Chapter 133

"Niece? My niece, Kiana Kaslana? Hmph, that despicable Second Herrscher, actually trying to deceive me with illusions? Does she really think I'm a fool? My niece Kiana is only one year old!"

Everything was clear to her; this was all a conspiracy by the Second Herrscher. Such tactics were utterly useless against a mature Valkyrie like herself. Golden light shone from her arm as the Honkai Beast genes fused within her took effect, causing her previously vanished left hand to reappear rapidly. Along with it, the gleaming golden cross on her back appeared, and golden chains extended and retracted from it. Did a mere Herrscher think she could deceive her mind? Did they really think she was some kind of fool to be manipulated at will? These two were probably Herrscher incarnations; she would deal with them herself!

You actually dared to take advantage of me? I never expected you to be this kind of Second Herrscher.

"Something's not right. This Deli seems to have gone mad, just like her name suggests. Kiana, she's trying to get back at the two of us."

Reversing the approaching golden chains, Shen Gonglin was immediately taken aback by Theresa's intelligence. What was going on? Why was she suddenly attacking these two adorable students? Was it because of her CPR earlier? But that was Kiana's doing. If she wanted to fight, she should fight Theresa; this had nothing to do with her.

"I could tell she wanted to kill us both too. Tsk, who knows what Theresa is thinking. Right now, we can only fight her first. No matter what, we need to calm her down first. Why is she so angry... Shen Gonglin, let me ask you something first. When you were giving CPR, you didn't stick out your tongue, did you?"

Kiana drew her twin pistols to parry Theresa's attacks. The golden chains grazed the gun barrels, sparking a shower of sparks. Theresa was undoubtedly serious this time. Kiana couldn't understand why Theresa would attack the two of them. Shouldn't this attack be directed at Shen Gonglin, who had taken advantage of her? Why would she attack her own cute niece? And if Kiana had to be honest, Theresa felt that Theresa had the advantage. After all, it was Shen Gonglin, the new beauty queen of St. Freya. It was clearly Theresa who had the advantage. The only reason Kiana could think of now was that Shen Gonglin had secretly stuck out her tongue. Otherwise, why would she attack Kiana as if she had been waiting for this?

"You, how can you slander me out of thin air? I, Shen Gonglin, am an upright and honest person. How could I possibly do something like sticking out my tongue while performing CPR? Kiana, you can't say such things!"

While dodging Theresa's attacks, Shen Gonglin responded to Kiana with a blustering but cowardly tone. What kind of talk was this? She didn't even trust her. Really, where has the trust between people gone?

"I was just saying it offhand, Shen Gonglin, why are you so nervous... Wait a minute, Shen Gonglin, look me in the eyes, you promise you didn't stick your tongue out?"

"I... I promise... it only went in a tiny bit..."

"...I knew it! Theresa, you wait, I'll help you, the two of us will beat him up together!"

Chapter Seven: The Class President Takes the Blame

Kiana ultimately didn't join Theresa in attacking Shen Gonglin. Although that guy was incredibly outrageous, Kiana could only hold him accountable for now. You really can't trust a man's words. Shen Gonglin's claim that he wasn't interested in lolis was a complete lie. Otherwise, why would he have secretly stuck out his tongue while giving CPR? It's confirmed. He said that just to lower his guard. He likes all types of girls, not just one type. He's just a lecher!

"Shen Gonglin, you just wait until this is over. I'm going to teach you a lesson. You even went after Theresa! Are you even human?"

Kiana used her dual pistols to fend off Theresa's attacks, and took a moment to grit her teeth at Shen Gonglin. If she didn't have to fight the brain-dead Theresa right now, she would have pounced on Shen Gonglin and bitten her to death. This girl was just too infuriating.

"There's nothing wrong with targeting Theresa, is there? Although she looks like a little girl, she's actually quite old, so it's perfectly legal. I'm not afraid even if you call the police... Wait, when did I say I was going to target Theresa? Kiana, you're completely slandering me!"

Having also summoned the Time Spirit's twin pistols, Shen Gonglin parried Theresa's attacks while casually complaining to Kiana that he also knew the Kaslana family's Gun Fu, and with his vast knowledge base, Shen Gonglin Jingu's Kaslana family Gun Fu, which he learned from Kiana, was even more perfect. This guy actually has many fighting styles, but he just can't fight for long periods of time due to his stamina.

"Your age, your age! You've been obsessed with my age ever since this started, haven't you? You're just a brat, don't you know it's rude to talk about a lady's age? Go to hell!"

Theresa was so angry that her forehead was creased with fury. This boy who looked like a girl was really hateful, even more hateful than this girl who claimed to be her niece. These were all illusions created by the Second Herrscher, right? Then just destroy them all. He kept nagging and even took advantage of her. She had to kill him.

Golden chains pierced through the void as Theresa, wielding a golden spear, charged towards Shen Gonglin. Shen Gonglin, however, was wielding not only the weapon of the Time Elf but also a portion of the Universal Angel's enhancements. Her deep purple pupils turned red in the blink of an eye, golden halos swirling within them. Her powerful analytical abilities allowed her to pinpoint Theresa's attack path, displaying the Kaslana family's Gun Fu to its fullest extent. While she didn't possess Kiana's physical prowess, Shen Gonglin's advantage lay elsewhere—it was here!

As the butt of the gun came crashing down on her head, Theresa was startled and quickly used her spear to block. She wasn't surprised by Theresa Shen Gonglin's attack, but by Shen Gonglin's fighting style and that girl. She was also using the Kaslana family's Gun Fu. Illusions shouldn't be able to do something like this, so what was going on?

"Wait, wait a minute, you two are using Kaslana..."

"A great opportunity!"

Theresa wanted to stop, but Shen Gonglin seized the opportunity. His eyes flashed, and the flintlock pistol in his right hand turned into black and red energy and disappeared. His free hand grabbed the golden chain next to Theresa. Shen Gonglin knew better than anything what to do when faced with such an unreasonable legal loli: tie her up and beat her up.

Perhaps it was an innate affinity for ropes, but when Shen Gonglin obtained the Chains of Judah, it was as if divinely inspired. Before Theresa could even react, Shen Gonglin had already wrapped the chains around her several times, instantly immobilizing the girl. If it were just immobilization, that would be fine, but this... Theresa looked down and saw her petite body tightly bound by the chains. Just by looking at the method of binding, one could tell how skilled the person was. Theresa's face turned red. Why this way of binding? This person is so indecent!

"Done, Kiana, look how awesome I am! Why are you looking at me like that? Aren't I awesome? Ah, why did you hit me again? I was careless, I didn't dodge again."

The little girl, Theresa, was so light and agile that she fell over with a single push. The bound Theresa had no strength to resist at all. With a gentle push, Shen Gonglin sent her sprawling onto the snow. Shen Gonglin then turned around triumphantly to Kiana, intending to praise her. But instead of praise, he was met with Kiana's complicated and inexplicable gaze. What was wrong with him? He had done something so amazing, and she wasn't going to praise him? Kiana not only didn't praise him, but she also rushed up and gave Shen Gonglin. This idiot, why did he tie Theresa up like that?

"I knew you were a pervert! When you tied me up before, I wanted to say, you little rascal, where did you learn to tie me up like that? It's so lewd!"

One look, then another... Kiana felt embarrassed just looking at Theresa's current bound state. She raised her little fists and started hitting Shen Gonglin with them. Couldn't they just tie her up properly? Seeing Theresa like this reminded Kiana of when Shen Gonglin had hung her from a tree a long time ago. Back then, Kiana wondered where Shen Gonglin had learned her skills, managing to create such an effect with just a chain. Looking at Theresa, even with her petite frame, she could achieve this effect. If it were her... No, no, Shen Gonglin, that girl, she's definitely not serious!

"Too astringent? Where is it astringent... It was all taught to me by the Class President. That's right, it was the Class President who taught me. This way of tying up was all taught to me by the Class President, it has nothing to do with me."

Shen Gonglin covered her head, utterly bewildered. Was there something wrong with her tying technique? But when Shen Gonglin turned around, she noticed something amiss. What had happened? How could she have tied Theresa up like this? Shen Gonglin knew this tying technique; it was something like tortoise shell... But knowing it was one thing, how could she have such skill? She had just tied her up without thinking. Meeting Kiana's disapproving look, Shen Gonglin immediately started to shift the blame, saying it had nothing to do with her; it was the Class President who taught her.

"You think I'd believe that? If the Class President were here, she'd be crying. Shen Gonglin, it's all your fault!"

Kiana grabbed Shen Gonglin's face, trying to bite him, while Theresa, who was lying on the ground, also reacted. The little girl's face turned red, and she twisted her body. At this moment, she had no intention of continuing to fight. Something was wrong, very wrong. These two people didn't seem to be some kind of illusion of the Second Herrscher.

I've figured out Chapter 8.

"Wait, wait a minute, were you two just using the Kaslana family's Gun Fu?"

Bound like a silkworm cocoon, Theresa wriggled desperately to Shen Gonglin's side. With the girl's movements, the chains tightened even more. Shen Gonglin stared in disbelief. This was too terrifying! She never expected that someone with Theresa's petite, flat figure could be bound like this. It seems that human potential is indeed limitless. If you squeeze, you can get anything.

"Yes, it's my family's Gun Fu. Theresa, don't move. If you move again, someone will take advantage of you. Let me undo it for you."

Kiana glanced at Shen Gonglin, then squatted down next to Theresa, blocking Shen Gonglin's view with her body. It was confirmed; this guy was a total pervert. He was interested in everything, whether it was loli, mature woman, or young girl. He was a complete little pervert, as could be seen from his excellent bondage skills.

"Who taught you this Gun Fu?"

After being freed from her chains and realizing they weren't illusions, Theresa abandoned her plan to attack them. The little nun rubbed her arm and looked at Shen Gonglin and Kiana with a puzzled expression. She was very familiar with Gun Fu, but she had never seen these two people before. What was going on?

"Of course, my dad taught me."

"My mom taught me... Pfft, Kiana, you're really naughty today. You've hit me more than once already. If you hit me again, believe me, I'll pull down your pants and beat you up?"

Kiana honestly admitted it, but Shen Gonglin started being cheeky again. Before he could finish speaking, he got punched by Kiana again. He rubbed his stomach and looked at Kiana with a bad expression. This guy seems particularly arrogant today. Has he really forgotten who is the king of St. Freya?

"Come on, Theresa, don't listen to his nonsense. I taught him Gun Fu."

Kiana gave Shen Gonglin a provocative smirk. This Theresa in front of her seemed to be a completely different person from the Theresa she usually knew. Otherwise, how could she not know such things? Of course, she inherited the Kaslana family's Gun Fu from her stinky old man, while Shen Gonglin learned Gun Fu from her. Theresa should know all of this.

"You taught him? But I feel like he's even more skilled than you... Never mind that, you said your dad taught you. Who is your dad?"

Shen Gonglin's Gun Fu is incredibly pure. After sparring with him, Theresa clearly saw that he was just a little lacking in strength. This must be related to his age and development. Judging from Shen Gonglin's wrists, it's clear that he has never received any training. His Gun Fu comes from this girl, and this girl said she learned it from her father. So who is her father?

"Siegfried Kaslana."

"Siegfried? That's right, but my niece Kiana is only one year old..."

Kiana revealed her father's name, while Theresa became visibly confused. She recognized Siegfried, of course, but she had never seen this girl before, and she even called herself Kiana Kaslana. What was going on? Was it her imagination? She couldn't understand it at all.

"Kiana, I feel like this Theresa is different from the Theresa we usually see. This Theresa is obviously a bit dumber than the one we usually see. Did you hit her on the head just now?"

The little girl Theresa clutched her head, looking utterly bewildered, while Shen Gonglin quietly approached Kiana and whispered in her ear. Although Theresa was usually quite silly, even forgetting what she wanted to eat while queuing to order food, it was a bit too silly for her to not even recognize her own niece. This wasn't Theresa anymore; it was Theresa who had gone mad. Shen Gonglin felt that he could easily trick Theresa into eating a lollipop.

"Nonsense, you were the one fighting her the whole time, I didn't even touch her. But she said her niece is only one year old... When I entered this virtual space, I think I heard the system notification that this is February 7, 2000. Could it be that this Theresa is the Theresa from that time, which is why she doesn't recognize me?"

Kiana first clarified her responsibility, and then, biting her finger, she made this analysis, which should be the most consistent explanation for the current situation: this Theresa is Theresa herself when she was one year old, so she doesn't recognize herself now that she has grown into a very outstanding Valkyrie.

"... Kiana, I'm so glad. I didn't expect you to be so smart. I'm starting to look at you in a new light... Or are you just an illusion right now? Quick, give me back the real Kiana. I had my suspicions before. If it were the real Kiana, she would give me a lap pillow and a massage every day at this time!"

It's hard to imagine that Kiana could be so logical. It's not surprising that I have this thought, but it's strange that Kiana would think of this. Could it be that she is not actually a fool but a smart girl? Or is Kiana's intelligence usually fluid, but it gets frozen and solidified when she goes to a cold place?

"You idiot, you're talking nonsense again. When have I ever done such a thing? But if you really want it, it's not impossible. Come here and give me your shoes. You must have gotten snow in them during the fight. I need to find you a warm place quickly. Look how cold your feet are."

Kiana pulled Shen Gonglin in a bad mood. She grabbed the edge of Jingu Rin's HOMU slippers and shook out the snow inside. She could feel the icy coldness of Shen Gonglin's feet with just a touch. This girl was small in stature and had small feet. She was as delicate as a young lady. This kind of harsh environment was really hard for her to bear.

"Then just warm it up for me, okay? Come on, Kiana, open your mouth~"

Without any intention of being serious, Shen Gonglin lifted his foot and moved closer to Kiana's face. Kiana, however, wasn't going to put up with him. The girl revealed her two little tiger teeth and gave Shen Gonglin a fierce smile. Open your mouth, huh? Then I'll open it for him to see!

"Okay, I'll warm you up right now. You just stand there and don't move!"

Kiana tackled Rin Shen Gonglin to the snow and bit her cheek. At that moment, Theresa, who had been lost in thought, snapped out of her Shen Gonglin. Yes, that's right, that must be how it is.

"You two... Hey, you two stop fighting! I've figured things out, and yes, that's definitely what happened!"

She quickly separated Shen Gonglin and Kiana. As expected of Theresa, she immediately stepped into the role of a kindergarten teacher. After separating Shen Gonglin and Kiana, she had a confident look on her face. Yes, things must be as she thought.

Chapter Nine: Deli, the Foolish Bastard Daughter

"I understand now, you must be Siegfried's illegitimate daughter!"

Theresa pointed her small, fair finger at Kiana, her eyes gleaming with confidence. It must be true, this explains everything. Otherwise, why would Kiana call her "Auntie"? Why would she say her father is Siegfried? And what about the Kaslana family's Gun Fu, and her blue eyes and white hair? Without a doubt, this girl must be Siegfried's illegitimate daughter.

"...ah?"

Shen Gonglin and Kiana were both surprised by Theresa's conclusion. They looked at each other, both seeing a lot of question marks in each other's eyes. Was Theresa really that stupid before? Why couldn't they understand her thought process at all? How did she come to this conclusion? Kiana didn't know why she had become her father's illegitimate daughter. Theresa's mind was indeed terrifying.

"Damn it, I knew Siegfried's private life was messy, but I never thought he would have such a big illegitimate daughter. You look about sixteen or seventeen years old, so he should be... My God, Siegfried was already like that when he was just a teenager? That's why you call yourself my niece."

The more Theresa thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. In Theresa's opinion, Siegfried really might do such a thing, after all, that would fit his playboy persona. Damn it, Theresa was absolutely furious. Poor Cecilia had actually married such a person. Enough already.

"Hey, hey, hey, who's the illegitimate daughter?!"

How could Kiana, the legitimate heiress of the Kaslana family, have become the illegitimate daughter Theresa speaks of? Kiana frantically waved her hands to attract Theresa's attention. What was this silly little girl thinking? How could she be an illegitimate daughter?

"Oh, poor child, I know it's hard for you to accept this, but it's all your lecherous father's fault. It's alright, it's alright, it's all in the past."

Standing on tiptoe, Theresa reached out and gently touched Kiana's head, trying to show her kindness. Poor child, suddenly knowing such a heavy thing, it must be hard for her to accept.

... So what should we do now?

As Theresa patted their heads, Kiana and Shen Gonglin exchanged a glance, unsure of what to do. Kiana had a million complaints in her mind. How could Theresa be so stupid? Or was Theresa always this level of intelligence? What kind of bizarre thought process would lead to this kind of scenario? She's almost as Shen Gonglin.

"Given Theresa's intelligence, I estimate it will be difficult to explain things to her in a short time. How about we leave it at that for now, go along with what she says, and then have her take us away from this godforsaken place? I have a feeling something's not right here. You just said you heard the system's voice saying that this is Siberia in 2000. Is someone interfering with our brains? Logically speaking, I shouldn't be so easily pulled into some kind of virtual illusion."

Shen Gonglin whispered these words in Kiana's ear. At the same time, he was also curious about the current environment. It's not that Shen Gonglin is bragging, but with the complexity of his mind, he should be able to detect if it were a virtual illusion. But now he felt that the snow was real and the people were real, which was a bit scary.

"Yes, that's right. It's all that stinky old man's fault. He abandoned my mother and me four years ago, and then my mother passed away. So I had no choice but to take the child I picked up on the road with me. That's why I came here to find him. Come on, Shen Gonglin, call her Auntie."

Kiana nodded and continued Theresa's words. At the same time, she also thought of a reason for Shen Gonglin beside her. But it was not wrong. She had picked him up, so what she picked up was also hers. Calling Theresa "Auntie" along with her was how it should be.

"I'll give you a piece of my mind. What a loving father and filial daughter! The father throws snowballs that can shatter two-meter-high boulders at his daughter, and the daughter makes up stories about her father's messy private life. Don't drag me into your weird family. I don't want to be involved."

Disrupted from his thoughts, Shen Gonglin glared at Kiana with annoyance. He had just thought of something when Kiana's nonsense shattered his plans. Why should he call Theresa "Auntie" like Kiana? He wasn't her brother or anything like that. He didn't want to do that. If he was going to Shen Gonglin, he was going to be her father.

"Theresa, I found him by the roadside. He probably had a head injury, so he's acting a little strange. Please forgive him."

Kiana pointed to her head and winked at Theresa immediately understood what Kiana meant. "Oh, so that's how it is!" The nun's young face instantly radiated maternal warmth. She had been resentful that Kiana had taken advantage of her while she was unconscious by giving her artificial respiration, but now, hearing about her condition, Theresa's heart softened. She reached out and hugged Shen Gonglin, her small hands stroking Shen Gonglin's head. "Poor child," she thought, "Just as pitiful as my illegitimate niece."

Kiana's comment immediately made Theresa Shen Gonglin something wrong with her head. After all, who would go out and run around in pajamas and slippers on such a snowy day? This was clearly a serious problem.

The feeling of being thought of as mentally challenged by an idiot is... quite strange. Oh well, considering that Theresa's embrace is still warm, Shen Gonglin will be magnanimous and not hold it against her. He also reached out and hugged Theresa back. There was body temperature, fragrance, and the feeling of this soft girl's body. Is this really an illusion, or a deep hallucination targeting the brain's nerves?

Is it because he damaged his nerves while protecting Bronya's brain that he was also being misled by this illusion?

I need to get myself checked out too. I feel I need to protect my Shen Gonglin, because if something happens here, it could affect my intelligence. Look at Kiana, and then look at Theresa, that's what happens to them.

"What a pitiful child. It's alright. From now on, you just need to stay with me and be good to Kiana... Hey, Kiana, what are you doing?"

Shen Gonglin lost in thought, while Theresa held him in her arms and stroked his fur. Kiana, however, couldn't stand it anymore. She squeezed between the two of them and tried to separate them. What were they doing? Why were they all trying to take advantage of Shen Gonglin? Couldn't they act like a woman on her period?

"It's nothing, it's just that now is not the time to do this kind of thing, Auntie, what should we do now?"

Is Chapter Ten an illusion?

Kiana grabbed Shen Gonglin's hand and pulled the silent, seemingly lost-in-thought idiot slightly behind her. Couldn't this guy just hide? Did he think he could just hug Theresa whenever he wanted? She never knew he was so obedient before. Given his personality, he should be yelling for money right now. Why should he charge her when Theresa is free?

Double standards are the most despicable thing!

"What should we do now... Oh right, I almost forgot, I still need to stop the Herrscher. Come with me, we'll go to the temporary command post first. It's very dangerous here, it's relatively safer there. Hurry up and catch up. I don't know what the Second Herrscher's situation is now, I have to stop her."

Thinking about what she needed to do, Theresa immediately became serious. This Herrscher had to be defeated. If she and that lecherous Siegfried failed to stop the Second Herrscher, who knew what other plans the Church might have? That would be an unbearable consequence for Theresa, so she had to hurry.

[Command center, this is Theresa Apocalypse. Please report on the current status of the Second Herrscher.]

Not knowing how long she had been unconscious, the three of them continued forward across the snowfield. Theresa took out her communicator and contacted the operator at the command center. The Second Herrscher's strength had exceeded her expectations; she had been defeated shortly after engaging her and had to retreat. Theresa was also unaware of the subsequent situation on the battlefield, and she needed to find out the Second Herrscher's current movements as soon as possible.

[Lady Theresa, it's so good to know you're alright. After your battle with the Second Herrscher, she disappeared from the radar, and her current whereabouts are unknown.]

The operator at the command center sounded overjoyed. Theresa had disappeared after her battle with the Herrscher, and the news of her reappeared put the operator at the command center at ease. Despite her joy, she did not forget her duty to keep an eye on the Herrscher's movements at all times, but she really couldn't find her now.

[It's alright, it doesn't matter if we can't find it now. In order to obtain the Honkai energy inside the tower and complete her full awakening, the Herrscher will definitely find a way to reach the Babylon Laboratory. Have the Valkyrie squad patrol near the tower. If they spot Herrscher activity, report it to command immediately. But be careful not to engage in combat with the Herrscher. Also, where is Siegfried Kaslana now?]

As they traveled, Shen Gonglin and Kiana observed Theresa. The Theresa before them seemed different from the Theresa they had seen before. The Theresa of ordinary days seemed gentler, but the Theresa of now, although still cute, exuded the demeanor of a capable Valkyrie while on a mission. Or perhaps, this was what Theresa looked like when on a mission?

It seems quite reliable.

"The current time should be 2000, which is many, many years ago. According to Theresa, I should only be one year old now... Doesn't that mean my mother, Cecilia, is still alive? And that stinky old man man, Shen Gonglin, should also be nearby!"

Suddenly understanding this, Kiana abruptly gripped Shen Gonglin's hand, a look of surprise appearing on the girl's face. Shen Gonglin, who had been lost in thought, was captivated by Kiana's delighted expression; she had never seen Kiana like this before. But this must be a virtual illusion, though Shen Gonglin couldn't yet see through it...

"Yes, that's right. Theresa is saying that your dad should be here too. I just wonder what his attitude will be when he sees that he has a daughter as old as you."

Putting her own thoughts aside for the moment, Shen Gonglin was somewhat surprised by Kiana's surprised yet apprehensive expression. From their tightly clasped hands, Shen Gonglin could sense Kiana's feelings. Even the environment could make Kiana so excited, which didn't seem like a bad thing. It was just that her head seemed to be a little sore. Was it because she realized this was the environment and her brain was instinctively starting to calculate? Perhaps she shouldn't think about it too much for now and should observe the situation further.

Lord Siegfried has just arrived at the temporary command post and is currently on standby.

Okay, I'll head to the temporary command post to meet him. That's all for now.

After hanging up the call, Theresa turned to look at Shen Gonglin and Theresa, who were holding hands tightly. Her unexpected niece and this boy really had a good relationship. And the boy was indeed very handsome. But... she hoped her poor niece wouldn't be fooled by him. This boy looked harmless, but who knew what he was really like inside? He used those methods to tie up girls and even took advantage of her while she was unconscious. Her niece didn't seem very smart. She wondered if she would be deceived in the future.

Her background is already pitiful enough; if she gets deceived by a scumbag on top of that, it will be too tragic.

"Hmph, he wouldn't recognize me... Theresa, Theresa?"

Kiana, having no hope for her idiot father, pouted and quickly followed Theresa. The girl's clear voice made Theresa look up, and as soon as she looked up, she saw Shen Gonglin walking towards her with Kiana. His sudden approach made Theresa feel a little flustered. The mature Lady Theresa took a half step back before realizing why she had retreated, as if she was afraid of Shen Gonglin.

"What are you yelling about? Just say what you want to say, don't get so close."