"Huh?"
"We're really not taking Miss Tingyun back to Luofu with us this time?"
Standing on the Herta Space Station's departure platform, March 7th looked utterly bewildered.
Tingyun wasn't there to see them off.
Meanwhile, Evan stood nearby, leisurely sampling one of the space station's signature meals. Most of the dishes here were prepared entirely by automated machinery, and he had to admit, the novelty was rather interesting.
As for Stelle...
Well, the girl hadn't spared a single thought for any of this.
She was happily sipping on a special mixed drink from the space station while secretly glancing at the tiny Herta puppet across from her.
She looked like a thief guarding stolen treasure.
She was terrified Madam Herta might suddenly ask for the Curio baseball bat back.
After all...
Ninety percent of her identity as the Galactic Baseballer came from that bat.
If she had to return it...
Wouldn't that mean she'd lose her title?
Dan Heng, on the other hand...
Was currently being bid a reluctant farewell by Arlan.
After finally finding someone capable of teaching him proper security management, Arlan really didn't want Dan Heng to leave.
Unfortunately...
Departure was departure.
There was nothing either of them could do.
Only March remained glued to Evan's side, circling him like an endlessly curious kitten.
She desperately wanted to know...
Just what had happened inside the Simulated Universe.
Unfortunately for her...
After Evan emerged from the simulation, the five Geniuses had already agreed on one thing.
Everything concerning Polka Kakamond...
Would remain a secret known only to the five of them.
No one else could ever be told.
Because after leaving the Simulated Universe...
Evan had discovered something inside Herta's office.
A trace.
A message left behind by Polka Kakamond herself.
Even Herta...
The true master of the space station...
I had never noticed it.
Hidden away in an inconspicuous corner of her office...
It was a single sentence.
"There is only one way I would ever join you—my scalpel must first pierce the throat of a Genius."
Tap!
"Oww!"
"Hey, Evan!"
"What was that for?!"
March clutched her forehead, glaring at him.
If he didn't give her a proper explanation...
She was definitely going to hit him back.
...
No.
Wait.
He was an Emanator.
She definitely couldn't win.
Hmph!
When Himeko gets back, I'm telling you!
Evan calmly withdrew his hand.
Then...
He gently rubbed the top of March's head.
It looked like a comforting pat.
In reality...
He was simply wiping his hand on her hair.
"The Simulated Universe is a secret."
"A secret only Geniuses are allowed to know."
"You're too silly."
"It wouldn't help even if you knew."
"Hmph!"
"Evan, you're the worst!"
"I'm not stupid!"
"If anyone's dumb..."
She pointed dramatically across the platform.
"It's her!"
Evan followed her finger.
The moment he looked over...
He immediately spotted Stelle hugging a tiny Trash Cake, trying to quietly smuggle it aboard the Astral Express while Ruan Mei was still downstairs.
Without a word...
Evan walked over.
Grabbed Stelle by the back of her collar.
Lifted her clean off the ground.
Then—
Flick!
He gave her forehead a sharp flick.
"Ow!"
He chuckled.
"Your thoughts are written all over your face."
"I already spoke to Ruan Mei."
"You can bring the little guy aboard."
"But you have to take responsibility for it."
"Pom-Pom isn't going to look after your pet for you."
Stelle immediately covered her forehead, baring her teeth in pain.
Seeing the expression on her face...
Evan couldn't help bursting into laughter.
Sure enough...
Birds of a feather really did flock together.
March and Stelle were practically the same person.
He still remembered not long ago...
Stelle had crawled into the Astral Express' maintenance ducts because she thought something interesting was hiding inside.
Only to discover...
March had already climbed in for exactly the same reason.
And then there was that rare interstellar storm.
The two of them had insisted on going outside to "take a look."
They were blown straight into space.
The pair ended up floating together, clinging to one another and crying for hours before they were finally rescued.
Honestly...
They were equally hopeless.
"Tingyun won't be returning to the Luofu with us just yet."
Evan finally answered March's question.
"She went through far too much."
"Her body hasn't fully recovered."
"She still needs Ruan Mei's care."
"But..."
"We can at least bring news of her back."
"That way Yukong won't have to keep worrying."
March nodded thoughtfully.
"That makes sense..."
Evan glanced at her with a faint smile.
"And as for the Wardance..."
The corners of his lips curled upward.
March...
The Luofu is about to become your stage.
Hunt March 7th.
Activate.
Dual-Sword March 7th.
Activate.
Study nothing but swordsmanship until your brain goes empty.
Activate.
For some reason...
The moment Evan looked at her...
March suddenly shivered.
"...Why does it feel so cold?"
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"You're plotting something, aren't you?"
"Come on!"
"Are you planning to bully me again?"
She planted her hands on her hips and glared at him.
The suspicion in her eyes couldn't have been more obvious.
Evan looked utterly innocent.
"How could you think that?"
"So..."
"That's the kind of person I am in your eyes?"
"You..."
"You..."
"March 7th!"
"You're too much!"
"I..."
"..."
"...Huh?"
March froze.
Completely stunned.
Just one sentence...
And she was instantly defeated.
She was still the same adorably gullible March.
Easy to fool.
Stelle watched the exchange in complete confusion.
She hadn't understood a thing.
Sure enough...
The best way to deal with someone pure...
Was with even purer acting.
Even though Evan's innocence was entirely fake...
Neither March nor Stelle could tell.
No wonder...
Ever since stepping onto the Path of Elation...
He found himself enjoying two things more than anything else.
Watching chaos unfold.
And causing it himself.
Thinking about everything that was about to happen during the Xianzhou Luofu Wardance Ceremony...
The biggest spectacle since the Stellaron Crisis...
Evan couldn't help smiling to himself.
"Let's go."
"March."
"Go get Dan Heng."
"Pom-Pom's taking Himeko and Mr. Yang to investigate the remains of that ancient beast."
"We'll be taking one of the space station's starships instead."
He glanced at the time.
"The Wardance should be starting soon."
"Got it!"
March immediately ran off to find Dan Heng.
Meanwhile...
Stelle's attention had already been captured by the sleek starship waiting at the dock.
According to Asta...
This particular battle cruiser was a limited edition model.
The IPC had only manufactured a few hundred of them.
She'd spent countless sleepless nights just to secure one.
Now...
Knowing Evan and the others were returning to the Luofu...
She had happily lent it to them.
Once they reached their destination...
The ship would automatically perform a warp jump back to the station.
There was no need to worry about losing it.
Besides...
It was a fully armed battle cruiser.
Its onboard weapon systems were more than capable of handling almost any threat they might encounter along the way.
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