Struggling in the mire, she faced all the slander and beatings, those hateful gazes.

Despite harboring the same hatred as they did, they still preferred to see her suffer.

They said it was retribution, punishment, something she deserved.

All those days she had prayed for someone to stand by her side, she had walked through them alone.

Too much longing turns into resistance.

"Since we are friends, why not wish me godspeed?" she said with a smile, standing under the starlight.

The night fell on her, but the stars in her eyes weren’t extinguished, nor could the smile between her brows be suppressed.

Loneliness turned away, silent.

Hannah lowered her gaze and turned around.

She was leaving.

Sixth Hoffman had prepared the starship for her.

This time, it was a journey just for her.

She knew Arnold Simmons would guess her intention, so she had calculated it all from the first day they met.

By the time he woke up, it should already be three days later.

Sixth Hoffman approached, handing Hannah her combat suit and weapons.

Quentin stood aside, just watching quietly.

"Are you really going?"

Hannah fastened her clothes and then looked at him, "Yes."

"Alone?"

His hands were trembling, and his body chilled.

For the first time, he loathed his frail body for not even having the strength to stop her.

Hannah walked over to him, "Did Nicholas send you to persuade me?"

Quentin’s lips were tightly pressed; his complexion had already turned pale.

Hannah saw his clenched hands, "Quentin, are you here to persuade me?"

"I can’t stop you."

He admitted it.

Trying to hold back tears, he could only offer a bitter smile.

"Quentin, take good care of yourself."

Hannah grabbed his hand, loosening his tightly locked fingers.

A faint warmth in the palm; something was placed in his hand.

"Your favorite mung bean cake."

Quentin looked down, his tears no longer containable.

He looked so obedient with his head bowed.

Hannah instinctively wanted to call him "little monk" again.

The words reached her lips, but she held back,

Thinking of her own boyfriend who was prone to jealousy.

"I’m leaving."

She waved goodbye to everyone.

Even Sixth Hoffman, a rough man, couldn’t help his eyes tearing up.

The starship flew away.

He cried loudly.

Loneliness looked up, watching the departing starship and murmured softly, "Godspeed."

We’ll be waiting for your return.

...

Hannah’s solo departure was something she had calculated a long time ago.

The visitor was Sixth Hoffman.

Though Sixth Hoffman was boisterous, he listened to Hannah’s words very closely.

It was almost a blind adoration.

Whatever Hannah said, he considered it reasonable.

Tree Star had been Hannah’s battle companion for many years.

She wouldn’t abandon it. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Previously, due to unhealed grave injuries, she had no choice but to recover first.

But now, her wounds were healed.

Tree Star was waiting for her.

She knew it, even if it had fallen into a desolate condition, it was still enduring.

*

The Desolate Zone was located at the intersection of several powers.

In its central part was a giant fissure.

Down below was a pitch-black abyss with no end.

Here, one could only see countless robots programmed to tirelessly transport discarded "garbage."

Most of these "garbage" items were ejected from a few large interstellar laboratories.

If they were to be destroyed following standard procedures, it would cost a significant amount of money, so dumping them directly into the Desolate Zone was the most cost-effective method of disposal.