A Mere Voidranger, No Big Deal

Herta Space Station, Base Module Corridor.

The Antimatter Legion's invasion still hadn't ended.

In the corridors, every researcher was bustling about.

Some were transporting data.

Some were ordering Star Destroyers online.

Some were fleeing in panic.

And some were singing at the top of their lungs.

"Ooooh~~~"

Thump, thump, thump, thump—!!

Finally, someone grew annoyed and started pounding on the door of the room where the singing came from.

Amid the furious knocking, a soft, childish voice rang out:

"Stop singing! The station master told me to hurry you up—finish your bath and go support Captain Arlan!"

Soon, the sound of water in the room stopped.

The door opened.

A young man in a new black long coat stepped out, his expression calm.

He didn't forget to close the door behind him.

Yan Huan sighed. "Oh dear, I could've skipped the bath and it wouldn't have mattered. They're just making a mountain out of a molehill."

The one who came to urge Yan Huan was a little girl named Wen Shiling.

She was so short she didn't even reach Yan Huan's legs—if she hadn't spoken, he might not have noticed where she was.

Wen Shiling looked at Yan Huan's smug demeanor and sneered with disdain:

"So you're Yan Huan. Didn't expect you to be half decent-looking."

Admittedly, Yan Huan's face was quite good.

He was actually pretty handsome.

Of course, it would've been better if his brain worked properly.

"Heh, it's nothing worth mentioning!"

Hearing the compliment, the corners of Yan Huan's mouth curled up wildly.

As Wen Shiling led him along, he swaggered, occasionally flicking his coat for flair, oozing arrogance.

The researchers passing by saw the pair and gave them a wide berth.

Like they were looking at lunatics.

Wen Shiling noticed this too. Her mouth twitched, and she glared at Yan Huan with a dark expression:

"Hey, can't you walk normally? So many people are staring—aren't you embarrassed?"

Facing Wen Shiling's scolding, Yan Huan flashed a smile and put on what he thought was an inscrutable expression:

"This Yan Huan lives his life as he pleases—why should I explain myself to anyone?!"

Come on, he was now at the level of an Emanator.

He might not rule the Herta Space Station, but walking with a bit of swagger was just basic common sense.

Besides, his martial arts had reached mastery. The mere grunts of the Antimatter Legion weren't worth a second thought.

But in Wen Shiling's eyes, he was just an unappealing man. Her childish voice rang with cold laughter:

"Heh, you should really learn from Mr. Kapote. You two are like heaven and earth apart."

Yan Huan froze at that, even stopping in his tracks, his expression turning serious:

"Who's Kapote? Does he have even a tenth of my good looks?"

Hearing the question, Wen Shiling snorted.

"Heh, comparing yourself to Young Master Bo? You're not even worthy."

Then, the little girl began to gush about her idol with a dreamy look:

"Young Master Kapote is the greatest existence in the Herta Space Station—at least in the eyes of our fan club, he's the one and only light!"

As she led the way, Wen Shiling animatedly recounted the legendary life of "Young Master Bo."

She waved her arms and legs, did a few backflips, and then crawled on the ground.

She claimed it was to show Yan Huan the slick footwork Young Master Bo had used when facing enemies.

She looked like some kind of deformed creature.

"You know, Young Master Bo once managed to..."

Yan Huan: "..."

She could recite all sorts of legendary exploits and classic quotes about "Young Master Bo" backwards and forwards, word for word.

A goofy grin plastered on her face, she didn't even notice the snot dripping down to her chin.

"Hehehehe... let me tell you another one."

Nearby researchers, seeing Wen Shiling's unhinged state, quickly gave her a wide berth.

Yan Huan also quietly took a few steps back to keep his distance.

This kid.

Probably a lost cause.

At her age, she should be doing more homework and properly preparing for the transition to middle school.

As the two walked, the scenery around them gradually changed.

Along the way, Yan Huan hadn't spotted a trace of March 7th or Dan Heng, not even the station master Asta.

What he saw most of were—

A group of researchers wrapped in bandages, gritting their teeth as they hoisted stretchers carrying their barely alive colleagues.

They rushed past Yan Huan, reeking of blood and disinfectant.

Yan Huan didn't know what the Space Station used to look like, but now it was nothing but desolation.

Smashed screens lay crookedly piled to the side.

Large craters dotted the corridors every so often, forcing them to detour.

A few researchers with bloodstained bandages sat by the roadside, breathing heavily, their faces tense—a stark contrast to Wen Shiling's endless chatter.

This place had just endured an unprecedented crisis; the people they knew were either dead or wounded.

Grim expressions hung on every face.

No matter which world, humanity inevitably suffers hardship.

Once, the Heavenly Principles ran rampant; later, the Lawbringers committed atrocities.

And now, Aeons stood at the very top of the food chain.

"Humans really have it rough," Yan Huan lamented for his race.

Aeons existing—fine.

But an Aeon born solely for "destruction"? That was misfortune for all things.

It wanted nothing but the withering of everything.

Its reasoning: since the universe would eventually meet its end, why not speed it up?

These Voidrangers of the Antimatter Legion were the Aeon of Destruction's underlings.

Up ahead, Wen Shiling continued leading the way, her mouth never stopping:

"Now do you understand the greatness of Young Master Kapote?"

Yan Huan sighed helplessly: "Since it's Nakshatra's research, I'll reluctantly admit that Spinach has maybe one ten-thousandth of my strength."

Wen Shiling: "..."

By now, the two had reached their destination, and the crystals of the Crack Realm around them had grown thicker and more imposing.

From the dark corridor ahead came a series of low growls.

Wen Shiling turned, looked up at Yan Huan, and said indignantly, "It's Young Master Bo, not Spinach! And you're just jealous of Young Master Bo's reputation—you'll never reach his level."

Her childish voice rang out clearly in the moment.

Yan Huan smiled and said nothing more.

Half a second after Wen Shiling finished speaking—

"Clang—!!"

A flash of blade light swept toward the little girl's head.

"Ah...!!"

In that instant, Wen Shiling's pupils shrank sharply!

She held her breath, staring blankly as the blade aimed straight for her eyes.

Fear, terror, despair—

All of it surged from her heart like a tidal wave in that split second.

Her legs instinctively tried to run, but they felt as heavy as lead.

Just as the blood vessels in Wen Shiling's eyes burst and her whole body went rigid—

"Clang—!!" The sound of metal striking metal rang out.

A hand gripped the sharp blade tightly, like a steel vise.

The little girl stared dumbfounded at the scene, her legs giving way as she lost her balance and thudded to the ground.

"Monster... monster!!" Wen Shiling shouted.

The one whose blade was caught barehanded by Yan Huan was none other than a Voidranger lurking in the shadows.

"Tch, making a fuss over nothing."

Yan Huan directly delivered a left front kick to the sneaky Voidranger.

"Boom--!!" The sound of air splitting rang out endlessly.

The Voidranger was actually sent flying backward by Yan Huan's kick, letting out a pained wail.

Tracing a graceful parabola through the air, it slammed hard into the metal wall.

And lost all signs of life.

"Alright, this is as far as I'll take you. See, that left front kick of mine was way cooler than that Spinach guy, wasn't it?"

After showing off a bit in front of Wen Shiling, Yan Huan gave a slight smile, clasped his hands behind his back, and stepped into the dim Crack Realm ahead.

The little girl knelt on the ground, unable to snap out of it for a long time.

One strike.

He one-shot that Voidranger?!

Her dazed eyes stared blankly at the towering figure ahead, lost in thought.