Chapter 363

"Oh dear, I misspoke. Mei, don't worry about it. I made you misunderstand. We have disagreements on some issues, but those are just different choices brought about by different positions. It is the common force that brought these thirteen people together, and that has never changed."

Elysia raised her hands and told Shen Gonglin and Mei about the thirteen shining stars and their true meaning. Even if there were differences, everyone's goal was the same. These thirteen brilliant stars were the most dazzling proof of that era.

"...I apologize, it was my fault, but...a Flame-Chaser who survived the tragedy of the constraints, without a doubt, Mobius is also one of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers. In that case, her memories must have remained in the Elysian Realm, which is its purpose in existing here—to record all the stories and pass them on to future generations, whether history in the sunlight or secrets in the shadows. And Mobius ...everyone is warning me and Shen Gonglin about her existence, yet they avoid talking about the owner of this name. Unlike you, she is a being born in the shadows. She is the dark side of the Flame-Chasers."

First, she offered a sincere apology. Mei did not doubt the meaning of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers. They were pioneers of the previous era, and their memories of this Elysian Realm were meant to help people of the present generation. However, Mei also offered her own judgment: that Mobius might not be as "positive" as the other Flame-Chasers she had encountered.

Rin Shen Gonglin was almost numb from listening, feeling like she couldn't get a word in edgewise. Mei truly lived up to her reputation as a top student, able to analyze such a situation from so much information. Compared to her, Shen Gonglin's academic genius seemed almost fake. But perhaps it was because she was born to be a commander, and simply didn't have the brains of a strategist.

Hmm, thinking about it this way, Shen Gonglin felt much better. Otherwise, why would Otto let her take over Bishop of Schicksal? He must have figured it out too.

"You got it right! Wow, I didn't expect you to be able to think so independently. You might be more suited to be the Herrscher of Reason than the Herrscher of Thunder."

Elysia clapped her hands, making no attempt to hide her praise for Mei. As expected of the girl she admired, Mei not only possessed beauty on par with her own, but her intelligence was also on par with hers. She was truly special.

"I have no intention of stealing Bronya's driver's license... I can probably understand why you hid her. What happened on this land is perhaps far more complicated than I, or the people of this generation, can imagine. But that's precisely why I must step into real history and confront those long-buried pasts. Elysia, I need Mobius's memories."

Ignoring Elysia's praise, Mei gripped Shen Gonglin's hand tightly and looked at the fairy girl opposite her, exploring everything she wanted to know. This was the true meaning of her coming to this Elysian Realm. Therefore, she also needed the memories left here by Mobius so that she could obtain what she truly wanted.

"Alright, since you've asked me to do this, how could I refuse? Come on, get ready, let's set off. Shen Gonglin is coming too. As Flame-Chasers of this era, let's see what our ancestors left us."

Elysia was interested in everyone, but now she seemed to be more interested in Mei. Since Mei had said so, she couldn't keep it to herself. The girl waved her hand lightly, and the surrounding environment changed again. Although Mei had said so, it didn't fit Elysia's aesthetic sense to bring them directly to Mobius's eyes.

"I will guide you to where Mobius is. It will be a bumpy journey, because not everyone is as lovely as me. So you will need to pass some tests before you can face her."

They arrived once again deep within that Elysian Realm of light and darkness. Elysia skipped around like a cute elf. From here on, the rewinding would no longer be a simple simulation. They would break through the surface of memory and truly step into the nameless zone formed by the convergence of consciousness. However, she believed that the two of them could definitely do it.

"Yes, we're ready."

Mei took a deep breath. The girl was ready. Wisps of lightning flashed in the corners of her eyes. Mei was now very confident in her power. She was no longer the girl who couldn't do anything.

"Relax, it's not that serious, Mobius. She's actually a pretty cute person, but... maybe she's a little bit eccentric? But don't worry, I believe your charm will definitely win her over, Mei. If all else fails, there's always Shen Gonglin. I'm sure she'll be interested in Shen Gonglin."

