Chapter 238

"It is precisely because we know she is there that we must be even more careful and proceed with caution. We must avoid any unforeseen complications, Mei. I understand how you feel, but I hope you can calm down."

Tesla pushed up her glasses. She didn't want any more problems at this crucial moment. She needed to make all the necessary plans now. Mei was in a state where she was prone to making mistakes, so she had to calm her down.

"I understand, but there's still some time before nightfall. I'll go scout ahead first."

Mei eventually agreed with Tesla's suggestion, but she really couldn't bring herself to take a break now.

"Go, and remember to come back before sunset."

Chapter Fifteen: The Super Young Lady

Mei nodded, but the girl didn't turn around and leave immediately. She glanced at her surroundings. The messy and poor environment made her uneasy. She couldn't feel at ease letting these children live here. Was there any way to help them...? Mei was silent for a moment before finally speaking.

"Dr. Tesla, is there... is there any way we can help the children here?"

Mei was already overwhelmed with her own affairs, but when she saw these children in need, she couldn't help but want to lend a helping hand. Was Mei the kind of person who was overly kind? Tesla was already used to Mei's behavior. She sighed. She had thought about this matter. She really had to find a way to help these children. Living in a place like this, a typhoon or heavy rain would probably cause casualties.

"I'll explain the situation to Chicken Coop Head and we'll discuss how to handle it later. The Salt Lake Base just took in a group of orphans... To be honest, the medical situation is a bit tight. Also, we're not quite sure what that teacher is thinking right now, so we have to visit him. We'll put these things aside for now. For the time being, we can only do what we can."

Having reached this conclusion, Tesla waved his hand and started to dismiss everyone. Mei was going to investigate the road ahead for tomorrow, so he would work a little overtime. There were still a few sandwich panels that needed to be reshaped and rebuilt. With the help of the mechs, the efficiency would be ten times that of these children's efforts. This was the only thing he could do for them right now.

"Mei... are you going out to investigate the route to the West District?"

The two had a clear division of labor, and just as Mei was about to leave, Xiao Kong called out to Mei. The girl was very good at reading people, and she could see deep worry on Mei's face. She must be very worried about that girl named Kiana.

"Okay, Xiao Kong, you can rest for a bit. I'll be back in a little while."

Bending down to pat Xiao Kong's head, Mei tried to force a reassuring smile, but no one knew how forced it was. How were Kiana and Shen Gonglin? Was she alright...?

"Mei and Mei go together. To get to the West District, we need to cross the Changkong Wall first. The terrain there is very complicated. I'll lead the way for you. I also want... I want you to find Kiana as soon as possible."

The girl volunteered to help Mei. She had received a lot of help from Mei and Tesla, and she felt she had to repay this kindness. As the saying goes, "A drop of water in need is a spring of water in return," her teacher had once said this. Xiao Kong respected her teacher very much, and seeing how worried Mei was about the girl Kiana, Xiao Kong also wanted them to reunite soon.

"Is that okay? If so, that would be great. Please, I'll protect you if you encounter any danger. And if there's a fight, be sure to hide well."

Mei patted Xiao Kong's head and took her hand as they walked out of the nest. Tomorrow they were going to the West District, where Kiana should be. If all went well, they would reunite tomorrow.

The route has been investigated. Tomorrow, we can cross the Changkong Wall from here to reach the West District. That should be enough for the investigation. It's time to go back now.

Having determined the route for tomorrow with Xiao Kong, Mei looked at the Changkong Wall in the distance and prepared to return. She really had to thank this little girl; she was very familiar with the path here, and with the help of the guiding robot, the task went much more smoothly than Mei had expected. She had to thank this little girl.

"Xiao Kong, let's go back to Helios for another medical check-up, and then have a meal together. You've helped us so much today."

Mei patted Xiao Kong's head again, and she realized she quite liked this gesture. No wonder Shen Gonglin liked to pat people's heads; it felt really nice. Of course, this gesture only applied to pretty girls. If it were a dirty, snotty brat, Mei would definitely accept it without hesitation. No matter what, Mei was still the girl who liked to take care of others. When she saw someone who needed care, her housewife genes couldn't be suppressed.

"Uh, really? It's kind of embarrassing to say this... We only have Canned Food, and I've been wanting to eat something else for a while now..."

Xiao Kong smiled happily. Mei was such a kind person. Not only did she save her, but she also helped them repair their nest with that red-haired girl. Now she was even inviting her to dinner. Xiao Kong felt a lot of kindness from her. She was determined to help her find Kiana.

"Okay, let's go then, back... Hmm? Where is... Senba Academy?"

