Chapter 66

"I will only be staying at the space station for about half a month. If you, Herta, still refuse to accept this..."

Ruan Mei did not press the matter further, her words revealing a hint of melancholy. Losing this invaluable sample was indeed regrettable, but there was no need to antagonize the Herta over it.

"No, I agree. I allow him to be your assistant. Of course, this is just my stance. After all, Bai Jun is just a guest on the space station, and I have no right to dictate his behavior as the host. So, whether or not he can become your assistant is entirely up to you."

Herta clicked his tongue in annoyance, but his answer surprised both Screwllum and Ruan Mei.

"Ruan Mei, I won't speculate on your thoughts, nor do I care what your research is, but I still want to emphasize one point... If he doesn't agree to become your assistant, you should honestly put away your thoughts; if he agrees to become your assistant, then you absolutely mustn't hurt him!"

But in the end, Herta solemnly established the rules. From her beautiful, unblemished eyes, as pure as amethyst, both Screwllum and Ruan Mei could tell that she was not joking.

Let's go back to the present...

"In short, that's the gist of it. I wonder if you'd be interested in becoming my assistant and helping with my research over the next two weeks? Don't rush into it; think it through before making a decision."

Ruan Mei deliberately concealed some information, sitting gently and calmly on Bai Jun's bed, taking a small sip of the black tea he offered.

"It's smooth on the palate, with a rich and lingering aroma, and a sweet aftertaste that refreshes the palate. I really like it."

"Well, whatever you like..."

Bai Jun quietly hid the disposable tea bag behind his back, smiled somewhat awkwardly, and then returned his attention to the question from before.

After spending these few days together, Bai Jun had gained a certain understanding of Herta's personality. In addition, his first impression of Ruan Mei was not very good. Based solely on his feelings, if he had to weigh the two, Bai Jun would choose Herta without hesitation.

From a rational perspective, Bai Jun would also choose Herta. She is cute, which is one thing, but more importantly, Herta never restrains her behavior. However, if he stayed with Ruan Mei, his private time would be greatly reduced, and he would not be able to get any Sun, which would be a loss.

Therefore, from any perspective, Bai Jun's answer is only one.

"I'm sorry, please allow me to refuse--"

Before he could finish speaking, Ruan Mei suddenly leaned close to Bai Jun's face, her slender fingers gently touching his lips, interrupting him.

"Oh, right, there's something I didn't make clear. Being my assistant won't take up too much of your time. You can go to the Herta anytime, and your usual schedule at the space station won't be affected. You just need to come here whenever you have free time. At the same time, I will use all my knowledge to heal your body. And after half a month, this relationship will end, and we will have no further connection or interference. How about that?"

Especially in the last few sentences, her tone became more forceful, sounding at first glance like some cold and ruthless transaction of flesh and blood. However, as Bai Jun gazed into her light blue eyes so close to his own, he felt no complicated emotions, but instead fell into a brief moment of contemplation.

"Okay, I promise."

The promises made by the members of the Genius Society were of great significance. Bai Jun admitted that he was extremely tempted by Ruan Mei's offer. He only needed to pay a small price to obtain the strong support of a master in the field of creation. Even if it only had a tiny effect on his physical condition, Bai Jun thought it was worth it, since that was also the purpose of his trip.

"In that case, let's make a pinky promise. The liar will have to swallow a thousand silver needles!"

A smile appeared on Ruan Mei's usually cold face, and she playfully extended her little finger towards Bai Jun.

"I didn't expect you to believe in this kind of thing. And if I remember correctly, this agreement should be from the Xianzhou side..."

Bai Jun's eyes widened slightly as he stared incredulously at her outstretched little finger.

"Emotions are a universal characteristic of life; they are not confined to a single format or method. If you are unwilling, I can naturally make an agreement with you in another form. It is a custom from a very barren planet, and I am deeply impressed by it."

"What?" Bai Jun asked instinctively.

"It's very simple. Lips touch, tongues explore each other's mouths, and the emotions of the vow will be settled and sublimated in the exchange of saliva."

