Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking

Mystic Code Deployment: Bonus Chapters ✨

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Across the endless, emerald-green plain, a black-and-red snowcrawler rumbled along the path the winds had carved, headed for the towering tree at its center.

Its large modified wheels churned up the earth, leaving a trail in its wake. The gusting winds tousled everyone's hair, and there was a kind of deep, real satisfaction in feeling themselves grounded in such a vivid world.

Everywhere they looked was green stretching to the horizon, dotted with delicate white flowers and crystal butterflies, tiny creatures born of the wind, flitting around like a cross between bees and butterflies.

"—So beautiful! Sure, the universe has stunning sights, but it's these unexpected landscapes along the way that I love the most!"

March 7 held onto the roll bar with one hand, shielding her brow with the other as she peered excitedly into the distance. She hadn't stopped moving since they'd left the city.

"Well, it's understandable for someone like you who always trips during warps to feel grounded when you're finally on solid land."

At the wheel, Dan Heng glanced at her through the rearview mirror, his tone casual.

"In the vastness of space, it's easy to feel directionless, swept along by forces beyond you. But when you're on solid ground with a clear destination, your will sharpens, and every step feels purposeful."

Welt pushed up his glasses, his gaze drifting over the scenery. "Maybe that's why the original trailblazers set out on their journey in the first place—to chase this exact sense of fulfillment."

"Exactly, Uncle Yang! You get it!"

March 7's eyes sparkled as she ducked back into the cabin, giving a nudge to Venti, who had fallen asleep with a book over his face. She sighed, exasperated.

"Hey! Weren't you just saying you'd become Belobog's greatest adventurer? We've barely left the city, and you're already dozing off!"

"Whew… Can't help it," Venti yawned, lifting the book from his face, still looking half-asleep. "The sun this afternoon is just too cozy. Would be a shame not to nap in it."

March 7 gave him a look that suggested she wanted to pinch his cheek and scold him thoroughly about what it meant to be an adventurer. Welt, however, watched the boy with a thoughtful expression.

"By the way, Venti… Is it all right if I call you that?"

"Of course! Mr. Welt, you're the kind soul who let me hitch a ride, so call me whatever you want!"

Venti sat up a little straighter, giving them a warm, welcoming smile.

"And, as 'payment' for the lift, if there's anything you'd like to know, feel free to ask! Don't let this face fool you—I'm quite the vault of info! Belobog's street gossip, Captain Gepard's most embarrassing secret, even the hidden thoughts of our beloved Guardian—I know it all!"

"We're not after gossip, but thanks for the offer," Welt said, chuckling. "And you can call me Uncle Yang like they do."

Sitting up front, he gave Venti a curious look. "And as for the rest, I'll leave it to you young people to get to know each other."

"You can just call me Dan Heng," the stoic youth said coolly.

March 7, on the other hand, eyed Venti closely.

"I'm March 7, so March or March 7 works. But you know… something about you reminds me of someone else. Smooth-talker, almost managed to trick us…"

The more she thought about it, the more she felt Venti seemed like someone else, and she squinted suspiciously.

"And you said earlier you got your info from someone named Bosun… but if you turn that around, isn't that just Sampo? Are you in league with him or something?"

"What? That's so unfair! Do I look like the shady type who's up to no good?"

Venti clutched his chest with a look of deep injury.

The way he held himself, you'd think he was a classic mobster fresh out of hiding, dumbstruck at being caught so soon.

March 7, though, just crossed her arms like a detective about to interrogate a prime suspect.

"So you admit you know him, huh? Well, that's enough proof for me! Guess this is the second time your gang of bumbling thieves has walked right into our hands. We'll turn you over to the Silvermane Guards in no time!"

"No, no, no! You can't just lump us all together! If just knowing Sampo makes us accomplices, Belobog's social order would collapse!"

Venti's head shook like a rattle.

"Enough, March," Welt stepped in, placating her. "If Venti were involved with Sampo's schemes, I doubt he'd have passed the gate checks so easily. He would've been flagged like anyone else."

"Hmm, I suppose… but still, something about you seems off."

March 7 narrowed her eyes, leaning in close to scrutinize Venti's face. She caught the faint whiff of orange from her hair as it drifted forward.

"And with that baby-smooth skin… are you really an adventurer?"

"There wasn't a chance to, you know! Under the last Supreme Guardian, nobody was allowed to leave the city except for the Silvermane Guards on patrol. Plus, the world outside was full of snowstorms and rift creatures. Even if you could leave, survival was a long shot."

Venti eagerly defended himself.

"So, the only ones who actually saw the world outside were a few specialized expeditions."

"...No wonder everyone's going all out just for a simple festival. They look like they're moving house."

March muttered, remembering how she'd seen people practically converting their vehicles into makeshift homes for the outing. It seemed like Belobog's citizens had gone full survival mode for their first outdoor adventure.

"Speaking of which," she said, "I haven't seen you with any supplies. Don't tell me you're going out there with nothing but a book?"

"Eheh?"

Venti's bold demeanor faltered into a sheepish grin.