Holding Xiao Kong's hand, Mei prepared to go back, but a casual glance made Mei stop in her tracks. The girl paused and stared, her gaze passing through the layers of dilapidated buildings to a familiar place. Yes, that place should be Senba Academy. It really brought back amazing memories.

"Let me see... Ah, that's right, that's the famous Senba Academy in Changkong City. It seems to be a place for rich people to study. I heard that as long as you can get into that school, it's like passing a level in life."

Following Mei's gaze, Xiao Kong nodded in confirmation. That was Senba Academy. In Changkong City, that academy was quite famous. Entering that academy was like taking a solid step up in life. However, it seemed to be a school that only the rich could attend.

"Really, it's not that exaggerated. I used to be Chiba's student too. There's no such thing as a life-changing experience..."

Hearing Xiao Kong's slightly envious tone, Mei felt a little embarrassed. After all, she was a student at the Senba Academy. What was this talk of "life overcoming challenges"? If she could overcome challenges in life, she wouldn't be in this state now. But if she had to say, if she could live and study well at the Senba Academy, most of the girls there would indeed have a good living environment.

But now the Honkai has happened, everything is gone, and the survival rate of that prestigious school is probably only three in a thousand? Think about it, myself, Kiana, and Bronya... Oh, Bronya isn't even Chiba's student, so it's even worse.

"Huh! Mei... You said you're Chiba's student, so does that mean you're... the legendary super rich girl?"

Xiao Kong stared wide-eyed in surprise; the young lady was right beside him.

Chapter Sixteen: The Great Filial Daughter

Young lady? That makes sense, but I haven't used that identity of a super young lady in a long time.

"You could say that. I was in that school when the Honkai occurred... I never imagined I'd be back in this form today. Looking back, so much has really happened."

Overwhelmed by the sight of the dilapidated Senba Academy, Mei recalled many things from the past. If the Honkai hadn't happened, she would probably have graduated from the Senba Academy by now, and maybe even started dating? But if the Honkai hadn't happened, would she have met Shen Gonglin? And if she hadn't met Shen Gonglin, who would she have dated...? No, it has to be him. Mei simply couldn't bring herself to consider anyone else as her boyfriend. She was so hesitant.

Where are your family members?

Seeing Mei's nostalgic expression, Xiao Kong wanted to know what had happened to her. Just standing next to her, he could feel a wave of sadness. This young lady must have gone through a lot.

"I am the only daughter in my family. My mother passed away when I was very young, and my father raised me alone. However, shortly after I started school, he was framed, arrested, and imprisoned, and left Changkong City. Of course, he has been released from prison now. Someone exonerated my father and sent him to a safe place. He is currently carrying out an important mission and can only be contacted by phone occasionally. However, my father always says that he is safe and that I don't need to worry."

Mei slowly told Xiao Kong about her situation. She recalled the time when her father was framed and imprisoned. It was indeed an unforgettable experience for her. It was during that time that Mei realized the treacherous nature of relationships between people.

"That period was a truly painful memory for me. My only family member left me, and the reputation of the Raiden Family plummeted. Because my father was imprisoned, all the agents of the Raiden Family's assets were changed to my name. Adults who coveted my father's business approached me under the guise of various relatives, and my once close friends began to distance themselves from me. Everything collapsed with my father's departure... I finally realized that all along, they had not cared about me, but rather about the name Raiden Mei."

That was a truly painful memory. Just thinking about those things brought a sharp pain to Mei's mind. It was from that time that Mei gradually distanced herself from people and began to live alone, as if only by locking herself in her own world could she alleviate the torment in her heart. This kind of life continued until the day the Honkai occurred.

"Ah... those adults are so mean, Mei, you're so pitiful..."

Having never encountered anything like this before, Xiao Kong felt a sense of oppression just from hearing Mei say it. She could imagine how miserable Mei's life must have been back then. The little girl held Mei's hand with great concern. Mei must have had a very hard time back then.

"Yes, those adults acted like nothing had happened after Father was released from prison. They were definitely hoping to get a share of his business, but unfortunately, before Father was released, I used my position as the de facto head of the Raiden Family to transfer all of the Raiden Family's shares to Shen Gonglin... who is my boyfriend. So now no matter how hard they try, they can't get a single penny from the Raiden Family. Sometimes I really look forward to seeing their expressions when they find out the truth."

Mei looked up at the sky with a sigh. She wasn't some submissive young lady. Her gentleness was reserved for those she cared about. But for those who made her realize how dark the world could be, Mei would show no mercy... She just wondered what her father's expression would be when he found out that she had given away all of the Raiden Family's assets.

Mei felt a headache coming on when she thought about it. She thought her behavior might be a bit too filial, but she had no choice. Bronya had given everything to Shen Gonglin —so many valuable stocks and anime and game companies. These were all things that made money from money. Wouldn't it be too embarrassing if she couldn't give anything back? So Mei had the same thought at the time.

Although I'm not as smart or good at making money as Bronya, my family is rich. Is the entire ME Company enough? If not, my dad can still make money. He works like an ox or a horse. My dad's name is Raiden Ryoma, which is about the same as an ox or a horse if you round it up.

Fortunately, Mr. Raiden Ryoma, the former head of the Raiden Family and one of the executors of Anti-Entropy, was unaware of this. His beloved little cotton-padded jacket had unknowingly become leaky, and not only that, it was filled with black-hearted cotton.

Although the trend of comparison is not good, girls still secretly compare themselves to each other. Think about it, Bronya transferred all her things to Shen Gonglin, Durandal and Rita even gave him their salary cards. If she didn't give something, wouldn't that be too impolite? As for the dowry, those who know, know. Anyway, she is the only daughter of the Raiden Family. If she doesn't leave it to herself, who else will she leave it to? She just gave it to Shen Gonglin a little earlier.

Unfortunately, Shen Gonglin was unaware that he had unknowingly amassed such a large fortune. He did know that Bronya had given him many things, but he thought it was just a little girl's petty squabbles and couldn't possibly amount to much money. Right now, all he could think about was repaying Durandal's debt. He had fallen victim to an online scam and had been swindled out of all of Durandal and Rita's wages—a huge sum of money, enough for him to work a lifetime massaging Kiana's back and peeling sunflower seeds.

If he knew how rich he was now... he'd probably get really cocky.

"...You, you're really good to your boyfriend..."

Xiao Kong was speechless. Although she didn't understand such things, it was confirmed that Mei was a super rich girl who had given away everything in her family. This girl didn't seem to be as well-behaved and gentle as she had thought.

"Of course, I'll definitely treat him well... But that idiot hasn't made any progress yet, it's driving me crazy... Ah, I'm sorry, Xiao Kong, I shouldn't have told you this. Besides him, another person changed me. That day, I finally met her."

Mei quickly changed the subject, realizing she shouldn't be talking about this with a little girl. It was too early to be discussing such things with Xiao Kong.

Chapter Seventeen: He's Become a Scumbag

Another person? Who is it?

Xiao Kong looked at Mei curiously, waiting for her to continue. Perhaps it was because of Mei's innate friendliness, but Xiao Kong had a good impression of her and was willing to be close to her. Xiao Kong was also happy that Mei was willing to tell her her secrets. Mei was a good person, and she was the same. Sora hoped that Mei could achieve her wish as soon as possible. This other person was probably the girl Kiana.

"Kiana, Kiana Kaslana."

Sure enough, Mei uttered the name. Unlike the shyness on her face when talking about her boyfriend earlier, Mei now had a very gentle smile on her face, as if the mere mention of that name would bring back warm memories. Without a doubt, Kiana was an extremely important person in Mei's heart. Kiana had always been the one who saved her, and now, Mei wanted to save her too.

"In that disaster, she saved me. She reached out and grabbed me tightly as I fell into the darkness. Her arm was so slender, yet it seemed to possess infinite strength. Gravity pulled, dragged, and entangled me, but it couldn't move me an inch from her grasp... Xiao Kong, you might not understand? In short, Kiana was very special in my eyes back then. In the sunlight, her blue eyes were innocent yet reliable, willful yet sincere..."

These words were probably a bit hard for Xiao Kong to understand. Seeing the little girl's troubled yet determined expression as she listened intently, Mei smiled gently. She stroked Xiao Kong's head and recalled Kiana's words. The child had said she would save her while desperately pulling her back from the brink of death... It was strange. She and Kiana were complete strangers; Kiana couldn't possibly know her past, her life, her pain. Yet, at the time, she felt that Kiana wasn't lying.

That was probably the first time I'd ever wanted to trust someone so much. If Kiana weren't a girl, I'm sure I would have fallen in love with her. Even so, Mei still likes her a lot now.

"In short, later, I left Changkong City with her. We were taken away by the Valkyrie of Schicksal and entered St. Freya Academy, where we have fought together ever since... A lot has happened, and I have met many people, family, companions, a sense of belonging, and a future. I have also cooked a lot of meals... These things that I once lost have gradually returned to me. Unconsciously, I have found a place to belong in this world again."

