The Train Stowaway

Herta's fingers flew across the virtual keyboard, leaving afterimages in their wake.

Well, then!

Seeing her like that, March 7th immediately said goodbye to Herta and headed for the exit without looking back.

They didn't care whether Herta had noticed. In that state, she was completely absorbed in her work.

As soon as the two stepped outside, they felt refreshed.

With Herta there, even if something went wrong in the Simulated Universe, they wouldn't come to harm.

But the fear of facing an unexpected emergency had been very real.

Still, they were out now.

"Come on, let's go home!"

March 7th took Stelle's hand, and they walked side by side toward the train's docking point.

Asta was waiting for them there.

As for Herta...

Once the genius got busy, she wouldn't even notice two living people leaving.

Much less a creation that secretly climbed down from the workbench and crept toward the door.

And that creation was Lin Feng.

"Whoa, I almost thought I was really going to be sliced up this time. Good thing March 7th gave me an assist."

Lin Feng wriggled his way out the door, feeling light all over. Everything that had just happened felt a little like a dream.

Only after leaving Herta's sight could he stop worrying about becoming an experimental subject and fully relax.

But it was clear he couldn't stay on the space station anymore.

If he kept waiting around like this, he would either be sliced up by Herta,

or be reclaimed as data by Ruan Mei. Those were the outcomes he dreaded most.

Fortunately, he now had the ability to change form at any time through Mimicry Construction.

In any case, he had to get out of there first.

Asta stood on the space station's send-off platform, her long orange hair gleaming dazzlingly under the artificial lights.

"March 7th, remember to say hello to Himeko and the Conductor for me."

"And about Mr. Welt wanting a mecha, I've already found a way to get one. It should arrive in a few days."

She smiled and hugged March 7th, then waved to Stelle.

March 7th and Stelle nodded and boarded the train together.

Beside Asta was a projection of Herta's puppet.

"Herta, couldn't you come see them off in person for once?"

"No time."

The puppet's holographic image flickered, then disconnected.

Asta wasn't bothered. She smiled, shook her head, and shrugged.

That was just how Ms. Herta had always been. What could Asta do? She had already given her the entire Herta Space Station, after all.

Geniuses always had their own unique personalities~

Asta took one last look at the train, then went back to her business. She hadn't even started her online shopping today.

The sound of the Trailblaze Train's engines came from afar, the low vibrations traveling through the platform's metal floor all the way to Lin Feng's paw pads.

He crouched around a corner in the corridor, watching March 7th and Stelle board the train via the gangway.

This was his last chance.

Although it would make him a stowaway.

The train was about to make its jump, and he didn't know where March 7th and Stelle's next stop would be.

But if he stayed on the space station and waited for Herta to free up some time,

the question of the Cat Cake's intelligence, which she'd said they would "discuss later," would become something they would "discuss right this instant."

He turned to look at Peppy beside him.

The big fellow had followed him over at some point and was now holding a round frisbee in his mouth, chewing on it with relish.

Lin Feng stared at Peppy for two seconds. The next moment, he leaped onto Peppy's back and clamped on with his short limbs.

Peppy raised his head, the frisbee still in his mouth, and let out a confused bark.

The gangway began to retract.

The roar of the engines rose sharply, and the jump countdown echoed over the platform.

"Ten seconds."

Lin Feng patted Peppy's neck.

His fluffy tail brushed against Peppy's head, then pointed toward the train ahead.

Peppy's eyes lit up, but he turned a deeply reluctant gaze on Lin Feng.

"Meow~ (Bro, please, help me one last time~)"

"Five seconds."

Lin Feng grew anxious and slapped Peppy again with his tail, harder this time.

"Woof, woof! (All right, I'll help you one last time!)"

Peppy turned his head, rolled his eyes at Lin Feng, and gave a soft huff. He put down the round frisbee and slowly set off on all fours.

"Three—"

A rapid clatter of hooves rang out on the metal floor.

Wind rushed into Lin Feng's ears, pushing his round body backward.

The gangway had retracted until only a narrow opening remained, just wide enough for Peppy to squeeze through sideways.

"Two seconds—"

Peppy sprang forward, his front hooves landing on the very edge of the gangway as his hind hooves kicked at the air.

His whole body, along with the Cat Cake on his back, flew into the air.

Lin Feng used the momentum in midair and, taking advantage of the Cat Cake's soft body, launched himself forward—

Click.

The door closed.

The roar of the engines swallowed everything.

Light from the jump poured in through the windows, turning the entire corridor a hazy white.

Lin Feng lay on the train floor, panting in short breaths, all four paws still gripping it tightly.

(In fact, he had no paws, only four chubby little lumps of flesh around his edges.)

The train's floor gradually steadied after the violent shaking.

The jump was complete.

Footsteps sounded at the far end of the corridor, drawing closer and closer.

March 7th poked her head around the corner and stared blankly at the blue-and-white-patterned creation right in the middle of the corridor.

"What..."

She rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things—

A Cat Cake was standing brazenly in the corridor of the Trailblaze Train.

Lin Feng raised his beady eyes and met March 7th's gaze.

"Meow~"

March 7th crouched on the floor, staring eye to eye with the blue-and-white-patterned Cat Cake. They had been staring at each other for a full ten seconds.

The Cat Cake didn't move.

Neither did March 7th.

"Stelle!!!"

March 7th sprang to her feet and yelled at the top of her lungs toward the back of the carriage, making even the lights on the corridor ceiling shake.

Footsteps came from around the corner, hurried and chaotic.

Stelle rushed over with her bat in hand, her amber eyes scanning the surroundings warily. "Enemy attack?"

"Enemy attack, my foot!" March 7th pointed at the fluffy little thing on the floor. "Look at this!"

Stelle's gaze dropped and froze.

The bat slipped from her hand and hit the floor with a dull clatter.

"..."

"..."