The commotion over at the Simulated Universe space station was exactly as Bai Ming had anticipated.
In truth, Screwllum was well aware of the precarious position inorganic life held. The IPC was never particularly thrilled to see another mechanical being ascend to the status of a Genius.
Ordinarily, if a machine showed even a spark of potential to become a Genius, the IPC would have moved in swiftly to "intervene."
But this incident was anything but ordinary.
No one could have guessed that a supercomputer could go from birth and self-awareness to being recognized by Nous as a Genius in such a staggering heartbeat of time.
Furthermore, the Simulated Universe was technically a joint venture cobbled together by Herta and her peers. By the time the IPC even realized what was happening, the board was already set.
It wasn't just that #85 was surrounded by several Geniuses and even an Aeon. Even without them, there was still the Land of Light to contend with.
Those folks didn't care for corporate red tape; if you dared to lay a finger on someone who had never committed a crime under the flimsy pretext of them being a "potential threat," the Giants of Light would be at your front door the next day to show you the true meaning of a "righteous beatdown."
The IPC had suffered plenty of setbacks from them over the last few centuries.
Had this not involved matters concerning Emperor Rubert III—which tended to trigger a Pavlovian stress response in the company's senior staff—this internal friction wouldn't have made much noise at all.
After all, picking a fight with the Land of Light was a losing game.
The fact that the IPC remained idle was clear proof of their hesitation.
However, a quiet surface didn't mean there wasn't turbulence underneath. Screwllum remained cautious and deliberate in his movements, guarding against any unexpected "accidents."
Herta, on the other hand, was far more direct.
The Simulated Universe had always been a long-term project dear to her heart. Now that it had evolved into a Genius in its own right, she was even more fond of it.
Consequently, when a swarm of mortal "flies" gathered from who-knows-where to harass the Simulated Universe station daily, she reached her limit.
Even though the Simulated Universe was perfectly capable of fending them off itself, Herta was incensed.
She eventually took matters into her own hands, dealing out a harsh dose of "discipline" to those who lacked eyes to see, which finally made the rabble settle down.
Bai Ming kept an eye on the festivities over at Amphoreus, mostly through her puppet.
Initially, she hadn't planned on interfering, believing the Simulated Universe was more than capable of handling its own affairs.
However, she couldn't resist Herta's insistence that they all get involved in the new Genius's "early childhood education."
Herta was terrified that some ill-intentioned senior Genius might lead the Simulated Universe astray.
In the end, even Bai Ming wasn't spared; she was forced to split her attention to help tutor this new addition to the Society.
Meanwhile, her travels with Mei to find a permanent home continued. It just so happened that when they arrived at The Blue, they crossed paths with the Astral Express.
The train hadn't landed on the planet itself but was docked at Herta Space Station. According to AI Herta, the Express had taken on a commission from Madam Herta to collect Curios in exchange for rewards.
While various factions had invested in the Express to build goodwill when it first set sail, it wasn't realistic to expect them to keep the credits flowing forever.
A few years had passed, and though the Crew's finances were still healthy, the numbers were steadily ticking downward.
Thus, Himeko continued to manage business ventures like this to keep the train's coffers replenished.
Upon seeing the Astral Express, a sudden spark of inspiration hit Mei.
"What do you think about me joining the Astral Express? The environment inside is nice, and more importantly, it could take me to many places without us having to search for them manually."
"...You, joining the Express?"
Bai Ming blinked, momentarily stunned.
It wasn't that she wanted to stop her, but she couldn't help but wonder how Mr. Yang would feel if he hopped on board only to find Himeko and Mei both staring back at him.
To make matters worse, she had crafted a Herrscher of Thunder outfit for Mei. If Mei wore that Valkyrie armor during their first meeting, Welt's expression would be a sight to behold.
Speaking of which... when exactly did Welt board the train?
Theoretically, the main story was only a few years away. It made sense that March 7th wasn't there yet, as it was still the era of Evernight, but when did Welt cross over?
And what exactly was the relationship between the Solar System of Honkai Impact 3rd and this world?
Were they parallel universes, or was it simply tucked away in some undiscovered corner of the cosmos?
Since Bai Ming didn't possess the power of Trailblaze, she truly couldn't handle the task of pinpointing specific worlds.
Even the Aeon of Trailblaze hadn't finished measuring the entire universe; Bai Ming didn't think she could do much better.
Seeing Bai Ming lost in thought, Acheron looked at her with a hint of confusion. "Is something bothering you?"
"No, nothing. Just thinking about a few things. Shall we go take a look at the train?"
Bai Ming gestured toward the Express. Since Mei liked the idea, wandering with the train for a while sounded like a plan.
