Chapter 311

"Seele, stop staring at it. This thing might be dangerous. Take it back and hand it over to Anti-Entropy for investigation... Hmm? What's that sound...? Shen Gonglin, stop playing with those sculptures! Prepare for battle!"

Seele helped Bronya put away the black book, looking at Seele with great concern. Just then, a roar of a Honkai Beast came from outside the window. Bronya had anticipated this situation. She turned around and called out to Shen Gonglin, and the three of them prepared for battle. Compared to schemes and tricks, a direct confrontation was much more straightforward.

"Understood, Bronya. You take care of Seele, leave these to me."

Looking out the window, I saw the Honkai Beast statues in the outer hall had come to life. These were just ordinary objects, not worth taking seriously. Shen Gonglin broke through the window and rushed towards the Honkai Beast statues. Using these things to deal with them... it felt like a warm-up act before the main performance.

Orange electricity flickered between Shen Gonglin's brows and eyes. Even the most ordinary coin could be transformed into a powerful Railgun in his hands. When Bronya and Seele arrived, they witnessed Shen Gonglin finishing the battle. Looking at the shattered gate, Bronya shook her head helplessly. The cleanup and compensation work would have to be left to the Doctor again.

"I just saw them getting ready to run out. If these things get into the streets, they'll definitely cause a riot, so I hit them a little too hard. Don't blame me."

Bronya's silent condemnation made Shen Gonglin feel a little embarrassed. He stubbornly defended himself, saying that it wasn't because he hadn't thought things through, but simply because he wanted to prevent these Honkai Beasts from entering the neighborhood.

"No one will blame you, but please be a little more careful in the future. Honestly, you look exactly like Kiana... Hmm? Seele, that's... a broken doll?"

Bronya glared at Shen Gonglin in annoyance, but then Bronya noticed something even more important. There seemed to be something lying on the floor. When they got closer, they realized it was a broken doll, with a strange shape, but it wasn't moving at all. Another doll, huh?

"Wait, this doll is... the one I met at the theater before, the one who called herself Mira Rimer! There are marks on the inside of the doll's left arm where I slashed it with my scythe, I can't mistake it, and there's a bullet hole in her head, caused by that pretty lady from before, and a hole in her chest... This is the doll!"

Looking at the doll, Seele thought of what had happened before. It was her; she was absolutely certain she hadn't mistaken her for someone else.

Chapter 72 The Reason for Being Pulled into the Theater

Looking at the broken doll on the ground, Bronya fell into deep thought. The current situation was exactly the same as with John Doe before. The broken doll was found at the crime scene. If that was the case, there should be similar clues nearby. Seele obviously thought of this as well. Sure enough, under the doll, Bronya and Seele found the same performance tickets. However, the show preview on the tickets was a little different.

[Performance: The Mouse and the Eagle. Look, look, look! I've discovered a monster—an eagle with a mouse's tail!]

"It's a harbinger of crime!"

She read the play title from the ticket. Although she didn't understand what the play was about, Seele knew it couldn't be anything good. Luring them here and then leaving these clues was like deliberately making a crime warning to provoke them. What exactly did these puppets want to do?

"What a cunning enemy... We probably won't find any more clues here, but we've gathered quite a bit of information, so it's not a complete loss. There's no point in staying here anymore. Shen Gonglin, take the doll and we'll go back and report to everyone... Don't worry, the doll isn't moving anymore, so don't worry about it suddenly biting you."

Unable to understand the situation regarding the play, Bronya shook her head and stopped thinking about it. She called to Shen Gonglin to prepare to take the doll back for research, but Shen Gonglin quickly shook his head. Although it might be a bit silly to let a girl carry heavy luggage, this wasn't the first time Shen Gonglin had done something like this. He often had Kiana carry him on her back. He wouldn't accept touching such a strangely shaped doll.

"No, no, no, I feel like it might pounce on me and bite me at any moment, or you two... Ouch, that hurts... Hey, is this... a trap?"

Shen Gonglin quickly backed away, but he tripped and fell to the ground. From this angle, he saw an unidentified protrusion on the wall. These kinds of things are usually the buttons for mechanisms.

