Chapter 241

"Oh... if you want a hug, then go ahead, I'm not charging you this time... but Mei, that kid over there keeps peeking at us, is it okay for a child to see us like this?"

Shen Gonglin didn't care. Mei was fragrant and soft, and it wouldn't hurt to hug her. But the gaze from over there bothered Shen Gonglin. He seemed to have seen that child before. He had even saved her life. Now she was peeking through the crack in the door. What was so interesting? Hadn't she ever seen other people being affectionate? If she wanted, he thought it wouldn't hurt for him to be affectionate with her.

"Peeking... Xiao Kong! When did you get here?!"

Mei couldn't take it anymore. Her skin wasn't as thick as Shen Gonglin's. When she heard Shen Gonglin say that, she quickly turned around, and her eyes met Xiao Kong's timid gaze. Mei immediately felt shy. Being hugged and crying with Shen Gonglin... Oh no, her image as a caring older sister was probably ruined.

"I came out the moment Mei started crying... I was worried that you and Mei would fight, and then... then I saw Mei crying... Don't bully Mei! She's a good person!"

Xiao Kong was terrified when she was discovered, but she still bravely ran out. Mei was very kind to her, so she wanted to protect Mei too. The little girl bravely stood in front of Mei with her arms outstretched to protect her. Although she didn't know what had happened, Mei was crying. It must have been this handsome boy who bullied her. Aren't they boyfriend and girlfriend? Why would he bully Mei?

"No, I feel uncomfortable if I don't tease Mei every day, so I have to tease her. What do you think we should do?"

To be honest, Shen Gonglin doesn't really like children, but it's a different story when it comes to pretty kids who look easy to bully. She wants to protect Mei, so I'd like to see how she plans to do it.

"Shen Gonglin, stop teasing her, Xiao Kong, I wasn't bullied..."

Mei looked at Shen Gonglin Mei. Instinctively, she didn't want Shen Gonglin to interact with any men, even if it was a little girl like Xiao Kong. After all, Sora's abilities were terrifying. Didn't she see that even the enemy Raven treated him differently? So Mei felt that she had to ensure that no other men appeared around Shen Gonglin Mei. Mei understood that the little girl wanted to protect her, but... there was no need to protect her at all.

Mei actually kind of wanted him to bully her.

"Ah, is that so... Well then, don't bully Mei, bully me instead!"

With his eyes closed, Xiao Kong fearlessly declared that protecting the people he cared about was very important, something his teacher had taught him before. He liked Mei very much, so he would protect her this time. If anyone had to bully someone, he would bully himself, believing that after bullying him, he wouldn't bully Mei anymore.

"Xiao Kong..."

Mei was deeply moved. She never expected that her daughter would go to such lengths for her. What a good girl!

In comparison, the other guy seems like a complete idiot.

"Hehehe... Alright, I'm going to bully you now, so you'd better hold back and not make a sound."

Deliberately putting on an evil look, Shen Gonglin approached Xiao Kong with bared teeth and claws. Xiao Kong closed her eyes in fear and trembled all over. Mei Shen Gonglin the head without expression. If she didn't stop her, this guy would really bully Xiao Kong. What a weirdo. After not seeing her for so long, can't he at least maintain a proper image?

Can't someone be cool for more than three minutes?

Shaking her head helplessly, Mei by Shen Gonglin collar and dragged him away. Raven was still waiting over there. This guy didn't even choose a suitable time and place to bully people. Believe me, Raven will give him a swipe when she gets back.

"You're finally here. You've finished your whispered conversation... What's wrong with you two? Why is he like this?"

Raven was getting impatient. Didn't they say they were going to find the Herrscher girl? Why were they dawdling? After hearing the noise, Raven turned around and saw Mei with a dark face, dragging Shen Gonglin's collar. What was going on? She thought the two of them had a good relationship.

"It's nothing, I just stood up for what's right and taught a lesson to the idiot who was bullying the little girl. Now what should we do?"

