Chapter 314

"According to the previous pattern, the announcement on the performance ticket is the content of the next crime. Next, we need to hand the performance ticket over to the people at the Steadfast Laboratory to analyze the soil traces on it to pinpoint the crime location. We shouldn't delay. Kiana, Shen Gonglin, let's go back now."

As she became more and more adept at carrying out the mission, Seele felt like she had become part of the family. She carefully put away the performance tickets. The three of them looked up at the landing spaceship. The commotion here would be handled by the cleanup crew, and it would probably be classified as a pipe leak or something similar. That was not something they needed to worry about. Their task now was to return to the base as soon as possible and hand over the performance tickets and the remains of the doll to the identification department.

"Phew, I'm finally back. After staying in this base for so long, it feels a bit like home. It will look even prettier when we hang up the decorations next month when we're queuing up."

Stepping out of the airport, Seele was noticeably more relaxed back at the base. After all, this was a place she knew very well. After leaving the Sea of Quantum, she followed Bronya to the Salt Lake Base and had been living here ever since. Seele felt a strong sense of belonging here, and returning here made her feel much more at ease. Although the surroundings looked a bit cold, it would definitely look beautiful when the decorations were put up for the anniversary celebration.

"Indeed... I hope this incident can be resolved by then, otherwise preparing for the celebration while also having to guard against unexpected events is a headache just thinking about it."

The three walked along the base's corridor. Shen Gonglin was still pondering the play on the performance ticket, while Kiana and Seele chatted as they walked. In fact, not only Seele, but Kiana also felt a sense of belonging to the Salt Lake Base. However, the place she most wanted to return to was St. Freya Academy. Back then, everyone would often prepare for festivals together, but now, getting all those people together was something that seemed impossible.

"It definitely can."

Seele confidently clenched her fist to encourage Kiana, and at that moment the three of them arrived at the appraisal department. Before Kiana could knock, Shen Gonglin pushed the door open and walked in. This girl is just as rude as I am.

"Hey, isn't this the shrine...? Hello, are you looking for someone?"

There was someone on duty in the testing room. After hearing the noise, she turned around and looked over. She knew Shen Gonglin and the others. After all, he was famous and his relationship with the two Anti-Entropy Executors was so good that they were practically inseparable. How could they not know him?

"Hello, these are performance tickets we recovered during a mission. We need to conduct forensic analysis to pinpoint the location of our next crime. Who should we give them to?"

It seems they know Shen Gonglin. Seeing this, Seele gave up the idea of apologizing. She felt that if she were with Shen Gonglin, she would have to master the art of apologizing. The girl took out the performance ticket, which needed to be authenticated before she could get the location of the next crime. This was very important.

"This? Leave it to me. Thank you for your hard work. Don't worry, we'll handle it as soon as possible... Hey, the person next to you, could it be... that, um... I heard you're the Herrscher of the Void... Is that true?"

The staff member put away the performance tickets, and at that moment she noticed the white-haired girl who had been standing behind the two of them. When she saw her, the staff member's expression changed. Is this the Herrscher of the Void that everyone has been talking about lately?

Chapter 85 Everyone's Hero

Oh no! Seele sensed something was wrong as soon as she heard that. She knew how the others in Anti-Entropy treated Kiana. She could tell from how everyone avoided her while eating in the restaurant. In many people's eyes, Kiana was the embodiment of the Herrscher of the Void, so she inevitably received a lot of strange looks. And now... she should have known better than to let Miss Kiana come along.

"Yes, it's me."

Kiana readily admitted her identity. Although she had been fighting against the Herrscher, apart from those close to her, most people probably thought of her as the incarnation of the Herrscher, so there was no need to explain. Kiana was already quite adept at this kind of thing.

"She's my friend, Kiana. This mission's success is all thanks to her."

Seele quickly spoke up, wanting to clear Kiana's name. Kiana, who had protected everyone, shouldn't be treated that way. However, the staff member's reaction was completely different from what they expected. After confirming Kiana's identity, she rushed over and looked at Kiana excitedly. This reaction didn't seem like she hated Kiana at all.

