More than a year passed in the blink of an eye, and suddenly it was the day the final module of the Herta Space Station was to launch.
Among the crowd witnessing the launch, Bai Luan was the most outwardly calm.
Of course, his inner world was far from as peaceful as he appeared.
Watching the countdown on the screen, memories from the past year flashed through Bai Luan's mind.
Herta negotiated very quickly, settling everything with the Company in two days, and then sent him to this place to supervise.
Hmm, and a Herta Puppet, too, though for most of the time, this Herta Puppet was in an idle state, and its intelligence was far lower than that of the Herta in his Little Black Room.
One could only say that there were differences even among Herta Puppets.
Subsequently, Bai Luan took up residence here as Ms. Herta's assistant.
Yes, took up residence.
He was the smartest one among this professional team.
Bai Luan realized this a few months after coming here to supervise.
Why did it take a few months to discover this?
Of course, because the first few months were the preparation phase; the site and laboratories needed to build the Space Station were all built from scratch, with the Company bringing in a professional team to construct them from the ground up.
The equipment was the best, the cost was no object, and even the transport crew were the Company's top performers.
Such a grand gesture showed how much the Company valued this collaboration.
Bai Luan was happy during those initial months because he only needed to confirm the goods and then sign the shipping manifests on behalf of Herta.
Not only was the work simple, but his life was also quite good; after people in the Company learned that Herta was the collaborator, everyone scrambled to come here, trying to get in touch with Herta through this opportunity.
Though it was a pity, there was only one Herta Puppet here, and a cheap assistant.
But due to Herta's reputation, these people still held Bai Luan in high regard, flattering him while trying to pry information about Herta.
To Herta, these people were as annoying as flies, so she pushed Bai Luan out as a shield.
Facing their inquiries, Bai Luan was also happy to babble with them, playing along, and occasionally expanding his network, even securing one or two collaborations.
Bai Luan used the techniques he learned from Herta to exchange for some Credits, and also sold the copyrights to a few games, signing a revenue-sharing contract.
The money he earned wasn't much, just enough to last him seven or eight lifetimes.
However, one thing exceeded Bai Luan's expectations: the value of the technology he sold to the Company was much greater than he had imagined.
After the news spread within the Company, the number of people coming to Bai Luan for business significantly increased.
As the difficulty of the technologies they requested gradually rose, the prices naturally soared; eventually, he was no longer just asking for a lot, but rather like a giant whale swallowing fish, and even then, people were willing to pay.
It proved that the water leaking through a giant's fingers when he cups his hands to drink is an unspeakable waterfall for mortals.
After a long time, he had earned enough Credits.
Bai Luan also started treating these people like flies, just like Herta.
However, he wasn't as obvious about it as Herta.
After the facilities were built, formal construction began; the Company hired a professional team from the Intelligentsia Guild to carry out the construction, and there was also a group of independent geniuses who, upon hearing the news, came here voluntarily to help, driven by their desire to follow Herta.
Bai Luan asked Herta how to handle these followers, and Herta's reply was:
"You handle it. Keep them if they're useful, kick them out if they're not."
It was very simple and cruel, with the power of life and death confidently thrown to Bai Luan.
Bai Luan was indifferent to this at first, and didn't really intend to use his identity as Ms. Herta's assistant to pressure these people.
Everyone happy, right?
You work diligently, I slack off diligently; how pleasant life would be.
That's what he originally thought, but Bai Luan was the smartest person here, so it was impossible for Bai Luan to slack off.
Ever since this professional team started construction, Bai Luan was constantly fuming.
Not a single day of the construction process went smoothly; one day an engine would explode out of control, the next day a component's strength wouldn't meet standards, and the day after that, some troublemaker would pop up saying the design was too idealistic and couldn't be achieved in reality.
He was constantly running around day and night, cleaning up after this shoddy crew.
He had to find ways to fix the messes they made, find ways to build the things they couldn't, and as for that troublemaker?
Of course, he built a product that met expectations, then slapped the experimental data proving it met requirements right in his face, and finally, told him to pack his bags and get out!
If you're bad, go practice!
And you're still here questioning me!?
It was clearly written in the blueprints he issued, so how could these people not do it...?
Can't they even read the instructions!?
Every time he thought of the experiences of the past year, Bai Luan's blood pressure would rise.