Mei shook her head, not wanting to say more. Was she supposed to say that this guy almost bullied her student just now? In front of outsiders, Mei would still give Shen Gonglin some face. She helped Shen Gonglin stand up straight and straightened his clothes. Mei looked at Raven, waiting for her next move. She said she could find Kiana, and Mei wanted to see what she planned to do.

"A fool who bullies little girls?" Is this referring to Shen Gonglin? Probably not, since Rin Shen Gonglin holds a high position in Raven's heart. Mei stopped worrying about such things and looked ahead. It was time to show them her unique skills in finding people.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"Now that you're ready, I'll start tracking down the Herrscher of the Void... Hmm, there are a few suitable targets."

Raven looked ahead and saw several Chariot-class Honkai Beast wandering aimlessly in the distance. Although she didn't want to help Mei, Raven would still fulfill her promise out of consideration for Shen Gonglin and her taking care of the children. Mei felt a breeze beside her, and Raven's figure disappeared from her side. When she reappeared, she was already flashing in front of the Honkai Beast. What was this woman planning to do?

Does she want to show off how amazing she is in front of him?

Sharp red claws pierced the Honkai Beast's body. Raven did this so casually. The blood-red black, like a drop of ink in water, spread continuously across the Honkai Beast's pale body until it completely submerged the behemoth. The monster's mournful cries gradually subsided, weakened, and then stopped. Finally, it fell to the ground, completely losing its breath.

What did you do to it?

Mei stepped forward and looked at Mei, who was wiping her claws. Mei didn't think that she had simply hunted a Honkai Beast; there must be a reason why this woman did this.

"It was just a friendly exchange. Lower-rank Honkai Beast don't have intelligence. They are controlled by a kind of Honkai energy signal that humans can't perceive, similar to pheromones in the animal kingdom, although they are completely different things in essence. In other words, as long as you can interfere with their perception of this signal, you can change the Honkai Beast's behavior, and even control an individual to issue instructions to its companions... All along, I have been using this method to keep Honkai Beast and Suicide Squad away from the children and create a safe zone."

Raven explained its behavior: through this communication, it could not only send signals but also receive them, connecting with the Honkai Beast's senses, entering the beasts' world, immersing itself, listening, and feeling things that humans cannot feel: the heat permeating the air, the warm currents flowing through the sea, and... the sweet fragrance of the Herrscher that kept coming from afar.

Thinking of this, Raven shook her head. It really was as Shen Gonglin said, that all the World Serpent were now great writers. She must have been infected by the Gray Serpent. How did she become like this too?

The power of the World Serpent is indeed not to be underestimated, Mei thought to herself as she looked at the Raven with its eyes closed in deep thought. She had never heard of this method before. As expected of the mysterious organization that now shares the world with Schicksal and Anti-Entropy, the World Serpent has quite a system.

After a long while, Raven finally opened her eyes. She pulled out a map from somewhere, drew a few lines from right to left with her claws, and then drew a few circles around the location of the West District. That was about it. That was the information she got from that Honkai Beast.

"The Herrscher's aura is mixed in with the Honkai energy of the city. A single Honkai Beast can only provide limited information. To pinpoint the Herrscher of the Void's location, I need more samples. Although slowly searching for lone individuals is one option, the current situation clearly doesn't allow us to waste any more time. So, let's prepare to welcome our guest, Raiden Mei."

With a knowing smile, Raven gently tossed her cloak. After giving the previous cloak to Shen Gonglin and Kiana, she found one for herself, since only a cloak that could conceal her figure could meet her needs.

"Welcoming guests... What's going on? Honkai Beast are gathering this way!"

Somewhat puzzled by Raven's meaning, Mei did indeed keenly sense the movement of the Honkai Beast. The ground even began to shake. Mei could see the Honkai Beast in the distance rapidly approaching. What had this woman done?

"The activity range of the Assault-class Honkai Beast covers the entire city, and their sensitivity to Honkai energy is also quite strong. So, I sent them an invitation. It will save a lot of time to catch them all at once, won't it?"

