Chapter 400

Fu Hua didn't really understand what Li Sushang meant by leaving her an iron box, but she still carefully put the iron box away. Fu Hua had actually anticipated Li Sushang's decision beforehand, after all, that was just her personality. Everyone has their own way of living, and Li Sushang would be fine.

"That's really carefree... By the way, Class President, let's take a walk together. Changguang seems to have told us to gather at her place. It seems she's going to announce something important. Speaking of which, has your injury really fully recovered?"

No wonder she asked me for pocket money; it turns out she's already learned how to use a bank card. Shen Gonglin thought to himself. He then invited Fu Hua to join him, and the girl readily agreed. After all this was over, she had something she wanted to say to Shen Gonglin.

"The commotion Otto caused this time directly affected both Schicksal and Anti-Entropy... But what's worrying is that World Serpent has been very quiet during this incident. Kevin seems to have been in contact with Otto before the battle even started. So far, World Serpent has neither interfered with our actions nor stopped Otto's plans. This reaction is not in line with their style, unless... World Serpent, no, Kevin, is waiting for something."

The two strolled together toward Changguang, and Fu Hua expressed her doubts. This incident was quite significant, yet Kevin hadn't reacted at all, which was truly surprising.

"That makes sense... That's what I think too. The fact that the World Serpent isn't taking action now doesn't mean they don't have a plan, or rather... their plan is already in place, so there's no need to create any unnecessary complications?"

Speaking of this, Shen Gonglin frowned and thought seriously. With Mei and Raven in World Serpent, they should have informed her if there were any major operations. World Serpent shouldn't be so well-behaved.

Chapter 213 Changguang Admits His Mistake

"Yes, Shen Gonglin, your judgment is correct. Based on my understanding of Kevin, he no longer rashly participates in any events... This most likely means that he understands this era well enough and is confident in his plans. The Stigmata Plan... Perhaps the final form it takes will be completely different from what we experienced in Sky City and Changkong City."

Fu Hua said in a deep voice, while Shen Gonglin remained silent. Although they had stopped Otto from harming the real world, many mysteries remained unsolved. Otto claimed to have surpassed the Herrscher, but was this merely his own statement, or did he have ulterior motives? And would all that he had done affect the experiential laws related to the Herrscher?

Ultimately, where do the Herrscher of this generation come from...? The answers to these questions require time to ponder, speculate, and test.

"What you're saying is really annoying... It feels like we've inherited a ton of troubles from Otto. He's such a troublesome guy."

Thinking of so many things at once, Shen Gonglin in distress. Taking over Schicksal meant taking over the huge mess left by Otto. Shen Gonglin couldn't help but sigh. Fu Hua, standing next to her, secretly glanced at Shen Gonglin. How could this guy have the nerve to say such things? He pushed all the work onto Theresa. If you were to ask who was the most idle person on the entire Hyperion, Shen Gonglin would undoubtedly be number one.

"Indeed... Otto's obsession drove him to plan this series of events, but it was also because of his obsession that he left us with many valuable and even unique things on the road to fighting the Honkai. No one's life can be evaluated from a single isolated perspective. What he did, whether good or evil, has left its mark on this world. How to deal with these specific marks is the question we should be thinking about."

Fu Hua frankly stated that the evaluation of Otto is probably only left to history to judge. To some, he is the world's greatest villain, while to others, he is like a savior. His merits and demerits are not for them to judge.

After saying that, Fu Hua sighed softly. Looking at the streets of Kolosten, Fu Hua's thoughts drifted back to the past. During her time in Schicksal, she would often find a quiet place to rest in her spare time, watching the night fall and the lights in the town come on one by one. But now... she was no longer alone.

Looking at Shen Gonglin beside her, Fu Hua suddenly recalled a few lines of poetry that expressed loneliness.

"Withered orchids bid farewell on the road to Xianyang; if Heaven had feelings, it too would grow old. Alone, carrying a plate, I venture out into the desolate moonlight; the Wei River is far away, its waves barely audible... Shen Gonglin, what do you think of these lines of poetry?"

