Bai Tang: Checking in, checking in!

"Remember, it's a promise."

Bai Tang left in high spirits, leaving Aventurine standing there in a daze. He stared at his hand and gave a bitter smile.

What an enormous gift. Such a small favor wasn't worth anything like it. Clearly, it was more than he could ever repay. Remembering how cheerful and unconcerned she had been, it felt more like a red envelope given to someone under her care.

If... if he could—no, Kakavasha, you can't do that. She had no obligation to help him. But he really missed her so much.

Who exactly was Bai Tang?

Aventurine pondered the question, but in the end, he didn't order a search for answers. He also covered the matter up to keep anyone else from tracing it back here.

He would ask her himself later.

By now, Bai Tang was floating through space. She opened the character screen. Aventurine, who had been curled up asleep, had opened his eyes in a daze. He slowly stood and looked around. Suddenly, whatever he saw made his face light up, and he waved at him.

[Number: 9

Identity: Aventurine of the "Ten Stonehearts"

Faction: Preservation

Primary path: Preservation

Affection: 100

Contact rate: 67%]

Since she had checked in, the check-in, skills, and bonds had all been unlocked.

She opened the check-in page, which showed a picture from the moment she checked in. The skills section listed only two things: the combat skill Prosperity Cornerstone and Right of the Muzzle.

The bonds section said that having either Sunday or Robin on the team with Aventurine would grant immunity to the effects of Nihility.

Bai Tang: "!!!!!"

Now Aventurine could be added to the team. The others were all still marked as unowned.

She opened the details again. The scene had changed: the empty space had been replaced by a cozy room. Aventurine was inside playing on his phone. When he noticed Bai Tang appear again, he put down his phone, tilted his head, and smiled.

Whose little cutie is this?!

He's mine!

The Aventurine fan was utterly smitten.

Bai Tang liked quite a few people. She liked the Astral Express Crew, the High-Cloud Quintet, and the Chrysos Heirs. She could see all the characters she truly liked here.

After seeing her Kakavasha act cute for her, aaaaah, I can die without regrets!

Belobog.

"You weren't the one who took Bai Tang away?"

March 7th was stunned.

Sampo was dumbfounded. "Buddy, that's not fair. How could I possibly have what it takes to deal with that lady?"

Just look at the dense Path power wrapped around her, and it was the rarest, most troublesome kind at that. Who was powerful enough to take her away?!

Sampo said he would have to think twice even if he got his mask, let alone now.

[Bai Tang: It does have a little to do with Sampo. Basically, his boss upstairs screwed him over.]

Seeing that Bai Tang was all right, Stelle had started messaging her to ask about the matter. When she saw the reply, Stelle blurted out:

"It's Sampo's fault!"

Sampo: "!!!" Don't believe rumors, and don't spread them! He wasn't that capable!

Sampo saw that the way March 7th and Dan Heng looked at him had changed, especially Dan Heng, who looked ready to kill him. Frightened, he said:

"Do you think old Sampo's that kind of person? That lady has all sorts of powers. One look and you can tell she's not someone who'd let herself be taken advantage of."

March 7th: "What are you talking about? Bai Tang is clearly gentle and easy to bully!"

She chatted with her and took pictures with her, comforted and helped them, warned them as soon as she spotted danger, and when they fought monsters, she had no fighting ability but still healed them for all she was worth, keeping them from getting hurt.

What a wonderful companion.

Sampo: "..."

Wait, Bai Tang, who had set him on fire the moment they met, was gentle and easy to bully?

Sampo had met plenty of people and could usually figure out most of their personality at a glance. Bai Tang was obviously a demon incarnate at first sight, so how had she become gentle?

"His boss upstairs screwed him over."

Stelle continued what she hadn't finished saying.

Sampo instantly breathed a sigh of relief. "That's what I thought. Old Sampo always treats his major clients sincerely. Sister, remember to say the important part sooner next time."

Wait.

Who had screwed him over?

His boss upstairs?!!!

Sampo's smile froze. His boss upstairs was... Aha?

No! Who had taken that lady away?

Dan Heng's voice turned a little cold. "Who's your boss upstairs?"

Whoever dared mess with a Xianzhou native had some nerve.

After all, the forces that held grudges the longest were those who walked the Path of the Hunt, like the Galaxy Rangers and the Xianzhou.

Once they set their sights on you, you might as well kill yourself first. Don't count on outliving them. They would remember a grudge for a lifetime, and once the opportunity came, they would always collect with interest. If they couldn't do it themselves, someone would inherit their will.

You could say that angering one person meant a whole group would chase you down to kill you, taking turns and never stopping until you were dead.

Still, it depended on the situation. If it wasn't too bad, they wouldn't do much. If it was a life-and-death grudge, though, you were truly finished.

"Hehe, well, about that..."

Sampo, Sampo went and gave up his boss upstairs. Hahaha, the god of fun above, bosses were there to take the blame, right?

Bai "gentle and amiable toward her faves" Tang was on her way over when she ran into some robbers. With her muscles stiff, she gave a cold laugh and flooded that stretch of space.

In a universe full of Path-following maniacs, anyone who dared be a robber out here had to have some strength, and had to know they could get killed, right?

Bai Tang turned the group into specimens and left them on display there before departing in style. As a result, all sorts of strange rumors spread about that route, such as that anyone who went that way would be corroded into a specimen. For a time, no one dared pass through.

Only when the company sent someone to investigate were the rumors dispelled. The merchants who had preferred to take a detour rather than come this way finally returned to the route, but the time and money lost in the meantime amounted to an unknown sum.

The company even offered a bounty, with a considerable sum for anyone who provided a lead.

Bai Tang still had no idea how much trouble she had caused the company. She was happily counting her righteous spoils as she left, stopping to buy some souvenirs on planets she passed.

Coffee beans for Himeko, a Gundam for Welt, a trash can figurine for Stelle, a plush toy March 7th liked, books Dan Heng wanted, and pastries for Pom-Pom.

Perfect. Coming home from a trip with purchases would show that nothing serious had happened, and her companions wouldn't have to worry too much.

[Bai Tang: I'll be there soon. I bought you gifts.]

[March 7th: Wow! That's amazing!]

[Stelle: Team fight starting, need a healer]

[Dan Heng: Mm, we'll wait for you]

[Himeko: Be careful on your way back. We'll be waiting]

[Welt: Stay safe, Bai Tang]

Was this what it felt like to have people worried about her?

How had she come to be accepted?

Stelle had saved March 7th, so she had been readily accepted after joining the Express. She had also fought alongside March 7th on the Herta Space Station, but Bai Tang seemed to have been separated from them right from the start.

On the Herta Space Station, she had only acted as a healer during the final fight against the Doomsday Beast, and on Jarilo-VI, Aha had taken her away shortly after she arrived.

Oh, she had forgotten. The Express went by first impressions; anything else could be worked out over time. Once you joined the Express, you were a companion forever as long as you didn't do certain things.

Right, Schneider, former Nameless?