With her lips pursed, Elysia seemed a little embarrassed, after all, she didn't know how to properly describe Mobius. However, everyone was a lovely person, and she believed they could get along well. But she didn't know that her words had offended Mei.

"They're definitely going to be interested in Shen Gonglin?" Mei felt a sense of danger. She wasn't the kind of person who would sell her husband for personal gain; no one, not even a whisper of a green hat, could get their hands on Shen Gonglin!

Chapter Sixty-Three Trials

"No need, I don't have that kind of hobby. If you have a problem, come at me. He's innocent... Got it? You're not allowed to interfere this time. If I find out what you're planning to do... you know what I'm threatening."

Mei was giving Shen Gonglin a heads-up beforehand, knowing that this girl's greatest strength was non-resistance. The Herrscher of Thunder glanced down meaningfully, and that knowing look instantly sent a chill down Shen Gonglin. He was definitely threatened. Ever since playing with Mei and Raven last time, this girl seemed to have become quite assertive. That look she gave him just now...

Shen Gonglin suddenly felt that she might be at risk of being bitten. After thinking about it for a moment, Shen Gonglin nodded vigorously. If Mei really held a grudge and bit her, it would definitely become a lifelong trauma. This girl is so ruthless. This is completely killing a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of her own. If such a thing really happened, it wouldn't be a good thing for her either.

"It's okay, I can accept platonic love too, so Shen Gonglin, you just need to think it through."

Having easily dealt with Rin Shen Gonglin, Mei glanced at Elysia, who was watching them with interest. Mei couldn't discern any other meaning in Alicia's innocent eyes. This so-called "Miss Pink Fairy" was really just a clueless idiot. Perhaps Alicia only considered love to be about kissing. It seemed the risk wasn't too great; Mei was ready to accept the trial.

"Hmm? You really don't need Shen Gonglin's help? It would be so convenient if he just took action... But it's okay, Mei, you're a very cute girl too. I've already given you the mark. Now it's time for the final test. Are you ready to be surprised?"

With a genuine smile always on her face, Elysia took a step forward and turned gracefully after saying this. Reaching this point had already proven Mei's strength; she truly deserved to be Herrscher. However, she still had to pass the final hurdle. After much thought, she decided that she was still the most suitable candidate. The girl winked at Mei, and a pinkish-purple short bow appeared in Elysia's hand. The girl, who already resembled a fairy, looked even more like a mountain spirit at this moment.

After all, bows and arrows and elves are a perfect match.

Is the final trial referring to Elysia herself? It feels more like an impromptu performance on her part. Could this woman have just decided on a whim?

Looking at the girl in front of her who was holding a short bow and greeting her, Mei silently sorted out her thoughts. After thinking it over, she realized that this reason was indeed very likely.

"This must be the first time I've taken out a weapon in front of you. What do you think, Shen Gonglin? Isn't this bow perfect for me? I wanted to take it out when you pulled out that scary bow. We're people who use the same kind of weapon. Occasionally, I also step onto the battlefield myself. This bow is my favorite. The color matches my uniform perfectly, and there are many small details that echo each other. It's very elegant."

As Elysia showed off her bow to Shen Gonglin, it was as if she were showing off her pretty dress to Xin Yi. In her opinion, beauty and fun were very important things. Coincidentally, Elysia had both of these. Shen Gonglin also used a bow, so he must understand his own aesthetics.

"This woman is so cunning! She's seducing my boyfriend right in front of me. Does she really think I'm dead?" Seeing Elysia "posing seductively" in front of Shen Gonglin, Mei took a step forward before Shen Gonglin could speak. This was her business, and had nothing to do with Shen Gonglin.

"Is this the final trial you spoke of?"

"Hmm? Haha, don't be nervous. I don't mean to stop you from moving forward, I just want to add a few more blessings to your journey ahead. Courage, wisdom, beauty... you already have everything you need to face Mobius, but out of a sense of responsibility, I want to give you a little gift, for example, to help you gain some experience in Flame-Chasers."

