Chapter 308

[Hehe, I knew it. He's definitely not that simple... But it's okay, if he can't, we can find someone else. Let me think, what we need most right now... is probably the power of the Herrscher of Reason? And we also need some strong allies.]

Chapter Sixty: Fairy, Succubus?

At noon, in a secluded corner of the Anti-Entropy Restaurant, Shen Gonglin Rin was telling the people present about what had happened to her. Shen Gonglin wasn't the type to keep strange things to herself, and this was quite important information. If they encountered it in the future without being prepared, they might run into danger, so Shen Gonglin definitely had to make it clear to them in advance.

"Something that looks like a theater... Shen Gonglin, are you dreaming? We've all been at the base today, and none of us have noticed anything unusual."

Because Shen Gonglin was also there today, Kiana didn't deliberately miss the meal time. To be considerate of others, she always avoided peak hours. But if she avoided it when Shen Gonglin and the others were here, wouldn't that make them worry? Why should she take care of people she didn't know well and hurt the people important to her? Kiana was very clear about this.

"Yes, it is. This is not an illusion. And there's that puppet. It tried to talk to me, but I strung it together with a series of Spear of the Void. So I didn't hear what it was trying to say. Anyway, just be careful. Maybe next time it will be your target. It's like an unfinished theater, but I have a feeling it will be completed soon."

Shen Gonglin looked at Kiana very seriously. After she swallowed the food that the Class President brought her, she solemnly warned them that although those puppets were incredibly weak, they were still terrifying in appearance. Shen Gonglin was really bad at dealing with puppets; they were quite disgusting and scary.

"Shen Gonglin's information is very important... For the next period of time, we may have to split up. The headmaster's team is short-handed, and I have already applied to go and provide support. Be careful at the Salt Lake Base. If you encounter any emergencies, request support immediately. All the events that have happened this time may be a conspiracy by the Herrscher. If it is the Herrscher, then there is no small matter."

Fu Hua put down her chopsticks and warned the people in front of her that there was only Theresa with the twin sisters on Tesla's side, and their combat power was insufficient, so she had to rush over. On the Salt Lake Base, there was Shen Gonglin, Bronya, Kiana, and Seele. Shen Gonglin was basically in charge of guarding the base, since she could use the power of the Herrscher of the Void to teleport at any time, and could arrive in time if any emergency occurred on either side. This was the best arrangement.

"Clear."

Kiana and Bronya nodded earnestly, and Seele followed suit. Fu Hua glanced at Shen Gonglin and then turned to leave. With so many people around, it wasn't appropriate for her to say goodbye to Shen Gonglin alone. However, it would only be for a short while, and she should be back by the Anti-Entropy anniversary celebration, so there was no need for a special farewell. She needed to investigate properly while she was there, and she could deal with other matters when she returned.

"Miss Fu Hua seems very reliable."

All the other Valkyrie could be described as beautiful, but only Fu Hua possessed a cool and handsome aura. Watching the Valkyrie's disappearing figure, Seele couldn't help but sigh. She didn't have many opportunities to spend time with Fu Hua, but the girl's decisive and cool appearance had indeed left a deep impression on her.

"Heh, handsome? Seele, don't be fooled by the Class President's appearance. She looks super serious on the surface, but she's actually a philanderer... Bronya, don't you agree?"

Seeing Fu Hua leave, Kiana grew bolder. Although the girl was quite mature now, Kiana still showed signs of insectization whenever she was around Shen Gonglin. Hearing Seele's high praise for Fu Hua, the girl scoffed. She had been fooled by Fu Hua's honest appearance. Who would have thought that such an honest Class President was now the person who had the deepest relationship with Shen Gonglin?

Kiana felt very indignant about this, but she didn't dare to say much when Fu Hua was around. She could only complain when Fu Hua wasn't there, since she was the one who arrived first.

Fortunately, she still had an ally. Bronya must also find the Class President's infidelity shameful. Oh right, it seems that she and Bronya also had a nominal girl alliance.

Bronya felt... felt something was very wrong. The Class President wasn't that kind of person. There must be another reason why something like that happened.

Bronya initially wanted to agree, but upon seeing the figure that quietly appeared behind Kiana, she changed her tune without expression. The girl's expressions rarely changed, so Kiana didn't even notice this change.

"Bronya, you're so naive. Why do you always think the best of people? In my opinion, the Class President definitely has some ulterior motives towards Shen Gonglin. Have you forgotten that time we went to the hotel to catch them cheating? The smell in the room... By the way, Shen Gonglin, what do you think the Class President did to you? Was it like this and that, and then this?"

Unaware that death was imminent, Kiana turned to Shen Gonglin, wanting to confirm. This was infuriating! She was supposed to be the closest person to Shen Gonglin, yet they were only kissing and Shen Gonglin. On the other hand, Fu Hua, despite appearing serious and earnest on the surface, was practically already at home with Shen Gonglin... no, maybe they already were. This was infuriating; the world was so unfair.

In Kiana's mind, the Class President used to be a fairy, but now, what fairy would do such a thing? She's practically a succubus.

"I don't know, I don't know anything."

Shen Gonglin lowered her head and earnestly drank the soup with a spoon, her focused expression suggesting how delicious the soup truly was. Hopefully, Kiana can hold on. You really shouldn't talk about people behind their backs.

"How could you not know? It's about whether the Class President did that kind of thing to you, like the kind in Mei's books... Pfft!"

Before Kiana could finish speaking, Fu Hua Kiana her head from behind and shoved it into the soup bowl in front of Seele, much to Seele's horror. Luckily, the soup wasn't too hot anymore, otherwise there would have been an extra dish of boiled Kiana on the table.

"I forgot my phone, so I came to get it... Seele, could you hand me my phone? Kiana, is this soup really that good? You have to finish it all, don't waste any food, or else you know what will happen, you'd better finish it all."

With a kind smile on her face, Fu Hua pressed Kiana's head into the bowl, veins bulging on her arm. She regretted worrying so much about Kiana before; it seemed she had been wrong all along.

Chapter Sixty-One: Opening the Mouth to Drink Soup

After reprimanding Kiana, Fu Hua glanced around at everyone at the table, then turned and left expressionlessly. This time, it seemed she was really gone. Only then did Shen Gonglin dare to reach out and poke Kiana, who looked like a drowned corpse in soup. This girl was a true warrior. She had never seen the Class President so angry before. Thanks to her, she had really learned something new.

"Hey, Kiana, are you alright?"

He poked Kiana's head, wondering if the girl had drowned in the soup. The Class President's aura was so terrifying that Shen Gonglin didn't dare to stop her.

"Why didn't you say the Class President was coming? You just wanted to see me make a fool of myself, didn't you? None of you are good people!"

Kiana yanked her head out of the soup bowl, her face covered in white soup, and accused Shen Gonglin and the others of their disloyalty and violence. From their perspective, they must have seen the Class President coming long ago, but she was the only one who got hurt. This world where only she was injured should just be destroyed!

"Bronya already gave Kiana a wink, but you idiot didn't react at all. You say you've matured, but I see no difference from before."

Shen Gonglin would never admit that he just wanted to watch the show. So the Class President could be this angry. No matter how much he provoked Class President before, she always remained aloof and calm. Today, he finally saw her break down, and he wasn't even the victim. This was the best possible outcome.

"Who knew the Class President would suddenly come over... Shen Gonglin, come and drink with me, I can't finish it by myself."

Kiana complained softly, then obediently started drinking the soup in front of her. She was still quite afraid of the Class President. Fu Hua had told her not to waste food and to finish the soup, and even though Fu Hua had left, she didn't dare disobey her... After all, there was a little traitor watching over her. Who knew if Shen Gonglin would secretly tell the Class President? He had recorded himself saying bad things about the Class President before. Neither of them were good people!

"Uh... Kiana, I don't want to drink it, you drink it yourself."

"This girl really doesn't stand on ceremony with me," Shen Gonglin thought with disdain, looking at the soup bowl in front of Kiana. Kiana had practically soaked her head in it, and just thinking about it made him lose his appetite. Shen Gonglin had no intention of drinking this kind of stuff. Since Kiana had offended the Class President, why should she drag him into it? Shen Gonglin just wanted to be a quiet, handsome man.

"How dare you look down on me! This is broth with a girly flavor. Back in St. Freya, I even drank your bathwater. What's wrong with letting you have a sip of broth now? Shen Gonglin, open your mouth and drink it!"

Kiana immediately realized that Shen Gonglin was disgusted with her, and she flew into a rage. She grabbed Shen Gonglin and tried to force-feed her water. In her fury, the girl accidentally revealed a shocking truth, leaving Seele dumbfounded. Had Kiana ever done something so perverted? She even drank Shen Gonglin's bathwater... How perverted must someone be to do that?

"Seele, don't overthink it. Back in St. Freya, Shen Gonglin was always the first to take a bath. We couldn't waste too much water, so we all took our baths after her. Once, Kiana slipped and fell in the bathtub, which is why... She's a bit weird, but not this weird."

Bronya, who had been watching the commotion, felt it was her responsibility to explain things to her good friend Kiana. At the same time, she pulled Seele to sit on the other side, continuing to watch the excitement while seriously eating her meal. She would never admit that she had done such a thing herself.

When they were at St. Freya, everyone doted on Shen Gonglin. Actually, this was mainly because if he was the first to take a bath, they could keep an eye on each other. Otherwise, who knows what might happen? It was a very wise decision.

"I see... It seems Kiana and Shen Gonglin really have a good relationship... No, not just Kiana, everyone has a really good relationship with Shen Gonglin."

Hiding far away with Bronya, Seele watched Kiana forcefully feeding Shen Gonglin soup with a sigh. She had wanted to help Kiana relax, but now it seemed she didn't need to worry about her at all. Kiana was in a good mood with Shen Gonglin around, as were Sister Bronya, Fu Hua, and the two Doctors... Even she and her alternate self had a particularly good relationship with Shen Gonglin.

Sister Bronya might say Seele is a very likable person, but Seele feels that Shen Gonglin is the most likable one.

[Who said that? My relationship with him is the one that's bad!]

See? During this time, the other self has been very quiet and unwilling to speak, but she becomes lively whenever it involves Shen Gonglin. Seele thought about this, but Seele didn't say anything. After all, the other self is also very shy, and if she said it, the other self would definitely go crazy.

[You know that, and you still dare to think like that! Seele, have I been too nice to you lately?]

Oops, I've been exposed...

Lunch was successfully completed amidst chaos. Shen Gonglin was humiliated when Kiana forced half a bowl of bishoujo-flavored broth down his throat. After that, he lay on the table, utterly dejected, refusing to move. In the end, Kiana, having won, dragged him along to clean up. His face had been pressed into the soup by Fu Hua, and he felt sticky and uncomfortable if he didn't clean it up properly.

Hmph, she bullied me, so I'll bully her disciple in return, let's see who suffers more... Wait, I think I'm also the Class President's disciple? Okay, then let's call this an internal power struggle within the Taixu Sword School.

In any case, internal strife seems to be a tradition of the Taixu Sword School.

"Bronya, Seele, you're here... What happened to Shen Gonglin and Kiana?"

Originally intending to go with the two, Bronya and Seele were stopped by Einstein as soon as they left the restaurant. The Doctor looked curiously at Kiana and Shen Gonglin as they walked away. Were those two fighting again? It's a pity that she wasn't there to watch the show.

"It's nothing, just their daily routine... Doctor, what brings you here?"

Bronya knew pretty much what was going on from Einstein's expression, and Einstein's next words confirmed Bronya guess.

"Yes, we have a lead. Bronya, Seele, let's prepare to set off."

Chapter Sixty-Two: Shen Gonglin's Study Plan

"Nighttime operation should reduce the chances of being discovered by unauthorized personnel, Dr. Einstein. The team has entered the target street and requests further instructions."

After obtaining Einstein's intelligence, Bronya and Seele immediately set off. By the time they arrived at their target location, it was already dark, but this was the perfect environment for carrying out their mission. Bronya had a premonition that this mission would not be easy, and all signs indicated that it was a trap. However, in order to obtain more clues, they were willing to try even if it was a trap.

[Very good. I've analyzed the soil samples you just collected, and their composition is completely consistent with the soil samples extracted from the performance tickets in the apartment. Now we can confirm that this is a series of connected and premeditated crimes.]

Einstein on the screen was deep in thought. After reaching this conclusion, she felt even more uneasy. All the information had been gathered here, and the more she looked at it, the more it seemed like a trap. Shen Gonglin was waiting here, ready to teleport over at the slightest sign of trouble. It was all thanks to the power of the Herrscher of the Void.

[Proceed to the target workshop as planned. This workshop has been confirmed as the source of all Honkai Beast sculptures currently circulating in the market. The workshop's owner is Mira Rimer, a leading female sculptor who suddenly vanished a month ago without a trace. The situation inside the workshop is still unknown, and the possibility of armed retaliation cannot be ruled out. Please be prepared and proceed with caution.]

[Clear.]

After relaying all the known information to Bronya and Seele, Einstein immediately switched off the communication. They needed to focus on their work. The Doctor turned back and rubbed his temples. A month ago... According to the information shared by Schicksal, the occurrence of those anomalous events seemed to have been concentrated around a month ago. Could it be that the female sculptor was the mastermind behind all this conspiracy?

That's unlikely. This Honkai Beast sculpture incident is just one of many things. Other disappearances, arson, and various other incidents have no necessary connection to this. What exactly is going on? It's really a headache.

"Shen Gonglin, do you have any clues?"

Einstein looked at Shen Gonglin behind him. This guy was also in the laboratory. He had his eyes closed and looked like he was thinking seriously. He had been like this since earlier. What was Shen Gonglin doing?

"Hmm... I'm looking for a spatial coordinate, the one from the theater I told you about before. I always feel like that place is haunted. I blew up a puppet inside, and I think I left a few Spear of the Void there. Before the Spear of the Void dissipate, I want to use them as spatial coordinates to locate that theater, but it seems quite difficult."

Shen Gonglin opened his eyes, and a dazzling star ring was spinning in his pupils. This was the sign that he was activating the power of the Herrscher of the Void. If he could locate the location, he could use the power of the Herrscher of the Void to teleport himself there. However, he was not in that theater at the moment, which made it a little difficult.

"You can even do something like this... Shen Gonglin, don't act rashly. You'd be better off reading these books. The leader said you're the most suitable person to inherit the power of the Herrscher of Reason. Just read more books when you have time and don't do anything dangerous."

No matter how much Einstein learned about the power of the Herrscher, he was still amazed. He shook his head and stopped Rin from her Shen Gonglin behavior. If this guy went astray, who knew if he would fall into someone else's trap? Einstein decided to give him something to do and handed Shen Gonglin. This was Welt had asked him to teach Shen Gonglin.

Shen Gonglin is very intelligent, and compared to Bronya, the core of the Herrscher of Reason seems to have been tailor-made for him. Moreover, his mental processing power is stronger than anyone Welt has ever seen. If Shen Gonglin understood the structure of weapons, he could even construct them faster than Bronya. But unfortunately, this guy is just too lazy.

He was completely unwilling to learn about these things, which Welt considered a waste of talent. He felt that with enough knowledge, Shen Gonglin's power would increase without limit, allowing her to construct all things. This was Welt's vision for Shen Gonglin's future. Since he couldn't get Shen Gonglin to study properly, he could only ask others for help. He believed that Walter would give others face, so the poor Anti-Entropy Leader asked Einstein for help.

If you study hard, you can definitely learn it.

"The construction and maintenance of Titan-class mechs... Isn't this Tesla's stuff? Why am I even looking at this?"

He opened the book and flipped through it casually. Although mecha is a man's romance, Shen Gonglin felt that he didn't need to be so hardcore in pursuing romance. He liked mecha, but liking mecha didn't mean he liked making them.

"Just study hard... As long as you read the book carefully, you'll get a reward when you finish."

Unable to get Shen Gonglin to study hard, Einstein could only resort to this method to motivate Shen Gonglin. At first, she thought it was normal, but why did it become increasingly strange as she talked? Why did Shen Gonglin's eyes suddenly light up? And the reward she mentioned was really just an ordinary reward.

"Okay, now that you put it that way, I'm more motivated. It's just mecha manufacturing and maintenance, I'll teach you everything in no time. But then... hehe, Ai Yin, you said there would be a reward, right?"

He had been too lazy to study before because he lacked motivation, but now Shen Gonglin was suddenly full of energy. He sat up straight on the small bed in Einstein's laboratory and began to study seriously. Alloy-constructed outer armor, then adding linkage mechanisms, and finally incorporating a dual mode of low-AI and remote control. Simple, the firepower structure is like this... Easy. Studying is really enjoyable.

"The reward I was referring to was treating you to dinner... Oh no, I feel like I've buried myself in a hole."

Einstein opened her mouth to explain, but Shen Gonglin, who was now deeply immersed in the ocean of knowledge, could no longer hear what she was saying. The female doctor was on the verge of tears. Was it too late to say that Shen Gonglin had misunderstood?

Seeing Shen Gonglin studying so diligently, Einstein swallowed hard. It seemed he would have to avoid Shen Gonglin for a while. It was all Welt's fault for asking him to do this kind of thing. If he lost his virginity in the future, it would all be Welt's fault!

Chapter Sixty-Three

Meanwhile, Bronya and Seele were also preparing to begin their mission. The two young girls moved silently along the quiet street. Looking at Bronya ahead, Seele couldn't help but smile. This feeling was just so wonderful.

"Seele, what's wrong?"

Bronya, noticing Seele's expression and thinking something was wrong, stopped. Seele seemed to be in a good mood; had she thought of something happy?

"Although it's a dangerous mission, it's also a little bit fun to fight alongside Sister Bronya like this."

Seele's expression was full of anticipation, but Bronya seemed to have misunderstood. The emotionless loli met Seele's gaze and nodded seriously, saying that she was right and that she also wanted to fight alongside Seele.

"Yes, that's right. Bronya also wants to see Seele's recent growth. Seele is already a very reliable warrior."

...Okay, that's not wrong, although it's not happiness in that sense... But Seele also wants to see Bronya fight up close. Seele shook her head almost imperceptibly. Sister Bronya always says that Shen Gonglin has low emotional intelligence, but she doesn't seem to be much better than Shen Gonglin.

"Seele, Kiana told me about you yesterday. She spoke highly of you. Don't rush to deny it. She said that you not only fight bravely, but you can also keep her company and help her relax. Most importantly, you can Shen Gonglin catch Rin after she teases you... Bronya advises Seele to be careful in the future, otherwise that girl will definitely retaliate against you. Only a thoughtful Seele can do these things."

Bronya was very proud of her younger sister, Seele, after acknowledging Seele strength. Bronya was also happy to hear Kiana's praise for her. Seeing that Seele could help Kiana, Bronya felt genuine joy from the bottom of her heart.

My younger sister, who used to always need protection, has grown into someone who can help protect others.

"Kiana always carries too much on her own. Although she has Shen Gonglin by her side now, she needs more companionship and rest."

Bronya shook her head and continued forward, while Seele, realizing something, quickly followed. She seemed to understand why her Sister Bronya had requested to participate in this mission.

"Did Sister Bronya take on this mission because she was worried about Kiana?"

Upon hearing Seele's words, Bronya paused slightly, then nodded gently. Seele's mind was indeed very perceptive; she had guessed it so quickly.

"Perhaps... That's right. I have a bad feeling. Dr. Einstein should have already discovered that this enemy is probably not so simple. I don't know why, but Bronya has this strange feeling. She found something similar to Herrscher crystal in the doll's remains, which means that this matter is very likely related to the Herrscher. If possible, it's best not to let Kiana come into contact with anything related to the Herrscher. The Herrscher Core in her body is never peaceful."

Unlike others, Kiana's Herrscher of Reason Core is free from interference from other consciousnesses. Mei and the Herrscher of Thunder cores are as close as one person, not to mention Rin, who now possesses four cores yet is perfectly fine and eating well. Shen Gonglin also has another consciousness within Kiana, so it's best to keep her away from anything that might be related to the Herrscher, otherwise, who knows what unexpected situations might arise.

"So that's how it is... As expected, Sister Bronya is a mature adult. Seele didn't think that much about it at all."

Forgive me for thinking that Sister Bronya's emotional intelligence wasn't very high just now. Seele realized once again how thoughtful her Sister Bronya was. She still needs to work on herself. Maybe true emotional intelligence is just giving people the feeling of not having emotional intelligence?

That Shen Gonglin... no, no, his emotional intelligence is really low, there's no doubt about that.

"Alright, we shouldn't be thinking about such nonsense now. Let's continue with the mission. This should be the place. Seele, cheer up, get ready, and be careful. I'll count to three, two, one, and we'll open the door together."

Putting aside matters unrelated to the mission, Bronya and Seele arrived at the workshop's roller shutter door. The two girls crouched down, ready to rush in, and Seele nodded seriously. It was really fun to carry out the mission with Bronya.

"Three, two, one..."

[Group buy open!]

Suddenly, another voice in her mind spoke up, startling Seele. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a strange environment: broken buildings, upside-down corridors, and a theater that seemed to be not yet fully built, floating in the air in the distance. Wait, is this the interior of that workshop?

[Idiot, how is this possible? That building doesn't seem to have enough space for this. This must be a closed, alternate dimension? It must be that strange theater that Shen Gonglin mentioned before. There's no exit in sight. Ugh, this has become the most troublesome situation.]

Suddenly finding herself in an unfamiliar environment made Seele very uneasy, but thankfully the voice that rang in her mind at just the right moment calmed her down. Seele observed her surroundings and realized that it was indeed very similar to what Shen Gonglin had described before. This must be the theater he had mentioned.

"The theater... Sister Bronya... Sister Bronya! She's gone!"

She instinctively turned around to talk to Sister Bronya, but when she turned around Seele realized that there was no one beside her. It seemed that she had been separated from Sister Bronya the moment she pushed open the roller shutter door. The girl couldn't help but feel a little panicked. Could Sister Bronya be in any danger?