"Do you like these pretty little stones that much? There's clearly no special power in them, so why do you like them so much? And you want to collect so many?"
Xin Yu was puzzled as he casually created a Star Jade. He truly didn't feel anything special from this object he personally crafted, nor did it consume any of his energy.
If one really just liked stones or gems of this color and shape, placing an order with the Interastral Peace Corporation would suffice. Although one might get ripped off a bit, these things could be bought with credits—case after case. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝕟𝕖𝕥
But Star didn't do that; instead, she greatly desired the Star Jade he made.
…Forget it, he couldn't figure it out.
Xin Yu looked at Star, who was gazing at him with the same longing a child has for candy. He sighed helplessly and gifted the Star Jade he had just condensed in his hand to her.
"Yay! Got another 100! Then I won't disturb you, big shot, and your girlfriend from your stroll. I'm off, bye-bye!"
Star happily waved her hand, then pulled Firefly's little hand beside her and quickly fled the scene.
"I have some matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave first."
Acheron also departed without any lingering attachment.
Raiden Mei watched Acheron's figure gradually disappear into the crowd, then looked at Xin Yu, finding him sizing up a Clockie statue in the distance.
"Why do I feel image gives me a strange sense of familiarity, as if there's some very similar existence."
Xin Yu felt as though that image in his mind was veiled by a shadow, as if uttering the name of that existence would bring forth an invisible, terrifying doom from the netherworld.
"Star, do you like these pretty gems that much?"
Firefly asked curiously, watching Star humming a tune and tossing the Star Jade in her hand.
"Yeah, I really stuff."
Star smiled and put away the Star Jade in her hand, then seemed to hear a familiar noise.
"Buddy! This price is already rock bottom. If it goes any lower, I'll be selling at a loss. Old Sampo needs to eat too, you know. I really can't go any lower."
"Alright, the money has been transferred to you. What about the stuff I want?"
"Hehe! Rest assured, Old Sampo always does business with integrity. The goods sold are always as advertised, genuine and authentic."
A mysterious person, cloaked entirely in a white robe that obscured their form and features, took a disc-like object from a familiar conman and then turned to leave.
Star shouted. She hadn't expected to meet so many acquaintances in Penacony. First, there was Xin Yu, whom she had just parted ways with, and now this conman. Who knew if she would meet even more acquaintances later?
"Oh my! Isn't this the Trailblazer? I didn't expect us to reunite in this dreamland. What a curious fate indeed!"
Sampo acted as if he had just noticed Star, hurriedly rubbing his hands, his body slightly bowed, his face still wearing that somewhat fawning smile as he spoke.
"I can't believe you've come all the way here to scam people."
"I haven't scammed anyone. This was merely a transaction of mutual consent, honest trade. I've never sold any fakes. If there's really something wrong, it's because they didn't read the product description."
"I wrote it very clearly: it's just an imitation, a similar product, a substitute. They bought it themselves. I never said it was the real deal."
"If you two don't have any other business, I'll be taking my leave!"
Sampo smiled and waved, then appeared to run off at lightning speed.
In a secluded corner of the park.
"Sigh! I just came to get my mask back from Sparkle. Why did I have to get dragged into troublesome matters that might involve an Aeon?"
Sampo clutched his head, his tone full of helplessness as he spoke.
"Hehe! But isn't that what makes it fun? Look, this Charmony Festival is about to be held, everything is prosperous and thriving, and Penacony, so full of vitality, has received an extremely honored guest."
"The identity of this guest is truly too esteemed. So esteemed that if news of his presence here gets out, the Corporation, which originally wouldn't do anything extreme, will start to act aggressively, and even those old fossils from the Xianzhou Alliance won't be able to sit idly by."
"These top-tier factions in the universe will become agitated because of a certain person's existence. They will dispatch powerhouses, even fleets, to Penacony."
"At that time, The Family, the Xianzhou Alliance, and the Corporation—these three forces, plus all sorts of other chaotic elements—the entire Penacony will be stirred into a pot of porridge!"
"It will definitely be very interesting then. It's just a pity that the fellow who originally made the meticulous plan, if he knew what chaotic events would follow, would probably cough up blood in anger."
A man in a tuxedo wearing a red smiling mask was talking with Sampo with a laugh.
"Yeah, just hearing about it gives one a headache. But where did Sparkle go? I still need to get my mask back from her."
"She went to see Little Gray Fur. Sparkle has the script for the original story, but it's a pity that the original script has been completely shattered by some external existence."
"I think, if you hadn't let me sell the information about that existence, things might not have escalated to such a chaotic state."
"But this way, things become even more interesting! Hehe! At that time, I'll definitely pick a special VIP seat to watch how the Corporation, The Family, and the Xianzhou Alliance clash."
"Do whatever you want. But just so you know, I'm just making a cameo here. I'll leave Penacony immediately afterward and won't participate in your subsequent plans."
"That's a pity, you might not be able to leave. A certain fellow has turned Penacony into a place where you can only enter but not leave. Oh, that's not right. If a few certain fellows are noticed, they'll probably be thrown out directly."
"Huh? How come I didn't know Penacony was up to its old tricks again? And those few special fellows, don't tell me one of them is you?"
"You guessed it! As a reward, I'll tell you some inside information. Right now, in Penacony, there's a Clown of Elation, an Audience of Remembrance, a Laborer of Preservation, a mysterious History Construct, a Family member of Harmony, a Remnant of Order, a Newcomer of Hope, a Righteous Person of the Hunt, a Fanatic of Abundance, a Terminal Mech of Finality, a Lost Soul of Nihility, a Street Wanderer of Trailblaze, a Descendant of Undying, a Knight of Beauty. Oh, and there was supposed to be a Grand Duke of Destruction, but unfortunately, he got elbowed to death by Nihility halfway."
"Oh my! A gathering of elites, a gathering of elites indeed!"
"…I don't want to be here!"
"I don't want to be here either!"
"Why did you suddenly start singing?"
"Aren't those the lyrics you said first?"
"In this situation, wouldn't they team up and beat us up first?"
"Maybe, perhaps, possibly… they wouldn't?" Sampo shivered.