Herta's voice finally leveled out after receiving Ruan Mei's assurance.
When it came to their respective fields of expertise, Herta's trust was absolute—matching the confidence she had in her own brilliance.
"Fine. I'll head to the Space Station in person to deal with it. But first, let's go over today's simulation results."
Ruan Mei knew she was in the wrong this time. Seeing that Herta wasn't going to press the matter, she offered a casual apology.
Granted, the way she apologized was likely something only two people in the entire universe—Herta and Ruan Mei—could actually parse as an "apology."
Herta didn't particularly care whether Ruan Mei visited or not. However, if she was willing to make the trip, Herta wasn't about to say no.
Since Ruan Mei was the one who had cooked up this mess, she was the one who should clean it up; Herta had better things to do than deal with such tedious complications.
Besides, even if the Space Station was just Herta's toy box, it was still private property. It was better to keep it from being dismantled if possible.
Noticing Ruan Mei's "good attitude," Herta stopped wasting breath and pivoted the conversation toward the Simulated Universe.
A long while passed.
After listening to Herta's analysis and ending the transmission, something flickered in Ruan Mei's mind. She pulled up a recent news report from the Xianzhou Luofu.
The article was filled with details regarding the disappearance of the Ambrosial Arbor. This event had recently sent shockwaves across the galaxy.
It wasn't just the Abominations of Abundance; the eyes of many major factions were now fixed firmly on the Luofu.
Naturally, Ruan Mei had heard the whispers.
"...Could there be a connection?"
According to Herta, the woman named Sylvia possessed some rather extraordinary qualities. During the recent incidents on the Luofu, that woman had been present for nearly every major turning point.
It was highly probable she was linked to the Arbor incident.
"And a Pathstrider of Permanence who isn't of the Vidyadhara... that is certainly worth a meeting."
Ruan Mei lightly waved her small fan, stood up, and glided out of her laboratory.
--+--
Meanwhile, back on Herta Space Station.
Sylvia had unceremoniously commandeered a bed in the medical wing and crashed for a long, deep sleep. The doctors knew she was Madam Herta's guest, and seeing her out cold like the dead, they didn't have the heart to shake her awake.
By the time Sylvia finally opened her eyes, she realized she had slept for a full twenty-four system hours.
"Ugh... I really shouldn't overdo it with the Simulated Universe," Sylvia muttered, letting out a wide yawn.
After the long rest, she felt completely refreshed. The hazy, unsettling sensation caused by the previous simulation event had vanished, and her power of Permanence felt slightly more refined.
It seemed that grinding the Simulated Universe was a viable way to level up quickly. But after a moment's thought, Sylvia decided against putting herself through that ringer again.
She'd rather hang out with Acheron.
At the very least, while that experience might be intense, she'd be in the company of a beautiful woman and find some actual enjoyment in it.
Here, she just had to stare at those ugly, vicious Swarm bugs all day.
Not worth it. Definitely not worth it.
Sylvia slipped on her shoes and slid back the partition door. She waved a greeting to the medical staff on duty, but as she was about to leave, a nurse called out to her.
"Miss Sylvia, Lady Asta sent a message. She asked for you to go see her once you woke up."
"Asta? Got it. Thanks."
Though Sylvia wondered why Asta was looking for her, she offered a quick word of thanks before heading out.
Finding Station Lead Asta wasn't difficult; she was usually at her post. Even if she wasn't, finding Peppy usually led straight to her anyway.
She made her way to the Master Control Zone and spotted the pink-haired heiress.
Asta seemed to have just finished a stretch of work and was sitting nearby taking a breather. Seeing Sylvia, she immediately stood up and waved.
"You're awake! I heard you slept in the clinic for an entire day. Are you feeling alright?"
Asta knew Sylvia was helping Herta with the Simulated Universe project, though she didn't know the specifics of the simulations. When the Trailblazer came to the station for testing, they'd get a check-up now and then, but never anything like this.
Sylvia had been out for the count all yesterday. If the medical scans hadn't come back showing she was perfectly healthy, Asta would have worried something terrible had happened.
"I'm fine, really. I was just exhausted. So, what did you need to see me for?" Sylvia smiled and winked to show she was full of energy.
"That's good to hear. Madam Herta told me yesterday that Lady Ruan Mei is coming to the station, and she wanted me to make sure you were there to welcome her."
Asta's words were clear enough, but the content made Sylvia pause.
"Ruan Mei? The one from the Genius Society?"
"That's the one."
"Why does Herta want me to welcome her? I don't even work here."
Sylvia had barely finished complaining when she suddenly remembered her conversation with Herta while her brain was still fried from the simulation.
She might have mentioned some things about the lower levels of the station...
Oh boy. Is she coming for me?
Seeing Sylvia's initial annoyance turn into a frown, Asta thought for a moment and said, "I believe the project you're testing involves Lady Ruan Mei's contributions. Madam Herta probably just wants to introduce you."
Sylvia looked up and saw Asta's slightly worried expression, so she simply nodded. Since she'd be frequenting the station for a while, running into Ruan Mei was inevitable.
Ruan Mei was dangerous, sure—but then again, who with real power in this universe wasn't? At least Sylvia knew where Ruan Mei's particular "issues" lay.
Getting to know a Genius wasn't a bad thing in the long run.
Though, honestly, Sylvia would have preferred to befriend Screwllum. At least he was a true gentleman.
As for Ruan Mei...
Recalling how she had unhesitatingly drugged the Trailblazer to make them forget things, Sylvia decided she'd better buff herself with the power of Abundance before the meeting.
She didn't want to end up drugged without even knowing when it happened.
"When does this 'Lady Ruan Mei' arrive?"
"She'll be here any minute. Let's go."
Asta checked the time and led Sylvia out of the Master Control Zone.
With a bit of time to kill before the arrival, Sylvia flagged down a small robot and ordered a meal. Under Asta's somewhat exasperated gaze, she proceeded to absolutely demolish her breakfast.
Once she was full and cleaned up, the small shuttle carrying Ruan Mei finally docked at the platform.
And so, Sylvia finally laid eyes on the mysterious genius with a distinct Eastern aesthetic in the flesh.
Ruan Mei wore a form-fitting teal qipao, accented with panels of translucent black gauze at the waist and chest. The high-slit dress, paired with short-shorts that hugged the tops of her thighs, put her near-perfect legs on full display.
It was an image of unparalleled grace that simultaneously radiated a powerful feminine charm.
At first glance, Ruan Mei's attire—thighs notwithstanding—appeared quite conservative, lacking any overt flashiness. Yet, upon closer inspection, one could feel the subtle allure woven into the details.
Sylvia wondered who had designed the outfit. Did she make it herself? She recalled that Ruan Mei was supposedly quite skilled at embroidery.
Does that make her the "still waters run deep" type? Sylvia mused.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.