Feeling the special power recede, Knightwin said, "It's gone."
"Another young cub of the bird tribe?"
Orlanal's disdainful expression immediately calmed as he continued to operate his keyboard.
"Yes, but this time it's a little different..." Knightwin stared with interest at Orlanal's back. "I didn't tell you, but besides the bird tribe's little one, there was another energy presence... it seemed exactly like the peeper."
Orlanal's movements didn't stop, and he continued operating the console, replying, "So you deliberately brought up the topic of the peeping spectator?"
"Thanks to His Highness's cooperation, I believe Miss Peeper received a very good gift."
Knightwin felt no issue with his actions.
Orlanal finally finished his work, brushing past Knightwin. An extremely low voice resonated from where he stood, "The aircraft is expected to arrive two days earlier than originally planned, meaning we will reach the main planet this afternoon."
"So? Arriving early or late is all the same."
Knightwin turned his head to stare at Orlanal's straight back.
"So you'd better pray her emotions aren't affected, otherwise I can't guarantee what the other me inside this body... will do something terrifying."
...
Sleepless night.
The next day, Lu Mingming arrived at the research lab with dark circles under her eyes. Her pristine white lab coat stood in stark contrast to her sallow face.
"Were you up all night playing games?"
Bai Yi, unable to bear the solitude, sidled up to Lu Mingming, his eyes scanning her from head to toe. Suddenly, he exaggeratedly bit his fingernail.
"Heavens, could it be that Uncle..."
Normally, such a jest would provoke a half-shy, half-annoyed punch from the other person, but today Lu Mingming lacked the energy. She offered a polite "Mhm" and walked directly to the water dispenser, filling a cup to the brim with hot coffee.
The unexpected end to her dream had startled Lu Mingming awake in the middle of the night, affecting the rest of her sleep.
"Mingming sister, your coffee is about to overflow."
Bai Yi reminded her worriedly.
"Oh, thank you."
Lu Mingming snapped back to reality. The thermal cup in her hand was two-thirds full, and if it continued at this rate, it would scald her hand in five seconds.
Bai Yi noticed Lu Mingming's unusual state and tried to lighten the mood by patting her shoulder.
"What's wrong? If you have anything unhappy, you can tell me. I'm the研究院's resident joy-bringer!"
Lu Mingming shook her head and headed towards her designated workstation.
As the specific return time for Morian to the research lab was unknown, she would be conducting experiments alone for the next few days.
"Want me to tell you some juicy gossip? Like there's mysterious news this afternoon~"
Bai Yi was almost spinning, flying, and jumping around the research lab, trying various tricks to cheer up Lu Mingming.
"I suspect it's the heir's team. This news is only known to internal members of the research institute, and those who know must attend the meeting—I'm generously and mercifully telling you, you have to accompany me this afternoon!"
Hearing this, Lu Mingming finally stopped, her face solemn as she replied.
"I can pretend I didn't hear it. I won't go."
With that, she busied herself with her day's work at her workstation.
Her mind was a mess, like a handful of popping candy scattered in her heart, surging in all directions and causing a wave of inexpressible soreness.
After all, these were people completely unrelated to her.
The problem was that while her memory was gone, her body and heart retained an impression of them, which made Lu Mingming feel extremely irritable.
Lu Mingming couldn't focus for long. She made mistakes several times and ended up sitting at her workstation, staring blankly at the plans laid out on the desk.
Before long, it became incredibly noisy outside the research institute. It seemed all the surrounding researchers had gone to watch the commotion, leaving Lu Mingming alone and slacking off.
"...Was that sentence genuine? Is the front the back, no."
Lu Mingming casually tossed a round part laid out on the desk, muttering to herself.
With a crisp sound, the round part spun rapidly on the table, like a tiny top, drifting towards the floor. It bounced over three equipment boxes that blocked its path. This round little thing, as if mounted on wind fire wheels, rolled towards the research lab door.
"I can't lose this. If I lose it, where will I find another?"
