Space station 55: Silver Wolf: (Boiling Point) Kafka, you &$#!

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Previously, Silver Wolf had no real understanding of the situation.

Now, learning that Kafka was Su Qing's ex-girlfriend perfectly aligned with her image of a deceitful woman.

In her mind, Silver Wolf swiftly envisioned a scenario where Kafka toyed with Su Qing's emotions before heartlessly breaking up with him...

Her anger and resentment flared instantly.

How despicable! So that inherently evil ex-girlfriend has been right under my nose all along!

It seems today's grudge must be avenged!

As the saying goes, when opinions clash, even half a word is too much.

While Silver Wolf seethed, Kafka also sensed Silver Wolf's thoughts about Su Qing.

As their conversation continued, the atmosphere grew tense.

"Well, it's quite fitting," Silver Wolf said provocatively. "I've actually been harboring a slight doubt about whether your strength surpasses mine."

Kafka smiled. "Is that so? Perhaps we should put it to the test?"

"Test it, then!"

Without hesitation, Silver Wolf summoned her electronic light screen and launched an attack!

***

A few minutes later...

Silver Wolf sat discontentedly on the sofa, her hands bound by purple silk threads and placed in front of her.

Her wrists were tightly pressed together, encircled by loops of thread securely wound around them.

The other end of the silk thread was tied to Kafka's finger, who stood nearby.

[Seele: Freebie alert! Another freebie!]

[Firefly: So fast? Seems like I could take down little Silver Wolf too now!]

[Sparkle: Hee-hee, it's bondage time. Is Silver Wolf secretly into this, intentionally losing?]

[Silver Wolf: Don't be ridiculous!!!]

[Stelle: Looks like more discipline for Silver Wolf.]

[Topaz: 5 billion versus 10 billion—Silver Wolf has no chance of winning.]

[Topaz: Skills can be exaggerated, reputations can be faked, but company bounties don't lie.?]

[Qingque: hhh true enough, after all, real money is at stake.]

Clearly, Silver Wolf wasn't ready to concede defeat.

Although her wrists were bound, she managed to slightly separate her hands.

Summoning a light screen, she laboriously tapped with both hands together, attempting a counterattack.

However, upon seeing this, Kafka lifted his right hand, still holding the silk thread.

Snap! Silver Wolf's hands clapped together, becoming tightly bound as well.

Now, she was completely sealed.

As both a hacker and an Ether editor, losing the freedom of her hands significantly diminished Silver Wolf's combat capabilities.

Her legs were still mobile; she could stand up and engage Kafka in close-quarters combat...

However, in hand-to-hand fighting, Silver Wolf was even less of a match.

"Well then, since I've won," Kafka waved dismissively with a light smile. "Goodbye, Silver Wolf. Time for me to enjoy the fruits of victory and find Su Qing. You can just stay here and rest."

[Seele: Even at the last moment, she has to taunt!]

[Stelle: Excellent! Only the strong deserve Su Qing! With Silver Wolf defeated, it's time for some harsh humiliation!!]

Hearing Kafka's words, Silver Wolf abruptly reacted, standing up. "Hold on, you!"

With a casual flick of her wrist, Kafka tied the other end of the silk thread directly to the sofa. Now, even if Silver Wolf wanted to chase after her, she couldn't leave the room.

In the hotel corridor, Kafka coincidentally encountered Su Qing.

Smiling, she exchanged a few words with him and was about to head to his room when suddenly, her eyebrows furrowed, noticing that the silk thread she had left behind was severed.

Realizing Silver Wolf would soon be chasing them, Kafka glanced around and spotted a utility closet nearby.

She quickly took Su Qing's wrist and said, "No time to explain, let's hide for now." With that, she pulled him into the storage room.

The door of the storage room silently closed behind them.

Moments later, Silver Wolf rushed down the corridor straight towards Su Qing's room.

[Kafka (Curious): @Silver Wolf, how did you manage to escape? You're quite fast.]

[Silver Wolf seemed reluctant to answer but, after hesitating, responded nonetheless.]

[Silver Wolf: ...With my feet.]

