Honkai, But I Have Too Many Mods

"…Schicksal was involved too?" Liu Bai suddenly remembered something critical.

"It was used by an informant, afraid of being traced back, so it's actually clean—of course, it's mainly because Miss Rita is kind-hearted; otherwise, it should have the function of destroying the evidence."

"You guys are really something else…"

"So, did you give it to someone else?"

"No, I've been wearing it constantly except when sleeping. I can't exactly say someone snuck into my room while I was sleeping and specifically rummaged through my wristband, can I?"

That would be too ridiculous.

"I see…" Gray Serpent nodded.

"I say, can you guys give me some reliable communication tools?"

Liu Bai was speechless; Gray Serpent was far too calm.

"The most reliable is Anti-Entropy's internal network—but there's no way you can use it, and it wouldn't be practical for you anyway."

That was something completely separate from the internet. To hack into it from the outside would require physical access, and there were many taboos. Anti-Entropy only activated it for special operational communications.

"I will get you and Miss Guinaifen new wristbands. Remember not to click on any strange links or ads… If you get hacked, you'll be the ones suffering."

Gray Serpent said this in a cautionary tone, then took their wristbands and went into the room. After a while, he returned with two new wristbands.

"Take these. Oh, right, do you know the names of the people who attacked you today?"

"Himeko, Seele."

"A professor from Anti-Entropy and a combatant. You two don't need to pay them too much mind; leave this matter to me. You can go back and rest."

Guinaifen was confused, while Liu Bai looked thoughtful.

Gray Serpent no longer paid them any attention, so the two could only leave Shencheng Pharmaceuticals.

"Boss, what are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking about Yelan."

"? Do you like that type?" Guinaifen tilted her head.

"No, it's just that she's a suspect and capable… but her motives are unclear at the moment."

Although, from the perspective of the original story, it wasn't a big deal for the Far East Branch and Anti-Entropy to be colluding.

Coupled with Yelan's inexplicable reminder earlier… Honestly, Liu Bai found it hard not to suspect Yelan.

Moreover, even the simplest process of elimination pointed to Yelan.

The few people Liu Bai had contact with and whose numbers were in his contacts were half from Anti-Entropy, then Rita, Eden, and finally Kiana. But he had only met Kiana twice, and she wasn't even in his contacts.

While there was a possibility of coincidence, it was better not to optimistically leave everything to chance.

"Forget it, let's go back and rest… This day has been too exhausting."

"They fled in such disarray after just a few exchanges."

Himeko and Seele, who had also fled a distance away, stopped and began to rest.

"We really aren't suited to being villains, are we?"

"M-maybe?" Seele hugged her scythe, her mind wandering.

She found it difficult to imagine what kind of resolve the woman who had blocked her was fighting with.

What was she even doing…

Seele now felt deeply guilty.

"Don't overthink it. Everyone's thoughts are different, and besides, you should thank that young man."

"Hm?"

"He was the one who let me go. Otherwise, do you think I could have gotten out surrounded by several Dormant Spirit Deathless? I'm a scientist who can't even lift a chicken, you know?"

Himeko sat on the ground and complained.

Dormant Spirit Deathless didn't have long-range abilities, but their silk threads were standard mid-range abilities. Confined spaces like hallways made it easier to trap people.

If Liu Bai hadn't let her go, Seele would have been dead for sure, and she herself would likely have been captured.

Truly…

Himeko recalled the battle from moments ago and couldn't help but feel a lingering fear.

She hadn't even noticed Seele's situation.

"No, if it turns out like this, I won't be able to make a move next time." Himeko scratched her head. She owed a huge debt of gratitude to Seele and Liu Bai this time.

Even if the other party wasn't doing it for them at all.

"This whole thing shouldn't have happened in the first place…"

Seele questioned with her simple moral compass.

"Couldn't we have just sat down and talked it out?"

"There's no other way, kid. Normally, we can't satisfy the appetites of those five Serpent's Masters. Herrschers... we in Anti-Entropy can't possibly produce them."

Besides its mecha technology, Anti-Entropy was most famous for being the alliance leader of the Herrschers.

But this was clearly not something that could be used as a bargaining chip... Besides, they weren't actually acting for their own sake.

Inazuma... it was being kept secret for now. If they didn't find a solution soon, in a month or two, it might be a case of "secretly not announcing a death."

They had nothing to offer either. According to the known intelligence, that Serpent's Master was only interested in Honkai beasts, Deathless, and Herrschers – beings related to the Honkai.

Oh, and patients with very strange Honkai sicknesses.

The Merchant Guild's help was only provided out of respect for the past relationship between their legendary first guild master and the Inazuma Group's head honcho. It had nothing to do with Anti-Entropy.

The Merchant Guild was only making this exception this one time.

