Reanna thought of something.
She recalled a line from The Catcher in the Rye:
"I'd like to be a catcher in the rye. Watching over countless children as they ran happily through the rye field, with no adults around—except me, that is. I'd stand there watching, by that damned cliff. Whenever a child accidentally ran toward it, I'd catch them.
"I mean, the children would all be running wildly, not even knowing where they were going. I'd have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I'd do all day. I just wanted to be a catcher in the rye."
The Current Situation and the Break
"Senior Einstein, you're here."
As Reanna pondered, a petite girl in a protective suit walked over.
"Schrödinger? You came at just the right time. How's the situation here now?" Tesla asked urgently.
"Everything is stable for the moment. The core area has been contained within the laboratory where the explosion occurred," Schrödinger answered expressionlessly. "The only problem now is that communications throughout most of the city have been crippled. However, Nancy has already dispatched nearly ten thousand vehicles to maintain order while serving as a quarantine barrier."
"If Berlin had reacted this quickly back then, that would have been nice."
Reanna snapped out of her thoughts just in time to hear Schrödinger's words, and she could not help sighing softly.
"What about the civilians... Wait, you?"
"Just in case. Most civilians have already been evacuated. As for me... my curiosity got the better of me."
Schrödinger pulled her head out of her protective suit, revealing the cat-ear-like Honkai tissue on top of her head.
"At present, it doesn't seem to be having much of an effect."
Schrödinger then extended her right hand, which was covered in a layer of purple-and-white shell-like tissue.
The current Schrödinger had not, as in the original story, nearly half her body Honkai-corrupted and out of control. The only Honkai tissue on her body was the cat ears atop her head and her hand.
...Actually, it was rather cute.
But why did Schrödinger say that curiosity was the reason she had been infected by Honkai?
Had this unlucky kid come into contact with some source of Honkai under the influence of her curiosity?
Curiosity really did kill the cat.
Liu Bai truly had not expected that, even after all these preparations, she would still get infected by Honkai.
"So far, I haven't shown any signs of losing control. Mm, generally speaking..."
"Bear with it."
Reanna had no desire to listen to Schrödinger present her research findings, so she thrust her spear forward.
"I am the black that journeys to hell; I am the white that descends from heaven; God Key: Abyss White Flower, second rated power—Holy Lance: Reversal!"
As Reanna chanted, Abyss White Flower split into two. The power of the White Flower caused the Honkai tissue on Schrödinger's body to gradually disappear.
"Your right hand. The Honkai Energy has been sealed in your right hand. As long as you don't release it on your own, it won't threaten your life... Honkai Energy is dangerous stuff! Didn't your teacher teach you not to touch anything related to Honkai recklessly?!"
What began as a gentle explanation immediately turned into a harsh reprimand.
Pulling back children running toward the cliff was exactly what she, as a "watcher," ought to do.
"I simply didn't expect there to be such an object with high Honkai Energy in the outer district. There was a small accident during its retrieval."
Schrödinger put her protective suit back on and spoke leisurely.
"Honkai may be the source of disaster, but it is also something with patterns that can be followed. Such an object with high Honkai Energy clearly should not have appeared here."
"Hm? You mean... someone is deploying Honkai?"
Reanna was quick-witted and immediately understood what Schrödinger meant.
"I'm not sure. But occasionally, coincidences that defy the usual patterns can happen too... Thank you very much for what you did for me, Miss Reanna."
After discussing the serious matter, Schrödinger finally lowered her head sincerely in thanks.
Everyone else's expressions gradually grew grave. The information revealed by Schrödinger's words was simply staggering.
Reanna in particular had an extremely uncertain expression.
"Where's Edison?"
"Princess Nancy is leading people in a search for possible materials with high Honkai Energy. She should return soon... Once she returns, she should be able to summarize what has happened."
Schrödinger answered softly.
"It's not a major problem."
Compared to everyone else's solemnity, Liu Bai appeared quite calm.
The current situation was far better than in the original story. There was absolutely no need for Edison to sacrifice her life to save this city.
"Half of Otto's cards are useless now. This city has not fallen into paralysis as he expected."
The situation now was that communications had been crippled, but the people had not.
In the original story, Edison had been caught completely unprepared when communications were crippled, causing the entire North American Branch and the city to become half-paralyzed. After Tesla and Einstein took over command, they could only mobilize one customized tank and a handful of people—and those people did not even know how to drive the tank.
Now, although most communications had been cut off, Edison had clearly prepared in advance and could still coordinate operations through the small amount of communication that remained.
Moreover, the disaster level was very low. It had been confined to the laboratory, so there was no need to panic.
As the North American Branch, which could contend with headquarters, began to move...
Even a powerful dragon could not suppress a local snake.
"Let's hope so..." Einstein nodded, agreeing with Liu Bai. "For now, we can only trust Edison."
"If any Honkai Beasts appear that you cannot handle, call for me. I can travel at a speed of one kilometer per minute, and if necessary, I can keep the damage radius within ten meters to reduce the destruction to the city."
Reanna spoke softly.