Suddenly, she began to recite, Fu Hua asked Shen Gonglin for his thoughts. Although it wasn't obvious from his appearance, this guy was a top student, and he should have a different perspective.

"Hmm... I think you're really jealous, Class President."

Fu Hua: "??????????"

They arrived smoothly at the location Changguang had previously informed them of. Shen Gonglin walked over with Fu Hua, who looked like she was questioning her life. Little Fairy was clearly still in a daze. Was she really jealous? She was still immersed in what Shen Gonglin had just said. Was she really that jealous? She had just expressed her feelings. Shen Gonglin didn't think she was being poetic but instead thought she was a little jealous.

Is it my fault or Shen Gonglin's fault?

"Oh, Your Excellency the Bishop has arrived. Everyone must have been incredibly busy these past few days. Thank you for your hard work. Now that everyone's here, let's get straight to the point."

Upon seeing Shen Gonglin and Fu Hua arrive, Changguang waved enthusiastically in their direction. It seemed everyone had arrived: Theresa, the two doctors from Anti-Entropy, Durandal, and Rita ... It looked like there was something important to announce.

Shen Gonglin didn't speak. He pulled Fu Hua over and stood still. He wanted to see if this Changguang wanted to do business. The scientist from Schicksal took out a thick stack of reports from behind and placed them on the table.

"Here, this is all the Second Divine Key, the usage report of Thousand Worlds on October 14th. The transcribed data is about 1 billion GB, totaling 2718 special disks. It includes all the information about Mr. Otto seizing the Herrscher Authority, opening up the Imaginary Space, and connecting to the Imaginary Tree."

Changguang pointed to the box behind him, which contained many hard drives. When the data becomes too large, the simplest means of transportation is often the fastest. For example, the fastest way to transfer so much data into Schicksal's computer is to pack up these hard drives and transport them back by plane.

"Although it is said to be all the data, unfortunately, because the Thousand Worlds Vehicle itself was also affected in the final Imaginary Renormalization, the instantaneous related data may not be reliable."

Changguang reported on this matter, but Shen Gonglin was not paying attention. Could it be that she called them all over just to hand over the data? If so, she might as well talk to Durandal. Shen Gonglin very interested in the power that the Valkyrie had recently mastered, as well as what happened when she was exiled to the Imaginary Space by Otto.

"... I heard that the Thousand Worlds itself was also severely damaged. Is that true?"

Amber asked, as the secretary of Schicksal, she naturally had to care about such matters. The Thousand Worlds, such a large Divine Key, plus its core, was very important to Schicksal.

"Don't worry, although Mr. Otto did use it rather roughly... fortunately, everything is still within repairable limits. A big Divine Key isn't that fragile. You guys didn't think I called you all here to announce the scrapping notice for the Thousand Worlds, did you?"

Changguang waved his hand. Although Thousand Worlds was slightly damaged, as long as he, the repairman, was there, everything would be fine.

"If that's not the case... Changguang, so you called us all together just to move these reports and documents? Although they are indeed enormous, but..."

At this moment, Durandal picked up the conversation, saying, "The Thousand Worlds isn't broken. So, Changguang gathered everyone together just to move these documents?"

Chapter 214 Changguang's True Mission

"Oh? No, no, I never intended for everyone to do the loading and unloading work. The reason I called everyone over... is because I wanted to apologize to you all. I'm sorry!"

Changguang quickly waved his hand, and then this somewhat eccentric scientist pulled out a soft mat from somewhere and laid it on the ground. Then, Changguang knelt down in an astonishing manner. The girl lay on the ground looking very serious, and Changguang also made the appropriate apology.

"I'm sorry, I was wrong. You can punish me however you want, even if it means lying down with my stomach exposed. I was wrong! There's something I have to confess to everyone, Rita... you should have noticed by now."