Lu Mingming quickly got up, looking seriously at the ground, and ran in the direction the round part was "running away."
The part rolled ahead, always about half a meter faster than her. It slowly rolled towards the unknown like a car wheel—"Clang—" it hit a black object and stopped.
Someone:?
Lu Mingming's face lit up. She ran to where the round part had fallen, about to pick it up, when a large hand reached out and picked it up a step ahead.
"Excuse me, this is a part I dropped. Could you please return it to me? It's a very important experimental apparatus..."
Lu Mingming immediately put on a pitiful expression and looked up to beg. Before she finished speaking, she froze.
"This... is something you dropped?"
Orlanal narrowed his eyes, holding the small round part tightly.
Lu Mingming then noticed that behind him stood a group of important figures she usually saw in the institute. Several of Morian's friends waved at her. Bai Yi looked incredibly surprised and mouthed: You weren't coming, were you? How did you end up in front of someone else?
Lu Mingming's eyelids twitched. She didn't want this either!
"Why aren't you speaking?"
Orlanal spoke again, his voice seeming a fraction softer than before.
"N-no, I'm sorry, it is indeed mine. Thank you for picking it up for me."
Lu Mingming first offered a ninety-degree bow, sacrificing the runaway part.
She had heard that Orlanal was bloodthirsty and cold, and had personally killed the leader of the alliance. Although Lu Mingming didn't believe the rumors, the sight she had witnessed in the sacred land of the bird tribe made her doubt whether he had a bad temper.
Orlanal lowered his gaze to the small figure in front of him, her head bowed. He couldn't help but curve his lips slightly, a look of gentle indulgence appearing on his brow.
A second later, he suddenly came to his senses, deliberately pulling down his lips to appear serious and solemn.
Damn, the other person is influencing me again.
"Since it's yours, take it. Don't lose it again."
So easygoing?
Lu Mingming secretly raised her eyes and happened to meet Orlanal's gaze, his face tense.
As expected, it's best not to interact with him!!!
"Okay, thank you!!!"
Lu Mingming snatched the round part lying in his warm palm, turned, and ran, as if pursued by a fierce dog.
"She... just completely ignored me?"
Knightwin, who had been standing beside Orlanal, felt a touch of displeasure.
The power within me still exists, yet she's completely focused on someone else. Is there such a strong attraction across parallel worlds?
"Heh, ignoring you is a good thing."
Orlanal snorted lightly and turned to walk towards the medical room.
"This guy."
Knightwin watched his smug retreating figure, a flower blooming on his face.
Having retrieved the part, Lu Mingming quickly locked herself in the restroom, holding the part tightly in one hand as she rapidly dialed contact information on her datapad.
This time, Lu Yan answered quickly.
"What is it..."
"Boss—Big news! The Alliance's heir, Orlanal, has returned to the main planet's research institute!"
Lu Mingming blurted out the entire sentence in one breath, almost suffocating herself.
"Well done."
Lu Yan offered a rare compliment, even though his expression remained unchanged.
"Then, shouldn't the reward for completing the mission..."
Lu Mingming intentionally reminded him.
She was counting on the one million star coins to improve her life. Since she hadn't returned to the real world yet, she might as well enjoy it! What if the star coins in the real world weren't even one million? Wouldn't that be a loss?
There was a moment of silence from the other side, then he asked, "Where are you now?"
Lu Mingming looked around and said sheepishly.
"The ladies' restroom."
Lu Yan: "..."
Lu Yan: "This won't happen again. The star coins will be transferred directly to your account. If you complete other upcoming missions, you will receive further rewards."
Lu Mingming's curiosity was piqued, "What rewards?"
"Your hereditary title and estate. Both you and your brother will receive them, and you will enjoy noble status for life."
Hearing this, her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth in surprise.
Lu Mingming immediately regretted it in her heart: If only this property could be brought to the real world...!
"I... I... I will work hard."
Seeing that her motivation had visibly waned, Lu Yan thought, Did I say something wrong?