Chapter 14: Chapter 14: The Teleportation Ring
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The "Stoic Little Azure Dragon" whisked away the lively March 7th on this day.
Meanwhile... Stelle continued her inquiry.
"Do you want to undress?"
"Yes, go ahead..."
With the gray-haired girl's assistance, Bochang hesitantly unbuckled his belt and removed his pants, revealing his SpongeBob-themed boxer shorts once again.
Curiously glancing over, Stelle then diverted her gaze back.
She helped Bochang lie down comfortably on the ground.
Stelle began applying ointment to the black-haired youth's lower body injuries.
This scene attracted quite some attention due to their striking combination of handsome young man and beautiful girl.
Although Bochang wasn't exceptionally good-looking, his well-built physique added allure.
As for Stelle, her blend of coldness with a hint of innocence struck a chord in many hearts.
From a distance, Himeko and Asta observed them closely.
"Do you have any idea about their identities?" Asta asked.
Himeko shook her head.
"No, I don't know their identities, but I recognize the aura around that girl."
"Aura? What do you mean?" Asta looked puzzled.
The redheaded woman replied, "It's from a Stellaron..."
"Stellaron? How is that possible..." Asta expressed shock on his face.
Stellaron was no ordinary entity; it could be considered a cancer to the world, bringing calamities, distorting space, and even obstructing the path of the Astral Express... Moreover, it is incredibly difficult to destroy, as one must create conditions to suppress its energy spread.
Herta placed it within the space station precisely to restrain this unactivated Stellaron and prevent disaster from affecting the Blue Planet.
Asta was unaware of these specifics, only knowing that Stellaron signifies something ominous.
Himeko held out her hands, gesturing calmly.
"The Stellaron inside her remains stable for now; you don't need to worry immediately."
"I see..." Asta frowned slightly. "Then...what about that young boy?"
"You mean Bochang? Regarding him...I must admit, I have no clue either. However, since he appeared alongside the star, there's likely some connection between them. If possible...I'd like to bring both of them aboard the Astral Express." Himeko smiled warmly. "As you know, I have extensive experience dealing with matters related to the Stellaron."
"Alright...it's up to you. As long as they don't disrupt the space station, it's not my concern."
From Arlan, Asta had learned about the capabilities of Stelle and Bochang.
However...
Being a hidden heiress, she could indeed attract individuals with such strength. This time, her overreliance on Herta led to neglecting security measures, resulting in...
Asta gently shook her head.
As if remembering something, the deep pink-haired girl added, "Lady Herta would likely be very interested in Stelle."
"I've already informed Herta about this," replied Himeko. "If she has time, she should be coming soon."
Asta fell silent, turning to gaze at the 3D projection above, continuing her observation of the space station's operations.
The redheaded woman didn't disturb Asta and simply watched from afar as Stelle and Bochang tended to their wounds... With the gray-haired girl's assistance, the leg injuries were quickly treated.
Bochang resumed resting on the ground, just as before.
Stelle sat nearby, lost in thought.
Without the black-haired youth's interference, Stelle would have been with Dan Heng and March 7th, running around the Master Control Zone, comforting the shaken researchers...
Time ticked away, second by second. After several minutes...
The gray-haired girl suddenly spoke up.
"Come to think of it... how much do you remember?" With her chin resting on one hand, Stelle asked without turning around, "Do you recall anyone else? For example... Kafka?"
[Dating Options activated.]
[Option 1: I'm straightforward; let's be honest. Respond with: "Kafka? Sounds vaguely familiar." - Completion Reward: Being abducted by the Stellaron Hunters.]
[Option 2: For a relatively stable life, pretending to know nothing is better. Reply hesitantly: "Kafka? Who? Don't know them... No recollection." - Completion Reward: Equipment - Teleportation Ring, allows for arbitrary teleportation within ten meters, equipped with three energy slots. Each use consumes one slot, and it requires twenty-four hours to recharge and regain one slot. Note: This type of item will...]
[Option 3: I'm all about causing chaos; let me spill the spoilers: "Kafka? Oh, I know her... And I also know that you were created using Stellaron." - Completion Reward: Lying dead on the street within twenty-four hours.]
After reading Option 3, Bochang couldn't help but comment sarcastically, "Lying dead on the street within twenty-four hours, huh? What kind of rushed game completion is this..."
By now, Bochang had grown accustomed to the peculiarities of these "Dating Options," which often treated clear penalties as rewards.
The previous two instances involved receiving Bigshots, but this time's "reward" seemed particularly severe—ending up dead on the streets right away.
Only a fool would choose that!
Seeing Options 1 and 3, Bochang realized his surroundings might not be safe. Perhaps Silver Wolf was monitoring him, or maybe even... the Elio they mentioned.
"But... if someone really ends up dead on the street, who could be responsible? The Stellaron Hunters? Or... people from the space station, like—Herta..." A chill ran down Bochang's spine. "If it truly involves those from the space station, mentioning Kafka's name through Star, won't it cause trouble for us...?"
It was widely known that the Interstellar Peace Corporation had participated and invested in the construction of Herta Space Station.
And on this corporation's wanted list...
Kafka's name appeared among them.
"Well, it's already said; there's no way to undo it now. Screw it, Stelle is the protagonist after all - nothing too bad will happen easily. Moreover, based on Option One, mentioning just the name shouldn't cause significant trouble..."
Bochang's mind raced at high speed.
At this moment, a challenging choice confronted the black-haired youth:
"Should I be abducted by the Stellaron Hunters? Or...stay aboard the Astral Express?"
By choosing the first option, Bochang could potentially meet Kafka and Silver Wolf very soon.
Hmm...not necessarily, though.
Additionally, the Stellaron Hunters organization posed some danger.
There's a chance that upon being abducted, he might face interrogation or worse...
Recalling the Polygraph technique and Memory Removal Stick used by Silver Wolf earlier, Bochang felt uneasy.
"I think I'll just stay put on the Astral Express for now. After all, we have Himeko, March 7th, and Stelle here... Plus, later we can travel around easily with vehicles, and the reward of a teleportation ring isn't bad either. One teleport could potentially save my life... And if the Doomsday Beast arrives again, assuming its final blast still targets March 7th, couldn't I intervene to help?"
Bochang's mind quickly calculated the advantages.
As for whether stealing Stelle's spotlight might have any negative consequences, that wasn't within Bochang's immediate concerns. He figured it likely wouldn't matter much anyway.
"Option two!"
Time resumed its flow.
Bochang responded, "Kafka? Who? Don't know him... No recollection."
[Reward distribution in progress—Congratulations! You have obtained the equipment: Teleportation Ring. Note: This item has been stored in the system space and requires blood binding before use.]