The apology was delivered with such force that it was hard to believe she was actually apologizing. This question was then passed to Rita. Shen Gonglin looked at Rita with suspicion. What crime had Changguang committed? With this kind of attitude, Shen Gonglin would believe her if she said she was responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs.

"What I've noticed is ultimately just speculation. If you want to understand, why not let Changguang tell you himself?"

The maid was as elegant as ever, yet she possessed the qualities of a riddle teller. The way she spoke made Shen Gonglin want to use her bishop's authority to change Kolosten to Gotham City. They were all riddle tellers. She had to improve this atmosphere after she became a bishop. It was really terrible. They spoke in ways that a bishop could not understand at all. Did they think they were smart?

"... Okay, Rita's right. Although these things should have been within your area of expertise, neither you nor Amber actually played the corresponding role. I'll be frank—strictly speaking, I was never fired by Mr. Otto. The last task Mr. Otto gave me during the unexpected incident on October 14th was..."

She muttered complaints for a long time, but in the end, she was the only one to take the blame. Rita didn't know, and neither did Amber, so they had no responsibility. Honestly, how could she have been so blinded by greed to agree to it? When she first "escaped" to the Hyperion, Shen Gonglin showed that she didn't trust her very much, and now... Oh well, she was going to die sooner or later anyway.

"My job is... to convey the idea of imaginary number renormalization to Kiana or Rin Jingu, who possess spatial powers, and help them find a way to deal with everything that follows. Of course, as you all know, even disregarding all other factors, Mr. Otto's various plans are enough to firmly hold my curiosity. So, to ensure that the most brilliant plan proceeds smoothly, I did some things to keep events unfolding as expected and prevent them from veering off course into other plans... For example, reminding everyone of a feasible way to resurrect someone, helping the imposter Mr. Otto gain everyone's trust, or telling Durandal that Otto plans to destroy the world, and... helping everyone find a way to overcome the constraints of their powers."

Lying on the ground, Changguang spilled everything that Otto had asked him to do. Strictly speaking, he was a double agent, deceiving the people on the Hyperion and using various methods to ensure the plan went smoothly as expected. Now that Mr. Otto had achieved his goal and disappeared, he was still in Schicksal. This act of betrayal troubled Changguang. Strictly speaking, he hadn't betrayed anyone; he had been on Mr. Otto's side from the beginning. But now that he was gone, and Shen Gonglin and Theresa had taken over Schicksal... he had betrayed their trust.

"Hmph... So, you're helping us so that you can convey information about Imaginary Renormalization at the end? And this is part of the Otto Project?"

Theresa felt a little heavy-hearted upon hearing this. Was the current development within her grandfather's expectations? Just how grand a game had he played? Everyone was a pawn in his game, even he himself was a part of it. Even if he died, he would bring this game back to life. Theresa really didn't know how to evaluate her grandfather.

"You could say that. Of course, some of it can't be considered helping at all; it should be considered causing trouble or even setting traps."

Changguang raised her head and stuck out her tongue. Although she seemed quite relaxed, the doctor was still worried about her fate. It was true that doing bad things was not good. When it came time to settle accounts, she couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.

"In other words, you know that everything you do will indirectly help Otto achieve his final performance."

Durandal picked up the conversation. Well, her feelings were also somewhat complicated. While she was angry at Changguang's choice, she also knew that if Changguang hadn't done that, things wouldn't have turned out this way, and she wouldn't have known the truth. So, Durandal was conflicted.

"Oh. I'm sorry, Bianca. When I recorded that message, I already guessed that Mr. Otto would banish you to the Imaginary Space. Although I believe you can overcome those difficulties... it is ultimately against normal ethics and the trust between friends. I admit that I have never been a good person when it comes to matters of curiosity. The technology to recreate a world... such a vision has a fatal attraction for me. I'm sorry."

Changguang apologized respectfully, but why didn't Durandal feel that she was truly willing to change after hearing her apology? If she encountered something that piqued her curiosity again, would she once again make a choice that was detrimental to Shen Gonglin?

