Chapter 306

Bronya nodded and did as she was told. Shen Gonglin watched with interest as the girl disassembled the gun. But after taking it apart, Bronya's eyes widened slightly. Although they looked the same, the guns she and Shen Gonglin had built were completely different from Welt's.

"That's right, I believe you've noticed it too. This pistol's recoil system is unique. Only about 400 were ever produced. The two of you used your experience and understanding to fill in the gaps in the gun's unknown structure, which is commendable. Especially Shen Gonglin, your understanding of firearms is limited to just the previous one, yet you were able to improve the gun to this extent based on your imagination and understanding. This ability is simply incredible. However, on the battlefield, this is far from enough."

Like a dutiful teacher, Welt brought up the two's problems. In Herrscher of Reason's abilities, he was undoubtedly a pioneer.

"Sometimes we need to deduce the enemy's weaknesses with limited information. The degree of understanding of the enemy's structure directly determines the outcome of a battle. Once used, it will form a memory. The special nature of the Herrscher of Reason's Authority makes this deconstruction work easier. However, more important than building familiar weapons is analyzing the enemy's unknown weaknesses. This is the weapon that belongs to the Herrscher of Reason."

After explaining the true meaning of the Herrscher of Reason's Authority to the two, Welt quietly watched them, waiting for his words to seep into Bronya and Shen Gonglin's minds. Bronya seemed thoughtful, while Shen Gonglin seemed to have taken it all to heart.

Although he also possesses the abilities of the Herrscher of Reason, he and Bronya have different personalities and different powers. Rather than forcing himself to understand, it's better to follow his heart and be free, since the power he possesses is not just the Herrscher of Reason.

"Understood, Bronya, try again."

Bronya listened to Welt's words and continued to try to use the power of Construct. Shen Gonglin wanted to rest, but seeing Bronya's hard work, he felt embarrassed. He understood that the process of Construct was tedious and boring, but it was not bad to have Bronya by his side. He would just keep her company. Shen Gonglin wanted to cherish this opportunity to spend time with Bronya.

Chapter Fifty-Two: The Echoes of the Core

Training isn't over yet. Bronya is really hardworking in this training. Compared to her, I feel like a lazy bum. But everyone has their own expertise. I might not be the hard-working type. I seem to rely more on talent.

Leaning on the observation deck, Shen Gonglin gazed at the bustling city in the distance. Bronya was still training with Welt, but Shen Gonglin, having grown tired of watching, wandered off on his own. He wasn't actually very interested in the effects of the Herrscher of Herrscher of Reason's abilities; this core was very demanding on the brain, and while Shen Gonglin was intelligent, his laziness couldn't overcome it. Of all the cores, he had only truly mastered the Herrscher of the Void's core.

The Herrscher of the Void comes next, followed by the Herrscher of Thunder, then the Herrscher of Consciousness, and finally the Herrscher of Reason. The best way to use it in battle is to construct a weapon system. However, Shen Gonglin does not understand weapons, so this core is probably the least compatible with Shen Gonglin.

As if sensing Shen Gonglin's thoughts, the blue Herrscher of Reason Core, shining brightly, stubbornly emerged between Shen Gonglin's fingers. The core swayed and flickered in front of Shen Gonglin. If this thing could use me properly, it definitely wouldn't be like this now. Poor compatibility? How could that be!

"Shen Gonglin, what are you doing here... the core of the Herrscher of Reason?"

Just as Shen Gonglin was playing with the Herrscher Core between her fingers, Bronya's voice came from behind. Shen Gonglin turned around and saw that Welt and Bronya had also arrived. The two of them were looking curiously at the Herrscher Core in Shen Gonglin's hand. For something as unstable as the Herrscher Core, no one would casually materialize it and play with it, right? Without special methods, randomly removing it would symbolize death.

However, Shen Gonglin doesn't have this problem; it's plug-and-play and even better than the Sharingan.

"Since you two are both focused on training, I was bored and came here to wander around. So, is training over yet?"

With a flick of his finger, the blue Shen Gonglin Herrscher Core transformed into a stream of light and returned to his body. Wielding the Herrscher power so effortlessly, if Shen Gonglin's personality were a little more controllable, perhaps he would be the most suitable person to be the Herrscher of Reason. Moreover, this core seems to have no side effects on him at all.

"Well, the morning training is over. Mr. Welt suggested that Bronya come here for some fresh air."

The girl approached Shen Gonglin slightly cool fingers. She knew Shen Gonglin would be afraid of this height, but this guy, like a cat, had a tendency to climb. He was both scared and excited when he was climbing high. That's Shen Gonglin Jingu for you—a complete novice, yet he loves to play.

"Using the power of the Herrscher of Reason often comes with side effects, especially when constructing unfamiliar objects. Going outside for some fresh air can greatly alleviate this situation."

Standing beside the two, Welt's gaze softened, as if Bronya would relax as long as she stayed by Shen Gonglin's side. It seemed that all the Valkyrie from St. Freya had this problem, even Theresa. They all seemed to trust Shen Gonglin... The key point was that this trust seemed to have the ability to assimilate. It seemed that the two pillars of Anti-Entropy, the Doctors, had also been assimilated.

Tesla is still in Congress arguing for the various privileges enjoyed by Shen Gonglin. Einstein even has people saying that Shen Gonglin often frequents her bedroom and laboratory. This leader of Anti-Entropy suddenly feels like he's being poached. Shen Gonglin is truly terrifying.

It's said that the current ruler of Schicksal, the strongest Durandal, is also treating Shen Gonglin differently. Although they should be two opposing organizations, the Salt Lake Base has received Schicksal's "mistaken" delivery of supplies more than once, ranging from game consoles to food. It can be said that the link between the two organizations is now Shen Gonglin.

"Is that so... Does Mr. Welt come here often?"

Feeling much more at ease with Shen Gonglin by her side, Bronya looked at the scenery in the distance and felt much more relaxed. The city below was bustling and prosperous, with a lively atmosphere everywhere. It was wonderful, and she felt that she could come here often in the future.

"This observation deck? Yes, because I think a prosperous city like this would be a view he would want to see."

Looking at the city before him, Welt's eyes reflected a different scene. This was the scene that someone else wanted to see, and he had inherited that will. This magnificent scene was also something he wanted to see.

"Him? Do you mean Mr. Joyce?"

During this time, Bronya learned a lot at the Salt Lake Base, especially after she mastered the Herrscher of Reason Core. She then went to learn more about this. Mr. Welt must have been referring to the First Herrscher of Reason.

Joyce was the first generation, Welt was the second generation, and I and Shen Gonglin should be the third generation.

"Indeed, it seems you've learned quite a bit these past few days at Salt Lake Base. Joyce ... he is the hero I admire, and also a good teacher."

At this point, Welt hesitated, knowing that the word "teacher" would likely evoke sad memories for Shen Gonglin and Bronya. They understood Anti-Entropy, and he had come to know them during this time. Like himself, their teacher had also lost one of their most important mentors.

However, when Welt looked at the two of them, he couldn't help but show a somewhat surprised expression. Something was wrong; their behavior was a bit unexpected. They didn't seem to be that sad.

Of course, Shen Gonglin was certain that she would bring Himeko back, and Bronya and the others completely trusted Shen Gonglin. Although they couldn't meet now, they believed that everyone would eventually come together and the world would become a better place. Everyone sincerely believed this.

"Joyce, he was a survivor of the First Honkai Eruption, when almost all of Berlin was reduced to ruins. When Schicksal found him, he was right at the heart of the Honkai."

Welt recounted the story in detail, while Bronya frowned. The First Honkai Eruption... was it related to the events in her recent dreams?

"Bronya, what's wrong?"

Noticing Bronya's expression, Welt asked in a deep voice. Bronya's reaction clearly indicated that something had happened, and he could answer any questions they had.

Chapter Fifty-Three: Trust

"Bronya has been having some problems lately... For several nights, Bronya has been having a dream about the same thing. In the dream, Bronya seems to have experienced a Honkai, and in the dream, Bronya dreams of a blue-haired young man. Bronya suspects that it is Mr. Joyce."

After a slight hesitation, Bronya told Welt about what happened in her dream. The Anti-Entropy Leader showed an expression of expectation. The fact that something like this happened to Bronya proved that she was deeply merging with the core, which was not a bad thing.

"You guessed right, that is Joyce, the first Herrscher of Reason. The reason you can see these things is that as you continue to use the power of the Herrscher of Reason, the Herrscher Core within you will merge with you to a certain extent. This is not a bad thing. However, this process will be accompanied by some side effects, including seeing the residual consciousness in this core."

Having answered Bronya's questions, Welt looked at Shen Gonglin. He had merged more deeply with the Herrscher of Reason Core, or rather, he didn't need to merge at all. The Herrscher of Reason Core within him seemed to have always been his. Perhaps there were more traces left by Mr. Joyce in his Herrscher of Herrscher of Reason core.

"A residual consciousness? Is it something like core memories?"

Bronya pulled Shen Gonglin away from the fence by holding him in her arms. As Bronya expected, the guy's legs had gone numb from standing on the high place again. His arms were wrapped around Shen Gonglin's chest, and now Bronya looked like she was hugging a large doll. Shen Gonglin didn't care about what the two of them were discussing. In his opinion, it was more important to think about what to eat later than to think about these things.

"To be precise, it's not a memory, but merely the echo of people's consciousness. To put it another way, imagine a half-dry concrete floor... What you see are the footprints left by people who have walked on this concrete floor. Although these footprints look lifelike, they are ultimately not the footprints of living people. The people who walked on them are... dead."

Speaking of these things, Welt himself felt very heavy-hearted. He had seen such a scene before, and he even looked forward to a reunion in his dreams. He had so much he hadn't said to that teacher, and he wanted to pour his heart out to him in his dreams. But in the end, he realized that it wasn't him, that wasn't the real him. The real him was gone forever.

Realizing this is not an easy thing, so he comes here when he misses him.

"Although it's a bit old-fashioned, looking at the prosperous city below, I can feel that Joyce's sacrifice was not in vain. Do you understand this feeling? Looking at the beautiful side of this world, I think that we cannot dwell on the sadness of the past. This is not the way to achieve our ideals, nor is it the scene that they... would have wanted to see in their eternal rest."

Welt's words were pointed. He looked at Bronya and Shen Gonglin, both of whom he considered excellent torchbearers. He did not want the departed to become obstacles in their path; they had to look forward so that the world could move forward.

That Bishop of Schicksal is so obsessed with the past that he has concocted so many conspiracies. Welt is not implying anything against Otto, but these are indeed the things he did.

"The lingering echo of consciousness... Does that mean that anyone with Herrscher Core within their body will experience a similar situation?"

Bronya looked at Shen Gonglin with concern. She only had the core of the Herrscher of Reason, but Shen Gonglin was now a quad-core driver. Could he be in the same situation? But he had never told her that before.

"Don't look at me, I don't... My Herrscher Core is completely blank. Apart from power, there is no extra consciousness at all. It's like it's brand new. If you don't believe me, look how well-behaved they are."

Sensing their gazes fixed on him, Shen Gonglin quickly shook his head. Simultaneously, he snapped his fingers, and four cores appeared in the void, circling around Shen Gonglin. This effortless control left the two Herrscher of Reason speechless. When they held these cores, they constantly had to guard against their corruption and assimilation, but in Shen Gonglin's hands...

It seems like they all want to be Shen Gonglin's dogs; they have no shame whatsoever as Herrscher Core.

"This isn't a big problem for me. Mei is doing very well with the Herrscher Core Mei can fully utilize the power of the Herrscher of Thunder. Little Herrscher of Consciousness is a good girl. Although she's a bit of a troublemaker, as long as you talk to her and reason with her... at worst, you can give her a little something and she won't cause any trouble. The memory remnants in the Herrscher Core aren't a big problem either. I'm just worried about Kiana. She's causing a lot of trouble and there's just no way to deal with her."

Shen Gonglin counted the problems that had occurred to them on her fingers. Her own Herrscher Core was perfectly fine, and the others' problems weren't too serious either. The most serious problem was Kiana's.

"That's right. Unlike Shen Gonglin's constitution, Kiana has multiple cores in her body, which has a great impact on her. However... I've never heard her mention it."

Welt nodded, confirming Bronya's guess. Upon hearing this, Bronya bit her lip slightly. This idiot is holding back again... Meanwhile, Shen Gonglin raised her hand.

"Kiana told me that the Herrscher of the Void's core has been trying to seize control of the body, even tempting Kiana in her dreams. But that girl is fine. I believe she won't lose to the Herrscher of the Void so easily. Besides, the Herrscher of the Void... she doesn't seem to be that bad?"

Kiana completely trusts Shen Gonglin and doesn't want others to worry about her, but Shen Gonglin is a different story. This girl is willing to tell Shen Gonglin everything because he would worry if she didn't tell him. Kiana never hides anything from him. If she has any problems, she will honestly tell Shen Gonglin because she believes that Shen Gonglin can help her solve them.

So that's how it is... I was right after all. These girls truly trust Shen Gonglin. Welt was deeply impressed. He had never seen such trust before. Such feelings... I wonder how this kid managed to do it.

"Kiana... never told me this before..."

Bronya sighed softly. This guy told Shen Gonglin but not anyone else. He really is an idiot.

Chapter Fifty-Four: The Price of Growing Up

Seeing this, Shen Gonglin reached out and patted Bronya's head to soothe her. Kiana hadn't intentionally kept it from Bronya because it was something that could be resolved. Kiana had already confided in her. If Kiana had to reopen her wounds and show them to everyone she met, she would have broken down first. It wasn't that she didn't trust Bronya, but rather that some things were better left unsaid.

Or perhaps this guy just wants Shen Gonglin to worry about her and comfort her. In front of others... she's embarrassed to show her vulnerable side. Just think about Kiana crying in front of others... maybe she should record it and show it to Bronya and the others later?

Since she has no morals or conscience anyway, Shen Gonglin started to have this idea. As everyone knows, Shen Gonglin is really despicable.

"Bronya understands... Bronya just wished that Kiana could hear what Mr. Welt said earlier. That idiot is such a worry."

Bronya rubbed her head against Shen Gonglin's hand, complaining. But Kiana wasn't the Kiana she used to be; she was reliable now. Bronya trusted her and was willing to entrust her power to her. As students in the same academy and having received instruction from the same teacher, Bronya trusted her as much as she trusted herself.

"Well, if there's a chance... some strange things have happened recently, the Anti-Entropy Mecha are malfunctioning, the dolls are acting strangely... I'm worried that a new crisis is coming. If that's the case, when it comes to a decision in the future, I hope you, Bronya, Shen Gonglin, and Kiana —I hope you can make the right decision."

As if sensing something, Welt looked at the bustling city before him. Beneath this prosperity, he felt as if something bad was about to happen, and they would have to face a test, not only of their strength but also of their mental state.

"The right decision?"

Bronya turned to look at Welt hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. Bronya, Kiana, and Shen Gonglin had all been through a lot, and in his opinion, they all needed to face the challenges ahead correctly. He knew they all believed in miracles, but as an observer, he had a responsibility to encourage them to keep moving forward.

"I know you've lost someone important, but just like I did back then, I hope you can... you know, be able to..."

Welt's usually calm voice faltered slightly, unsure if his next words would be too cruel to the girl before him. They had always believed in miracles, and was it too cruel of him to treat them like this? The Imaginary Space, like the Sea of Quantum, was full of unknowns, and his escape from the Sea of Quantum was already a miracle within a miracle.

"Don't worry, Mr. Welt, Bronya and Shen Gonglin know what you want to say."

Bronya interrupted Welt before he could finish speaking, holding Shen Gonglin's hand and looking at him. The girl's expression was sad, but still resolute.

"Bronya has accepted all of this, though unwillingly, and though she may have hoped for other possibilities, but... she has accepted it all. However, this does not mean that Bronya has no hope in her heart. That teacher once taught us to change the world into the way we want it to be, so no matter what, Bronya will have hope for the future. However, this does not mean that Bronya will succumb to such beautiful hope."

Despite her appearance as a young girl, Bronya possesses a maturity beyond that of seasoned warriors. No matter how the world changes, her vision of a bright future remains untainted, for Bronya understands that the key to that future is in her own hands right now. Therefore, Bronya fears nothing.

"Although it may sound a bit harsh, Bronya has decided to move forward. This is something Bronya learned in the icy Siberia: never expect to turn back in the snow. The wind and snow will bury all your footprints. You can only move forward."

Giving Welt a reassuring answer, the girl tightened her grip on Shen Gonglin's hand and looked at the crowd in the square. Shen Gonglin hadn't understood what they were talking about earlier, but that didn't stop him from thinking that Bronya was amazing, impressive beyond his comprehension.

Welt followed Bronya's gaze to the plaza. What a strong girl she was! She was much stronger than he had been back then. After learning about the side effects of the Herrscher Core, she was worried about Kiana's condition. Kiana was probably the one who had the hardest time getting over that incident.

Thankfully, Shen Gonglin was there, giving Kiana something to rely on. Otherwise, Welt couldn't imagine what would have happened to her. They depended on each other, relied on each other, and helped each other move forward. They were all such outstanding children. Welt had never believed so strongly that humanity would eventually defeat the Honkai. He was filled with confidence for the future.

Giving Bronya and Shen Gonglin a little space, Welt walked to the other side of the observation deck, while Bronya nestled her small body into Shen Gonglin's arms. The girl leaned back somewhat greedily, wishing Shen Gonglin were a little taller so she could lean against his chest like in the movies... But as it is now, it's not bad either.

"Shen Gonglin, how about Bronya's reverse jinxing?"

Holding onto Shen Gonglin's arms with both hands, Bronya felt that their current posture was a bit like the scene in Titanic, which was really unlucky. The girl nudged Shen Gonglin's chin with the back of her head. As a frequent gamer, she was of course familiar with this internet slang term, "Reverse jinxing." In that case, there should be more hope, right?

"A reverse jinx... Haha, Bronya, you're really something, I never expected that."

Holding Bronya in his arms, Shen Gonglin had a subtle expression on his face. Apart from knowing the way, he always believed in himself. He was sure he would bring Himeko back. He hadn't been just loafing around these past few days. He had been searching every day in the Imaginary Space. Shen Gonglin had a feeling that he would find her soon.

"Uh-huh?"

Bronya responded softly, and the girl closed her eyes to enjoy the rare quiet. However, at this moment, the girl frowned. The scent on Shen Gonglin seemed a little strange.

Chapter Fifty-Five: Sculpture

Bronya silently left Shen Gonglin's embrace. The girl turned around, and for some reason, her gray eyes made Shen Gonglin feel a little intimidated. What was going on? Before Shen Gonglin could ask, Bronya, like a kitten, sniffed Shen Gonglin. It was true, there was a different scent. This scent...

"Shen Gonglin, were you at the Salt Lake Base last night?"

Asking directly, the Shen Gonglin's scent was unlike any of the girls in the base. Her grey eyes scrutinized Shen Gonglin. If it were Kiana or the others, it would be one thing, but if it were someone else... Shen Gonglin getting bolder and bolder. Wasn't having enough people at home enough?

It seems too much time has passed; Bronya can't even recognize Mei's scent anymore. Miss Silver Wolf isn't doing so well anymore.

"Um... I was at the base, I just changed my shower gel."

Shen Gonglin Jingu changed the subject, explaining that he had promised Mei he wouldn't reveal to them that he could contact her, so he couldn't tell Bronya that he had gone to see her yesterday... What kind of noses do these girls have? How can they smell this? Shen Gonglin even took a bath at Mei this morning, and now look what happened.

"Yeah."

Bronya didn't say much. The girl just stared straight at Shen Gonglin, who became increasingly flustered under her gaze. Shen Gonglin couldn't wait to change the subject, but just then, Welt came to Shen Gonglin rescue. He seemed to have noticed something unusual.

"Shen Gonglin, Bronya, it sounds like there's some noise coming from that observation deck over there... What's wrong with you two?"

Noticing some unusual commotion on the other observation deck, Welt came over to explain the situation to the two of them. However, upon arriving, he noticed an awkward atmosphere between them. What happened? They were just showing affection a moment ago, so why did the atmosphere suddenly change?

"Hmm? It seems there's a sculpture exhibition on the observation deck over there. It looks quite interesting. Shall we go check it out?"

Shen Gonglin had sharp ears and overheard the conversation. Shen Gonglin quickly changed the subject. Although Bronya was very well-behaved, her gaze could be quite intense at times. Shen Gonglin felt uneasy being stared at like that.

"Let's call it a day, Shen Gonglin. Bronya has something she needs to talk to you about."

Bronya remained unmoved. This guy, Shen Gonglin, had gone too far. Kiana, the Class President, and even herself were all at the Salt Lake Base, yet he still went out and caused trouble. Bronya felt it was her responsibility to teach Shen Gonglin and let him know that they weren't easy to bully.

I really don't know how the Class President usually educates Shen Gonglin. It feels like this guy is going further and further down the path of being a scumbag.

"Let's talk about it when we get back. I really want to go see it. There's a sculpture exhibition on the observation deck. Something feels off. I heard them talking about monsters or something. Let's go check it out. I'm really interested too. Let's go."

How could he possibly go back with Bronya like this? Shen Gonglin insisted, and without waiting for Bronya and Welt's reply, he turned around and ran to the other observation deck. How could Bronya have smelled it? It's all Mei's fault, why does she smell so good?

Watching Shen Gonglin's retreating figure, Bronya sighed and shook her head. Life is tough, even a cat sighs. Shen Gonglin is indeed a great person to entrust one's life to, but this idiot's personality... Bronya felt so helpless.

"... Bronya, let's go over there too."

Welt shook his head, both amused and exasperated. Although he didn't understand what had just happened between the two, he could roughly guess from Shen Gonglin's guilty look. He hoped that Tesla and Einstein wouldn't have this situation again in the future. However... Welt shook his head. This wasn't something he should worry about. Perhaps they were even enjoying it.

"Um."

Bronya nodded slightly and followed Welt after Shen Gonglin. However, when they passed through the crowd and saw the sculptures on the viewing platform, both of them showed surprise. They were very familiar with these sculptures, as they were present in almost every battle.