Joining, Adding Another Member!

Hearing that odd 'drip-drip' sound, Wilder's frown deepened, his sense of strangeness intensifying. He felt strongly that this wasn't the sound of a small animal. Besides, since when did Asta keep pets? He'd never heard of it. Surely it couldn't be Peppy?

"Daziel, are you sure that's... the sound of a small animal?" Wilder asked again, his voice laced with skepticism.

Daziel's body tensed slightly. He forced himself to remain calm and replied, "Of course, Mr. Wilder. You might not be familiar with the space station; Miss Asta's hobbies are rather... unique." He tried to gloss over it using the word "unique," but Wilder clearly wasn't easily fooled.

"Unique?" Wilder repeated the word, his gaze darting between the desk and Daziel. "Can I see what kind of small animal it is? I quite like small animals myself."

Saying this, Wilder started walking towards the desk.

Seeing this, March 7th quickly reached out, trying to stop him, but didn't know what to say, her face flushing red with anxiety. Daziel's expression also turned sour; he hadn't expected Wilder to be so persistent.

Just as Wilder was about to reach the desk and bend down to look, Daziel suddenly spoke out: "Mr. Wilder!"

His voice was abruptly sharp, carrying a rare weight of authority and an undeniable command that seemed to make the very air tremble. Wilder's steps halted instantly. He turned his head, slightly surprised, looking questioningly at Daziel, waiting for an explanation.

"Miss Asta's 'small animal' is rather... shy. Approaching so suddenly might frighten it," Daziel said, trying his best to keep his tone calm. "It's better to wait for Miss Asta to return before introducing you."

Wilder stared at Daziel for a moment, apparently trying to gauge the truth in his words. The atmosphere in the office became extremely tense. March 7th's heart leaped into her throat; she could hear it pounding violently. The Herta puppet continued to flip through the document expressionlessly, but her movements had slowed slightly, seemingly paying attention to the situation.

Wilder scratched his head. Although the explanation felt weak, he couldn't immediately think of a more reasonable one. He tugged at the corner of his mouth awkwardly, managing a stiff smile. "Oh... I see. Well then... I'll just go wander outside again. Send me a message when you're done chatting."

Daziel nodded, the slight trembling of his body and the flush in his ears not subsiding. He didn't even speak, merely focusing intently on the strange sensations beneath him.

Bang.

Wilder gently closed the door behind him, leaving the office.

Silence returned to the room, broken only by the faint, persistent "Drip! Drip!" sound. March 7th still covered her face, but she couldn't resist peeking slightly through her fingers. She could clearly hear the sound, imagining the scene under the desk, and her cheeks burned even redder, the heat spreading to her ears.

The Herta puppet acted as if she hadn't heard anything, continuing to peruse the document, her face impassive, as though everything around her was irrelevant.

"..."

Suddenly, a slight cough broke the silence.

Asta's figure slowly emerged from under the desk, like a tender sprout breaking through soil. Her cheeks were flushed crimson like a sunset, her eyes hazy and unfocused as if veiled in mist. A trace of glistening fluid lingered at the corner of her mouth, shimmering suggestively under the lights. Asta couldn't help but cough violently a few more times, her slender shoulders trembling slightly. Clearly, she hadn't fully adjusted to the sudden change – the physiological impact and psychological embarrassment washed over her like a tide, leaving her with an unspeakable discomfort.

"Miss Asta, are you okay?" March 7th heard the sound, quickly lowered her hands from her face, and jogged over to Asta's side, gently patting her back with concern.

"It's... k-koff... stuck in my throat... Spitting it out... will be better..." March 7th whispered softly near Asta's ear, her voice carrying a mix of shyness and concern.

Asta shook her head gently. She took a deep breath, trying hard to calm her ragged breathing. Then, as if having made a firm decision, she forcefully swallowed the glistening trace remaining at the corner of her mouth.

She slowly lifted her head, her gaze complex as she looked at Daziel seated in the chair. Her eyes held a mixture of shyness, anticipation, and an undeniable hint of... satisfaction.

"..." Asta's voice was slightly hoarse yet unusually firm. "Can I... experience it now?"

