Several days passed in the blink of an eye. Herman spent that time properly lazing around and resting. Then he received a piece of news from Hua, Marshal of the Xianzhou Alliance:
The Xianzhou Alliance's six great worldships were setting out for The Blue star system, preparing to discuss an alliance with Herta.
At the same time, representatives from the IPC came to him and reported unusual movements among the Borisin, the Wingweavers, and even the Antimatter Legion.
The History Fictionologists, a mysterious faction, had once again infiltrated the Blue Federation. This time, however, they did not dare use the Path of Enigmata to construct all sorts of fictional myths and entities. Instead, they had begun fabricating Herta's identity...
Giovanni, who walked the Path of Elation, had also begun applying to Herta for the right to use her likeness. He wanted to design a game—Cosmic Power Rankings!
As its name suggested, Cosmic Power Rankings would determine who the true powerhouses of the cosmos were!
Furthermore, Giovanni's application described in detail how Herta would be portrayed in Cosmic Power Rankings as an innately powerful being, possessing invincible wisdom and heaven-defying talent!
—She had never encountered a single difficulty on the road of research. She was the true embodiment of truth, the pinnacle of mortal wisdom, and the person who had single-handedly defeated a Lord Ravager of Destruction!!
After Herman finished reading all this information, he could not help sighing inwardly:
Troubled times are coming. Herta's creation of a Xianzhou has attracted the attention of the entire cosmos... The Xianzhou Alliance, in particular, is now mobilizing in full force to invite Herta into the Alliance.
I wonder whether the Borisin fleet, the demonic stars, and the Wingweavers will join forces to intercept the Xianzhou Alliance's fleet while it moves as one.
Then there are the History Fictionologists. They truly spare no effort when fabricating history.
What do they mean, Herta isn't an eighteen-year-old girl at all, but an ancient relic from the Dusk Wars who has lived for countless years and rejuvenated herself? I don't even know where to begin criticizing that.
The only news that brought a happy expression to Herman's face was Giovanni's Cosmic Power Rankings.
This game should be a lot of fun once it is actually developed!
With that thought, Herman sent Giovanni a message, telling him that he could use her likeness in Cosmic Power Rankings.
Giovanni was overjoyed and quickly sent Herta a message. "Thank you, Madam Herta... I promise to design you as the single strongest character in the entire galaxy, without exception."
"Mm."
Herman nodded slightly and ended the call with Giovanni.
Meanwhile, inside a tavern in Herta City, Giovanni smiled and said to Sampo, who was sitting at the same table, "Hurry up and congratulate me. I obtained Madam Herta's authorization. Cosmic Power Rankings can now include Herta as a playable character."
Sampo raised an eyebrow. "For a character's power to stand out in a game, you need someone else to serve as a stepping stone. Which character are you planning to use as Herta's?"
Giovanni's expression grew even more cheerful. "Old Sampo, aren't you asking a question you already know the answer to? We already have the perfect stepping-stone character, don't we? The Lord Ravager Phantylia!"
"After all, Madam Herta has already killed this Lord Ravager. More importantly, Herta did not seem to expend much effort doing it. Naturally, in the game, Phantylia will be the stepping stone Herta crushes beneath her feet."
"Coincidentally, the beings of the cosmos are deeply familiar with the Lord Ravagers. Once the game officially enters open beta, I can advertise that it includes a detailed depiction of Madam Herta's battle against Lord Ravager Phantylia and her ultimate victory. With that as a selling point, the game's sales and download numbers are certain to explode."
By the time Giovanni finished speaking, his face was filled with absolute confidence.
Sampo said, "You're right. The game will definitely be a hit. But aren't you worried that depicting Herta killing Lord Ravager Phantylia will draw the hostility of Destruction's forces?"
Hearing this, Giovanni shook his head. "I'm not afraid. We're Masked Fools. As long as it's entertaining, why worry about something like that? Besides, I don't think Destruction's factions are harmonious internally either. As far as I know, even The Family of Harmony has its internal struggles..."
"Moreover, once the story of Cosmic Power Rankings is released, the orphaned wanderers from civilizations whose homes were destroyed by Phantylia will undoubtedly have an incredibly satisfying time playing it."
