Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Friendliness Level 2 Recruitment? Interesting

【Bright Future Chat Group】

Asta: "@Ms. Herta, are you okay?"

Herta██: "Couldn't be better. My head got ripped off, as you saw."

Asta: "..."

Wangshu: "So uh, can the newbie drop a selfie?"

Ahem — Wangshu noticed this Herta seemed to be in decent spirits, so he warmly welcomed her: "Oh, and welcome, newbie! Group status: -3!"

Herta██: "Ha — haha. Speaking of which, who are you, kid? Never heard your name."

The old guard had Jingliu and Asta. The newcomers included March 7th and the Stellaron kid. But this Wangshu... completely unknown. Though judging by the name, was he related to Jingliu?

Wangshu helpfully clarified: "I'm in Star Calendar Year 6299, so not having heard of me is normal. If you had, then I'd be the one worried."

Herta██ paused: "Star Calendar Year 6299..."

Herta██: "Where are the others?"

Asta: "I'm in Amber 2157, Year 8099. Senior Jingliu is Amber 2158, Year 8100."

No wonder — no wonder Asta could still ask if she was okay... Anyone with eyes could see she was not okay at all!

March 7th: "I just asked Mr. Welt. I'm in Amber 2158, Star Calendar Year 8100 too."

March 7th looked at the Express crew gathered around her, and an inexplicable surge of pride swelled in her chest.

Only Welt was sighing. This familiar feeling of a sudden cast explosion was back. He could only hope it wasn't a Kevin-tier final boss situation. Oh, and here's hoping the Prismatic Trails were monster-free.

Asta: "It sounds like next year — the calm before the storm — might be your last window of leisure, Ms. Herta. Good thing this group exists. I'll keep you posted!"

Herta██: "..."

Jingliu: "What about that Xing? Still hasn't shown up."

Xing: "Cautiously_poking_head_out.jpg"

Xing: "I'm in Amber Era 2157, though by Xianzhou reckoning that should be Star Calendar Year 8102."

Wangshu: ?

Asta: ?

Jingliu: ?

All three veterans — having already cross-referenced timelines — sent simultaneous question marks.

Xing: "My situation might be a bit special. For unknown reasons, the Amber King didn't bring down the hammer in Year 8100."

Xing: "Without confirming my own safety first, I wasn't comfortable trusting everyone right away. Sorry about that."

Xing: "Now it looks like this group really might be a convergence of talents from all sides, so..."

Xing pivoted: "HELP! Bosses! Emperor III is still on its blood-soaked rampage, the Xianzhou on the universe's edge has embraced Propagation and is in an apocalyptic war with the Abundance Aeon, the Hunt isn't standing idle either, Nanook has launched a divine war, and after Scorchwind tore through the Prismatic Trails — Patrevinici and killed the Express crew along the way, there's been nothing to stop the advance."

March 7th: "Tore through the Prismatic Trails... and killed the Express crew?"

The pink-haired girl, whose destination happened to be the Prismatic Trails, felt her smile slowly freeze.

Xing: "Help me! Bosses, how do I survive this?!"

Star Calendar Year 6299, Cangcheng's morning was pleasantly cool. Wangshu made breakfast while scrolling through the group chat.

He'd thought he was the unlucky one — what with the Alluring Swarm Lord, Hoolay, and the abomination Rahu. But looking at this Xing... her life was even more eventful than his!

Wangshu: "You didn't get on the Express at the space station?"

Xing: "No. I heard about the prophecy later, but by then I'd already established myself at Pier Point. Naturally, I didn't take it seriously."

Asta: "That sounds really familiar."

She had a feeling that last night, a certain Xing had told her about her dream.

Asta's fingers trembled. So if Xing stayed at the station and eventually joined the IPC instead of boarding the Express... the universe would deteriorate this badly?

Then what had caused the Xing on her side to skip the Express?

Something about a pink-haired station chief showing off her full power, wasn't it... Could she carry that pot?

Asta: "Xing, are you sure you're not lying?"

Xing: "I swear — all I did was some commerce and interstellar trade. I just didn't bother with that prophecy."

Xing: "Asta, believe me! I even followed the Stonehearts' path. I'm absolutely nothing like Oswaldo!"

Wangshu: "I think I know this timeline."

So even easter eggs could become actual world-lines?

If he remembered correctly, beyond the Stoneheart Eleven's commerce-focused Xing, there was also the universe's strongest boxer Xing, the motivational-speaker gibberish Xing, and... the sleeps-in-bed-until-the-universe-ends sleeping Xing.

Jingliu: "Can you still hold on? @Xing"

She had no strong impression of Xing, but this Trailblazer genuinely seemed to need help.

Xing: "Can't hold on! I feel like I could die any day! Tragedy!"

Asta: "Be honest!"

The chat went quiet for a moment. Xing slowly typed: "Asta?"

Asta: "Everyone here is friendly, Xing. There's no need to exaggerate."

Although the situation Xing described was genuinely dire, upon reflection, it didn't seem to directly threaten a Xing based in Pier Point. Asta had at least that much faith in IPC headquarters.

Wangshu: "?"

Xing: "Probably another half year or so..."

Jingliu: "Damn"

Asta: "Be HONEST!!!"

Xing: "..."

Xing deliberated for a long while: "Fine, fine. Truthfully, all those massive events don't really affect my personal safety. It's just that my department has been hemorrhaging money because of it all. I feel like my career is about to implode — plunging into the abyss with no way back up."

Wangshu: "That does sound pretty rough."

This time it felt genuinely heartfelt — the despair of a corporate drone facing an economic winter with zero promotion prospects. Just less dramatic than the opening pitch.

Asta: "It's the promotion review, isn't it?"

Xing: "...Nothing gets past you. The events I mentioned have complicated my promotion review a bit. Revenue isn't hitting projections."

Asta: "Aren't you on the Stonehearts' track? Can you really unseat Diamond?"

Xing: "Actually it's the Board of Directors. I've already convinced Diamond to back me on the Stonehearts side. Right now, the only remaining competition for the new Board seat is between me and Oswaldo."

Pier Point. A sky-piercing tower's upper floors. A five-thousand-square-meter office, lavishly decorated with cutting-edge tech.

Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows lay a dazzling river of stars and busy aerial traffic. Xing sat in her spacious, comfortable office chair, fingertips lightly steepled beneath her elegantly sculpted chin. Gold eyes reflected the streaming light outside.

"Why does Asta have to be in this group? What a nuisance."

Unfortunately, she and Asta were on good terms. Oh well — invest a little more. A group that could silently enter her mind was worth the investment, at the very least.

Asta: "And then?"

Xing: "Universe goes boom, the hawks behind Oswaldo gain more clout in the IPC, and I'm at a disadvantage. After lurking and studying this group, I noticed the power-borrowing feature and thought I'd play up my misery a bit — maybe earn some sympathy and trade for emergency resources."

Xing: "Forget it. Let's be straightforward, everyone. Normal trade. I guarantee, as an IPC Board of Directors candidate and the eleventh Stoneheart, what I can offer isn't bad."

Wangshu: "Damn"

Jingliu: "Friendliness Level 2 recruitment? Interesting."

The chances of this group ever reaching Friendliness 3 seemed increasingly slim.

March 7th: "Is Xing really this clever?"

Xing: "Smile.jpg"

Wangshu was still in silent contemplation when sounds came from the living room, along with little Jingliu's drowsy voice.

"Little Wangshu, I think I had a nightmare last night. I dreamed enemies broke into our courtyard."