Lin Chen's Strange Plan

It had been less than a day since she left the Astral Express.

Yet she and Lin Chen had already shared such intimate contact.

Even if it had all been accidental, a string of coincidences.

When she thought of how she had nestled in Lin Chen's arms without even realizing it...

March 7th still found it a little unreal.

Her cheeks felt hot, and her heart was beating faster than normal.

She could hardly help letting her imagination wander.

If those girls' magazines circulating among the stars were anything to go by...

Could this feeling... be...?

As the thought struck her, March 7th shook her head hard.

She hurriedly snuffed out the somewhat dangerous ideas in her mind.

"March 7th's acting a little strange."

"A woman's heart really is a mystery. There's no figuring it out!"

Watching the pretty girl still standing in front of the mirror with a somewhat puzzled expression...

Lin Chen was just as baffled.

[Ding! The host has formed an intermediate bond with March 7th, a key figure in the Star Rail World.]

[Fate gift pack opened!]

[Space Marines ×18 have been delivered to the system inventory!]

[Passive talent: Robust Physique has been integrated into the host's body!]

Just then, the system's cold, mechanical voice rang out in his mind.

It immediately lifted Lin Chen's spirits.

"Huh? An intermediate bond already?"

"Could March 7th... have fallen for me?"

"Probably not, right? Winning a girl's affection can't be that easy."

Looking at March 7th's charming, adorable figure from behind, Lin Chen couldn't help shaking his head.

He was fairly confident, but not so confident that he was conceited.

Still, one thing seemed certain: his relationship with March 7th had taken another step forward.

"Never mind. I'll put that aside for now."

"The rewards this time seem quite a bit more generous."

"Eighteen Space Marines. That's enough to form two assault squads."

"And this talent gives me at least a little ability to protect myself."

Opening the system panel and reading the descriptions of his new rewards, Lin Chen was pleasantly surprised.

The [Robust Physique] talent could greatly improve his overall physical capabilities.

His strength, speed, and stamina should all see significant improvements.

Along with that, his previously rather slender frame had become much more muscular.

He bared his arm and examined the sharply defined muscles.

Lin Chen felt that his physical condition might now rival that of a battle-hardened veteran.

If his actual combat strength before this were judged by the standards of the Honkai: Star Rail world...

He would have been little more than an ant.

Now, at least, he counted as a strong ant!

"The system was right."

"Interacting more with the girls aboard the Astral Express really does bring unexpected surprises."

"In that case, I'll have to work even harder..."

His gaze settled on the pretty Trailblazer nearby.

The corners of Lin Chen's mouth lifted into a slightly wicked smile.

Even without the system's rewards, Lin Chen would have liked a girl like March 7th.

But now, wasn't killing two birds with one stone even better?

"March 7th... are there any other powerful humans on Herta Space Station?"

"Hmm... I mean people with special powers, like you."

Walking slowly over to March 7th, Lin Chen asked with interest.

He had always been cautious and never took excessive risks.

With the threat posed by the source of the Uncanny, the more help he had, the better.

Of course, "special powers" was merely Lin Chen's casual way of putting it.

An extraordinary girl like March 7th presumably drew Imaginary power from a Path.

Among the boundless stars, only by formally setting foot on a Path could someone begin to transcend the ordinary.

"Oh, that's what you're asking. Let me think..."

"Asta, for one! If we're talking strength, she's not much weaker than yours truly."

"And there's Arlan, the head of Herta's Security Department. He seems pretty good in a fight."

"I'm not too sure about anyone else. I'm not all that familiar with Herta Space Station, after all."

Turning around, she took a moment to compose her unsettled thoughts.

Then March 7th answered with a serious expression.

"Oh? Looks like I underestimated that woman, Asta."

Lin Chen nodded silently, feeling a little surprised.

Wasn't Asta a researcher? She possessed the power of a Path too?

But then he thought of the mature, red-haired beauty aboard the Astral Express.

And he found himself accepting the fact.

Although Himeko never took the field herself, according to Pom-Pom's insider gossip...

She was quite powerful, even stronger than March 7th.

"March 7th, I have a plan for dealing with the source of the Uncanny."

"Ask Asta to meet you in a bit. We'll do this... and then that..."

Once he had a rough grasp of the situation, Lin Chen laid out the plan he had been working on.

He still had ten [Low-Quality Sanity Pills] on hand. There was no reason to let them go to waste.

Although they might have some side effects, he remembered Asta's nasty attitude the night before.

Lin Chen didn't feel particularly guilty.

"That's going too far! You want me to secretly drug Asta?"

"And this secret medicine of yours isn't something really weird, is it?"

"Tell me the truth... are you planning something nasty with Asta?"

Her beautiful pink-and-blue eyes filled with shock.

After hearing Lin Chen's secret plan, March 7th also looked distinctly suspicious.

"Of course not! What could I possibly want with that awful woman?"

"March 7th... do I look like the sort of guy who's up to no good?"

Her reaction left Lin Chen rather speechless.

He couldn't help wondering just what kind of person she thought he was.

According to the system's notification, her bond with him should have grown deeper by now.

So why had she reacted so strongly when he mentioned drugging Asta?

"Hmph... aren't you exactly that sort of guy?"

"Unless you promise you absolutely won't try anything with Asta!"

After a moment's hesitation, March 7th knitted her delicate brows, her lovely face utterly serious.

"All right, all right..."

"Even if I, Lin Chen, starve to death or jump down from there, I will never make a move on Asta."

"Will that do?"

With a soft sigh, he pointed toward the window.

Lin Chen answered in a somewhat offhand tone.

In all honesty, though, Asta's image in his mind had already all but crumbled.

Remembering what had happened the night before, he thought of that pampered young lady everyone fawned over.

Lin Chen really didn't have much affection for her.

He had only devised this plan to use her as a free fighter.

As Herta Space Station's lead researcher, if Asta could regain her sanity...

Even if there was still some bad blood between them...

She would probably choose to accompany him and fight the source of the Uncanny.

"Fine, you said it!"

"I'll trust you just this once!"

Having secured Lin Chen's promise, March 7th shifted her gaze and settled down for the moment.

What she failed to notice, however...

Was that they seemed to be on Herta Space Station's lowest level. Jumping down wouldn't be much of a big deal anyway.