"You're right." Sampo took a sip of alcohol, then gave Giovanni a meaningful look. "But what if Phantylia isn't dead?"
Giovanni waved both hands. "Impossible. Absolutely impossible... I watched Phantylia die with my own eyes. She is a Lord Ravager of Destruction, not a Lord Ravager of Abundance. There is no way she possesses a method of resurrection."
Sampo smiled faintly and said nothing more. Instead, he turned toward the window and saw a group of Hertas laughing and playing in the street.
...
In truth, the many Herta Puppets, including Herta 05 and Shipgirl Herta, had all been enjoying themselves immensely. However, when they came across a recording of a livestream on their phones, every one of them stopped in her tracks.
The recorded livestream showed Herta 66 appearing on the Close to the Star Rail program and being interviewed by the host, Owlbert.
The Hertas saw Herta 66 constantly cheering for The Herta. They also learned that Herta 66's job in Planarcadia was simply to livestream and perform in front of the camera.
"Isn't Herta 66 far too fortunate?! She doesn't have to work at all." Herta 05 revealed an expression of extreme envy and said, "I want to live such a blissful streaming life too."
"Who doesn't?" another Herta said with the same envious expression as Herta 05.
One Herta identified the key point. "Herta 66 was dispatched to the world of Planarcadia. As long as we also submit an application to the Super Herta Astral Computer's Fourth Mirror, we can be dispatched elsewhere too."
Another Herta voiced her concern. "But then we wouldn't be able to see Madam Herta every day, nor could we witness every piece of supertechnology she invents."
One Herta expressed her true feelings. "Personally, I still want to witness every piece of supertechnology Madam Herta invents."
"+1."
After the Hertas finished discussing the matter, Herta 66 said in the recording that she greatly missed The Blue and all the Herta Puppet companions she had come to know there.
Seeing this, many Hertas smiled happily and said to Herta 66 on the phone screen, "We miss you too, dear Herta 66."
At that moment, Herta 05 thought of something and said seriously, "That's right. The Herta Puppets who remained on The Blue, myself included, haven't contacted our companions on other planets for a long time. We can contact them now and properly catch up."
"Conveniently, we also possess a means of contacting those extraterrestrial Herta Puppets at any time—Stigmata Space."
"Most importantly, we surely aren't the only ones who miss the Hertas who traveled to other worlds. Second Madam Herta must miss them as well. We can invite Second Madam Herta into Stigmata Space, then contact all the Herta Puppets who traveled to other planets to gather intelligence."
Herta 05's suggestion quickly received the approval of every Herta Puppet. Then all the Herta Puppets, including Herta 05, headed toward Madam Herta's residence together.
...
Not long afterward, Herman, who had been resting in bed, sat up and looked at the Hertas gathered around his bedside, chattering nonstop. He slowly said, "You want to know how your Herta Puppet companions on other planets are doing, so you'd like me to enter Stigmata Space with you and check on them. Fine, I agree."
Upon hearing Herman's answer, the Herta Puppets, including Herta 05, all cheered:
"Yay!"
"Long live Second Madam Herta!"
"Ooohhh...!"
...
That day, Herman and the Hertas gathered within Herta's Stigmata Space. They then sent a message to every Herta scattered across the countless worlds of the cosmos:
"My dear Hertas, come to Herta's Stigmata Space at once and tell us about everything that has happened to you recently. Whether good or bad, I hope you will share it with me."
"—In Herta's name."
At that moment, the invisible mental power of Herta's Stigmata Space surged forth, piercing through countless obstructions and crossing the tides of Imaginary energy.
Ultimately, it reached the frozen world of the bitterly cold Jarilo star system, the scorching hell of the Three-Body world surrounded by three suns, the ocean world of Lukasha whose entire star system overflowed with water elements, and the electronic world of Amphoreus.
One Herta after another, each located on a different world, beneath the light of different star systems, scattered across distant galaxies and separate galactic superclusters in every corner of the cosmos, logged into Stigmata Space.
Upon seeing The Herta, they all revealed excited expressions:
"It's Herta Mom!"
"Herta Mom is as beautiful and heroic as ever!"
