Carlton was not close to the Space Station, and it would take a full day of travel to reach it using the spaceship Alpha had given him.
Although Bai Luan could return using a random door during the voyage, he did not plan to do so.
There were two reasons for this.
First, this full day's journey was very likely a carefully calculated time window in Elio's script, enough for all the commotion on the Space Station to settle down.
If he tried to rush and arrive at the Space Station early, heaven knew what unexpected 'surprises' Elio would arrange on the way to delay him.
It's truly better to avoid trouble than to seek it.
Second, deep down, Bai Luan wasn't actually in such a hurry to return.
To have a legitimate reason to stay away from the academic exchange of two geniuses and enjoy some leisure time, why wouldn't he?
The spaceship was on autopilot the entire way; he only needed to set the course and could rest easy. Wouldn't it be nice to spend the remaining time leisurely lying on the ship, watching videos, and slacking off?
If he really got anxious, he could even go into the Little Black Room to find Herta.
Bai Luan slumped elegantly in the pilot's seat.
First... he still started by checking on the Space Station's situation.
Although he knew the Space Station would develop according to the original plot, Bai Luan still worried.
If any sudden situation arose, Bai Luan would still open a random door and go back to provide backup.
As soon as he opened the group chat, Bai Luan saw two breaking news videos: one reported the disappearance of a Herta Puppet, and the other reported that the Annihilation Gang claimed responsibility for the experiment.
Bai Luan then asked Ratio about the situation via his phone.
Bai Luan: Professor, how is the situation?
Ratio: All the Staff who were teleported away have been intercepted by me and are now in a safe location on the Space Station.
Ratio: More than that, I'm curious how you knew about this?
Ratio: If it's a coincidence, then it's too absurd.
Bai Luan: Professor... you don't think I arranged everything, do you?
Bai Luan: If I arranged it, why would I use the Spiritflame Seed to send myself somewhere else?
Ratio: Perhaps you weren't the mastermind behind all this, but you definitely know something.
Bai Luan: Just consider it some special ability of your student.
Bai Luan: Professor, if there are any emergencies, please be sure to tell me.
After receiving Ratio's affirmative reply, Bai Luan felt relieved.
With Screwllum and Ratio watching over the Space Station, and the Annihilation Gang's so-called attack being merely Duke Inferno releasing a remotely controlled flame without him personally showing up, there was no need to worry too much.
Thinking about how the Annihilation Gang stirred up trouble for so long, yet the Space Station suffered no damage, Bai Luan imagined Duke Inferno with a round, clown-like nose.
He would definitely mock him later, and quickly too, because if he was too slow, he would be cut down by Acheron.
But for now, he would just rest and quietly wait for the spaceship to arrive at the Space Station.
With a relaxed and cheerful mood, Bai Luan logged into his StarNet account and started browsing the player community.
He looked to see what new minecraft mods were out.
He looked for money-making guides in Stardew Valley.
He looked at those crying at Johnny's grave in Cyberpunk.
He looked at those who were broken by Sans's Gaster Blaster in Undertale.
Hmm... every time he looked at the player community, it was like seeing his former self.
As he watched, Bai Luan began to ponder what game to make next.
To the Moon, Hollow Knight, No Man's Sky, Doom series... which one should he choose?
But when he returned, he would have to develop the simulated universe DLC, and he wondered if he would have time then... "No!"
He shook his head sharply and muttered to himself.
"How can I be distracted by work when I'm slacking off? That's so unprofessional!"
So, he decisively logged out of his StarNet account and instead clicked on "Yi Mu"'s lifestyle account, preparing to purely use short videos to pass the time.
As soon as he logged into Yi Mu's account, Bai Luan saw a mutual follow notification.
The person he recently followed... Ah, he remembered, it was Guinaifen.
He had posted a recommendation for her in a dynamic update and followed Guinaifen at the same time.
After he returned from Xianzhou, he got busy and didn't pay much attention to his lifestyle account.
It seemed that after he recommended Guinaifen that time, she followed him back.
He might as well say hello.
Bai Luan opened the account and saw a message Guinaifen had sent him a long time ago.
Guinaifen: Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for the recommendation, family!!!
Guinaifen: Can I be your tour guide next time you come to Xianzhou?
Then he didn't reply, and the chat was stuck there.
Hmm... he felt a sense of shame.
Sorry, Little Guizi, I really didn't mean to ignore you.
If his three accounts didn't have do-not-disturb enabled, he wouldn't have a moment of peace.
Yi Mu: It's a deal.
Guinaifen: !
Guinaifen: !!
Guinaifen: !!!
Guinaifen: R-really?
Yi Mu: I'll probably go to Xianzhou a few more times in the future. See you then.
Yi Mu: Last time in Xianzhou, I was in a hurry and didn't get to try many fun things.
Yi Mu: Maybe there will even be a chance to collaborate.
Guinaifen: That's great! It seems I need to celebrate today!
Watching Guinaifen's cheerful reply, Bai Luan smiled.
With Guinaifen acting as a go-between, he would have a legitimate reason to film prank videos.
Bai Luan still really wanted to film the video of Qingque playing "Sitting and Killing Gamblers."
At that time, he would appear as Yi Mu, ask Fu Xuan for Qingque, saying it was to film some videos to promote Xianzhou, but in reality, it would be to take Qingque to slack off and film videos along the way.
Presumably, under the temptation of a wonderful time of slacking off, Qingque would definitely come.
Speaking of which, he had already been to Xianzhou once; should he make a few traditional Chinese style songs?
No, no.
Why was he starting to think about these things again?
Any ideas could wait until he returned to the Space Station; for now, he just needed to slack off.
Honestly emptying his mind... Bai Luan's eyes gradually cleared, then he picked up his phone and began leisurely and idly watching short videos.
The next day, the spaceship smoothly docked at Herta Space Station's spaceport.
Bai Luan walked down from the spaceship with faint dark circles under his eyes.
He hadn't slept the entire day the spaceship flew back to the Space Station.
He lay on the spaceship, comfortably staying up all night, scrolling through short videos for a full day.
None of it had any meaning.
He didn't learn anything either.
But he was in a good mood.
Staying up late might slowly kill him, but it made him happy.
After getting off the spaceship, Bai Luan stretched and yawned.
Then he found Screwllum and Asta and clarified the current situation of the Space Station.
The Annihilation Gang's attack had caused a certain degree of chaos at the Space Station, but everything had now subsided.
The Staff who were teleported away by Duke Inferno, as well as the Herta Puppet, had also been found on the Space Station.
From the Staff's perspective, the Annihilation Gang's attack was a bit of a damp squib, as they didn't know that the Staff who were teleported away weren't sent into space because Ratio had intervened.
Asta was also affected by this attack and was currently resting.
Bai Luan naturally temporarily took over the Station Master's duties, began redeploying the Space Station, quelled the rumors among the Staff, and quickly restored the Space Station to normal.
While handling Space Station affairs, Bai Luan saw the Annihilation Gang's video again.
How should he respond to them?
Just then, Bai Luan's phone vibrated twice.
Herta: I just saw that the Space Station was attacked. Are you alright?
Bai Luan: I'm fine, and the Space Station is fine too.
Herta: Then I'll leave it to you to handle.
Herta: The Space Station has been having incidents quite frequently lately; you should step forward and reply.
Herta: Be fierce.
Bai Luan: Understood.
Bai Luan stroked his chin, pondering.
Be fierce, huh?
Oh yeah, it's trash-talking time...