---o---
"Please."
Ye Feng reverently poured another cup of tea for Jingliu.
Jingliu sat primly and properly, her three thousand strands of moon-white silver hair falling straight down her back, as cold as freshly melted snow.
Her slender, white, jade-like hand lifted the cup. She figured since she had already drunk the first cup, a second one wouldn't make a difference.
The two of them were in perfect harmony, looking for all the world like a benevolent master and her filial disciple.
Ye Feng said, "Master, have you seen any of Herta's puppets?"
Jingliu put down her cup and looked at Ye Feng with a peculiar gaze.
She naturally knew what this kind of rebellious disciple was thinking.
But on second thought, since it was him, it wasn't all that strange.
"In the space station, Herta's puppets can be seen everywhere."
"Ehh~~ She just leaves them lying around the station? Is Herta really not afraid that someone will suddenly appear and take her puppets home? Still, Herta's puppets probably aren't 'entertainment-use universal angels,' so they likely don't have reproductive modules installed. But, using their other parts for friction seems pretty good, no?"
"..."
Ye Feng speculated with a straight face. He looked at the silent Jingliu, paused for a moment, and then smiled.
"Master, that expression on your face is a perfect match for the 'Can't talk to you, typical male gaze thinking.jpg' meme."
"..."
"Look, look, your expression changed again. It's very subtle, and you're even wearing a black blindfold, but I can see it. It's alright, Master Jingliu, no need to readjust your emotions. 'Being looked at with such disgust by a peerless female swordmaster like yourself' is also a kind of enjoyment."
Ye Feng gently held his teacup, his voice warm, his smile as refreshing as a clear blue sky. It was all very deceptive.
At the very least, the Grand Diviner Fu Xuan had been deeply moved by it.
"However, Master's ahegao face would surely have its own special flavor. Your disciple has yet to see it. I wonder when Master would be willing to put on a performance."
Jingliu sat quietly, saying nothing.
She didn't know what an ahegao was, nor did she want to know.
But she reckoned it was nothing decent, and she would rather not hear about it and pollute her ears.
"You specifically pulled me in here not just to discuss methods for using puppets, right? Is there anything else? If not…"
"Of course there is."
Ye Feng poured another cup of tea and pushed it towards Jingliu.
"I hear the 'Trailblaze train' has already begun its journey and will arrive at the Herta Space Station next month. Does Master know who the passengers on board are?"
Jingliu shook her head.
Ye Feng sighed. "So Master doesn't know either. I asked Fu Xuan and the others before, but they weren't too familiar with it."
But one thing was for sure: the members on the train would have some changes compared to the game.
Because the timeline was different from the game's, and Old Yang was still in the Original World.
Old Yang was no big deal; Ye Feng didn't care about him at all.
He just hoped that Little March and Auntie Himeko were still on board.
Ye Feng continued, "The Herta Space Station has a Stellaron stored away. When the train arrives, there will likely be an attack by the Antimatter Legion.
At the same time, the Stellaron Hunters Kafka and Silver Wolf will take advantage of the invasion to stroll right to the Stellaron's location. Silver Wolf will be responsible for creating a vessel capable of holding the Stellaron, Kafka will decide its gender and name, and then she will stuff the space station's Stellaron into its body, bestowing 'life' upon it.
And here is the key point—Master, you are to ensure that the gender of the Stellaron vessel is female."
To be honest, Stelle was also quite lewd.
"..."
Jingliu was truly at a loss for words.
This man couldn't go three sentences without talking about women.
Then, Jingliu realized a problem.
"What if, by the time I arrive, the gender has already been determined to be male?"
Ye Feng took a light sip of tea and gave Jingliu a bright smile.
"Then I'll just have to punish you, Master."
"How will you punish me?"
"Oh? Is Master weighing whether she can endure it? Thinking, 'If I can take it, then slacking off a little doesn't matter, right?' No, you can't think like that. The matter of punishment will be decided after Master has failed."
Jingliu's thoughts had been read, but she remained unshaken.
"Is that so. I do not care."
"Don't say that, Master."
Ye Feng raised his hand, and Jingliu subconsciously tensed her body.
Because every time Ye Feng raised his hand, it was either to [Change Outfit] or adjust her [Status].
Like Pavlov's dog, Jingliu had nearly developed a conditioned reflex.
Seeing Jingliu's on-high-alert appearance, Ye Feng was very satisfied and smiled. "Master need not be nervous. What I mean is, if you succeed, I can also give you a reward."
"Heh."
The old stick and carrot routine?
Jingliu wouldn't have deigned to use such a petty trick even several hundred years ago.
But she asked anyway, "What reward?"
"I can give you the power to cut down the 'Stars' from the sky."
Ye Feng's voice was very light, very calm, as if he were talking about something insignificant.
However, Jingliu scoffed at it.
"You?"
She naturally knew—having been here for some time now—that signing a [Contract] with Ye Feng would grant power.
But Jingliu had assessed those who had signed the contract, and in her eyes, the improvement was "minor."
Wanting to rely on the power of the contract to slay an Aeon was nothing short of a fool's dream.
Unless one could pull the Aeon into this world…
Hm?
A jolt went through Jingliu's body.
Now that was a path she had never considered.
Perhaps, it was truly possible.
After all, Jingliu had long ago sworn an oath upon the ruined earth: no matter the cost, she would cut down that calamitous star, the Abundance, the Plaguelord.
This was Jingliu's only remaining tragic wish, and the very meaning of her existence.
Any method would do. Any means would be acceptable.
She didn't even need to be the one to succeed, as long as It was utterly annihilated.
"Don't even think about it. An androgynous Aeon like the Apothecary can't get in here."
"Why?"
"Because it doesn't suit my sexual preferences."
"?"
"I am increasingly feeling that the world is my mind, and my mind is the world. From the most minute tip of a hair to the grandest heaven and earth. The world, the universe, and all things are driven by the power of my thoughts.
To put it simply, although I haven't completely mastered the rules for pulling people in, one point is certain: those I am interested in might be pulled in. But those I'm not interested in will absolutely be blocked."
The blood that had just started to burn in Jingliu's veins was extinguished in an instant.
Just a moment ago, she thought she had truly found a way to kill the Plaguelord with one hundred percent certainty.
But in the blink of an eye, it was denied.
At this very moment, Jingliu was even tempted to say, "The Plaguelord is actually quite beautiful. You could give it a try."
"Don't even think about it!" Ye Feng refused resolutely.
"Never mind an androgynous type like the Apothecary, not even a peerless pretty boy who's drawn like a girl but is insisted to be a boy would work."
"..."
Jingliu lowered her eyelids, her expression cold, yet a hint of disappointment could still be felt.
For the first time, she felt let down by the narrowness of Ye Feng's sexual preferences.
"Hey, no, wait. Master... you're being a real turn-off."