"That's wonderful! I've been wanting to thank you in person, but I haven't had the chance to speak to you until now!"

Kiana was somewhat taken aback by such a high-handed attitude. She had been prepared to accept criticism, but this reaction was completely different from what she had expected.

"I'm from Shenzhou. My father and I live in Sky City. Thanks to Shen Gonglin and the Herrscher of the Void, they were saved in that accident. My parents often talk about you. When they heard that we work together, they urged me several times to thank you in person. I've already thanked Shen Gonglin, but I haven't had a chance to talk to you. Thank you for saving my parents. Thank you so much!"

The staff member said excitedly, "It's like a fan meeting their idol. Back then, Sky City was so lucky to have Shen Gonglin and Kiana. If it weren't for the two of them sending that bomb that could have detonated the entire city into the sky, the whole city would have been in danger. The Honkai energy from the bomb explosion was also absorbed by the two of them. Without a doubt, the two of them are the heroes who saved the city. Before, the word 'hero' didn't really resonate with me, but when my own family members were also involved, this feeling came more deeply than ever before."

"Well, there's no need to be so formal... I just did what I was supposed to do."

Now it was Kiana's turn to feel embarrassed. She thought she would be scolded and disliked, but she didn't expect to receive kindness from others. This was a very unexpected thing for Kiana. It turned out that there were still people who would agree with what she did. It was very rare. Kiana became shy and embarrassed. She hadn't felt this kind of praise in a long time.

Shen Gonglin doesn't count; this guy often boasts about how much he eats, a compliment Kiana doesn't like at all.

"Not everyone has that kind of courage, Miss Kiana. You are the hero who saved that city, and we will all remember you... Oh, I forgot we still need to analyze the samples. Let's talk about it properly next time."

Realizing she still had her job to do, the staff waved and returned to the testing room, while Kiana stood there pondering what she had just heard. Hero, was that referring to her?

Do I deserve the title of hero?

"That's great, Kiana. You see, not everyone is afraid of you. Everyone has seen Kiana's hard work. In fact, it's not just her. I've been listening to many staff members mention Kiana. Indeed, quite a few people are still afraid of you, but many others have gradually come to understand your situation and even feel indignant on your behalf. So, Kiana, you can relax a little more. You are the hero who saved everyone."

What just happened made Seele very happy. Kiana has always seemed cautious, and when someone doesn't understand her, she just chooses to avoid them. Unlike Shen Gonglin, this girl is very thoughtful. She can't be as indifferent to other people's opinions as Shen Gonglin. So, seeing Kiana being accepted by others makes Seele really happy.

That being said, although both Shen Gonglin and Kiana possess the power of the Herrscher of the Void, it seems that no one in the base has ever been afraid of Shen Gonglin, even though he has demonstrated the power of the Herrscher of the Void to others many times. However, whether it is the staff of Anti-Entropy or those around him, it seems that no one is ever worried that he will lose control. Logically speaking, Shen Gonglin should give people an unreliable feeling, so why does everyone trust him so much?

"... Thank you, Seele, thank you for doing so much for me. Bronya was right after all."

Kiana rarely showed such a relieved smile. She looked at Seele and sighed sincerely. Bronya's little sister is really amazing. No wonder Bronya specifically asked her to stay by her side. Her delicate mind and empathy are just too strong... Why is it that Shen Gonglin Rin Shingu not as considerate Seele?

If he were as thoughtful as Seele ... no, if he were even half as considerate as Seele, I probably would have had a whole litter of children with him by now. Why would I be so shy about sleeping in the same bed with him now? Sigh, the more I think about it, the angrier I get. Why is Shen Gonglin so hopeless?

What's going on? Why is Kiana looking at me like that? I didn't say anything! Lost in thought, Shen Gonglin suddenly noticed Kiana's gaze. That look of disappointment made Shen Gonglin uneasy. What's wrong? What happened? Why did she turn her head away again...?

