Inside the Quantum Control Room.
"Hahaha! Caroline, what's with that expression? No, I have to take a picture of this! And then let everyone else see it."
Looking at Caroline, who was clearly crying a river yet forcing a smile, 'Tendo' was like a mischievous child who had gotten his way.
He formed his hands into a frame-like gesture, aiming at Caroline's tear-streaked, smiling face.
He was utterly heartless.
As he made this childish gesture, the holographic projection surprisingly cooperated, simulating a camera's "click" sound and continuous flashes.
This idiot…
Caroline watched 'Tendo', who was darting about like a paparazzi photographer.
The corners of her mouth curled uncontrollably.
Just a second ago, she had been immersed in heart-wrenching grief.
But now, she was so exasperated by this guy, who always defied expectations, that she wanted to laugh.
Just like countless times in the past.
Thinking this, Caroline took a deep breath.
Then, with reddened eyes, she glared fiercely at the figure who always acted unpredictably.
Just like the countless scenes that had played out between her and Tendo in the past.
Everything seemed unchanged.
But everything… also seemed to have changed.
After Caroline had "glared" at Tendo, Tendo's holographic projection lightly leaped onto a control tower next to the calculation cabin and sat on its edge.
He slowly put away his smile, changing from his previous humor and wit, his tone suddenly becoming gentle and serious.
"Alright, Caroline, wipe your tears. I know you have many questions and many things you want to say."
"But before that, can you let me finish speaking first?"
Caroline nodded, then listened quietly.
In Tendo's description, Caroline finally understood everything that had happened at the base.
And Tendo's own choice.
It turned out that as early as two years ago, right after Tendo's Star Core surgery, because he hadn't fully adapted to his 'Heavenly Eye' at the time, he often saw things he normally couldn't.
And these things included fragmented glimpses of the future.
Initially, Tendo didn't think these things represented the future.
So he didn't pay much attention.
But when those fragmented futures slowly manifested before his eyes in reality, Tendo understood.
It turned out these things weren't illusory "dreams" at all.
Instead, they were "realities" that were about to come true, one by one.
It was after that that Tendo's thoughts changed…
"Caroline, the future I saw wasn't the future I wanted, so I had to make a change."
"Otherwise… 'seeing' would be meaningless."
"I just didn't expect the difficulty of changing it to be so great…"
Speaking of this, Tendo's holographic projection suddenly sighed.
However, his tone quickly became excited.
His expression also visibly grew animated.
Before long, Tendo's holographic projection suddenly leaned closer to Caroline, like a child waiting for praise.
"…But it doesn't matter, Caroline, because I succeeded!"
"Not only did I successfully change everyone's future, but I also successfully found the ending that would make everyone happy."
"How about it, Caroline, aren't I amazing!"
However, after hearing all this, Caroline not only didn't show understanding but quietly lowered her head, her fingertips digging deeply into her palms.
She spoke in a voice so shaky it was almost inaudible: "So… this is why you erased yourself from the future?"
There was no response.
Since this was merely a pre-recorded video of Tendo, the projected Tendo continued his monologue.
But at this moment, Caroline… couldn't hear anything.
"What a joke!"
Caroline, who was always known for her rationality and calmness, now uncharacteristically erupted in an unprecedented, emotional fury.
She forcefully placed her hands on the transparent protective glass of the calculation cabin where Tendo's main body lay.
Her sharp nails, as her fingers curved, left several clear scratches on the glass surface.
She stared intently at Tendo lying in the calculation cabin, silent tears dripping onto the glass, her eyes filled with anger and a powerful sense of 'hatred.'
"Tendo, you keep saying that the future you saw wasn't the future you wanted, but did you ever consider anyone else's feelings?!"
"You're always so overbearing, so unreasonable…"
"You only ever do what you want to do, without ever caring about the consequences."
"You clearly said we were the best partners, but why didn't you tell me this idea? Why didn't you ask what I thought?!"
"What kind of partner… is this?"
Caroline suddenly raised her hand, clearly intending to smash the glass in front of her.
However, her raised hand ultimately lowered gently after seeing the calm face behind the glass.
"I hate you, Tendo, I hate you!"
"Because whether it's Chen Xing, or Instructor Yun, or anyone else, I simply don't care about their lives and deaths, I don't care!"
"What happens to their future, whether they live well or badly, what does it have to do with you, Tendo?!"
"I don't believe you couldn't find a way to stay in the future yourself; you're just too selfish, so selfish that you can only accept the outcome you want, regardless of what that outcome means to everyone else."
Speaking of this, Caroline suddenly took a deep breath.
Then she forcefully wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, her gaze becoming unprecedentedly calm.
At the same time, her hair transformed into long, silver-white strands that moved without a breeze.
Clearly, this was Caroline entering the Automaton's 'Overclocking' state, searching within a massive flood of data for the possibility of keeping Tendo alive as well.
"There must be a way, there must still be a way…"
After a massive data analysis and countless possible deductions, Caroline bit her fingernails, feeling certain she had found a way to make Tendo "stay."
"Automaton modification, yes, if we perform automaton modification on you right now…"
However, before she could finish this proposal, a slightly apologetic voice suddenly rang out from behind her.
"I'm sorry."
Caroline turned around in surprise, finding that Tendo's holographic projection was now looking at her with that gentle yet sorrowful expression she hated the most.
And that expression instantly filled Caroline's heart with a bad premonition.
"Caroline, I know that after I say all this, you'll not only be very angry, but you'll also use some unconventional methods to try your best to keep me alive."
"But for me, having already become a Specialty-type Star Messenger, automaton modification without a Mechanized Star Source would simply be forcibly imprisoning my soul within a pile of scrap metal."
"And for me, that would be a punishment more cruel than death, so…"
Seeing that Tendo had actually anticipated her thoughts, Caroline's pupils instantly constricted.
Because she had already guessed what Tendo intended to do.
Without any hesitation, Caroline instinctively wanted to speak out and stop him.
But before she could act, 'Tendo,' with a complex expression, uttered the words Caroline least wanted to hear…
"Automaton Star Messenger, Caroline, activate Exclusive Protocol Program Number Three."
As these words were spoken, Caroline instantly felt a sharp pain in her brain.
Immediately afterward, she heard a voice inside her mind—a voice that had existed within her body for a long time but had never manifested before.
[Exclusive Protocol Program Number Three activated]
[Automaton personality enabled]
Accompanied by a special quantum program forcibly suppressing her main personality's thoughts, the automaton personality completely took over Caroline's body.
Moments later, the humanity in Caroline's eyes vanished.
In its place was the characteristic rationality and coldness of an Automaton Star Messenger.
At the same time, Caroline's voice became mechanical and stiff, devoid of any emotion.
"Protocol Three activated, awaiting instructions…"