Curio Collection Room

The turmoil caused by the Doomsday Beast's attack had come and gone quickly, and order aboard Herta Space Station was returning to normal.

Thanks to Lin Feng and the others' valiant efforts, only the Support Cabin near the Starrail Platform had suffered damage.

Under Asta's coordination, repairs to the damaged areas were also proceeding at full speed.

Himeko, injured and unconscious, had been taken to the Special Medical Department. March 7th and Dan Heng were there as well.

Since Himeko had yet to wake up, the Astral Express had adjusted its Trailblaze itinerary.

That meant Lin Feng would have to spend the coming days aboard Herta Space Station.

The plot has changed, but that's actually good news for me.

With more time, earning more path simulation points and eventually reaching an S-Rating should be much easier.

At that thought, a faint smile touched Lin Feng's lips.

At that moment, Lin Feng was strolling through the station's Curio Collection Room.

The entire Herta Space Station had originally been built to house Ms. Herta's collection of Curios.

Herta, the renowned scientist who held seat eighty-three in the Genius Society, seemed to take a keen interest in these objects.

Located in the Herta Storage Zone, this Curio Collection Room was essentially the heart of the entire station. Even many staff members whose work did not involve it had no clearance to visit.

Of course, when he woke up that morning, a key granting the highest level of access had already been placed beside his bed.

Thinking it over, Asta had probably arranged that privilege to thank him for his bravery the day before.

With March 7th and the others away, Lin Feng had decided to wander around and have a look, just to pass the time.

"Oh? Even something like this counts as a Curio?"

Standing before a display case, Lin Feng stopped to study the Black Wings suspended in a blue gravity field.

As he approached the Black Wings, an ethereal recorded voice sounded beside his ears:

"The adventurer flapped their wings and rose upon the wind."

"A gentle breeze brushed against your face, stirred your hair, and enveloped your body."

"The wind carried you over mountains and across distant seas. Behind you, windmills turned and pastoral songs lingered; ahead, shooting stars fell and white snow blanketed the land..."

"The black wings still danced, as though telling a story, as though singing of a world."

There was no name or marking on the front of the display case. Once the recording finished, no further sound followed.

For some reason, the Black Wings before him felt familiar to Lin Feng, yet he could not remember where he had seen them.

"Forget it. I'll look at something else."

He continued onward, and another object caught his attention.

Though it had been shattered, the gravity field held its fragments together in the shape of a red sword blade.

"You heard someone sobbing, someone crying out, someone leaving behind a wordless lament. At last, you heard a whisper..."

"She was born anew from the flames. She smiled within the flames..."

As the ethereal recording played, Lin Feng stopped before the display case and felt a dizzying stab of pain in his head.

Hazy fragments of memory struggled to piece themselves together like a shattered mirror, revealing scenes both familiar and strange.

A mature woman with long red hair wore a mysterious suit of armor and held a crimson greatsword in both hands.

Standing on the deck of an airship, she raised her sword toward the heavens, her fiery hair whipping wildly in the wind.

Against the dark purple sky, a girl with long silver-white hair strolled through the void along steps she casually fashioned.

Then the images lurched into a chaotic clash. The crimson blaze burning across the sky dimmed and finally fell.

What is this?

Are these real memories, or am I being bewitched by the Curio?

He took a few steps back, and the tangled thoughts in his mind faded. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

That sensation had been like something suddenly stabbing into his mind and tugging at his shattered memories.

Yet in those dreamlike images, he could not make out the red-haired woman's face. She merely felt familiar.

That woman... was she Himeko?

What am I thinking? There's no way it could be such a coincidence.

Who knows how much this blade has weathered? It looks old and battered. It probably has nothing to do with Himeko.

After muttering a few words to himself, Lin Feng turned away and continued his tour of the Curio Collection Room.

From what he had learned through several path simulations, Himeko was not a member of any long-life species, but an ordinary human.

He soon dismissed the strange notion in his mind.

"L-Lin Feng! I finally found you!"

Hurried footsteps sounded behind him. Lin Feng turned to see Arlan, his face bright with delighted surprise.

"Arlan, did you need something?"

"Well, Station Manager Asta would like to see you. I think she wants to discuss security arrangements for Herta Space Station."

Arlan spoke slowly, his expression filled with reverence.

By now, Arlan regarded Lin Feng as an idol, and naturally would not treat him lightly.

"Let's go..."

Lin Feng nodded silently and followed Arlan toward Herta Space Station's Central Control Zone.

"Lin Feng, how can I become as strong as you?"

Along the way, Arlan finally found a chance to ask the question he had been turning over in his mind.

Earlier, he had seen with his own eyes how Lin Feng unleashed extraordinary power and severely wounded the Doomsday Beast with a single swing of his club.

In this age of highly advanced technology and interstellar travel, relying on technological creations was the norm. Human strength had its limits, and warriors who relied on their own bodies seemed to have nothing left but lonely courage.

"Oh, that's what you want to know? Let me think..."

"Do one hundred sit-ups, one hundred push-ups, one hundred squats, and a ten-kilometer run every day."

"Yes. Keep up that training for a few years, and you'll gain extraordinary strength."

Faced with Arlan's question, Lin Feng froze for a good while before finally answering slowly.

He had no idea how to become stronger. Was he supposed to tell Arlan that all he needed was a cheat?

"It's that simple? Does it really work?"

"Of course. Try it and you'll see... but if it doesn't work, don't come looking for me."

"I understand, Lin Feng. Thank you for your guidance!"

Arlan cupped his hands in salute to Lin Feng. Though he still had his doubts, he decided to give it a try.

Since Miss Asta had appointed him head of security, he could hardly afford not to make an effort.

If another terrifying monster like the Doomsday Beast attacked in the future, he hoped he could become a warrior capable of fighting it, rather than merely standing in the command room and waiting for help to arrive.