Shen Gonglin was puzzled by what the staff member had just said. Logically speaking, an ordinary person shouldn't know that she and Kiana saved the entire city of Sky City. How could she...? Come to think of it, she was an employee of Anti-Entropy, so it was reasonable for her to know some inside information. She was probably overthinking it. Because of the doll incident, she seemed to see everyone as a bad guy. This wouldn't do.

"Hey, what did Sister Bronya say about me?"

Curious about what Kiana had said, Seele ran a few steps to catch up with Kiana and asked what Sister Bronya and Kiana had said about her. She was really curious.

"Hehe, it's a secret, I'm hungry, let's go get something to eat."

Kiana gave a mischievous smile, and the girl became very energetic, while Seele pouted and followed behind. After Kiana said that, she was even more curious.

Chapter 86 Paying Public Grain

"Hehe, everyone in the base calls me a hero... Hero, did you hear that, Shen Gonglin? Everyone's calling me a hero."

That evening, after dinner, Kiana lay on Shen Gonglin's bed, laughing like a fool. This girl had been in this state for about an hour, ever since she came into the room. Shen Gonglin was sitting at the table studying and reading seriously, couldn't help but roll her eyes at her. Wasn't she quite normal when she was eating? How come she suddenly seemed to have lost her mind... Bronya even said that she had matured.

He looks like a three-year-old Qi now. He calls himself a hero, but he's just an idiot.

"Yes, yes, hero, hero, so hero, could you please stop rubbing against my bed like a maggot? Can't you just let me read in peace for a while?"

Shen Gonglin gave Kiana a helpless glare. Realizing that lecturing was useless, he could only concentrate more intently on the book in his hands in an attempt to distract himself. This was the Schicksal Mech Secret Manual that Durandal and Rita had given him. After learning that Shen Gonglin needed this kind of thing, those two traitorous girls simply gave it to Shen Gonglin. Rita said that she was also planning to steal all the data from the Changguang Laboratory and give it to him. Durandal even sent the Schicksal Headquarters construction records directly to Shen Gonglin. So, Shen Gonglin had a lot to learn during this period.

"Shen Gonglin, I think there's something wrong with you. I'm a lively and pretty girl lying on your bed, and you're just reading a book. Is there something wrong with me or with you? This is such a good opportunity, it's a rare chance."

Kneeling on the bed, Kiana complained angrily to Shen Gonglin. It was one thing for him not to cooperate with her, but now he was actually reading a book. Kiana didn't remember Shen Gonglin being such a studious person. He used to be a poor student just like her, but now he was trying to abandon her. He was just reading a book while she was taking such a good opportunity.

Learning really can change a person's life. I wonder if Shen Gonglin will become one of those bookworms in the future.

Such a rare opportunity! Auntie and the Class President are both away on missions, leaving only Bronya, the only idiot, at the base. This makes it easy for Kiana to come to Shen Gonglin's room. But instead of taking advantage of this opportunity, he's just reading a book. Only someone with a serious problem would do something like that. Shen Gonglin used to be so clever, how come she's become so clueless about romance?

"No interest. Mecha is a man's romance. I have no interest in someone like you, a mere insect."

Shen Gonglin only glanced at Kiana. After spending so many days in Schicksal, he had entered a state of enlightenment. For the sake of his health, he decided not to do anything fancy lately. Although Durandal didn't have much damage output, Rita was no ordinary person. Therefore, Shen Gonglin was unusually clear-headed during this period and only wanted to focus on his studies.

Now all he can think about is studying. So that's how it is. The key is to install linear motors in the critical parts, and then use a rotary engine in conjunction with Honkai energy internal combustion engine. This way, it can unleash power beyond the design limits in a short time. I see... It feels like it can be improved a little.

"... Shen Gonglin, do you know that saying things like that really hurts a girl's feelings? You're making me feel like we've already entered a period of marital burnout, but we're not even married yet! How can you be burnt out so quickly!"

