Bai Ming strode through the building with all the imposing presence of the real Big Herta.
All the while, she wondered to himself, 'Am I impersonating Herta, or just faking it?'
Then again, if she was going to play the part…
She might as well commit fully and really become Herta in his mind.
Having steeled her resolve, Bai Ming decided to immerse himself completely in the role.
It didn't take long before her unsubtle performance caught the attention of passing staff.
(T/N: I will be following the gender of the MC's current physical state for pronouns)
"Lady Herta? You're actually here?!"
"Quick, quick! Lady Herta has graced the space station's launch ceremony—someone notify the person in charge!"
"Lady Herta, where are you headed? Allow me to escort you."
"Herta" swept a cool gaze over them.
With an impatient wave of her hand, she said: "Everyone, back to your posts. I'm not here for some tedious launch ceremony."
"Then you're…?"
"Heading to the space station. The workmanship is subpar—unworthy of my name. I'll be upgrading it myself."
With that, "Herta" tossed her long hair, revealing what looked like a cross between a key and a wand, then turned sideways and swept straight through the crowd without another word.
That little stroll of hers had exactly the effect she'd hoped for.
In just a few minutes, the news that Lady Herta had appeared at the space station launch site spread across the whole of The Blue.
Lucky for Bai Ming, the real Herta was holed up in some clock tower in a remote corner of the galaxy, busy with who-knows-what.
Otherwise, she'd have stormed in to confront him already.
But as it stood, Herta clearly wasn't paying the space station any mind—not even one of her puppets was in sight.
So "Herta" swaggered right out of the building, and in full view of everyone, stepped into the already operational—but not yet officially launched—space station.
Dozens of cameras captured the moment, even interrupting the scheduled speeches by the officials.
But no one dared question Lady Herta's presence.
In fact, her appearance here, at this very moment, was seen by all as a mark of approval.
And Herta—of course—had planned it that way.
Just by walking that short distance and stepping into the Herta Space Station, she watched her lifespan tick up by five minutes:
--+--
[Role-Playing System]
[Name: Bai Ming (Big Herta)]
[Lifespan: 08:26 (Paused) +30 Days (Role-Playing)]
--+--
What's more, lifespan gained through influence like this was added directly to the countdown timer—effectively extending Bai Ming's own life.
At the same time, the progress bar for drawing new roles had inched forward just a bit.
It seemed that opportunities to draw new roles also came from stirring up trouble.
Well, that simplified things.
No need to overthink it—just focus on one thing: making a scene.
Right now, as "Herta" stepped into the space station and saw the number of staff already stationed inside, her mind was racing.
A simple firewall wouldn't be enough.
She'd need layers upon layers of security past that.
Would it be more shocking to make the space station stand up and fly on its own?
Or to wrap it in rings, turning it into a vibrant, living portrait of Herta—one that openly critiqued Herta herself?
The former probably shouldn't be the first step, though.
Even with Herta's intellect, simply outputting ideas wouldn't make things materialize instantly. And "Herta" didn't have an army of Herta puppets to exploit for free labor.
A space station suddenly standing up would definitely be dramatic, but there was no telling if the real Herta was watching.
If she barged in mid-upgrade, things could get messy.
Better to start with the firewall and the station's internal systems.
That way, even if Herta showed up, she'd be locked out long enough for Bai Ming to make his move.
With that in mind, "Herta" made her way to the office the real Herta used in the game.
Every access privilege was unlocked; all she had to do was boot up the terminal, and she'd have top-level authority.
Right now, though, the space station was mostly empty, with only a skeleton crew on duty.
Not much to look at.
'Hmph, this firewall is a complete mess. Who even wrote this?… Delete, delete.'
Using Herta's intellect, she wiped the existing firewall entirely, then started coding her own from scratch.
Oh, and she'd also create an AI Herta to serve as the space station's acting commander!
Just imagining the real Herta storming over in a rage, only to be locked out, while AI Herta announcements questioned whether she was even the real Herta…
The thought made "Herta" let out a soft, smug chuckle.
'Heh heh~'
Even her typing speed and work motivation shot up.
It's true what they say: when it comes to mischief, some people never run out of energy.
Lady Herta's body was far healthier and more agile than Bai Ming had expected. And since she could input code directly via brainwaves—no typing required—"Herta" coded at a blistering pace.
Before long, a brand-new, upgraded, and far more powerful system firewall was ready.
She made sure all personnel updated their verification info and confirmed their access levels.
"Perfect. Now there's no way Herta can waltz in like she owns the place."
Herta gazed at the now-active firewall, then wearily rubbed her temples, trying to soothe her tired mind.
"Herta isn't tired, but just thinking about this is already wearing me out… Still, can't wait to see her face."
This system wasn't just about cybersecurity—it had taken control of the station's entire defense network.
Without proper clearance, any form of docking or transit would be forced to halt outside the station. Of course, energy sources equivalent to the station' own propulsion levels were exempt.
But picturing the real Herta showing up, only to be stopped cold by her own firewall…
That image alone washed away most of Bai Ming's fatigue.
Like they say: when you're up to no good, exhaustion just doesn't stick around.
Onward!
She wasn't done yet.
Next up: building an AI Herta to serve as the space station's interim director.
And if there was time after that, she'd try making the station stand up.
Bai Ming already had a rough idea how to manage that transformation.
He threw himself back into his work.
This time, "Herta" even boldly integrated part of her own partition into the AI.
Of course, she still followed protocol and applied the necessary "lively-izing" modifications.
Who knew—when the real Herta showed up, she might just blow a fuse and physically dismantle the proxy station.
Right around then, the launch ceremony outside seemed to finally be wrapping up, entering the ignition phase.
"Herta" felt the faint vibrations through the station, activated AI Herta, and thought to herself, 'I bet AI Herta will broadcast some Herta-specific greeting across all channels.'
But just when things seemed to be going smoothly—as they often do—everything went sideways.
Suddenly, a station-wide broadcast blared from all speakers:
"Ahem! On this momentous occasion of the Herta Space Station's launch, I, your Acting Station Director, AI Herta, would like to take this opportunity to thoroughly examine the core issue at hand: the launch of Herta Space Station. The key lies in how we utilize Herta Space Station post-launch…"
"Now, what exactly is the key issue? An excellent question—one that strikes right at the heart of the matter! If we fail to grasp the key issue, we cannot possibly comprehend the crux of the problem…"
Seated calmly in her office, "Herta" jolted at the nonsensical speech.
She nearly spat out the mouthful of water she'd been drinking.
"Pfft—! Wh-what is this? What is this ridiculous speech?"
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 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.