Cocolia paused for a moment, feeling a sharp pain in her forehead, and the light before her eyes seemed a bit too dazzling. But soon, amid the children's calls, she ignored these abnormalities again, walking toward them with a soft smile.
"My lovely children, Mom is back, and this time I brought your favorite cake!"
Cocolia spoke thus, and then, as expected, heard their happy cheers. Her mood instantly improved greatly, and the smile on her face grew even brighter.
The moment she stepped through the door, Cocolia's expression stiffened. She looked up to see a black monster descending from the sky, opening its bloody maw lined with sharp teeth.
"Gachil!"
A sound of biting and swallowing came from the darkness.
After that, Cocolia had no idea what happened anymore.
"Well said, Cocolia. You truly deserve to die."
Cocolia flipped through the documents on the desk, signing them while casually responding to Kuerla's words.
"There was no decent resistance or struggle."
"It seems our initial judgment was correct. Cocolia is not special, or at least she certainly lacks the ability to resist us."
"Now it seems that deliberately keeping Young Lady completely isolated from this matter was overly cautious."
"Still, caution is no mistake. Our identities are too dangerous, and Otto's malice is even more perilous. We can only be careful and more careful."
"However, we finally obtained an identity with a tiny bit of qualification to shake the world... We must thank Cocolia for her management over the years, and now, all of this belongs to me!"
Cocolia (Anqi) finished dealing with the last few documents, looked up, and locked eyes with Kuerla (Anqi), both wearing identical, meaningful smiles.
Then, Cocolia leaned back abruptly, the massive and snowy expanse of her half-exposed breasts swaying with an intensely eye-catching undulation.
Cocolia let out a long sigh, her gaze dim as she stared at the ceiling.
"So, can I consider this revenge?"
"You could say it's avenged, but... I can't genuinely smile about it..."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
The two spoke back and forth, yet they were not conversing at all, merely talking to themselves.
The office suddenly plunged into silence.
Regarding the disaster in Changkong City, if one had to say, many people were guilty: Raiden Mei who transformed into a Herrscher, Bronya who aided the evildoer, even Raiden Ryoma who initially placed the Gem of Conquest inside Raiden Mei's body... Judging by the experiences of this world's Anqi, killing all these related parties probably wouldn't be going too far. Yet from the perspective of the otherworld Anqi, Cocolia—who instigated the artificial Honkai eruption—was the absolute mastermind and chief culprit.
Contradictory and distressing.
Anqi suddenly felt that she was somewhat like she had a split personality.
Ultimately, they were two distinct individuals merged into her present self. She now had to seriously face the mental issues she had previously deliberately ignored.
"Whoosh!" Amid the silence, Kuerla suddenly pulled out her trouser belt, then flipped up her shirt to reveal her perfect waist of snow-white skin.
Cocolia also unbuttoned her clothes.
"We agreed that once we took this body, I'd get to taste it first, right?"
"Stop nagging, I'm very annoyed right now!"
They unconsciously moved closer to each other, and Kuerla with her neck-length silver hair pinned the golden big-waver Cocolia onto the wide and sturdy desk...
Chapter 28: Already a Firm Comrade
"Puff!"
Amid the steam-wreathed natural hot spring, Young Lady Anqi held a ceramic wine dish filled with sake, and the wine she had just sipped sprayed fiercely into the pool.
"Cough, cough!"
Anqi covered her mouth, choking and coughing repeatedly. The flush on her face caused by the hot water and alcohol suddenly grew much brighter, forming a sharp contrast with her snow-white skin.
"Young Lady..."
"Young Lady!"
The beautiful maidens nearby who were massaging and holding wine immediately swarmed over, looking at Anqi with expressions of worry and bewilderment.
Anqi's gaze was involuntarily drawn to the scenery close at hand.
The Tachibana Family inherited by Young Lady was trivial compared to the true powers of this world, yet in this patch of the Far East, it was truly a great noble family with a millennium-long heritage. And these maidens were all young noble ladies born from vassal families of the Tachibana Family. Their bloodline, beauty, and upbringing were one in a million; placed outside, even a billionaire might not have the qualification to catch a glimpse of their faces.
After Anqi took over the family business, especially after successfully establishing a good relationship with Cocolia, these maidens were sent to Anqi's side by their respective family heads as her assistants and maids—a symbol of those vassal families offering their loyalty to the new king.
But let's put these matters aside for now.
Beneath the warm pool water, Anqi uncontrollably clenched her legs together, then forced a smile onto her flush-dyed face and said:
"I'm fine. You guys... go on down first..."
"But, Young Lady, you..."
"Go down first. I want to be alone for a while."
"Yes!"
Several alluring young maidens stood up from the hot spring, each feeling uneasy yet forced to obey the command.
"Right, book a psychologist for me, for two hours... No, have her meet me tomorrow!"
"Yes!"
Using her last shred of reason, Anqi booked an expert in psychology, hoping to gain some judgment and help regarding her mental state.
The beautiful and obedient maids left in accordance with the order, and the spacious and elegant hot spring area finally left Young Lady Anqi all by herself.
"Ooh~~"
The experience transmitted through their shared senses made Young Lady Anqi cover her face with both hands, her waterfall-like pitch-black hair drifting in the water. After letting out an ambiguous whimper, her entire body sank to the bottom of the pool.
"Anqi..."
"Anqi..."
"Anqi!"
"Ha!!!"
Also soaking in the hot spring, leaning in Himeko's warm embrace, Anqi started violently.
Kiana, Raiden Mei, and Bronya nearby hurried over.