Kiana sat up in bed. Her youthful and beautiful figure was revealed beneath her tight-fitting clothes. The girl frowned and complained to Shen Gonglin with great dissatisfaction. This wouldn't do. Kiana felt like she had made a loving dinner, changed into a mature nightgown, and finally waited for night to fall, only to be told that he was sleepy and had to go to work tomorrow.

No way, Shen Gonglin is only this age, how could she be so tired of herself so quickly?

"Who said I was going to marry you? I just wanted to study properly... Hey, what are you doing? I haven't finished reading yet."

Kiana's words were full of flaws, and before Shen Gonglin could even retort, the girl jumped off the bed and ran over. Kiana snatched the book from Shen Gonglin's hand, pulled Shen Gonglin back to bed, and thought, "This guy is saying these weird things again. If he doesn't plan to marry me, who else can he marry?"

"You can read tomorrow. Now go to sleep. I'm sleepy... Also, I feel like my sense of taste is a little off again. Didn't you notice that I didn't enjoy the braised pork knuckle much today? Hurry up and take a bite. It's your duty to pay your dues."

If you want something, you have to fight for it yourself. Kiana won't be polite to Shen Gonglin. The girl pulled Shen Gonglin back to bed. She tugged at her collar, revealing her beautiful, fair neck. The Herrscher Core was eroding her sense of taste again. Quickly, give yourself a taste of Shen Gonglin's all-purpose medicine.

"Huh? You didn't enjoy the food... Kiana, you're not lying to me, are you? You ate a whole pork knuckle by yourself and you say you didn't enjoy it? I feel like you're lying to me... And could you please not use the 'paying taxes' analogy? It's so weird."

Shen Gonglin's eyes were filled with suspicion. Kiana was in a great mood today, and she didn't seem to have any problem with her sense of taste. However, looking at the fair neck that the girl was offering to him, Shen Gonglin still obediently moved closer. His fingers gently pressed on Kiana's neck, and through that fair skin, he could feel the blood flowing under her skin. This sensation made his vampire genes slightly active, and two sharp little teeth appeared and disappeared in his mouth. Shen Gonglin's panacea, everyone who used it said it was good.

"If we don't have to pay grain tax, then what do we use? I think that's quite fitting... Ugh, you... you should at least say something before you take a bite... at least let me adjust my posture before you say it."

A sudden pain shot through her neck, followed by a familiar yet strange sensation that instantly engulfed her entire body. Kiana let out a whimper that sounded like crying, and then her body went limp as she leaned against Shen Gonglin. Undoubtedly, this feeling was addictive. Regardless of whether there was anything wrong with her body, Kiana wanted Shen Gonglin to give her that, so she figured this behavior could be considered as paying her dues.

After being bitten by him, one will be unable to move for at least one night, which is dangerous in the current wartime situation. However, since Shen Gonglin is by my side, it doesn't matter if I act a little willfully.

Chapter 87 The Girl in the Theater

"Hey, still asleep...?"

After an unknown amount of time, when Shen Gonglin loosened her teeth, she realized that Kiana had fallen asleep at some point. The girl's face was slightly flushed with her eyes closed. She guessed that Kiana would have a good dream tonight. After gently laying the girl's completely limp body down, Shen Gonglin stretched and prepared to sleep with Kiana as well.

Just as Kiana said, she felt very safe sleeping at his place while Theresa and Fu Hua were away, so Shen Gonglin was too lazy to send Kiana back to her room. Wouldn't it be better to sleep with the girl's soft and fragrant body in his arms? However, just as Shen Gonglin lay down, he instantly caught a strange fluctuation. This feeling was the one that Domination Theater!

Having entered that theater before, Shen Gonglin of the Herrscher of the Void ability made her very sensitive to that strange spatial fluctuation. If the distance was too far, she might not be able to sense it, but this distance... was right at the Salt Lake Base!