"?"

March blinked, her fists clenching involuntarily.

"What does 'eheh' mean?"

"It means 'no need to spell it out,' I guess?"

"Don't you dare try to make this into a thing!"

March gave him a look of pure exasperation.

"Look, the road's a lot less lonely with good company, don't you think?"

Venti gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder, like a senior adventurer sharing hard-earned wisdom.

"Well, sure, but—"

Before she could finish, the snowcrawler suddenly lurched like it had struck a rock, jolting everyone sideways. Dan Heng gripped the wheel, righting them, while Welt leaned halfway out of his seat to check underneath.

Beneath the rear wheel was the mechanical tail of some kind of machine, lodged firmly in place and grinding against the tire.

"Wha—What happened?"

March let out a belated yelp, glancing at the others in surprise.

"Whew, quick reflexes…" Venti muttered, looking relieved.

When they'd hit the bump, March 7, who had been leaning close, almost collided with Venti. However, he instinctively lifted his book, which now bore a faint imprint of her lips on its cover.

March was glad she hadn't given any "accidental" benefits while she was dazed, but that nonchalant response—not treating her like a lady—had her fuming.

Still, she was a Pathfinder. There were bigger things to focus on than a few ruffled feathers. March opened the door and climbed out to inspect the situation.

Uncle Yang joined her, and together they discovered a mound of dirt where the road should have been.

"Huh? That wasn't there before. Dan Heng, did you fall asleep at the wheel or something?"

"That's impossible. We've barely been driving for half an hour, all on smooth ground. This has to be something left from an old Belobog defense line."

Welt's tone was steady, though his eyes held a glint of concern.

"If I'm right, we might be in for our first real fight on this planet."

Almost as if answering his words, the earth shivered, and the mound began to tremble. Dirt crumbled away, revealing a metallic scorpion-like machine as it emerged from its shell of dust. Its sturdy, steel armor gleamed dully in the sunlight.

The tail section appeared to be missing, likely the chunk stuck under their tires.

Its bright yellow eyes honed in on the group, apparently trying to identify them. Whatever AI guided its systems, though, was damaged—it only emitted garbled electronic noise, nothing Svarog could probably translate.

It might've gone something like: "Hostage detected in proximity to high-risk individual. Initiating rescue protocol—"

Then, like a trigger had been pulled, the scorpion's massive pincers snapped open, and it lunged forward.

"Wait—hold on! When did Belobog's wilderness have scorpions the size of trucks?!"

March 7 yelped as she raised a transparent but sturdy shield around them.

She shoved Venti behind her, shielding him from the assault, while Dan Heng, who had just disembarked, steadied his spear and charged to intercept the scorpion.

After observing a moment, Welt tapped his staff to the ground, sending gravity's binding power coiling around the berserk automaton.

Mindful not to damage this ancient relic, Welt held his power in check, but even in its weakened state, the automaton's assault proved dangerous—its indiscriminate, erratic movements were the main threat.

Captured, the scorpion buzzed as if it would self-destruct, but Welt quickly disabled the power core, silencing it.

"Pfft, I was just about to jump in. Guess I didn't have to lift a finger after all," March teased.

"Judging by how well it withstood the cold, your ice arrows probably wouldn't have done much, anyway."

Dan Heng sheathed his weapon and crouched to examine its structure. Welt, satisfied, tucked the power core into the trunk, figuring it might interest Belobog's historians.

Meanwhile, Venti leaned in close to the giant pincers, poking one gingerly.

"I still can't believe you all took it down so quickly."

"Of course! We're Pathfinders. This clunky piece of hardware is nothing compared to the dangers we've seen on other planets."

March 7 puffed out her chest with pride.

Not that a lone automaton would've been much of a challenge—after all, the three of them were highly experienced and, even without their best moves, could handle most things short of a Destroyer-class foe.

"Yep, that's amazing! Truly amazing!" Venti beamed, his enthusiastic admiration washing away March's irritation from earlier.

They'd hardly begun celebrating, though, when a standard Belobog research vehicle rolled up. The doors opened, and out stepped a girl with pale blonde hair under a pair of fluffy cat-eared earmuffs, wrapped snugly in a thick winter coat with a blue scarf tied in a neat bow.

But despite her inviting appearance, she radiated a quiet "keep your distance" energy. Not the aloofness of Dan Heng, nor even coldness—more like a desire to avoid any unnecessary interaction.

It was part of why she'd chosen her job as a polar explorer.

Even so, as a member of the Landau family, it wasn't in her nature to ignore people in need.

After parking, she stepped forward with a cautious greeting.

"Hello. I'm Lynx Landau, polar explorer. I was on my way to a research site, but I noticed you looked like you might need some help…"

She was doing her best to sound friendly, but her voice came off stiff, awkward, and devoid of emotion, more like a Silvermane Guard questioning a stranger.

Then her gaze landed on Venti, and her tone shifted to one of barely restrained fury.

"Oh! It's the jerk who toyed with Pela's feelings!"

"W-What—?!"

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