Seeing this comment, viewers imagined the scene: Silver Wolf's hands tightly bound, struggling to kick off her shoes and clumsily typing with her toes on the keyboard.

[Sparkle: ? Hahahaha!!]

[March 7th: Laughing so hard, Silver Wolf is really determined! She goes all out, doesn't she?!]

[March 7th: If you look closely, it seems Silver Wolf hadn't even properly put on her shoes before hastily chasing after them!!]

[Qingque: Truly deserving of the title 'legendary hacker'! Unconventional yet effective!]

[Stelle: Kafka: Got it, next time I'll tie up her feet too.]

[Sparkle: Fun fact, she could still use her tongue then, right?]

[Seele: Ah, her tongue? Can someone actually do that much with their tongue?!]

[Bronya: Don't underestimate Silver Wolf's tenacity! Despite being clumsy, she truly perseveres through any obstacle!]

In the cluttered storage room, Su Qing glimpsed Silver Wolf's hurried figure through the door's grille.

The space was cramped, with Kafka's voluptuous and alluring body pressed close to him as she signaled for silence with her finger.

Trusting Kafka, Su Qing waited until Silver Wolf disappeared before whispering, "What happened?"

Kafka held onto his arms and softly replied, "Silver Wolf and I had a minor disagreement; we're currently at odds."

"Oh, I see," Su Qing immediately understood.

Well, being at odds seems par for the course with Silver Wolf.

[Stelle: Silver Wolf has solidified this image in Su Qing's mind!]

"Let's hide here a bit longer," Kafka continued in a hushed voice. "She might come back."

Sure enough, after a moment, Silver Wolf hastily returned, this time heading towards Kafka's room.

[Sparkle: Silver Wolf is so impatient!]

[Sparkle: Why can't she find Su Qing? Where exactly are Kafka and him hiding? What could they be doing?! So anxious, she's really getting frantic!!]

[Stelle: Now she's crying and throwing tantrums.]

[Seele: She's losing even more miserably now.]

[Silver Wolf: First, I am not crying or throwing tantrums. Second, temporarily falling behind doesn't mean defeat.?]

[Stelle: Third, that's just stubborn denial.]

[Qingque: Hahahaha.]

The storage room was filled with various items, leaving very little free space.

However, Kafka didn't make any excessive gestures. Having just been reunited, she behaved quite docilely around Su Qing.

But the viewers noticed that as Kafka held onto Su Qing's arm, her lovely face drew close to his neck. Her nose twitched slightly, gently inhaling Su Qing's scent.

[Seele: Oh my gosh!!]

[Clara: (blushing)]

[Such subtle details are enough to make some more innocent viewers blush and their hearts race.]

[March 7th: These small, almost obsessive gestures of affection can surprisingly be quite captivating...]

[Sparkle: High EQ interpretation: Captivating, Low EQ interpretation: Flirtatious!]

In a low voice, Su Qing shared his past experiences with Kafka. When dealing with someone like Silver Wolf, it's often effective to start by complimenting them, making her happy before handling anything else becomes easier.

Kafka listened attentively and nodded obediently, indicating that she had learned from his advice. She genuinely believed what Su Qing said made sense; it was insightful and highly commendable.

Su Qing raised an eyebrow.

Well, well, you're going to use my own tactics against me right away, huh?

Kafka rested her chin on his shoulder, smiling dreamily. "Nope, I truly feel that way."

She wanted to spend more time like this with Su Qing and had other things she wished to discuss. Seizing the opportunity, Kafka initiated the conversation, "I heard from Silver Wolf that you used to be teammates before?"

Su Qing nodded. "We operated together for a year at Punklorde."

Kafka continued, "Silver Wolf told me she considers you a very good friend."

[Silver Wolf (with a foreboding sense): @Kafka, what are you up to??]

[Kafka: You guess.]

"It seems like your relationship is quite strong," Kafka remarked.

She paused before adding, "Moreover, seeing how attentive Silver Wolf was towards you, I initially thought she might have feelings for you."

[Silver Wolf: Why does that sound off somehow?!]

