I opened a shop on the Astral Train-Chapter 18

(AN: Sleep deprivation is very bad! That's why you need to get good sleep you don't accidentally post the wrong Chapter like I did! x_x)

With a single hit from Diluc's sword, the gate to the Abyss Cult's stronghold was reduced to rubble.

The scorching flames quickly spread throughout the entire stronghold, fueled by the wind. The water elemental shield created by the Abyss Mage was shattered in an instant, crumbling like paper.

Before the mage could even attempt to conjure a second shield, Diluc's greatsword descended upon him, cutting through the air with unrelenting force.

In a matter of moments, the Abyss Mage was no more, and the remaining Hilichurls stood no chance against Diluc's might. They fell swiftly, their lives snuffed out by the fiery blade.

After collecting the rough stone, Diluc turned and set off for the next stronghold.

The training he'd received in the "Wind Spirit Technique" had made his attacks more efficient. The fire element combined with the wind allowed him to break through the shields of the Abyss Mages in an instant. What once took him considerable time and effort was now achieved in the blink of an eye.

Without their shields, the Abyss Mages were mere prey for Diluc's blade.

By the end of the night, a large number of Abyss Cult strongholds in Mondstadt had been eradicated. Each time a stronghold fell, brilliant flames illuminated the darkness.

The next morning, Klee made her way to the kitchen.

"Good morning, Brother Yuri, Brother Kevin, Sister March 7th, and Brother Dan Heng~!" Klee greeted with infectious energy.

Hook waved happily. "Good morning!"

Yuri smiled at the two little ones. "Did you wash your faces and brush your teeth?"

Klee nodded vigorously. "Yes! Pam Bunny took me to wash up!"

Hook chimed in, "Hook is clean! Lord Dark Hook is always clean!"

Yuri gave them a satisfied nod and poured two bowls of white porridge for the children. "Here, have some porridge. The rest of the food will take a while."

The children sat at the table, eagerly eating their porridge. Kevin finished his bowl with a satisfied laugh and ran back to the kitchen for another serving.

It was then that Yuri asked, "Have you found any clues about the star core?"

Kevin shrugged, clearly frustrated. "No, Natasha and the others don't even know what a star core is."

March 7th sighed. "We're in a bit of a jam. There's no clue in the lower city, and the upper city is still looking for us. Sigh..."

Yuri smiled knowingly. "Since you're so stuck, I'll give you a hint. Go find the oldest person in the downtown area. There's a clue there."

March 7th thought for a moment, her eyes lighting up. "The oldest person? I get it now! The older they are, the more they know. We hadn't thought about it that way."

Dan Heng nodded, understanding the implication. "We'll head to the downtown area after breakfast. Thanks for the tip, Yuri"

"No problem! Let's be ready for what comes ahead." Yuri said with a big smile.

The three quickly finished their meal, drank a second bowl of porridge, grabbed two freshly steamed buns, and headed for the portal.

On March 7th, Dan Heng and the others made their way back to the lower city.

As soon as they stepped out of the portal, they spotted Clara walking toward them, her arms filled with a heavy textbook. The portal happened to be right near Clara's home, so after resting there last night, she was heading to study with Mr. Welt.

"Good morning, Big Brother Dan Heng, Big Sister March 7th, and Big Brother Kevin~" Clara greeted them, waving cheerfully.

March 7th smiled warmly. "Good morning, Clara! Where are you off to?"

Clara shook the textbook in her arms. "I'm going to Mr. Welt's to study. He lent me this book, but I didn't understand some parts, so I want to ask him about it."

March 7th couldn't help but be impressed. If it were her, she'd probably have a headache just looking at such a thick book.

"Well, it might be a little too early to go there now," she said.

Clara's face fell slightly, but she quickly brightened up again. "That's okay. I'll wait and see you all later! Bye, Big Brother and Big Sisters!" She waved again before stepping into the portal to head to the store.

As the three of them left the house, they noticed Svarog leading a squad of mechas, all gearing up and heading out.

March 7th furrowed her brow. "What's going on with Svarog?"

Dan Heng gave a quick glance at the scene. "Let's catch up and ask. This looks serious."

The three of them quickly moved to catch up with Svarog, and Kevin gave him a friendly slap on the thigh.

"Svarog, where are you off to?" Kevin called out.

Svarog looked down at them with a raised brow. "There's been a riot in Panyan Town, and I'm leading a team to handle it."

Kevin raised an eyebrow. "A riot? What's going on?"

Svarog explained, "I got a distress call from Natasha, the leader of the underground fire in Panyan Town. A large group of wanderers is attacking the town."

March 7th's face paled. "What? Panyan Town is under attack? We need to help!"

