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Herta Space Station.
All the staff.
Now had no mood to continue watching the plot.
Gathered together, anxiously waiting for Asta's return.
Who wouldn't be cautious knowing that beneath the area they lived in was buried an Emanator of [The Propagation]? Forget continuing to play games or watch the plot, even breathing became careful!
The usually bustling Master Control Zone.
Today seemed to have been collectively hit with a [Silence] debuff.
The staff feared that speaking loudly would attract that kind of star-shattering insect king.
So difficult to fight in the game.
In reality, releasing it would probably mean all the staff combined wouldn't be enough for a single dish for the insect king!
"In the game plot, it self-destructed after 56 seconds of birth, but in reality... what if Ruan Mei's research breakthrough this time?"
"Miss Asta, it's all up to you...!"
"Shh, keep it down. What if we attract the Starcrusher Swarm King?"
"Theoretically speaking, if the Swarm King in the cabin beneath us really wakes up, staying silent won't help us evade its detection."
"That's the [Starcrusher Swarm King: Skaracabaz], the one who uses shattered stars as a breeding ground for its offspring. It was once one of the nightmares of the Swarm Disaster across the universe! Our space station wouldn't even be enough for it to sharpen its teeth."
"Right now, we should just carry on as usual..."
The staff whispered among themselves.
Finally.
Asta appeared before everyone.
All the staff members looked at her as if they had seen a savior.
But they were also afraid that Asta might bring bad news.
Under the gaze of all the staff.
Asta calmly said, "Everyone, let's put aside our guard and tension for now."
"I've just contacted Lady Herta, and Ruan Mei has also sent me relevant information."
"Through the Survey Robots and video surveillance..."
"The threat in the sealed cabin has been personally resolved by Ruan Mei. Now, there are only harmless little creatures like [Cheese Meteors] left there."
"Next, I will dispatch the defense team to conduct further cleanup and inspection."
Hearing Asta's words.
Everyone immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
Many staff members even felt as if they had narrowly escaped death.
Several staff members collapsed to the ground as if they had been drained of energy.
Asta smiled helplessly.
This storyline was indeed a bit too "thrilling" for the players of the space station.
As for the impression of Ruan Mei... now there was only one word left.
—Madness!
Asta glanced at her phone.
She said, "Everyone, let's continue watching the storyline together."
"The mission [When the Genius Stars Shine] has ended, and [Ruan Mei] has been confirmed as a limited five-star character."
"At the same time, a short film related to Ruan Mei has been unlocked."
"Perhaps we can understand the reason behind Ruan Mei's actions from this short film."
The staff nodded.
Returning to the large screen.
Asta pulled up the relevant short film.
This short film related to Ruan Mei's character was quite special, with a title that was a line of poetry.
"Transcendent Ruan Tunes."
"On the surface, she's a gentle and generous older sister who loves music and sweets. I almost forgot that no one in the Genius Society is normal."
"I even feel that Lady Herta is more humane than Ruan Mei...!"
"It feels like Ruan Mei has grand ambitions..."
Before the video started.
The staff continued to exchange their thoughts.
But once the images and sound appeared.
Everyone fell silent.
After this storyline.
Everyone had a deeper understanding of Ruan Mei.
It felt like they were one step closer to understanding genius.
But the closer they got, the more they felt the vast distance between "genius" and ordinary people.
And this video.
Perhaps it could better explain what kind of person Ruan Mei really was?
The first thing that caught the eye was a Xianzhou-style lattice window.
Through the window, one could see the distant emerald-green sky and plum blossoms.
Ruan Mei's voice also echoed in the background.
"Dear Mother, I hope this letter finds you well."
"The plum blossoms bloom and wither, and occasionally I catch a whiff of loneliness in their fragrance."
"I am reminded of the times I spent with you in my childhood."
"Research in the Land of No One."
As the scene unfolds.
The gentle voice of Ruan Mei, the melody of Pingtan, and ambient sounds reach the ears.
Listening carefully, one can hear the babbling of a stream and the chirping of birds.
The video continues.
Everything seems normal so far.
An uninformed viewer might think it's an autobiographical record of a wealthy young lady.
Documenting an elegant and leisurely life.
If it weren't for the previous plot!
The staff would have believed it.
But at this moment, they know very well.
This,
is just a fragment of Ruan Mei's life.
A trivial moment of leisure.
This genius!
Is definitely not the type to settle for stability and enjoy life!
Indeed.
As the footage on the archive progresses.
The scene shifts to a snowy mountain.
The ambient sound changes, replaced by the howling wind and snow, and the Pingtan melody is overlaid with a serene and mysterious sonata.
"A warm cabin."
"Boundless, jubilant species and life."
"That life is unforgettable to me."
"I understood the vastness of the universe too early..."
On one of the glaciers.
A frozen monster suddenly opens its eyes.
Its body resembles a giant octopus.
Covered with countless eyes.
As the eyes open.
The surface ice rapidly cracks.
The little girl holding hands shows a look of astonishment.
This is Ruan Mei as a child!
At this moment, no one is marveling at how adorable young Ruan Mei is or how different she looks compared to now...
Because, judging from the background sounds.
This is clearly a disaster.
People wearing transparent spherical helmets scatter in all directions.
Shouting, "Quick! Get out of here!"
"It's awakening!!"
However.
Unlike the panicked crowd.
Little Ruan Mei not only doesn't leave but stands curiously in front of the monster, observing it intently.
There is no fear or panic, only the joy of witnessing pure and magnificent burgeoning life.
Paired with Ruan Mei's intellectual and cool voice in the background.
This scene appears extraordinarily wondrous!
"Birth, growth, decay..."
"Reflecting on the process of life."
"Is the origin of my thoughts."
"I began to realize."
"That I crave some pure things."
The scene shifts again.
Returning to the garden.
The terrifying creature, akin to an ancient god, has become a piece of the puzzle in the research materials.
Seeing this.
The staff are shocked: "So Ruan Mei has been this special since childhood?"
"Facing a monster, not with fear, but with curiosity?"
"Is this the perspective of a genius?"
"Did she just confront an ancient god?!"
"Not just confront, didn't you see in that shot? The ancient god on this planet has been turned into research material by Ruan Mei!"
"Has she already discarded the lower emotions of humanity?"
"When observing life, Ruan Mei doesn't focus on the external beauty and characteristics of life but directly visualizes the chemical formulas that compose it."
However.
The next segment leaves everyone even more astounded!
In the laboratory.
Ruan Mei is gazing out the window.
Accompanied by her narration.
"Attachment... related to the insular cortex, which controls anxiety and pain."
"And the nucleus accumbens, which generates desire."
"The laws of emotion can be pitifully easily dissected."
"Children receiving random rewards."
"Become more... obedient."
The view outside the window is revealed in full.
A colorful planet.
What surrounded the planet was not an asteroid belt.
But a colorful ribbon.
At this moment.
A pair of eyes and a mouth suddenly appeared on the planet.
A small hand stretched out and waved at Ruan Mei.
"(????)?? Hi"
The staff at the space station were collectively dumbfounded.
And the players watching this video.
Were all shocked!
...
"???"
"Where is this planet? I want to go play there!"
"Don't be fooled by how cute this planet looks in the video! It's an activated planet!"
"Kind of resembles Black Handsome."
"...As expected of you."
"Cultivating life and activating planets are taboo fields in many worlds!"
"The key is that Ruan Mei has always taken these things for granted..."
"Except for the first time she saw a monster, when she showed a curious expression, her emotions have been unnervingly stable since then."
"Ruan Mei is about to ascend to godhood!"