Daziel looked at Asta. Her cheeks were still crimson, her eyes shimmering with a strange light. He took a deep breath, striving to suppress the churning emotions within him and maintain a calm exterior.

He took another deep breath, forcing himself to stay outwardly cool. He retrieved a coin from his pocket. With a flick of his fingertips, the shining metal coin traced a graceful arc in the air, flipping, jumping, reflecting the office lights dazzlingly.

"As you wish," Daziel said softly. He tossed the coin towards Asta. It flew through the air in an arc, landing precisely in her hand.

Asta gripped the coin tightly, feeling its cool touch. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then slowly clasped the coin in her palm.

"..."

A faint humming sound vibrated in the air. Asta felt her consciousness being drawn by an invisible force, falling into a bottomless vortex. Everything around her began to blur, distort, and finally dissolve into chaos.

When she opened her eyes again, the scene before her was completely new. She found herself in an entirely unfamiliar space.

A figure stood with its back to Asta – tall, with silver hair, dressed in a red and white uniform. Asta's heart suddenly accelerated. A sense of familiarity mixed with strangeness washed over her, and she recognized the figure almost instantly.

"You're... the one Daziel mentioned... Miss Topaz...?" Asta whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

The figure slowly turned around, revealing her true face. It was a beautiful face with delicate features, sharp eyes, and lips slightly upturned in a playful smile. However, Asta's attention at this moment was entirely captivated by Topaz's current posture, unable to look away.

Topaz was on all fours, hands planted on the ground, body leaning forward,sticking her rear high in the air like a little piglet foraging for food. Her buttocks formed an enticing curve, and the tight uniform perfectly outlined her figure, sparking suggestive thoughts.

Asta's cheeks instantly turned scarlet. She had never imagined this senior executive of the Strategic Investment Department could have such... such... a side to her.

"..." Asta's voice trembled; she didn't know how to describe her current feelings. "Miss Topaz... what are you doing?" Asta asked softly, stepping lightly.

Hearing Asta's voice, Topaz's body trembled slightly as if shocked, but she didn't turn around, maintaining the suggestive pose. "I... I'm looking for something..." Topaz's voice was muffled, carrying a hint of deliberate concealment.

"Looking for something? What are you looking for?" Asta pressed further, full of curiosity.

"..." Topaz's voice grew quieter, barely audible like a mosquito's buzz. "If the plugin is lost... Master will be very unhappy..." As she spoke, her body began to tremble slightly, seemingly trying hard to suppress some emotion.

"Plugin? What plugin?" Asta walked over to Topaz's side, slowly crouching down to see what she was looking for. When her gaze fell upon the scene beneath Topaz, her pupils contracted sharply, and her breath hitched for a moment.

"The Aether Coding Plugin, of course," Topaz said, as if discussing something perfectly normal.

Asta moved closer to Topaz, crouching down to get a better look. When Asta clearly saw what was under Topaz, her eyes widened instantly, her mouth forming an "O".

Beneath Topaz wasn't any kind of plugin, but a... a...

"This... This is..." Asta's voice trembled even more violently; she couldn't even bring herself to name the object.

"That's right. This is the 'Purple Mood' I prepared for Topaz. To outsiders, it might look no different from an ordinary Aether Coding Plugin. No one would ever suspect it's actually this sort of thing," Daziel's voice echoed again, tinged with amusement.

Asta felt a wave of heat surge instantly to her cheeks, so intense it felt like it could burn her entirely. Her heart pounded like a drum, almost bursting from her chest. Every breath became rapid and hot, as if the air itself had thinned, making her head spin. Having been a wealthy young lady her entire life, Asta had never witnessed such an... such an unbelievably shocking scene.

"..." Asta struggled to form words, but her throat felt constricted by an invisible force, too dry to make a sound. Her mind went blank, all capacity for thought seemingly obliterated by the sight before her.

Topaz slowly lifted her head, a crimson flush, like a sunset glow, spreading across her cheeks. It was a complex expression mixing shyness and embarrassment with an undeniable hint of excitement. Her eyes held the panic of having a secret discovered, yet also faintly hinted at anticipation and invitation.

