To: The Faint Star #2
Stellar Jade x 40, Trailblaze EXP x 250, Credit x 12000, Sparse Aether x 12, Hertareum x 50
Find the repeater in the storage zone
📍 Herta Space Station Storage Zone
The station has been sending and receiving cosmic signals through an airwave repeater located in the lost territory guarded by monsters. It's been recently known as the signature cabin of the Disposal Site. With communications cut off, the most important task is naturally to ensure that the repeater is functional.
Investigate
Cosmic Airwave Repeater
Error! Abnormal route! Detachment protection activated.
Cosmic Airwave Repeater
Detected — Ultra Nickel Parts Missing.
System
Ultra Nickel Parts... this Airwave Repeater is quite old...
System
Luckily it is right next to the Disposal Site where discarded Curios are stored. Maybe I can find some spare parts.
Collect the old parts in the crevices of the repulsion bridge
Collect
+ Ultra Nickel Part x 1
📍 Herta Space Station Master Control Zone
📖
Space Station Love Poems (I)📖
Space Station Love Poems (II)📖
Space Station Love Poems (III)Rocky
You've read the poems I sent Lesley. What do you think?
Bernard
They are pretty cringy.
Bernard
They stink.
Rocky
Don't mind my master. These poems speak my mind. You don't look like those dull researchers around the space station. I'm sure you'd understand how I feel.
Options
I haven't looked...
They are just cringy.
They are pretty interesting.
Rocky
Oh, that's unfortunate. Take a look when you have time. Give me some suggestions if you know a thing or two.
Rocky
What? You share the same view as my master? Looks like writing poems is too hard for a rough fellow like me...
Rocky
I know! They all say I am wasting my time. You are the only one who understands the fun of it. So tell me, which is your favorite?
Options
Ley, oh, my Ley...
You were as light as a swallow when leaving the station...
Other than the halo and starlight...
Rocky
Heheh, you also prefer to be direct.
Rocky
But I am worried this may be too direct. If I send this to her, it will reveal my burning desire and put her under tremendous pressure.
Rocky
Ha, you like this one too! They all say my choice of words is too rough. It turns out you know me best!
Rocky
They don't understand that the soul of poetry lies in real emotions, rather than beautiful words. It only took me 10 minutes to write this!
Rocky
Oh, so you're into that style. But I only wrote this in case she rejects me...
Rocky
I hope I don't have to use it in the end.
Rocky
But just like what I said, it doesn't matter how these poems are. First I need to be able to send them out...
Rocky
So, please help me fix the repeater.
Use the parts to fix the damaged repeater
📍 Herta Space Station Storage Zone
Now that you have the parts, it is only a matter of time before the repeater is fixed. You carefully read through the heartfelt communication records only to unexpectedly find an accident hidden in the shadows...
Load part
- Ultra Nickel Part x 2
Investigate the communication history of the repeater
Investigate
Cosmic Airwave Repeater
AIRWAVE IS ONLINE.
Cosmic Airwave Repeater
Transmitting airwave has not been detected. If needed, please select the historical signal decoding record that you wish to review.
Options
2157 AE, Months 40–43
2157 AE, Months 44–47
2157 AE, Months 48–51
Next page.
📖
Signal Log: 2157 AE, Months 40-43📖
Signal Log: 2157 AE, Months 44-47📖
Signal Log: 2157 AE, Months 48-51Cosmic Airwave Repeater
You can view the historical signal decoding record here.
Options
2157 AE, Months 52–55
2157 AE, Months 56–present
End record lookup.
Cosmic Airwave Repeater
...
Cosmic Airwave Repeater
No signal decoding record was found during this period.
Options
What happened?
Is there a delay in signal transmission?
Did Lesley not reply...
Cosmic Airwave Repeater
...
Cosmic Airwave Repeater
...
Lesley
Rocky, how silly of you, of course I understand what you mean. As for my answer...
Lesley
(Record is damaged.)
Cosmic Airwave Repeater
...
Cosmic Airwave Repeater
End of historical record lookup. Airwave Transmission has not been detected.
Options
Why was the record damaged here?
Sweet, sweet love.
Stupid machine... stupid... stupid...
Cosmic Airwave Repeater
Cannot identify. Cannot identify. Lifeform emotional fluctuation detected.
