After who knew how long, a cake that actually looked delicious was finally made.
At this point, Ryan didn’t even need to deliberately check—he could tell when something was about to explode.
His senses had become extremely sharp.
The moment something changed, he bolted.
Now, Ryan could bake without even looking.
To reach this point, he’d been blown up countless times.
And this was just him doing the baking—not Herta putting things in the oven.
When it came time to add other ingredients, there were more explosions.
She could solve the Herta Sequence, the solitary wave algorithm problem, and the Spark model conjecture.
She’d even published papers on rejuvenation.
But she couldn’t make a cake.
Though to be fair, the ingredients Herta used were anything but ordinary.
He wanted to step in and help.
But then it wouldn’t count as her doing it herself anymore.
Better not to interfere.
For now, he could only chat with the Herta doll beside him.
“You guys always like this?” Ryan asked, using his ability to catch a piece of metal shrapnel flying toward him from an explosion.
“Like what?” The doll tilted her head.
“You know… this lively.”
Ryan flicked his wrist, stabilizing several blue crystals flying at him and gently setting them into a recycling tray.
“Madam Herta’s explorations are always full of passion.”
The doll’s reply was deadpan, but a hint of very human-like amusement seemed to flash in her purple eyes.
The compliment module must be on.
Just then, a brilliant light streaked toward Ryan’s face at incredible speed.
He instinctively tried to deflect it with electromagnetic force—only to discover the object didn’t conduct electricity.
Smack!
A diamond the size of a thumb smacked him square in the forehead with a crisp sound, then dropped into his hand.
Rubbing his reddening forehead, Ryan stared at the heavy gemstone that had nearly drawn blood, utterly confused: “Where did that come from?!”
Why would anyone put diamonds in a cake?!
The Herta doll beside him peered at the diamond in his hand with a teasing tone: “Well, well. A diamond this big—it’s yours now.”
Ryan: “…”
You want this blessing?
Take it.
He’d learned that in Herta’s kitchen, anything unexpected could happen—including being hit in the face by diamonds.
After countless rounds of try-explode-analyze-retry, a sweet fragrance finally wafted through the kitchen instead of the acrid smell of burnt food.
It wasn’t large, but its design was distinctive—a deep starry-night base, decorated with silver frosting lines that resembled spiral galaxies, and tiny particles that glowed faintly like condensed stardust.
Herta examined the final product carefully, lightly tapping its edge with her fingertip before nodding with satisfaction.
“Hmm. Done.” She clapped her hands, as if the earlier catastrophic explosions had never happened.
“The process was a bit… winding, but the result meets expectations.”
Ryan let out a long sigh of relief.
This had been more exhausting than high-precision electromagnetic manipulation.
At least he wouldn’t have to serve as a human lightning rod and emergency escape artist anymore.
“Let’s go.” Herta gestured, and the doll that had been accompanying Ryan stepped forward, carefully covering the cake with a specially-made transparent dome and cradling it in her arms.
Herta smoothed her already immaculate skirt and turned to leave.
“Time to meet someone.”
Ryan’s heart stirred.
So it is her.
He hurried to follow, wiping away any remaining colorful residue from the earlier explosions.
They passed through several corridors before arriving at a spacious, elegantly furnished hall.
The lighting was soft, and the room was decorated with high-tech leisure facilities and unusual plant specimens.
On a sofa in one corner sat a figure.
She wore an elegant qipao, her temperament gentle and serene, a cup of steaming tea in her hands.
Ruan Mei.
Hearing footsteps, Ruan Mei looked up, revealing an exquisite face.
Seeing Herta, a faint smile—as refreshing as a spring breeze—appeared on her lips.
“Herta, you’re here.” Her voice was soft and pleasant.
“Mm. The Astral congratulatory gift I promised—it’s done.”
Herta walked to the tea table before Ruan Mei and gestured for the doll to set down the cake.
Her tone was as flat as ever, but someone who knew her well might detect a hint of pride.
Ruan Mei’s gaze fell upon the starlight-glimmering cake, a flash of surprise and appreciation in her eyes.
“Very beautiful. Its appearance is… remarkably calm and unique. You must have put considerable thought into this.”
She clearly knew Herta’s “reputation” in the culinary arts.
Producing something this stable and clearly extraordinary was quite an achievement.
“Nothing to it.” Herta crossed her arms, tilting her chin up slightly.
Ruan Mei then noticed Ryan standing behind Herta—somewhat awkward, his clothes still bearing signs of the earlier chaos—and cast him an inquiring look.
“Oh, him.” Herta waved dismissively, as if just remembering Ryan’s existence.
“A survivor from Aerido Star. Name’s Ryan. He… helped out in the kitchen.”
“Hello, Ryan.” Ruan Mei smiled at him warmly.
“I’m Ruan Mei.”
“H-Hello, Madam Ruan Mei.” Visit g.com for the full chapter.
Ryan responded quickly, visibly nervous before this equally renowned genius.
This was Ruan Mei—in the flesh.
“No need to be so formal.” Ruan Mei seemed to sense his nervousness, her tone softening further.
She looked at the cake, then at Herta, with knowing amusement in her eyes.
“To have assisted Herta with this ‘creation,’ you must have some remarkable qualities.”
Ryan laughed awkwardly, thinking to himself: Remarkable qualities—mostly surviving explosions and running fast…
Herta, apparently impatient with pleasantries, addressed Ruan Mei directly: “Try it. How’s the taste? The formula was adjusted for your discerning palate.”
Ruan Mei picked up a small spoon and took a delicate bite of the cake, savoring it carefully, her long lashes fluttering slightly.
After a moment, she set down the spoon, genuine admiration in her eyes.
“A wonderful flavor, Herta. The depth of the starry sky, with a hint of life’s sweetness and the aftertaste of time… Thank you. I truly love this gift.”
Herta’s barely-visible pride seemed to grow slightly more apparent.
“Glad you like it.”
Standing nearby, watching the two geniuses interact and looking at the cake that had been born through so much trial and error, Ryan felt a strange sense of accomplishment.
Then, Ruan Mei seemed to sense something.
She reached into a small container she carried and produced several seemingly ordinary…
seeds?
She offered one to Ryan.
“A first-meeting gift. Consider it a thank-you for helping Herta.” Ruan Mei smiled.
“It might prove useful to you.”
Ryan accepted the warm, smooth seed with great reverence.
Before he could even thank her properly, Herta clicked her tongue from the side: “Tch. Giving things away again.”
Ruan Mei only smiled gently, not bothering to retort.
The instant Ryan’s fingers touched the seed, that familiar, slightly teasing electronic synthesized voice echoed in his mind:
[Ding! High-concentration life energy carrier and related knowledge system catalyst detected!]
[New module identified!]
[Module Name: Cell Biology]
[Current Status: Activated]
[Unlocked/Mastered Chapters:]
Chapter One: Fundamentals of Cell Cognition
[Chapters To Unlock:]
Chapter Two: Cellular Material and Structural Support Systems
Chapter Three: Cellular Energy and Genetic Core Systems
Chapter Four: Cellular Function Execution Systems
…