Raven spoke casually, but wasn't she eager to find the Herrscher of the Void as soon as possible? She was the same way, so this method was the quickest. If they could deal with so many Honkai Beasts at once, the children in the nest would be much safer. Since they finally had helpers, they should make good use of them.

"This is reckless! Shen Gonglin, protect yourself!"

Mei cursed under her breath, but it was too late to say anything now. The girl drew her sword and became seriously vigilant. The Honkai Beast were approaching, and she could finally vent her anger. Although Shen Gonglin was very powerful, Mei still instinctively wanted to protect him. This had nothing to do with combat strength; it was just the girl's first reaction.

"Alright, then I'll rely on Mei a lot to take them down!"

He had intended to join the battle, but when Shen Gonglin saw Mei's eager expression, he withdrew his Spear of the Void. He took out a few coins from his pocket and kept them in hand for future use, so that he could react immediately if Mei were in any danger.

Amidst the flashing blades and the occasional feather-like throwing knives, Mei and Raven quickly annihilated the gathered Honkai Beast. Most of them were charge-type Honkai Beast, capable of high-speed flight, but they were no match for Mei, the Valkyrie, and Raven, a leader of the World Serpent. With a flash of sword light, Mei finished off the last Honkai Beast, flicked her sword, and said, "Finally, we've got them all."

"Look at this number, we've taken care of almost half the Honkai Beast in the city. You're quite capable, samurai girl."

It was only after fighting side by side that she discovered Mei's true strength. She had initially thought Mei was just a confident young lady, but now she realized that this Miss Mei was actually a battle-hardened warrior, and that she had been wrong about her.

"Enough with the nonsense, get to work."

This battle also put some pressure on Mei. After glaring at Raven, she went to the side and sat down with Shen Gonglin to rest. She had to be in perfect condition now, because who knew what problems might arise.

"Alright, alright, as you wish."

Raven shook her head, then picked up a Honkai Beast and lifted it up like a rabbit. The alluring black flowers spread across its body. Individual specimens couldn't provide definitive information, but there were so many here...

"By the way, Xiao Kong trusts you a lot now. I really don't know what kind of magic you used on her. This child wouldn't trust others so easily... By the way, you didn't mention the Herrscher of the Void, did you?"

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Stance

Thinking about this, Raven glanced back at Mei, hoping she hadn't said anything unnecessary for the children to hear. If possible, Raven didn't want the children to know such things.

"Don't worry, I didn't tell her, but... did you tell her about your job?"

Knowing what Raven was worried about, Mei shook her head. Like Raven, Mei was different from those children who knew these heavy things. Whether it was the Honkai or Kiana's specific situation, Mei hadn't told Xiao Kong about it. Looking at Raven, Mei hesitated before asking the question. She could tell that the children trusted Raven a lot. This woman might not be the evil person she had thought before.

"That's good. These children's understanding of Honkai is still very shallow, only at the level of disaster. Don't instill unnecessary knowledge in them. As for my work... she doesn't know, and doesn't need to know. After her illness is cured, I hope she stays away from all of that."

Because of the children in the nest, Raven didn't have any ill feelings towards Mei. Moreover, with Raven Shen Gonglin here, Raven's attitude towards Mei became much gentler, and she was willing to talk to Mei a little more.

"Ill? Is Xiao Kong sick?"

Mei quickly pressed for details. This girl was just that kind; after hearing the news, she didn't care about anything else. Mei Xiao Kong; she was a very well-behaved and cute girl. So, was she sick?

"Don't worry, these children all possess Stigmata, but they are incomplete. Although they have gained the power to survive in the Honkai, they cannot continue to live in an environment without Honkai energy. If we suddenly take them to a place without Honkai energy, they will experience withdrawal symptoms... Do you understand what withdrawal symptoms are? Simply put, it's like a person who has been smoking for a long time suddenly being forced to quit. Their bodies won't be able to handle it... What are you doing?"

When these things were being discussed, Shen Gonglin wasn't very interested. He squatted on the shore, poking at the polluted seawater with his hands. Raven, thinking he didn't understand, came over to explain. When she saw Shen Gonglin put his hand into the lake, she became a little anxious. This water had been polluted by Honkai energy, and people could get sick if they touched it carelessly.

"Of course I understand, I'm an expert in medicine after all... Hey, I just wanted to wash my hands..."

With ample medical knowledge in her mind, Shen Gonglin simply wasn't interested. Raven pulled her out of the water, and Shen Gonglin looked at the surface with regret. Although she couldn't swim, Shen Gonglin quite enjoyed playing in the water.

"Don't worry, Shen Gonglin has a high tolerance for Honkai energy, and he can even purify it... You see, this seawater looks like this. Sometimes I doubt Shen Gonglin's abilities."

At this moment, Mei also walked over. She looked at Shen Gonglin, who was wiping Rin's hands, with a complicated Raven. Her feeling was right. This World Serpent executive's attitude towards Shen Gonglin was indeed very strange. Was this guy's charm really that great? Seeing Raven's worried look, Mei couldn't help but explain that even Herrscher- level Honkai energy could not interfere with Shen Gonglin, let alone this corroded seawater.

"It really... it's really back to its pure state..."

Mei Shen Gonglin had touched had become clear again. Compared to the other, dull seawater, this was quite obvious. He had only touched it once and it had purified so much seawater. If he had been soaking it in the puddle near the nest... the children probably wouldn't have needed to search for clean drinking water anymore.

"Let's continue what we were doing. Withdrawal symptoms, is there any way to completely cure them?"

There's something wrong with this woman. Raven's gaze towards Shen Gonglin gradually turned into that of someone looking at a tea bag. Mei quickly stood in front of Shen Gonglin to block her view. She hadn't noticed Shen Gonglin's constitution before. The hot springs he soaked in would quickly turn into pure water. This ability seemed quite useful if it were applied to purifying water sources.

"Unfortunately, with the current level of technology, there is no quick and effective treatment. To reduce the risk, we have to rely on long-term drug treatment to slowly promote the full awakening of the Stigmata. Fortunately, the World Serpent can provide stable drugs... Although that woman talks a lot of nonsense, she is indeed a genius. It's a pity that only special individuals like them can arouse her interest."

Putting the matter of purifying the water source on his mind, Raven told Mei about Xiao Kong others' situation. It was a pity that the children could only rely on this method for now. However, Shen Gonglin's method of purifying the water source earlier gave Raven a different idea. Could he have some other ideas...? As for his claim of being proficient in medicine, Raven didn't take it to heart at all. He didn't seem like that kind of person at all.

"I... I don't think you're a completely bad person. Xiao Kong told me a lot about you. She respects you and is proud to have a teacher like you. But while you're helping these children, you're also assisting the World Serpent in pushing the entire city onto the experimental table. Don't you find that contradictory?"

Mei really couldn't understand what Raven was thinking. She originally thought Raven was a cold and crazy person, but when she saw how Raven treated the children, Mei became a little confused. What kind of person was she? It was so contradictory.

However, the Raven simply smiled at her. Had this girl misunderstood something?

"You might have misunderstood me. I'm a mercenary. As long as the pay is right, I'll do anything, I'll kill anyone... Why are you looking at me like that? Don't get me wrong. When I say I'll do anything, it doesn't include what you're thinking. If you want to do it, then do it another way."

As they talked, Shen Gonglin noticed the gleam in Jingu Rin's eyes. Amused, Raven reached out and tapped Shen Gonglin's nose. The red claws, however, did not harm anyone else. What was this guy thinking?

"I didn't think about anything! Mei, really, I didn't think about anything!"

Feeling wronged, Shen Gonglin tried loudly to clarify things to Mei, but Mei still grabbed his cheek expressionlessly. It seemed like nothing serious could be discussed with this guy around. And this Raven too, what other method? Was she flirting with Shen Gonglin? She really didn't take her seriously.

