The Herta Space Station, due to its true master, Lady Herta, had experienced countless crises, and it had weathered countless crises.
Laden with the most bizarre collection of Curios in the entire universe, it was like a mouth-watering suckling pig placed before a table of starving diners—it was never truly safe. With only the security personnel recruited by the Corporation and a slightly advanced defense system, the space station was not enough to withstand the malice from between the stars.
Fortunately, the Herta Space Station had Lady Herta.
However, compared to the thieves plotting to steal her collection and the various factions with unknown motives, the main threat to the space station was still Herta herself.
Just as one of the self-introductions in the portraits Herta erected of herself throughout the station stated, she had saved her home planet from the brink of destruction 19 times.
But don't you dare ask why that azure planet was on the brink of destruction in the first place!
Of course, the root cause wasn't entirely Herta's own chaotic meddling. As a genius with the potential to transcend the boundaries of knowledge, she had attracted the attention of Genius Society member Polka Kakamot. Using her ability to manipulate probability and freely manifest along chains of causality, Polka ensured that every time Herta's research threatened to impact the boundaries of knowledge, it would be ruined at a critical moment by some minor mistake.
While not all of the planet's 19 crises occurred because of this, it certainly accounted for a significant portion.
"I can't shake the feeling you're secretly badmouthing me. Is it just my imagination?" Herta's puppet, taking a rare stroll alongside Chen Li, tilted its head and looked at him in confusion.
The real Herta was too lazy to walk around her own space station, so she had placed nearly a hundred puppets throughout it. This allowed her to transfer her consciousness to any puppet at any time and take control of its actions.
In a way, wasn't this just another form of teleportation?
An act like personally piloting a puppet to accompany Chen Li on a tour of the space station was a rare occasion indeed.
"How could I? We're both puppets right now. One puppet doesn't lie to another. If I say I wasn't, I wasn't!" Chen Li guaranteed with absolute certainty.
After Topaz concluded her interview, she had personally departed the Herta Space Station to supervise the purchase of the star-destroying warship as a gesture of sincerity, leaving Chen Li free to do as he pleased.
"I use a puppet because I'm too lazy to move. What's your reason for wearing this mascot costume?" Herta asked, slightly bewildered.
"To construct a fictional persona for myself. In this world, I want to establish the impression that the Golden Homu King mascot is the true identity of the Genius Society's Curio Forger," Chen Li explained.
"What's the point? If it's interesting, maybe I can help you."
"I have a Miracle Card that allows me to use Fiction Value to impose a person's fabricated history onto their current state. You get what I mean, right?"
"Reversing age? Healing injuries? Restoring items?"
"It can do all of that," Chen Li nodded. Although Herta's questions were curt, he understood perfectly.
"Interesting... Tell me, what needs to be done? I'll help you."
"You don't need to worry about that part. If you really want to help me, how about you gift me these Curios as a gesture of friendship?"
"In your dreams." Herta shot Chen Li a sidelong glance.
Herta's greatest passions in life were solving puzzles and collecting Curios. But because her interest was so pure, it made her difficult to deal with.
"I can forge a Curio for you."
Herta's difficult nature didn't deter Chen Li. Instead, he presented a condition he had prepared long ago.
Accompanied by Herta, Chen Li had briefly toured the space station, observing countless Curios, all of which possessed fairly potent Entries.
He had even caught a glimpse of the Stellaron.
It took a great deal of effort for Chen Li to suppress the overwhelming urge to rush over and take a bite out of the Stellaron, thereby preserving the future of this world... and, of course, simultaneously forfeiting 1000 Star Stones.
Before Star or Caelus were even born, Chen Li had already saved their lives. He hoped that once they came into existence, they would find a way to properly repay him.
Along the way, Chen Li saw the [Blind Spot of Vision] used to hide the Stellaron—a simple light-bending field that made things within the area difficult to notice. But as soon as everything else became less conspicuous, it would be exposed. The effect was mediocre, but it possessed the Entries [Presence] and [Invisibility].
Then there was the "New World Gate," which looked like a common toilet but could instantly teleport anyone who sat on it, possessing the [Transfer] Entry. And a "Refuse Silence" Curio, a miniature orchestral instrument that would remain silent if the decibel level was above zero but would play some tolerable alien tunes if the decibel level was exactly zero...
Curios like these were innumerable in the Herta Space Station.
They might not be particularly practical, but because they were frequently studied and used by the station's researchers, they had been imbued with a great deal of strange value, making the brightness of their Entries quite decent.
Chen Li didn't necessarily need these Entries, but the moment he saw them, his collector's obsession flared up.
He still hadn't seen the Wings of Gliding or Himeko's greatsword, because there were simply too many Curios in the space station to see them all in a short time!
"My tastes are very picky. If you can't conceive of a suitable Curio, I won't be buying it," Herta said, her interest piqued.
