ALL NOVEL Chapter 5: Chapter 5: The Young Heiress Asta
Herta arranged temporary accommodations for them in the staff quarters. Gu Fan, Xing, and Sampo walked through the space station's corridors, where emergency repairs were underway following the Destruction Sovereign's mere glance.
At his room's entrance, Gu Fan called out to Sampo and said to Xing, "Go ahead, Xing. I need to speak with Sampo."
Without protest, Xing departed alone, her high heels clicking against the space station's metal floor.
Sampo's gaze followed Xing as she disappeared into the distance.
"Sampo, why did you choose to stay at the space station?" Gu Fan asked.
Sampo turned around. His body was completely encased in thick silver-white armor, making his expression unreadable to Gu Fan.
"How do you know my name?"
The deep masculine voice reached Gu Fan's ears.
Even with such a masculine voice, Gu Fan didn't doubt the possibility that Sampo was Luying. He spoke gently: "You're the universe-renowned Stellaron Hunter. How could I not know?"
Though he couldn't see Sampo's expression, Gu Fan knew the eyes behind the armor were filled with suspicion.
Gu Fan continued his questioning: "Why did you decide to stay?"
Sampo shook his head, remaining silent for a long moment.
Gu Fan feared that Sampo might simply return to the Stellaron Hunters. The feeling was like having a goddess accept your confession - you're stunned but dare not ask why, fearing the dream might shatter. "You can do whatever you want," Gu Fan said.
Most importantly, he needed to uncover Sampo's true identity. If Sampo wasn't Luying, wouldn't that mean he'd wasted his feelings on a man? Gu Fan pondered.
Yanqing, my Yanqing, with silver hair flowing like silk ribbons, that black short cape like the essential darkness of sleep, and that little dress... Gu Fan's thoughts suddenly drifted.
Pulling back from his wandering thoughts, Gu Fan cleared his throat twice and dismissed Sampo.
Back in his room, sitting on the single bed, he needed to carefully consider his future plans. First priority was winning over Herta to complete the system task - that was crucial. Then, finding a way to discover Sampo's true identity. Of course, he also needed to find a way onto the Star Rail to get closer to March 7th, Himeko, and the others.
Herta was a scientist, and her in-game description revealed her abundant curiosity. But it often lasted only three minutes before she lost interest. If he could use those three minutes...
"I need to pique her interest, then find ways to manipulate her emotions. Also, if possible, I'd like to see Herta's true form..." he mused.
She had said her puppet was only seventy percent accurate to her original form. He wanted to see what a perfect ten-out-of-ten universal genius scientist looked like - the full-score Herta must be incredibly beautiful!
Having made up his mind, he surveyed the staff quarters Herta had assigned him. As expected of the talent-filled Herta Space Station, associated with the Interstellar Peace Corporation, even the staff dormitories were luxurious.
He suddenly felt the urge to appreciate the space station. Come to think of it, beneath his feet was the game's starting map - Herta Space Station.
Determined, he strolled through the station's corridors. Everywhere on the walls, cracks from the Destruction Sovereign's mere glance were visible.
Maintenance staff were busy with repairs. The major damage was external, making repairs particularly challenging.
Xing stood by a corridor window, gazing at the vast universe with its twinkling stars. The constellations visible from Earth couldn't be found at the space station, but there were strange patterns that Gu Fan couldn't quite describe - or perhaps they could look like anything.
Gu Fan passed by without wanting to exchange greetings. His relationship with Xing was now complicated - they could be called friends, or comrades. But that was before; after that kiss, Gu Fan was confused.
Xing noticed his approach and silently fell in step behind him. The sound of her high heels made Gu Fan uncomfortable, as if a ghost were following him.
Could the little gray-hair actually care about that kiss? As Gu Fan pondered these scattered thoughts, Xing followed without a word. Feeling guilty, he didn't want to start a conversation either.
At the station's most severely damaged section, Asta was directing emergency repairs. Only a few individuals with Path powers could physically traverse space, and even they couldn't move freely in the void. Those who mastered Paths were extraordinary individuals - how could they spend time fixing walls?
There were over a dozen Paths, but currently only seven were activated. The first person or non-human to pioneer a Path was revered as a Stellar Sovereign. Those who drew power from a Path for their own use were called Path Walkers, and most only possessed one Path.
The extensive damage to the station's outer walls had Asta at her wit's end. What if Lady Herta saw it and became upset? The mere thought made her head ache even more.
Alan stood guard beside Asta like a Rottweiler.
"Young Miss, completely replacing it would be far too costly."
Having grown up in the House of Fortune, Asta's impression of money was simply numbers. Even players who could directly exchange vast amounts of Star-Rail's universal currency - Credit Points - from the store couldn't compare to Asta's wealth; they were barely a drop in the ocean.
"Piece by piece repairs will take too long!" Asta exclaimed.
Alan replied, "Young Miss, the company only approved funds for repairs. Please don't be hasty."
"..."
"You're not considering using your own money for repairs, are you?"
Asta declared, "I can't let Lady Herta see her space station in such a state!"
"Young Miss, Lady Herta rarely makes appearances. Even if you replaced the entire station, she wouldn't notice anything unusual."
Asta fell silent, unable to counter Alan's logic, but her eyes still showed defiance, as if saying: What if Lady Herta does notice?
"Are you having troubles?" Gu Fan interjected.
He still had 300 emotion points, enough for three reward draws.
Based on his previous two experiences, the system usually provided items corresponding to current predicaments, though the teleporter had been rather abstract. But if the system's reward could solve young wealthy Asta's problem, then...
She was supposedly the descendant of the Interstellar Peace Corporation's founder, Louis Fleming. If true, that made her the universe's number one rich heir.
If there was a chance to get close to the young wealthy lady, Gu Fan naturally wouldn't refuse - there would be plenty of occasions requiring money in the future. The young rich lady was inexperienced in worldly matters; for him, a wage slave from the real world, wouldn't tricking some Credit Points out of her be child's play?
But Asta's clear, pristine blue eyes looked at him with inexplicable hostility.
Gu Fan was puzzled, then realized - since he was presumably a Stellaron Hunter member, her reaction made sense.
Asta wore a sky-blue short dress with a garter on her right thigh, her legs fair and delicate.
"Don't look at the Young Miss with those eyes!" Alan stepped in front of Asta, shouting at Gu Fan sternly.
This bodyguard is certainly overstepping his bounds, Gu Fan thought silently.
Before Asta could calm Alan down, Xing had already drawn her pickaxe, standing in front of Gu Fan, facing off against Alan.
Xing's display of weapons angered Alan further. Initially, he had only intended to intimidate Gu Fan, but now he needed to defend the dignity of the space station's security department.
Xing stood her ground, pickaxe pointed at Alan. Gu Fan held Xing back, but Alan charged forward directly.
Chapter End