This month-long farce finally drew to a close with Bai Luan's questioning.
Only true geniuses have the right to define their own creations.
Because even if something created by a genius seems useless, the technology it employs must be so powerful that it borders on magic.
And the ordinary staff of Herta Space Station clearly could not be considered geniuses.
Bai Luan's question, if not making everyone face reality, at least made everyone subconsciously ask themselves that question.
After stopping the farce, Bai Luan was not in a hurry to return.
People can indeed be reconciled.
If you had initially asked Bai Luan to stay and work at Herta Space Station, he would never have accepted.
But if you told him that Herta had discovered more of Bai Luan's secrets, then Bai Luan would be willing to return to Herta Space Station to work.
He now felt safer being further away from Ms. Herta; at least he had a legitimate reason not to be on call constantly.
To prevent such an incident from happening again, Bai Luan planned to set a threshold at Herta Space Station to prevent arguments from escalating.
He would also complete the task of assigning departments to the staff, which he had left unfinished when he departed last time.
And while he was at it, he would design the Space Station uniforms; there were no unified requirements yet, and everyone's attire was too diverse.
miHoYo had provided background settings for all these matters, so Bai Luan found them quite smooth sailing, with no issues.
At the same time, this matter seemed very important to others, so he could take his time doing something that could be finished quickly, which was a form of slacking off.
If only he could bring the Botanical Garden, his room, his robot brother, and Herta's big kitchen here, that would be great.
That would be perfect.
Should I discuss it with Herta?
Hmm... I still don't know what the Botanical Garden thinks about going into space, so let's not make plans yet.
I'll ask them next time I go home.
Just then, Bai Luan's phone vibrated. He took it out and saw it was a message from Herta.
Herta: I'm transferring Station Master authority to you. Please manage Herta Space Station for a while.
Herta: I'll be very busy from now on. Whether I reply to messages depends on luck.
Herta: That's all.
...
What a loss.
If he had known Herta was going into seclusion, he would have gone back.
Never mind, life is unpredictable, who could have foreseen it?
Anyway, her seclusion is probably to meet Nous. Meeting Nous this one time will likely drain a lot of the Herta Puppets' computing power.
Preparing for it must also be quite troublesome.
Bai Luan estimated that this matter should keep Herta busy for a month... hmm... more than half a month... hmm...
Maybe half a month?
Alright, Bai Luan had to admit he couldn't quite pin Herta down.
Who knows how much of a genius this woman can be?
No amount of genius would seem exaggerated for her; any estimate would be conservative.
Wouldn't it be quickest to just ask the Herta in the Little Black Room?
But... there's no real need to ask. Knowing or not knowing such a thing is irrelevant.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
"Station Master, our radar has detected an unidentified flying object heading towards Azure Star, estimated to arrive in over thirty hours."
"Is it a spaceship?"
"No, we tried to contact it, but received no reply. It shouldn't be a spaceship."
"Confirm what it is. If it's something like a meteorite, intercept it directly."
"Yes, Station Master."
The staff member who came to report left.
Bai Luan also stopped his slacking-off daydreams and continued looking at the staff files.
According to miHoYo's settings, the departments of Herta Space Station are roughly divided into the following:
Astro-Domain Speciesology (Biology), Galactic Jurisprudence (Politics), Cosmic Geodesy (Geography), Abyssal Archives (History), Universal Applied Sciences (Finance), Defense Department, Medical Department, and Maintenance Department.
Clearly, the parts in parentheses were the key.
Once these departments were divided, it became much simpler; all he had to do was place the corresponding talents into the corresponding departments.
This was no different from a matching game. Of course, sometimes encountering versatile talents was still quite tricky.
They fit everywhere, which instead made it difficult for Bai Luan.
Such talents should be marked, and he would ask for their preference later.
Just then, someone burst directly into the Station Master's office.
Bai Luan looked up and saw it was the staff member who had just reported. He said with a panicked expression:
"Station Master! The unidentified object suddenly accelerated! It will arrive here in just over ten hours!"
"It accelerated? It's really not a spaceship?"
"We're not sure now, Station Master. Messages sent out received no reply. What should we do?"
Could it be space pirates coming to attack Herta Space Station?
Since Herta Space Station was heavily publicized, everyone knew it housed precious curios. It was normal for such a place to attract pirates for robbery.
But, a direct robbery?
That's not very smart.
"Have you issued a warning?"
"According to the Interstellar Convention, a warning has already been issued."
"Do you have an image of the object?"
"No, Station Master. The images captured seem to be interfered with, blurry and unclear. We can't see anything!"
No response could mean a damaged spaceship with communication issues, but actively jamming signals clearly indicated it was nothing good.
Most likely, it was nothing good.
Bai Luan looked at the staff member and said:
"Give me the coordinates of the unidentified flying object. You can withdraw for now; I'll handle it."
Whoever interferes with my peaceful life deserves to die.
Would anyone really hesitate whether to kill their enemy?