It was as uncomfortable as being forced to play a game with a bunch of noobs, and having to play with them for over a year.
Although they had grown somewhat during this year, they were still noobs! Utterly hopeless!
How good could people be if he had to carry them?
If this group went to Herta's home, they'd be kicked out in the afternoon if they went in the morning!
Bai Luan watched the countdown on the screen steadily approaching its end, his fists clenched in excitement.
Finally!
Finally!!
Finally!!!
It's over!
At this moment, a stream of data suddenly flickered in the eyes of the Herta Puppet beside Bai Luan, and then the expression on her face became lively.
She subtly tilted her neck, her cold gaze first falling on Bai Luan's tense profile, lingering for a brief moment, then shifting to the large live broadcast screen of the launch in the center.
"It seems I haven't missed the launch."
Bai Luan didn't even need to turn his head to confirm; he knew that Herta was currently observing everything here through the Herta Puppet's eyes.
"You've arrived just in time, Ms. Herta."
"Just woke up. Now, it seems I woke up at just the right moment."
"Hmm."
After a brief exchange, both fell silent.
The entire control platform was plunged into a vacuum-like stillness, countless eyes fixated on the numbers flickering on the screen, heartbeats seemingly synchronized with that cold rhythm.
[3, 2, 1]
"Launch!"
The launch button was pressed down heavily, and the rocket carrying the Herta Space Station module began to ascend.
The entire control platform immediately fell silent; apart from Herta's nonchalance, everyone else was intently staring at the rocket being broadcast on the screen.
Ascent, booster separation, orbital insertion, module separation, deployment, and then docking with the other Herta Space Station modules in space.
After an intense wait, the final module of the Herta Space Station successfully completed docking in space!
"Herta Space Station... completed!"
The control officer's voice trembled with disbelief, then was drowned out by a tsunami of euphoria.
"Woohoo!!!"
Someone's shout ignited the fuse, and the entire platform was instantly swept by a giant wave of cheers.
Tears, hugs, tossed hats... humanity's most primal emotions were unleashed at the pinnacle of success.
Bai Luan stood at the edge of this sea of joy, like an out-of-place anomaly.
There was no excitement in his eyes, only a blankness bordering on exhaustion.
It's over... This marathon, which lasted over four hundred days and nights, draining all his energy and patience, finally... crossed the finish line.
I... I...
Worked overtime for over a year!!!
Who the hell understands!!!
Silent shouts echoed madly in the depths of his soul, deafening, yet unable to drown out the real cheers from outside.
Amidst the noisy cheers, a clear, cold voice distinctly reached Bai Luan's ears.
"Well done."
Bai Luan was startled, then turned his head to look at the Herta Puppet, and then, a relieved smile appeared on his face.
"Thank you for your affirmation, Ms. Herta."
He took a deep, deep breath, then exhaled, as if to completely expel the year's worth of stagnant air accumulated in his lungs.
Then, in a voice almost like a sigh, filled with the peace of a settled dust, he whispered:
"I can finally... go home."
"Not yet. You need to manage the Herta Space Station for me for a while."
"Huh?"
Bai Luan's expression immediately crumpled.
"Shouldn't this be something you do yourself, Ms. Herta?"
"I'm not on Azure Star right now. You're the only one qualified to do this."
Bai Luan looked at the Herta Puppet, pouted, and said:
"I've been working for over a year, you know..."
"Keep working then. You've endured over a year, what's wrong with enduring a little longer?"
"Alright, as long as you don't drag it out too long. After this, I really need to go back."
"Of course, I'll give you some time off."
Some time?
There will be more work like this in the future...
Never mind, at least there's a vacation before the work.
"Ms. Herta, you're not on Azure Star right now? Then where are you?"
"It seems you've really been busy lately. I, this genius, made such a big commotion, and you didn't even notice.
Don't you see fate? Guess?"
"Fate isn't something you can see all the time..."
Bai Luan casually grumbled to the Herta Puppet, then said with a probing tone:
"Doing a show?"
"You guessed right. Now, guess again, why am I starting this show?"
"To promote the Genius Society, to announce to the world that you are a genius?"
"You guessed right again."
Bai Luan smiled and said:
"You really should show your face more often. It's a pity not to let the entire universe witness a genius as perfect as Ms. Herta."
"Heh, I like to hear that."