"Regarding that person, as I've said before, there's nothing I can do to help you."
A charming, girlish voice echoed in the air. It was clear that the relationship between the green-haired girl and the brown-haired woman in the leisure area wasn't exactly harmonious.
Although both were geniuses, and Mobius was willing to admit that the person before her possessed talent that might even surpass her own, it didn't mean she had to be overly respectful. After all, she wasn't her subordinate.
Nor did she seek anything from her.
With that, she raised an eyebrow and glanced at Jiang Qiao. Mobius's conversation partners, Herta and Ruan Mei, instantly shifted their gazes to him as well.
"Hehe, what a coincidence~ Your target has arrived."
"Looking for me?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
Mobius shrugged, then teased with a playful tone, "Hehe, to be able to catch the eye of two geniuses... what should I say about you?"
"Alright, if we keep them waiting any longer, they'll probably get upset~ I'll leave the rest of the time to these two genius ladies."
After she left.
Jiang Qiao's gaze met Ruan Mei's. The latter didn't shy away in the slightest, staring intently at him. From an outsider's perspective, it looked like a gaze full of affection. Of course, Herta knew her friend's personality all too well.
It was indeed full of affection, but Ruan Mei's affection was mostly focused on her experiments. It was nothing to be happy about. Of course, to be the focus of a genius's attention, even as "experimental material," would be a once-in-a-lifetime honor for most people.
"Alright, how long are you two going to stare at each other like this? Do you need me to clear out some space for you, maybe get you a room?" Miss Herta's sharp tongue was on full display, her tone a mix of mockery and teasing, laced with thick dissatisfaction.
She wasn't pleased about being ignored—especially when her best friend was locking eyes with another man, leaving her on the side. Not to mention, she herself was also very interested in the man before them.
"Herta said it. Mr. Jiang Qiao, would you be willing to move to a more convenient place to talk? For example... my room."
"Hey, don't push your luck!" Hearing her best friend shamelessly seize the opportunity, Herta was a little annoyed.
Can't you tell I'm being sarcastic?
Trying to hog him all to yourself and leave me out? Are we still best friends?
Ruan Mei remained silent, her gaze fixed on the man surnamed Jiang.
"I can't stand this about you." Herta was speechless and exasperated. The next moment, with a wave of her hand, a floating mirror appeared, blocking Ruan Mei's view and reflecting her beautiful, almost lustrous eyes.
"Alright, never mind this woman."
"While I doubt you don't know who I am—after all, the facts that Lady Herta is supremely intelligent and Lady Herta's beauty is unparalleled are public knowledge, though I personally have no interest in such empty fame... Ahem, that's right. I am Genius Society #83, Herta, master of the Herta Space Station."
"I don't like beating around the bush, so I'll just say it."
"Ruan Mei is very interested in you. And by the way, so am I. So—"
"You want to study me?"
"Talking to a smart person saves so much trouble. Yes, that's right. We want to study you."
Herta stated her intentions with a bold and unabashed confidence. "Of course, we won't let you lose out. As long as you're willing to cooperate with our research, you can name your price. Ruan Mei and I can satisfy any of your conditions."
"How about it? Think it over. A promise from two geniuses, and the only cost is your cooperation in our research. Trust me, you won't lose out. There's no deal this good in the entire universe. If it were those folks from the Corporation, they'd probably be kneeling in gratitude... Well, that's in the past. The Corporation now is much more decent than before."
She extended a hand in an inviting gesture, her face full of confidence, her pretty features filled with pride. This arrogant-looking witch might seem pushy, but those who knew her understood that for a genius of her caliber, such pride was only natural.
"Does that include you two?"
"Hmm?"
"You're interested in that sort of thing?" Herta glanced at herself and Ruan Mei, raising an eyebrow without much displeasure. It's only natural that he'd be interested in me, isn't it? After all, my beauty is unparalleled. As for Ruan Mei... well, I think she's a step below me, but she's still in the same league. While being fixated on such things seems a bit shallow, I will praise his good taste.
"Hehe, you sure know how to make demands. But if it's you, speaking for myself, I could consider it."
Herta didn't refuse outright. She was the type to pursue things, people, or objects that interested her without reservation. Paying a small price, even if that price was herself, was fine. It's just that in her long life, no one had ever made such a request, and no one had ever been worthy of such a price.
And now, she saw one.
However...
"Even though you say that, you're not actually interested in us at all, are you?" Herta pursed her lips, looking at the man before her with a hint of displeasure.
"Why do you say that?"
"There's not a trace of the usual male desire in your eyes when you look at me and Ruan Mei."
Clean. Far too clean. Even though he had voiced such thoughts with a smile, the way he looked at her and Ruan Mei was more like appreciating something admirable than seeing a tool for release.
It was like an artist seeing a praiseworthy work of art.
