Ruan Mei's hometown must be a civilization similar to the Xianzhou Alliance.
Sylvia mused inwardly as she gazed at that face, which was steeped in classic Eastern elegance.
While Sylvia was still quietly observing her, Asta had already stepped forward, offering a polite bow and a greeting.
"Lady Ruan Mei, welcome to Herta Space Station. I am Asta, the Lead Researcher."
"Hello, Miss Asta," Ruan Mei replied with a faint smile, her gaze shifting naturally toward the young woman standing by Asta's side.
Asta stole a quick glance and, seeing that Sylvia was still lost in a daze, gave her a discreet nudge with her elbow. This finally snapped Sylvia back to reality.
"I'm Sylvia. Herta asked me to come along to welcome you."
As Sylvia finished speaking, Ruan Mei didn't immediately respond. Instead, she took a step forward and reached out toward Sylvia's neck.
Her soft fingertips, glowing with a faint, ethereal luster, brushed against Sylvia's delicate skin, tracing a path from the collarbone up to the jawline before finally pulling back gently from the corner of her mouth.
Having seen these scenes in the game before, Sylvia didn't resist Ruan Mei's touch. She could feel a harmless surge of energy sweeping through her biological tissues beneath the skin.
Sylvia even got the impression that if they weren't in a public setting, this woman might have reached right down past her collar.
"My apologies. I hope I didn't startle you... though you seem remarkably composed, as if you expected this."
Ruan Mei was somewhat intrigued by Sylvia's steadiness, but she offered a polite apology first. Then, with a smile toward a slightly flushing Asta, she explained:
"It's a professional habit of mine. Using touch to evoke perception allows me to gain a preliminary understanding of your physical structure."
Though there were other conclusions to be drawn, Ruan Mei left the rest unsaid. By then, Asta had moved closer, standing right by Sylvia's side.
"Does Lady Ruan Mei require a quiet workshop?"
Ruan Mei didn't seem to mind the interruption. She nodded with a smile, letting the previous topic drop, and looked at Sylvia once more.
"Herta's office will do fine. Speaking of which, I've heard Herta mention your name. She asked you to test the Simulated Universe, and I hear the results were quite promising."
The smile on Ruan Mei's face deepened. The new intel regarding Propagation that Herta had sent yesterday happened to align perfectly with her recent research direction.
Of course, that wasn't the most important part. What mattered was that Sylvia was, by all common definitions, a 'good person.'
At least, that was Herta's appraisal.
As long as one didn't violate her code of conduct, she was easy to get along with; offer a reward, and she could be recruited to help.
To Ruan Mei, whether someone was "easy to get along with" rarely mattered on a personal level. However, it was undeniable that even Ruan Mei's experiments couldn't always be completed alone.
For instance, there was that unhatched 'Emanator' beneath the space station.
Ruan Mei had many ways to subdue it, but if she wanted more precise data, her own methods weren't quite suitable. Thus, a collaborator skilled in raw power was necessary.
Though she didn't know exactly how Sylvia had sensed the anomaly beneath the station, it didn't matter. Such trifles were unimportant.
Herta had appraised Sylvia's strength as formidable, which should make her a perfect fit for the upcoming experiment.
They didn't linger long at the platform. Under Asta's lead, Ruan Mei headed straight for Herta's office. Sylvia was left there as Asta hurried off to attend to other matters.
Seeing that the Herta puppet hadn't shown any sign of life yet, Sylvia was just considering whether she should just take her leave. However, Ruan Mei spoke up first.
"Herta and I studied the results of yesterday's test. I'm curious—what did it feel like when you experienced the path to Aeonhood from a first-person perspective?"
Updates like the Swarm Disaster were things the creators had tested briefly themselves. To put it simply, the developers just ran through the motions.
Yet, without a doubt, none of them had ever truly 'experienced' it like that. Sylvia, on the other hand, had triggered an unexpected surprise the moment she entered.
Part of the reason Ruan Mei had rushed over today was specifically to ask Sylvia about her personal sensations.
"Well... it was a very subtle feeling..."
Sylvia had no intention of hiding anything from Ruan Mei. She was here to help with the testing, after all; it would be odd to hold out on the developer asking for feedback.
As Sylvia spoke, Ruan Mei's brow furrowed slightly, her face settling into a pensive expression.
The sensations Sylvia described helped Ruan Mei validate several of her previous theories—especially the part about gaining a deeper understanding of the concept of a 'Path' itself.
The moment she heard it, a flurry of whimsical ideas flooded Ruan Mei's mind.
Normal Pathstriders, even Emanators, only understood the Path through its surface manifestations. As for the rules of the 'Path' that existed as a matter of course, few ever truly researched them.
It was a subject much like asking why 1+1=2. It seemed simple, yet it was incredibly difficult to provide a definitive answer.
But judging from Sylvia's experience, the connection between Aeons and their Paths was likely far more intimate than Ruan Mei had anticipated.
It was a pity this simulation hadn't allowed Sylvia to experience the actual moment of ascension.
If they had the data and experience from that specific split second, Ruan Mei's understanding of Aeons might have taken a massive leap forward.
Still, there was no helping it. According to Herta, the fact that Sylvia had lasted that long was already well beyond expectations.
Moreover, she seemed to suffer no lingering side effects, looking perfectly energetic after just a night's sleep. Ruan Mei couldn't ask for much more.
"...A truly fascinating sensation. Thank you for being willing to tell me all this, dear."
Ruan Mei gave Sylvia a gentle, tender smile. It was enough to leave Sylvia momentarily dazed. The soft, refined grace of this Eastern beauty really was a bit too much for her to handle.
It was no wonder people in her past life used to say that Ruan Mei's design was the most beautiful in all of Honkai: Star Rail.
Though logic told Sylvia that Ruan Mei was emotionally detached and that this smile was likely just a social pleasantry, her heart couldn't help but burn the image into her memory.
What a shame. If only she were truly just a gentle, refined lady. Who would have thought she was actually a mad scientist?
Sylvia cleared her throat and looked away slightly. "Ahem... calling me 'dear' like that, Lady Ruan Mei... it's a bit embarrassing."
"Heh..." Ruan Mei covered her mouth with her hand and let out a soft chuckle. "You are a partner invited by Herta, and you've produced results so quickly. In my eyes, you are very important."
"Then I appreciate the high regard, Lady Ruan Mei." Sylvia quickly composed her emotions, lest Ruan Mei see right through her.
"Speaking of which," Ruan Mei continued, "there are a few things I would like to consult you on, Sylvia."
--+--
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.