"You're here again? Mr. Su Ran!"
Asta had been browsing an online shopping site out of boredom when she suddenly noticed that someone had appeared in front of her without her realizing it.
Her face immediately lit up with surprise.
"Nice to see you again, Asta."
For Su Ran, coming to the Herta Space Station now felt almost like returning to his own home.
After all, Herta behaved much the same way when she was at his place.
"You're here to see Lady Herta again?"
Asta felt a little worried.
Was Su Ran about to ask Herta to spend another huge sum of money buying research materials again?
It wasn't that she couldn't afford it.
The problem was—
If it kept happening, the company might send all their executives again just to go through the procedures.
And if that happened, the pressure on her would become enormous.
Not because the company executives would pressure her directly—
But because if the negotiations kept failing,
She was afraid the company would eventually send her instead.
If it really came to that point,
Her friendship with Su Ran would change in nature.
That was something Asta couldn't accept.
"Yes. After all, I've completed quite a bit of research recently. I should let Herta take a look. If she doesn't get any sense of participation, she'll complain again."
Su Ran was somewhat helpless about Herta.
After all, sometimes her shamelessness could reach astonishing levels.
"I see…"
Hearing that, Asta visibly relaxed.
"Why? Were you worried I'd spend your money again?"
Seeing her obvious relief made Su Ran feel a little hurt.
He had thought a friendly young lady like Asta wouldn't care about such small matters.
After all, her monthly allowance alone was probably far more than that.
"No, no, I don't really mind that kind of small expense. Even if you asked me to buy some small items, that would be fine. But if it's large quantities of materials again… I would feel a little troubled. The company has already been paying a lot of attention to you."
The reason was simple.
The company believed Asta was the easiest bridge to approach Su Ran.
And naturally, some executives had their own ideas.
After all, two members of the Ten Stonehearts had already been sent.
And neither had succeeded in recruiting Su Ran.
At that point, they might decide to try Asta instead.
Because the value Su Ran had demonstrated—
Already surpassed Herta's.
Unless absolutely necessary, they wouldn't risk offending Herta in order to pursue him.
But if they kept seeing no progress—
They might eventually take that risk.
Because offending Herta wasn't guaranteed.
But gaining Su Ran was possible.
"Those people really never change…"
Asta's concerns weren't unreasonable.
Even with Herta's protection,
The things Su Ran had demonstrated had already gone beyond Herta's achievements.
No matter how brilliant Herta was—
She had never created an Emanator.
Nor had she built a device capable of moving a star.
Even a random gadget Su Ran casually created could store an entire star system.
If the company still didn't see the significance of that—
Then something was wrong with their brains.
They had already sent two senior executives.
That alone proved how seriously they took him.
First it was Topaz.
After she failed, they sent someone more experienced—
Jade.
Yet even she had made no progress.
Su Ran didn't even want to imagine who they might send next.
Surely they wouldn't send an Emanator to force the issue?
That would be ridiculous.
The company wasn't afraid of offending an Emanator.
What they feared were the economic losses that might follow.
Based on Su Ran's understanding,
The company would likely adopt a relentless, sticky strategy.
They might offer him higher status—Or even shares in the company.
But unfortunately—
Su Ran was already well aware of the company's dark side.
He had no intention of joining them.
He knew very well what happened to No. 79 — Calderon Chadwick.
Weapons capable of destroying a star system—
Or even multiple star systems—
Were not beyond Su Ran's ability to create.
The destruction such weapons could cause might even surpass Nanook's Antimatter Legion.
Su Ran didn't mind becoming a butcher.
But he didn't want to become one against his will.
"If they come again, just tell the company this: I know exactly what happened to No. 79. I have zero trust in the company."
"79? You mean Dr. Calderon Chadwick?"
Asta truly lived up to being one of Herta's followers.
She knew quite a lot about the Genius Society members.
Just hearing the number was enough for her to know who it referred to.
He was said to have developed a weapon capable of fighting the Antimatter Legion.
A great scientist.
A hero, even.
But from Su Ran's tone—
Had the company not treated that great scientist well?
"Would you like to hear that scientist's story?"
Asta knew the company had its dark side.
But she might not know Chadwick's ultimate fate.
"Yes. I want to know what happened to that scientist."
She nodded firmly.
More importantly—
This seemed connected to why Su Ran resisted the company so strongly.
"Oh? The story of No. 79? I'd like to hear that too."
A Herta puppet walked over.
Following behind it—
Was Jade, who had been stranded here for quite some time.
Seeing that Jade was still here, Su Ran looked surprised.
The swarm had already left.
Was she still stuck here?
"Miss Jade, do you know what happened to Calderon Chadwick?"
Su Ran asked her directly.
"I do. And I cannot defend the company."
As a member of the Ten Stonehearts and a senior executive,
Jade naturally knew about such things.
But knowing was one thing—
Changing it was another.
After all, at the time—
She hadn't even been born yet.
"And you'd prefer I didn't tell the story?"
Jade honestly shook her head.
"Of course I'd prefer that you didn't."
Because if the truth were revealed—
Even Herta might develop hostility toward the company.
"But you can't control my mouth."
Su Ran didn't care whether Jade approved or not.
Unless she used force to silence him.
But even if she did—
The fragment of Emanator power she possessed probably wouldn't threaten him.
So in front of all three of them—
Su Ran began telling Herta and Asta the story of Calderon Chadwick.
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