara, who was standing next to her.

The two children, one big and one small, seemed quite content.

“Based on logic module calculations,” Schwarz analyzed, “there is a very high probability that the current High Guardian, Cocolia, has been deeply corrupted by the Star Core. This analysis saddens me.”

"There is a 95% chance that the warrant for your arrest stems from an order from the Star Core. However, my calculations do not classify you as a high-threat target until you demonstrate your ultimate power."

"The Star Core's reaction this time was so intense and out of control that it is likely that its main target of fear is not you, but Mr. Russell, who has demonstrated even greater power here before."

“This is going to be difficult.” Dan Heng frowned. “The host of the star core is the supreme ruler of this planet. We have difficulty even getting close to her, let alone finding the exact location of the star core.”

“The device that restrained the star core has long been destroyed,” Swallow added. “Its original body must have been hidden by Cocolia in an extremely secret location. It would be difficult to find by conventional means.”

“I suggest you try seeking help from other forces,” Swallow proposed. “The Star Core’s influence currently seems to be focused only on the High Keepers. Other forces in Beloborg, such as the ‘Earthfire’ organization that governs the lower districts, have not been directly affected. They might be able to provide a breakthrough.”

"Since you have such great power, why don't you solve the problem of the star core?" Dan Heng asked curiously.

"Because my main task is not to solve problems, but to protect the people in the lower zones. In addition, I will not take action without a well-thought-out plan."

“And just as I was preparing to plan the destruction of the star core, you arrived.”

"Looks like we've come at just the right time," Xing remarked from the side.

……

As soon as they left the mechanical settlement, Sambo's smiling face, radiating concern, immediately approached: "Hey! You guys finally made it out! How did the meeting go? Did you have any conflicts with Boss Schwarz? I thought things were getting pretty turbulent inside!"

"Hmph! Doesn't it count as a conflict if I almost got torn apart by your 'Swarovski' boss?" March 7 rolled her eyes at him, rubbing her still sore arm.

"Huh? No way! You guys really started fighting?" Sangbo's mouth dropped open in exaggerated surprise. "You didn't lose any arms or legs, did you?"

“No need to ask about the details,” Danheng interrupted his performance, saying succinctly, “We have already obtained the information we need.”

“Now, we need to unite all forces that can be united. Sambo, take us to see Oleg, the leader of the Earth Fire. We have important matters to discuss with him.”

Sambo's little eyes darted around, and he immediately put on a warm smile again, as if his surprise had never happened: "Alright! I, old Sambo, love participating in the script of saving people from suffering and rescuing the world!"

"Leave it to me! Heroes, please follow me, I'll make sure you know exactly where to go!"

"Old Sambo, I'm going to personally remove all the labels the High Guardian has pinned on me. I'll show the people of Beloberg how warm, friendly, kind, and lovable I am..."

"Please stop praising yourself. Aren't you ashamed?" March 7th rolled her eyes at her.

"Hehe, I'm so excited to be participating in such a huge script, old Sambo, hehe."

This is the last chapter for today. Please subscribe, vote, send me your heartfelt messages, and add it to your favorites. Goodnight everyone. 8K5 tomorrow!

Golden Branches Through the Ages: Chapter 114 The Furious Star Core

Russell sat in the observation car, his fingertips still lingering on the warm, delicious touch of the banquet from not long ago.

He couldn't help but marvel once again at the magical skill of the train conductor, Pam—who could always transform all sorts of strange and unusual ingredients into amazing delicacies.

These days, life on the train was peaceful and fulfilling. In the mornings, he often shared stories of Onphalus with Himeko and Walter.

Those long-buried memories are not unspeakable secrets, but whenever the existence and appearance of "White E'xilian" are mentioned, Mr. Walter always tenses up unconsciously, and his gaze behind his glasses sharpens. It is an instinctive reaction after experiencing a similar trauma.

In the afternoon, the train crew members usually went about their respective tasks. Himeko focused on adjusting a new coffee recipe, the air filled with the rich aroma of coffee beans and a hint of uncertain bitterness.

Walter, meanwhile, immersed himself in the vast stream of data from the think tank, trying to capture more glimmers of knowledge from it.

Russell was accustomed to gazing out the window at this time at the frozen planet, Arillow-VI.

He could sense that the star core was becoming increasingly agitated, like a trapped beast struggling for survival, yet with nowhere to escape.

Thinking of the "gifts" he left on that planet, Russell's lips curled into a faint smile.

Two travelers carrying the power of "abundance" are running through the lower realms, dispelling suffering, and the desperate prayers they hear are becoming increasingly rare.

Not to mention the automated soldiers he enhanced; their metal bodies flowed with immense vitality, making them a reliable support force.

Even if Star, March 7th, and Danheng ultimately fail, these preserved creations will be enough to cover the losses.

He knew that the reason why Schwarzschild had not immediately launched an attack to eliminate the star core was simply due to the constraints of his core command—"protect the humans in the lower zones."

Otherwise, given the enhanced logic and execution capabilities of that mechanical leader, the passage between the upper and lower levels would have already been reopened, and the star core would have been quickly accessed.

“Besides,” Russell thought, “there’s that guy pulling the strings in the shadows.”

He could almost imagine how Sambo Koski meticulously crafted his script, never allowing the Star Core to wreak havoc on everything—that would be far too boring and would likely invite ridicule from Aha, the Pleasure Star God he followed.

As he pondered, a strong and chaotic emotional surge, like ice spikes, came from the direction of Yalilo-VI, interrupting his thoughts. Anxiety, violence, and an unconcealable fear... Star Core finally panicked.

"It seems Sambo has scored a big point," Russell said knowingly.

...

Lower-level area, Panyan Town.

"So, you mean that the freezing cold above us, and all those restless things in the Rift, are all the work of that damned star core? And our Great Guardian, Lady Cocolia, has been bewitched by it?"

Oleg, the apparent leader of the Earthfire organization, tapped his thick fingers on the rough tabletop, his piercing gaze sweeping over the three train crew members in front of him and Sambo, who was smiling innocently beside him.