"Forging a Curio isn't about what I can make for you; it's about what you want. Or, we could leave it all to fate. I'll give you 30 Star Stones to draw your own prize. Whatever you draw will determine the type of Curio I forge," Chen Li proposed.
"That does sound a little interesting..." Herta had to admit, Chen Li had captured her attention. Randomness and challenge were two of her favorite things.
"Now I want a randomly forged Curio, but I also want a Curio that can help me bake a cake whose aroma alone makes people feel happy and smile involuntarily. What should I do now?" Now it was Herta's turn to be conflicted.
"Simple. I'll forge a random Curio for you. As for making that special cake, you don't need a Curio for that. You just need Nous—assuming you can get an audience with the Aeon of Erudition." As Chen Li spoke, he took out the [Then I Ask You] Miracle Card.
Truthfully, Chen Li felt that the [Then I Ask You] card was a perfect match for Herta.
So let me ask you, Herta, why is your hat so pointy?
"This... You actually have something this good?" Herta's eyes lit up the moment she saw the card's effect.
An opportunity to ask anyone a question that they must answer. An opportunity that could perhaps even be used on an Aeon.
If she could get just one use of it, it could lead to a breakthrough in her research.
"I have plenty of good things. But I wouldn't recommend you ask Dr. Nous any overly groundbreaking questions. Otherwise, someone might choose to 'break through' you."
"What do you mean?"
"We'll talk about that in the Friends Circle later. This isn't the right place," Chen Li said.
Genius Society member Polka Kakamot possessed the ability to freely manifest along the chains of causality... The moment you speak her name, she senses you, then follows that causal link right to you and stabs you.
Chen Li didn't think this genius was invincible; he just wanted to remind Herta that if she planned on a direct confrontation, she'd best prepare herself first.
"However, I must also remind you that while you can use this Miracle Card to ask the Aeon of Erudition for a cake recipe, knowing the method doesn't necessarily mean you can actually make it..." Chen Li kindly reminded her.
"What's that supposed to mean? My cooking skills are famously excellent!" Herta was extremely indignant at Chen Li's words.
"Ermm... whatever makes you happy." Chen Li didn't want to argue with Herta, especially since he was still coveting her Curios.
But... you use 10 Curios and waste over 20 puppets just to bake a single cake, and you're seriously going to claim your cooking skills are excellent?
Lies don't hurt people; the truth is a sharp knife. This saying clearly applied to Herta, who was instantly defensive over Chen Li's single remark.
"But if I really get the chance, using it to ask the Aeon of Erudition how to bake a cake feels like such a waste..." Herta became troubled again.
Chen Li understood. He really, truly understood.
It was like a person who wanted to become rich. If, by some incredible coincidence, they tripped over all seven Dragon Balls on the street and summoned the divine dragon, their wish would surely become something grander than just wanting to be rich.
Herta was in the exact same situation.
"It's not a waste. And besides, you didn't think this chance to ask a question was free, did you?"
"Didn't you say we'd trade for it with Curios?" Herta paused.
"The Curio trade is the price for forging your Curio. The price for using the Miracle Card is separate."
"What's the price?"
"Let me borrow your public account twice," Chen Li said.
"..." replied Herta.
As a genius, Herta's mind was certainly sharp... Two uses of her public account. The request felt somewhat familiar.
"Chen Li, you're not borrowing my public account just to post some memetically infectious text and troll the entire universe, are you?"
"...Correct," Chen Li said, guiltily averting his gaze.
"Who do you think you're fooling with that expression? To sell out my own reputation for a single chance to ask someone a question they can't refuse... Deal! No take-backs!" Herta eagerly grabbed Chen Li's hand and forced a handshake, sealing the transaction.
"You're a little too decisive, aren't you?"
"A joke. I, Herta, have always done as I pleased, and I never need to explain myself to others... Worst case, I'll just say you hacked my account," Herta said with a shrug, her heart completely untroubled.
After all, everyone already knew that this kind of memetic contagion was definitely the work of the Curio Forger after hacking someone's account.
"I have a plan that can make people believe you sent that message yourself after learning my techniques. Do you believe me?"
"I don't. But why are you so keen on teasing the entire world?" Herta asked, shaking her head in denial while still looking somewhat puzzled.
"Well... to save the world." Chen Li glanced up above his head.
[Meme] Entry Extraction in progress... Progress: 2/3 (Progress can be increased by making this world believe that the contagious thing you are spreading is genuinely a meme.)
Chen Li hadn't paid much attention to this Entry until he received the commission to forge a Curio to suppress the Mara-Struck.
In Chen Li's mind, a "meme" could genuinely solve the "Mara"...
The beginning is a blur, the end is a blur, but the result is hilarious.
Since the Xianzhou wanted a group-effect Curio, Chen Li figured he might as well add a contagious property to it.
His inspiration came from this thought: If a zombie biting a person can turn them into a zombie, then why can't a person biting a zombie turn the zombie back into a person?
The war of memes has always been thus.
---o---