Dan Heng and Kevin nodded in agreement, and the group quickly joined Svarog and the mecha squad as they raced toward Panyan Town.

By the time they arrived at the town, it was clear that the situation was dire. Panyan Town, located near the entrance to the large mining area, was under siege. Wanderers were relentlessly attacking the Earth Fire Organization's defense line.

In the midst of the chaos, Seele dashed through the battlefield with a sickle in hand, her swift movements bringing down wanderer after wanderer. Meanwhile, Bronya—who had just been rescued by Seele—was in full command mode, firing her rifle with pinpoint accuracy, cutting down any foe that crossed her path.

"Everyone, cooperate! Stay calm and hold the line!" Bronya's voice rang out, instilling confidence in the Earth Fire members.

"Yes, ma'am!" came the unified response.

Under Bronya's sharp leadership, the Earth Fire members fought fiercely, but they were still outnumbered. The wanderers, armed and determined, relentlessly attacked the defense line.

At the back, Natasha and Oleg held their ground as the final line of defense. Natasha's gaze was heavy with concern as she surveyed the battlefield.

The wanderers had clearly learned that Panyan Town was rich in supplies, and they planned to seize them. There were thousands of wanderers, many armed with deadly weapons, all bent on taking over the town.

Luckily, the Earth Fire members had been in good physical shape thanks to the recent food supplies, and they were fighting with everything they had.

But despite their best efforts, the wanderers' numbers were overwhelming. The defense line was on the verge of being breached.

Oleg, noticing a gap in the defense, called out to Natasha, "I'll take care of this! Keep things stable here!"

Without waiting for a response, Oleg led a small group of Earth Fire members toward the breach. Although he wasn't a Fatewalker, his previous experience with the Silver Mane Guards made him a force to be reckoned with. His spear danced through the crowd, knocking down wanderer after wanderer, and the defense line was soon reinforced.

But even Oleg knew that this would not hold for long.

Just then, a familiar voice rang in Natasha's ears. "Don't worry, Reinforcements are on the way."

Natasha turned to see Sambo approaching.

"Sampo? Did you call for reinforcements?" Natasha asked, relief flooding her face.

Sampo grinned. "Yes, I contacted Boss Svarog for help. They should be here any minute now."

As if summoned by his words, a deafening explosion rang out in the distance. Svarog's mecha dropped from the sky, landing in the center of the battlefield with a thunderous crash.

"Riot detected, annihilation order activated!" Svarog's voice boomed over the battlefield as the missile bay on his mecha opened. A volley of missiles streaked through the air, targeting the wanderers.

Dan Heng, March 7th, and Kevin, each piloting their own mechas, joined the fray from behind the wanderers. They were ready to turn the tide.

Kevin wasted no time. With a single cry, he shouted, "Skyfire! Unsheath!" and swung his sword, sending a wave of fiery destruction through the crowd.

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Dan Heng wasn't far behind. His Jiyun Spear glowed with power as he thrust it forward, unleashing a massive energy wave that tore through the wanderers in front of him.

March 7th took aim with her bow, summoning a barrage of ice arrows that froze the wanderers in place, rendering them immobile.

The mecha soldiers, not concerned with finesse, moved in and subdued the wanderers with brute force, leaving them unable to resist.

Seeing the reinforcements arrive, Natasha let out a sigh of relief. "Everyone! Reinforcements have arrived! All units, advance! Let's show them what we're made of!"

The Earth Fire members, now filled with renewed vigor, charged forward, launching a powerful counterattack.

The wanderers, realizing the battle was lost, began to scatter in every direction, fleeing as fast as they could. They looked like they were running for their lives, desperate to escape.

With the combined efforts of the mecha soldiers and the Earth Fire members, the attack on Panyan Town was successfully repelled.

Svarog, Kevin, March 7th, and Dan Heng gathered with Natasha, Oleg, Sambo, Seele, and Bronya after the battle.

"Svarog! March 7th! Dan Heng!" Kevin called out with a grin, carrying the Holy Judge of Heavenly Fire on his shoulder.

Seele gave him a thumbs up. "Cool!"

Natasha, her face filled with gratitude, approached Svarog. "Svarog, thank you for your help."

Svarog nodded, his face calm. "No need to thank me. This is all for the protection of the lower city."

After the battle, the Earth Fire members' attitudes toward the mecha soldiers shifted. They now saw them as allies—something they hadn't truly appreciated until now. Thanks to the timely arrival of Svarog and his mecha squad, the losses were minimized, and the town had been saved.

As the Earth Fire members and mecha soldiers cleaned up the battlefield together, it was clear that their teamwork had turned the tide of the battle, saving Panyan Town from disaster.