"Hmm? Very likely. Shen Gonglin, be careful, don't touch it carelessly... Why won't you listen to Bronya?"

Bronya also keenly sensed something was wrong, but before she could warn Shen Gonglin, he quickly pressed the button on the wall. A series of spring-like sounds came from all around. Seeing this, Bronya was completely taken aback. The girl glared at Shen Gonglin, while Shen Gonglin scratched his head sheepishly, preparing to protect Bronya and Seele.

You can't blame him. With such a strange button appearing here, anyone would be tempted to press it. It's a common human failing, so you can't blame him.

No wonder Sister Bronya said that you could catch Shen Gonglin even if you just put a cake or a pot on the ground. This guy... I really don't know how he's managed to stay healthy until now. If it weren't for his formidable strength, Shen Gonglin would probably be dead by now.

Seele silently took out her scythe. It seems like Shen Gonglin can't be happy unless she causes trouble. But she's probably become like this because of how Sister Bronya spoiled her.

Amidst the wary gazes of the three, a hidden room suddenly opened. The room was small and could be seen at a glance. Lying in the messy room was a sleeping woman. Bronya was slightly startled when she saw the woman's face. She had seen this face in the previous mission information. Mira Rimer was the owner of this workshop. What was she doing here?

"The woman has woken up, but strangely, she seems to be acting crazy and has no recollection of what the doll did. However, after the Herrscher crystal was removed from the doll's body, her condition seems to have improved a little... I don't know if that's the reason. Anyway, the soil analysis on the new performance tickets has begun. If we follow the previous practice, we should be able to pinpoint the location of the next crime soon."

At the Anti-Entropy Salt Lake Base, Einstein processed the various pieces of information brought back by Shen Gonglin and the others. With her Einstein her chin on her hand, looking thoughtful. Although these clues were important, she felt that something else was more important. According to Seele's explanation, she had been taken to a place called the Domination Theater, which was something that couldn't help but be concerned about.

"Seele, and Shen Gonglin, do you two have anything to add about the Domination Theater? So far, only the two of you have ever been to that place. According to your descriptions, that place should be a gathering place for dolls, and there has always been more than one doll."

Einstein tapped the screen in front of him, which displayed the recovered dolls. Herrscher crystals had been extracted from their bodies. Although they were far less powerful than the real Herrscher Core, having multiple of these things was truly a headache.

"No, it's just like we said. It's a very strange place. The puppets are there, and there are a lot of Honkai Beast and Suicide Squad... as well as mechs. The theater in the very center doesn't seem to be finished yet. But Shen Gonglin said that the place seems to be a little more complete than when he was pulled in. There's still a lot of space that we didn't have time to explore before the puppets blocked us out. In the end... it's just like I said."

Seele recounted the events as they happened. The Domination Theater was the name she learned from the puppet. The place was very strange; Shen Gonglin had been pulled into it before, but the puppet was destroyed by Shen Gonglin before it could even speak. Seele, however, did not possess Shen Gonglin's power and struggled with the puppet for a long time. She was only saved when another Shen Gonglin returned.

"I see..."

Einstein remained silent. Was it because Seele and Shen Gonglin shared some similar trait that led to their being drawn into the Domination Theater? But Shen Gonglin and Seele ... were fundamentally different people. Shen Gonglin Jingu was willful and proud, while Seele was gentle and delicate. What did they have in common...?

Could it be that... they are all very beautiful?

After staring at Shen Gonglin and Seele for a long time, Einstein finally came to this absurd conclusion: if that's the case, then he's in quite danger... It's better not to say this conclusion out loud, otherwise he feels like others will laugh.

Chapter 73 Shen Gonglin's Study Plan

Shaking his head to banish the strange and absurd thoughts from his mind, Einstein realized that these odd ideas had been popping into his head lately. It must be because he was too close to Shen Gonglin now. This girl seemed to be contagious, influencing those around her. The key was that even if they were infected, those around them didn't seem to care at all.

Just like I am now.

