In the main hall, Dan Heng, Seele, and Bronya were eating breakfast while waiting for Fu Zhu to wake March 7th and Xing.
Left waiting and waiting, what finally arrived was March 7th being carried piggyback by Fu Zhu, followed by a teary-eyed Xing sporting a large bump on her head.
Dan Heng's chopsticks clattered onto the table. He stared at the trio in astonishment.
"What... happened to you all?"
Fu Zhu gently placed March 7th onto a nearby chair and thoughtfully picked up utensils to feed her breakfast, not forgetting to turn back and explain to Dan Heng.
"It's nothing, just a small incident. Nothing to worry about."
Dan Heng looked at the weakened March 7th leaning back in her chair, enjoying being fed by Fu Zhu, then glanced at Xing, who was tearfully wolfing down her breakfast... This situation was incredibly worrying!
Xing, tears welling in her eyes, turned her head to look at March 7th enjoying Fu Zhu's feeding and muttered resentfully, "How nice, I want to be fed too."
Fu Zhu turned back and rolled his eyes at her. "Little March can provide arrows, can you?"
Xing crossed her arms, unconvinced. "I can provide trouble! Why only feed Little March!"
"I need arrows, not that kind of providing."
Seeing the two still had the energy to bicker, Dan Heng breathed a sigh of relief.
Okay, it seems it really wasn't anything serious.
After breakfast, the group prepared to head to the Overworld. However, before they could depart, a new problem presented itself.
Xing scratched her head, pointing at the rock ceiling above. "How are we supposed to get up?"
Fu Zhu asked quizzically, "How did you get down? Just go back the same way. Don't tell me you don't know how you got down?"
March 7th, still weakly draped over Fu Zhu's back, retorted listlessly, "We were knocked out by that guy Sampo with knockout gas and brought down here. We don't know how he did it. What about you, Fu Zhu?"
"Me? I just dug straight down from where I was, and then I fell right in front of Svarog and the others."
"Huh? Then, Bro, don't tell me we have to dig all the way up? That sounds exhausting..."
Seeing the troubled looks on their faces, Seele was about to mention that Natasha had already considered this and sent Sampo over to assist, but before she could speak, Fu Zhu beat her to it.
"Why don't we just ask Svarog? His database has clues about the Stellaron, so he definitely knows how to get back to the Overworld. Besides, if worse comes to worst, I can just dig a path upwards. We can walk up step by step, it's only about a hundred meters high anyway."
"Makes sense." Xing nodded in agreement and immediately ran off to find Svarog.
A short while later, Xing returned with Svarog and Clara.
"Nameless, I am aware of your objective. According to my database, there are seven mine elevators leading to the Overworld, although their operational status is uncertain. The optimal solution is to use the Furnace Core. Inside the Furnace Core, there is an elevator used by workers for maintenance, which can also return you to the surface."
As Svarog spoke, he took out a map and circled the locations of the mine elevators for the group, just in case Fu Zhu and the others preferred not to go through the Furnace Core.
"Let's go through the Furnace Core then." Fu Zhu scanned the group, and everyone indicated they had no objections.
Just as they were about to set off, a hearty laugh echoed from nearby.
"Hahaha, everyone, your good friend Sampo has arrived! Let me guess, are you currently troubled about how to return to the Overworld?"
Sampo chuckled, casually weaving his way into the center of the group. He reached out, intending to sling an arm around Fu Zhu's shoulder, but caught sight of March 7th, still on Fu Zhu's back, already resting her little head on his shoulder. He reluctantly turned towards Dan Heng instead.
But Dan Heng merely shot him a cold glance.
Met with the glare, Sampo chuckled awkwardly and retracted his hand, muttering inwardly, Why does this atmosphere feel a bit off? Didn't Big Sis Natasha say the Trailblazers had no way back to the Overworld?
March 7th, still趴on Fu Zhu's back, said irritably, "Svarog already told us how to get up, so you're useless now! Don't even think about knocking us out again this time!"
"What are you talking about!"
Sampo quickly retorted, "What do you mean 'knock out'? That was a tactical transfer!"
Seeing the increasingly unfriendly look in Fu Zhu's eyes directed at him, Sampo couldn't help but shiver, forcing a smile. "Since you don't need my help, perhaps I'll be on my way?"
"Wait a minute."
Xing suddenly called out to stop the departing Sampo. She pinched her chin, staring thoughtfully at him. "Bro, I think there's a perfect candidate for that plan you mentioned earlier."
Fu Zhu would worry about letting his companions act as bait to lure away the Silvermane Guards, but if the bait was swapped out for Sampo, he wouldn't hesitate!
Fu Zhu immediately understood Xing's meaning. He raised his hand and placed a wooden boat on the ground, then pulled out a fishing rod and cast the line towards Sampo.
Although Sampo couldn't guess what Fu Zhu and Xing were planning, his intuition screamed at him: Run, now!
Unfortunately, just as he took a step, Xing intercepted him, blocking his path. Fu Zhu's cast fishing hook also snagged onto his clothes.
With a gentle tug, Sampo felt himself lifted into the air. When he landed again, he was forced to sit in the wooden boat. No matter how much he struggled, the lower half of his body, trapped in the boat, refused to obey his commands.
"Hey, buddies?"
Xing smirked mischievously, proactively sitting at the front of the boat and starting to steer it forward.
"Let's go!"
Bronya watched this scene unfold, utterly bewildered. Pointing at Sampo, who was being forcibly taken along, she couldn't help but ask the others, "Why are we taking him?"
Her only impression of Sampo was from their earlier encounter in the Overworld when he threw knockout gas and forcibly incapacitated everyone. She hadn't seen him since.
March 7th grinned and pointed at Sampo, explaining, "Bronya, he's a genuine wanted criminal! Even before we arrived on Jarilo-VI, he was already wanted by your Silvermane Guards. He's the perfect candidate for bait."
Seele also walked over to Sampo, patting his shoulder comfortingly. "Don't worry, Sampo, we'll remember your contribution. We'll visit you in prison later."
"Alright everyone, let's move out."
Seeing that everyone was ready, Fu Zhu led the group towards the Furnace Core.
Because Xing needed to keep Sampo trapped in the boat, the group traveled slightly slower, but fortunately, the Furnace Core wasn't far.
Upon reaching the Furnace Core, Fu Zhu inspected the elevator and confirmed there were no issues; it could be used directly.
After everyone had entered the elevator, Fu Zhu finally retrieved the wooden boat. Sampo was liberated, but although freed from the boat's confinement, he had now boarded another treacherous vessel.
"Folks, about this letting me be the bait thing, can we really not discuss it further?"