As the story progressed, Little Bear controlled the protagonist, following Ruan Mei's footsteps to the conference hall indicated by Herta.
Listening to the characters' information-dense conversation, Little Bear was thoroughly engrossed.
His eyes lit up instantly upon hearing about Polka Kakamond and Dr. Primitive, but the light quickly faded when no particularly useful information emerged.
The very next moment, however, his eyes brightened again upon learning that Lumina knew other members of the Genius Society.
However, disappointment washed over him when he realized Lumina had no means of contacting him.
"Considering Lumina's wanderings across the Cosmos for several Amber Eras, it's not surprising she knows other Genius Society members," Little Bear mused silently.
"But who exactly does she know? This feels connected to the later storyline..."
miHoYo's writers don't bury plot threads without reason. The Genius Society member Lumina knows will undoubtedly play a crucial role later...
Little Bear pondered inwardly.
However, since these foreshadowing elements might remain dormant for an extended period, he didn't dwell on them, soon becoming captivated by the name of another genius: Yu Qingtu.
After all, this was a name that had appeared in a Simulated Universe Event, and moreover, it was the name of someone closely associated with Ruan Mei in the Genius Society—a club where members otherwise had no connections to each other.
No matter how you looked at it, it was bound to pique anyone's curiosity.
"If we're going to discuss this topic, could we ask her to excuse herself first?"
"This process will be lengthy and rather dull. There's no need to waste her time."
But just as Little Bear and the live stream audience were leaning in, eager to hear all the details about Ruan Mei and Yu Qingtu's interactions, Ruan Mei spoke up, shattering their gossip-fueled anticipation.
"No, no, no! Long is fine! Dull is fine! I have plenty of time! I'm interested!" Little Bear blurted out, his voice filled with desperate enthusiasm.
Unfortunately, his real-world voice couldn't reach the game world.
With that, Ruan Mei turned to lead Stelle away.
"By the way, Ruan Mei, what the heck is this?"
But just as Ruan Mei was about to depart, Herta suddenly spoke up, pointing at the newly appeared "Ruan Mei Event" with her finger.
"Ruan Mei!!! One of the two true gods of the Simulated Universe!" In the live stream, Little Bear erupted like a fervent fan at the sight of the sudden event.
Ruan Mei and the Eternal Garden event are collectively known as the true gods of the Simulated Universe! Obtaining either one essentially guarantees a win!
However, truth be told, the drop rates are abysmal. Some players haven't encountered them more than a handful of times since the game's launch...
[Who understands? I've encountered Ruan Mei three or four times, but never once the Garden (collapses into sobbing).]
[If my friend hadn't rolled the Garden event right in front of me, I'd have thought all the screenshots online were photoshopped (smiles wryly).]
[I managed to roll it once, but I still failed (smiles wryly).]
[You failed the Garden event?! Go work in a factory!]
While Ruan Mei and the Eternal Garden are jointly hailed as the Simulated Universe's two supreme deities, it's clear that the Eternal Garden enjoys greater popularity.
After all, its appearance rate is vanishingly low... Compared to Ruan Mei, who can occasionally be obtained, the Eternal Garden, a tantalizing "White Moonlight" that remains perpetually out of reach, proves far more alluring...
"Alright, let's go."
In the game, after casually explaining the Ruan Mei event, Ruan Mei led Stelle away temporarily.
She then assigned Stelle the "simple" task of clearing up a "minor nuisance"...
After entrusting the quest to the Baseballer, Ruan Mei returned to the conference room and recounted her dealings with Yu Qingtu.
Though Ruan Mei described the tale as utterly dull, Lumina listened with rapt attention, finding it thoroughly satisfying.
Time passed quickly, and the conference was nearing its conclusion.
"Alright, any further questions? If not, the meeting is adjourned," Herta announced, her hands on her hips as she surveyed the room.
"Feel free to raise any concerns now. Otherwise, let's consider this settled for now."
Upon hearing this, Lumina, Ruan Mei, and Screwllum all shook their heads gently, indicating they had no further questions.
"Very well, the meeting is adjourned."
Herta nodded, the light in her eyes vanishing as she apparently disconnected from the session.
"Such impatience," Lumina murmured, shaking her head with a hint of resignation.
Herta's meetings were notorious for their abrupt endings. Once the discussion concluded, she would immediately dismiss everyone, leaving them behind as she made her exit...
Well, that's just Madam Herta's arrogance, I suppose...
Lumina shook her head, choosing to ignore Herta's somewhat abrasive personality. Her gaze shifted to Ruan Mei. "Ruan Mei, judging by our progress, Stelle should be arriving there soon, right?"
"Mm, the timing is perfect," Ruan Mei murmured, closing her eyes briefly to sense the energy signature. She nodded slightly.
"The Emanator's aura in the Containment Zone—you two are responsible for that, aren't you? Logic dictates that Ms. Stelle alone could never withstand such power."
As a fellow genius, Screwllum couldn't have missed the sudden emergence of the Emanator's aura on the Space Station. Hearing Lumina and Ruan Mei's conversation, he felt compelled to offer a reminder.
Though the reminder was entirely unnecessary, Screwllum felt obligated to voice it. As for the outcome of Lumina and Ruan Mei's experiment, that fell outside his purview.
"Thank you for the reminder," Lumina said, nodding to Screwllum in acknowledgment. A confident smile spread across her face. "But I trust her. She can handle it."
Screwllum offered no further comment. If Lumina was so confident, there was likely no cause for concern.
With a brief nod to Ruan Mei and Lumina, he turned and left.
"Ruan Mei, let's go record the experimental data," Lumina said, watching Screwllum's retreating figure.
"Mm," Ruan Mei murmured, falling into step beside Lumina.
As the two walked side-by-side, their silence carried an unspoken understanding, their presence blending into a seamless whole...