Bai Luan opened the communication channel and ordered the Defense Department:
"Target these coordinates for saturation bombardment. Bomb it until it disappears."
Soon, a grave reply came through the communication channel:
"Understood."
Subsequently, Herta Space Station's defensive weapons began to mobilize, aiming at the coordinates and firing at the unidentified flying object.
Although Herta Space Station was not a warship, it was equipped with many weapons for self-preservation.
These weapons were not something any space pirate could challenge.
After all, it was already surprising to Bai Luan that those space pirates had the technology to resist Herta Space Station's detection.
Because Herta Space Station's technology in this area was also top-tier...
Something's wrong... very wrong...
Perhaps that unidentified flying object...
Is not space pirates...
It couldn't be a Stellaron, could it!?
A chill instantly swept through his entire body!
Bai Luan stood up abruptly!
Damn it!
Could I really have guessed correctly!?
Anxiety drove him out of the Station Master's office.
Before he had run far, a message came through the communication channel.
"Station Master! All attacks were intercepted! At a certain distance from the unidentified flying object, they all deviated from their projected trajectory! We failed to inflict effective damage on that unidentified flying object!"
"Station Master! Station Master! It accelerated again! And... oh my goodness, we're about to see it!"
As if to confirm Bai Luan's premonition, bad news followed one after another.
If he hadn't come to this world, Herta should be the one handling this matter now.
Damn butterfly effect, did it finally catch up to him?!
"Stop firing for now to avoid interfering with observation. Keep a close eye on that unidentified flying object, and tell me what it is when you observe it with your naked eye!"
"Yes!"
After giving the order, Bai Luan immediately ran towards the containment section, where there was a facility personally designed by Herta to contain Stellaron.
Bai Luan's clothes changed, and thrusters roared behind him. Ignoring the station's rule against flying around, he rushed at high speed.
Unlock, quickly find the plan, quick read.
Fortunately, the plan wasn't long; simply put, it had three steps.
1. Capture the Stellaron with a specialized containment device.
2. Bring it back to the Space Station.
3. Place it in the final containment facility.
Looking at the white containment module, Bai Luan hesitated for a moment.
The first step of this plan, in space, should be carried out by an unmanned spaceship to contain the Stellaron...
Judging by the Stellaron's continuous acceleration...
"Station... Station Master! We saw it! It's a Stellaron! It's moving very fast and heading towards Azure Star! What should we do?"
To approach a Stellaron...
This should be the most dangerous thing he had done since coming here, right?
"Give me the coordinates. I'll figure something out."
Bai Luan entered the Little Black Room to give himself enough time to prepare mentally.
"You went to the Space Station again... What are you holding?"
Bai Luan gave a wry smile, picked up the containment module, and explained:
"A Stellaron is crashing towards Azure Star. You're not here, so I have to go contain it."
Herta didn't speak after hearing this, only stared at Bai Luan for a moment.
Then she asked:
"Are you scared?"
Bai Luan was startled by the question, then smiled wryly again and nodded:
"I'm terrified."
"Still going, even if you're scared?"
Bai Luan fell silent for a moment, but then nodded firmly.
Since this Stellaron didn't fall on Azure Star before he transmigrated, it shouldn't fall on Azure Star after he transmigrated!
If a disaster changes, that's one thing, but it's unacceptable for nothing to turn into something bad!
The things I changed, I will set back on track!
"Then go. My assistant, Herta's assistant, will not lose to a mere Stellaron."
"Thank you... I feel much more at ease."
Bai Luan looked at the Herta in front of him with complex eyes and asked:
"If this is my last visit, will you be sad?"
"What foolishness are you talking about? If you die, the 'system's' observation will also stop, and I will disappear. How would I have a chance to feel sad?"
"You're right,"
Bai Luan scratched his head and said:
"I'm leaving."
"Don't forget..."
Herta picked up the notebook in her hand, shook it, and said:
"You have a reason you must return."
Bai Luan looked at the Botanical Garden notes he had written, smiled, said no more, and vanished from the Little Black Room.
The confusion in Bai Luan's eyes in reality disappeared, replaced by a look of determination.
The nanobots covering his entire body were like boiling liquid metal, instantly shedding all disguises! A silver-white metallic torrent surged and shaped!
Before long, a set of mecha, somewhat similar to Firefly's mecha, was fully donned on Bai Luan.
This was his first time in full-armor mode.
Feeling the amplification this armor gave him, Bai Luan grabbed the portable containment module next to him and attached it to his back.
The thrusters on his back roared, propelling Bai Luan into a blur, swiftly passing through various sections and flying out of Herta Space Station.
Looking at the Stellaron rapidly rushing towards Azure Star, Bai Luan let out a laugh.
For no other reason than he suddenly thought:
This counts as his first meeting with Stelle/Caelus, right? This counts as him having held them when they were little, right?
Bai Luan's figure charged towards the meteor that was the Stellaron!
Stelle/Caelus, I really did hold you when you were little! I'm going to hold this over you for your entire lives!
Stellaron!
I'm—coming—for—you!