But strangely, it was also as if he was just looking at an ordinary person, someone stripped of their "genius" identity, standing there as a mere human.
In his eyes, she and Ruan Mei were just Herta and Ruan Mei.
It was a little annoying, but... the feeling wasn't entirely unpleasant.
Herta stared into those dark, unremarkable yet bright eyes. They didn't seem special, but when she met his gaze... at first glance, there was nothing unusual. But if you stared for too long, it felt as if your entire spirit was being sucked in, making it hard to come back to your senses.
Herta's initial annoyance turned into a complex expression as she stared intently at the man before her.
"You... just what..."
To be honest, her initial interest in this man was purely because of Ruan Mei. Herta was extremely curious about what kind of person could captivate the Ruan Mei she knew to this extent.
After seeing him, that interest intensified, shifting from curiosity about Ruan Mei's fascination to curiosity about the man himself.
Until this moment... that curiosity had sublimated.
Herta was no stranger to it—it was like her countless quests for knowledge in the past.
After seeing that Droid-head, she had an insatiable desire to uncover everything about the Aeons, even attempting to completely unravel the mysteries of such beings of immense power through projects like the Simulated Universe.
And now, before she had even found an answer, she had stumbled upon another mystery.
Jiang Qiao said nothing, just smiled and turned to leave.
Herta didn't get a verbal answer, but after meeting his gaze, she already had her answer.
She didn't even need him to say it. As a genius, she already understood what he was going to say, and the unbearable foolishness of her own previous actions.
Yes, foolishness.
Even though it might not have been a big deal in Jiang Qiao's eyes, for Herta, who prided herself on being intelligent, looking back on the past few moments was enough to label that moment as foolish.
To attempt to trade material goods with someone like that... let alone doing it, even thinking about it was a ridiculous form of "self-deception."
After Jiang Qiao left.
Herta and Ruan Mei remained where they were.
The former said nothing, just reached a hand to her chest with a blank expression. It was a redundant gesture, really. She could already feel the thing in her chest beating wildly, a vibrant impulse that wanted to leap out and chase after the man who had just left.
She hadn't felt this way in a long time. The last time was when she went to see the Droid-head.
As for the latter...
If one were to place a heart rate monitor on Ruan Mei, they would realize one thing: from the moment she saw that man, the rhythm throbbing in the chest of this genius of life had never once slowed down.
"Looks like you've got those two geniuses wrapped around your finger."
By the wall, Mobius's playful words reached Jiang Qiao's ears as he passed by.
"Have I?"
"You should know that better than anyone, shouldn't you~" Miss Serpent slowly sidled closer, licking her lips as she spoke suggestively.
How should one put it?
The man before her was truly the greatest surprise in the world.
Countless people sought it but could never attain it. Even for geniuses, it was an unknown—the so-called truth.
Although in reality, and even in Jiang Qiao's own view, everyone had their own path, as the end of a path... of course, he never felt he had reached the end. If he had to describe it, he was probably like someone walking on a Path, where the one with the deepest understanding of that Path was the Aeon.
However, if Aeons submerged themselves in the power of their Path, then Jiang Qiao did the opposite. He himself was the Path, the road itself.
The so-called truth was nothing more than this.
Even if the truth he represented was limited to him personally—no one else could become Jiang Qiao—the path he walked and everything he did held meaning in itself.
And the process of experiencing all this was the greatest aid for people to explore their "own truth."
For ordinary people, they might not understand what this meant.
But for geniuses, it was something they dreamed of, something they could hardly find even in their sleep.
Her slender fingertip traced over the thin gauze. Through the silk, one could clearly see the flesh as smooth as milk. She could still feel that captivating sensation—for someone like Mobius, what happened with a certain someone was like Aika Sajo's direct connection to the Root.
Not only could she obtain physical pleasure, but she could also receive spiritual guidance and instruction. It was such a wonderful thing that even though her current body could convert those things into pure material nutrients, she still preferred to preserve them in a more proper way.
In this regard, Miss Serpent was undoubtedly more skilled than Miss Qingque.
After all, not only was letting the "soup" leak out a wasteful act, but if she was too obvious in front of a certain woman, wouldn't she be easily seen through?
"Taking shortcuts is not something to be encouraged."
Leaning against the railing of the stands, looking down at the scene in the arena—which included Elysia—Jiang Qiao felt a little helpless towards the handsy Miss Serpent who was leaning against him like a snake.
Out of interest, Miss Elysia, encouraged by Miss March 7th, had become a young seeded contestant in the Luminary Wardance Ceremony.
Her formidable skills, elegant posture, and a 60% similarity to another contestant, March 7th, had earned them the title of the "Twin Stars" in the ceremony. He could see Elysia looking up at him as if seeking praise after defeating an opponent.
"But, it's fast~"
"Besides, someone who's been taking shortcuts all along has no right to say such things~"