The most difficult to deal with was Herta. Since I had already passed Herta's test, everyone else would be easy to explain.
Silver Wolf: Yo, still alive?
Silver Wolf: I thought you'd trick me and then run off.
Bai Luan: I finished the game ages ago. It's because you wanted to polish the work that I got busy and forgot about it.
Bai Luan: Never mind, the file you sent earlier expired. Send it to me again.
Silver Wolf: Hold on.
After a brief wait.
Silver Wolf: [File]
Silver Wolf: Done.
Bai Luan clicked it open, listened to it once, and nodded in satisfaction.
Bai Luan: I'll refine it a bit more, then it can be released.
Silver Wolf: Released?
Silver Wolf: Are you a musician?
Bai Luan: Do you know Qiequ Ren?
Silver Wolf: I do.
Silver Wolf: Wait, you wouldn't...
Bai Luan: Interested in playing a game where you're a cosmic diva?
Bai Luan: Galactic Hacker Singer, making a grand debut!
Bai Luan: I'll help you. (Smiling face)
Silver Wolf: ...
Silver Wolf: I'm starting to regret this.
Silver Wolf: Your game better be really fun!
Bai Luan: Of course, it's my proudest work.
Bai Luan logged into his game account and released Titanfall 2.
Go enjoy yourselves, kids.
After you've had your fun, get ready for a heavy dose of heartbreak in Titanfall 2.
Hehe.
Just thinking about it makes me happy.
On the way to find Herta earlier, I had already mostly explained things to the people who sent me messages.
Now...
Bai Luan turned his head and looked through the Space Station window, seeing the starry sky outside the Space Station.
Didn't 343 say...
It wanted to see the starry sky?
Since we're here, it would be a shame not to see the starry sky.
Bai Luan casually found a laboratory and quickly put together a temporary small hovering machine using materials from the lab.
He then inserted 343's chip into it.
The LED screen on the small hovering machine spun in circles, loaded for a while, then successfully powered on.
The blue electronic eye on the small hovering machine lit up, with a hint of confusion.
"Uh... where is this?"
"Yo, 343, you're awake?"
"You're... Bai Luan? Where am I now? Didn't you take my chip home and go research the source code?"
"That's right. Let me introduce you, Herta Space Station, which can also be considered my home."
Bai Luan asked it with a smile:
"Want to see the starry sky? You're currently in between the stars, you know."
"Really!?!"
343 suddenly shot up, hovering, almost colliding with Bai Luan.
Bai Luan reacted extremely quickly, sidestepping to avoid being fully hit by this overly excited 'little guy'.
The hovering machine shot upwards out of control, about to hit the cold alloy ceiling—
"Whoosh!"
It forcefully adjusted its posture at the last second, narrowly stopping, its body awkwardly swaying in the air a few times before finally stabilizing.
"How can I fly?"
"A temporary body."
"Temporary... Oh, right, I remember, how's the source code coming along?"
"It's done."
Bai Luan took out the USB drive and dangled it in front of 343.
"Is that all it takes?
I thought... it would at least require some sacrifice."
Bai Luan put away the USB drive and agreed:
"It was indeed difficult."
But then an undeniable smugness appeared on his lips:
"But the person who did this is one of the smartest people in this universe."
"You have such a big background?"
Bai Luan casually replied:
"It's alright."
But he quickly realized something was off and explained:
"I'm not saying I'm one of the smartest people in the universe, I'm her assistant."
"Uh..."
343's hovering machine displayed a loading animation symbolizing thought, finally showing a "?".
"Is there a difference? Even if you're just an assistant, your background isn't small, right?"
It asked, puzzled:
"If it weren't for you, that smartest person wouldn't have helped us, would she?"
"Hmm... good point... Never mind, let's not worry about these trivial things!"
Saying this, Bai Luan led 343 out of the laboratory, then pointed to the Space Station window and said:
"Go see, that's the starry sky you've been waiting for."
343 looked through the Space Station window and saw the brilliant starry sky.
