Chapter 243

How could I have such a dangerous idea? I should separate them as soon as possible; if they stay together, something bad might happen.

This guy... as expected of Shen Gonglin, only he has this ability to not read the room. Sigh, after so many things, everyone has changed, but this guy seems to have not changed at all. Anyone with a little bit of consideration would give him some time to be left alone, but he... as expected of Shen Gonglin.

Shen Gonglin stared speechlessly at Mei, who was blinking innocently. The girl sighed quietly. There was nothing she could do in this situation. All she could do was forgive him.

"Alright, don't wake her. Kiana needs treatment and rest now. Let's take her back to Helios and have the Doctor help diagnose her."

Disturbed by Shen Gonglin, it was clear that they couldn't continue. Mei gently picked up Kiana and prepared to take her back. There would be many more opportunities like this in the future.

"Oh... but Mei, could you carry me on your back? It's so hard to walk here."

"... Shen Gonglin, just because I like you doesn't mean I won't beat you up. Please, have some decency."

Chapter Thirty-Six: Kiana's Condition

Several tens of minutes later, Kiana was finally brought back aboard the Helios. The girl is now receiving treatment and examination in the medical room, while Mei stands in front of the closed door, her face full of worry and anxiety. Overcoming numerous obstacles, she finally snatched Kiana and Shen Gonglin from Schicksal and World Serpent, bringing an end to the long search that lasted four months.

For four months, Mei had not stopped longing for her reunion with Kiana. Thankfully, she knew that Shen Gonglin was always by her side, which was her only solace. Otherwise, Mei really thought she would go crazy. And now, although she had brought Kiana back... when the moment finally arrived, there was no joy on Mei's face. Instead, there was fear.

Kiana ...

The girl unconsciously murmured her name softly. She was all alone now; Shen Gonglin and Dr. Tesla were both in the medical room. Mei was exhausted, but she dared not close her eyes, because if she did, she would see that person suffering and struggling. She could not believe that the girl who was smiling at her just two days ago was now unconscious, her body covered in bloody marks... Mei did not want to believe that her strength, her smile, and her safety were all just a disguise disguised by pain.

Mei shook her head, recalling Raven's words. She was afraid that what Raven had said was true. She rejected World Serpent's explanation and prayed that the people in the operating room could prove that it was all a false alarm and that everything would be alright.

Just then, as the girl was anxiously waiting, the door to the medical room finally opened, and Tesla walked out with a somewhat heavy expression. Mei rushed over and looked at her with great concern. She was afraid to get news from her, but she also longed to get news from her.

"Dr. Tesla, how is Kiana doing now?"

I finally asked the question, and whatever the answer is, I have to accept it.

"... After emergency treatment, she is temporarily out of danger and will soon regain consciousness. Thanks to Shen Gonglin being here, I injected some of his blood into Kiana. There was no rejection reaction, and the blood neutralized the large amount of Honkai energy in her body. However... this is only a temporary solution. She is constantly reabsorbing Honkai energy, and her physical condition is still deteriorating. That damned Herrscher's consciousness is constantly eroding her core. Kiana has done her best. For the past four months, she has been fighting against Sirin, but if this continues, her body will collapse first."

Tesla said these words with a heavy expression. It was thanks to Shen Gonglin was here that the special properties of his blood had been verified. It had the ability to neutralize a large amount of Honkai energy. Now, the blood patterns on Kiana's body that had been Honkai energy had disappeared. However, this method could not cure the problem completely. The injected blood would eventually be consumed. Kiana's body was constantly absorbing and generating Honkai energy. As for a solution, there was one.

Tesla glanced back at the infirmary, and through the door, he could almost hear the guy's incoherent cries, saying he'd been too rough and had to beat him back... The solution was him. He'd have Kiana transfuse blood every day, ideally strapped to Kiana and constantly transfusing, so she'd always have Shen Gonglin's blood in her veins. That way, neither the damned Herrscher nor Honkai energy could affect her. But this method...

That's completely unrealistic. I wonder if Shen Gonglin's ability can be passed down through bloodline. If it can, could we try to get Kiana pregnant with Shen Gonglin's child? That way, she would have Shen Gonglin's blood in her body, and maybe that would be useful... Good heavens, how could I have thought of such a thing? This is like putting a green hat on my own head! No, no, I'm not Otto, how could I be so unscrupulous?

Tesla shook his head, trying to clear the strange thoughts from his mind. Her condition was already very dangerous, and then she absorbed enough Honkai energy in Sky City to affect the entire city. This girl was really having a tough time.

"I have already issued a level one warning to headquarters, and the Hyperion is on its way at full speed. Mei, calm down and listen to me... Two months. We only have two months left, and we only have two months left. If we don't take any effective measures within this time, I don't know what will happen."

Taking a deep breath, Tesla solemnly told Mei that Shen Gonglin wasn't a blood tank; on the contrary, he was actually anemic. Constantly giving Kiana blood transfusions was simply unrealistic, so they had to find another way. She had to tell Mei this; they really didn't have much time left.

Mei remained silent, while Tesla sighed, poured a cup of coffee from the coffee machine, and handed it to Mei. She knew this answer was cruel to Mei, but only by knowing how serious the situation was could they better come up with a solution. Everyone had to recognize the current reality.

Mei took the paper cup, and in its reflection, she saw a weary face. She trembled, and the reflection dispersed in the ripples. Although Kiana had been found, her condition was dire. The three Herrscher Core sealed within her were still eroding her spirit and body. Two months? They only had two months left.

"I can't believe it... This is too sudden. When I saw her in Sky City, she was so healthy, she seemed perfectly fine..."

Mei shook her head as she spoke these words, her voice thick with sobs. Why, why did things turn out this way?

"... Don't worry, the Hyperion has already arrived and joined us. Alliance Leader Welt is also paying attention to this matter. Rest assured, no one understands the Herrscher better than him. Although... although we should move her to a safe place as soon as possible, the reconnaissance station has been detecting Schicksal forces lurking near the Far East. Given our current situation, it would be troublesome if we encountered the enemy. To be on the safe side, let's wait for reinforcements."

Tesla comforted Mei and told Mei about the current situation and arrangements. Mei nodded heavily and looked towards the infirmary, realizing she should go see her.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Reunion of the Three

Taking a deep breath, Mei prepared to enter the infirmary. She wanted to go forward, but stopped at the door. An emotion held her back, preventing her from moving forward. Hesitation? Panic? Neither of these felt right...

Mei suddenly realized that the emotion surging in her heart at this moment was actually fear.

Fear? Was she afraid to face Kiana? Why did she feel this way? Mei took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind of the indescribable turmoil in her heart before taking a step forward. Just then, Tesla called out to her. Mei turned around and saw Tesla holding a clean towel and handing it to her. What was he doing?

"Go wash your face first. You look so haggard. This is your first official reunion in four months. I don't think you want to see her looking like this. It's always a good thing to be reunited. Cheer up. It's not time to look miserable yet."

Tesla stared intently at Mei. This Second-hand Scientist was actually a thoughtful person, and she was also caring about the people around her in her own way. Mei wasn't in a good state right now; the dust and dirt on her pretty little face didn't look good at all. She should tidy herself up before going to see her.

"...Doctor, thank you."

Mei walked into the washroom with a towel in her hand. Dr. Tesla was right; she really needed to pull herself together.

Having prepared everything, Mei pushed open the door to the infirmary. A white light and a scene that had only appeared in her dreams for a long time entered her vision. Kiana was lying quietly on the bed. After hearing the sound at the door, the usually lively girl, who was now unusually quiet, slowly turned her head. Then, a smile appeared on the face of this girl who looked like a sleeping princess.

"Mei... long time no see... no, we just saw each other a few days ago, didn't we?"

With eyes as clear as lake water, Mei looked at the girl on the hospital bed. She could still see some red lines on the girl's slender, fair neck. It must be very painful. But Kiana still managed to smile at her. Mei opened her mouth but didn't know what to say. She could only take two steps forward and say something meaningless.

Kiana... you're awake...?

"Of course she's awake. She used so much of my blood, if she wasn't awake, I would have lost out... Oh, Mei, when are we eating? I need to replenish my energy today."

The blanket covering Kiana shook, and then a small golden head popped out from inside. "How come Shen Gonglin is in Kiana's bed?" Mei looked to the side in surprise. She thought Shen Gonglin was still asleep, but why was this guy in Kiana's bed? And why wasn't Kiana stopping him at all?

"Mei... I just woke up not long ago. I was a little flustered when I opened my eyes and found myself in an unfamiliar place, but after seeing this guy, I understood everything... Hey, didn't you say it would be over in a little while? Why is it taking so long? Are you secretly taking advantage of me?"

Kiana gave a silly smile, a smile that Mei found very nostalgic. Kiana reached out and tapped Shen Gonglin Mei on the head. This guy said he would help her heal, but he just wanted to get close to her and take advantage of her. Honestly, if he wanted to take advantage of her, he should just say so. She wouldn't refuse. She heard that he had given her a lot of blood. It must have been hard for him.

"It'll be ready soon... But speaking of which, you seem much more imposing than usual in your battle-damaged state. Look at these Honkai energy patterns, they look really powerful."

Her face was a little pale, a side effect of giving Kiana a blood transfusion. However, Shen Gonglin was in good spirits. She had always been so lively. She wasn't just in Kiana's bed to take advantage of her. She was also contributing to Kiana's treatment. The Honkai energy patterns on her body had been completely cleared away, and now only her arms and neck remained.

Pulling back the blanket, Shen Gonglin licked his fingers and gently pressed them against Kiana's neck. Actually, licking would have been more effective, as Shen Gonglin had done before. However, with Mei present, to avoid being misunderstood as a pervert, Shen Gonglin had to resort to this gentlemanly method. He could purify Honkai energy, though he couldn't cure it completely, but he could still heal the marks left by the erosion, as he was doing now.

"...I don't think it looks good. Hurry up, it'll be embarrassing if Mei sees it... Mei, I didn't expect you to find it in the end."

It was fine just now, and I didn't feel embarrassed at all when Shen Gonglin was healing me. But now, in front of Mei... even Kiana would feel embarrassed. Didn't you see that Mei darkened and she lowered her head? She seems to like Shen Gonglin too. So, does what I'm doing now count as showing off our love? It's really hard to understand.

Sure enough, Mei seemed to lose her temper. Suddenly, she threw an orange thing at Kiana's head. The girl quickly pulled it off her head. Oh no, Mei is angry.

"Ah! What's wrong! Mei, don't throw things at me! I was forced to... Hey, isn't this the jacket I lost?"

The item in her hand was very soft. Kiana took it off and was slightly surprised by the familiar style, especially the scar on the back of the coat. Wasn't this the coat she wore in Sky City? Kiana had casually thrown it away to stop the Honkai energy engine from exploding. She never expected that Mei would pick it up.

"... You idiot, how could you say such a thing... Do you know how worried everyone is about you... how much they miss you?"

Ultimately, Mei couldn't hold back any longer. Her voice was filled with sobs. She had tried to restrain herself, but when she came in and saw Kiana like this, she couldn't hold back any longer. This idiot, how could she do such a mess? How could she not be heartbroken?

"Why... why would you rather hide in Changkong City than contact us or come looking for us... How could Shen Gonglin possibly take good care of you... This guy can't even take care of himself, how could he possibly take care of others..."

Why do I suddenly feel like I'm being looked down upon? It's one thing for you to criticize Kiana, but why are you dragging me into it? Why does it sound like I'm a useless person coming from your mouth when you're talking about someone as reliable as me?

Shen Gonglin's gaze was strange, but considering Mei was still crying... let her have it this time.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Seeing Mei crying, Kiana panicked. The girl quickly tried to change the subject; she didn't want to see Mei cry. Seeing Mei cry made Kiana feel even more pain than Mei herself. Change the subject, yes, change the subject.

"Mei... Your new hairstyle suits you so well, I love it... Mei looks good no matter what... I'm sorry, I'm back."

Struggling to sit up in bed, Kiana reached out and hugged Mei, who was sitting beside her. Mei also hugged Kiana's small body tightly. Only by holding her in her Mei like this could Mei truly feel Kiana's presence; she was right in front of her, beside her.

Kiana... welcome home.

Holding Kiana in her arms, Mei felt as if time had turned back. She seemed to have returned to the warm and bright morning in St. Freya, with the sunlight falling on her body, gentle and warm. Everything was just as it had always been, nothing had changed. This was the life she wanted.

"Kiana, are you feeling unwell? The Doctor said you had a minor injury, and she has already treated you... Don't you feel anything wrong with your body?"

After the hug Mei couldn't wait to ask about Kiana's health. As for the minor injury... she didn't want to tell Kiana the actual situation; she would definitely handle these things herself.

"No, no, I just had a good night's sleep and I'm full of energy now. But Mei, who is this Doctor you mentioned...?"

The two girls sat together as if they had endless things to talk about. Shen Gonglin, sitting to the side, suddenly felt like an outsider. How fickle he was! He lay on the bed, wanting to rest quietly, but Mei and Kiana kept chattering away. No, he couldn't stay here any longer; he had to get out.

"It's Dr. Tesla... Oh, right, you probably don't know yet, Shen Gonglin probably didn't tell you either, but the Far East Branch has now broken away from Schicksal. We're now allied with Anti-Entropy, and the doctor is a high-ranking executive at Anti-Entropy. A lot has happened in these four months, and I'll tell you about it little by little."

Holding Kiana's hand, Mei slowly recounted what had happened after Kiana left. Shen Gonglin, however, was not interested in these things, and since the two of them were ignoring her, Shen Gonglin quietly slipped out of the infirmary. When she had nothing to do, she could wander around, like... attacking that idiot lobster-headed guy in front of her who was pretending to admire the scenery.

Immediately spotting Tesla over there, Shen Gonglin Jingu sneakily approached. However, Tesla had actually seen Shen Gonglin long ago. She had been wandering around the infirmary. To be honest, she just wanted to go and play with Shen Gonglin. After all, it had been a long time since she had seen him. She had separated from him when they split up in Sea Abyss City, and she hadn't been able to see him in Sky City either. Now that she had finally seen him, Mei and Kiana were catching up in the infirmary, and it wasn't appropriate for her, an outsider, to go in. So she could only wander around here. Fortunately, Shen Gonglin came out.

Pretending to admire the scenery, Tesla was actually getting nervous. She knew that Shen Gonglin was slowly approaching. How would he greet her? Would he hug her from behind or cover her eyes and make her guess who he was? What if he hugged her directly? Should she pretend to struggle a little? Ugh, so annoying, it's even more annoying than studying those theorems.

"Hey Tesla, what are you doing here?"

However, Shen Gonglin's way of greeting him was beyond Tesla's expectations. He had been preparing for this for a long time, but this guy just talked to him in such an ordinary way. Not only did he not suddenly hug him from behind, but he also kept a considerable distance from him. Tesla, whose heart was pounding, immediately frowned.

"I'm studying and thinking about when you'll die. You've absorbed more Honkai energy than Kiana, and you have two Herrscher Core inside you. How come you don't show any signs of being corrupted? Stop trying to tough it out. Just die if you're going to. I can't wait to have a feast. I want to sit at Bronya's table."

As expected of Dr. Zaun, Tesla immediately launched into a string of profanities. This guy was just too infuriating. Tesla had pretended to be admiring the scenery for so long and even struck such an elegant pose, only to be met with this. Tesla suddenly felt like he was flirting with a dog. Why didn't this guy just die? What was he even holding up for?

"Don't worry, I won't die. If I do die, it'll be from your bloodletting. Kiana's problem is that the Herrscher of the Void's consciousness is constantly fighting for her body. Haven't you noticed that Bronya doesn't have this problem? That girl and the Herrscher of Reason's core don't have this conflict. As for me... neither of my two Herrscher Core have any original consciousness. They were purely formed and born because of my power, so of course they can't have any effect on me."

Standing beside Tesla and looking out the window with her, Shen Gonglin flicked her finger, and the two Herrscher Core began to spin in her hand. Tesla felt that these two cores wanted to be Shen Gonglin's dogs, let alone corrupt him. It was really unfair.

"I'm going to die... Don't make me sound like some mad scientist. I'm very careful. You can only blame your own poor constitution. Just a little bit of blood has made you like this... Was the food at St. Freya not good before? Or is the quality of life during this period of wandering not keeping up? As a result, you've become like this. Logically speaking, it shouldn't be like this. With that girl around, she should be taking good care of your health."

Anger comes and goes quickly. Leaning against the window with Shen Gonglin, Tesla suddenly felt like he was chatting with his crush on the railing after class in high school. This must be what he saw on TV. Tesla turned to look at Shen Gonglin. The girl's face was still a little pale. Had he really drawn a lot of blood? The girl seemed to be a little anemic. Maybe he should be a little more careful.

And it seems he needs better nutrition. Tesla originally thought that with Mei taking care of him, there wouldn't be any problems. That girl is very caring. But now it seems that he, as a PhD, really needs to plan things properly. Should he get a degree in nutrition? That would be more professional.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: I Can't Do Without You

I'm genuinely worried about Shen Gonglin's health. While treating Kiana, Tesla also gave Shen Gonglin a proper medical checkup... a real checkup. The report found no major health problems, but his physical condition is just... far too ordinary. Those girls' physical abilities are like monsters, but his situation...

At most, he's just an ordinary person. Under normal circumstances, there wouldn't be any problems. But you have to understand that this guy has been fighting on the front lines against the Honkai. With his physical condition, he gets out of breath after running a few hundred meters. It's really amazing that he's still alive. Don't St. Freya and her group care about these issues? They're really making the horse run without feeding it.

"Mei did make me delicious and nutritious meals every day, and the Class President kept an eye on me and made me train hard, but none of these things worked. No matter how much you run or eat, you can't improve your physical fitness, so I ended up like this. But it doesn't have a big impact."

Leaning against the window, Shen Gonglin was indifferent to such things. After all, there had never been a solution. It wasn't that he was abnormal; the abnormal ones were those girls. His current physical condition perfectly matched his appearance. That's how a normal person should be. He wasn't one of those Valkyrie with superhuman physical abilities.

"You can't do this. In the future, I will... Hmm? Mei, Kiana, what are you doing out here?"

Tesla frowned as she looked at Shen Gonglin. She hadn't known about Shen Gonglin's problem before, but now that she knew, she had to find a way to solve it for her. However, before she could finish speaking, she heard footsteps. Tesla turned around and saw Mei and Kiana walking over together. What were these two girls up to?

"Doctor, Kiana would like to go out for a little exercise, is that alright?"

Mei, who dotes on Kiana, brought her out as soon as she heard her idea. Mei can't hold back when the girl acts cute. Besides, Mei has been sleeping for so long and should go out and move around a bit. With Mei by her side, it should be fine.

"Get out... Hey, what do you think?"

Tesla was also somewhat troubled. She glanced at Shen Gonglin. Actually, she wasn't worried about Kiana's health. She had just given her a transfusion of Shen Gonglin's blood, which was like a stimulant without side effects. As long as Shen Gonglin's blood wasn't completely diluted in her body, Kiana would definitely be fine. But what Tesla was worried about wasn't that; she was afraid...

Tesla was worried that the girl might run away. Judging from her previous behavior, she was not an obedient girl. It was not easy to find her. If she ran away, all the previous efforts would be in vain. That's why Tesla asked Shen Gonglin for her opinion on this matter.

"Then go out for a walk. Staying at home all the time will turn you into a shut-in. Be careful, and remember to call me loudly if there are any problems."

Shen Gonglin didn't care at all. With him here, where could Kiana run off to? Unless she wanted to abandon him. Although Shen Gonglin was terrible with directions, Kiana had his blood on her, so he could still roughly pinpoint her location. Besides, he didn't think Kiana would run away. If she ran away without him, she should know what the consequences would be.

"You idiot, you don't think we're just going out together, do you? Of course we're taking you with us. What's the point of going out with just the two of us? Hurry up, this is a long-awaited trip for the three of us."

However, Mei and Kiana's gazes were a bit strange. Kiana even put her hands on her hips and stared at Shen Gonglin eyes. Did he think that she simply wanted to go out with Mei? Of course, she had to bring him along, otherwise it would be so boring.

Whether it's Kiana or Mei, subconsciously they both have a place for Shen Gonglin by their side.

"Huh? Together? No way, Mei won't be angry if I go out with you, right? After all, Mei isn't like me... Besides, it wouldn't be good for me to disturb your time together. I don't want to be a third wheel."

Shen Gonglin had no intention of going out. She had been wandering with Kiana. Shen Gonglin hadn't had a normal life in a long time. She was sure it would be very enjoyable to watch all the dramas she had been saving up for so long. What was the point of going out? It would be better to stay on the Helios and assemble mechs with Tesla. That was the romance of men.

A third wheel... Could Shen Gonglin be misunderstanding something? Although they are close, their relationship isn't the kind that involves a third wheel. And Shen Gonglin is perfectly normal, so why does she speak with such a tea-like tone? Shen Gonglin is acting strangely again!

As if by reflex, Mei and Kiana quickly separated, keeping a tiny distance between them. It wouldn't be good if he misunderstood, since they both felt they were normal girls with perfectly normal sexual orientations.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Come on, come on, it's no fun without you, let's go!"

Kiana grabbed Shen Gonglin led her out of Helios with a triumphant air. Mei greeted Tesla and quickly followed. As a result, Tesla was left alone on the Helios. The professor puffed out her cheeks and glared angrily at the three of them leaving. She had finally managed to spend some time talking with Shen Gonglin, but he had been taken away again. It was really... Oh well, she decided to give them some time to reunite. After all, she was a mature adult.

So this mature adult stormed into the kitchen and started washing the dishes. These guys had just left the dishes here, and they thought Tesla had never washed dishes before. Now, she had to wash them herself every time. Tsk, these delicate fingers of hers weren't meant for this kind of thing. They were clearly hands for tightening screws, how could they be used for such rough work as washing dishes?

That's right. In Tesla's opinion, painting mechs or tightening screws on sheet metal are delicate jobs, while washing dishes is a rough job that hurts the hands. But there's nothing he can do. He just ended up in this situation. Shen Gonglin doesn't have the habit of washing dishes, Mei has already cooked, so Tesla would feel bad asking her to wash the dishes. Kiana is an injured person... So after thinking it over, only Tesla can do this kind of thing. Tsk, his mistake was being too sensible.

Chapter 40 If you can't speak, please shut up.

These two guys... their legs are really good. How can they walk so much with such thin and white legs? Is there anywhere to sit? Shen Gonglin finally experienced what it's like to accompany a girlfriend shopping, and not just one, but two. Shen Gonglin felt that her legs were probably going to hurt today.

Looking at the two figures walking side by side ahead, Shen Gonglin followed behind, panting heavily. She felt completely numb. Since leaving the Helios, the two girls seemed to have let loose, wandering around aimlessly. But this was tough on Shen Gonglin; his stamina was terrible, and he always hated activities that strained his legs. Yet these two girls were both incredibly long-distance runners... He really wanted them to carry him, or at least lift him up.

"We can't get through... Hey, Shen Gonglin, hurry up! It's all because of you that we haven't been able to visit several places. You're such a terrible person."

Looking at the flooded road, Kiana shook her head regretfully. She had originally wanted to visit Senba Academy, but it seemed impossible now. Then, the girl turned around and glanced at the figure hanging far away. She waved at him, thinking, "This guy is really useless. How will he ever go shopping if he's this bad?"

"Say whatever you want, but I'm not planning to leave again... unless you kill me, Mei. I'm so tired... Can I have a hug?"

Like a walking corpse, Shen Gonglin staggered over, blinking at Mei. Mei instinctively reached out to hug him, but Kiana stepped between them. This guy is so useless, he can't even walk this short distance. Mei spoils him too much, this is absolutely not allowed.

"You're really useless... Never mind, let's stop here for today, Shen Gonglin. Do you remember this place? We found you in that direction. In a sense, this is where you started."