"In short, we're on standby at the base right now. As soon as we find out the source of the soil components on the performance ticket, we'll immediately carry out the mission. We don't know what the other side is trying to do, so for now we can only act with this mission objective in mind. Now go back and rest... Shen Gonglin, remember to finish reading the book I gave you. Don't neglect your studies."

After announcing the recent mission objectives, Einstein told everyone to go back and rest. This intelligence analysis was her job; to obtain the most accurate intelligence to support their actions was all she could do now. She shouldn't think about anything else. The reason she was having all sorts of wild thoughts was because of Shen Gonglin. She couldn't be with him anymore, and she needed a quiet working environment.

Before this, Einstein had specifically instructed Shen Gonglin that her study plan should not be abandoned. Welt had specifically asked her to have Einstein keep an eye on Shen Gonglin's studies. As long as Shen Gonglin could fully understand the structure of those weapons, she could unleash a construction power no less than Bronya's. According to Mr. Welt, Shen Gonglin's brain was even better than the most advanced computer. That powerful computer was not only inferior to himself, but even Bronya could not compare.

If she could study diligently, coupled with the Herrscher of Reason Core that practically worships him, Welt believes that Shen Gonglin definitely has the potential to become the strongest Herrscher of Reason... But the problem is, this girl simply doesn't want to study properly, which has driven Welt to despair.

Welt now felt like he was dealing with a bright but unwilling-to-take-class homeroom teacher. Unable to deal with the student, he could only try other methods, such as calling the parents to urge him to study hard. Einstein was now playing the role of the parent.

"I understand, but Ai Yin, the sweet deal you promised me before... um, um!"

Shen Gonglin nodded, but then added something else. At that moment Einstein, a researcher, suddenly burst out with a speed beyond her years. She tightly covered Shen Gonglin's mouth to prevent him from making a sound. Bronya and Seele hadn't gone far yet. What would happen if they heard him say such strange things?

"I know, I know! I won't owe you anything. Now go back and study hard. You'll get your share of the benefits later!"

Einstein whispered these words in his ear, feeling ashamed and indignant. He felt like he was missing a screw in his head. He was supposed to be helping Shen Gonglin study, so why was she the one who suffered? Was he teaching her or was he teaching her? Why did he have to go this far...? Einstein really couldn't understand it.

"Okay."

Having received a satisfactory answer, Shen Gonglin happily walked out of the laboratory, while Einstein, with a wry smile, slumped onto the table and sighed, "Lord Alliance Leader, the task you gave me is really... sigh."

"The structure of a self-propelled self-destructing robot... I see. Next up is the Frozen Tundra Patrol... GE armor? Shen Gonglin, what is this character? I don't think I recognize it."

In Shen Gonglin's room, a pair of fair, delicate legs were swinging back and forth on the bed. Her silver-white hair was spread out on the bed, smooth and silky. The girl lay on the bed looking at the book that Shen Gonglin had casually tossed on the bed. Kiana had nothing to do while waiting for the analysis, so she came to find Shen Gonglin to pass the time. It was rare to see him reading, so Kiana lay down next to him and read with him. The mecha data made Kiana dizzy just looking at it, so she only looked at the names. Even so, there were still many words she didn't recognize.

"It's a frozen ground patrol armor... Silly roe deer, what are you reading all this time? Go play somewhere else."

Sitting cross-legged next to Kiana, Shen Gonglin gave Kiana's pert little bottom a playful slap. Even lying on the bed, the curves of a girl with a great figure were incredibly beautiful. It was a pity that she was such an uncultured idiot. Seeing Kiana reading a book, Shen Gonglin found it strange no matter how she looked at it. This girl can read books?

"Ouch! What kind of talk is that? Can't I read a book?... But you, why are you reading these books? You're not exactly a book lover, what's wrong with you? Shen Gonglin, let's not read anymore, okay? Let's go to the training room and play. Dr. Tesla has a game console hidden there, it's really fun."