Chapter Thirty: Double Standards?

"It's quite interesting," Raven thought, watching Mei pinch Shen Gonglin's cheek. Raven was also eager to try it herself, but the ruthless mercenary held her ground. She took a deep breath, regained her composure, and continued speaking.

"Perhaps in your eyes I saved a dozen or so children, but compared to the lives I personally lost, it's a negligible number. If this is considered a contradiction, then I've experienced far too many contradictions. An arms dealer who secretly instigates wars and paves the way to prosperity with corpses might also be a child's idol, a pillar of support for a family. An entrepreneur who operates in the gray area, using extreme measures to eliminate dissidents and seek high positions, might also use all his personal assets to build up the slums where he was born and raised, while innocent refugees shiver in cold corners, waiting for aid from others... They might also start killing each other for a peck of rice or a liter of water, inflicting their own tragedy on others, becoming monsters devoid of humanity."

Raven rattled off a long string of words, leaving Mei speechless. These were all things Raven had personally experienced. Compared to the contradictions Mei spoke of, weren't her own experiences even more contradictory? Because of their different living environments, their perspectives on things were also different. As Raven threw the last Honkai Beast into the sea, she recalled how she had met Xiao Kong. A gentle light flickered in the mercenary's eyes once again.

"That day, she lay in the ruins, struggling to tell me in broken speech that she wanted to live. I just... didn't want her to become a monster like that. The time I spent with them often made me cry, feeling that I was still alive. It felt pretty good."

The World Serpent is truly full of literary geniuses. Listening attentively to Raven's words, Shen Gonglin tried to cultivate such profound cultural knowledge. He was good at verbal sparring, but only in the traditional sense. He was completely incapable of anything more than a verbal Shen Gonglin. It seemed like everyone in the World Serpent was talented. First came Gray Serpent, then Raven. They all knew how to say incredibly impressive things.

"Then why did you treat Kiana that way? You were also in Sky City, you should have seen how she protected that city. She took the suffering of others as her responsibility, yet hid her own pain deep inside. She carried the burden and mission on her shoulders, only showing others a carefree smile. She is the Herrscher of the Void in your eyes, but she is also Kiana Kaslana in mine. Isn't she the contradiction you speak of? Faced with such a contradiction, are you still determined to kill her?"

Facing Raven, Mei also spoke her mind. Raven wasn't entirely a bad person. Based on the contradictions Raven had just mentioned, Mei felt that Raven should be able to understand Kiana.

What are they talking about? Why can't I understand a word they're saying? Is this some kind of dimensional reduction attack? The clash between these two cultured individuals made Shen Gonglin realize just how incompetent he was. He often felt out of place with those around him because of his lack of knowledge. Was it all because he hadn't read enough books? What were they saying? Why couldn't he understand a word they were saying? He was practically cracking at the thought...

Shen Gonglin was completely bewildered. What was all this about? Simply put, Raven was being too hypocritical. She could do it, but Kiana couldn't?

"It's very simple. You believe in her will and are willing to pay the price to bet on her chances of defeating the Herrscher; I fear her power and do not want to risk the Herrscher of the Void's resurgence under any circumstances. It's a very simple truth. We don't need to convince each other. Ideals and hopes, those things I have never experienced, cannot persuade me. I only believe in tangible evidence. Unfortunately... you and Anti-Entropy don't have these things."

After saying this, Raven turned and left. Actually, there was something wrong with what she said. Although Mei and Anti-Entropy could not be trusted, Shen Gonglin was here now. If it were him, maybe it was really possible... But, could she dare to gamble? If she failed, those children would probably be affected.

"I am a bad person, but not a demon. But there are truly insane demons in this world, people who hate her, people who use her, people who covet her, and people who manipulate her. From now on, there will be no more happiness in that girl's fate. What awaits her is an endless hell. You can't even stop me, so how do you plan to stop those people?"

After leaving those words, Raven returned to her nest, while Mei lowered her head and remained silent. Raven's words pierced her heart like sharp arrows. She was right. Could she really stop these things from happening? Could she really save Kiana?