Realizing this, Durandal remained silent. As a friend, she wanted to forgive Changguang, but when it came to Shen Gonglin... the weight of friendship wasn't enough for Durandal to make such a choice against her conscience.

"So, according to you, Otto's threat back then, which pushed the world back five hundred years, was indeed serious."

Theresa had also sorted out her thoughts. Although all of this was Otto's plan, if their actions deviated even slightly, would this event, which was supposed to be reversed by 500 years, actually come true?

"... Yes, that's true. But if it really comes to that, the biggest beneficiary will only be World Serpent. After all, Bianca's experience has proven one thing: Stigmata are indeed beings that transcend the world in a certain sense. Stigmata Awakener can naturally preserve themselves in the torrent of Imaginary Numbers, just like Herrscher."

Changguang nodded. The effects of going back five hundred years... might be irresistible to ordinary people, but for the World Serpent who possesses the Stigmata Plan, it probably poses no threat.

Chapter 215 Punishment

"Alright, let's leave the more profound topics here. I'll organize the relevant information into a summary report later. I've said what I needed to say. In short, I wasn't genuinely trying to help you throughout this whole incident. So, Shen Gonglin, Theresa, and Amber... as the bishop and the person in charge of discipline, you can punish me however you want, I won't complain... Although there's a saying that confessing leads to leniency, I don't think that helping you organize this data after I've finished speaking will make amends."

Having said all this, Changguang sincerely looked up to await her verdict. She had long been mentally prepared to experience prison life; after all, she would still have opportunities to read and do research behind high walls. After Changguang finished speaking, everyone's attention focused on Shen Gonglin.

Although this guy often acts like a mascot, in matters like this, everyone sees him as the final decision-maker, not only because he is the Bishop of Schicksal, but also because... he is the one who connects and brings everyone together.

"This... shouldn't we just drown him in a pig cage? Amber, you're in charge of discipline, what do you say?"

Shen Gonglin was in a dilemma. After thinking for a moment, he came up with this solution, which shocked everyone. Was Shen Gonglin such a cruel person? He directly drowned Changguang in a pig cage. Although she was wrong, it was not a crime deserving of death. Moreover, according to the internal disciplinary rules of Schicksal, she... was not even guilty.

"Understood, Your Excellency. I will amend the internal regulations of Schicksal now and sentence Changguang to be drowned in a pig cage... Hmm? Should we carry it out now or wait until he is brought back to headquarters before executing him?"

Miss Amber earnestly took out her notebook and began taking notes. The bishop's will came first. Since he had already decided to amend the regulations, Amber, as the executor, could only comply. It seemed that she could only offer a few more incense sticks to Changguang.

"Huh? Is this a serious crime? I thought I'd only have to go to jail... Bishop, spare my life! I'm still useful, I'm still young, I don't want to die! You can even lock me in the basement of your room, I don't deserve to die."

Changguang was also frightened. Shen Gonglin looked cute and harmless, but how could she be so vicious? Although she was prepared to be punished, she did not expect it to be like this. Changguang pitifully crawled over and hugged Shen Gonglin's leg, begging for mercy.

Locked in the basement of the room... Upon hearing this, Durandal and Rita's eyes lit up, but then they realized that this was not the time to think about such things. Just as the two girls were about to speak, they noticed Shen Gonglin's gaze. Understanding the implication, Durandal stepped forward to persuade them as a friend.

"Bishop, that's a bit much. Drowning him in a pig cage is really going too far. How about just hanging him? That way, we can save Changguang from suffering. It's right in front of the church, which used to be the execution rack."

Durandal made this suggestion, and these words left Changguang speechless with shock. "Damn, how cruel!" The girl screamed in terror, clinging to Shen Gonglin's leg and begging for mercy, saying she already knew she was wrong.

"Alright... Amber, according to the original rules and regulations of Schicksal, how should this behavior be described?"

Seeing that Changguang was trying to wipe her snot and tears all over her legs, Shen Gonglin pushed her away with disgust. But the girl clung to her legs and refused to let go. Helpless, Shen Gonglin looked at Amber, the secretary who was preparing to revise the Schicksal Code, and gave him a rather surprising answer.

