Chapter 67

Yinlang's fingertips left a afterimage on the Virtual Keyboard, and a Data Rift visible only to her silently unfolded in the Base Cabin Section of the Black Tower Space Station.

She stepped out lightly as if passing through a water curtain, and her quantized body quickly solidified.

After standing still, she clicked her tongue impatiently.

"Honestly, Kafuka is being way too cautious…"

Yinlang muttered softly, her blue‑gray hair looking a bit unruly under the cabin's soft light, "Isn't it just that the Black Tower's 'Plot' temporarily disappeared? It's not gone completely, so why do I have to verify it…"

Despite the complaint, she immediately entered the mode.

As a genius hacker, infiltrating this space station she had "visited" more than once was no difficulty.

She could feel that the previously ubiquitous sense of surveillance had indeed vanished, replaced by a more… mundane atmosphere.

The space station still operated orderly under Aisida's management, yet it seemed to have lost the gaze of its soul figure.

(It seems the Black Tower is truly absent. Getting her to leave her most beloved 'toy library' isn't easy.)

Yinlang thought this as she slipped through toward the Main Control Cabin Section, avoiding the main corridor's monitoring nodes by memory as casually as strolling through her own backyard.

As she passed through a Ring Corridor linking the Base Cabin Section and the Main Control Cabin Section, a faint conversation from the corner ahead made her halt instantly, her body instinctively pressed against the cold cabin wall, hiding herself in the shadow of a visual blind spot.

She cautiously stuck out half a head toward the source of the voice—then, the next moment, she jerked back, pressed her back tightly against the wall, her face full of disbelief.

(That is… Black Tower? And Ruan Mei?)

She would never mistake them.

The Black Tower's signature chestnut‑brown long hair and purple‑black dress, and Ruan Mei's ethereal, graceful figure.

They were standing over there, seemingly conversing.

(Since when have they become this… close?)

However, a scene that made her pupils quake followed immediately.

Because of the angle, from Yinlang's viewpoint she clearly saw 'Black Tower' step toward Ruan Mei, and then… their silhouettes almost overlapped!

'Black Tower' seemed to also reach out, stroking Ruan Mei's cheek!

(Wait… she, they… are… kissing?!)

The thought exploded in Yinlang's mind like a bolt of thunder, petrifying her instantly.

She could even imagine the startled expression that might appear on Ruan Mei's usually calm, unruffled face (though she couldn't actually see the front).

(The two of them… are actually in this kind of relationship?!)

The hacker lady's brain CPU nearly crashed from the overload of information.

She blinked hard, then stole another glance; 'Black Tower' had already stepped back, yet the faint intimacy between the two still lingered.

(No wonder… they were busy… uh, dating?)

Yinlang felt her worldview struck by an unprecedented shock.

She shook her head, forcing herself to calm down.

(No, staying here too long isn't advisable! If we're discovered…)

She didn't want to get tangled in this level of 'gossip' hub, especially since it involved two Genius Club members!

Yinlang held her breath, using her superb stealth skills, retreating like a true Data Ghost along the way, silent and many times faster than her arrival, as if a Patrol Hunt Star God were chasing her from behind.

【Star Core Hunters Temporary Base】

Kafuka was sitting elegantly on the sofa, polishing her uniquely designed gun, and when she saw Yinlang's silhouette solidify through the projection device, a gentle smile appeared on her face.

"Back already? How's the situation?" she set the gun down, her magenta eyes looking at Yinlang, her tone as calmly as always.

However, Yinlang's expression was unusually odd.

She opened her mouth, as if wanting to say something, yet not knowing where to start.

"Black Tower… it's fine."

Yinlang finally managed a dry sentence, her gaze drifting, unwilling to meet Kafuka's probing eyes.

Kafuka tilted her head slightly, keenly noticing Yinlang's oddity: "Fine? Then why that expression?"

Yinlang inhaled deeply, as if making a decision, and spoke rapidly: "She's… tangled up with someone!"

After saying that, she seemed afraid Kafuka would keep probing for details, so she turned and hurried toward her own room, leaving only a rushed silhouette.

Kafuka: "…"

She watched Yinlang's almost 'fleeing in panic' silhouette, and for the first time her elegant face showed obvious confusion.

She gently lifted the steaming red tea on the nearby table, took a sip, and murmured softly, her tone carrying genuine bewilderment:

"Tangled…?"

"With whom tangled?"

"…what does 'tangled' even mean?"

【System Space Lower Platform】

Warm-colored light gently spilled onto the carpet‑covered platform area, and the books and Small Gadget brought by Xi Lian made the place no longer cold, but rather a carefully arranged secure enclave.

Black Curtain Lady's figure appeared silently in this space, her purple‑black eyes calmly settling on the pink‑haired girl sitting on the carpet.

At the moment Xi Lian appeared, she sensed it, her slender body tensed, and the fingers clasping her knees tightened slightly.

She lifted her head, and in her azure eyes lay complex emotions: lingering fear, newly born confusion, and a faint glimmer of resolve.

"You… have decided?"

Heimu spoke, his voice slower than usual, less ethereal echo, and more the solemnity of Consent.

Xi Lian lightly nodded, her voice soft yet clear: "Hmm… I'm willing… to give it a try."

With the words spoken, the two fell into a brief silence.

Heimu didn't know what to do next, while Xi Lian anxiously awaited the unknown Consent process.

Large eyes stared at small eyes, and a subtle awkwardness lingered in the air.

(Hmm... then? The system only said it requires "Consent", what is the exact procedure? Handshake? Oath? Or …)

Heimu felt a bit helpless inside, sensing that her role as a "Savior" was not professional enough.

She raised her hand without a flicker, traced a motion in the air, and summoned the System Panel that only she could see.

"System,"

She remotely contacted the system puppet still on duty in the Black Tower Office with her thoughts, "How exactly should the 'Consent' step be carried out?"

【Command received. Generating interactive interface.】

A faint light appeared before Xi Lian, coalescing into a simple Semi-transparent Panel, bearing only two archaic characters—【Consent】.

But the two characters were a dull gray at this moment, lifeless.

【Guide the target to focus on the panel. When the 'Consent' will reaches the critical point, and the target's inner 'Cognition' and 'trust' toward you meet the criteria, the text will light up. At that time, you may click to confirm.】

The system calmly explained.

Heimu understood, looked at Xi Lian, pointed at the hovering panel: "Focus your mind, look at it. Think of the decision you just made."

Xi Lian obeyed, her azure eyes fixed on the gray 【Consent】 characters, a slight furrow forming on her brow as she strained to mobilize some inner power, trying to trust the mysterious and powerful presence before her, trusting the "Rescue" path she promised.

Time passed minute by minute.

Heimu waited patiently; she could feel the mental wave emanating from Xi Lian, a struggle to break through the inner Barrier.

Finally, the gray panel changed!