At the center of the compass.

The broken needle had not returned to its original state, but a small section of a translucent, phantom needle—as if condensed from starlight—had grown from the fracture,

forming a complete but unstable structure together with the remaining bronze needle.

【Anchor Stability: 41%】

【Law Ripple Deviation: Stopped and beginning to revert】

【Star Reef Guardian: Entering standby mode】

Lines of data popped up on the light screen.

"It worked... for now." Leng Ningxue breathed a long sigh of relief.

In the sky, the law vortex began to slowly dissipate, and the pale lightning faded, revealing the gray-white sky behind it as it gradually cleared.

The blue light in the eyes of the Star Reef Guardians flickered back on, but their aggression had vanished.

They turned stiffly and retreated into the crystal crevices with synchronized steps, like soldiers returning to their barracks after completing a mission.

Blue Bird leaned on his Thunder Spear, panting as he watched the tide of guardians retreat, and grinned. "These metal lumps... they're actually quite reasonable?"

Just as he finished speaking, the entire ground of the Annihilation Star Reef suddenly jolted.

At the base of the compass, the lines of ancient script—'Star rails severed, tides reverse; anchor core restored, all things in order'—lit up one by one with a soft silver glow.

The silver light spread like ripples, passing over every inch of pale crystal, every remnant of the guardians, and the three crystallized bodies of the Enforcement Officers.

Fine cracks appeared on the surface of the statue that the middle-aged Enforcement Officer had become.

A hand stained with crystal dust reached out from the cracks and gently pressed against the base of the compass.

He... was recovering from crystallization.

Meanwhile, deep in the distant void.

On a dark throne surrounded by the phantoms of the Twelve Zodiacs, a pair of closed eyes suddenly snapped open.

Reflected in those eyes were the star rail ripples from the repair of the Annihilation Star Reef, as well as that fleeting pillar of dawn light that carried the aura of a doorway and a guide.

"Stardust Embers... to think they could light up the Ancient Anchor?"

A low voice echoed through the empty space around the throne, its tone unreadable.

"The struggle of pawns... does add a bit of amusement."

"However, now that the anchor core is restored and the tides are back in order... the next World-Purifying Tide should be put on the agenda."

The eyes closed once more.

Only on the armrest of the throne, a dark blue Constellation rune representing Gemini quietly shattered, turning into ash.

Annihilation Star Reef.

Supported by Zi Yuan, Bai Cheng barely managed to stand steady. Her silver eyes looked toward the recovering middle-aged Enforcement Officer, and then toward the silver train in the distance that was slowly retracting its barrier.

The sea breeze blew past, bringing the long-lost moist scent of the Emerald Sea.

The repair of the star rail anchor had temporarily stabilized the law veins of this sea region.

But everyone knew this victory was small and fragile.

The needle was temporary, the anchor stability was less than half, and the superiors behind the Enforcement Officers clearly wouldn't let this go

, and that leader on the dark throne had likely already carved their names right [N O V E L I G H T] into the center of the next chessboard.

"Back to the train first," Bai Cheng said hoarsely. "We need time to recover... and to process the information gained from this battle."

Especially regarding the premonition of the World-Purifying Tide and the unfinished warning from the Enforcement Officer commander before his end.

She looked up toward the deeper reaches of the Emerald Sea.

The storm had never truly left.

It had only changed its form, brewing once again in the shadows.

Bai Cheng lay in the train's medical pod for three days.

When she woke up, she felt as if she had slept for a century.

The tearing pain deep within her soul had subsided, replaced by a profound exhaustion, as if every cell was clamoring for rest.

She turned her head and saw that outside the porthole was no longer the pale crystals of the Annihilation Star Reef, but the familiar, azure surface of the Emerald Sea. Sunlight filtered through the clear water, casting swaying patterns of light inside the carriage.

The train was sailing smoothly at a gentle pace.

"You're awake?"

Blue Bird's voice came from the doorway.

He walked in carrying a tray with a bowl of steaming, light green porridge and a small dish of pickled sea vegetables.

Lightning flickered quietly at the tips of his hair; compared to its violence during battle, it now seemed exceptionally docile.

"Lu Duo made this with pure heart vine petals and star tear algae. She said it's to restore your vitality."

