Chapter 16: Misdirection and Enticement

Heimu: "……"

Her mouth corner twitched with an unprecedented amplitude, and she felt her embarrassment cancer about to flare up.

"What's the situation? You… are?"

The Modified Black Tower Doll lowered its arm, and with its double‑pupil‑like inverted‑cross eyes "stared" at Heimu; its inorganic voice replied: "System."

"Ah, this?"

Heimu circled the freshly renewed doll twice, scanning up and down, "You're the system? So you had me steal a doll, and the main purpose is to give yourself a body?"

The Black Tower Doll gave a slight nod; although its facial expression was stiff, its tone carried a precisely calculated, highly "emotionally intelligent" respect: "Esteemed lady, finding a suitable Auxiliary Carrier for you is merely a trivial part. More importantly, this declares to the vast universe that the era belonging to 'Black Curtain Lady' has taken a crucial first step. This act's symbolic significance far exceeds the carrier's intrinsic value."

"Still the first step?"

Heimu crossed her arms irritably, "I'm now a tasty morsel; everyone wants a bite, and the problem is they actually can succeed in biting!"

She was referring to Bolka and any other possible threats.

"Speak, why insist on a body? Don't tell me it's just to flatter more conveniently."

The Black Tower Doll remained expressionless, but its tone stayed deferential: "The core purpose is always to better assist you, lady. Having a physical form allows more efficient command execution, environment analysis, and, when necessary, physical support. Moreover,"

it paused, its violet‑red inverted‑cross eyes flickered, "it can also express, in a more 'intuitive' manner, its reverence for your supreme wisdom and authority."

Heimu narrowed her eyes slightly, looking at the system wearing a Black Tower face, speaking respectful words while doing a spiteful act, and suddenly felt utterly weary.

What on earth is this!

At that moment, the Black Tower Doll spoke again, getting to the point, beginning its "Auxiliary" duty: "Replaying the recent Space Station operation for you."

The Black Tower Doll analyzed in a flat electronic tone: "Lady, your infiltration was swift, causing no large‑scale alarm, successfully avoiding direct conflict with Black Tower Lady, highly efficient. Especially during the final extraction, you deliberately appeared before the Pioneer 'Star', completing a 'Theft' with a visually striking and mysterious posture, leaving a meaningful glance that greatly stimulated the key individual's imagination and unease; 'Pleasure' rating: Excellent."

【Perspective shift: Black Tower Space Station】

Aisida Station Chief stood nearby, her tone apologetic and puzzled: "Black Tower Lady, we have thoroughly checked all surveillance logs, from the backup storage room to every surrounding passage, and captured no suspicious entries or exits. The energy sensors also show no abnormal fluctuations... it's as if that doll vanished into thin air."

And Black Tower herself was personally conducting scan diagnostics in the stolen room.

Her petite face showed little expression, but those who know her understand that such silence often heralds a storm.

"Vanish into thin air? Hmph, on my turf, nothing is truly 'thin air'."

Suddenly, the scanner emitted a faint beep.

Black Tower crouched, and from a nearly visual blind spot metal frame in the corner extracted a spray‑paint pattern almost blending with the background—a distinctly styled, slightly street‑graffiti‑flavored pixel‑style logo.

"This is...?"

Aisida leaned in, recognizing the "infamous" mark on the interstellar net, "Yinlang's LOGO?!"

The Black Tower Doll paused slightly, as if formulating the most "emotionally intelligent" phrasing, then, appearing as a question but actually guiding praise, said: "Especially admirable is that you seem... to have intentionally left a unique mark belonging to the Star Core Hunter Yinlang? This act appears casual yet is exquisite; my humble self is blunt—could you elucidate its deeper meaning so we may better comprehend your far‑sighted strategy?"

Heimu listened to the system's roundabout flattery, and her mouth twitched again.

(Inner thought: Pretty good at playing! Fine, I'll cooperate!)

She crossed her arms, feigning profundity as she explained: "It's simple: misdirection and enticement."

"Black Tower isn't a fool; a simple logo can't fully deceive her. But at least it gives her an initial investigative lead, a ready capable 'suspect'."

Heimu paced, her skirt swaying lightly, "This will be a smoke bomb, prompting her to tangle with the Star Core Hunter and Yinlang first. Whatever the outcome, for us it's a kind of game, a 'diverting disaster water eastward'."

She paused, a mischievous gleam flashing in her violet‑black eyes: "Moreover, giving that lawless net‑hacker some trouble, getting her targeted by Black Tower, causing a headache for a while... isn't that also a form of 'Pleasure'? Watching them scramble due to baseless suspicion and trouble, Aha would surely be pleased."

The Black Tower Doll interjected timely, data streams flashing across its inverted‑cross eyes: "Exquisite strategy. One stone, two birds, both confusing perception and adding extra fun to Pleasure. Lady, your power is great, and your grasp of strategy and the essence of 'Pleasure' is equally unfathomable. Leaving the mark may seem casual yet contains such deep consideration; I, your subordinate, admire it."

In short...

Can't continue, it's still a bit awkward; Heimu rubbed her head, she truly finds this manner of speaking hard to endure.

Black Tower stared at the Yinlang logo, brows knit.

"Did that little hacker do it?"

She snorted coldly, "Can't rule out misdirection. But with her brazen personality, leaving such a provocative logo isn't beyond her."

She again carefully sensed the faint residual data of the logo: "Vanish into thin air, alter reality data... this does resemble her methods. Yet the energy residue feels... off, too clean, even I can't trace a precise source..."

A sharp glint flashed in Black Tower's eyes.

"Either Yinlang's tech has advanced, or... another master is involved, one profoundly adept with data and space."

Regardless, someone daring to steal on her turf and leave a logo is a naked provocation!

"Hmph, whoever dares to set their idea against me will have to pay the price!"

Black Tower sneered, and the surrounding air seemed to drop a few degrees.

Aisida, standing aside, watched Black Tower Lady's "I'm displeased, someone is about to have bad luck" expression, and silently lit a candle in her heart for the unknown thief (or thieves).

Anyone with eyes can see that Black Tower Lady is truly angry this time; surely someone is about to have serious misfortune.