Daziel looked down at the rough ropes, now undone, scattered on the stone ground. They seemed to still carry Rappa's body heat from her struggles.
He raised a hand and rubbed his throbbing temples.
Rappa's voice pulled his thoughts back.
He looked up, meeting her overly bright eyes. She had already tidied her signature bandages, covering most of her skin, revealing only the graceful lines of her collarbone and shoulders.
Her composed demeanor made Daziel deeply doubt whether the fiery woman who had almost burned him out just now was the same calm, self-possessed shinobi before him.
"We've already done 'that,' shouldn't you change how you address me?"
Daziel stood up, searching for his clothes that had been thrown into a corner, as he replied. His movements were slow due to exhaustion.
"Why? In fan-fiction, female shinobi always address the shinobi who does such things to them this way. It's a unique testament to the bond between them, filled with a sense of depravity…"
Rappa's tone instantly became serious, "That is a great ninja biography depicting conviction, growth, and cuckolding. Its status in my heart is no less than the main series of 'Galaxy Ninja Scrolls.'"
Daziel put on his clothes, turned around, and looked at her, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
She sat cross-legged by the fire, the firelight illuminating her serious profile, enveloping her in a halo.
"Alright, great work."
He nodded perfunctorily, bending down to pick up his weapon, "We need to leave here; dawn is breaking. It's not safe here…"
"Mm."
Rappa replied, standing up deftly, "Before the final battle arrives, shinobi indeed need a brief respite and separation to accumulate strength for the next reunion."
"We're not separating, just going our separate ways."
Daziel corrected her.
Rappa ignored his protest, simply walked up to him, and naturally reached out to straighten his somewhat messy collar. Her fingertips were cold, with a slight tremor, brushing lightly over his neck, making Daziel's body stiffen instantly.
"Your aura is disturbed, government shinobi."
She looked up, gazing at him closely, her clear eyes reflecting his astonished face.
Daziel's Adam's apple bobbed, and for a moment, he found himself speechless.
She was too close, so close he could smell the scent of fresh grass mixed with sweat on her, no longer the pure desire from before, but a kind of… Clean and vibrant scent.
"The next time we meet, I will be stronger."
Rappa took a step back and bowed slightly to him. It was a standard shinobi's bow, but the words that came from her mouth were full of a different kind of meaning.
"At that time, I hope to engage in a higher level of cultivation with you."
Daziel's lips twitched again.
Logically speaking, both the Sleep Alley Monkey's Meme contamination and the Desire Bud Memes should have been mostly cleared. But those memes seemed to have merged into her soul in an even more outrageous way.
She had taken that chaotic close combat as a special kind of training. He didn't want to discuss any more "cultivation" topics with her.
He was afraid he might actually hit her.
He turned and walked towards the exit of the stone chamber, his steps somewhat hurried.
Rappa called out to him from behind.
Daziel stopped, not turning back, only expressing his mood with his voice, "What is it now?"
He heard a slight rustling sound, and then something flew from behind, which he instinctively reached out and caught.
It was a small piece of bandage, seemingly still carrying her body heat and a faint scent. The bandage had been tied into a concentric knot with intricate skill.
Rappa's voice was calm and firm, "In the 'Galaxy Ninja Scrolls' fan-fiction, female shinobi give their most important possession to their receiving shinobi when they part. This is the proof of our agreement."
Daziel squeezed the small concentric knot; it felt soft.
He opened his mouth, but the words "I don't need this" swirled in his throat and ultimately went unsaid.
He simply tucked the concentric knot into his chest, pressing it tightly against his heart.
This time, Daziel's voice was much calmer.
He didn't linger, striding out into the wilderness. The cool morning air hit him, clearing his muddled mind somewhat.
Rappa didn't follow.
She stood in the shadow of the stone chamber, silently watching his retreating figure disappear at the boundary of the morning light and the dense forest.
"Take care, Daziel." She said softly, calling him by his real name for the first time.
Then, she put on that determined expression, turned, and walked unhesitatingly in the completely opposite direction from him.
After an Interstellar Jump, Daziel returned to the Astral Express.
The interior of the Express was as quiet as ever, filled with a familiar, sterile and cool scent, likely from Pom-Pom's recent cleaning.