Ruan Mei maintained the gesture of extending her little finger, but put on another mysterious smile, and slowly brought her face close enough for Bai Jun to kiss her.

"W-W-Where did you learn this from!?"

Bai Jun leaned back instantly, creating distance between himself and Ruan Mei was standing right next to him, and complained loudly with a flushed face.

"As I just said, it's a very barren planet with a rather backward civilization. What? You don't like this kind of thing? Of course, we can change it to other forms, like kissing the back of my feet or licking my cheek. Choose whichever you like, darling."

Sitting on the bed, Ruan Mei took off her high heels, elegantly raised her fair and delicate feet, and extended them to Bai Jun's lap as if extending an invitation.

"Choose what?! I don't want to!"

"In that case, let's eat this pastry as a token of our agreement."

Seeing Bai Jun's face burning and his hasty retreat in disgust, Ruan Mei slowly produced a pastry and placed it in Bai Jun's outstretched palm with a smile. Although this request was not as outrageous as the previous one, Bai Jun still vaguely sensed that something was amiss.

--I have a feeling she's still upset about me refusing to eat her pastries this morning.

But in any case, this was much easier than the previous bizarre requests. Bai Jun finally put the pastry in his mouth, chewed it a few times, and swallowed it.

Is it delicious?

Ruan Mei rested her chin on her hand and asked with great interest.

"It's so delicious... mmm--!?"

Bai Jun, who had intended to use the same answer he gave this morning to brush off the question, suddenly realized that the "not tasty" he was about to say had completely changed. Surprised and annoyed, he immediately covered his mouth and gave the other person a questioning look.

"I see. You were reluctant, but you were honest in your heart. It seems this pastry wasn't wasted. Don't be nervous, it won't do any harm to you or me."

Ruan Mei did not hide anything from this and answered truthfully.

"I have a general understanding of your situation, and I have many methods for extending lifespan. However, even a single error in any data point during meticulous research can cause problems, and I hate uncontrollable issues. That's why I added some 'truth serum' to this pastry. Don't worry, it's harmless to your body; it just makes it impossible for you to lie when answering certain questions."

"So please consider this a layer of protection—protecting my research and your personal safety. Once those troubles are resolved, I will give you the antidote."

Despite saying that, Bai Jun's expression was still very displeased. He felt his trust had been betrayed, and he also felt extremely dissatisfied with the woman in front of him. "So, this is a necessary step to becoming your assistant? Then I refuse. Give me the antidote."

"Are you bothered by this? I think we have a chance to open up to each other, it just takes time... Would you like some more pastries?"

"Want... uh--!?"

Instead of answering the question directly, she produced some more pastries, smiled, and handed them to Bai Jun, interrupting what he was about to say.

"I usually enjoy tasting these freshly made pastries. It seems you also like sweets?"

"Is it... uh--!?"

Bai Jun could tell she was trying to change the subject, but the problem was that the "truth serum" seemed to be a bit too strong. Even when he covered his mouth, he would still utter a few words that revealed his true feelings.

Looking at Bai Jun, who was covering his mouth in annoyance, Ruan Mei suddenly understood why Herta was so possessive of him. For some reason, she also felt a little interested in teasing him, but she suppressed this ridiculous thought the moment it arose in her heart. She then got up and took out another piece of pastry and stuffed it into Bai Jun's mouth.

"Alright, darling, it's time to get to work. As my assistant, could you please help me grind the materials?"

She pulled her hair back up, reverting to her usual cool and collected demeanor while working. She took out a large stack of manuscript paper, along with a traditional calligraphy brush and inkstone, from her handbag. Ignoring the 9 PM mark on the wall, she sat down at the table and began her focused work.

"Don't change the subject, give it to me now..."

Seeing her focused expression, oblivious to everything else, Bai Jun's lips twitched, but he suddenly realized that the effects of the truth serum had completely worn off under the "Favor of the Sun." He didn't show any unusual behavior, but silently swallowed the pastry in his mouth, wanting to see what this woman was really planning.

The night passed quickly.

"Um..."

Noticing the approach of morning, Bai Jun woke up at his scheduled wake-up time.