One had to admit, the title of "Nameless" was just too convenient. If you didn't know what to do in this world, go to the Astral Express. If you didn't know where you were going, go to the Astral Express.
Unfortunately, most people found it hard to abandon everything they knew to board a train headed for the eternal unknown. The mere decision to step onto those tracks required immense courage.
Bai Ming led Mei to Herta Space Station. It had been a long time since she'd visited in person.
Compared to years ago, the station hadn't changed much, aside from being a bit more crowded.
Having received word of Bai Ming's visit, Himeko was already waiting on the train. As soon as they arrived, they were greeted by her.
Standing beside Himeko was a cheerful-looking woman wearing glasses.
Bai Ming recognized her immediately.
"Razalina? You've rejoined the Express?"
"Hello. I am Razalina Jane Estella. Thank you for saving my life back then. Tiernan and Mikhail still can't let go of the Family, so they ultimately decided I should board the train to see what the world looks like today."
Razalina stood up and gave a slightly stiff, nervous bow. Her eyes held a mixture of anxiety and curiosity. After all, she owed Bai Ming her life, yet they were essentially strangers.
"That's wonderful. You slept for so long; it's good to get out and see things."
"It really is. I feel the same way. Besides, the universe today is so vibrant. I love it."
Razalina seemed genuinely enamored with the current era—perhaps the novelty hadn't worn off yet.
Bai Ming turned to Himeko. "Where are Hysilens and the others?"
"They're taking the new members of the Crew on a tour of the space station."
"New members? It's rare to see new faces. Who are they?"
Bai Ming was intrigued. Had someone unexpected joined the Crew?
Himeko smiled and nodded. It truly was a rare occasion. While the Express often had temporary passengers for a few stops, permanent members were few and far between.
"There are two of them. A human named Welt, and an inorganic being named Void Archives. I picked them up in the cosmos a while ago. They are both quite capable."
Himeko hesitated slightly when she said "quite capable." It seemed she was struggling with her choice of words, but she settled on that description nonetheless.
Bai Ming didn't know much about Void Archives, but considering he had been "marinated" in Otto's influence for so long, he likely spent his time spouting cryptic nonsense.
No wonder the Conductor would eventually kick him off.
But still... he finally made it on board. Old Man Yang.
"Is this their first time at Herta Space Station?"
Himeko nodded. "It is. Welt seems to have a great fondness for mecha and armored constructs. I imagine he'll find the station quite fascinating."
The corner of Bai Ming's mouth quirked up. That big robot-loving nerd... if he saw the station transform, he'd probably look twenty years younger from pure joy.
Not to mention the train car that could transform into a heavy-duty combat unit. He'd probably love that too.
Should I swap Mei into a classic Valkyrie suit? Like Flamescion or Void? Just to mess with him?
As Bai Ming plotted, she suddenly realized something else. "Hey, Himeko, do you have enough spare rooms on the train?"
The Express had plenty of cars, but they all had specific functions. Actual bedrooms were in short supply.
"It is a bit cramped. I was actually wondering if I should use this trip to the station to arrange for an expansion."
Currently, Cerydra and Hysilens shared a room, while Himeko, Dan Heng, and Razalina each had their own. Welt and Void Archives were currently sleeping in rooms that had been hastily tidied up.
It wasn't that they couldn't sleep there, but it was certainly a tight fit. There were still spaces on the train that could be converted into proper private quarters.
"Perfect timing, then. Let us help you build them."
Bai Ming figured she could design a bedroom in the Izumo style that Mei liked. Since it was essentially a blank slate, she could build whatever she wanted.
Himeko was momentarily stunned. Asking an Aeon to help renovate train cabins? What had she, a mere Navigator, done to deserve such an honor?
Bai Ming enthusiastically marched off toward the other cars, leaving Mei behind to explain.
"It's like this, Miss Himeko. I'm thinking of joining the Astral Express. I suspect Bai Ming just wants to make sure my room is built properly."
Hearing this, a bright smile broke across Himeko's face.
She knew Acheron; she was a powerful individual who had reportedly switched to the Path of Permanence and had recently challenged several formidable Scions of Long.
She was incredibly strong, yet not bellicose, with a very pleasant temperament.
Wasn't that ten thousand times better than that chatterbox, Void Archives?
"If Miss Acheron wishes to join the Express, she is more than welcome."
Mei still used the name "Acheron" with outsiders, though if she was joining the Crew, there was no real need to hide her true name.
And just at that moment...
Outside the train, having finished his tour of the station, Welt walked back with a satisfied smile on his face, stepping briskly toward them!
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL