Herta had long anticipated the current state of the Space Station and clearly foresaw the intense impact her words would have on Bai Luan.
"What a pity..." She gently tapped her fingertips on the armrest of the sofa, a subtle hint of regret surfacing in her heart.
After hearing that, he would definitely not be able to respond to her message while conscious.
This also meant that she wouldn't be able to see his expression through the little trick she had left on his phone.
If she had brought him along for the interview, she would surely be able to see his expression now, wouldn't she?
Unfortunately, she wasn't generous enough to share that expression of his with the entire universe.
Although it was a shame, there was nothing she could do about it.
After all, this was her exclusive pleasure; why should she let others see it?
She thought, feeling perfectly justified.
"Who told this genius she didn't want to?"
Just as Herta felt a touch of unfulfilled regret, her phone vibrated slightly, receiving a new message from Asta.
She casually opened it, and a remarkably clear photo appeared before her eyes.
The moment she clearly saw the content of the photo, Herta's lips uncontrollably curved upwards, forming an extremely joyful and satisfied arc, her eyes almost overflowing with amusement.
"Heh... now, there are no regrets."
She contentedly put away her communicator and met the curious gaze of the host, Jimmy.
"Ms. Herta, why were you... smiling so happily just now?"
Jimmy asked cautiously, his intuition telling him there was definitely a story behind that smile.
Herta nonchalantly glanced at him, her tone carrying a lazy air that brooked no further inquiry:
"Don't ask about it. Just know that it's a good thing."
Herta's words immediately made Jimmy behave.
He nodded subserviently and said, "Yes, I understand."
However, he no longer cared about these things in his heart.
It was worth it! Everything was worth it!
He was so excited he almost trembled.
Just that 'official announcement' alone would surely make the viewership and topic popularity of this episode surpass Mr. Bai Luan's, setting a new historical record!
"Mr. Bai Luan, oh, Mr. Bai Luan."
Jimmy silently sighed in his heart.
"You are indeed, as the mysterious rumor circulating within the Interastral Peace Corporation says—the fated benefactor of our grassroots Staff Members!
Thanks to you, this little bird of mine is really going to soar this time!"
Bai Luan, of course, had no idea that through a series of coincidences, his position in the Corporation had become synonymous with a chance to rise to prominence overnight.
He was currently lying on a bed in the Space Station's medical department, questioning life.
This was the most severe time he had been Super-Broken, directly knocking him unconscious.
Who would have thought Herta would pull such a big stunt on him?
Who could withstand that!?
Damn it, now the news of him being Super-Broken was going to spread throughout the entire Space Station.
Every time a Staff Member slacked off in the future, they would use him as a topic of conversation.
The more Bai Luan thought about it, the more his eyes became vacant.
In the end, He felt that his life would just be like this.
However, Bai Luan was always good at adjusting his mindset, and he quickly found a point to comfort himself.
At least everyone only knew that he had been Super-Broken, and the sight of him being Super-Broken hadn't been seen by too many people, only a select few.
"Hmm, at least I didn't completely lose face, right?"
Bai Luan lay on the hospital bed, finally receiving a piece of good news, and showed a hint of a smile.
Becoming husband and wife is only a matter of time?
Oh no, no, I can't recall that.
Bai Luan squirmed a few times on the bed.
Just recalling that sentence made him feel like he was about to be Broken again.
This was simply a Super-Broken Divine Word specifically targeting him. Bai Luan could already imagine Herta using this Divine Word on him after returning from the interview.
And given Herta's personality, the first thing she would do upon returning would definitely be to say this to him, and then watch his expression.
Bai Luan felt he should do something to avoid this outcome.
People... cannot remain in a Super-Broken state for too long.
Otherwise, his brain would undergo some strange changes. As for what these strange changes are...
『You'll just have to look in the fanfiction』
System, you guy... what exactly are you saying!?
Things shouldn't develop in that direction, right!?
『Hard to say』
『Such plots seem to appear frequently in fanfiction』
Can reality be the same as fanfiction?
『How about I add a dialogue box for you?』
As soon as the System finished speaking, Bai Luan saw a dialogue box appear in his field of vision.
—Bai Luan—
...
——————
————Bai Luan————
Get rid of this thing for me!
————————————
『See, getting anxious again』
The System's antics made Bai Luan feel a sense of unease.
He began to think the System had a point.
Perhaps it would be better to seek help from Herta in the Little Black Room.
See if she could help him with some special training to build up some resistance to the Super-Broken Divine Word before Herta returned.
So he entered the Little Black Room and confessed his purpose to Herta inside.
"As expected of me, a slight provocation, and he launched a fierce attack, finding such a useful tool for me all at once."
Herta first praised herself, then looked at Bai Luan, a smile curving her lips:
"Are you ready? The special training is about to begin."
"Mm, come on."
Herta suddenly leaned closer, her warm breath almost touching his earlobe, and in that familiar yet deadly tone, tinged with a lazy smile, she softly said:
"You and this genius becoming husband and wife is only a matter of time."
Bai Luan gasped, then disappeared from the Little Black Room.
Meanwhile, outside the medical department ward.
Lars was conversing in a low voice with an experienced, white-haired old Staff Member from the medical department.
Lars's face was still filled with worry, appearing somewhat anxious:
"Are you... truly certain that the Station Master's condition has stabilized? He won't suddenly... you know, do that again, will he?"
"I assure you his vital signs are very stable!"
The old Staff Member gave Lars a helpless look; this kid had already asked the same question several times.
"Are you questioning the professional judgment of an old Staff Member who has diligently worked in the medical department for decades?"
He raised a hand and pointed to the ward door not far away:
"He's lying quietly inside right now! The instruments show he just woke up a short while ago! If you don't believe me, just go in and see for yourself! It's only a few steps!"
"Then... then I'll go take a look."
Lars nodded skeptically and walked towards Bai Luan's ward.
He cautiously pushed open the door, trying not to make a sound, and poked half his head in.
Then, he saw the following scene:
Bai Luan was writhing in a ball on the bed, displaying classic and severe symptoms of being Super-Broken.
Lars: ...
He silently and discreetly closed the door again, not letting the Super-Broken Station Master discover he had been there.
"Fortunately, the Station Master didn't find out..." Lars leaned against the door, patting his chest with lingering fear.
If the Station Master knew I saw him like this... I'd probably be dragged off and decomposed into elementary particles to be silenced, wouldn't I?
The next moment, an unidentifiable surge of anger instantly welled up in Lars's heart.
He turned around furiously, preparing to confront the old Staff Member who had confidently guaranteed, "The Station Master has recovered."
Damn it! Old man! Nonsense! You clearly want to harm me!
However, when he rushed back to his original spot, he saw the old Staff Member staring dumbfounded at the vital signs monitor screen next to the hospital bed, looking as if he had seen a ghost, continuously muttering to himself:
"That's not right, he was fine just now... How is this possible? How could all the values suddenly spike for no reason?
Is the instrument malfunctioning? Ms. Asta just replaced the equipment; could it be broken so soon?"
The old Staff Member looked at Lars and asked,
"You're back? Tell me what you saw? I suspect the testing instrument is malfunctioning! All the values suddenly spiked after you left. How is the Station Master, what did you see?"
Lars opened his mouth, looking at the old Staff Member's genuinely anxious eyes, and then recalled the Station Master's writhing, maggot-like appearance in the ward.
After an intense internal struggle, he ultimately swallowed the truth that was on the tip of his tongue.
He took a deep breath and, with a complicated, hard-to-describe, and hesitant tone, vaguely replied:
"The Station Master... seems to still need some time... to fully recover."