"According to the current Mandate of Schicksal disciplinary regulations... Changguang, although you very much want to complete some form of atonement through disciplinary procedures, you are innocent. Your actions... from a procedural point of view, were simply choosing the right time to tell the truth. And from the result, you also helped everyone and made your own contribution to resolving the incident."

The disciplinary rules of the Mandate of Schicksal have been stated. Changguang a person of the Mandate of Schicksal, so of course he should be judged according to the procedures of the Mandate of Schicksal. However, from any perspective, Changguang's behavior has not violated the standards that require punishment.

"Ah? But... my actions are indeed not suitable for others to follow, are they? Mr. Otto didn't handle these kinds of things this way before..."

Changguang was surprised to suddenly realize that she didn't have to die, but she still hesitated to express her thoughts. No matter what, she had indeed deceived them, and she couldn't feel at ease if Changguang didn't take any responsibility.

"This isn't Otto's era anymore. This era is called Shen Gonglin... Hmm, let me think. You used to be in charge of the St. 1504 Research Institute, right? If you really want to make up for it, stay there and do your job well. You know the Thousand Worlds Journey best. Just do your job well... And if you wipe your snot on my leg again, believe me, I'll slap you. Do you know how hard it is for the Class President to wash my clothes?"

Shen Gonglin pulled her leg out of Changguang's arms and said with great disgust, while Changguang, who had survived the ordeal, revealed a smile. Such a method of punishment... how to put it, the current Schicksal does indeed have a completely different demeanor from the previous Schicksal.

"Bishop, go ahead and smoke. What can I do? I'm your subordinate... However, to be fair to Bianca, please at least grant me permission to forgo my entire salary for this year. Otherwise, even a heartless guy like me will feel guilty."

Is the new bishop of Schicksal punishing people by making them work overtime? This is truly the best reward. Feeling a little guilty, Changguang took the initiative to suggest this form of punishment. Her words also piqued Shen Gonglin's curiosity. He tugged at Durandal's arm, and the girl understood and leaned closer to hear what he wanted to say.

"Durandal, she... Does a researcher like Changguang even get a salary? I thought she worked out of passion. What, do they only work for money? Can't they work for their ideals?"

Shen Gonglin whispered these words in Durandal's ear, and the content of those words made Durandal's lips twitch. She and Rita gave their bank cards to Shen Gonglin for free at work because working for him was essentially working for them, but what about the others...?

From a certain perspective, Shen Gonglin really is a qualified leader of Schicksal. Under his leadership, Schicksal's economic situation will likely improve dramatically.

Chapter 216

"You'd better not say anything, otherwise I feel that the current Schicksal is going to collapse sooner or later... Just leave this to Rita and me. Don't worry, as long as you don't interfere, the financial situation of Schicksal will definitely be fine. As a bishop... although you don't have a salary, I will let you use my bank card, so you don't need to worry about this."

Covering Shen Gonglin's mouth, Durandal whispered in his ear, "Did this guy learn from Theresa? I heard that Theresa often delayed paying her subordinates' wages when she was the head of the Far East Branch. Now Shen Gonglin doesn't even want to pay their wages. Suddenly Durandal felt that she had a heavy responsibility to bear. In order to maintain Schicksal, she and Rita had to work even harder."

"Bishop, is this punishment acceptable to me...? Hmm? What are you two doing?"

Although everyone decided to forgive themselves, this was something that still needed Shen Gonglin to make the final decision. Then, Changguang saw the two whispering to each other. Shen Gonglin and Durandal really had a good relationship.

"Ahem... It's alright. The bishop just told me Changguang he can accept this punishment. So, for the next year, Changguang, you won't receive any salary. Also, although your actions may have contained deception... they ultimately led to a good outcome. I don't think it's enough to destroy our personal relationship, so don't worry."

