Off to the side, Ruan Mei's disciple, Rappa, studied Bai Ming with a look of pure curiosity.
Though she had heard plenty of stories from Ruan Mei, this was the first time she was witnessing something like this with her own eyes.
"Do you need a hand, Madam Bai Ming?"
"Watch the monitoring equipment for me. Report the readings in real-time."
Using the power of Remembrance, Bai Ming projected the words directly into Rappa's mind, sparing herself the effort of speaking aloud.
Rappa froze for a split second, startled by the voice echoing inside her skull, before she hurriedly nodded in agreement.
Bai Ming began to construct the brand-new link, step by step, keeping a sharp eye on the data Rappa called out.
She did hit a few snags along the way.
The circuits, designed entirely through complex calculations, had a few flaws—nothing fatal, but enough to make the connection feel clunky.
Still, with Rappa's assistance, it only took Bai Ming a little extra time to iron out the bugs.
As the issues were smoothed over, the circuit gradually took form.
Slowly, Bai Ming began to perceive physical sensations through the link.
It was no longer like 'controlling a character' in a game. This was real. She was actually operating a body using nothing but her own consciousness.
"It's working!"
Feeling the sensation of limbs—a feeling she hadn't experienced in what felt like forever—Bai Ming couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.
She hadn't even been sure if this system had a function to mold a body for her. Now that she could rely on her own power to forge her own flesh, she felt as if all her bitterness was finally turning to sweetness.
Once the circuit was completely etched, Bai Ming's soul merged perfectly into the Saint Graph, coalescing into a complete Servant.
The feeling of controlling a body without any lag or resistance made Bai Ming laugh out loud with joy.
"I did it—!"
She marveled at every inch of this new form. It was perfect in every way. Even the various physical senses were indistinguishable from a natural body of flesh and blood.
However, she soon realized a rather... complicated issue.
Namely...
The Saint Graph hadn't just manifested a female body; her soul and this body were a match so perfect it was almost despair-inducing.
The creation of a Saint Graph didn't actually involve 'appearance' as an attribute.
Its only constraint was to simulate a humanoid shape to ensure the result didn't turn into something non-human. The specific looks, and even the clothing, were determined by the soul inhabiting it.
When Bai Ming had been researching this with Ruan Mei, she had been adamant about keeping—even fixing—this trait. She'd held onto the hope that she might revert to her original appearance.
But...
The results left her utterly disappointed.
The appearance reflected by this Saint Graph was the exact same one they had simulated last time.
Even that white formal dress had been materialized along with it, feeling almost like a permanent piece of equipment.
Bai Ming had always told herself that even though she was forced to live as a woman in this world because her gacha luck only pulled female characters, she didn't really identify with the gender that much.
It wasn't that she'd spiraled into some extreme self-loathing, but being able to adapt to and fit this body to such an extent... it really made her question her life choices.
Let's be real here.
One character card lasted a month, and some didn't even make it the full thirty days. All things considered, she hadn't even been a woman in this world for a full year.
Bai Ming felt that no matter how adaptable she was, she shouldn't have accepted this so quickly. It felt like some invisible hand was pulling the strings behind the scenes.
"...Is this really right?"
Doubt was one thing, but Bai Ming was the type of person who accepted reality fairly easily.
While her seamless compatibility with this body was confusing, it was still infinitely better than being a soul that couldn't see, eat, or sleep, perceiving the world only through raw power.
It was also much clearer than using a character card, which always felt like there was a thin veil between her and the world. She had lived twice; she wasn't about to throw a tantrum now. Having a body was better than being a ghost.
Besides, Ruan Mei's stance was that this was just a temporary vessel. In the future, she would definitely find an even more suitable body for Bai Ming.
But Bai Ming herself felt that this body was actually more than enough for her needs.
The custom-made Saint Graph was sturdy enough.
It could easily bear the output of power on the level of an Emanator.
Plus, she wasn't afraid of getting hurt or becoming disabled.
After all, it was essentially just a body condensed from energy; if any part was damaged, she could simply patch it up directly.
And the most convenient part was this:
If she ever thought of a new plan to optimize the Saint Graph in the future, she could upgrade and iterate it anytime.
