After snapping three photos in rapid succession.
A certain scheming pink-haired girl hurriedly turned around, ready to make her escape.
Now that she had discovered Himeko's little secret.
She was better off keeping those covert photos as leverage for later.
"Himeko, you wouldn't want everyone finding out about you and Lin Chen, would you?"
"Don't worry... if you increase my monthly Credits reward tenfold, I'll keep your secret!"
In the somewhat dim train corridor, the corners of March 7th's mouth curled into a furtive smile.
Yep, that was exactly what she'd say!
To protect her glorious image, Himeko would definitely give in!
"M-March? What are you doing here?"
But things didn't go as planned. March 7th had yet to escape the last carriage.
When Himeko's slightly surprised voice came from behind her.
"Ahem... you're here too, Himeko? And so is Lin Chen..."
"Actually, I came here to look for something."
"A limited-edition Pom-Pom Doll... right, this one!"
After freezing for a moment, March 7th slowly turned around.
An adorably goofy Pom-Pom Doll had already appeared in her arms.
It seemed rather old, though.
A thick layer of dust had accumulated on its surface.
What should you do when you got caught sneaking around?
Improvise, of course! Find a reasonable excuse to throw them off!
A certain pink-haired beauty, who considered herself exceptionally resourceful, congratulated herself on her quick thinking.
"March... don't misunderstand what happened just now."
"Lin Chen and I share nothing more than the affection of a sister and brother!"
Her delicate brows drew together slightly as the panic faded from her lovely face.
Himeko explained in a composed voice.
Although her emotions were in turmoil and her cheeks felt hot.
She still had to try to appear calm in front of March 7th.
"Um... I was actually just passing by!"
"Did something happen just now?"
"Now that I've found what I came for, I'll get going, Himeko."
Holding the Pom-Pom Doll by one ear, March 7th turned around and waved casually.
She quickened her pace and left the scene of trouble.
Sisterly and brotherly affection? Hah... wasn't that just an older woman dating a younger man?
So her earlier judgment had been right.
Himeko really did like guys much younger than herself.
As those thoughts ran through her mind, an unrestrained smile appeared on March 7th's lips beneath the dim lights.
"Himeko, it's all my fault."
"I made March misunderstand you..."
Looking at the red-haired woman before him, her fists clenched tightly and her voluptuous figure trembling beneath her gown.
Lin Chen sighed softly, his expression earnest.
"You don't need to blame yourself..."
"A clear conscience speaks for itself. I'll find time to explain everything to March."
"Go find March. She'll take you to Herta Space Station."
Turning around, she cast her gaze toward the vast, brilliant sea of stars outside the window.
Himeko's exquisite face regained its usual cool solemnity.
"All right..."
Lin Chen nodded silently, then turned and left without another word.
Yet... he couldn't shake the feeling that Himeko's slender figure looked a little lonely from behind.
According to the system's description, he had already formed an initial bond with Himeko.
Lin Chen simply didn't know what sort of relationship that actually amounted to.
But none of that mattered now.
Their parting was only temporary.
Lin Chen felt that if he worked a little harder, he might earn the right to return to the train.
At 10:30 that evening.
With a light travel bag on his back, Lin Chen followed March 7th onto the deck of the Starrail Platform.
The brightly lit, old-fashioned mechanical locomotive behind them.
Looked almost insignificant compared with the enormous silver-white space station before them.
[On an ordinary night, an Interstellar Traveler arrived at an enormous space station.] [This was an orderly city in space, where countless researchers hurried about their work.] [Yet beneath this seemingly peaceful, stable environment, the dice of chaos had already begun to rattle.] [During the protector's absence, many things had already strayed from their original course.] [Remain appropriately vigilant late at night, for you never know what you might encounter...]
Just as Lin Chen gazed into the distance, marveling at the grandeur of Herta Space Station.
The system's cold, mechanical voice drifted through his mind, sending a shiver down his spine.
"What kind of fucking nightmare start is this? Unspeakable horrors, all waiting for me to walk in and get myself killed, huh?"
"And... what's with that tone, System? Are you performing in a stage play?"
Faced with the system's warnings, Lin Chen frowned and grumbled inwardly.
[Given the host's extremely low current strength, essential warnings will aid the host's survival.] [For details regarding system operations, please refer to the relevant content on page 125 of the regulations manual...] [If the host does not require the danger warning function, it may be disabled manually.]
The system's reply came quickly, leaving Lin Chen rather speechless.
Other people's systems really were better!
Simple and straightforward: finish a check-in task, and the rewards came pouring in.
This dumbass system wasn't just cold and overly serious.
Its regulations manual was over eight hundred pages long. Only an idiot would read that!
A thought suddenly struck Lin Chen.
This [Starsea Conqueror] system might as well change its name.
[Battle Royale System] sounded pretty good...
He had already arrived at this abnormal Herta Space Station.
The next question was how to stay alive.
Lin Chen's mind raced as he began considering the safest possible approach.
"March... are you going back to the Astral Express tonight?"
Turning toward the pink-haired beauty beside him, Lin Chen asked tentatively.
"Of course! What else would I do, stay overnight at the station?"
"If I did, Himeko would definitely ask why I stayed out all night again. What a hassle!"
She folded her arms across her chest, making the snowy curves beneath her white shirt tremble slightly.
A glimmer flickered in March 7th's pink-and-blue eyes as she gave Lin Chen a puzzled look.
Following Himeko's instructions, she was to bring Lin Chen to Herta Space Station.
Once she helped arrange his next steps, her task would be complete.
"Well... if I wanted you to stay tonight, would you agree?"
Although it felt a little presumptuous, Lin Chen steeled himself and asked anyway.
He had no choice. He was simply too weak right now.
The only trump card he could actually use in combat was those six Space Marines.
Against truly uncanny entities, he wasn't even sure whether those soldiers would be of any use.
Although Lin Chen had no idea how strong March 7th actually was.
He had seen it with his own eyes.
With a mere lift of her hand, March 7th had frozen Pom-Pom into a giant ice sculpture.
None of the Astral Express's Trailblazers were ordinary humans.
As Lin Chen understood it, classifying March 7th as a Supernatural probably wasn't far off.
Before you continue