Ruan Mei simply continued to gaze at the tsundere Aeon before her with those cool, clear eyes.
"And this is your attitude?"
"Ah?! My... what attitude? My attitude is always like this?!"
Ruan Mei said nothing. She just stared at her coldly.
Herta couldn't meet her gaze. Instinctively, she summoned her magic key and opened a [Mirror]. Initiated a warp jump. (Ran away.)
"Don't forget to attend Fu Xuan and Qingque's wedding. I'm leaving now."
---
At the same time, Herta Space Station.
"Herta Ninety-Nine, what are you doing?! Buy support items!! Get over here and help me!"
Herta Ninety-Nine glanced at Silver Wolf dismissively.
"I did. Early game. You were useless. Now my KDA is higher than yours. I sold them ages ago."
Silver Wolf was speechless. She looked at Asta.
"Asta, use your ultimate!! Don't just stand there!"
Asta nodded, game controller in hand.
"Got it, got it!!"
DEFEAT. Another crystal exploded.
Silver Wolf's face went pale. Can't win a single game anymore?
Arlan shook his head awkwardly.
"Sorry. I'm terrible at games. I'll leave you to it."
He set down his controller and left.
Peppy chimed in.
"Woof." (Asta, don't blame me for this loss. The exclusive dog game controller you made for me still has issues.)
Silver Wolf glared at Peppy.
"Last fight! Why did you, the ADC, chase instead of defending?! Super minions were hitting the crystal!"
Peppy barked back.
"Woof?! Woof!!" (It was my first penta-kill!! Forget it. I can take a loss. Next game!!)
Silver Wolf clenched her fists, glaring at Peppy.
Herta Ninety-Nine remarked casually.
"Silver Wolf. Getting mad at Peppy? Can't handle a loss?"
Silver Wolf stood up, clutching her limited console, on the verge of tears.
"Who can't handle a loss?! I was carrying! Ganking! Securing objectives! What were you all doing?!"
Herta Ninety-Nine yawned.
"Match MVP wasn't you either. Asta's not complaining."
Silver Wolf sat back down, sullen.
"Hmph!! I'll get MVP this game. Wait. I'm inviting better teammates."
Soon, "SAM" logged in. The enemy team messaged.
"Silver Wolf, I can only play an hour. March 7th might wake up and backdoor."
Silver Wolf sighed and started assigning roles.
"Sigh, fine. Herta Ninety-Nine, go top. I'll show you what real Stellaron Hunter jungle-support synergy looks like."
Just as the game started, Herta—having fled Ruan Mei's lab in a panic—appeared.
Asta, Herta Ninety-Nine, and Peppy froze. They instinctively set down their controllers.
Only Silver Wolf kept playing, head down. Seeing them idle, she snapped.
"Seriously?! You're inting me?!"
Herta surveyed them coldly. Her amethyst eyes blazed. She smiled—a furious smile.
Great. I get bullied by Ruan Mei, and you're here playing games with Silver Wolf?!
And this starry sleeve pendant—hand-embroidered by Ruan Mei—is for Asta.
Completely unbalanced, Herta snatched Silver Wolf's console.
"Hey!! Who—?! Stealing my console?! I'm Silver Wolf, the great Stellaron Hunter—"
She looked up.
Herta, smiling coldly with a dark expression.
Silver Wolf froze. Her mind went blank with fear and despair.
Her last words died in her throat.
The room fell silent. Only Firefly's voice echoed from the game.
"Silver Wolf?! You there? Why are the others AFK?!"
"Silver Wolf, you okay? You never go AFK. What's wrong?!"
Herta tapped Silver Wolf's head with her magic key.
Crisp. Satisfying. Nice.
Silver Wolf gritted her teeth, eyes welling up.
Before, she would have fought back with Aether power.
But after Herta City—after being utterly crushed, trapped in this station—her confidence was gone.
Herta noticed her lack of resistance.
"Silver Wolf. Where's your Punklorde spirit?"
"No desperate last stand? No resistance?"
Silver Wolf just lowered her head. No tears. No tantrum. No retort.
She reflected.
These days at Herta Space Station... there are unlimited consoles. Things she'd only dreamed of.
She'd provoked Herta repeatedly. Herta had always dealt with it lightly.
Arrogant youth. A frog in a well. She never understood the gap between geniuses.
Now, after multiple beatings, she finally saw the light.
She spoke quietly and calmly.
"Madam Herta. I... was young and stupid. I provoked you. I'm sorry."
Herta's smirk faded. She wanted Silver Wolf to fight back. To give her an excuse.
A reason to vent. To relieve the frustration of being bullied by Ruan Mei.
"Silver Wolf. Weren't you the 'genius hacker'? What happened? Did life dull your edges?"
Silver Wolf said nothing. She just clutched her limited console.
Asta gave her too much.
"Madam Herta, people grow up."
Herta sighed. Boring.
She didn't trap Silver Wolf here out of spite.
She wanted a punching bag. Someone to take her anger out on after Ruan Mei bullied her.
Silver Wolf used to show up at the perfect time.
"Fine. The old, rebellious Silver Wolf was more useful. Go back to your Stellaron Hunters."
Silver Wolf froze. Hundreds of limited consoles. Unplayed.
"Madam Herta. Please. Let me stay—"
She was teleported away.
"Welcome back, little Silver Wolf."
Kafka's familiar voice.
Silver Wolf looked around. A barren asteroid. Blade, indifferent.
No consoles. No snacks. No gaming buddies.
Just desolation. No hope.
(A/N: Kafka doesn't game. Blade refuses. Firefly's still on the Express.)
Silver Wolf cried. No tantrum. Just sobs.
"Wuwu. You gave me so much hope, then took it all away."
"Herta, I hate you!!"
Kafka smiled faintly, offering a handkerchief.
"Just as Elio predicted. Herta made you cry again."
Silver Wolf shook her head, tears streaming.
"This time's different. Last time was anger. This time... this time it's pure hatred!!"
"She gave me a dream. Then ripped it away. Wuwu."