Chapter 10: Light Cone

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The Voidranger Trampler's strength was quite decent.

However, under the combined assault of Stelle, Dan Heng, and March 7th, it quickly began to falter. The accompanying Voidranger Plunderer had already been defeated early on, sensing the dire situation.

The Voidranger Trampler emitted a shrill cry.

Nearly ten Voidranger Tamperers were summoned, hovering high above and casting cold gazes down at the five individuals below.

Arlan instantly tensed up.

Stelle, Dan Heng, and March 7th also unconsciously took a step back.

Bochang remained unworried, as the sight triggered his memory...

In the original storyline, Himeko would intervene at this moment.

Sure enough, just as March 7th held their bow, unsure which monster to aim at...

Suddenly, a black-brown combat drone appeared, spinning amidst the enemy swarm and unleashing a massive single-molecule saw to deliver lethal blows to the surrounding foes.

In an instant, it defeated half of the Voidranger Tamperers.

The severely wounded Voidranger Trampler was also swiftly dispatched.

This combat drone belonged to Himeko, the navigator of the Astral Express—her signature weapon.

Seeing the assistance arrive, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Quickly reacting, Stelle and Dan Heng turned to carry/support Bochang and Arlan respectively. With the path cleared ahead, the five of them hastily entered the elevator.

"Finally over..." Leaning against the elevator wall, March 7th lifted her head and let out a long sigh. After such prolonged combat, she felt weary.

Especially during that final moment.

If not for Himeko's timely support, they might have sustained injuries before managing to escape successfully.

Unlike now, where everything went smoothly.

Neither Stelle, Dan Heng, nor March 7th sustained any injuries during the battle, achieving a flawless escape unscathed.

Of course...

Their ability to emerge without harm was largely due to March 7th's efforts. Her Shield skill significantly increased their safety margin, albeit with a short duration—less than thirty seconds. To maximize Shield's effectiveness, it could only be used on combatants. Applying it on injured individuals risked wasting precious energy.

Only in moments of great danger would March 7th cast Shield on the wounded, such as when Bochang faced an underhanded sneak attack earlier...

The combat drone from the recent battle was now present within the elevator as well. Stelle glanced at the hovering drone above them and then looked down at Dan Heng.

"This is..."

With her calm golden eyes, the gray-haired girl observed him steadily. Stelle knew that among everyone here... the most dependable person seemed to be this composed man with black hair and azure eyes.

Dan Heng replied, "This is the weapon of Astral Express's navigator—Himeko. She's incredibly skilled. Once we descend, you'll be able to see her."

"Speaking of... Is Bochang feeling better now?"

Dan Heng glanced at the black-haired youth on Stelle's back. His eyes were already open, but due to his weakened neck, he had a downward gaze, making it difficult to discern his expression. Nevertheless, the keen-eyed "stoic little azure dragon" noticed.

Bochang couldn't yet speak, but just then, the System popped up with:

[Dating Options activated.]

[Option 1: Do nothing and quietly wait for someone else to answer — Completion Reward: One-time recovery of 30% physical condition.]

[Option 2: Shake your head and say, "I'm fine." — Completion Reward: Obtain a Four-Star Abundance Light Cone and a post-operation dialogue. Note: This type of item will be temporarily stored in the System space and cannot be re-deposited once withdrawn.]

[Option Three: Jerk involuntarily—Completion Reward: Obtain a random item, ranging from small as a matchstick to large as a star-destroying ship. Note: These items will be temporarily stored in the System space and cannot be retracted once taken out.]

Bochang didn't expect to trigger a "Dating Option" even in this situation.

It seems these options indeed have nothing to do with romance; they're essentially randomly triggered.

"You only deserve the name 'Dating Options,' right...?" Bochang muttered weakly, feeling slightly exasperated.

Next, he began analyzing the three options carefully.

Option One's body state recovery appeared least beneficial but offered the quickest way to regain mobility.

Option Two's reward was a specialty from the Star world.

The Light Cone was invented by the Garden of Recollection... Those followers of Fulbright Aeon developed it by refining fragments of Remembrance. The resulting Light Cone not only preserved Remembrance but also retained experiences and abilities, making it an exceptionally valuable enhancement-type Curio.

Even within the Interstellar Peace Corporation, these are considered rare items.

However, without any Fate Path power, Bochang might not be able to use it effectively.

That's no issue either.

Whether gifted or sold, it would still be valuable.

Option three with its random item is entirely a gamble. Last time, he took a chance among twelve talismans; this time, there's even less predictability, making it highly uncertain.

Worth noting—though perhaps Bochang's previous prayer had some effect—there was no appearance of Big Booty this round.

All three rewards seem decent.

"Yet again, a Light Cone with the Abundance attribute... This makes two occurrences now. Could my compatibility with the Abundance fate path be particularly good?"

Recalling that his earlier reward unlocked the Abundance fate path and granted him a random Imaginary power, Bochang formed this hypothesis.

However, it was merely speculation.

If he had chosen the Abundance fate path at that time, the black-haired youth would have undoubtedly seized this four-star Light Cone without hesitation.

But now...

With the Dragon Talisman's influence, Bochang needed to hesitate a bit.

"There's still plenty of time; my stamina can recover gradually, no rush... After all, with the Dragon Talisman's magical nourishment and my physique enhanced by fifty percent, the recovery speed should be quite fast..."

The fact that he woke up only half an hour after exhausting his stamina demonstrated Bochang's strong recuperation ability.

As the black-haired man prepared to dismiss Option 1, a sudden realization struck him.

"Wait... I don't even have the strength to nod or speak right now... If I make a choice, will the system assist me somehow?"

[No, you must find your own way. If unable to complete the task, the consequences will be borne by you.]

Bochang hesitated.

Recalling the previous "Unpredictable Consequences," he had reason to believe that if he failed to complete the task or did not perform adequately, the most likely outcome would be no reward or a reduced one.

"Should I take a chance? Even if it doesn't succeed, at least nothing disastrous will happen."

Bochang deliberated for a long time.

The countdown for the [Dating Options] had already begun:

[Ten, nine, eight...]

"Forget it. Instead of wasting options, better to restore my mobility first, just in case this happens again..." Bochang decided against gambling and chose, "Option One!"

After making his decision, the world around him resumed its motion...

The black-haired youth remained motionless on the gray-haired girl's back.

Stelle remarked, "Not sure, but he woke up earlier, so there shouldn't be any major issues."

Due to the urgency of the situation,

everyone only began to relax once inside the elevator. Before Stelle could check on Bochang, it was Dan Heng who brought up the concern first.