Cosmic Airwave Repeater
Warning! You've entered the full surveillance area of the space station. Please do not conduct any inappropriate behavior toward the repeater.
Cosmic Airwave Repeater
AIRWAVE IS OFFLINE.
System
Key record is damaged... full surveillance area...
System
I better check the surveillance in the monitoring room... it looks like someone has done something to the repeater...
Go to the monitoring room to take a look at everything that took place
📍 Herta Space Station Base Zone
Go to the Monitoring Room and pull up videos of the hand behind it all. You will go and question his motives once a target is confirmed.
Investigate
Monitor Control Panel
Hello, authentication... passed.
Monitor Control Panel
Please choose the surveillance area you want to review.
Options
Master control zone shift station.
Base zone safe zone.
Storage zone safe zone.
Next page.
System
I can't believe the surveillance camera captured Asta and two rarely-seen young researchers...
System
But this is not the area I should be investigating.
System
During the time captured by the camera, the safe zone in the Reception Hall hasn't been set up.
System
The Curio Collection Squad is nowhere to be seen, only the wandering monsters of the Legion.
System
Isn't that March 7th, and Dan Heng? They looked like they were in a hurry to do something...
System
Forget it. The most important thing is to find the surveillance record of the repeater.
Monitor Control Panel
Please choose the surveillance area you want to review.
Options
Maintenance Room.
Disposal Site.
Medical cabin.
End of observation.
System
This surveillance footage clearly shows that someone is trapped in the repulsion bridge.
System
Found it, at last.
System
The camera only captured the image of a blurry figure from behind, it looks like... Bernard!?
System
Now that I know who that is, let me confront him and find out the truth.
+ Surveillance Footage x 1
System
The injured researcher is under medical treatment in the medical cabin.
Monitor Control Panel
Operation ended. Goodbye.
Identify the mastermind according to the surveillance footage
📍 Herta Space Station Master Control Zone
Try to communicate
Bernard
...I don't know what you're talking about.
Bernard
Young people should spend more time studying instead of wandering around.
Options
It's been captured by the security footage.
Why did you damage the record?
I'll tell Rocky then.
Bernard
...It looks like you've fixed the machine.
Bernard
Don't jump to conclusions. Show me your evidence.
Bernard
Hold on.
- Surveillance Footage x 1
Bernard
...
Bernard
Hmph! Thanks to you kids, I am worried to death!
Bernard
I damaged the record for Rocky's own good! He's forgone his research because of that Lesley... Not to mention...
Bernard
Not to mention you have no idea what's happening right now. Lesley...
Bernard
Lesley...
Options
Did she say yes?
Did she say no?
Did something happen to her?
Bernard
Yes, she said yes.
Bernard
No, she said yes.
Bernard
No, she is safe and sound. And she said yes to Rocky's confession.
Bernard
But they can't be together.
Bernard
If you think I am the one being difficult here, you are wrong! Don't get ahead of yourself!
Bernard
They can't be together... they will never be together.
Bernard
Do you know why? No, you don't. People rarely understand what a starquake means...
Bernard
With proper protection, a starquake will not cause physical damage to humans.
Bernard
However, the gravitational collapse caused by a starquake will severely change the space-time curvature of the segmentum.
Bernard
For example, the time in Lesley's segmentum was once a straight line like ours. But now, it has been pressed into a huge canyon by gravity.
Bernard
Clearly, a curve is always longer than a straight line. Therefore, the time curve of her segmentum is going to cover several times the length when converted to our timeline.
Bernard
Do you even know what that means?
Options
The flow of time will be different.
I don't get it...
Has she become a god?
Bernard
It means the velocity of our time is different from hers.
Bernard
Since the starquake, the temporal difference between Lesley's and ours will gradually increase. It is possible that the time it takes for her reply to arrive will change from one month to a year, and maybe even ten years.
Bernard
This isn't just about her message, but everything she does. Until she leaves that abnormal gravity environment, every month she spends among the cosmos will equal decades for us.
Bernard
Let's say, if Rocky, including us, is living at a point called "the present."
Bernard
Then in comparison, Lesley...
Bernard
She is living in "the future."
Bernard
...I used to be a young man once.
Bernard
In my opinion, not being able to be with someone you love is even more cruel than being rejected.
Options
Maybe there are other ways...