[Stelle: Everybody step aside, Kafka's about to make her move!]

Kafka smiled gently, her tone calm and natural. "However, upon closer observation, it appears that Silver Wolf doesn't harbor such intentions."

"I may be overthinking; she likely sees you only as a friend." Kafka looked at Su Qing, probing, "What do you think?"

[Silver Wolf: ?????]

Su Qing pondered and realized his own stance on this matter was ambiguous, making it difficult to answer.

"Silver Wolf always insists on competing with me," Su Qing recalled. "At one point, because she desperately wanted to win against me, she even asked if we should start dating—trying to claim victory in another aspect."

For an instant, Kafka's smile vanished momentarily.

But quickly regaining her composed demeanor, Kafka agreed with Su Qing's words, "Silver Wolf indeed has a childlike mindset. So, I believe when she suggested dating, it was probably just about winning or losing."

Su Qing considered this. "Do you see it the same way?"

Kafka replied, "Hmm, it seems like she isn't really interested in romance. Besides, if she truly liked you, wouldn't she express it more directly...?"

Their conversation continued for a few more exchanges.

The viewers seemed to visualize text appearing above Su Qing's head:

Romantic Interest towards Silver Wolf decreased by 20%. Friendship Interest towards Silver Wolf increased by 20%.

[Silver Wolf: ...]

[Silver Wolf: (deep breath)]

[Silver Wolf: Kafka, WHAT THE &$#@!?!!]

[Black Swan: Cough cough, @Silver Wolf, while I understand your emotions right now, try to remain calm in your comments.]

[Stelle: Ha ha, even Silver Wolf is blushing now.]

[March 7th: Ah??]

[March 7th: Well, regarding whether she's blushing or not, she indeed is, but...]

[Silver Wolf: @Kafka, even if you're not her ex-girlfriend anymore, you're still utterly despicable! Pulling such a stunt—how low can you go?!]

[Himeko: (sipping coffee) (silent) (watching the drama unfold)]

[Kafka: @Silver Wolf, couldn't be helped.]

[Kafka: Don't blame your teammate; blame Su Qing for being too alluring. 😜]

[Silver Wolf: (outraged by his teammate!!!)]

[Firefly: Hahahaha.]

[Seele: Firefly seems quite entertained now; truly, what goes around comes around!]

[Herta: Laughed.]

[Sparkle: Enjoying it! Watching too many of Silver Wolf's blunders almost made me think others were at that level too.]

[Silver Wolf: I would never stoop to such underhanded tactics!!]

[Herta: Isn't this just standard operating procedure?]

[Stelle: Exactly! Love is war, little Silver Wolf. Don't be so sore about losing—show us your skills if you can!]

[March 7th: Given how stubborn Silver Wolf is, barely acknowledging her feelings and still naive about love, it might be too challenging for her...]

[Sparkle: But it doesn't feel intense enough yet.]

[Sparkle: Kafka and Silver Wolf's squabbles are rather trivial, not very interesting~]

[Qingque: ? That's likely because Kafka sees Silver Wolf as no real threat. In fact, she might even thank Silver Wolf for bringing Su Qing right to her.]

[Qingque: Rather, without Silver Wolf's actions, Kafka wouldn't have had this opportunity.]

[Stelle: Lady Kafka remains unfazed.]

[Seele: Lady Kafka handles it effortlessly.]

This incident was merely a brief interlude.

Later, observing the slightly tense atmosphere between Silver Wolf and Kafka only reinforced the notion that they were indeed having a spat.

As Su Qing engaged in detailed discussions with them about the mission, she received a system notification.

[Detected factions.]

[Faction 1: Kafka. Faction Task: Obtain the Stellaron at the auction by any means necessary.]

[Faction 2: Silver Wolf. Faction Task: Obtain the antique gaming console at the auction by any means necessary.]

[Tip: Faction tasks can be completed simultaneously.]

Su Qing rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

There was something peculiar about this task prompt—namely, that Kafka and Silver Wolf were assigned to separate factions.

