Madam Herta didn't pursue it further, merely stating indifferently, "That's enough. The meeting is adjourned."
She waved her hand, her posture languid yet imbued with unquestionable authority.
Baiheng hesitated, then mustered her courage and asked the question that had long lingered in her heart: "Master... wh-why must we fight with Teacher Kechia?"
Madam Herta looked at her, her gaze profound: "If you want to save him, you must first defeat him. This rule applies to all Golden Descendants who are imprisoned."
"Save him?"
Baiheng was stunned at first, then something dawned on her, and her face paled slightly, "Could it be... could it be that even Cyrene..."
The thought of having to face the pink-haired girl with whom she had just formed a fragile friendship made her heart clench.
Madam Herta seemed to see through her momentarily downcast mood, and uncharacteristically offered a further explanation: "From that battle just now, what did you make of his state?"
Baiheng cautiously replied, "He... seemed a bit... mad?"
"Exactly." Madam Herta nodded, "Since normal communication is impossible, there is only one way to 'persuade' him. Do you understand what I mean?"
Baiheng nodded vigorously, whether she understood or not, she agreed first. Madam Herta's authority made her dare not show the slightest neglect.
"Any other questions?" Madam Herta asked.
Only then did Baiheng have a chance to carefully examine her surroundings.
It was a comfortable, even cozy, carriage, with the vast, boundless sea of stars outside the window.
"Where... where is this?" She remembered that as soon as the battle ended, her vision blurred, and she found herself in this place.
"The Astral Express." Madam Herta was concise.
"The Astral Express?" Baiheng didn't react immediately.
"The Astral Express."
"The Astral Express?!"
Baiheng's voice instantly rose, filled with incredulous shock, her azure eyes wide, "Is it... is it the Astral Express of legend, ridden by the Trailblazers, exploring the sea of stars?! How did we get on it?!"
It was no wonder she was so flustered.
In her era, the legends of the Astral Express and the Trailblazers had long echoed throughout the galaxy, symbols of exploration, courage, and hope.
She, a Xianzhou pilot who had supposedly "sacrificed" herself hundreds of years ago, was not only resurrected but was now on this legendary Astral Express! This was even more fantastical than her own resurrection!
"Hmm." Madam Herta was not surprised by her reaction, and casually waved her hand, "You can go explore on your own and familiarize yourself with the environment. Don't go too far."
Having received permission, Baiheng immediately cast aside the fatigue and emotional turmoil from the recent battle, her curiosity taking over like a child entering an amusement park for the first time.
Like a little fox exploring new territory for the first time, she cautiously stood up and began to pace around the carriage, touching the seemingly soft sofa, then leaning towards the observation window, marveling softly at the nebula close by outside, her white Tail unconsciously swaying gently.
Having sent Baiheng away, Madam Herta turned her gaze to the other side of the table.
Ah Xing was still diligently working, tackling her third bucket of instant noodles, her expression focused and vacant, as if only she and the food in front of her existed in the world.
Madam Herta's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
(Inner thoughts: Did the memory data package of the Elysian Realm even include Kevin's strange obsession with instant noodles?)
The system puppet standing by, data streams flickering in its inverted cross-shaped eyes, spoke at the opportune moment, as if understanding Madam Herta's consideration of Ah Xing's strength: "Madam, the construct 'Ah Xing' has potential for further optimization."
"Oh?" Madam Herta raised an eyebrow.
"Core missing," the system's electronic voice was calm and even, "She lacks a true Stellaron as a source of energy. The authenticity of'Star' originates from this."
Madam Herta frowned slightly.
She understood what the system meant; the Ah Xing she created was currently just a replica with combat skills and a data shell, lacking the most crucial 'engine'.
But was a Stellaron something that could just be picked up casually?
(Inner thoughts: To use the authority of Rupert III to scan the galaxy for a Stellaron for an experimental subject? That would be too much of a fuss, and it would easily expose me...)
"According to existing 'plot' information," the system continued to prompt, "Jarilo-VI and Xianzhou Luofu each have a Stellaron awaiting processing."
Madam Herta closed her eyes, and relevant information streams flashed quickly through her mind.
Indeed, compared to the Xianzhou, with its intricate forces and numerous powerful individuals, the ice-bound Jarilo-VI was undoubtedly an easier target to acquire.
But... to seize a Stellaron?
This thought made her feel a little tricky.
This was by no means simply stealing a puppet or creating chaos.
Stellarons were the root cause of planetary disasters and key to driving the'script' forward.
If she were to take Jarilo-VI's Stellaron beforehand, would the future Stelle arrive to a world without a core crisis?
How would that trial, which was supposed to unite everyone, witness growth, and perhaps even allow someone to unlock the Path of Preservation, play out?
She couldn't help but recall the root of her own birth—a tragedy conceived in an 'if' timeline that had led to a terrible end.
A single thought could cause the future trajectory to slide into a completely different abyss.
Her gaze fell back on Ah Xing, this construct she had personally created, burdened with heavy memories yet only focused on eating instant noodles.
Was it worth investing a Stellaron, capable of stirring the gears of galactic destiny, in her?
Was the potential of this chess piece enough for her to take this risk, to personally pluck the string originally held by 'fate'?
Elegant fingers gently tapped the obsidian tabletop, making regular soft sounds.
In her violet-black eyes, profound starlight and rational deliberation intertwined and shimmered.
The pros and cons of acquiring a Stellaron, and its potential chain reactions on the known'script,' all needed careful consideration.
After all, she didn't want to accidentally turn this world into another Amphoreus that she would have to destroy.
"Sigh..." She let out an almost imperceptible sigh.
Just then, Baiheng, like a contented little fox, walked back with light steps, her face still flushed with excitement.
Her azure eyes sparkled, and her snow-white fox ears twitched slightly with excitement.
She cautiously sidled up to Madam Herta, her voice filled with uncontrollable joy and a hint of disbelief: "Mas-Master! I just looked around... is this, is this really inside the Astral Express? Then... are you... a Trailblazer?"
Madam Herta raised her violet-black eyes, calmly glanced at her, her tone unwavering: "No, how could I be?"
She elegantly picked up her teacup and took a sip, "Trailblazers follow the will of Trailblaze, walking upon the Paths. As for me..."
She paused, not continuing, but the meaning was self-evident—her Path was far from Trailblaze.
Baiheng awkwardly scratched her head, her white hair a little messy from her rubbing.
(Inner thoughts: That's right... Master's aura, no matter how you look at it, doesn't seem to follow the Path of Trailblaze... more like... uh, a behind-the-scenes boss?)
But looking at the real environment of the Astral Express around her, her curiosity grew even stronger: "Then... then why are we on this legendary Astral Express?"
This time, before Madam Herta could speak, the system puppet standing by explained in its flat electronic voice: "This carriage was acquired by Madam through special channels as a temporary residence. We are in a 'neighborly' relationship with the main Astral Express Crew."
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