No fear of breaking it either; if it broke, she could just whip up a new one right away.
Its replaceability was top-notch.
As long as she didn't dwell on certain philosophical questions pertaining to flesh and blood, then there was really nothing to complain about with this body.
It was... aside from the gender situation, basically flawless.
It rather felt like finding a piece of gear in a game that looked completely out of place but had that perfect 'stats over style' appeal.
Good at self-adjusting as she was, Bai Ming quickly convinced herself and accepted reality.
After all, compared to the drawbacks, the advantages were definitely more numerous.
Snapping back from the tangled web of thoughts, Bai Ming turned her head to look at Rappa, who was diligently recording experimental data beside her.
"Rappa."
"Ah, I'm here! Madam Bai Ming, is this your real appearance? It's so pretty."
Rappa gazed at the white-haired young woman standing before her and let out a sincere compliment.
"...I guess so."
She'd originally wanted to say something else, but hearing Rappa's words made Bai Ming want to squat down and draw circles in the dirt again.
Rappa tilted her head in confusion, wondering why the tone was so uncertain.
Wasn't Madam Bai Ming supposed to have lost her original body in an accident, which was why she often borrowed other people's appearances to move around?
How could she not even remember what she herself looked like?
"Anyway, can you successfully submit your records? Need me to help you beef up the report content?"
Bai Ming didn't dwell on it for long and turned her concern to Rappa's matters instead.
"It's more than enough. I've already shared the experiment logs with Madam Ruan Mei. I think I'll probably get to see the outside world soon."
Rappa grinned widely, looking incredibly excited to venture out.
In a moment, Ruan Mei's holographic projection appeared before Bai Ming.
She looked Bai Ming up and down, then nodded with satisfaction:
"Not bad, the effect met expectations. How do you feel yourself?"
"Fits pretty well. Doesn't have that awkward feeling of using someone else's body."
Bai Ming raised her arm and waved it, showing off her flexibility to Ruan Mei.
Ruan Mei let out a soft chuckle in response:
"Good that it fits. If Herta saw you looking like this, she'd probably be pretty thrilled."
"Thrilled that I kept it from her, you mean. Wonder when Herta will actually figure it out."
Bai Ming smiled, not taking Ruan Mei's words to heart.
"Probably pretty soon. Since you're satisfied with it yourself, I'll hang up now. I should analyze the data from this experiment."
After all, Ruan Mei had designed the Saint Graph; she knew full well what kind of performance it would deliver.
On the other hand, the modification plans Bai Ming had Rappa assist with during the experiment were worth recording and filing.
"Mm, you go ahead then."
"Rappa, your test is qualified. Once you've organized this report and sent it to me, you can go do what you want."
Before ending the communication, Ruan Mei also announced the result of Rappa's trial.
With that said, without waiting for Rappa's reply, she terminated the connection.
And Rappa, struck by this sudden good fortune, had already started pondering where her first stop should be.
Seeing this, Bai Ming told AI Herta she was leaving and quietly slipped away, not disturbing Rappa's thoughts.
When a kid gets to go out and play for the first time, adults shouldn't meddle with their plans.
--+--
Bai Ming walked out of the laboratory.
She came face to face with two pairs of eyes peering curiously in the direction of the lab.
And upon seeing Bai Ming appear, both Acheron and Celenova were stunned for a moment.
"So this is your true face? Never imagined that Lady Bai Ming, who's caused so much trouble, would have such an innocent-looking face."
Celenova's lips curled into a smirk. She looked down at the white-haired girl who didn't quite match her own height and let out a condescending chuckle.
Did this brat's face always look this... adorable?
And yet, there was something about the set of her brow that felt strangely familiar.
Nearby, Acheron stepped forward, studying Bai Ming's face with an intensity that suggested she wanted to carve this image into her memory.
Bai Ming seemed a bit shorter than her, but not by much. At least she was significantly taller than that blonde girl from before.
"You look beautiful. And... it feels like this is exactly how you're supposed to be."
Acheron gave her assessment after a moment of thought.
"Really? Is this the impression you had of me?"
