Starry Sky Railway: Twin Origins

Chapter 309 Katniss's Escape

A day passed quickly.

With Sai Fei'er's help, Lin Qiong was able to return to Stikocia.

Later, in the tower at the highest point of the ancient city of Stikosia, he saw the star that had returned from the underworld.

Seeing his companions return safely, Lin Qiong's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down. The worries and anxieties that had been weighing on his heart for so long vanished at this moment.

Afterwards, the two had a brief conversation. Lin Qiong learned about Xing's experiences in the underworld from her account and summarized one good news and one bad news.

The good news is that, with the help of Xia Die, Xing's soul was able to return to her body, successfully breaking free from the shackles of "death" and no longer being threatened by it.

The bad news is that after taking over the divine authority of the Titan of Death, Xia Die decided to live in the underworld forever to take care of the souls who are lost in the River Styx and cannot find their way home.

When the two brought this regrettable news back to Ohm, and displayed the flame that symbolized death to everyone.

The atmosphere inside the Marble Palace instantly fell silent.

After a long silence, Aglaia finally let out a soft sigh, breaking the stillness.

"I see. So, Xia Die... also chose to actively embrace her own destiny."

Aglaia's voice was soft, yet tinged with a heavy tone. Her gaze was fixed on the distance, as if she saw a butterfly voluntarily heading towards the underworld.

“Aya…” Tibo raised her head, her gaze falling on Aglaia, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes.

She knew very well that among all the Golden Bloods, the one Aglaia was most worried about was Xiaodie.

To help Xia Die integrate into Ohma as quickly as possible, Aglaia even released golden threads at the banquet and led the slightly clumsy Xia Die in a dance.

She still remembers how helpless and yet desperately trying to keep up with the pace Xia Die looked, which was incredibly endearing.

Recalling this, Tibo's lips moved slightly, preparing to offer Aglaia some words of comfort.

However, Aglaia seemed to sense something and gently shook her head.

“My teacher, don’t worry, I’m fine.”

After the words were spoken, silence began to spread between the two of them.

Lin Qiong and Xing stood silently to the side, taking in the scene before them and patiently waiting for the two to say their final farewell to Xia Die in their hearts.

But the silence lasted less than five seconds before it was broken by a sudden burst of hurried footsteps.

"Ah... Lady Agrea!"

A Holy City Guard rushed up to the group, panting heavily, his words barely coherent.

"Something terrible has happened! Senator Katniss... and... and her men, they've... escaped!"

Upon hearing this, everyone present turned around at the same time, their gazes falling on the Holy City Guards, their faces filled with disbelief.

"What? They ran away?"

Lin Qiong's brows furrowed instantly, and he finally couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Wasn't she imprisoned?"

"Yes, he has been detained."

After suppressing his rapid breathing, the Holy City Guardian replied with a solemn expression:

“But when we changed shifts just now, we found that the cell where the prisoners were being held was empty, and the few colleagues who were guarding it were all lying unconscious on the ground.”

Upon hearing this, Aglaia's eyes sharpened instantly, and she smoothly took over the conversation, calmly continuing to question the Holy City Guard:

"When exactly did it happen? What's the situation with the guards? Have they woken up?"

"The time of the incident cannot be determined at this time."

The Holy City Guardian quickly shook his head and continued, "The fallen companions have been sent to the Courtyard of Dusk for treatment, but they have not yet woken up."

"Seal off all exits immediately! No one is allowed to leave Ohmma until the fugitive is found!"

"Yes!"

Upon receiving Aglaia's order, the Holy City Guards immediately took off running and disappeared from everyone's sight in the blink of an eye.

After the Holy City Guards left, Lin Qiong slowly turned his head, his gaze falling on Aglaia, his eyes full of curiosity.

"Ms. Aglaia, you've laid so much gold thread throughout the city. Logically, you should be able to easily find the guy who let Katniss go, right?"

He scratched his head, looking puzzled. "But why the sudden order to lock down the city?"

"That's where the problem lies."

Aglaia's voice gradually lowered, her face so grave it was almost dripping with tears. "To date, none of the gold threads I've placed in the city have sent back any feedback."

"what?!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked, their faces filled with astonishment.

Everyone present was well aware of just how versatile the gold threads that Aglaia had arranged were.

Putting aside everything else, just take the "World Wide Web" she built, which far exceeds the scope that can be explained by common sense.

In this world where they cannot receive any external signals, Lin Qiong and his companions can still use mobile phones to send and receive messages as usual.

This alone is enough to prove the value of the World Wide Web.

Although its coverage is limited to Ohmma, making it seem somewhat useless, its ability to enable seamless real-time communication within the city still makes its actual value considerable.

Under such "omnipotent" surveillance, it is no wonder that someone was able to let Katniss go without anyone noticing. This is something that cannot be accomplished by ordinary means.

"It seems the other side isn't simple either." Lin Qiong stroked his chin, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes.

Aglaia's golden threads are spread throughout every corner of Ohma, making it virtually impossible to completely avoid its perception.

This means that the other party may possess some special means that could render the surveillance effect of the gold wire completely ineffective...

Regardless of what methods the other party used, Katniss has been rescued, and the most urgent task now is to bring her back as soon as possible!

“Ms. Aglaia…”

With this thought in mind, Lin Qiong immediately stepped forward, intending to make this suggestion.

But before he could finish speaking, Aglaia raised her hand to interrupt him.

“Your journey back and forth has not only brought back the spark of death, but also averted a potential crisis for Ohma.”

Aglaia tilted her head slightly, her gaze sweeping over Lin Qiong and Xing, her tone full of praise.

"I will always remember your contributions."

"But Katniss's escape was indeed due to my negligence, and I don't want to trouble you two too much on this matter."

“Besides…” she paused briefly, then continued, “there is something even more important that you need to accomplish.”

Hearing this, Lin Qiong paused slightly, exchanged a glance with Xing, and then asked curiously, "Something more important?"

"Ah."

Aglaia nodded gently, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes, and said softly, "I hope you can carry this Death Flame to the heart of the Creation Vortex and complete the Fire Chasing Journey for Xia Die."

"I think...she might have the same thought..."