"Wait... do girls on the Astral Express always get physical with guys they like?"
"I never imagined cute Little March would be so bold!"
With a look of mild astonishment on his face, Lin Feng spoke with exaggerated seriousness.
"Aaah! I didn't mean to! Weren't you the one who first..."
"Ugh! Now there's no way to explain this! Stop making things up, Lin Feng! Girls on the Astral Express aren't like that!"
"And... I don't like you! You're a big jerk!"
March 7th snapped out of her daze and stamped her feet in frustration, a rosy blush spreading like sunset clouds across her fair, pretty face.
She deeply regretted acting so rashly. Why had she gone and hit him? Now things were getting more and more complicated.
"Why explain? Explaining just means you're covering something up."
"Little March, I think I understand how you feel now..."
"But this sort of thing is very important to me too, so I'll give it some thought..."
Facing the furious pink-haired girl, Lin Feng nodded quietly, looking deep in thought.
"Give it some thought, my foot! What are you even thinking?"
"Anyway, Lin Feng, what you're wearing isn't a Herta Space Station uniform..."
"Tell me the truth. Who exactly are you? You're not a spy left behind by Kafka of the Stellaron Hunters, are you?"
Her mind felt muddled, but something seemed to occur to her, and March 7th hurriedly changed the subject.
In truth, she had harbored suspicions ever since she first met Lin Feng.
Besides, Lin Feng never played by the rules. He was nothing like the station's rigid, by-the-book researchers. If anything, only the Stellaron Hunters would have such a shameless rogue among their ranks.
"Do you really want to know? I suppose I could tell you..."
"Then spit it out! Give me the truth! Confess, and I'll go easy on you!"
March 7th pursed her lips and planted her hands on her hips, curiosity written all over her pretty face.
"Actually... I'm the man of your dreams!"
"Well? Is that answer satisfactory, my adorable Miss March 7th?"
The corners of Lin Feng's mouth lifted, a faint smile appearing on his handsome face.
"Ugh! You're driving me crazy!"
"Aaah! Take my Invincible Phantom Fist Technique!"
Flustered and indignant, the pink-haired girl swung her fists straight at Lin Feng.
Yet her little fists rained down on Lin Feng without inflicting the slightest damage.
To Lin Feng, March 7th's fierce assault looked more like a girlfriend acting cute. She was utterly adorable.
On one side of the monitoring room, Arlan, who was unlocking access to the Central Elevator, couldn't help turning to look toward the corner.
"Dan Heng, are you sure they're all right like that?"
"Young people are probably just like that. You'll get used to it... besides, that's very much Little March's style."
His straight brows rose slightly as he glanced at March 7th and Lin Feng fooling around. Dan Heng merely shook his head with a wry smile.
Once access to the Central Elevator had been restored, Arlan withdrew with the others at Dan Heng's insistence, preparing to take the elevator to the Master Control Cabin.
But just as they reached the upper elevator platform, a purple energy spear shot toward them with a sharp whistle.
Reacting swiftly, Dan Heng thrust his spear forward. His simple, ancient-looking green spear swept across, knocking the energy spear aside with all his strength.
But in the next instant, the deflected purple spear hurtled straight toward March 7th.
"Little March, watch out!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Feng rushed forward and tackled March 7th to the floor. He then used their momentum to roll out of the energy spear's blast radius.
Her long pink hair spilled out in disarray, and a sky-blue hue shimmered within her beautiful pink eyes. Her delicate cherry lips gleamed translucently under the warm lights, while a faint floral fragrance lingered in the surrounding air.
One brass button on her fitted white shirt had popped open, revealing a glimpse of the curves of her snow-white breasts. Beneath her slightly rumpled aqua-blue skirt, a black thigh band pressed gently into her skin, accentuating the fullness and smoothness of her pale thigh.
The girl before him, March 7th, looked so lovely and captivating with that faint blush on her pretty face.
Even Lin Feng couldn't help feeling a little dazed as he gazed at the girl sheltered beneath him.
"Lin... Lin Feng, thank you..."
Feeling the heat in Lin Feng's gaze, March 7th blushed more deeply and shyly turned her face aside.
She didn't dare meet Lin Feng's eyes. If she did, he would see how vulnerable she was.
"Silly girl, be more careful... I told you, I don't want to see you get hurt!"
Lin Feng spoke earnestly, concern showing in his expression.
"Mm... I know!"
Biting her cherry lips, her gaze wandering, March 7th truly felt her composure unravel.
If her heart had once been a calm lake, faint ripples were now spreading across its surface.
Suddenly, her heart fluttered like a startled fawn, and her cheeks and the tips of her ears grew warm.
She didn't know why interacting with Lin Feng stirred her emotions so much.
Still, being this close to Lin Feng didn't seem unpleasant.
Though it made her feel shy and sent a ticklish flutter through her heart, it also felt warm and happy.
Back in the Master Control Cabin, she had said some strange things, but she had only been running her mouth.
Lin Feng truly treated her well and had saved her from mortal danger several times. There was no way he could be some Stellaron Hunters holdover. Looking into his clear eyes, March 7th felt absolutely certain of that.
How wonderful it would be if Lin Feng could stay aboard the Astral Express and travel the vast sea of stars with her.
That would make their future journeys so much more interesting.
For some reason, March 7th had already begun harboring hopes like these.
"Roar!" Its attack thwarted, the centaur-shaped Voidranger Trampler let out a deafening bellow.
A moment later, numerous Voidranger: Tramplers appeared, wielding broad, thick alloy twin blades as they charged toward Dan Heng.
"Arlan, fall back! Lin Feng, March 7th, help me fight!"
With a sweep of his teal robes, Dan Heng gripped his spear in both hands and held it across his chest, his expression grim.
At his call, Lin Feng quickly helped March 7th up, and the two joined the fierce battle.
"Cavernous Illusion, Long Dream, One Awakening!"
Dan Heng drew back to gather strength, a green storm coiling around his spear. Then he stepped forward, charging dozens of yards in an instant. His ancient-looking spear thrust out with overwhelming force, tracing a green spear-shaped blur.
The devastating attack pierced straight through the Voidranger Trampler. But Dan Heng had pushed deep into enemy lines alone, leaving him surrounded by Voidranger Soldiers.
Before you continue