Elysia smiled and explained to Mei that, seeing how serious Mei was about to fight, she should just treat it as a friendly sparring match, and that it was just a whim of hers. Mobius had previously provoked Chakravartin to fight her because of her own interests, and now she wanted to get some exercise too. Actually, Elysia would prefer to spar with Shen Gonglin Mei would definitely not allow it.

The way they protect her makes one even more tempted to attack her.

"Experience fighting Flame-Chasers... you mean, Mobius, she's my enemy?"

Mei frowned slightly upon hearing Elysia's words. So Elysia shared the same attitude? All the other Flame-Chasers had warned her to be careful of Mobius, and now Elysia was even sharing her experience fighting Flame-Chasers. Mei frowned slightly; she had already anticipated that this journey would probably not be peaceful.

"Hmm, how should I answer you? Enemy? Not quite. Flame-Chasers and his successor should never be in that kind of relationship. But, you know, Mobius always seems to cross the line, and our Mei is so captivating. So, let's be prepared. I should share some tips on how to get along with her, like that 100 Questions about Interacting with Chakravartin book I gave you before. Come on, let's have a lighthearted and enjoyable conversation, just like between girls, shall we?"

This problem put Elysia in a bit of a dilemma. Everyone here is a good person, but Mobius is a bit special, and Alicia also wants to get closer to Mei. Girls, after all, will get along better as long as they get close to each other. Elysia hopes to be close to Mei.

Girls' conversation? Could it be hair-pulling and slapping? Mei forbade him from making any moves, and Shen Gonglin could only obediently comply. After all, he was genuinely afraid that Mei would bite him. She was no longer the Yamato Nadeshiko-like girl she used to be. Shen Gonglin still vividly remembered how Mei had brutally beaten Kiana in the ruins of Changkong City. The current Mei was capable of both words and deeds. For his future happiness, Shen Gonglin felt that he had to be a little more timid.

After all, this isn't just about herself. There's also the Class President, Rita, Little Herrscher of Consciousness, Kiana, the Queen, Bronya, Einstein, Kurumi... so many people, including Mei herself. Shen Gonglin counted on her fingers. The happiness of so many people rests on her shoulders. Shen Gonglin felt incredibly proud and had to put her hands on her hips for a while.

Chapter Sixty-Four

What is Shen Gonglin doing? Why has he suddenly become so arrogant? Mei couldn't understand, but it didn't affect her suddenly bad mood. It was time for her to vent. Fortunately, Elysia was standing right there.

"I don't seem to have any other choice. Well, this is also an opportunity for me to see what kind of person the second person who stood alongside Kevin really is."

Mei sighed softly. The girl drew her Key of Punishment from her waist. The Thirteen Flame-Chasers of the Blazing Fire, as Flame-Chaser, all possessed strength comparable to Herrscher. They were the perfect objects to exercise.

"Oh dear, I'm so embarrassed by your praise. But compared to Kevin, I might be a little bit weaker. But I'll work hard, Elysia, and I definitely won't let you down."

Elysia winked mischievously at Mei and gently plucked the bowstring in her hand, as if signaling the start of the trial. Mei also temporarily put aside what she wanted to say. The second among the Thirteen Flame-Chasers, an existence on par with Kevin, she would eventually have to fight Kevin. Since Shen Gonglin had a very bad relationship with him, she would treat this as a rehearsal before fighting him. If she couldn't even beat Elysia, who was slightly weaker than Kevin, how could she avenge Shen Gonglin?

Even Durandal stood up for Shen Gonglin, so as her official girlfriend, isn't this the only right thing to do?

This is a bit awkward, as it seems that several people think this identity as the official girlfriend is unique to them, at least Kiana thinks so too.

Purple crystal pillars began to spread from all around, while Shen Gonglin jumped far away, ready to watch the girls' unusual exchange. Let them fight, I hope they can knock their brains out too. My strength hasn't fully recovered yet, so I can't even mediate. I wonder how things are going with the headmaster. That bastard Otto must have already started plotting against them.

We've finally arrived.

