After watching the immersive abstract performance of Starfall for a while, Jiang Lin stopped concerning himself with matters on The Opaline and returned directly to the Astral Express.
Upon arriving at the observation car, Jiang Lin immediately spotted Acheron sitting on the sofa, quietly nibbling on a peach.
Acheron also noticed Jiang Lin at this moment; she didn't rush to speak, first putting down the peach in her hand before standing up to look at him.
"How do you need me to cooperate?"
Jiang Lin thought for a moment, then tentatively made a request:
"Can I see your sword?"
At this, Acheron hesitated, but Jiang Lin continued:
"Just for a moment."
Acheron nodded slightly and handed her 'Mu' to Jiang Lin, but still reminded him:
"Please do not attempt to draw it, and do not stray too far from me."
Jiang Lin gave a soft "Mm," his gaze fixed on the hand she extended; he watched as her slender yet resilient fingers subtly clenched, and a long katana appeared out of thin air.
After Jiang Lin took it, he found a random spot next to her to sit down, and his attention was completely focused on the sword.
He first covered it with energy from other Paths, but there was no reaction; then he started tapping and knocking on it... Acheron, beside him, just stared blankly, honestly, she had no idea what he was trying to do... But, not long after, Acheron suddenly felt a strange sensation... At this point, Jiang Lin returned 'Mu' to her.
Acheron was a bit puzzled but took it back; the moment she grasped it, starting from the finger that touched the hilt, the surroundings began to desaturate... Until she had fully taken it, Acheron was already in the stance of drawing her sword, but the blade remained quietly in her hand, undrawn.
Just then, Pam kicked open the compartment door and rushed in frantically.
"What's happening, Pam?"
Acheron paused, then returned to her normal state.
Jiang Lin smiled slightly at Pam and reassured her:
"Don't worry, Conductor, nothing will happen with me here. You know my strength."
Pam looked at the two of them, then at the compartment, and after confirming that she found nothing amiss, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"That's good, Pam. Just don't do anything dangerous on the Astral Express, Pam."
With that, Pam scurried away on her short legs again.
After Pam left, Acheron voiced her confusion.
"What was that just now...?"
Jiang Lin thought for a moment and did not directly answer the question, but made another request.
"Can you actively draw this sword?"
"Here?"
Jiang Lin nodded, then said with a serious expression.
"Exactly. Don't worry, the Astral Express is very sturdy."
Acheron: ... "I want to know, what do you hope to gain from my cooperation?"
Jiang Lin didn't hide anything from her and spoke directly:
"Two objectives. First, I want to know what distinguishes you from other Emanators."
Acheron pondered carefully for a moment, then replied seriously:
"In terms of power, I don't think there's much difference; it's just that this power comes with some negative side effects."
"Some?"
Jiang Lin suspected she was being humble, and he had solid evidence.
"Let's not talk about that. What's the second objective?"
Upon hearing this question, Jiang Lin's lips curved upward, and he said with some excitement:
"For Nihility."
"What do you mean?"
Hearing Jiang Lin's answer, Acheron also shed her dazed expression, her tone becoming serious as she looked at him and asked earnestly.
"The power of Nihility is mysterious, but also incredibly potent. I've heard that Its power is there for anyone to take, as long as they can endure It?"
Acheron nodded without saying anything, awaiting Jiang Lin's continuation.
"I hope to obtain the power of Nihility, but I will not confront It directly, because that is too dangerous. But you have survived under Its shadow; you wield a portion of Its power. You are the closest person to It I can find."
"What good is that? This power will ultimately not be yours to control."
Acheron was somewhat puzzled; she truly didn't understand what purpose Jiang Lin's actions served.
"I need to understand it first before I can make a corresponding plan, don't I?"
Jiang Lin smiled slightly, not offering too profound an explanation.
Acheron took a deep breath, said no more, and directly drew the sword, and the Astral Express once again desaturated.
At this moment, Jiang Lin, who was facing Acheron, instantly felt an unknown influence, a sense of nihility as if he had transcended space and time.
And Jiang Lin looked at Acheron; her indifferent eyes at that moment seemed to have countless hands wanting to drag Jiang Lin's soul into the deep sea... But Jiang Lin was not affected by it, until a moment later when this feeling deepened once again, at which point, Jiang Lin seemed to... see a pitch-black great sun?
Jiang Lin quickly lowered his gaze, his pupils slightly unfocused, causing his vision to blur slightly.
After exhaling deeply, Jiang Lin's vision cleared, and what greeted his eyes at that moment was Acheron's delicate jawline.
But what was most striking was the vivid red tear stain.
Jiang Lin paused, then, for some unknown reason, took out a small test tube and, under Acheron's bewildered and flustered expression, began collecting her blood tears?
Acheron looked at the test tube held to her face, slightly parted her lips as if to say something, but then changed her mind.
"Perhaps, I should do it myself?"
Jiang Lin thought for a moment and nodded.
Acheron took the test tube from her face with one hand, holding the sword in the other, unsure where to put it... But after a few seconds... "Uh... I can't seem to cry anymore..."
Jiang Lin looked at the red liquid in the test tube, which had stopped rising, and suggested:
"How about I go find you two departed souls?"
"Huh?"
Acheron was surprised by Jiang Lin's thought process at this moment.
"I remember you once said — 'May I weep for the departed?'"
Acheron: ... "Alright, just kidding. This much is enough."
Saying that, Jiang Lin took the test tube from Acheron's hand, sealed it, and put it away.
"Thank you for your cooperation. I'll go back and study this. I'll notify you when I have results."
With that, Jiang Lin intended to return to his room on the Astral Express, as it was already equipped with relatively complete research equipment.
Acheron nodded; this absurd series of cooperation was finally over. But at this moment, Jiang Lin seemed to remember something and turned back again.
"Oh, right, a gift for you."
Acheron was slightly taken aback, but what followed made her eyes light up.
Jiang Lin conjured a peach out of thin air that was even larger than himself.
After doing all this, Jiang Lin returned to his room.
Acheron, left standing there, looked at the giant peach in front of her, momentarily unsure where to even begin eating it.
Then she looked at the peach, then at the katana in her hand... "Hmm... I should cut it open first. Drawing the sword one more time should be fine..."
Meanwhile, Pam, in the Conductor's office, still couldn't help but worry as she felt the commotion from the observation car...