"Let's go, kid," Herta called out to Fu Lin, who was still standing there.
"...So how old are you?" Fu Lin caught up, looking curiously at the puppet-like Herta.
"Hasn't anyone ever taught you not to ask a woman's age?" Herta said, her expression darkening.
"As long as you're not over fifty thousand, I think it's fine..." Fu Lin replied, not noticing that Herta had already pulled out a hammer larger than herself.
"Why aren't you saying anything..." Fu Lin turned to see Herta behind him, then immediately turned and ran without hesitation.
----------------------
"Fu Lin, why are you here?" Fu Shi curiously asked as she watched Fu Lin suddenly dash out.
"Ahem! I came to find you guys. Where's Stelle?" Fu Lin replied as he turned back after hearing Fu Shi's call.
"She's rummaging through that trash can..." Fu Shi pointed to Stelle behind her, speaking in a bored tone.
At this moment, Stelle poked her head out of the trash can, excitedly holding up a trash bag and shouting, "Found treasure!"
Fu Lin, "..."
Fu Shi, "..."
"What's she doing..." Fu Lin muttered through clenched teeth, watching Stelle stow the trash and run off to dig through another trash can.
"I don't know either. It's like she loses control whenever she sees a trash can..." Fu Shi rubbed her forehead, speechless as she looked at Stelle.
Herta walked out from around the corner and, seeing Stelle rummaging through trash cans in the distance, asked, "Is this little brat the current 'Stellaron' holder?"
"That's right," Fu Lin said, nodding as he stepped behind Fu Shi.
"Then I need to take a good look." Herta walked toward Stelle and called out, "Hey, kid, let me take a look at your body."
Stelle popped her head out of the trash can and curiously looked at Herta. Tilting her head, she asked in confusion, "Who are you? If you want to see my body, beg me~"
Herta, "I'm begging you~"
"Be gentle with me~ Do you need me to strip completely?" Stelle said coyly, revealing her pale shoulders.
Fu Shi's eyes widened as she saw Stelle about to undress. She quickly covered Fu Lin's eyes, exclaiming, "Why is she so wild..."
Fu Lin, "..." I want to see...
"No need." Herta hastily stopped Stelle's outrageous actions and began examining her. Occasionally, she touched her while marveling aloud.
"...She didn't strip completely?" Fu Lin pried Fu Shi's hands away and looked at Stelle. He sighed in disappointment upon seeing her fully dressed.
"You actually wanted to see!" Fu Shi punched Fu Lin in the head and grabbed his ear, growling, "You pervert!"
"Listen to my excuse... no, I mean explanation! I'm just curious about what's special about Stelle's body. I have absolutely no other thoughts!" Fu Lin quickly waved his hands, feeling the pain from his ear.
At this moment, Herta's voice of astonishment rang out again:
"Amazing. To restrain this unactivated Stellaron and save it from disaster, I built an entire space station..."
"But someone managed to solve it with just this brat's body—how?"
"Of course, it's thanks to the body my parents gave me." Stelle stood with her hands on her hips, puffing out her chest with a proud expression.
"Hm?" Herta turned to look at Fu Lin and Fu Shi, who frantically shook their heads, denying any involvement.
Herta also shook her head, dismissing the idea. "Impossible. For these two to create such a unique body... not unless the sky falls."
Fu Lin, Fu Shi, "..."
"Can I conduct some research on you?" Herta asked Stelle again.
"No way!... Unless you pay extra!" Stelle crossed her arms, and just as everyone thought she'd refuse, she abruptly changed her tone.
"She's just like you, Fu Lin~" Fu Shi gave Stelle a suspicious look, wondering if Fu Lin had been secretly up to no good. How else could someone be born this sneaky?
Unfortunately, some people are indeed born this way, right, Stelle?
"No way. I'm not as sneaky as her!" Fu Lin shook his head in denial, emphasizing how far apart they were.
"Wow~ You even have a business mind. I'll wait for you in the office—be quick." Herta stroked her chin, eyeing Stelle with great interest before suddenly freezing in place.
"What happened to her?" Fu Shi asked curiously, seeing Herta suddenly stop moving.
"She probably transferred her consciousness to another puppet," Fu Lin speculated. He approached Herta's puppet and poked its cheek, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.
"Just like Otto? How annoying," Fu Shi crossed his arms, scornfully remarking.
"She mentioned going to the office. Does anyone know where it is?"
Stelle shook her head. "Emmm, no idea..."
Then Stelle shook Herta's puppet. Moments later, her phone buzzed in her pocket. Seeing that it was a message from Herta, Stelle quickly pulled out her phone to read it.