As Daziel stepped into the carriage, the tension that had gripped his nerves for so long finally eased. He let out a long breath, as if expelling the dust of the wilderness and the lingering effects of that chaotic "cultivation."
The matter concerning Rappa, which had weighed on him, had finally concluded. Although the things in her mind had become even more outrageous than the meme contamination itself, at least she had embarked on her own "path of cultivation," and was temporarily safe.
Daziel subconsciously raised his hand, pressing his chest through his clothes. The small concentric knot made from the bandage rested securely there, carrying a faint, almost imperceptible warmth belonging to another person.
He shook his head slightly, banishing Rappa's profile, which had looked particularly earnest in the firelight, from his mind.
Now, it was time to deal with the real business.
His last conversation with Jingliu was still vivid. When he fully disclosed the method for creating the 12+ Star Rail Meme, even Jingliu, the former Sword Master of Luofu, who had long been accustomed to Daziel's modulations and faced many absurd situations without batting an eye, showed an expression of shock.
Creating the 12+ Star Rail Meme required a carrier: a life conceived from scratch, based on his genes as a blueprint. A child of Daziel.
Only in this way could the nascent meme perfectly synchronize with this world, achieving its former purity and strength, thereby thoroughly suppressing and even purifying the Desire Bud Memes that were eroding everything.
Of course, Daziel didn't necessarily need Jingliu to bear a child for him. Even though Jingliu had said, "If you can't find a suitable candidate, just come back to me," the lingering shame and resolve on her face made Daziel hesitate to truly trouble her.
After all, if Daziel hadn't suppressed her Mara-Struck state, she would have been close to death; asking her to have a child felt somewhat strange.
Moreover, he had a more professional candidate. A certain expert in the field of life sciences still owed him a "child."
With her, the entire process would surely be greatly compressed, saving the long ten months of pregnancy. Her professional techniques could transform this process into a precise surgery, rather than an unpredictable gestation.
Saving the world couldn't tolerate a moment's delay.
Before returning to the Astral Express, Daziel had already sent a message to Ruan Mei. The content was concise, instructing her to wait in his room, as he would immediately begin the "child-making" work upon his return.
Daziel mentally rationalized his almost commanding tone as he walked through the familiar corridor of the Express. The room doors on both sides of the corridor were closed, only his footsteps echoed on the polished floor, clear yet solitary.
He reached the door of his room and took a deep breath. He pressed his palm against the sensor by the door, forcefully suppressing the nervousness he felt about embarking on this "great endeavor."
The door slid open silently.
However, when he saw the scene inside the room, his newfound composure instantly crumbled.
He froze at the doorway.
The room didn't just contain Ruan Mei alone.
Ruan Mei, the 81st member of the Genius Society, and also Daziel's forbidden possession, sat quietly on the single sofa in his room. She wore an elegant cheongsam, her posture graceful, as if merely attending an academic seminar.
"Was it because the training just now consumed too much? It seems you still need more exercise." Ruan Mei's gaze was as calm as ever, imbued with an all-knowing tranquility as she looked at Daziel.
But the problem was, there were others in the room.
March 7th stood beside the sofa, arms crossed, looking indignant. Upon seeing him, her beautiful eyes first showed a hint of grievance, then sparked with accusatory fire.
Sparkle, without a hint of politeness, had claimed a corner of his bed, her legs dangling. The corner of her mouth beneath the mask curved into an arc of pure mischief.
Tingyun stood respectfully to one side, her eyes holding a light Daziel couldn't quite decipher, a mixture of reverence and resolve.
And what truly made his mind crash was the person standing by the window, arms crossed, examining him with a critical gaze— Herta. Not one of the puppets scurrying around the Space Station, but the 83rd member of the Genius Society, the great Lady Herta herself.
Although these few individuals in the room were already regular residents of the Express, such a lineup was still startling. This small train compartment now seemed to have become the center of some storm, where something significant was bound to happen.
The prolonged silence was first broken by March 7th. She stomped her foot, her voice full of accusation, "I've been with you since the very beginning! How could you not think of me first for something like this? You're just too mean!"
Daziel felt his temples throbbing. He opened his mouth, finding his throat dry.
"I… No, March, where did you hear that I need to find someone to have a child?"
"Jingliu sister told me!"