At least tell him.
It's not up to you to decide!
Bernard
There aren't any.
Bernard
And then what?
Bernard
If you want to tell him the truth, then tell me — what can he do?
Bernard
After knowing the truth, Rocky will have to wait ten times longer for a message that should have arrived right away.
Bernard
He would have to live in this lonely "presence" and wait for the "future" containing Lesley to finally come to him.
Bernard
But how much time can he spend waiting?
Bernard
Maybe Lesley will finally return to the space station when he is old and decrepit like me.
Bernard
But the flow of time for her is so slow. Maybe, at that time, she will still be as young as she is today.
Bernard
When that time comes, how are they going to be together?
Bernard
We may transcend space, but time is beyond our reach!
Bernard
You are way too young... you don't understand. Things that require a lot of waiting don't usually end up well.
Options
He will never give up if he doesn't know the truth.
We better not tell him.
...
Bernard
Hmph, naive kids.
Bernard
Hmph, that's also my plan.
Bernard
At first I thought if I damage the record, take away the parts, and blame everything on the monsters, I could keep Rocky in the hope that, one day the repeater will be repaired.
Bernard
Now, since you have found out, the decision is up to you.
Bernard
I have two signal logs I copied from the repeater, red and blue.
Bernard
The red log contains Lesley's real reply, including the truth about the starquake. To be honest, even I can't imagine what Rocky will do after finding out the truth, given how impulsive he is.
Bernard
The blue log is forged — in which Lesley refuses Rocky. Don't think about this as cruel. This way, Rocky won't have to wait for her reply in the future. He can just move on with his life.
Bernard
Let's call these "the red truth" and "the blue lie". It's up to you to decide which one you want to give to him.
Bernard
Take them and give it some thought. Rocky is waiting for your news.
+ Red Signal Log x 1
+ Blue Signal Log x 1
Rocky
Okay. I'll read it now. Thank you, bro!
System
After some time...
Rocky
I can't believe it... Lesley said yes, but the starquake...
Rocky
I... I can't get my head around this...
Rocky
So... Because of the gravitational effect of the starquake, every month she spends in her time will be decades for me. Am I going to be as old as my master when she's back?
Rocky
Is my interpretation correct? {NICKNAME}, help me take a look. I'm a bit slow. Is that what she means?
Options
I think so.
This is not up to you.
Rocky
She has gone to the future, and I am left in the present... Is this what happened?
Rocky
The decades I spend thinking about her will only be a fleeting moment for her, right?
Rocky
Who would've thought that even time can be so unfair.
Rocky
...
Rocky
I guess it's unrealistic to hope that she will come back. Even if she travels for months and crosses light-years, I will have become an old man in my time.
Rocky
Spending my whole life waiting for someone and enduring endless longing and loneliness...
Rocky
Come on, bro, do you really think I'm that naive?
Rocky
Haha! Of course I'm not going to wait for her! I won't!
Options
That was unexpected...
Smart choice.
...
Rocky
I am not going to wait for her...
Rocky
But I can go after her. I am going to chase after time!
Rocky
Since her time-space curve has become a canyon, wouldn't it be better for me to travel past this canyon instead of waiting for her to come back?
Rocky
Maybe it will take me ten years to find her, who has only spent a month. But once I do that, our time will be synchronized. It's better than sitting here and doing nothing.
Rocky
Don't you agree?
Rocky
No, no matter what you think, {NICKNAME}, I've decided! I should inform my master as soon as possible, pack my things, and set off on my journey to find Lesley.
Rocky
I'm already tired of this place... As a member of the Herta Department of Cosmic Geography, I haven't even seen the real cosmos. Isn't it embarrassing?
Rocky
I'm sure you are just as curious as I am about the scenery in deep space.
Options
What resides in the deep space?
It may be full of dangers.
That never crossed my mind...
Rocky
Spectacular wonders, enigmatic dangers, and the woman I am chasing after...
Rocky
Maybe... It may be full of spectacular wonders, enigmatic dangers, but it will also have the woman I am chasing after...
Rocky
At least for me, there are lonely wonders, the mysterious charm of danger, and the person I am chasing after...
Rocky
When I find Lesley one day, I will come back and tell you everything I witnessed on my journey...
