Audience with Emperor Xuanyuan

"Okay, let's do it this way!"

The plan perfectly aligned with Gray Serpent's expectations, so he readily agreed.

However, just as he turned to leave, the Jackal spoke again:

"Wait! Let that little crow come with me and lie in ambush outside the base. Although I think it's unlikely, the worst-case scenario is that Lord Skyfire has already been controlled. His combat power is too strong, and if necessary, we will have no choice but to reluctantly let the little crow fire a shot."

A ruthless killing intent flashed in his golden eyes. The Jackal coldly made a chop motion with his hand, which made the Gray Serpent feel a jolt in its heart.

Damn it, after all these years as colleagues, I know you're ruthless, but I never imagined you were this ruthless. You could even kill the Venerable Lord's Armed Doll without hesitation.

However, being cautious yet decisive, daring to use any means necessary for the greater cause, ruthless and merciless – this is the quality that World Serpent cadre should possess!

"Understood, will do as you say!"

Gray Serpent looked at the Jackal with satisfaction and even admiration, and nodded vigorously.

Raven had just finished her mission in London. Although there hadn't been any thrills or excitement, she thought she could finally rest for a while. Unexpectedly, after delivering supplies to the "Nest" in Changkong City, she was suddenly summoned to Shenzhou, given the Divine Key, and sent to Europe in a fighter jet once again.

"Huh? You're going to shoot that Venerable Lord's Armed Doll? What's going on? Are you and Gray Serpent finally going to rise up in rebellion?"

"Smack!"

The Jackal in the back seat patted the Raven on the head.

"You'd better watch your mouth. I can tolerate it, but if Gray Serpent hears this, he'll twist your head off!"

"Eh... alright, I misspoke. World Serpent are loyal followers of the Venerable Lord, and there is absolutely no disloyalty between them!"

"Sounds a bit unconvinced?"

"No, no, Lord Jackal is right. I was too naive. I apologize!"

The Raven was cawing in a very serious tone.

Her experience on the London mission brought her much closer to the senior officer Jackal. At least now she feels relaxed when they're alone, not overly wary, and can speak much more freely.

The Jackal leaned back, casually cradling the back of his head, and sighed:

"It's just insurance; it's best not to go that far. In his current state, Skyfire is practically invincible. If he could return, it would be an extremely reliable guarantee."

How strong is it?

"Whether it's Durandal, Delta, or Welt, Lord Skyfire can easily defeat them all. That's how strong he is, isn't it?"

"Holy crap! Is this some kind of incredible feat?"

The comparison method is the most effective way to explain a situation.

Raven was stunned by this statement. Although she still had some doubts about whether it was just the idol filter of the old-school world-building fans, if even the Jackal said so, then even if it wasn't a brutal beating, it couldn't be worse than those monsters, right?

If that's the case, then the return of this so-called Skyfire is indeed of great significance. At least before the appearance of the Venerable Lord, whose name we only know, it can ensure that the World Serpent won't be overwhelmed by those few monsters that we can't afford to offend.

Although Raven didn't feel a strong sense of belonging to the World Serpent, they were still all in the same group, and she began to feel a bit hopeful.

The Jackal followed the instructions and arrived at the secret base mentioned by the Gray Serpent.

After casually setting up some safety measures as a formality, she strolled around the base, waiting for Gray Serpent to bring back her clone... ah, I mean, World Serpent's Lord Skyfire.

Gray Serpent was indeed impatient, and returned with the sleeping doll in just half a day.

"This is Lord Skyfire? I didn't see him many times back then, it's been so long, I've almost forgotten him!"

Her pretty little face, so small, was almost too cute. Paired with her adorable little body, when she was asleep and still, she looked just like a valuable, high-end doll in a display case.

The Jackal fiddled with Skyfire's white hair, a knowing smile on his face.

'Stop touching it, my head itches!'

'Hey! So what if I touch it? Go ahead and try moving it!'

"... If we weren't all on the same side, I would have burned you to the ground right now!"

'Hehehe, that's just nonsense, I'm not listening!'

Each person and each puppet engage in interactions that only they themselves know about.

The Gray Serpent had only seen the surface. After a sigh filled with complex emotions, it said:

"Stop playing around. This is Lord Skyfire. Show some respect."

"Respect comes from the heart, not from the surface. Only a grandson pretends. Okay, I know you're anxious, but don't rush me. Let me do a full check-up first!"

"Jackal waved his hand and said."

Then, in front of the Gray Serpent, she placed the Skyfire on the experimental table and began to conduct observation and research with a serious expression, operating various detection instruments.