Looking down at the town, Theresa's mood grew heavy. No matter how many traps her grandfather had set ahead, they had to step into them, which made her feel rather uneasy.

"I really don't know... how Schicksal will greet us. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if the Valkyrie forces came out to ambush us when we land. Otto, anything he does is possible."

Standing next to Theresa, Fu Hua said in a deep voice. The girl rubbed her temples, and like Theresa, she was also a little nervous.

"Indeed...we can only urge everyone to be cautious. If necessary, others can remain hidden for now, and I and the PhDs from Anti-Entropy will make contact with the welcoming personnel first."

After careful consideration, Theresa came up with this plan: not to reveal everyone at once, with Kiana being the most important and special among them.

"Is this... to protect Kiana?"

Clearly, Fu Hua had also thought of this. Theresa nodded and continued, "That's right. After all, everything that has happened in the past shows that, from a certain perspective, the person Grandpa cares about most in this world is definitely her... not any of us. So, let's not expose Kiana to the public eye for now. I'll make contact with the Doctors first. Fu Hua, I'm leaving them to you."

Theresa made this arrangement, and Fu Hua nodded seriously. She understood Theresa's concerns; she could handle this matter herself. Besides, Shen Gonglin should also be in Kolosten. As long as she found him, Fu Hua would feel at ease.

Back indoors, the Hyperion landed smoothly in the port of Kolosten, and Theresa took a deep breath and stepped off the bridge.

Kolosten, the former Schicksal Headquarters before the floating island, I'm back.

With a strange feeling, Theresa, Einstein, and Tesla walked out of the Hyperion. The woman standing not far away surprised them slightly. The members of the Immortal Blade were on both sides of the road, and the person responsible for welcoming them... unexpectedly, it was her. She really gave them a lot of face.

"Captain Durandal of the Immortal Blade, by order of Bishop Otto Apocalypse, is here to greet Theresa Apocalypse of the Far East Branch."

Seeing Theresa and the others approaching, Durandal stepped forward to greet them. As the strongest Valkyrie of Schicksal, she was specially arranged to welcome them. This was also the bishop's intention. Regardless of what he was planning, this show of respect was evident.

"I didn't expect you to be in charge of welcoming me, Durandal. Let's skip the formalities; you should know how complicated the situation is right now... So I'll just get straight to the point: what are the bishop's plans for what's to come? And where are the clues to the Herrscher Core?"

Previously, she was a rebel against Schicksal, but now she is communicating with Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie. When Durandal was in charge of Schicksal, she froze the kill order. In addition, there is her relationship with Shen Gonglin... So Theresa's attitude towards her can be considered friendly. However, she is still officially Valkyrie under Otto, so let's keep things official.

"The bishop said he was busy with the aftermath of his resignation and was simply too busy to handle everything. So he ordered me to do my best to assist everyone in exploring the area in the vicinity that was being invaded by the core of the Herrscher of Domination, and... Previously, the bishop had used the ruins of the Theater of Domination and the Second Divine Key: Thousand Worlds of Chariots contact the Imaginary Tree... He speculated that perhaps it was because of what he had done before that everything in the vicinity became connected to the Herrscher Core. After all, after the World Serpent destroyed the testing grounds in Vimur, some of the supporting facilities of Thousand Worlds were transferred and placed in this old headquarters."

Durandal was somewhat troubled after telling Theresa and the others everything she knew. Otto had only told her many things after she arrived in Kolosten, which showed that the bishop really didn't trust her. However, this was to be expected. Durandal was practically sitting on Shen Gonglin's lap now, so it was normal for him to be wary of her.

Now Otto trusts Li Sushang the most, as for himself and Rita... well, there's nothing that can be done about it.

Chapter Sixty-Five: Spacetime Projection

Although Durandal spoke in a very ordinary tone, Tesla, who had been listening intently, couldn't help but interrupt. What had she just heard? Perhaps it didn't seem like much to Theresa, but to her, a scientist, Otto had done something truly remarkable. Just how much had this guy accomplished behind the scenes?