March 7th puffed out her chest righteously, "I went to see her this morning, and she told me the necessary conditions for you to produce the 12+ Meme. Then, seeing Lady Ruan Mei here… I understood immediately! So, Daziel, how many things are you going to hide from me? You didn't even tell me about something so important!"
The more she spoke, the more aggrieved she felt, her eyes even turning a little red.
Daziel was momentarily speechless, just about to explain the complexity of the situation, when a cheerful, inciting voice interrupted.
Sparkle leaped down from the bed and in a few steps, darted in front of him, tilting her head back. Her voice was sickly sweet as she intentionally puffed out her flat stomach and said with a giggle, "You made my belly swell last time, completely full, and I think I can do it!"
"How can that be the same?!" Daziel instinctively recoiled half a step, practically yelling.
He recalled how, to teach that little brat Sparkle a lesson, he had forcefully infused her, and indeed, that process could be described as "completely full," almost making her belly like a watermelon. But that was a completely different matter from this!
Before he could finish his explanation, Tingyun's soft yet firm voice sounded beside him.
"Papa?"
That address made Daziel stiffen all over again.
Tingyun bowed slightly, her posture humble and devout: "Why wouldn't you look for your daughter for something like this? Fox Slaves are inherently the fertility tools of the Borisin War Chief. Sharing Papa's burdens is what I should do."
Her tone was so self-evident, as if stating an undeniable truth, that a chilling sense of absurdity rose in Daziel's heart.
"I just don't know…" Daziel rubbed his temples, feeling his logic about to collapse under the onslaught of these people, "If we were to have a child, would it be a Foxian or an ordinary human…?"
"An interesting question."
A clear, cold voice, imbued with an undeniable sense of authority, rang out, instantly overpowering all the clamor in the room.
Herta slowly walked over from the window. She circled Daziel twice, her eyes like someone examining a priceless artifact.
"Ruan Mei is indeed outstanding in the field of life sciences. I've reviewed her technical approach; it's efficient, precise, but too conservative."
Herta stopped, her gaze sweeping over the calm-faced Ruan Mei, a hint of disdain on her lips, "But since it involves you, Daziel, the value of this project is far more than simply 'saving the world.'"
She extended a finger and tapped Daziel's chest. There was no force, yet it felt as if he was locked in place by some irresistible power.
"Using your genes as a blueprint to create a brand new life meme carrier, this in itself is the most cutting-edge project in the universe. To entrust it solely to Ruan Mei, following that step-by-step process, is simply a waste of treasure."
Herta's eyes shimmered with fanaticism, "This project, I, Herta, claim it. No, rather, I shall lead it. I will provide you with the optimal nurturing environment, the strongest gene editor, and the most perfect theoretical support. I will ensure that this 'child,' from the moment of its birth, is a perfect work of art, a masterpiece that transcends you and all definitions of life."
Her gaze finally settled on Daziel's face, her tone filled with an irrefutable assertion.
"As for the carriers,哼, they're all too inferior."
Herta evaluated without reservation, "Emotions, races, chaotic wills—these are all unstable interference factors. Only I, or rather, the perfect prime body created by me, is the most suitable choice."
The room fell into a dead silence once more.
Daziel looked at Herta before him, then at Ruan Mei next to her, who had an expression that said, "See, I told you so," and then at the three other girls, each with different expressions but all eyeing him eagerly. He felt like he hadn't come to save the world, but had stumbled into a den of spider-demons.
He took a long, deep breath, then slowly exhaled.
"Um," Daziel raised a hand, attempting to regain some control, "Can we, perhaps, start by discussing why you all want to have my child? I only asked Ruan Mei to come over, didn't I?"
A barely perceptible trace of apology appeared on Ruan Mei's usually unperturbed face. Her crossed legs subtly trembled as she met Daziel's questioning gaze.
She admitted candidly, "I believed you had already explained the situation to the female residents on the Express, so when Miss March 7th inquired about my intentions, I directly explained the project overview."
Ruan Mei paused, her gaze shifting to the pink-haired girl beside her, who was indignantly glaring at Daziel.
"I did not anticipate that she would react with such strong emotional fluctuations to the phrase 'have a child.'"
