Welt tried to hold on

Under the command of Asta, the Doomsday Beast temporarily docked at the space station's platform.

The entire platform was clearly designed to accommodate spaceships, with sufficient height and width. But I couldn't help but wonder—what would Pom-Pom on the train think if she saw a Doomsday Beast lying right next to her?

Lin Shuang had no objections. In fact, Asta had surprisingly agreed to her rather 'playful' suggestion.

Though the Doomsday Beast was powerful, after being 'tamed' by Lin Shuang, it was no different from a well-trained mount. It was completely obedient and reliant on her, almost like an oversized pet.

Aside from being unable to speak, it behaved no differently from a regular adult. Even Asta could see how docile these two powerful beasts had become, which is why she agreed to Lin Shuang's proposal.

The only question was whether Herta would allow her to keep them.

If not, Lin Shuang could always send the Doomsday Beast to roam freely in Luofu. There were plenty of caves on the Xianzhou side, and since Lin Shuang had some level of friendship with Jing Yuan, Fu Xuan, and Yukong, she figured they wouldn't mind her leaving it there.

After finishing her conversation with the Doomsday Beast, Lin Shuang turned her attention back to the others.

Welt, who had been observing from the side, adjusted his glasses and maintained a calm expression. "Miss Lin, shall we head elsewhere for now?"

"Right, we should check up on Stelle first."

Even though she knew nothing would happen, it was still best to undergo a check-up. No one objected, so Lin Shuang and March 7th supported Stelle and took the elevator back to the main control cabin.

After Lin Shuang's earlier performance, the entire train crew's perception of her had shifted significantly. However, Welt's gaze lingered on her now and then, as if comparing her to someone from his memories.

Himeko, who had been checking something on her phone, suddenly looked up at Lin Shuang. "Speaking of which, I recently heard that an envoy of the Order of Destruction was nearly killed in the Xianzhou Luofu. They say it was the work of an outsider."

"Isn't that the news Uncle Yang got? He mentioned the rumors were exaggerated, so we didn't pay them much attention."

March 7th, always quick to keep a conversation going, chimed in naturally.

Welt adjusted his glasses again. He didn't particularly want to involve himself in this topic but spoke anyway. "March is right. It's just a widely spread rumor—nothing to take too seriously."

Himeko glanced at Lin Shuang with a teasing smile. "You know, I had a feeling the name 'Lin Shuang' sounded familiar. Then I remembered—I heard that very name in those rumors. Right?"

She turned to Welt for confirmation.

"…Yes," Welt admitted. "They say the outsider suddenly emerged from nowhere, shrouded in mystery."

He hadn't expected the person in those reports to be standing right before him. The fact that he could discuss it so calmly spoke volumes about his self-restraint. Still, there was something indescribable in his tone—an emotion only he understood.

"Wait… what?!" March 7th's eyes widened as she looked between Himeko and Lin Shuang in shock. "Himeko, are you saying that the person in those rumors is actually Lin Shuang?!"

Lin Shuang had never intended to hide anything, but she hadn't expected word to spread so fast. The galaxy was vast, yet somehow even the Astral Express had caught wind of her actions.

And, of course, the details had been twisted beyond recognition.

"How did the story turn into me taking down that Emanator? If the General of Divine Foresight hadn't arrived when he did, I would've been in serious trouble."

To be fair, even though Jing Yuan had been a bit late, his timing was ultimately impeccable. Otherwise, Lin Shuang would've had to summon Acheron.

Hearing her open admission, Himeko chuckled. "So, rumors can't be trusted after all."

"Whoa—so it really was you?! Lin Shuang, you're amazing! That was an Emanator of Destruction! I haven't even seen one before!"

March 7th clung to Stelle's arm, still marveling at Lin Shuang's legendary experience.

After all, no ordinary person would encounter an Emanator of Destruction out of nowhere. That kind of misfortune was a rare occurrence.

"That's not something I wanted to see," Lin Shuang replied modestly. "And that Emanator wasn't exactly a combat powerhouse. Otherwise, I wouldn't have stood a chance."

Unfortunately, her humility only made her seem more impressive.

—

After escorting Stelle back to the main control cabin, they found a place for her to rest.

Asta was still busy organizing things and hadn't come to check on them yet. Meanwhile, Himeko and the others gathered in a corner, waiting as the medical team performed a basic examination on Stelle.

"…By the way, Lin Shuang," March 7th suddenly approached and asked bluntly, "did you know from the start that the Stellaron was inside her?"

"March—"

Dan Heng interjected, trying to prevent her from pressing further.

That was a sensitive subject. The logical approach was to leave it alone. If Herta chose not to bring it up, then neither should they.

Both parties had a tacit understanding to avoid conflict.

"It's fine. It's not like I can't tell you," Lin Shuang reassured him with a smile. Though Dan Heng was quiet, he was definitely reliable. Compared to his game counterpart, she felt his combat ability wasn't much weaker, even without tapping into his past self's power.

It was simply that he chose to restrain himself.

"It's nothing, really. I just saw the Stellaron being placed inside her. I was in the containment chamber at the time, remember?"

She glanced at Stelle, who was still sound asleep on the folding bed beside her.

"She was unconscious back then, and I had to go find Arlan. Carrying her with me wasn't an option, so I just cleared out the monsters along the way. That's when I ran into her and March 7th."

"Oh—so that's why Stelle and I didn't encounter any enemies when we left!" March 7th clapped her hands in realization.

Welt, who had been listening carefully, suddenly asked, "Miss Lin, do you know who was responsible for this?"

"Stellaron Hunters."

At her words, both Himeko and Welt frowned.

Stellaron Hunters didn't have the best reputation across the universe. Their methods were often aggressive, with little regard for collateral damage.

But more importantly, if Stelle's situation was their doing, then it was likely tied to the 'slave of fate.'

---

T/N: God damn this AI shit be making my life a twenty billion times easier like its crazy like a good pace was like 1 chapter every 40 min but I cut that down to like 10. What was I thinking before?