"Anqi, what's wrong? Why did you suddenly zone out like that?"
"And your face is so red."
"Huh? Really! Even your body is so red. Are you feeling unwell?"
"Could it be you soaked in the hot spring too long and your body couldn't take it?"
The group observed Anqi's complexion, even reaching out to touch her forehead, endlessly worried about her bizarre appearance.
Surrounded by them, Anqi's petite body trembled slightly, her eyes instantly turning into dazed spirals, and she said with a blushing face:
"I-I-I... I'm going back to rest first!"
Anqi stammered out an explanation, then rushed out of the hot spring area with a whoosh, leaving only a few wet little footprints along the way.
The group stared at each other in blank dismay for a moment, until Himeko finally sighed and stood up, stretching her waist. Her proud curves were fully displayed before the young maidens, and crystal-clear water droplets, like the finishing touch on a painting, slid slowly down her snow-white flesh as she said:
"Sigh, I originally wanted to take the opportunity to have a few drinks. Never mind, you guys keep enjoying yourselves; I'll go take care of that child."
Himeko picked up the bath towel beside her, waved her hand with her back to them, and followed Anqi's footsteps.
In the changing room, Himeko quickly put on a yukata and arrived at her and Anqi's room to find that Anqi had completely buried herself in the futon.
"Little one, what's the matter with you again?"
Himeko smiled helplessly, reaching out to pull back the futon, but failed to budge it.
From the futon, Himeko could tell that Anqi's body was trembling, and gradually, her expression grew grave.
"Anqi, is it a Honkai Energy corrosion reaction?"
Whether it was Valkyries like Himeko who used artificial stigmata or Valkyries like Anqi who were recognized as naturally awakened and required no stigmata implantation, none could avoid Honkai Energy corrosion. The only difference was a matter of enduring a few more years versus a few fewer years.
This conjecture instantly filled Himeko with terror. Having experienced that torture worse than death herself, she found it even more unacceptable for such a thing to happen to Anqi.
Then, a hand reached out from beneath the futon and dragged Himeko into the bedding.
"Anqi!?"
"Himeko... Let me hold you... Don't move..."
Anqi's slightly trembling voice came from beneath the futon, plaintive and mournful, as if suppressing some intense physical reaction.
Himeko's heart trembled along with Anqi's voice.
"It shouldn't be, you're still so young... That's right, you even lost control when you awakened; the Honkai Energy in your body must be extremely unstable, and you were still messing around so recklessly after enrolling... I actually overlooked it! I'm sorry, Anqi! Does it hurt right now? I'll take you back to St. Freya for treatment!"
Himeko said in a panic, trying to lift the futon and take Anqi away.
Yet Anqi's strength was beyond Himeko's imagination. She held Himeko's body tightly, transmitting her trembling and fiery body temperature to Himeko with crystal clarity.
"Don't... Himeko... Don't go..."
"But you..."
"Let me... Just let me hold you like this... Please..."
Anqi emitted a pleading, tearful, and trembling voice from within the futon.
Himeko hesitated for a moment, her tightly furrowed brows failing to relax. In her anxiety, tears even flashed in her wine-red eyes. Ultimately, however, Himeko could only hug Anqi's shivering body beneath the futon, comforting her gently and pityingly.
"Alright, I won't go. It's okay, Anqi. I'll stay with you like this the whole time, don't be afraid. Be good, you'll be fine, Anqi."
"Mm..."
This night seemed exceptionally long, true for all the Anqis.
The next day, Kuerla and Cocolia each dressed in the office, then faced each other, wiping away and repairing some traces on their faces, necks, and other areas.
After restoring everything to a nothing-happened state, the two shook hands.
"From now on, I will continue to work hard in the military and become a symbolic figure of Anti-Entropy's military."
"I will continue to command and develop the Radical Faction's forces, while incidentally whitewashing Cocolia's stigma as much as possible—at the very least, ensuring we don't stand opposite Kiana and the others. In short, you and I will join forces, striving so that when Welt returns, he finds that Anti-Entropy no longer belongs to the Yang or Joyce families."
"Keep it up."
"Let's work hard together."
The two Anti-Entropy Anqis shook their four hands, gazing at each other with calm eyes—a firm expression of comrades who had engaged in honest and profound communication.
Having this experience for the first time in two lifetimes, and with Kuerla's and Cocolia's capabilities being so exceptional, it was already fully sufficient to vent the pressure and depression accumulated over these days, while greatly alleviating their personality and psychological contradictions.
The Anqis would continue to face the terrifying destiny imposed upon them with a brand-new, favorable mindset.
I%#@#%****!* ×2
As for the cordial greetings from St. Freya Anqi and Young Lady Anqi, whether it was the two thick-as-thieves Anti-Entropy Anqis or the Anqis in the theater, they silently ignored them.
Who are you putting on an act for? We're all our own people; could we possibly not know what you experienced last night?
Chapter 29: A Bountiful Harvest for Anqi
"Report, I have entered the cockpit, feeling great..."
"Bang!"
Cocolia slapped a fierce palm onto the white-painted giant mecha, Bronya's mature-edition golden dual spiral curls swaying freely in the air.
"Quit playing aerospace memes, aren't you annoyed!"
"Sigh, this is my first time turning into a Titan, you know. I have to get used to it somehow."
The biological hunter, Father, quantum-technology-magically-modified Titan—from inside the huge white armor came a girlish electronic voice. Simultaneously, the heavy armored body performed a flexible side somersault right in front of Cocolia, then landed on a single finger, steadily supporting the nearly 10-meter-tall massive frame.
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