Thinking of these past events, Mei smiled gently. She had rarely smiled in the past few months, but at this moment, her smile was pure and happy, like that of a girl who had never experienced worries... It was a rare opportunity to speak her mind like this, but Xiao Kong might not understand. Looking at her troubled expression, she was really cute. If she had children in the future, they would probably be as cute as Xiao Kong.

"... Haha, did I talk too much? Thank you for listening to me. If it were my heartless boyfriend, he would definitely be sleepy and interrupt me to tell him jokes."

Mei bent down slightly and reached out to pinch Xiao Kong's cheek. She was really thinking too much. She was only a teenager, and to many adults she was still a child. She was already thinking about having children in the future... What should I call Jingu?

"No, no! She must be a very important person to you!"

Xiao Kong quickly shook her head. Although she didn't quite understand what Mei was saying, it didn't stop her from sensing Mei's feelings. As soon as these things were mentioned, the faint sadness on Mei's face disappeared, and she seemed to become sunny and happy. That was really great.

"This is the place of our memories. Just walking along the roadside, the past will gradually surface in my mind. The more I think about it, the more I want to find her as soon as possible... She used to protect me. Now, it's my turn to protect her. Fortunately, my boyfriend is by her side now, so I feel a little more at ease."

Although the surroundings were devastated, Mei felt a deep sense of nostalgia for every blade of Mei and every tree. Just wait, Shen Gonglin, and Kiana, I'll bring you back soon.

"I see... But Mei, why is your boyfriend with Kiana? Shouldn't a boyfriend be with you?"

Having voiced her doubts, and after listening to so much from Mei, it seemed that the handsome young man had always been with Kiana, but wasn't he Mei's boyfriend? And Mei and Kiana were such close best friends... Xiao Kong was a little confused. Although she hadn't experienced anything like this before, even a girl like her should understand what she needed to understand.

A silence fell over them. After a long while, Mei squatted down and looked earnestly into Xiao Kong's eyes. "This is something very important I want to tell you, Xiao Kong. When you grow up, never date a guy who is good-looking and subtly seduces girls. I'm a prime example. It's one thing to be greedy, but the worst part is that he hasn't even finished what he has and he's already trying to take more from the pot. Xiao Kong, you have to be careful if you ever meet a guy like that."

Mei earnestly warned Xiao Kong that naive young girls like her were the easiest to fool. She might fall in love with Shen Gonglin at first sight, so she had to give her a heads-up now and eliminate any possibility. There were too many girls who were close to that guy, and even though this girl was so young, Mei was still worried.

"Boyfriend... that's too early for me... But, Mei, since you say your boyfriend is so awful, why are you still with him? I've read in books that guys like that are called... a scumbag, right?"

Xiao Kong asked the question timidly, feeling quite troubled. If that boyfriend was so terrible, why would a girl as good as Mei continue to acknowledge him as her boyfriend and treat him so well, even giving him her entire family business... This girl doesn't seem stupid.

"Scumbag? Who are you calling a scumbag? Xiao Kong, let me tell you, you can't just call someone a scumbag because you're young. He's not a scumbag at all. It's because you don't know him. Once you get to know him, you won't think that way anymore."

Mei raised an eyebrow, and Xiao Kong quickly nodded.

"Yes! I will definitely get to know him better in the future!"

...Something feels off.

Looking at Xiao Kong, who was loudly assuring her, Mei was very confused. It seemed that she had messed things up again.

Chapter Eighteen: Strolling, Running, Rolling

Mei, looking completely bewildered, Xiao Kong Mei, who also looked equally confused, back to the Helios. Tesla, who had already returned ahead of them, looked curiously at the two people, one big and one small, both with questioning expressions. What had they been doing out there? And why did they both come back looking so disillusioned?

"You two are finally back. What happened? Why do you look like that? Mei, hurry up and cook, I'm starving."

Tesla, sprawled on the table like a salted fish, poked at the mechanical arm on her left hand and shouted at Mei. After experiencing Mei's cooking skills, Tesla decisively handed over the cooking to Mei. In Tesla's opinion, Mei might be more suitable to be a cook than Valkyrie. Anyway, after eating her food, she didn't want to eat anything else. This girl has the special ability to make all kinds of ingredients into super delicious things.

"Nothing unusual happened... Xiao Kong, stay here for a while, the food will be ready soon."

Mei shook her head and went into the kitchen, while Xiao Kong sat obediently next to Tesla, looking expectantly as she waited for dinner. Tesla glanced at her, then turned on the TV and tuned to an animation program. Girls her age probably like watching this kind of thing. Living in that kind of place, there are definitely no opportunities for entertainment. You can tell from the way her eyes were instantly drawn to it that she must really like watching this kind of thing.