"Wait a minute, what did you just say? Otto used the remnants of the Domination Theater? When was that?"

Tesla interrupted, explaining that as a representative of Anti-Entropy, she and Einstein accompanied Theresa to meet with Durandal and the others, while the others remained in the Hyperion on standby. She had only intended to make a brief appearance, but what Durandal just said? Had Otto used the Domination Theater?

How did he do it?

"Hmm... As far as I know, it was about a month ago."

Durandal truthfully told her that Tesla and the others were in Shen Gonglin, which meant they would probably see each other all the time in the future. Therefore, Durandal wasn't very wary of her. Besides, these things weren't anything important.

"A month ago... That's a long time since the Herrscher of Domination was defeated. At least Anti-Entropy has no way to re-enter the Theater of Domination, let alone use it."

Einstein chimed in, "Otto is truly an unexpected person. His style of doing things has always been so unconventional. No one knows what he's trying to do, and the key is that he actually succeeds. Otto's abilities... even Einstein has to admire them."

"Perhaps the bishop himself can answer your questions, but I can't get in touch with him at all right now... This is indeed very embarrassing, but you could say it's just his usual way of working."

Durandal rubbed her temples, looking quite troubled. He was the one who invited the Hyperion members here, but now he had vanished. He disappeared after instructing her to be in charge of the reception, and she couldn't even contact Shen Gonglin anymore... Could he be with Shen Gonglin right now?

Probably not. If they were the only ones there, Shen Gonglin might try to knock his brains out.

"That's not your fault. Grandpa has always been irresponsible, especially... when he's secretly plotting something."

Theresa shook her head. How could Durandal and the others be blamed? As that man's granddaughter, Theresa was one of the people who understood him best. She knew her grandfather's personality very well. Even she couldn't figure out what Otto was thinking, let alone his subordinates like Durandal. Otto was a man who used the world as his chessboard and everyone, including himself, as his pieces. Theresa even felt that she could write a book about him.

"Perhaps that's true, but in any case, it was with his help that I reconnected the World Bubble that I was originally protecting to the Imaginary Tree... If anyone is interested, I can tell you more about this later. In this matter, I have nothing but gratitude for him."

Durandal was very clear about the difference. Although Otto had done many bad things, it was undeniable that she had gotten what she wanted from many of the things he had done. Therefore, she was conflicted about her opinion of him, which was one of the reasons why she still obeyed him.

Reconnecting the World Bubble back to the Imaginary Tree... This is an impossible challenge, yet Otto actually accomplished it? This is truly surprising... At this stage, it's impossible to speculate on Otto's true purpose in this matter... Even if it's clear that he's using Durandal, is this kind of use... It seems like a win-win situation for her?

Einstein pondered quietly. This was Otto's brilliance. He made you know he was using you, yet you were powerless to do anything about it and even willingly followed his lead. This man's control over people's hearts was truly impeccable.

Shaking her head, Einstein took the initiative to speak. She stepped forward and asked, "There are more important things to do now. I haven't forgotten our original purpose for coming here. It's not to take over that Bishop of Schicksal of Destiny, nor is it to praise Otto's 'great achievements'."

"Miss Durandal, you mentioned earlier that clues to the Herrscher Core appeared near this old headquarters. What exactly did you mean by that?"

Bringing the situation back on track, Einstein's words also drew the attention of Theresa and the others. That's right, they came here to find Shen Gonglin and retrieve the Herrscher Core. This thing is too dangerous and must be carefully guarded and preserved. Otto used the Herrscher Core as bait, and now that they've arrived, where's the bait?

"Literally speaking, I'm referring to the anomaly in the spacetime environment. Something's wrong with this town right now. The bishop believes that this anomaly is likely related to the out-of-control Herrscher Core. And based on that, the missing Herrscher of Domination core is naturally our prime suspect. This is information I just learned. Actually, I only arrived a few hours earlier than you."

After explaining the current situation, Durandal shrugged. She didn't know the specifics very well. She had originally wanted to explore the situation, but Theresa and the others happened to arrive, so Durandal could only greet them first.