Watching this, Welt was deeply moved. He recalled something Liu Bai had said while introducing Schicksal to him.
An organization did not necessarily share one heart. Many people actually had their own ideas, and those ideas could even conflict with one another—especially in an old organization like Schicksal—for instance, the Valkyries and those lofty elders, or their Bishop.
Schicksal's lofty goal had gathered a group of Valkyries who likewise held lofty ideals.
But unfortunately, Schicksal's Bishop, Otto... as he himself had said, he was merely a shadow chasing after the "Saint."
Welt finally understood why he had refused Otto back then.
"I understand. I will relay your willingness to join the battle to Princess Nancy through the special communications device."
Schrödinger was visibly stunned, seemingly not expecting Reanna to say such a thing.
But Schrödinger quickly nodded. As a senior member of the North American Branch, she was well aware of the combat capabilities of Schicksal's strongest warrior.
It seemed that Reanna had already begun considering a break with Otto.
Yet Schrödinger could understand.
At this moment, the last veil between the two sides had been torn away. Reanna, who had served in Schicksal for a full century, had finally realized that she and Otto were not on the same path.
—Otto was not some cold general who would stop at nothing for victory. He was merely a conspirator pursuing his own desires.
Reanna had weathered a hundred years in Schicksal. At least one-tenth of the soldiers lying in the military cemetery had once been her comrades.
But now, Reanna suddenly realized that the ideals she and her comrades held were nothing more than tools for someone else to satisfy private desires...
They were soldiers, so they could unhesitatingly carry out orders certain to result in death on the Honkai battlefield for humanity's future.
As long as it was for victory, they could accept their own sacrifices, because they knew those sacrifices would pave a path in humanity's war against Honkai.
But if all of this was only to fulfill the desires of those above them... then what did their sacrifices amount to?
If Reanna had not already gained a measure of enlightenment from her century as a soldier, someone else would probably have stormed headquarters with a gun in hand to demand an explanation from Otto.
Liu Bai and Otto's Confrontation
"Honkai Beast extermination—confirmed that there are no abnormal Honkai Energy readings in the outer district. Operation concluded."
Edison expressionlessly looked at the Honkai Beast before her, which had completely lost all activity.
"Destroy the Honkai Beast's corpse. Do not leave behind even a single hair."
"Understood, Commander Edison!"
The North American Branch's special forces swiftly deployed special fuel onto the Honkai Beast's corpse.
"All right, Professor Elias. Have you figured out how you're going to explain yourself to Dr. Einstein and the others?"
In response to Edison's mockery, Finn could only reveal a bitter smile.
"There's nothing to explain... I'll confess and accept the consequences. But my wife and child..."
"There's nothing I can do about your wife, but someone has already gotten your son out—we at the North American Branch are not pushovers in Britain either."
There was really a lot to criticize in that statement.
Yet Finn was relieved instead. Saving even one of them was something, and he could not possibly ask for more.
With that thought, Finn silently followed Edison.
Manhattan Temporary Command Room
"Good afternoon, Finn."
Einstein smoothed her natural curls.
"I heard you caused quite a big incident here... How did setting off that bomb feel?"
"Terrible. At the instant of the explosion, all I felt was regret... Is it just the few of you?"
Facing Einstein's teasing, Finn wore a bitter smile before scanning the surrounding area.
"I heard that a Valkyrie from headquarters came too."
"My mission is not to kill you and silence you... And I do not intend to continue obeying Bishop Otto's orders."
Reanna lifted the door curtain and walked in.
"Still, it isn't very wise for you to stroll in here so brazenly. A bullet might fly in from somewhere and shut you up for good."
"That really does sound frightening..." Finn shrugged. "But that will not stop me from exposing that Bishop's crimes."
"Expose him?"
Ignoring everyone's shocked expressions, Edison nodded. "We can't let Otto bully us to our doorstep without hitting back, can we? Perhaps Professor Elias's words alone will not be convincing, but..."
"—No buts, Miss Nancy."
A somewhat arrogant voice sounded from beside them.
That voice sent a chill through everyone present—
Otto?!
Why was he here?!
A sense of fatal danger struck from behind. Edison instinctively wanted to retreat, but in the next instant, another unfamiliar male voice came from the same direction.
"No, Bishop Otto. I believe everyone should have the right to speak freely."
The lance that had been about to pierce Edison's body slowly lowered.
Only then did everyone realize that the original Reanna had somehow become a handsome young man they had never seen before.
"Liu, Liu, Liu, Liu...!"
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Tesla pointed at the young man before her, unable to speak properly.
"Shh."
Liu Bai gestured for Tesla not to speak, lest she expose him.
Although he was a ghost, he did not want Otto to put him in his little notebook this early.
"Who are you? How are you able to control Reanna's body?"
At this moment, Otto's tone was filled with shock and confusion.
Reanna, the "Soul Steel Valkyrie" personally modified by him—was his strongest spare body.
Over a hundred years, he had modified her more than a thousand times, large and small. At the same time, to keep Reanna from noticing the contingencies he had planted within her body, he had gone to enormous lengths.
Before you continue