After a long while, as the Gray Serpent waited with bated breath, the Jackal slowly said:

"There's nothing wrong with his body, and there are no tracking or eavesdropping devices. It's only been a few days since the Chikai Ichijo was unsealed, and I don't believe Otto has the ability to manipulate deeper levels of personality and thought processes—anyway, I'll try to activate the battery to the minimum first. Get ready, and so does the little crow outside. Set up your guns. The most important moment is coming."

The Jackal gave the Gray Serpent a cold, sharp look.

Gray Serpent's heart skipped a beat. He silently walked behind the Jackal, not to attack Skyfire later, but to protect and take the Jackal away in time.

After a series of pre-programmed steps, the Jackal clapped its hands and walked towards the door.

"I'll leave the rest to you. Just follow the procedure. I'll charge it after I've gone a distance."

"Huh?"

"What do you mean, 'hey'? You have thousands of clones and you're not afraid of dying, but I'm different. I only have one precious brain, and if something happens to it, it's gone. You take the final test. Don't panic, the probability of something going wrong is very small!"

"..."

Under the silent gaze of the Gray Serpent, the Jackal left the base on its own.

The Raven, who had overheard the conversation in the distance, pressed its earpiece, equally speechless.

"Good heavens, this female Tong is even more ruthless than the Gray Serpent. It's best not to offend her in the future!"

Chapter 133 Paying Homage to Emperor Xuanyuan

"I used up most of my energy in the battle, but I still had some left."

Was it intentional or accidental?

"Most of it was consumed in the battle, but some was preserved."

"Was it intentional or accidental?"

"Yes, it was intentional."

At the World Serpent's secret base, Skyfire, having "reactivated" its battery, sat on a miniature seat made by Gray Serpent on-site, its small face serious as it conversed with Jackal via remote communication.

Gray Serpent shook his head silently, pondering Skyfire's experience while sighing inwardly—this colleague was clearly very intelligent, yet overly cautious.

Suddenly, the mechanical prosthetic eye flashed red, and the Gray Serpent was slightly surprised by the message that appeared before it.

After a moment, he interjected:

"Wait a moment, Jackal. I just received intelligence shared by Cocolia —a massive explosion occurred at the Schicksal Headquarters in the early hours of the morning. Huge cavities melted by the intense heat appeared in the Celestia's defensive shield and residential area. It's said that even Durandal was covered in soot, and it even alarmed Otto himself. The entire Schicksal Headquarters is now conducting a tense internal search, fearing that a threat may still be lurking inside."

Skyfire remained silent, after all, he "didn't know" anything about Cocolia and Schicksal, so he naturally had no way to react.

The Jackal on the screen paused noticeably, then widened its eyes and said:

"Cocolia even managed to find out this kind of information? That's outrageous! So outrageous that I can't even doubt that she's talking nonsense!"

"I told you long ago that Cocolia is a very valuable ally, but you just wouldn't believe me."

"That's what the Gray Serpent said casually."

Actually, I was secretly gloating.

Serves you right for doubting my judgment every day. How about that, are you shocked? I've already said that maintaining a good relationship with Cocolia is of great importance. With this intelligence network, you have no idea how deep the water runs in her waters!

Gray Serpent had no doubt about the authenticity of the news, since such a lie would be easily exposed, Cocolia had no need to do so.

The Jackal put a hand to his forehead, shook his head hesitantly, and finally said helplessly:

"I believe you, Cocolia, you're really awesome!"

"Then the situation should be completely clear. I told you you were being overly suspicious. Skyfire is definitely not a problem."

Gray Serpent maintained his nonchalant tone to conceal his sense of accomplishment at finally silencing his colleagues' suspicions with facts.

Jackal had been mocking him every day for being fooled by Cocolia, which had made Gray Serpent quite agitated. This was a real relief, forcing Gray Serpent to silently give Cocolia a thumbs up for her helpfulness.

At the same time, Skyfire's experience was also "fully presented" before his eyes:

After the Chikai Ichijo was unsealed, it fought a fierce battle with Durandal in an attempt to protect the Divine Key, but failed due to energy depletion. It then preserved a portion of its hidden energy, which was taken away by Schicksal, and then suddenly erupted when the defenses were relaxed, allowing it to escape danger.

Not only is it powerful, but it is also brave and resourceful. It is indeed a powerful Armed Doll modeled after the Venerable Lord. It can easily do things that ordinary people cannot do, which is admirable!

