The Psychiatric Department Is Still Open

Herta let the other three leave first, leaving Yan Huan alone in the office.

His face was still swollen, but he excitedly said:

"Grandma Herta, have you changed your mind? Can you give me an automaton?"

Herta said speechlessly, "What do you want this thing for? It can't move when I'm not online."

Yan Huan exclaimed in surprise, "There's such a good thing!"

"..."

Even with three people gone, Herta's large office still felt very noisy because of Yan Huan.

He alone could fill the entire office with clamor.

"Yan Huan, as far as I know, your current body was arranged by the Stellaron Hunters, right?"

Herta observed him silently:

"Logically speaking, you shouldn't have any memories, and even your emotions should be dull. Rather than that, you should be more like an automaton than my automatons."

Yan Huan was already sitting in Herta's office chair, with his feet on the desk, and praised:

"As expected of you, Watson, you've found another blind spot!"

Herta gently shook her head:

"Actually, many people have noticed, but they just didn't think it was important, so they didn't mention it."

"Then why are you mentioning it? Trying to be special?"

A few minutes later.

Yan Huan sat on the floor, bruised and swollen, and said with a fawning smile:

"Haha, Lord Herta is so humorous. Why did you call March 7th, that idiot, for no reason."

"Bang—!!" March 7th walked out of the office, closing the door behind her.

Herta looked at Yan Huan on the floor speechlessly:

"I have a bit of a strong desire for knowledge, but if you don't want to say it, I won't ask."

She walked up to Yan Huan and reached out, pulling him up from the floor:

"In any case, I'm very grateful that you protected the space station. I won't give you any reward, after all, you've already gotten quite a bit from Asta."

Yan Huan explained:

"Actually, March told me to ask for it. I'm all about helping others."

"Is that so? It doesn't matter." Herta waved her hand and handed him a card.

"This is a blank identity certificate. Go find the relevant staff to register. From now on, you won't be an unregistered person."

Yan Huan examined the card, very curious:

"Do you guys also have ID cards here?"

Herta shook her head:

"This identity certificate is provided by the Interastral Peace Corporation. Their business is very extensive. If you can register an identity on it, it will be much more convenient. By registering with this card, I will be your guarantor, and I will bear the consequences of all your actions."

She stared at Yan Huan and continued, "You still have the card Asta gave you, right?"

Yan Huan nodded and pulled it out of his pocket: "Yeah, what's wrong? You're not trying to get a kickback from me, are you?"

As he said this, he tightly clutched the bank card to his chest.

He stared cautiously at Herta.

Herta: "..."

"Go to the Psychiatric Department later and ask the doctor to increase your dosage."

"Without an identity certificate from the Interastral Peace Corporation, using Asta's card rashly will result in strict monitoring. The owner of that card is still Asta. This means she can track everything you buy. After registering, you can link your own identity information."

Yan Huan was stunned.

"You're surprisingly helpful, telling me all this."

He had originally wanted to thank Herta for her thoughtfulness, but her next sentence dashed Yan Huan's hopes.

Herta brushed aside a strand of her hair and said flirtatiously, "Yeah, see? I've been so good to you, it's not too much to ask you for a small favor, right?"

Yan Huan: "..."

After a two-second silence, Yan Huan slowly backed away, turned his back, and opened the office door.

As soon as he took a step out, he saw a girl with pink and blue eyes sitting in a Grand Tutor Chair by the corridor in the distance, silently watching him.

Seeing Yan Huan, she held up two fingers, pointed to her eyes, then pointed to Yan Huan, conveying 'I'll be watching you, no more messing around,' before watching him retreat dejectedly.

Yan Huan closed the office door and, under Herta's gaze, slowly walked back to her desk, circling around to the back.

He plopped down into the office chair, propped his feet on the desk, and said sternly:

"Why do I have to be the one to test it? Can't Arlan do it?"

It wasn't that he didn't want to help; he was afraid of misusing the power of the Stellaron and repeatedly exiting his "Lie Flat" state.

Eight hours of "Lie Flat" experience, not a lot, but certainly not insignificant.

How many hours were there in a day?

It was really unnecessary to get serious for such a small matter.

If anything, Yan Huan was still having lingering fears.

He hadn't forgotten that they had faced a million troops from the Antimatter Legion at the start.

Without Kafka and Silver Wolf, he had no idea what kind of torment he would have endured.

If an Aeon were to come looking for him now, or if a few more Emanators decided to target him, he suspected not even his ashes would remain.

"You seem very reluctant to act?" Herta asked, crossing her arms with a slight frown. "I thought you quite enjoyed the spotlight, I didn't expect you to be so reserved."

Yan Huan waved his hand, shifting the position of his legs on the desk.

"Actually, I've always been a humble person. I'm not only shy but also bashful. Everyone calls me the Flower of the Motherland."

Herta: "..."

"Besides," Yan Huan's gaze sharpened, "what's in it for me to test this thing?"

Herta gently tapped her chin with her slender fingers, contemplating.

"As for benefits, of course, there are."

She took out a tablet displaying various data.

"Firstly, this test will be broadcast on all public screens on the space station, allowing you to gain some attention."

Yan Huan countered:

"The actual purpose of broadcasting it on the public screens is likely to showcase your research findings, isn't it?"

Herta nodded, not denying it.

"But it's also a fact that it allows you to show off a bit, isn't it?"

Yan Huan chuckled.

"What kind of benefit is that? I can show off elsewhere. Why would I specifically go into the Simulated Universe?"

Herta changed the subject.

"Then, how about I owe you a favor?"

A favor?

Yan Huan sniffed, carefully considering the meaning of that statement.

A favor, sometimes it was just an empty promise, but other times it could change the outcome of a story.

From what Yan Huan understood, Herta was a genius and had even saved many planets from near destruction.

Moreover, her original body's age seemed to truly be that of a grandmother, even though she had undergone rejuvenation.

Someone like that shouldn't be trying to trick him, right?

"Oh, right. This test involves sending your consciousness data into the Simulated Universe. You won't be in any real danger, so you don't need to worry about safety," Herta added.

"Hmm?" Yan Huan raised an eyebrow.

Seeing Yan Huan still hesitating, Herta continued:

"Let me tell you something else. The reason I'm asking you and not someone else is because you have a Stellaron placed inside you, and it's currently showing no side effects. You are irreplaceable in this regard."

"If you perform well, I wouldn't mind giving you an Automaton."

"Ah?" Yan Huan's eyes lit up.

What? Did he hear that right? An Automaton?

"Are you serious?!!!"

She was actually giving him an Automaton?

Herta nodded, neither confirming nor denying.

"That's right. However, you can't mess around with the Automaton. I'll have a good talk with Himeko and let her keep it. The purpose of this Automaton is that if you ever reach a desperate situation in the universe, my original body might be able to log into that Automaton to help you out."

"Okay, I'll do it!" Yan Huan agreed without hesitation.

Heh, what's the big deal about Himeko keeping it?

As the saying goes, even the most meticulous plan can have a flaw.

As long as he found an opportunity.

"Hehehehehehe...!"

Herta frowned, giving the 'maliciously' grinning Yan Huan a speechless look.

"The Psychiatric Department isn't closed yet. If you go now, you can still get your medication."

"I want a large portion!" Yan Huan shouted, raising both hands.