Before long, Mei brought over the carefully prepared dishes. The supplies on the Helios were plentiful. In the past, she and Dr. Tesla ate together, but now there was finally someone else. Watching Xiao Kong wolf down her food with a spoon, Mei smiled warmly again. She loved seeing this kind of scene.

"This... this... this is so delicious!..."

With her mouth stuffed full, Xiao Kong touched her cheeks and smiled happily. She'd always been eating Canned Food, but this time she was finally eating real vegetables. The overwhelming happiness almost made Xiao Kong faint, especially since these things tasted so good. Indeed, persevering to live was definitely the right thing to do.

"There's plenty more in the kitchen, eat to your heart's content."

Xiao Kong wiped Mei's mouth, smiled helplessly, and poured her a glass of water. Xiao Kong held the glass and drank it all in one gulp before finally wiping her mouth. She felt she had been a little rude, but what could she do when Mei's cooking was so delicious?

"Hmm... Even though so many chilies were added, it's not spicy at all; in fact, it's quite refreshing. How did they manage that..."

Looking at the brightly colored chili pepper in her bowl, and having taken Xiao Kong, Mei's cooking skills were the best she had ever seen. She was truly amazing; not only could she trick her own father, but she could also cook such delicious food. She was really impressive.

"Because it's a bell pepper... But it really is delicious, Mei, another bowl, please."

After finishing his portion, Tesla held up his bowl and looked at Mei. It was great to be with her; at least the food was perfect.

"Sigh, if only Teacher Mei could cook like her. She's great in every way, but her cooking is just so unappetizing..."

Thinking of certain things, Xiao Kong sighed slightly. Her teacher's cooking skills were truly exasperating. How would she ever get married if she continued like this? She was really worried about her teacher's future life.

"Speaking of which, I've always been curious: your teacher goes out every month, so why hasn't he taken you out with him in the past three years?"

While Mei was getting herself some food, Tesla asked the question, which also puzzled Mei. It had been three years, and these children had been living in these ruins. Shouldn't there have been opportunities to take them out and give them a better life? Was there some special reason?

"Ah, of course there's a reason for that. Life in the nest is very lonely. We always pestered the teacher to tell us her stories, so we learned a lot about her. The teacher wasn't born rich or powerful. She had an unfortunate childhood and started her life from nothing. But she worked hard and climbed her way up, dealing with all sorts of people in different countries, experiencing many things, and after more than ten years, she finally accumulated her own wealth..."

Xiao Kong told Mei and Tesla about her teacher, and the girl's eyes dimmed slightly. These things must have been painful for her teacher and for them.

"She used most of her savings to buy a private island in a faraway country... I forget the name... She planned to build a big house on it and live a free and peaceful life. Of course, she would bring us, along with the children she rescued elsewhere, to live there. She was still a little short, but according to our teacher, a kind person immediately provided half the funds. The house is almost finished, and we are all happy for our teacher. She has worked her whole life and finally has a place to enjoy life. But..."

Finally, they reached this point. Xiao Kong lowered her head as if she had remembered something she didn't want to recall. It was a truly painful memory, but it was all in the past.

"But no one expected that tragedy would unfold like this... Four months ago, Great Honkai occurred in the world. At that time, the teacher was in Changkong City. One Honkai Beast after another appeared, and she fought them alone, protecting the nest from attack. The turmoil lasted for several hours before it subsided, and everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. But just then, devastating news came from afar... The teacher's island sank forever in the Great Honkai..."

Mei and Tesla were speechless. This was something that probably no one could accept. They had put in so much effort, and their wish was about to come true, but it all vanished. No matter how strong a person was, they probably couldn't bear such an ending.

"I still remember what the teacher looked like then. She was expressionless and silent, but she kept pacing back and forth in the room, running, rolling around... She kept saying that it was okay, it was okay, but tears were falling in big drops... Finally, the teacher couldn't hold back anymore and rushed out, wailing and crying at the end of the sea, as sad and heartbroken as a child..."

At this point, Xiao Kong's tears also flowed. She lowered her head and her body trembled slightly. Mei placed her hand on her shoulder and gently patted it. This memory must have been a painful experience for that teacher and for all of them.

Chapter Nineteen

"The teacher kept crying and crying until her tears dried and her voice became hoarse. Only then did she stand up. I will never forget that moment when the teacher made a vow to the setting sun. She said that no matter what the cost, humanity will definitely defeat the Honkai!"