As the Gray Serpent sighed, the Jackal fell silent for a moment, as if acknowledging Cocolia's exceptional abilities. Then she turned to Skyfire and said apologetically:

"I'm sorry, Skyfire, I was being overly sensitive."

"It's alright, caution is necessary. After all, I've been away for too long and was even taken away by a major power of the Current Civilization. Your caution is undoubtedly correct and commendable."

"Hehe! Skyfire is very understanding, thank you for your understanding—Little Crow, put away the Seven Thunders of Sin Cleansing, you don't need to aim them here."

"... You even used the Seven Thunders of Sin Cleansing? Impressive!"

Skyfire said with a blank expression.

The Jackal gave an awkward laugh.

Gray Serpent also felt a sense of ease and pleasure. The Jackal's caution and Skyfire's reliability made the delicate atmosphere at this moment particularly reassuring.

My World Serpent is truly teeming with talent and is thriving!

Then, Skyfire looked at the two World Serpent executives before him, took a deep breath, and said:

"Have Kevin and Su returned? How many beings in Schicksal possess combat power equal to Durandal? Does the World Serpent now have the ability to forcefully infiltrate the enemy camp and reclaim the Chikai Ichijo?"

It's clear that Skyfire, with his serious and responsible nature, still harbors resentment at failing to protect the Chikai Ichijo, even though the main reason was that the seal, which had been sealed for over two thousand years, had long since exhausted its energy.

The Gray Serpent quickly replied:

"Schicksal also has an Artificial Herrscher, Delta, who is on par with Durandal. In addition, its Archbishop Otto has possessed the Void Archive for over five hundred years, making him a formidable and difficult opponent. Furthermore, Lord Hua has been cooperating with Otto for several hundred years now."

"Artificial Herrscher? Have humans in this era already created something this outrageous? And even Hua..."

Skyfire looked shocked, her crystal-clear blue eyes widening slightly.

Gray Serpent nodded, unable to hide his regret and guilt, and said:

"Welcoming back the Venerable Lord is the current goal of the World Serpent. That is why we have been lying low in the shadows of history, without openly developing our power. The Schicksal is the main force currently fighting against the Honkai, with a huge and powerful force. The World Serpent probably shouldn't act rashly."

"Well!"

Skyfire sighed deeply, his face expressionless.

The Gray Serpent felt even more ashamed. After lying low for so long, it had neither welcomed back the Venerable Lord nor made any real progress on the Stigmata Project. Now, even Lord Skyfire, who wanted to reclaim the Chikai Ichijo that the Venerable Lord had ordered him to take care of, could not muster the combat power to suppress Schicksal.

Only the incompetent make excuses, while Gray Serpent only feels that he hasn't done enough.

Skyfire raised his eyes, looked at the Gray Serpent, and softened his expression.

"No, your approach is correct. The Stigmata Project requires Kevin to make the decisions himself. Besides, we missed that opportunity back then, and now we can only wait; there's not much we can actually do. The World Serpent has survived for so long, upholding Kevin's beliefs, and you've done an excellent job."

"I dare not. It is all for the Will to Chase Fire, for the sake of defeating the Honkai!"

"Yes, thank you. I will follow your arrangements from now on. I have missed out for too long. All I can offer now is this insignificant force, but I hope it will come in handy."

"No, no, no! Lord Skyfire's return is of great significance. It not only means that we now possess the strength to protect ourselves in extreme circumstances, but it may also be a sign of the Venerable Lord's return. In short, it is a great honor for Gray Serpent to see you again!"

The Gray Serpent's voice also carried a hint of laughter.

The recognition and praise in Skyfire's words warmed the heart of even the mechanical life form, Gray Serpent, giving it a sense of joy that its millennia of hard work had finally paid off.

Meanwhile, with monsters like Delta and Ninti making their appearances, and with the strength of Schicksal and Anti-Entropy constantly expanding, the return of a top-tier fighter undoubtedly provides a great sense of security, allowing them to act with much more ease in the future.

Gray Serpent felt relieved, and even wanted to laugh. "You guys are making some kind of new-era Artificial Herrscher and Fusion Warrior, huh? I have Skyfire, so how are you going to lose?"

"Fine, the right to use the Chikai Ichijo is ultimately in the hands of those two. Since it's not easy to take it back, let them decide. Anyway, without Kevin or Su's consent, no one can use this Divine Key."

"Lord Skyfire is right. By the way, let me tell you about the current situation of the World Serpent. Although it is in a dormant phase, it has accumulated some resources..."

The Gray Serpent humbly and diligently explained the situation of World Serpent and their historical development to date.