Bai Ming looked at Acheron, puzzled. Was this how she appeared in Acheron's mind? Did everyone else think so too?
Was it possible she really did match herself to this body, and there wasn't some "mastermind" rigging the deck?
"Yes. Your current appearance is very close to how I imagined you."
Acheron smiled and reached out, patting Bai Ming's hair. It was soft and white, and her blue eyes were full of life. The once-blurry image in Acheron's mind had finally become crystal clear.
If Celenova wasn't standing right there, Acheron felt like she might not have been able to resist picking Bai Ming up for a hug.
Even without any physical touching, the way Acheron looked at Bai Ming—and the way Bai Ming looked back—made Celenova feel like a total third wheel.
She shouldn't even be here!
Why did she have to stand here and watch her 'arch-enemy' act all lovey-dovey with another woman?
Feeling thoroughly annoyed, Celenova marched over and forced her way into the middle of the ambiguous atmosphere.
"By the way, with that look and the white hair... I get the feeling you're trying to copy me."
Compared to Acheron, Celenova's instincts were sharper.
In her eyes, Bai Ming looked suspiciously like her.
She hadn't looked that closely at first, assuming the similarity came from the white hair, the similar build, and the fact they both carried a mix of Destruction and Harmony.
She'd just blurted it out to start a conversation.
But as soon as the words left her mouth, the air between the three of them went dead silent.
Because of that comment, Acheron subconsciously took a closer look and realized they actually did look alike.
Bai Ming, meanwhile, didn't know how to respond. She couldn't exactly say she didn't know why she grew up looking like this.
That would make her sound like some deeply obsessed woman who was head-over-heels for Celenova...
The thought of being misunderstood like that made Bai Ming cringe. She appreciated Celenova's looks, sure, but that didn't mean she'd overlook everything Celenova had done just because of a pretty face.
As for Celenova herself...
After the words slipped out, she sensed something was off. Upon closer inspection, she realized Bai Ming didn't just share her 'vibe'—their features actually bore a striking resemblance.
This left Celenova, who had come over to pick a fight, at a loss for words.
Is this girl actually some kind of creep...?
Could all of her recent actions just be a ploy to make Celenova lower her guard, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce? Why else would she choose a face that looked like hers?
It would be one thing if she looked like those two Geniuses, or even a bit like Acheron.
The bond between Bai Ming and those women was clearly intimate. But adding herself into that mix made everything feel bizarre.
Now that Celenova knew what Bai Ming really looked like, she was seriously considering whether she should just destroy this avatar and make a run for it.
Even as a clone, she couldn't accept being pinned down on a bed by her arch-enemy.
Absolutely! Not!
As for Bai Ming, after a brief moment of panic, she decided to lean into a time-honored tradition used by many who found themselves transmigrated into the world of Star Rail.
"It must be Aha's fault! Aha has had THEIR eye on me for a long time—they even forced the power of Elation onto me. This is probably just another one of their pranks!"
Bai Ming's tone was firm, her face set in a look that screamed, 'I have discovered the truth!'
Aha: ?
As for that excuse...
Acheron believed her. She didn't think Bai Ming was the type to actively seek out the Path of Elation.
Celenova, however, looked incredibly skeptical.
"I might have believed you if you hadn't added that last bit. You're telling me that mountain of Elation energy isn't something you walked into yourself?"
"Then are you saying this thick shroud of Destruction energy is something I sought out myself, too?"
"..."
Celenova opened her mouth to argue but realized she had no comeback.
Bai Ming truly had zero intention of following the will of Destruction. She didn't even have the urge to 'destroy the Path of Destruction' like Zephyro did.
And yet, the Nanook had bestowed the Golden Blood upon someone like her. Given that logic, it wasn't a stretch to think that the Aeon of Elation might do something similar just for a laugh.
"See? No counter-argument. No matter how much I might like someone, I wouldn't reshape my face to look like theirs. Especially since you and I are enemies."
Bai Ming was dead serious. She even used a bit of Remembrance to ensure her emotions felt raw and sincere.
It worked so well that even Celenova couldn't find a single flaw in her story.
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL