Chapter 134

Theresa didn't feel anything about her adopted niece, but the key was that Shen Gonglin. Whenever he got close to Theresa, she couldn't help but recall what had happened before: CPR, artificial respiration, and the kiss on her cheek. Although everything could be attributed to emergency measures, it still had a certain impact on Theresa. She was fine just now, but why did she feel stranger the more she thought about it?

"I have a question for you, Cecilia. Cecilia Saniyat, are you also participating in this battle?"

Kiana asked the question she had been wanting to ask. As far as she knew, her mother had died in this battle. If she could prevent her from joining the fight, would she be able to save her?

Shen Gonglin turned to look at Kiana. She must have realized it was an illusion before, but now... Shen Gonglin didn't say anything. He also tried to relax his mind. He couldn't figure out if it was an illusion or not. In short, he would just follow Kiana's lead for now.

Chapter Eleven

"Cecilia? How do you know that name? Did Siegfried tell you?"

Theresa couldn't help but care about this name, because the owner of this name was her best friend, and part of the reason she was fighting here was because of her. But how did this girl know her name? She was Siegfried's illegitimate daughter, and she had the same name as Cecilia's daughter Kiana... Could it be that Siegfried had wanted to name his daughter this many years ago?

"Hmm... yes, it was my stinky old man who told me. Because I admire Lady Cecilia so much, I was wondering if I would have a chance to meet Cecilia this time."

One lie requires countless more to cover it up. Kiana now understands this principle, but there's nothing she can do about it; she's already come this far. The girl's expression is filled with trepidation. She wants to see Cecilia here, yet she doesn't want to see her here either. After all, she has no memory of her mother. If she could see her mother here, it would fulfill her long-held dream. But if she sees her mother... she knows that her mother died in this battle. It's such a dilemma.

Cecilia? Cecilia must be Kiana's mother, Siegfried is her father. Everything here seems to be connected to Kiana. Could this be a dream fabricated for Kiana...? No, his head is starting to hurt again. It's as if his brain is under immense pressure just from being aware of this environment. Shen Gonglin quietly rubbed his temples. He had to convince himself that this was a real scene, otherwise he felt he might even get a nosebleed from the stress. It was really uncomfortable. But this seemed to be... what Kiana wanted?

That's alright, I can endure it a little longer, it's okay.

"I see. But Cecilia wasn't sent here. She's been in poor health ever since she gave birth to her daughter over a year ago, so she's been recuperating. But... if Siegfried and I hadn't stopped the Second Herrscher, Bishop Otto would likely have ordered Cecilia to attack, since she's the strongest fighting force Schicksal can deploy besides the extreme methods. I absolutely cannot let that happen. I must protect Cecilia!"

Theresa nodded. She didn't doubt Kiana's statement. They had experienced a minor battle along the way, and the girl in front of her was capable of fighting. As Valkyrie fought against the Honkai, she couldn't possibly not have heard of Cecilia's name. The strongest Valkyrie, the goal that everyone admired.

But even the strongest Cecilia has her weak moments. After giving birth to her niece Kiana, Cecilia hasn't participated in any large-scale battles because her body hasn't fully recovered. And if the bishop forces her to go into battle this time... No, I can't let that happen. I have to work harder and defeat the Second Herrscher before that happens!

"That's right, you must protect her, please protect her. I will help too, and we absolutely must not let her get hurt in the slightest... Shen Gonglin, why are your hands so cold? And you haven't said a word since just now, are you not feeling well?"

Kiana murmured these words, and at that moment she noticed Shen Gonglin's condition. His quietness was completely out of character for someone with ADHD, and his little hands were ice-cold, not because of the temperature, but as if he were weak. What's wrong with him? Kiana pinched Shen Gonglin's chin and carefully examined his face. Something was indeed wrong. His fair face showed a hint of fatigue. Was it because he had been walking for too long? Should she carry him on her back?

After all, she'd be seeing her stinky old man soon, Kiana wanted Shen Gonglin to be in the best possible condition to meet him.

"Don't pinch my chin, it's like you're teasing an innocent young man... I'm just a little tired. Only stamina monsters like you wouldn't feel tired after walking for so long. I'm a normal person."

He forced a smile at Kiana, his head throbbing slightly, but Shen Gonglin didn't want to spoil Kiana's mood, so he refrained from revealing his thoughts. To be fair, Shen Gonglin's acting was quite excellent; Kiana didn't seem to suspect anything at all. What an idiot... or maybe it's because he's too smart?

That should be the case.

"Are you tired? You're right. I could tell when we were fighting. Your physical condition doesn't seem to be very good. How about I carry you? We're not far from the temporary command post. We'll get there soon."

Theresa looked at Shen Gonglin with concern. Unlike her illegitimate niece, this boy didn't seem to have received any special training. Judging from his panting and weak appearance, it was clear. How did he learn the Kaslana family's Gun Fu? That level of proficiency definitely requires years of hard practice. How could that not improve his physical fitness?

If Shen Gonglin had really followed the proper path to learn various martial arts techniques, she might have developed a strong physique. But unfortunately, her current skill level is entirely due to her intelligence. Because it's easy for her to do things, she skipped the process of diligent practice, which is arguably her weakness.

"No need, Theresa, I'll take care of Shen Gonglin. You said we're almost at the temporary command post, right? That means we'll be seeing Siegfried soon... Theresa, I need to ask you a favor. When we meet Siegfried later, please keep it a secret that I'm his illegitimate daughter."

Kiana blocked Theresa's hand from reaching for Shen Gonglin, and carried Shen Gonglin on her back first. At the same time, she also thought of this matter. She couldn't reveal the explanation she gave to Theresa to Siegfried, otherwise, the sudden appearance of this illegitimate daughter would be impossible to explain.

"Why?"

"Um... Look, isn't this a crucial moment in the mission? Time is money. If we waste time on my matter, Lady Cecilia might be in danger. Anyway, let's talk about my matter after the mission is over. Please."

Kiana racked her brains and could only come up with this reason. She looked at Theresa with a guilty conscience. If only Shen Gonglin were willing to give her a suggestion. He was so smart, he would definitely be better at making up lies than she was.

Chapter Twelve Siegfried

Kiana was extremely uneasy, but she was overthinking it. With Theresa's intelligence, this level of lie was enough to fool her. In fact, after hearing Kiana's sensible speech, she even teared up. What a sensible girl! It's all because of that bastard Siegfried. She must have suffered a lot to grow up to be who she is today.

"I understand. You truly are my niece. Let's do it your way. Don't worry, I'm here for you. I will never let you suffer again."

Theresa patted Kiana's shoulder, sighed, and turned away, leaving Shen Gonglin and Kiana bewildered for a while. Kiana turned back and looked at Shen Gonglin, who was perched on her back. Had Theresa misunderstood something? Why did she seem a little strange? Oh well, she thought it would take a lot of effort to convince her, but it was so easy. That was perfect.

"Just bear with it a little longer, it will warm up soon, it's okay."

After comforting Shen Gonglin on her back, Kiana followed Theresa ahead. Shen Gonglin gently rubbed against Kiana's shoulder before closing her eyes, not because of the cold... but it was indeed quite comfortable to be on Kiana's back. Even the constant pain in her head seemed to have eased. Beautiful girls truly are treasures of this world; they are undeniably useful.

"Hmm... Kiana, I've been so obedient, I think you can reward me a little."

Nodding his head slightly, Shen Gonglin didn't forget his shameless nature even at this moment; he would never give up any opportunity to gain an advantage.

"Alright, tell me what reward you want. Even letting me kiss you wouldn't be out of the question."

Shen Gonglin can be really well-behaved and obedient sometimes. Although most of the time he's like an idiot and makes people angry, it's rare to see him so well-behaved and obedient. With the Class President not around, I'm Shen Gonglin's guardian, so I have to give him a good compliment.

"There's no need for that. Besides, I feel like that would be a reward for you. Look at our relationship now, how about you call me 'Dad'?"

"... Okay, you'll see my dad soon anyway, why don't you talk to him and see if it works out?"

"Kiana, you know, I was just kidding, it was just a joke."

It seems this guy is really not in any serious trouble. He can still be so cheeky. What serious trouble could he possibly be in?

Following Theresa forward, upon seeing the figure sitting on the container, Shen Gonglin noticed Kiana's heart begin to race. Looking at the blue figure not far away, Shen Gonglin also became curious. Was this the legendary hero who had touched the buttocks of all the Valkyrie on the Hyperion? Should she now pay some respects to her senior, after all, he was her role model?

With his white hair and resolute face, though his expression carried a hint of frivolity, just looking at him gave one a sense of security. This was Kiana's father. Overall, he was indeed a very charming man, but of course, he was far inferior to her. When she grew up, she would definitely be more handsome than him, that was for sure.

Shen Gonglin secretly started to feel envious. He also wanted to become that kind of cool and roguish uncle, but due to his age, Shen Gonglin could never show that kind of charm. Let alone an uncle, now when he walks on the street, passersby would hesitate whether to say he was handsome or not.

"Yo, Theresa, you're finally here! I've been waiting for you for so long. I heard you met with the Second Herrscher before, and I was really worried about you."

The handsome middle-aged man sitting on the container, looking cool, also saw Theresa and the others. He waved to Theresa and his blue eyes looked at Kiana and Shen Gonglin. White hair and blue eyes, is this Kiana's family trait? Theresa is the same. Could it be that Lady Cecilia is the same?

"Hmph, I don't care about your worries, you lecherous devil. Instead of worrying about me, you should think about your own affairs. You're such a lecherous devil."

Theresa snorted coldly, giving Siegfried a cold look. In her mind, he was a complete scumbag who didn't care about his illegitimate daughter. She thought his character would definitely corrupt others. She would have to have a good talk with Shen Gonglin later and make sure he didn't learn from this unparalleled scumbag.

Hmm, maybe she doesn't need to learn it. In this respect, Shen Gonglin might be stronger than Siegfried.

"Oh, alright, alright. By the way, who is this beautiful lady beside you and the even more beautiful... no, even more handsome boy she's carrying? Beautiful lady, if I had the chance, I'd really like to invite you for a drink."

Siegfried shifted his gaze from Theresa to Kiana and Shen Gonglin. He thought to himself, "As expected of a handsome playboy uncle, Shen Gonglin n't even need to say a word; he can tell she's a boy." That level of insight alone is enough to show that Kiana's father is incredibly capable. But this talk about wanting to buy Kiana a drink... Shen Gonglin can't pretend she didn't hear that. Uncle, please stop radiating your dangerous charm! This is your own daughter! A father who encourages his underage daughter to drink with him is utterly despicable!

"No, she's not an adult yet, she can't drink alcohol, she can't!"

Jumping off Kiana's back, Shen Gonglin spread her arms wide, standing guard in front of Kiana. What if this idiot Kiana, having not seen her father for too long, actually obeyed and went to drink with him? Kiana isn't very bright, so in this situation, it's naturally up to her, the one with the brains, to protect her. Don't be fooled by Kiana's seemingly older age; she's a complete idiot and utterly useless.

"So she's still a minor. Then please forgive my intrusion, my apologies. But young man, why are you so nervous when I offer her a drink? I wonder, what exactly is your relationship with this beautiful lady?"

Siegfried offered a half-hearted apology, while his blue eyes began to scrutinize the unbelievably handsome boy before him. It was indeed difficult to feel any ill will towards the boy's face, but for some reason, Siegfried felt a surge of unease upon seeing Shen Gonglin, as if... as if he had stolen his own rice, or as if he had seen a pig rooting up his own cabbage.

Chapter Thirteen: Split Operations

"I'm her dad... Ouch, Kiana, stop pinching me! I was just kidding, you... you're still pinching me! If you pinch me again, believe me, I'll pinch your butt! I mean what I say!"

Shen Gonglin puffed out his chest and said something that made Kiana speechless. How much did this guy want to be her father? He'd said it more than once. She considered him a friend, but he wanted to be her dad. Was it because she was too nice to him? This Shen Gonglin deserved a beating. Kiana reached out and grabbed the soft flesh of Shen Gonglin's waist. It was a skill that girls naturally possessed; Shen Gonglin couldn't stand even a slight pinch. But what was this idiot saying?!

Didn't he see his own dad and aunt were still there? He even tried to pinch me there. He was so arrogant. I'll pinch him until he bursts.

And so, Shen Gonglin and Kiana started fighting right in front of Siegfried and Theresa. These two seemed to need to fight every day to feel any satisfaction. Theresa helplessly covered her forehead, while Siegfried's lips twitched; he was getting increasingly annoyed. Watching Shen Gonglin and Kiana rolling around on the ground together only made him angrier. It was a strange feeling; why did seeing Shen Gonglin and this girl named Kiana together...

Hey, Kiana? She said her name is Kiana?

"Wait a minute, your name is Kiana?"

Taking advantage of this opportunity, he interrupted what was supposed to be a fight between Shen Gonglin and Kiana —an interaction that Siegfried saw as affectionate. He grabbed Shen Gonglin by the back of his collar and pulled him off Kiana. This brat has absolutely no gentlemanly manners. How could he act like this with such a beautiful girl? When his Kiana grows up, he will definitely teach her to stay away from boys like this, or she will definitely suffer the consequences.

"Yes, that's right, my name is Kiana. I'm so sorry, it's the same as your daughter's name."

Kiana got up, brushed the snow off her clothes, and made a face at Shen Gonglin. She wasn't alone anymore; she had people helping her. Neither her stinky old man nor Theresa would stand by and watch Shen Gonglin bully her. It felt so good to have her parents' help.

"Alright, alright, Siegfried, stop bullying this child. How old are you? Stop wasting time and explain the situation."

She took Shen Gonglin from Siegfried's arms. It seemed like Siegfried and Shen Gonglin didn't get along. They should be meeting for the first time. But now was not the time to dwell on such things. Theresa hadn't forgotten their mission. The Second Herrscher was missing, and they had to find her as soon as possible.

"Alright, alright, there's bad news and even worse news. The bad news is that the Valkyrie Squad has been dispatched to search for the Second Herrscher, but they haven't found any trace of Second Herrscher yet. The even worse news is that because the operation hasn't made any progress, Bishop Otto has ordered Cecilia to launch an attack."

Speaking of the current situation, Siegfried became serious. He said with a gloomy face that if he could, he really didn't want Cecilia to fight. Her physical condition was not suitable for combat at all. However, Bishop Otto still ordered her to attack. Damn it, if the situation here were better, she wouldn't have had to come here.

"What! But Cecilia's physical condition doesn't allow her to participate in the battle yet."

Theresa cried out in surprise. Things had turned out this way even though she hadn't found the source. She had been thinking that Cecilia wouldn't need to appear after she and Siegfried resolved the situation here, but the bishop still... With her physical condition, who knew what the consequences would be if she fought Herrscher?

Cecilia is coming? If she comes here, doesn't that mean I'll be able to see her soon? Cecilia, my mother, I'll be able to see her with my own eyes.

Listening to Siegfried and Theresa's conversation, Kiana's eyes flickered with excitement. On one hand, she didn't want Cecilia to come to this battlefield, but on the other hand, she wanted to see her with her own eyes. Kiana was extremely conflicted.

"I understand, so our mission is clear. Cecilia will arrive in Siberia in thirty minutes. In those thirty minutes, we need to find the Second Herrscher and then kill her."

Siegfried crossed his arms and revealed his plan. He didn't want Cecilia to participate in the battle, so this arrangement was necessary. He would resolve the Herrscher issue before Cecilia arrived, so that when Cecilia came, they could have hot pot together. With himself, Theresa, Cecilia, and this beautiful girl, just without Shen Gonglin, it would be perfect.

That brat should just be thrown out to eat snow; just looking at him makes Siegfried feel uncomfortable.

"Indeed, this is the best arrangement, but the whereabouts of the Herrscher ... Hmm? Something's up."

Theresa nodded in agreement to Siegfried's arrangement, and at that moment the communicator rang. Upon seeing the message, a smile appeared on Siegfried's roguish, middle-aged face. Not bad, not bad at all. It seems that God is still on their side.

"Haha, it seems God hasn't completely abandoned us yet. We've found the Herrscher."

[Report received from Valkyrie in regions O-23 and O-17; they have both discovered traces of the Second Herrscher.]

Such a voice came from the communicator, but this situation made Siegfried and Theresa frown. The Herrscher's traces had been found in both regions, but based on the information they had so far, this Herrscher did not have the ability to create clones or anything like that. So, was the signal from one of the regions false?

"Damn it, are they going to separate us?"

Theresa gritted her teeth and said that even if she and Siegfried combined their fighting strength, they might not be a match for Herrscher. If they were separated, it would be even worse.

"There is no other choice. I'll go to O-23, and you go to O-17. Whoever finds the target, don't hold back."

They made a decisive choice, after all, it was to protect their loved ones, and there was no time to hesitate.

"Alright then, Kiana and Shen Gonglin, you two stay here. It should be safe here..."

Theresa nodded, but how could Kiana obey such an arrangement? How could she be absent from this battle?

"No, I won't stay here. I want to join the battle too. You know, Theresa, we both have the ability to fight, so let me join as well."

Kiana clenched her fists, the blood of the Kaslana family boiling within her. To protect her loved ones, she had to fight!

Chapter Fourteen Grouping

"Let her participate. I can tell from her eyes that she is an excellent warrior. Of course, forget about that guy over there. I can only see that he wants to sleep in his eyes. In short, I have a feeling that this young lady will play a very important role."

Faced with Kiana's request, Siegfried said these words. He truly trusted Kiana. Even he himself couldn't explain where this trust came from, but just looking at the girl in front of him gave him that trust. Sometimes, nothing else is needed, just intuition. Fighting by intuition is a family heirloom skill of the Kaslana family. On the other hand, Siegfried felt that the blond boy over there was very unreliable, whether in battle or in any other way.

Perhaps this is just intuition, an old father's intuition about a bad boy who takes advantage of his daughter all day long.

"Yes, yes, that's right. You guys do your best. I'm just a loser. I'll wait for you guys here. Theresa said this place is safe, so I'll wait here obediently. Kiana, you guys do your best!"

Without hesitation, he admitted his worthlessness. Now, Shen Gonglin just wanted to stay here and get some sleep. You see, he and Kiana came out late at night, which was the perfect time to sleep. Shen Gonglin hadn't stayed up all night in a long time, especially in this cold environment. Now, he just wanted to grab the thermal blanket and get some rest. No matter what battle it was, he didn't want to be bothered.

"No! Shen Gonglin, I absolutely will not leave you here alone. You must join the battle too."

Shen Gonglin wanted to be a cripple, but Kiana wouldn't let him. It wasn't that she necessarily wanted him to fight; it was simply because Kiana was worried about leaving him alone there—worried in every sense of the word. Everyone at the St. Freya Academy knew that Shen Gonglin couldn't be left alone anywhere, or he would definitely get lost. The current environment was full of dangers, Kiana would absolutely not let Shen Gonglin stay alone. Leaving him there would definitely lead to an accident. That was the only thing Kiana was sure of.

"Oh, how could this be? Kiana, you don't spoil me at all... So how do we split up for the operation? There are two locations, right?"

He couldn't find a quiet place to stay, as Kiana grabbed him by the back of the collar and pulled him over. Shen Gonglin pointed to two red dots on the screen and said that he wanted to slack off, but Kiana disagreed. Kiana was very firm on this issue, so it seemed that he couldn't be a useless person.

"Of course, you and I will be in the same group. Theresa and Siegfried will be in the same group. That's settled, let's get started."

Without the slightest hesitation, Kiana was determined to be with Shen Gonglin. She was with Shen Gonglin in the Valkyrie squad, and Kiana felt capable of anything with him by her side. Holding Shen Gonglin's hand, Kiana was about to set off, but before she could even move, Siegfried and Theresa blocked her way. How could they let those two kids take on one side? If they encountered Herrscher, they would be easy prey.

"No, you come with me, Shen Gonglin goes with Siegfried. This is the most suitable arrangement. No matter which side encounters Herrscher, immediately call the other side. This is a decision, not a discussion. Otherwise, I won't let the two of you go."

Theresa was adamant. How could she let the two of them take charge of one side? They had only joined the battlefield by accident. Kiana had finally found her scumbag father after a long journey. How could she entrust such a dangerous mission to them? It was best for her and Siegfried to each take one. That was her bottom line.

"But... alright, then Shen Gonglin, you must stay close to Siegfried, and Siegfried, you must keep a close eye on Shen Gonglin. Don't let him wander off alone. Also, when you're moving around, you'd better not walk too fast; he's wearing slippers, so he can't run very fast. And although he can fight, it's best not to let him fight. Also, try to stay in sheltered areas, otherwise I'm worried he'll catch a cold... Siegfried, would you mind carrying him? He's not heavy at all; carrying him won't affect the fight at all. Of course, if it's a fight, you'd better put him down, otherwise I'm worried about the danger..."

It was quite rare for Kiana, with her personality, to be so long-winded in her explanations. The girl was still thinking about what she needed to explain, but Shen Gonglin's face was already flushed red, almost bleeding. The subtle glances from Theresa and Siegfried beside her made this shameless contestant feel a pang of pain in her heart. What was this idiot saying? Did she think she was some kind of parasite who couldn't survive without someone to take care of her? It was just splitting up, did she really need to give such detailed instructions? How could she be so unreliable!

"Okay, okay, stop talking. I'm fine, I'm perfectly fine. And I have no intention of having a man carry me. Don't worry, I'll be okay. If we really start fighting, I'll just run away, okay? Please stop talking, or I'll really die."

Rin rushed over and quickly covered Kiana's mouth. Shen Gonglin didn't dare let Kiana continue talking. Theresa was about to burst out laughing. Kiana was even more of a dummy than the Class President. Even the Class President wouldn't nag like that when she was on a mission.

"Isn't it because you're so unreliable and don't let people trust you? Honestly... You have to be careful. Like you just said, if you encounter any danger, remember to run away. Don't worry about Siegfried, he's very powerful. Just take care of yourself... At most, you can help him a little. If you really encounter any danger, be sure to contact us immediately."

Kiana pouted and pulled down Shen Gonglin's hand that was covering his mouth. She then pulled the hood of Shen Gonglin's pajamas and put it on his head. The two yellow pointed ears made Shen Gonglin look exceptionally cute, but the Herrscher wouldn't show him any mercy just because he was cute. So, if he encountered any danger, he should run away as soon as possible. There was no need to worry about Siegfried; he was very powerful.

"Why do I feel like the teammates assigned to me are so unreliable, beautiful lady? It really hurts me to say that to my face."

Siegfried was speechless. He was told to run away when danger struck? The fight hadn't even started yet and he was already starting to panic. Was this a teammate? He was just creating trouble for himself.

"Hmph, he trusts you to take care of him. If anything happens to him, I'll make you pay. Oh, and there's one more thing..."

Like a spoiled young lady, what's wrong with being a little willful in front of her father? There's always something even more willful to do. Kiana stepped forward, and this was just the beginning.