"Miss Asta..." Topaz's voice was whisper-soft, like a mosquito's buzz, trembling with uncertainty. "Since... since you've already seen our secret... then... you have to join us..." The end of her sentence tilted upwards slightly, carrying a coquettish undertone. Topaz flashed a slightly shy yet exceptionally bright smile, captivatingly beautiful.

"..." As if bewitched by some magic, Asta involuntarily nodded, her eyes hazy and dazed. Unprecedentedly complex emotions surged within her – shock, embarrassment, curiosity, and even a hint of unspeakable desire intertwined like countless threads, completely robbing her of the ability to think.

"Then... Then Miss Asta..." Topaz's voice became even softer, like lovers' whispers, laced with temptation and probing. "Would you... like to try it too...?"

As she spoke, that alluring smile reappeared on Topaz's face. Her lips curved slightly, her eyes flirtatious, as if inviting Asta to fall into some unknown, forbidden paradise.

Asta stared blankly at Topaz, her chest rising and falling rapidly, feeling as if she were trapped in a bizarre, dazzling dream where everything seemed illusory, unreal, yet filled with an irresistible attraction.

"..." Asta opened her mouth, wanting to say something – perhaps a refusal, perhaps a question – but the words seemed stuck, unable to come out no matter how hard she tried. It was as if all reason and propriety had crumbled under Topaz's tempting smile.

"Come on... Miss Asta..." Topaz's voice was filled with seduction. "Join us... enjoy yourself fully..."

"You... you'll definitely come to like this feeling..." Her words were laden with suggestion and guidance. Topaz's gaze became bolder and more direct, like burning flames, flickering with desire, locked tightly onto Asta, as if wanting to devour her very soul.

Wilder walked aimlessly around the outer perimeter of the space station, the metal floor reflecting his somewhat weary face. The cold mechanical arm of a vending machine extended, dispensing a chilled drink. He popped the tab, and the cold, carbonated water flooded his mouth, carrying the faint taste of cheap sweetener.

His phone screen lit up. It was a message from Asta. He tapped the screen, opening the message—

[Asta: Mr. Wilder, I regret to inform you that the previous collaboration plan has unfortunately been cancelled.]

[Asta: However, Lady Herta has specifically requested to see you. Please come as soon as possible.]

[Asta: Please reply upon receipt.]

Wilder frowned slightly, tilted his head back, and drained the rest of the drink. The soda can crumpled in his hand with a crunch. He casually tossed the empty can into a nearby trash bin and turned back towards Asta's office.

"Collaboration cancelled? Lady Herta wants to see me?" Wilder muttered to himself as he walked, fingers swiping across his phone screen, reconfirming Asta's message. "These people on the space station, what tricks are they playing now..."

Returning to Asta's office, Wilder found the room empty except for Daziel sitting on the sofa, fingers deftly manipulating a coin.

"Where is Miss Asta?" Wilder asked directly. "Didn't she just message me? Why isn't she back yet?"

Daziel glanced up at Wilder, the coin flipping between his fingertips, his voice casual, "She went to take care of some business. You probably won't be seeing her on Herta Space Station for a while."

Wilder was puzzled but didn't dwell on it. He walked to the desk, pulled out the chair, sat down, and sighed. "Is that so. I thought I could collect a hefty handling fee and boost my performance figures."

Suddenly, a cold, mechanical voice resonated in the room, echoing directly in his mind, devoid of emotion yet full of authority. "Forget about performance figures for now. Perhaps you should consider whether the Corporation will demote you."

Wilder froze, snapping his head up, looking around for the source of the voice. He saw the head of a puppet in the corner of the room slowly turn, its glowing eyes fixed on him. It was Herta's puppet, the master of the space station.

"Lady Herta?" Wilder asked tentatively.

Herta's puppet didn't answer immediately, just watched him silently. The atmosphere in the room grew somewhat oppressive.

"I did your Corporation a favor, participating as some champion candidate, and ended up infected with a special meme," Herta's voice sounded again, this time with a questioning edge. "Shouldn't you give me, Lady Herta herself, a reasonable explanation?"

Wilder's heart leaped in alarm, instantly understanding the gravity of the situation. "What?! Meme infection?!" He remembered Director Topaz mentioning it – an extremely dangerous form of mental contamination that could even lead to identity dissociation.

___

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