After coughing twice, Durandal straightened up and said seriously, "Could you tell me that Shen Gonglin was planning to cut the Schicksal of all Schicksal staff? Although everyone is determined to protect this beautiful world, how can they do so without money? So, high financial rewards are necessary. I and Rita are willing to work for Shen Gonglin for free, since working for him is also working for ourselves, but not for anyone else." As for Changguang's matter, perhaps because she had been deceived by Otto all along, Durandal felt that her little problem was nothing at all.

"Haha, yeah, you are such an idiot, an idiot in a compliment."

Having received her friend's forgiveness, Changguang's last worry finally dissipated. Although she might have to work for free for the next year, she was in a good mood. This way, she wouldn't feel any distance from everyone in the future. However, she still needed to get along well with Shen Gonglin. She felt that as long as she won him over, all her problems would be solved.

"Ahem... Alright, now that things are over, everyone can disperse. It's a bit strange to just stand here. You're free to do whatever you want for the rest of the time. The Hyperion is heading back tomorrow."

With the issue of Changguang resolved, Theresa announced the order to disband the organization. She and Shen Gonglin will continue to operate with the Hyperion. With Durandal and Rita in charge at Schicksal Headquarters, there won't be any problems.

"Ah, please wait a moment, Lady Theresa, and Your Excellency the Bishop, I have something to give you."

Amber called out to Shen Gonglin and Theresa. The secretary took out a basket from behind her back. The contents of the basket puzzled the two women, but Amber explained that it was something someone had asked her to deliver, and she thought the two ladies would be pleased.

"These are bread and apple rolls made by the townspeople themselves. They heard that the Hyperion would be returning tomorrow, so they all made some food together and insisted on giving it to you to keep on the road."

"Oh, no way... Hey! Shen Gonglin, why are you already eating?!"

Theresa handed over the basket, still a little embarrassed, while Shen Gonglin had already taken it. Looking at the steaming bread inside, he started eating before Theresa could even speak. Since arriving in Hyperion Kolosten, he hadn't eaten anything, and now that food was right in front of him, who could resist?

How embarrassing! Theresa was furious and tried to snatch the basket from his hands. But Shen Gonglin was showing his bratty nature again. If Theresa wanted to be polite, she should be polite herself. Shen Gonglin had never known what politeness was. He was used to doing whatever he wanted.

"Lady Theresa, please accept this. The residents have also given a lot to the Valkyrie and staff of Schicksal. This is all a token of their appreciation."

Amber gently advised, and the young lady, who seemed like a robot, even had a slight smile on her lips. If she were to remove her blindfold, she might be smiling right now. Looking at Amber like this, Theresa was also a little dazed. It seemed that she had changed too. Looking at the fruit basket in Shen Gonglin's hand, which was filled with steaming bread and apple rolls and looked heavy, Theresa could only nod helplessly.

"Thank you, we'll taste it carefully... Do you have bitter melon rolls?... I don't think so."

Having accepted everyone's kind wishes, Theresa didn't find her favorite food in the basket, which was a real shame. But it would be truly strange if she did find it.

"What's going on? This was supposed to be that guy's job, why did you assign it to the two of us?"

On the deck of the Hyperion, such a resentful voice suddenly rang out. Looking at the deck that had been polished to a shine, Kiana was very unhappy. The girl kicked the bucket next to her. This job should have been Shen Gonglin's, so why is it hers now? She was really angry.

"Idiot Kiana, stop making a fuss... If you don't want to do it, just leave it to Bronya."

Beside Kiana, Bronya was also diligently carrying out the inspection and cleaning work on the deck. Compared to the impetuous Kiana, Bronya seemed much quieter. She glanced at Kiana and said calmly, "This girl is still as noisy as ever."

"...I didn't say I wouldn't do it."

Kiana puffed out her cheeks and continued to work diligently with the mop. She wasn't going to leave this opportunity to show off to Bronya alone. If Shen Gonglin knew that only Bronya was helping him with the work, she would definitely only thank Bronya. Did this silly little girl think she didn't know what she was thinking?

Kiana is so smart!