Could it be that while the tasks could be accomplished concurrently, one must ultimately choose a side between them?

Both being Stellaron Hunters, how could there be conflicting faction interests?

After pondering for a moment, Su Qing realized she didn't have enough information yet and decided to set aside this question for now.

When discussing the mission, Kafka elaborated on the Heartfelt Observer's lack of piety and the potential catastrophic risks if the Stellaron fell into the wrong hands, possibly destabilizing civilization itself.

Kafka concluded emphatically, "Of course, our focus is solely on retrieving this specific Stellaron. It will not affect the auctions of other items."

[Silver Wolf: Chuckle.]

[Silver Wolf: @Kafka, playing innocent now? Your initial stance on this mission was crystal clear in just four words.]

[Seele: Which four words?]

[Silver Wolf: FIRE AT WILL]

[Seele: ?,6!]

[Firefly: ? I love these four words!]

[Stelle: Five words not allowed? What about five words?]

[Kafka (smiling): @Silver Wolf, weren't you doing the same before? Emphasizing the Stellaron Hunters' righteous aspect.]

[March 7th: Seems like since Su Qing leans towards lawfulness, neither of them wants him to feel they're turning rogue, huh~]

However, Su Qing wasn't overly rule-bound either.

Having personally experienced it and being aware of the dangers posed by Stellarons, he had no strong reservations against this mission.

After some discussion, Su Qing officially joined Kafka and Silver Wolf's operation.

This represented the branch that emerged from choosing option B, responding to the phone message.

With familiar acquaintances here and two faction quests to complete, it appeared to be quite a favorable outcome. The only uncertainty was what alternative branches might have awaited if he had chosen option A...

***

Several days later.

Himeko, accompanied by her friend Aisha, entered the auction venue.

Aisha wore glasses and dressed neatly, exuding a distinctly scientific demeanor. She expressed gratitude to Himeko, "Thanks to you, otherwise, I wouldn't have dared to attend the Heartfelt Observers' auction alone."

Himeko smiled, "No problem, you've helped me out before too."

The auction venue was vast, encompassing a hotel and several other buildings.

As they entered, the duo headed towards their assigned room while exchanging updates on their recent experiences.

"Oh right," Aisha suddenly recalled, "Himeko, any news about that person you've been searching for?"

"No." At this mention, Himeko's tone turned slightly somber. "Still no leads since we last met."

"Uh..." Realizing it wasn't the best topic, Aisha quickly changed subjects. "Recently, I discovered an aviation popular science book."

"It mostly covers introductory knowledge but is written quite engagingly." Aisha tried to lighten the conversation, "Oh, and ha-ha, there's a chibi illustration of a character who somewhat resembles you!"

"Really?" Himeko's interest piqued. "Please recommend it to me; I'll give it a read later."

[March 7th: Yay! Finally, Sister Himeko makes her entrance!]

[Clara: Go, Big Sister Himeko! I know you're going to win in the end!]

[Himeko: @Clara, thank you.]

[Himeko: ...(sighs) Honestly, even I can't bear it anymore.]

[Himeko: Silver Wolf keeps giving away everything for free, and Kafka pretends to be someone she's not. It's both infuriating and laughable.]

[Himeko: (Elegantly lifting her coffee cup) It's time to show them what the real girlfriend does.]

[Kafka: Tune in next time for "Shattered Dreams of the Ex-Girlfriend." ?]

[Silver Wolf: Stay tuned for "Himeko's Overconfidence and Humiliation." ?]

[Sparkle: Enjoyed it.]

[Qingque: Loved it.]

[Seele: Ha ha!! They only display such remarkable unity at moments like these!]

As Himeko and Aisha chatted, they passed by a tall woman wearing a white blouse, suit pants, and a hat.

"Huh?"

Instinctively, Himeko glanced back but only caught a glimpse of the woman disappearing around a corner.

Aisha looked over as well, "What's wrong? Do you know that person?"

"No, I don't."

Himeko had noticed the woman's purple hair.

Being a navigator, Himeko's instincts were sharp. Despite not recognizing her, she felt a sense of danger emanating from this woman...