His life on the space station these past few days has quickly set his body into a biological clock, so he no longer needs an alarm clock like he did on the first day.

...6:30, just in time. Arlan usually comes to find him for dinner around this time.

However, Bai Jun still turned his head on the messy floor covered with manuscript papers to check the clock hanging on the wall.

The "phosphorus lamp," invented using phosphorescent technology, emits a faint phosphorescent light from the ceiling. Although there is no light outside the window, the room is not completely dark, and the surrounding scenery can be clearly seen with the naked eye.

Last night Bai Jun, I spent too much time helping Ruan Mei with her experiments and recording data. She was still sitting at her desk with great energy at 3 a. m. Because it was so late, I didn't want to ask her to leave, so I left the bed for her and slept on the floor myself.

Although it was cold, it wasn't unacceptable compared to endless work.

Bai Jun blinked a few times, and after fully waking up, he was about to get up to wash his face... Suddenly, he was blocked by something and couldn't get up, but he realized something.

Besides the bed sheet, there was something round leaning against him.

It was very light, so light that Bai Jun didn't notice it at first. He reached out his hand, trembling, to the soft object and immediately realized it was Ruan Mei.

She, who should have been working at her desk, had somehow crawled into his bed, buried her face in Bai Jun's chest, and was sleeping sweetly and quietly. Her delicate and aloof face now had a fragile, glass-like quality.

Ruan Mei exuded a very pleasant fragrance. Her expression was completely relaxed. She moved her body slightly and then rubbed her face against his chest like a spoiled girlfriend, and a soft, yielding sensation followed.

Bai Jun was initially overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information, rendering him unable to think. Then, a chill ran down his spine, coursing through his body. He had no interest in enjoying this warm and comfortable presence; he only felt utterly terrified. Just as he was about to push her away, however—

Seeing the teardrop falling from the corner of his eye, Bai Jun stopped what he was doing.

"Mother..."

A tear slid down her cheek from beside her eyeshadow, and her hoarse whisper faded into the morning air.

Tears, like drops of water falling from a broken string, slid down his chest, soaking a small patch of his clothes. Bai Jun was at a loss for words at this sight, and his attempt to push her away came to an abrupt halt.

--There was a gentle knock on the door.

At that moment, Bai Jun's expression changed drastically. He moved away from Bai Jun Ruan Mei in the blink of an eye, making her lie in the spot where he had been lying. Then, he hurriedly fled the house, opened the door, and stopped Arlan from knocking.

Good morning, today too... Hmm, you look strange, didn't you sleep well last night?

Arlan's smile remained unchanged, but after seeing Bai Jun's panicked state, he couldn't help but feel somewhat confused.

"Aha... indeed, I didn't sleep well last night."

"Really? Lack of sleep is a big problem. You must get plenty of rest."

Bai Jun chuckled and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, preparing to close the door without making a sound. But just as the door was about to close, a faint female voice came from inside the house.

"Ugh... don't go..."

Although extremely faint, and easily mistaken for a person's illusion if one doesn't listen carefully, Arlan's instantly pale face and stammering lips revealed that he had heard it. Moreover, he also noticed a small red mark on Bai Jun's fair collarbone and naturally assumed it to be proof of love.

"Ah, ah, um, so... I see... No wonder, no, should I say it's because I'm taking care of my health? Anyway, sorry to bother you--!!!"

The innocent and shy boy couldn't accept the information in front of him for a moment. He even ran away with a blush on his face before listening to Bai Jun's explanation. His back view also revealed a hint of loneliness.

Bai Jun covered his face with his hands, suddenly feeling like he wanted to die.

Chapter 92 The Imminent Arrival of the Astral Express (1/20)

Thirty minutes later--

Inside the Security Department's training room, a fierce battle was unfolding as always—or rather, a one-sided crushing defeat.

"Too slow. Five whole days have passed since you invited me to this sparring session, and you still haven't learned your lesson? Overcome your habit of thinking before you attack, and make sure your actions precede your thoughts, otherwise you'll always just be a target."

Bai Jun carried no weapons, relying solely on his body to precisely seize upon Arlan's moments of hesitation before he could act, ruthlessly kicking him away.

