“Attention, all passengers, please proceed to the left and enter the evacuation channels.”
Hovering palace lantern drones floated in the air, broadcasting this announcement repeatedly. Red laser beams shot downward, forming a wide fan to guide the crowd’s direction. In the midst of this group, Hestia moved forward step by step.
Her gaze swept around but failed to spot Feng Jianxue. The man had seemingly vanished into thin air.
As she prepared to follow the other passengers into the diversion elevator to leave the venue, a nearby staff member maintaining order suddenly whispered to her.
“Walk ahead to the third pillar, then turn right and hide behind it. I’ll meet you there.” The staff member smiled mysteriously and winked.
Recognizing the familiar voice, Hestia instantly knew it was Feng Jianxue. When had he managed to infiltrate the staff?
Following his instructions, Hestia walked forward. Upon reaching the pillar, she quickly pivoted and hid behind it. At that moment, the underground passage’s lights flickered and then went out, plunging the area into noisy chaos. In the darkness, Feng Jianxue swiftly approached her, grabbed her hand, and led her into an unused maintenance elevator nearby.
The elevator doors closed, descending into silence.
Two minutes later, Feng Jianxue and Hestia stepped out onto a platform on the third underground level. Through thick glass windows, they could see distant residential areas and streets.
“Now we’re in,” Feng Jianxue said, sounding relaxed. He then took out his personal terminal to plan their next steps.
“Where are we going?” Hestia asked.
“To the core zone beneath Thousand Towers City. You wanted to learn about your mother, right? You’ll find all the answers there.”
“Isn’t this too risky?” Hestia hesitated. She had always been curious about the past but had never done anything so bold—trespassing into forbidden areas that might result in an attack.
“No, no, this is actually the safest time,” Feng Jianxue reassured her. “Thousand Towers City’s forces are distracted by the priests. We can slip in unnoticed.”
“Priests?” Hestia was unfamiliar with the term.
“They’re from Burning Sun City—one of the three major hubs in Northern 2nd District, along with Thousand Towers City and Withered Tree Garden. These three locations house most of the district’s population, leaving other areas sparsely inhabited.”
“They’ve come here likely because they learned about something hidden in Thousand Towers City. Taking advantage of the festival, when most of the city’s forces are gathered at the surface, they launched an attack.”
“How do you know so much?” Hestia questioned.
“Secrets. As a Seeker of Stars, I must stay well-informed,” Feng Jianxue replied smugly, wagging his finger.
Hestia, still uneasy, asked, “If we sneak in like this, won’t we be attacked?”
“Well, that’s a risk we have to take. Don’t you want to uncover what your mother left behind? Or fulfill her unfulfilled wishes?” he asked.
“Unfulfilled wishes?” Hestia couldn’t imagine what regrets her mother might have had in Thousand Towers City.
“Your mother was a direct heir to the lineage of Sword Guardians in Thousand Towers City. But the artifact they guarded has fallen into the hands of the ‘Divine Generals.’ These stubborn individuals don’t seem to recognize its true value and haven’t properly utilized it,” Feng Jianxue lamented with a look of regret.
“It seems you still have many things you haven’t told me,” Hestia observed, her mind racing.
While Feng Jianxue didn’t seem to harbor ill intentions, it was clear he was using her.
Seeing her composed demeanor, Feng Jianxue decided there was no point hiding anything further and laid his cards on the table.
“Yes, I’m after the sword your mother’s lineage once safeguarded. However, it’s likely well-protected, with ancient restrictions in place. That’s why I need your help.”
“Because you’re the daughter of Gu Yongrong, the last Sword Guardian. You share her bloodline. As long as they haven’t officially appointed a new Sword Guardian, the restrictions won’t affect you. Even if they have, the new guardian would likely be a relative, so you’d still bypass the barriers.”
“Although the Sword Guardians’ lineage has been severed, as long as the sword remains, we can extract the inscribed secret techniques and restore its legacy,” Feng Jianxue explained his motives and plan step by step.
After hearing him out, Hestia remained level-headed, shaking her head slightly.
“While you make it sound appealing, I see no reason to take this risk. My life is just beginning, and there are many other ways to acquire training materials or secret techniques. Moreover, if my mother herself couldn’t master the techniques, what makes you so confident you can extract them?”
“Thousand Towers City may be outdated, but it’s not completely isolated. As an organization, they’d be keenly aware of such things. If they had the capability, they would have acted on it long ago.”
Feng Jianxue, stunned by the rational analysis of the black-eyed, gray-haired girl before him, felt as though he had met his match and found himself momentarily at a loss.
“Alright, how about I throw in a little extra—exclusive swimsuit photos and a signed autograph from ‘White Swan’ Odette? These are practically priceless in the Flying Feather Star Region,” he offered.
Seeing Hestia’s eyes widen and her slight retreat, Feng Jianxue quickly added, “Ahem. Alright, how about this? Hestia, is there anything you want or need? Let’s make a deal.”
“I don’t have anything specific in mind…” Hestia paused, reconsidering. She did have questions—about her father’s whereabouts, her sister’s past, and the reasons behind her sister’s tragic death. She was desperate for answers but lacked reliable sources of information.
“I do want answers, but how can you guarantee you’ll keep your promise?” Hestia asked, looking up at him.
“My name might not be well-known, but ‘White Swan’ Odette certainly is,” Feng Jianxue said, smirking. “You can confirm my identity online.”
Hestia quickly verified his claim using her personal terminal. Sure enough, Odette was a rising star in the Flying Feather Star Region, officially endorsed by the local government, with numerous photos and records of her attending major events.
“I’m her older brother and manager. You can confirm this through official channels,” Feng Jianxue said, displaying a secure verification code.
After thorough checking, Hestia confirmed his identity but was still surprised. She had assumed his earlier claims were mere pretense.
Satisfied with her acceptance, Feng Jianxue handed her several exclusive swimsuit photos of Odette. “Even if you’re not interested, these would fetch a high price online. I can even add a special watermark for authenticity, boosting their collector value.”
“Alright, let’s consider this a down payment. I’ll record a pledge: anything I promise is also a promise from Odette. Rest assured, I won’t go back on my word.”
“Fine,” Hestia sighed, reluctantly agreeing. While she trusted his identity, his conduct still left her uneasy.
“Excellent,” Feng Jianxue said, pulling up a detailed map of Thousand Towers City’s underground structure.
“Our destination is the lowest level, the ‘Forbidden City’. To get there, we must pass three checkpoints…” He meticulously explained their plan.
Once Hestia understood and nodded, he stored the map away.
“Don’t worry too much. Even if you’re caught, revealing your identity should protect you. As your mother’s daughter, you have every right to reclaim what’s yours. The city elders won’t stop you, only the younger generation might resist.”
“Enough, stop talking,” Hestia interrupted, shaking her head. She had realized he was quite the chatterbox.
“Alright, let’s get moving.”
With their goal set, the two entered another elevator, descending toward the city’s deepest level.