"This explanation... well, it's not entirely untenable... but it depends on what you mean by the anomaly in the spacetime environment."

As expected of someone who specializes in scientific research, Tesla immediately pointed out the core of the problem: the anomaly in the spacetime environment. This sounds quite interesting; what exactly is the problem?

"The specific situation still needs to be investigated... However, based on the information we have so far... it seems that spatiotemporal information from a certain historical period in the past has been projected into our current spatiotemporal space."

Durandal said in a deep voice, while Einstein's eyes suddenly widened. This statement... Tesla's reaction was slightly delayed, but she nodded and repeated it very seriously.

"Oh, I see. Spatiotemporal information from a certain historical period in the past was projected into our current spacetime... Wait, are you talking about that spacetime projection? The one that Chicken Coop Head specializes in researching?"

Only after speaking did Tesla realize what Einstein was talking about. She looked at Einstein in surprise. No wonder it sounded so familiar; this was exactly what Einstein was researching.

Chapter Sixty-Six Hostages

"Wait a minute, Schicksal's S-rank Valkyrie, do you know what you're saying?"

Tesla stared at Durandal in shock. If what she said was true, then this size was definitely a world-shaking research. It was truly worthy of Schicksal. Although he and Chicken Coop Head had been dedicated to research, the predecessor of Anti-Entropy was, after all, just a branch of Schicksal. In this respect, it was indeed inferior to Schicksal. But had they already researched this thing?

This is so hilarious!

"In front of outsiders, Dr. Tesla, you should address me as Einstein... However, Miss Durandal, Dr. Tesla did have reason to lose his composure as he did just now. In our reality, bending spacetime already requires considerable mass or energy; spacetime projection is even more so. Generally speaking, this situation can only occur naturally on the other side of the singularity, deep within the Sea of Quantum or the Imaginary Tree."

After correcting Tesla's mistake, the nickname "Chicken Coop Head" was of course inconsequential among them, but Durandal was the Valkyrie of Schicksal, Einstein felt that he still had to pay attention to his image. Didn't she care about her reputation? The Chicken Coop Head Doctor spoke eloquently, which was originally her research area. It wasn't that this situation wouldn't occur, but rather that the conditions for it to occur were too harsh.

What are they saying?

Theresa was completely bewildered. She was supposed to be in charge of the liaison, so why couldn't she understand a word they were saying? To avoid revealing her "ignorant little girl" image, Theresa pretended to listen, nodding occasionally in agreement. In reality, her little head was completely focused on what to eat today. Bitter melon bread, she thought.

Sigh, if Shen Gonglin were here, I wouldn't be the only one watching the drama unfold.

"In conclusion, in other words, without extremely special reasons, this phenomenon could not possibly appear openly on the Earth's surface. However... if what you say is indeed true, then the worst-case scenario is that this place will soon face another Imaginary Invasion following Changkong City."

This was originally her own research topic, so Einstein was very familiar with the situation. She assured everyone that she was not exaggerating at all; the matter was indeed that serious.

"... Imaginary Invasion? That is, the phenomenon of ordinary space being eroded by the singularity and assimilated by the Imaginary Space —but Schicksal did not observe the entity of the singularity like Changkong City did. Is this really possible?"

Understanding the danger Einstein spoke of, Durandal's expression also turned grave. She was well aware of the harm caused that time, but the current situation seemed quite different from before. Was this really true? She couldn't help but wonder.

"It's simple! If this singularity happens to be the so-called out-of-control Herrscher Core, then its true form might still be inside the Imaginary Space. If that's the case, the current state is a delicate dynamic equilibrium... just like the apparent stability of Changkong City a few years ago. Once this fragile situation becomes unbalanced, the situation will most likely deteriorate rapidly like a volcanic eruption... Wait, wait! Why am I trying to justify Otto's statement? I don't have any empirical information at hand yet!"

Tesla stomped his foot angrily, wondering why he had gone along with the situation. Maybe this was all Otto's scheme; that guy was full of bad intentions, and this situation might have been within his expectations.