"What do you mean 'emotional fluctuations'?! This is called participation!" March 7th immediately retorted, hands on her hips, like an agitated cat, "I don't care about projects or saving the world! This concerns you and 'the child,' so I must be involved! What, having one is having one, having a group is having a group—are you afraid you can't afford to raise them or something?!"
Her words came like a machine gun, each one pounding on Daziel's temples.
"That's not what I meant!"
Daziel pressed his hand to his forehead, feeling a wave of dizziness.
"The point isn't whether I can afford to raise them! The point is, I only need to create the 12+ Star Rail life meme! This is a mission with a clear objective, not a family expansion plan! The Astral Express's Akivili endeavors must continue; I don't want to waste too much energy on such things!"
"Hmph, what's so hard about that?"
Sparkle's cunning voice rang out once more. She giggled as she sidled over, nudging Daziel's waist with her elbow, "Daziel-gege, you just think too much. If you don't have time to raise them, don't we have our great Conductor Lord?"
She mimicked Pom-Pom's tone and gestures perfectly, speaking with a bounce.
"Whatever you can't handle, just throw them all to the Conductor Lord! The Astral Express has so many people, and many couples. I'm sure it has plenty of experience with raising children!"
A specific image instantly flashed in Daziel's mind: Little Pom-Pom, wearing an ill-fitting parenting apron and a ridiculous nurse's cap.
It held a giant baby bottle in one hand and a rattle in the other, flustered in front of a dozen baby carriages. Each carriage held a constantly crying infant, and Pom-Pom, while grumbling, "Pom-Pom isn't supposed to do this," would stumble from one to another, feeding them, occasionally getting its long ears grabbed by a little one.
The scene was so vivid that Daziel's lips twitched uncontrollably.
He said decisively, "That's not going to happen."
"Your thinking is too naive, Daziel." Herta's cold voice pulled him back to reality from his absurd imagination. She had, at some point, positioned herself between Daziel and Ruan Mei, like an invisible barrier, isolating everyone else.
"Do you think this is merely 'producing a meme'?"
Herta's eyes held a hint of mockery, as if she were looking at an unenlightened student, "This is the redefinition of a life form, with your genes as the core. Any tiny variation in a carrier will lead to a world of difference in the final outcome. Emotions, will, even racial talents, are all variables. And Lady Herta's goal is to create constants, absolute perfection."
Daziel took a deep breath, trying to reason with this madwoman.
"Herta, I understand your passion for research. However, this is not something to be trifled with in a laboratory."
Herta scoffed, "Countless lives are born and perish every moment in the universe; most are meaningless. But this 'child' is different; it is destined for greatness from its conceptual stage. Lady Herta is here to ensure that this greatness is not sullied by vulgar contingency."
She took a step forward, almost touching Daziel's nose with hers, her star-like eyes reflecting his astonished face.
"Therefore, the choice is not yours, nor is it theirs. The truth of science holds the highest decision-making power. And I am its spokesperson."
Herta's aura was suffocatingly powerful; her words were light, yet carried more weight than any coercion or enticement.
Daziel knew that arguing with her about emotions and human relations was somewhat unrealistic.
He looked around. Tingyun still maintained her meek and submissive posture, as if she could offer herself at any moment if he just nodded.
March 7th's face was etched with "pick me, pick me," a mix of grievance and expectation.
Sparkle wore a spectators' expression, as if relishing chaos, her eyes glinting with mischief. As for Ruan Mei, she simply stood silently to one side, her expression calm, seemingly accepting of any outcome.
Logic was dead. Reason was futile.
Resistance seemed only to make things worse, especially when Herta had locked onto him with that look of "if you don't cooperate, I'll take it by force."
Daziel felt like a piece of meat surrounded by wolves; no matter how he struggled, he couldn't escape the fate of being devoured.
All his persistence and rationality shattered before this group of women who defied all common sense.
Finally, he gave up.
A deep sense of powerlessness washed over him. He sighed a long, drawn-out sigh, as if it drained all the strength from his body.
"Fine." Daziel raised both hands in a gesture of surrender, his voice hoarse and weary.
"Since you are all so persistent, then let's do it."
However, as soon as the words left his mouth, Daziel regretted it. He had, after all, underestimated the source of chaos.
Sparkle's crisp laughter shattered his last shred of illusion. Her eyes glittered with excitement and longing as she lunged forward.
