Madam Herta: "..."
The corner of her mouth twitched more than ever before; she felt her cringe attack coming on.
"What's going on? You... are?"
The modified Herta Puppet lowered its arm, "gazing" at Madam Herta with its double-pupil-like inverted cross eyes, and its inorganic voice replied: "System."
"Oh, really?"
Madam Herta circled the brand-new puppet twice, scrutinizing it. "You're the System? So, your main purpose in having me steal a puppet was to get a body for yourself?"
The system puppet nodded slightly. Although its facial expression was stiff, its tone carried a "highly emotionally intelligent" reverence, calculated with precision: "Respected lady, finding a suitable auxiliary carrier for you is merely an insignificant part. More importantly, it is to declare to the vast cosmos that the era belonging to 'Madam Herta' has taken its crucial first step. This action carries profound symbolic meaning, far surpassing the value of the carrier itself."
"First step, you say?"
Madam Herta folded her arms, annoyed. "I'm a hot commodity right now; everyone wants a bite, and the problem is they might actually succeed!"
She was referring to Polka and other potential threats.
"Tell me, why do you absolutely need a body? Don't tell me it's just to flatter me more conveniently."
The system puppet was expressionless, but its tone remained respectful: "The core objective is always to better assist you, my lady. Possessing a physical form allows for more efficient execution of commands, environmental analysis, and, if necessary, physical support. At the same time,"
It paused, its purple-red inverted cross eyes seemingly flashing. "It also allows me to express my reverence for your supreme wisdom and authority in a more 'intuitive' way."
Madam Herta narrowed her eyes, looking at this System that wore Herta's face, spoke respectfully, but did such infuriating things, and suddenly felt incredibly exhausted.
What is all this?!
Just then, the system puppet spoke again, getting straight to the point and beginning to fulfill its "auxiliary" duties: "Now reviewing your recent Space Station operation."
The system puppet analyzed in a calm electronic voice: "Your infiltration, my lady, was swift and did not trigger large-scale alarms, successfully avoiding direct confrontation with Ms. Herta, achieving extremely high efficiency. Especially during the final retreat, you deliberately appeared before Stelle, the Trailblazer, completing the 'theft' with a visually impactful and mysterious demeanor, and leaving a meaningful glance, greatly stimulating the key character's imagination and unease. 'Elation' rating: Excellent."
Perspective Shift: Herta Space Station
Station Master Asta stood to the side, her tone apologetic and confused: "Ms. Herta, we have thoroughly checked all surveillance records, from that backup storage room to all surrounding passages, and found no records of suspicious personnel entering or exiting. The energy sensors also showed no abnormal fluctuations... It's as if that puppet vanished into thin air."
Meanwhile, Herta was personally conducting a scan in the stolen room.
Her petite face was expressionless, but those familiar with her knew that such silence often foreshadowed a storm.
"Vanished into thin air? Hmph, nothing truly 'vanishes' on my turf."
Suddenly, the scanner emitted a faint alert.
Herta crouched down and, from a metal frame in a corner that was almost a visual blind spot, extracted a spray-painted pattern that was almost blended with the background—it was a distinctive, somewhat street-art-style pixelated logo.
"This is...?"
Asta leaned in and recognized the "infamous" mark on the intergalactic network. "Silver Wolf's logo?!"
The System paused slightly, as if organizing the most "emotionally intelligent" language, and then spoke in a manner that was ostensibly a question but actually a guiding compliment: "What is particularly admirable is that you, my lady, seem to have... intentionally left a unique mark belonging to Silver Wolf of the Stellaron Hunters? This action appears casual, yet it is exquisitely subtle. Your subordinate is dull-witted; could you please elucidate its profound meaning, so that we may better learn and grasp your far-sighted strategy?"
Madam Herta listened to the System's circuitous flattery, and the corner of her mouth twitched again involuntarily.
(Inner thoughts: Quite the player! Alright, I'll play along!)
She folded her arms and explained with feigned profundity: "It's simple: misdirection and enticement."
"Herta isn't stupid; a simple logo won't completely fool her. But it can at least give her an initial direction for investigation, a ready-made, capable 'suspect'."
Madam Herta paced, her skirt swaying slightly. "This will be a smokescreen, letting her get entangled with the Stellaron Hunters and Silver Wolf first. Regardless of the outcome, for us, it's a form of amusement, a 'shifting of blame'."
She paused, a mischievous glint flashing in her purple-black eyes: "And, giving that little hacker who's lawless on the internet some trouble, getting her targeted by Herta and giving her a headache for a while... isn't this also a form of 'Elation'? Watching them rush around because of these baseless suspicions and troubles, Aha must be very pleased."
The system puppet chimed in at the opportune moment, a data stream flashing across its inverted cross eyes: "An exquisite strategy. Killing two birds with one stone, both confusing the public and providing additional fun for Elation. My lady, you are not only powerful but also unfathomable in strategy and understanding the essence of 'Elation'. The act of leaving a mark, seemingly casual, actually contains such profound consideration. Your subordinate is impressed."
All in all... no, it's still a bit awkward. Madam Herta rubbed her head; she really couldn't stand this way of speaking anymore.
Herta looked at the Silver Wolf logo, her brow tightly furrowed.
"Did that little hacker do it?"
She snorted, "I don't rule out misdirection. But with her arrogant personality, leaving such a provocative mark isn't something she couldn't do."
She carefully sensed the faint residual information from the logo again: "Vanishing into thin air, modifying reality data... this does resemble her methods. But the feeling of this energy residue... something's not quite right, too clean, even I can't trace the exact source..."
A sharp glint flashed in Herta's eyes.
"Either Silver Wolf's technology has improved again, or... another master is involved, a master who deeply understands data and space."
Regardless, someone daring to steal on her turf and leave a mark is, in itself, a blatant provocation!
"Hmph, no matter who it is, anyone who dares to target me will pay the price!"
Herta sneered, and the surrounding air seemed to drop a few degrees.
Asta, standing nearby, looked at Ms. Herta's expression of "I'm very displeased, someone's going to have a bad time" and silently lit a candle in her heart for the unknown thief (or thieves).
Any clear-sighted person could tell that Ms. Herta was truly angry this time, and someone was probably in for big trouble.