With a thought, Shen Gonglin's eyes flashed with dazzling starlight, and then he vanished silently from the room. Kiana, fast asleep, had no idea what had happened. In her current state, Kiana was no longer a threat; Shen Gonglin could handle it all by himself.

"This is... Seele's room?"

After a short spatial jump, Shen Gonglin appeared in Seele's room. The girl was lying on the bed, sleeping peacefully. However, the residual fluctuations of the Domination Theater nearby were not fake. Something must have happened just now, otherwise there wouldn't be such fluctuations... It seems I have to ask the other Seele what happened.

"Seele, Seele, Black Seele... Hmm, why isn't she responding at all?"

She gently called out to the other Seele in Seele's ear. That girl usually doesn't sleep, so she must know what happened. But Shen Gonglin didn't get any response. The girl on the bed was breathing lightly and was clearly fast asleep. She shouldn't wake Seele up, otherwise the girl would worry unnecessarily. She should find the other Seele on her own.

Shen Gonglin took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his eyes were flashing with a dead red light. This was a manifestation of his Herrscher of Consciousness ability. Shen Gonglin reached out and placed his hand on Seele's forehead. The consciousness of the other Seele had always shared a body with Seele. As Herrscher controlled consciousness, Shen Gonglin should be able to locate the other Seele's position in this way and then teleport there.

This place, this puppet... is it the one that Domination Theater? How did I end up here again? It's so annoying. These bastards, haven't they given up yet?

Looking at the empty space before her, Black Seele frowned deeply. Just a moment ago, she was sulking in her own constructed mental space because Seele had been talking about Kiana and Kiana ever since she returned from dinner, or about her new friends and how she was slowly getting stronger. She just kept rambling on and on, only ever calling other people by their names. First, it was Mother Cocolia, then Sister Bronya, and now it was Kiana. This girl, can't she live without other people?!

Feeling inexplicably sullen, Black Seele found herself in this strange place the next second. She knew she was being unreasonable, but she was just so annoyed. She'd said she wanted to become independent and strong, that she no longer needed anyone else, so why was she calling out everyone else's names over and over again? Only she... only she had no name...

Let her do whatever she wants.

"Welcome to the Domination Theater, poor little lady, I've come to welcome you."

Just as Seele had expected, a comical doll suddenly appeared before her. Welcome? Poor lady, what is this disgusting doll saying?

"It's you again. I've told you before, we're not the same kind of people. Stop bothering me."

Black Seele refused without hesitation. These dolls always said nonsensical things, claiming that she was their kind. What a joke! How could someone as beautiful as her be their kind? It was disgusting.

"Me? Who? Lily doesn't understand! Lily is Lily, but Lily is also everyone! Poor John is dead, but it's okay, it's okay, we have many more! We are not the same person, we are the same person, we are all the same person! He is, I am, and you can be!"

The doll's head was rotating 360 degrees. This bizarre movement, coupled with these strange words, sent a chill down Black Seele's spine. It was truly disgusting. Seele really didn't know what their purpose was in saying so many strange things.

"Alright, alright, I know you're all in cahoots. Stop talking nonsense and get lost, I'm leaving."

Seele raised her hand impatiently. These puppets always say such strange things. Undoubtedly, the previous puppets were killed, but there are still many rabble like them. But what does that have to do with her? What do they want to do by dragging her to this dilapidated theater? How boring.

"Why? Why? Why do you want to leave? There's no one else here. Don't you like locking yourself in your room the most?"

Controlled by the threads, the doll made all sorts of ridiculous movements. Not only the movements, but even its language seemed to be full of mockery. Black Seele was furious. It was as if it knew her very well. It was disgusting.

"It's none of your business."

Unwilling to waste any more time talking to these puppets, Black Seele closed her eyes, trying to bring herself back to reality. However, this method didn't seem to work very well. When she opened her eyes again, she was still in the theater.

"Ah, Lily, I understand. You're being ostracized and disliked, that's why you're all alone in that little room, right?"