"Go, sisters! If you're late, you'll only get to experience what others leave behind!"
No sooner had she spoken than the atmosphere in the room exploded.
Tingyun's figure, accompanied by a fragrant breeze, was the first to press close. March 7th, unwilling to be outdone, squeezed in from the other side.
Daziel's vision blurred as he was instantly enveloped by softness and warmth. Various scents mingled, rushing into his nasal cavity.
Countless hands caressed his body, and his ears were filled with giggling, overlapping, delicate cries.
His vision was completely deprived, his senses plunged into a chaotic frenzy.
Daziel was utterly submerged by the women.
What first flooded his mind was not touch, but scent. Tingyun's elegant calming incense, March 7th's lively sweet berry scent from her hair, Sparkle's faint, peculiar aroma with a hint of girlish body odor, and Herta's unique, almost absent, yet cold metallic and stardust-like aura.
Four distinctly different scents mingled together, like a heavy punch to his olfactory center, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.
"Hey, stop crowding!" March 7th's indignant voice sounded almost against his left ear, "I hugged him first! There's a first-come, first-served rule, isn't there?!"
Immediately, Sparkle's soft chuckle came from his right, tinged with the delight of a successful prank: "March sister, rules are meant to be broken. In times like these, whoever snatches the most central position is the winner."
Her hand was not at all still, like a slithering snake, moving under his clothes along his waist.
Daziel tried to struggle, but his arms were tightly pinned, his body squeezed between several soft forms, unable to move.
He felt as if he had fallen into warm quicksand; the more he struggled, the deeper he sank.
"Sir, please don't move around too much. You might get hurt." Tingyun's voice was soft and gentle, with just the right touch of concern, but the arm wrapped around his neck tightened further, her warm breath caressing his nape, causing a ticklish sensation.
Amidst this chaos, a palpable cold force suddenly intervened. A hand, with an unnatural low temperature, pressed precisely onto his upper back.
The hand didn't exert force, yet it seemed to possess a strange penetrative power, making Daziel stiffen all over.
Immediately after, Herta's emotionless voice sounded, not loud, but clearly overriding all the noise.
"This boring farce ends here."
As her words fell, an invisible pressure radiated from her.
March 7th and Sparkle almost simultaneously felt a push, involuntarily retreating half a step. Tingyun also hesitated for a moment, then obediently released her arm.
The encirclement instantly dissolved.
Fresh, slightly cool air rushed back into Daziel's lungs. He gasped for breath, his vision finally clearing.
He saw March 7th glaring indignantly at Herta, her cheeks flushed, but not daring to step forward again.
Sparkle, meanwhile, stood with her arms crossed, watching the scene with interest, the smile on her lips deepening, seemingly more pleased with this new chaotic situation.
Tingyun retreated to the side, resuming her gentle and submissive posture, though her slightly disheveled hair and flushed earlobes betrayed her earlier participation.
And Herta stood directly in front of him, one hand still maintaining its position on his upper back. She scrutinized him from above, her star-like eyes holding no hint of jest, only pure, unwavering dedication to her research objective.
Herta coldly announced, "This kind of chaotic scramble does not align with Lady Herta's aesthetics. Since there is only one Daziel, the selection of the carrier must employ the most efficient selection mechanism."
Daziel's breathing had not yet fully normalized when the hand on his upper back withdrew.
He instinctively turned, meeting Herta's deep, unfathomable eyes.
Her expression hadn't changed at all, as if her action of dissolving the chaotic situation was, to her, merely—
"The most efficient selection mechanism." Sparkle repeated, tilting her head, her slender finger tapping her chin, her eyes sparkling with mischief, "Hmph? That sounds much more interesting than lining up. Lady Herta, quick, tell us, what kind of mechanism is it?"
Herta looked around, her gaze briefly resting on March 7th's furrowed brow and Sparkle's smiling face, before finally locking back onto Daziel, as if he were the only audience.
A nearly imperceptible curve appeared at the corner of her mouth, an almost arrogant arc belonging to someone with absolute confidence.
"It's very simple." Herta's voice was clear and cold, each word like a pebble melting on ice, "This mechanism is—"
She paused slightly, savoring the instantly frozen air and everyone's concentrated gaze.
______
New History: A heart of Ice With a Romance System.
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