"Don't worry, I still have myself, and we have evidence. The former leader of Anti-Entropy hasn't fallen yet, and Bronya is as stable as a rock. It's just a Herrscher power. Look at me, I still have two. I'm very stable too. So there's definitely no problem. Even if you don't believe in yourself, you should believe in me."

Seeing that the girl was still downcast, Shen Gonglin patted Mei's head to comfort her. He always had the strongest faith in Shen Gonglin and assured her that everything would be alright.

"...Um."

Yes, she wasn't alone; she still had Shen Gonglin. Mei reached out and gently hugged Shen Gonglin. That's right, now wasn't the time to feel lost; there were still many things waiting for her.

Following Raven back to the shantytown, Mei noticed a small figure peeking out of the window as soon as she returned. It was Xiao Kong. She had been worried about them, and now that she saw them back, the girl finally felt relieved. Raven's aura also softened considerably upon their return. As if remembering something, Raven took out a bag of snacks and waved it at Xiao Kong, who quickly ran out as well.

"Oh right, this is Shenzhou rice candy, a local specialty brought back from Shenzhou... Don't worry, I didn't make it. I forgot to give it to you before. Take it and share it with everyone... Here, have a taste."

Raven often brings back snacks for the children. She grabbed a small handful and handed it to Shen Gonglin, while Mei didn't even look at it. Xiao Kong relaxed after hearing that Raven hadn't made it, and the girl ran off with the snacks in her arms. Watching Xiao Kong's cheerful figure, Raven also relaxed a lot. Mei had a complicated look in her eyes as she looked at Raven, but she didn't care that Raven hadn't given her any. It was just that Mei.

What kind of person is she exactly?

Chapter Thirty-One

"I need to spend some time figuring out the location of the Herrscher of the Void. I'll let you know when that happens, so you guys go back now... Oh, right, I still owe one of you guys. Wait a moment."

Suddenly remembering this, Raven went into a dilapidated house. When she came out again, she had someone in her hands who was tightly bound with hemp rope. As soon as Mei saw the familiar hair color, she knew who she was. She had almost forgotten about her. But Dr. Tesla, why did things turn out like this?

"Don't look at me like that. Before I found you and Xiao Kong, I ran into her and we had a little conflict... She started it, I was just acting in self-defense."

The person bound by the rope was placed on the ground. Seeing that Tesla did not react, Mei immediately glared at Raven. Treating her companion like this, Raven was definitely not someone who could be treated normally. Mei could guess what had happened. She knew Raven's strength. Non-combatants like Dr. Tesla would definitely not have a good time if they encountered her.

"Poor thing... She must have passed out. I feel like she has a special connection with ropes. Last time, Rita tied her up with ropes, but she had a pretty bow on her head and was wearing perfume."

Shen Gonglin crouched down to check on Tesla. She really didn't know why everyone else liked to treat Tesla with ropes. Did this girl have "Please treat me with ropes" written on her face? That didn't seem like it.

Shen Gonglin pinched Tesla's chin and looked at her face intently. The unconscious Tesla didn't have her usual strong and arrogant demeanor; she actually looked quite cute.

"Oh? Is that so? It's a pity I can't do that, but I can learn. I'll do it to her like that next time I have the chance... Don't look at me like that, samurai girl. I just wanted to tie her up, but this lady kept shouting and using very... I think you understand. In short, it's a really bad influence on the children, so I can only keep her quiet for a while. After you've taken care of her, come find me at the foot of Changkong Wall... Only the two of you can come."

Raven looked troubled and tapped her head. It was really hard to imagine. This beautiful young female doctor looked quite cute on the outside, but who would have thought that she would open her mouth with a string of vulgar words? Even she, a cold-blooded mercenary, couldn't stand it, let alone these innocent children. In order to keep them healthy and prevent them from going astray, Raven had no choice but to gag Tesla and knock her unconscious. She hoped that the children in the nest would not become like Tesla in the future.