Ruan Mei remained perfectly composed, as if none of this concerned her.
March 7th scratched her head dumbly. Seriously? No interest at all? Do I have to turn into a Starcrusher Swarm King before you'll even look at me?!
"March 7th, the conditions and hypotheses you've offered don't seem to yield any immediate answers."
Hearing this, March 7th weakly lowered her head and let out a resigned "Oh." Her usual lively brightness vanished in an instant.
Ruan Mei stepped forward and whispered in March 7th's ear.
"But I can help you this time. In exchange, when my research requires your assistance in the future, you'll agree."
March 7th blinked. Just as she was about to nod cluelessly, Herta yanked her aside.
"What condition did Ruan Mei just offer you?! Spill it."
"Madam Herta, why are you so aggressive?"
"Spill it."
Herta made a slight move, and March 7th immediately caved.
"You want to be a lab rat? Are you insane? Didn't that Stellaron brat tell you the details?"
"She mentioned the Starcrusher Swarm King thing."
"And you still agreed?! You're not afraid of becoming March 7th the Starcrusher Swarm King?!"
March 7th's eyes went wide with terror and disbelief.
"Ah?! What?! Madam Herta, is Madam Ruan Mei's research really that terrifying?"
Herta let out a deliberately sinister cough.
Then, layering the horror over Ruan Mei's already mysterious research, she spun such a tale that March 7th grew more and more frightened.
"Waaah! Madam Herta, I don't want to become a Starcrusher Swarm King either!!"
Seeing how easily March 7th was fooled, Herta comforted her with smug satisfaction.
"Then from now on, whenever you see Ruan Mei, run the other way. Got it?"
"Oh... And what about my challenge against that Scotty from the Interastral Peace Corporation?"
Herta waved a hand dismissively.
"Just some antique mechs? I, the real Herta, will handle it personally."
"Really?! Thank you, Madam Herta!"
"Remember—leave Scotty alive. He needs to apologize to Meme."
Herta nodded slightly.
March 7th was about to turn and tell Yunli and Yanqing the good news when Herta stopped her again.
"Wait. Repeat what you agreed to."
March 7th scratched her head cluelessly.
"Madam Herta... what did I agree to? I think I forgot."
Herta frowned and rapped March 7th on the head.
"Don't hit my head! My IQ's not that high to begin with. What if I get even dumber?"
"I told you—from now on, whenever you see Ruan Mei, take a detour. Got it, short pink-haired girl?"
March 7th nodded frantically.
When Herta led March 7th back, her gaze toward Ruan Mei was indeed filled with fear and despair.
"March 7th?"
Ruan Mei's call made her instantly hide behind Yunli and Yanqing.
Yunli blinked.
"March 7th? What's wrong? What did Herta tell you? Why are you so afraid of Madam Ruan Mei?"
March 7th risked a glance at Ruan Mei. She looks so gentle and elegant on the outside... but she's actually that terrifying?
"Masters, I'll explain later. Let's go to Aurum Alley and find Scotty first. Madam Herta agreed to help me."
"Alright."
As the others left, Ruan Mei quietly asked Herta.
"What did you tell March 7th?"
Herta waved a hand, a smile on her face.
"Nothing much."
"But why do you want March 7th for your experiment? Is it that social experiment about 'family'?!"
Ruan Mei blinked. She hadn't expected Herta to ask that.
"Forget it. You have my help with this experiment. No one else needs to be involved."
Herta's words snapped Ruan Mei back to reality.
"Herta. I'm merely curious about March 7th's true power. As for that social experiment, I never considered involving March 7th."
Ruan Mei turned and walked away. Herta wanted to follow, but Asta called.
"Hello? Asta. What is it?"
"Madam Herta!! What happened on your end?! My weekly allowance just disappeared!"
"Oh, that. My treat. Go to my collection and pick any curio you want. Gotta go."
Asta sighed softly. One of Herta's curios is worth three months of my allowance.
Like that Punklorde Mentality—someone spent nearly half my annual allowance trying to buy it from Herta.
And Herta didn't even glance at them. Just said, "I'm busy. I don't need money. Talk to my assistant, Asta."
Asta put away her phone. Peppy whimpered.
"Woof." (So I'm stuck with blue planet lobster this week?)
Asta shook her head helplessly.
"Peppy, can you eat what the senior researchers eat this week?"
"Woof." (Fine. But when next month's allowance comes, I want that emperor crab from the Glauxian sky.)
"No problem."
Asta checked her wallet and bank balance.
[Credits: 999,999,999]
[Credits: 999,999,999]
[Stellar Jades casually collected: 999,999,999... nine times over]
"Which curio should I pick? Does Madam Ruan Mei have a favorite?"
---
In Aurum Alley, Scotty and a group of IPC grunts had set up early.
"Oh ho, if it isn't March 7th—three days fishing, two days sunning, sword skills in the negatives—and her two little masters?"
March 7th crossed her arms triumphantly.
"Scotty, I suggest you choose your next words carefully. Otherwise, you'll face the consequences."
"My, my. So confident."
The real Herta's voice echoed from nearby.
"She has every right to be."
Scotty and his men turned to look at Herta.
Scotty remained arrogant.
"Who are you?! Who asked you to speak?!"
Herta smiled coldly. These idiots really don't know me.
A grunt whispered to Scotty.
"Boss, that woman's voice kinda sounds like Madam Herta."
Scotty burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Madam Herta? Someone like her would never set foot in a place like Aurum Alley!"
"Besides, isn't Madam Herta a bunch of short puppets?!"
Herta smiled. Another one with a death wish. These curs truly judge others by their own low standards.
Another grunt caught a glimpse of the woman beside Herta and instinctively stepped back.
"Boss... I heard Madam Ruan Mei always carries a lute."
Scotty froze. He tried to steady himself, but his voice wavered.
"D-don't talk nonsense!! Someone like Madam Ruan Mei wouldn't bother with a place like this! And she certainly wouldn't let us notice her!"
Ruan Mei's voice was cold and detached.
"Herta. Just annihilate them."
"Sigh, can't do that. I promised the short pink-haired girl. This one needs to live long enough to apologize to that Meme."
Herta unhurriedly summoned her magic key.
"I am the real Herta. Genius Society member #83."
"Any last words? No? Good."
In an instant, every grunt behind Scotty was erased from existence.
The terrifying power of Erudition flooded Scotty's mind. His life flashed before his eyes—a lone wolf, struggling, climbing, always fighting.
In the face of absolute power, he was nothing but a joke.