"Madam Herta is unparalleled beneath the heavens! Madam Herta's achievements are extraordinary! Madam Herta is supremely brilliant!"
Herman smiled. "Welcome, Hertas."
"This place will always be your home. I would also like to hear how all of you have been doing. Let us begin with you."
After speaking, Herman pointed toward a Herta wearing a padded coat and a furry hat.
"Yes." The Herta in the furry hat snapped a salute. "Madam Herta, and my fellow Herta colleagues, I am Herta 30. Not long ago, I traveled aboard Madam Ruan Mei's Ruanruan spacecraft and stopped in the Jarilo star system to investigate the situation on Jarilo-VI."
"Through my investigations during this period, I confirmed that the planet Jarilo is covered with Fragmentum monsters, Voidrangers of the Antimatter Legion, and disasters of extreme cold."
"Nearly every human urban region has already been destroyed. Only a single city-state known as Belobog remains."
"Just as Belobog fell into desperate circumstances, I, Herta 30, descended upon that planet carrying the will of the great Madam Herta. Ultimately, I attracted the attention of the city's human leadership, the Supreme Guardian, who entrusted me with saving Belobog."
"At the time, I even asked Madam Herta for guidance. Madam Herta, you still remember, don't you?"
Herman nodded slightly, then extended a hand and gestured for her to continue.
Herta 30 said, "After obtaining Madam Herta's approval, I contacted the Super Herta Astral Computer and received the construction method for the Dawn Device. In the end, the Supreme Guardian, all the people of Belobog, and I worked together to build the Dawn Device and ignite it."
"From that moment onward, the frozen planet without a sun welcomed light once more."
"Even now, the Dawn Device continues operating within the city of Belobog, ceaselessly providing its people with warmth and light."
"By the way, not long ago, the Supreme Guardian said that she had heard a strange voice in the snow. That voice was tempting her, saying that this world was dying, but that she could create an entirely new world."
"The current Supreme Guardian and I went to investigate. In the end, we discovered the true identity of that voice. It was a Stellaron, and limitless energy surged within it. I suspect there is a high probability that the catastrophe that transformed Jarilo-VI into its current frozen state was caused by the Stellaron."
After hearing this, Herman's expression became serious. In a gentle, concerned voice, he asked, "Are you all right after encountering that Stellaron?"
Herta 30 shook her head slightly. "I'm fine. I already used the power bestowed upon me by Madam Herta to thoroughly contain that Stellaron."
Herman looked puzzled. "Didn't the Stellaron try to tempt you?"
"Of course it did."
At this point, the corners of Herta 30's lips rose into a faint smile. She planted both hands on her hips and said, "The problem is that the Stellaron tempted me by offering to fulfill one wish. It said it could grant my creator all the knowledge in the universe and the answers to every mystery."
"But I already know that every conundrum in the cosmos is something my creator, Madam Herta, can solve simply by bending down to examine it. Naturally, I had no need to make such a wish."
"I believe that as long as Madam Herta is given enough time, she will solve every mystery in this world through her own power alone."
By the time Herta 30 finished speaking, her words were filled with complete trust.
Clearly, she genuinely believed that Herta's research abilities stood at the pinnacle of the cosmos and that no problem could ever stump Madam Herta.
After learning everything from Herta 30, Herman raised a hand and stroked the Herta's head. "Well done. When I have time, I will travel to Jarilo-VI and completely contain that Stellaron."
After speaking, Herman recalled the Stellaron's established nature in the Honkai: Star Rail game.
The Cancer of All Worlds grants other people's wishes in distorted ways!
Its function is equivalent to the corrupted Holy Grail in Fate... It fulfills the wish-maker's desire in a twisted manner.
For example, had Herta 30 truly accepted the Stellaron's offer and wished for her creator, The Herta, to obtain infinite knowledge and advance toward omnipotence...
Then an enormous amount of knowledge might have poured mysteriously into her brain, but that information would most likely have been nothing more than garbage. The true purpose of forcing all that knowledge into her mind would have been to make her brain explode.
Even so, the Stellaron still possesses research value. Should Herta manage to understand its underlying mechanism and eliminate its tendency to distort wishes, it would become a genuine wish-granting machine...