Blue Bird placed the tray on the low cabinet by the bed and carefully studied Bai Cheng's complexion. "How do you feel?"

"Like I was run over by a train and then pieced back together." Bai Cheng tried to sit up; her movements were a bit slow, but she managed.

She took the bowl of porridge, which was at just the right temperature. The elegant scent of plants mixed with a hint of oceanic saltiness. It was warm and smooth, and a gentle current of warmth slowly seeped into her limbs and bones.

"Is everyone okay?" she asked.

"Everyone's fine," Blue Bird said, counting on his fingers. "Zi Yuan has almost finished merging her saber intent. Now she practices with her saber against the waves every day, saying she's looking for the feeling of flow."

"Leng Ningxue is organizing the law ripple data recorded from the Annihilation Star Reef, saying the repair process of the anchor point is of great research value."

"Lu Duo and Yu Nian's greenhouse has doubled in size. They've planted many strange plants, and Yu Nian is even raising a nest of glowing little shells she picked up from a nearby island."

"Red Flame and Huang Yu are tinkering with the train's engine. They said the bit of qi of creation it absorbed changed the engine's temperament, so it needs recalibrating."

"Lan Xiaoyu... well, she's adding tidal rhythms to everyone's drinking water, saying it's good for the body if you drink it long-term."

Bai Cheng slowly sipped the porridge while listening to Blue Bird's rambling report.

These trivial, peaceful daily routines were like warm tides, gradually washing away the tension and chill left over from the battle.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"The southwestern edge of the Emerald Sea, a quiet area with no shipping routes," Blue Bird said.

"The Third Young Miss said the law ripples here are the most stable and suitable for recovery. In the short term, neither the Constellations nor the Enforcement Officers should be able to find us here."

Bai Cheng nodded.

She needed time; they all needed time.

In the following days, the pace became slow and steady.

Bai Cheng spent most of her time resting, occasionally going out on the deck to soak up the sun.

silver-threaded vines had already covered nearly half of the train's exterior, stretching their emerald leaves in the sunlight.

A few of the pure heart vines that Yu Nian had carefully cultivated were transplanted to a corner of the deck. Their silver-white buds swayed gently in the breeze, emitting a faint light that calmed the mind.

In the afternoons, after Zi Yuan finished her saber practice, she would sit with Bai Cheng under the shade of the vines, sharing a pot of tea that Huang Yu brewed using newly discovered calming coral.

The tea was a light rose-red, with a mild and sweet aftertaste.

They rarely spoke, simply watching the sea and sky merge into one, listening to the rhythmic lapping of the waves.

Zi Yuan's saber rested on her lap, its purple lightning restrained; it would only hum slightly to scare off any sea birds that came too close.

Leng Ningxue would sometimes bring a data tablet to find Bai Cheng, discussing the patterns of the star rail veins or the potential activity modes of the Enforcement Officers.

Her tone was as cool as ever, but her ice-blue eyes would light up slightly when she was focused.

During the gaps in their discussion, Lu Duo would always arrive at the perfect time with some snacks—sometimes crispy seaweed crackers, sometimes plant-root cakes with honey.

Red Flame and Lan Xiaoyu were particularly concerned about food.

Red Flame was keen on using his fire laws to try cooking various seafood, from perfectly grilled prawns with crispy shells and tender meat to fish soup simmered over a slow fire until the broth was milky white.

Lan Xiaoyu was responsible for identifying and purifying the ingredients, ensuring their energy was gentle and harmless. Sometimes she would even lure in some particularly docile and delicious small sea beasts.

Huang Yu became their taster and safety officer, using a notebook to record the energy reactions and taste of every new dish, while strictly regulating the daily intake limit, calling it "scientific nourishment."

Yu Nian was the source of joy on the train.

Not only did she keep the greenhouse vibrant, but she also somehow attracted a flock of colorful and quite bold small sea birds.

These birds initially only circled nearby, but they gradually grew brave enough to land on the deck railings, curiously eyeing this group of bipedal creatures.

Yu Nian fed them with dried small fish and plant seeds, and even gave names to a few of the boldest ones.

Blue Bird would sometimes tease them with faint lightning, watching them puff out their feathers and fly off in a panic only to land back curiously, laughing until he was doubled over.

When night fell, that was the warmest time on the train.