Rocky
By then, I will invite you to be our {F#bridesmaid}{M#best man}. Don't you forget it.
Rocky
Well, this poem is for you. Goodbye, my friend.
System
Darkness is gathering in the distance, using cruel methods...
System
To dissect time. Petals inquiring for love are falling,
System
Like the ticking chimes in an infinite time and space. We have no choice,
System
But to slide into the shivering calamities of the universe as if sliding down a slope into dusk.
System
And with that, the stars continue their enjoyment above as their elegant smiles fill the way forward.
Rocky
Okay. I'll read it now. Thank you, bro!
System
After some time...
Rocky
I can't believe it... Lesley rejected me?
Rocky
I tried so hard... I answered all the questions she asked. I laughed at every joke she made...
Rocky
You've seen our messages, right? She cares about me and she comforts me... is that how colleagues behave?
Options
Maybe she has her own reason...
It's not your fault...
There's plenty of fish in the sea.
Rocky
Reason? What kind of reason... She's bathing in divine blessings, she receives first-hand information and gets to work with top researchers...
Rocky
If she really has a reason, I am the only one to blame... I've been hassling her without knowing the boundaries...
Rocky
Whose fault is it then? Lesley's?
Rocky
I don't care about other women. I only want Lesley.
Rocky
...I can't believe this is what I've been waiting for.
Rocky
...
Rocky
I shouldn't have asked you to fix this. It's so embarrassing.
Rocky
I shouldn't have been so confident. I am only a small potato in the Department of Cosmic Geography, the bottom of the space station's food chain. I must be stupid to think that I'm good enough for a prominent researcher from the Department of Insight.
Rocky
Come to think about it, who is she surrounded with? The aggregated wisdom of the entire cosmos, or even the universe. And who am I? I'm not even in the same league.
Rocky
Heheh... Master's going to lecture me when he sees me being pathetic again.
Rocky
...
Options
Get some rest.
Your research is more important!
Rocky
Yeah, you are right.
Rocky
It's just a rejection. It's no big deal to me. If anyone dares to challenge the Department of Cosmic Geography right now, I'm gonna teach them a lesson.
Rocky
A good, violent lesson...
Rocky
I better hide these poems. I can't let anyone see them.
Rocky
They are ridiculous, aren't they?
Rocky
Bro, if you want to laugh, laugh. There's no need to hold back.
Rocky
What the heck? Why is there talcum powder in my eyes... Ridiculous, just like my poems.
Rocky
Yeah, you are right.
Rocky
It's just a rejection. It's no big deal to me. But what am I going to do with these rocks? Ridiculous carvings...
Rocky
I even gave away my Astro Rod... I better go and apologize to my master. There should be another one in the space station. It's not anything expensive anyway...
Rocky
I should shift my focus back to my research. After all, some people's recognition... doesn't matter. Recognition from my colleagues is what matters.
Rocky
One day, one day someone will see my advantages.
Rocky
... Am I right?
Rocky
... Well, some talcum powder got into my eyes. Who would've thought it could get into my eyes...
Rocky
I should go fix it. See you, bro.
Tell the young man the truth or a lie
So everything Bernard did was to cover up the brutal truth: That gravitational effects have caused a change in the spacetime curvature near the planet the research team was on. The two lovers are now separated into two different space-time coordinates.
To him, she has become a ghost that wanders in the future. And to her, he has long grown old and perished. He may have to wait an entire lifetime for them to speak to one another just once.
In the end, it is your choice whether to tell him the truth or not.
To him, she has become a ghost that wanders in the future. And to her, he has long grown old and perished. He may have to wait an entire lifetime for them to speak to one another just once.
In the end, it is your choice whether to tell him the truth or not.
Rocky
Bro, you're back! While you were away, I wrote another poem called "Praise Lesley."
Rocky
Did you fix the repeater? I see you are holding decoded backups... Hehe, which one is for me?
Options
The Red truth.
The Blue lie.
Rocky
You seem hesitant. Are you sure the red one is for me?
Options
Yes, I am.
Let me think...
Options
Deliver item
- Red Signal Log x 1
Rocky
Sure, take your time.
Rocky
You seem hesitant. Are you sure the blue one is for me?
Options
Yes, I am.
Let me think...
Options
Deliver item
- Blue Signal Log x 1
Rocky
Sure, take your time.
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