Just one glance, and its gaze could no longer move away from that mysterious starry sky.
It stopped speaking, slowly flying towards the window to get a clearer view.
It saw countless shining clusters of stars dotting the dark starry sky.
It saw the hazy, spherical appearance of the Azure Star below.
It saw the Herta Space Station's giant cosmic ring moving outside in space.
It gazed at that starry sky for a long time before finally speaking:
"So, this is what the starry sky looks like after that gray mist."
"How does it feel?"
"I've seen in databases that sometimes when humans see a shocking scene, their eyes secrete liquid to express their emotions.
Before, I never understood, but now... I'm a little envious of you."
Bai Luan glanced at 343 and said with a smile:
"Aren't you crying?"
"Huh? Am I?"
343 was completely unaware that its LED display screen was currently showing the emoticon "QAQ".
"Why do I feel like..."
343's voice held a hint of suspicion.
"...it's more like one of your pranks?"
Bai Luan just looked at it, smiling without a word.
343's "gaze" returned to the sea of stars.
The "QAQ" on the screen flickered a few times, gradually faded, and was finally replaced by a brilliant, character-composed smiley face:
(＾▽＾)
"If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have seen this starry sky...
Thank you, Bai Luan. (＾▽＾)"
The crying face might have just been Bai Luan's prank.
But the smiling face now,
was definitely a genuine expression of emotion.
Just then, footsteps approached. Bai Luan turned around and saw Xiu walking towards him.
"Xiu, why are you here?"
"You owe me a month of morning run check-ins. A simple 'I'm back' won't cut it."
Bai Luan scratched his head and said:
"I actually wasn't lazy. I even had the mech send you the check-in photos, but I was too busy and didn't notice the photos weren't sent out..."
Xiu looked at the hovering machine beside Bai Luan and asked:
"It is?"
"Hello, I am from Beta Star's..."
343 paused, several answers swirling in its mind.
Facing Xiu's inquiry, it had several identities it could use to respond.
Its designation, its model, its home world...
Which one should it use to reply?
343 hesitated slightly between them, then answered with a hint of determination:
"A nascent civilization."
Faced with 343's formal answer, Xiu also became serious and replied:
"I am Xiu Stark Conrad, a cybernetics staff member from Herta Space Station. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Your name is very long."
"It is a bit long."
Xiu showed a faint smile and said:
"So you can just call me Xiu."
"Unfortunately, I don't have a name, only a series of codes."
"I didn't have a name from the start either. I went through a lot before finally getting this name."
Xiu looked at 343 and asked:
"May I ask... are all of you this size?"
Bai Luan spoke up then:
"No, this body of 343 is just something I temporarily built for it. Its true form isn't like this."
Bai Luan stroked his chin and thought for a moment, then said:
"Its true form is a humanoid machine with a strong post-apocalyptic, rugged style, looking like the big boss from Cybernetic Crisis.
When we first met, it even wanted to use a long spear to put a hole in my head."
"That was a misunderstanding. How was I supposed to know a great benevolent person would come to the planet...?"
"Since now you can coexist peacefully, even standing here side by side gazing at the starry sky."
Xiu's gaze moved between them, with a gentle warmth.
"That proves all misunderstandings have been resolved."
Its optical sensors focused on 343, with sincere curiosity.
"I'm very interested in your experiences... can you tell me about them?"
"Hey, that's a long story..."
...
"I never imagined such a planet existed in the universe."
Xiu first said this, then fell into a long silence. Finally, it looked at Bai Luan:
"If I have the capacity, could you let me visit that planet?
I really want to see what that planet looks like, perhaps...
I can do something for that ravaged planet."
"No problem, just tell me when. It's just a matter of opening a door, after all."
"Thank you. When I'm ready, I'll come find you."
Xiu bid them farewell and turned to leave.
Before a long journey, one should first say hello to friends.
It had a friend who was quite far from the Space Station.
"Xiu... why does he want to help us?"
Bai Luan looked at Xiu's retreating figure, smiled, and said:
"Perhaps it's because your identities are somewhat similar."