Kiana blushed slightly after being scratched in a sensitive area by a cat's paw, but didn't say much. After all, such things were commonplace between the two of them. Kiana muttered something under her breath and then stopped caring. At the same time, she encouraged Shen Gonglin to go out and play with her. Kiana was like a poor student trying to hook up with a studious top student to go out and play. Did she just want to play with Shen Gonglin?

What's with all this reading? Are those books as fun as me? No way! Kiana guarantees I'm way more fun than those books.

"Go away, I've already finished that game console. Otherwise, why do you think I've been running to the training room so much lately? Don't disturb my studies, and don't even think about polluting me with your academic slacker tendencies. My mind is full of studying right now, I can't stop."

Shen Gonglin rolled his eyes at Kiana, then picked up his book, turned around, lay down on the bed, and rested his head on Kiana's waist. This was the best pillow; her soft waist was incredibly elastic. Shen Gonglin felt that this study posture would make him achieve twice the results with half the effort.

The only problem is that you have to be constantly worried about getting distracted. After all, with such a cute girl under your head, it's normal to lose focus. Shen Gonglin strongly suspects that this guy is here to distract her. It's so annoying. Why is it so hard for people to study properly?

As she was thinking, Shen Gonglin reached out and pinched Kiana's waist. It was all Kiana's fault; she couldn't concentrate on studying anymore.

Chapter 74

Realizing that Shen Gonglin really had no intention of going out to play, the girl whose head was being used as a pillow pouted. Recently, the people in the base had treated her much better, so the girl was willing to wander around outside the training room. Unfortunately, this guy was unwilling to accompany her. Since he was unwilling, she could only find someone else. She was not going to stay here and be Shen Gonglin's pillow!

"You'd better stay in your room and die of boredom. I'm going to find Bronya and Seele. This is so boring."

While complaining, Kiana straightened her back and knocked Shen Gonglin off the bed. The girl jumped off the bed and made a face at Shen Gonglin. Then she patted her bottom and ran out. Seeing Kiana's lively appearance, Shen Gonglin was quite happy, but he really didn't have the mood to go out and play right now.

After all, she promised Einstein she would study hard, and for that reward... ah, no, for that promise, Shen Gonglin had to study hard too. Besides, studying wasn't a painful thing for her; as long as she gained enough knowledge, she could bolster her Herrscher of Reason abilities, and this kind of thing...

Hand-crafting mechs is the true romance of men.

Shen Gonglin opened her palm, and blue structural energy gathered in Shen Gonglin hand, forming a miniature Titan Mech. This was the result of her learning; by scaling down the various parts proportionally, she could create something like this. The Shen Gonglin of Herrscher of Reason's abilities are quite interesting.

However, no matter how many of these things are built, the Herrscher of the Void can solve them with a snap of her fingers. We should learn something more powerful, such as... the Father Mech.

Turning to the next page of the top-secret information on the Anti-Entropy Mecha, Shen Gonglin gazed at the giant mech with interest. This thing was practically Anti-Entropy's trump card. Back when they fought Cocolia, this Father Mech, even before it was at its full potential, caused them considerable trouble. If it weren't for Durandal, they really wouldn't know how to handle it. And now...

Mechs are more fun the bigger they are. You can't just scale them up. If possible, Shen Gonglin wants to examine the Father's data herself. After all, only actual contact can yield the most accurate data. The same goes for the mech data we just learned. No matter how much information you read, it's still just theoretical data.

Perhaps I should actually investigate? This thought suddenly popped into Shen Gonglin's mind. The Father Mech is currently at the Schicksal Headquarters, and the Schicksal Headquarters is not an untouchable forbidden zone for Shen Gonglin. The top two leaders of Schicksal can be considered as her people. Talking to them shouldn't be a big problem.

Shen Gonglin stroked her chin thoughtfully. Once she had a thought, she did it. Anyway, she had been to the Schicksal Headquarters more than once or twice. Durandal and Rita had sent so many supplies to Anti-Entropy. They sent all these things because of her, so it was normal for her to go and visit them, right?

Completely disregarding their previous status as opposing organizations, Shen Gonglin immediately took out her phone and contacted Rita. After all, Rita was the only person she remembered whose phone number she had. She established communication first, then located the location based on the electronic signal, and finally used the Herrscher of the Void's ability to teleport there. It's no wonder that Shen Gonglin was the most skilled at using the Herrscher of the Void's abilities; after all, it was the most convenient ability to use.

Meanwhile, at Schicksal Headquarters, in Durandal and Rita's private dormitory, a maid sat in a chair enjoying the service of another person. The girl, who had just taken a bath, still had a little bit of moisture on her body, and her wet brown hair was being slowly dried by a hairdryer. Usually, she was the one taking care of others, but today, others were taking care of her. What a strange experience!

"Rita, your hair does seem to have grown a lot longer."

Standing behind the maid, Durandal was carefully drying the maid's hair with a hairdryer. Looking at the hair that had already reached her back, Durandal couldn't help but say, "Rita has always had short hair, and now I know why she changed her image. It's because that girl, Shen Gonglin, likes long hair. Durandal doesn't need to worry about this at all."

After all, her radiant blonde hair perfectly embodies this.

"I used to have long hair, but I cut it short because of battles and the difficulty in managing it. However, it's not the conduct of the world's number one maid to be lazy for such reasons. For the world's number one maid, this kind of problem shouldn't become a hassle."

The maid spoke softly, while Durandal behind her secretly rolled her eyes. Who was she trying to fool? Everyone knew who she was keeping her hair long for, and what about the integrity of the world's number one maid? They both knew each other perfectly well, Durandal didn't bother to expose Rita.

"Alright... Rita, I'll leave the task of receiving the report to you?"

Durandal didn't expose the maid's little scheme. After all, if she did, the maid wouldn't give her any face. Her relationship with Shen Gonglin was still in a delicate phase, while Rita was much more advanced than her. So Durandal didn't say anything more and took the initiative to change the subject.

After Bishop Otto disappeared, the entire operation of Schicksal fell on Durandal's shoulders. Before, she only needed to focus on fighting, but now she has taken over the entire organization. Fortunately, she has a reliable maid by her side. Today, Rita is in charge of sorting out and summarizing the intelligence sent from various branches recently. Luckily, with Rita around, her work is much easier.

"Yes, Durandal, please rest assured, leave it to me... It's already this late, Durandal, no need for further boasting. I'll be back soon once this is over. How about steak for today?"

Speaking of this, Rita glanced at the clock on the wall and realized it was already time. The maid quickly got up. The maid was always very serious about time management. If she, the head of the headquarters, hadn't appeared by the time, it would be too impolite. Even so, the maid was still worried about dinner. After all, she was the number one maid in the world, and she had to do everything perfectly.

Rita is the perfect example of a girl who is equally at home in the living room and the kitchen.

"Okay, everything is fine... but I'd rather have a jianbing guozi. We'll talk about it when you get back. Go on your way."

After seeing the maid to the door, Durandal returned to her room alone. Rita would take care of the work, and as for herself... well, she might as well take a shower.

Chapter Seventy-Five: Come and say it face to face

Thanks to Rita as her assistant, Durandal was able to get up to speed so quickly in managing the Schicksal project. There were many tasks that could be delegated to Rita. A capable maid can handle anything with ease, which prevents Durandal from being too busy to even have time to rest. It's all thanks to Rita; otherwise, she wouldn't even be able to have a break like this.

After silently thanking her helpful maid, Durandal entered the bathroom. For these refined girls, taking a bath was always a pleasant hobby. Durandal had already taken a shower after training this morning, but they all seemed to enjoy it immensely. The bathroom was still steamy, and the girl tilted her head back, closed her eyes, and accepted the impact of the water. Just then, a familiar ringtone came from somewhere.

"Hmm? That voice... it's Rita's... here."

Durandal opened her large blue eyes and looked around in confusion. She recognized the voice; it was Rita's phone ringtone. She thought Rita had returned, but in the end, she found the phone on the bathroom shelf. She never expected that Rita would forget her phone like this. It was indeed a rare occurrence for the always perfect and elegant maid.

"Hmm? Darling... This is... Shen Gonglin?"

As Durandal took Rita's phone, she noticed the caller ID on the screen. Rita had edited it to "Darling," so it could only be Shen Gonglin. The thought made Durandal a little jealous. This guy had never called her once, but he contacted Rita all the time.

Staring at the screen, Durandal, soaking wet, gritted her teeth. It was all because of what happened in the past that her relationship with Shen Gonglin had always been strange. If it weren't for that incident, maybe she and Shen Gonglin would be as close as he and Rita were.

Maybe I should watch more horror movies with Shen Gonglin? That would definitely help bring us closer, but how do I get her to watch movies with me willingly? That's the question.

With a slight sigh, Durandal felt a heavy responsibility on her shoulders. She swiped her finger to answer the phone. Although it was a bit impolite to answer someone else's call without permission, it depended on who it was. One was Rita, and the other was Shen Gonglin. They were both her closest people. What was wrong with answering the phone?

Hey Rita, Rita, have you missed me?

When the call connected, Durandal couldn't help but smile upon hearing Shen Gonglin's energetic voice. However, the content of the call made the girl a little jealous. He had never called her before, let alone talked about something like this. Sometimes she really envied Rita. When would she be able to be like her?

"Rita went out on a mission, and she didn't bring her phone with her."

Hiding her inner jealousy, Durandal tried to make her voice sound normal. This guy only ever flirts with Rita. She's given him so many things, how come he doesn't remember any of her kindness? He only thinks about Rita all day long... Is that woman prettier or has a better figure than her?

The strongest Valkyrie Durandal, felt a pang of bitterness. Alas, one wrong step can lead to eternal regret. If she hadn't been so foolish as to stop Shen Gonglin from killing Otto, things wouldn't be like this now. But what if Otto had attacked Shen Gonglin ruthlessly if she hadn't stopped him? Durandal herself didn't know how many trump cards that bishop had up his sleeve. It was truly a headache.

[Huh? You didn't bring your phone... Then who are you?]

"What? You can't even recognize my voice? Shen Gonglin, it's Bianca."

Upon hearing Shen Gonglin's reaction, Durandal felt a surge of anger rush from her chest to her head. This guy was going too far! He spent all his time on the phone with Rita and never contacted her, and now he couldn't even recognize her voice. Shen Gonglin Rin was the best at making people angry! Durandal felt her head buzzing and wanted to punch someone!

[Bianca ... Oh! I knew your voice sounded familiar. It's you, Durandal. Long time no see. Have you eaten?... Well, since Rita isn't here, I'll wait until she gets back before calling. It's not anything important anyway.]

After pondering the name for a moment, Shen Gonglin realized that the girl opposite him was Durandal. Durandal was, why bother with Durandal Bianca? After knowing it was her, Shen Gonglin didn't feel comfortable explaining her intentions. After all, the Father Mech was now Schicksal's spoils of Schicksal, and Durandal was Schicksal's current commander. It would be quite difficult for her, the commander, to suddenly suggest that she go and collect the Father's specific data.

"Those who are not in a position should not meddle in its affairs." Asking Rita directly would be a perfectly legitimate way to get in through connections, since she is his personal maid. However, if he were to ask Durandal, it might cause her trouble. So, after hesitating for a moment, Shen Gonglin didn't say anything and decided to wait for Rita to come back and talk to her.

However, it was Shen Gonglin's attitude that made Durandal feel even worse. What was it that could only be told to Rita and not to her? What Rita could do, she could do too. Durandal never thought she would be jealous of Rita. Seeing Shen Gonglin about to hang up, Durandal quickly spoke up. She had to prove that she was no worse Rita.

"What do you need Rita for? Tell me, maybe I can help."

Rita can do what I can do. Now Shen Gonglin can communicate with me normally, which is much better than her previous stranger-like attitude. Even Fu Hua was able to get rid of the "ex-girlfriend" identity through hard work, so there's no reason why I can't.

"Um... it's nothing serious. I'll wait for Rita to come back. It's too much trouble for you..."