Just as Arlan was about to be slammed into the ground, he quickly adjusted his stance, using his legs and the greatsword embedded in the floor to absorb most of the impact. He hurriedly pounded one hand on the balancing pad that had been laid out to reduce the force, using the reaction force to forcibly adjust his posture. At the same time, he kicked at the rapidly approaching wall and quickly jumped to the side.

The reason for doing this was that Bai Jun's figure had already rushed over as if in a flash.

"Drink it! Drink it!"

Arlan gripped his greatsword tightly, purple lightning constantly surging and covering the blade. This time, he held nothing back, roaring from his abdomen as he launched a full-scale attack on Bai Jun.

"You were too reckless this time. Watch your posture; you've practically left yourself wide open."

Before Arlan could react to those casual words, his greatsword, crackling with lightning, was even raised to block in front of his chest when Bai Jun seized the opportunity and kicked him hard in the abdomen with his right leg. His feet left the ground, and the instant his body was airborne, he was immediately struck by a spinning kick from Bai Jun's left leg.

"Gua--!"

Completely unable to resist this force, Arlan was sent flying, rolling several times on the ground before collapsing to the ground covered in dust. His greatsword fell to the side, and the crackling electricity seemed to dissipate into the air as a feeble sigh.

Arlan struggled several times, but his body, unable to bear the strain, finally collapsed, marking the end of today's sparring session.

This is a tradition of the Security Department. Every morning, the members practice in the training room to hone their skills and develop combat experience. Bai Jun's presence here is entirely due to a casual conversation Arlan had a few days ago. Because he had always been interested in Bai Jun's abilities, he invited Bai Jun to participate in the Security Department's combat training.

Just then, Bai Jun wanted to properly work on his body, which had been saturated with power recently, so he followed Arlan to the Security Department's training room the next day.

Initially, both sides just wanted to have a friendly spar, but ever since the entire Security Department was severely beaten by Bai Jun, things have unknowingly turned into what they are now. Bai Jun is like a great demon king sent by heaven, ruthlessly torturing the members of the Security Department in the manner of an instructor.

Today is just like any other day.

The attack seemed a bit too fierce. In just ten minutes, Arlan had been kicked away by Bai Jun with the same move for the thirteenth time. The angle, posture, and even the landing position were all exactly the same.

The only way to describe it is as a cold and merciless giant wave. Ninety-nine percent of the attacks would be interrupted by Bai Jun before they could be launched. Even when an attack was launched, it would be met with a merciless and sharp counterattack, leaving Arlan completely bewildered. What's even more terrifying is that, under normal circumstances, after practicing together for a long time, both sides would more or less be able to grasp the other's attack rhythm and techniques, thereby gaining experience and promoting growth.

The problem lies precisely here: after being beaten for so long, Arlan could not even hold his own against Bai Jun for a few moves; instead, he was losing faster and faster. All he could sense from Bai Jun from beginning to end was his unfathomable strength.

This made Arlan question his existence. He couldn't understand what was going on. No matter how many lessons he learned, the next battle always brought him despair, with absolutely no chance of getting close.

The Security Department around him, seeing Brother Arlan lying on the ground in a disheveled state, questioning his existence, were so frightened that they didn't dare to breathe loudly.

It was too brutal. Brother Arlan, who usually crushed them, was mercilessly crushed again, just like he always did.

It could be said to be a difference in combat experience, but everyone tends to think that it's an absolute difference in strength between Brother Arlan and Brother Bai Jun. The gap between the two is like an abyss, with no end in sight.

Although I've seen this scene every day lately, for some reason it felt like today's battle was more intense. Could it be that Brother Arlan angered Brother Bai Jun?

Indeed, without realizing it, they began to uniformly refer to Bai Jun as "Brother Bai Jun."

Although Bai Jun himself was unaware of this, he had indeed surpassed Arlan in the minds of the crew members and become the undisputed number one expert on the space station.

"Does anyone else want to spar with me?"

Bai Jun turned to look at the row of staff members and invited them in a whispered manner, like a devil.