Furthermore, Yelan also reminded them that their target was currently being watched by Schicksal.

This was a headache.

Schicksal, Schicksal's Far East Branch, World Serpent, and then there was their own Anti-Entropy.

Fine, fine, so this is how we're playing it.

Are they planning to replicate the global situation within this Sky Dome Zone?

"We'll go recover the Titans in a bit. Let's recover as many as we can. No matter what, we have to get this done. We... are racing against time."

So what if it's a mess like the global situation? Who's afraid of whom?

It's like everyone hasn't been dealing with this all along!

Chapter 51: Saving Private Ryan, but Private Ryan Went Home First

"Phew, it's much more comfortable here than outside... Boss, what are you writing?"

Inside the Serenitea Pot, Guinaifen tossed her clothes, now covered in dust from rolling around, into a washing machine whose principles were anyone's guess. After taking a bath in a rather luxurious hot spring, she changed into her pajamas and went to the main hall, only to see Liu Bai writing something at the table.

Firefly was also sitting obediently beside him, watching Liu Bai write.

"Just organizing the current situation."

Liu Bai showed the contents to Guinaifen.

[World Serpent's current objective: self-research, human evolution?]

[Schicksal's target: myself, but objective unclear]

[Liyue Merchant Guild, Yelan's attitude is completely unclear. Her actions are chaotic, with World Serpent, Schicksal, and Anti-Entropy all having traces of her involvement.]

[Kiana... what is she doing here?]

[Anti-Entropy, kidnapping me is likely just a means to achieve some goal. The target is me, but the goal is probably unrelated to me.]

"I'm not very good at making mind maps, but you can still roughly understand it, right?"

"Mmhmm... I can understand it, but precisely because I can understand it, it feels so messy."

Guinaifen scratched her head.

Looking at it this way, her boss was really quite the popular figure.

"The main problem is the Merchant Guild, isn't it?" Firefly, maintaining her obedient posture, reached out and pointed to the part about the Liyue Merchant Guild on Liu Bai's paper.

"Let's cut the Gordian knot quickly... How about it? For forces whose objectives are completely unpredictable, it's best to exclude them... uh, I mean, to ask them directly."

Liu Bai and Guinaifen: Did you mean to say exclude?

"Huh? Why... why are you all looking at me? Did I... say something wrong?" Firefly's expression was slightly flustered.

"Well... Miss Firefly, what you said isn't wrong."

Guinaifen decided to dismiss her own guess as auditory hallucination.

How could such a delicate young lady say a scary word like "exclude"?

"I also feel like the Merchant Guild has been involved in many things lately, and that big sister Yelan is also very mysterious. Boss, what should we do?"

"Let's ask them in person tomorrow. I don't dare to communicate with Yelan anymore."

A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit. No matter how much you say online, it's useless. Real-life interactions are truly real!

"Um... should I accompany you, Mr. Liu Bai?"

Firefly regretted slightly why her injuries had healed so slowly.

"O-of course! I'm not very good at fighting, but I should still be able to help..."

"No, no, no, it's already tiring enough to protect one boss. Miss Firefly, don't join the fun."

Guinaifen patted Firefly's shoulder.

Liu Bai immediately saw the smile on Firefly's face stiffen.

Is she going to... perform a judo throw?

Liu Bai had already imagined Firefly grabbing Guinaifen's wrist and throwing her onto the table.

"...Y-yes, that's true." Firefly's smile remained stiff.

"Ugh... my shoulders are so stiff. Miss Firefly, have you been overworking yourself these past few days?" Guinaifen asked, casually starting to massage Firefly's shoulders.

"...It's fine, I guess."

The stiff smile vanished, and a hint of disappointment appeared on Firefly's face.

"Then Mr. Liu Bai, please be careful."

Watching this scene, Liu Bai inexplicably felt as if Guinaifen had just saved a life.

"Speaking of which... why did Gray Serpent mention Natasha out of the blue? Could it be that Natasha went to save me and missed me?"

Clang—!

"Miss Rita, do you really have to say something so troublesome?" Natasha glared at the maid standing in front of her.

"That's what I should be saying."

Rita looked at her own team members fighting the Deathless.

"Although our objectives are the same... I really can't just ignore your team."

If Natasha had brought anything other than Deathless, Rita might have turned a blind eye. Watching Anti-Entropy and World Serpent fight each other was also quite entertaining.

But you brought Deathless, and they don't seem like ordinary Deathless either.

Anti-Entropy, at least, were still human, and Rita actually admired some of their ideals.

But you brought Deathless directly!

If I don't stop you, I'm betraying my responsibility as a Valkyrie.

However, Rita had no idea that Natasha's mission this time was to rescue Private Liu Bai.

Clang—!