The doll continued to provoke Black Seele's nerves. Her words made the girl's forehead bulge with veins. This tone and attitude were infuriating. She wanted to just tear the thing apart, but if she did it now, wouldn't she seem a bit angry and embarrassed?

"Roll."

Seele's tone was unfriendly, but the doll seemed oblivious to her tone, continuing its comical, disco-like antics. After all, its purpose was to provoke Seele.

"Huh? Did Lily guess wrong? Isn't it because you're an unwanted child?"

A strange smile crept across the doll's lips. She was getting anxious.

Chapter Eighty-Eight: The Repulsive Doll

"A child no one wants is so pitiful, forced to hide in the little room he created and cry. Haha, it's really pitiful to see. You are just that girl's shadow, a ridiculous lie! But now, even she doesn't need you anymore, hahaha."

Pulled by the threads, the doll began to spin around Black Seele. The eerie, snickering voice kept drilling into Seele's head. Both the tone and the content of the words made Black Seele's eyebrows twitch. This doll was really annoying, but Seele couldn't say anything to refute it. How annoying!

"She's with someone else now, isn't she? She has her sister, her friends, a whole bunch of people who care about her, she's not alone anymore. Look at her, she calls her friends by their first names, and what about you? You don't even have a name! Hahaha!"

He was quite satisfied with Seele's reaction. That was exactly right. He wanted to make her doubt her own necessity and then provoke her so that the threads could wrap around him faster. This girl had the qualities to become their companion. She was completely different from that brat Shen Gonglin. She seemed easy to fool, but her confidence in her own existence was stronger than anyone else's, and she was unwilling to talk to people properly. This girl was much easier to talk to.

"You know perfectly well that you're no different from that Sirin, no different from any of us! She hates you, she denies everything about you, she wishes you never existed! You always call her a coward, but actually, you're the real coward, the coward who's afraid to face reality and afraid of being abandoned by her!"

The doll continued, saying that it could sense that Black Seele's psychological defenses were crumbling. If things continued, this girl would become a powerful ally for them. They were all the same kind of people, abandoned and unwanted. Although one person's strength might be small, as long as everyone united, there would definitely be no problem.

"No matter what, it's much better than you, this disgusting doll. Don't you know that it's a very low-class thing to abduct someone else's girl in the middle of the night? Do you really think there are no adults at home?"

The threads were ready, and the words had worked on the girl. However, at that moment, a voice that shouldn't have been there suddenly rang out. A golden halo flashed, and Shen Gonglin suddenly appeared above the doll. The boy, holding a black and white spear, slashed down from above. Pulled by the threads, the doll awkwardly dodged the attack of the Spear of the Void. Why did Shen Gonglin come here?!

Seele looked at Shen Gonglin in surprise as he descended like a divine being. Why did he suddenly come? Was it to save her? So it wasn't just Seele, not just Kiana, but even her, that he would come to save her... Although she didn't need him to save her at all.

"Damn it! It's you again, Shen Gonglin! Those who aren't invited don't deserve to enter the Domination Theater!"

Upon seeing Shen Gonglin, the doll became visibly enraged. Shen Gonglin was clearly not invited to Domination Theater, and the theater manager disliked uninvited audience members the most. Security, security, quickly kick this person who has trespassed into the theater out!

The controlled mechs and the resulting Honkai Beast appeared instantly, serving as the theater's security guards. Unfortunately, these things had no effect on Shen Gonglin. As one of the four core Herrscher, Shen Gonglin's power was beyond what these ordinary things could contend with. The Spear of the Void emerged from the void, and the newly appeared mechs and Honkai Beast were instantly pierced by Shen Gonglin's attack. No matter how many of these things came, they were useless.

Damn it, the theater isn't finished yet, and we haven't seized the power of the other Herrscher. It's too difficult to fight against Shen Gonglin in this half-baked state. We all need to work together to finish building the theater. Then... even if it's Shen Gonglin, we'll kill her!