Chapter 417

"Perhaps I forgot to remind you, but... when you meet Griseo, you should not bring your weapon with you."

Kosma made this request to Mei. He gave the impression of being a brother who protected his sister very well, but Mei obviously could not comply with such a request. Elysian Realm was still a dangerous and unknown place for Mei, and the knife at her waist was her only support. Therefore, Mei should not accept this request.

"... That's impossible. As someone who once put me in danger... I think you should be able to understand why I did this."

Mei spoke without holding back, and there were few people in the Elysian Realm whom she could trust. Kosma happened to be on her trusted list, and their first meeting was not pleasant. After receiving the power of the Herrscher of Thunder, Mei Shen Gonglin.

"... Words are irrelevant in front of me... but Griseo..."

The exchange just now seemed to have reached Kosma's limit. The boy stood silently in place, but the expression on his face was incredibly rich. Seeing this, Mei also began to recall the book she had been reading when she was bored: One Hundred Questions for an Introverted Boy... Ah, no, it was One Hundred Questions for Kosma's Communication. Right now, he was probably thinking... Damn it, last-minute cramming wasn't very useful. Mei couldn't understand what he was thinking at all. Where was Pardofelis? She needed a translator.

She shouldn't be associating with people like you so frequently. As for the reasons... it's too early to tell you right now.

[No, that's not right, I can't say that. This feeling is too similar to Kevin's. I should say... Griseo is easily influenced by those things... the ferocity and killing intent on swords... they might turn Griseo into something... someone she doesn't recognize... Wait, if I say that, wouldn't that sound too much like Sakura? I guess... I'll just find a gentler way to put it.]

Kosma was experiencing great emotional turmoil, but he remained silent until finally, meeting Mei's curious gaze, Kosma spoke in a very calm tone.

"In short, you'd better do as I say; it will do you no harm."

Mei slowly tilted her head. What he was thinking just now was definitely not as little as what he had said.

Chapter 57

Seeing that the boy was no longer interested in talking, Griseo, the eccentric girl, couldn't get any useful information either. Mei could only lead Shen Gonglin back up the steps. Seeing the girl's distressed look, Shen Gonglin felt a little sorry for her, but he didn't have any good ideas. He could only reach out and gently pat Mei's head. In this situation, he could only soothe her.

"It's alright, it's alright, there are always other ways. At worst, we can search Elysian Realm again and find Aponia. As for what they say about killing you in ten days, I will absolutely not let that happen. Mei, don't be afraid."

While patting Mei's head, Shen Gonglin unconsciously reached out and touched her horns. This comforting gesture suddenly took a turn for the worse, making the girl's eyebrows furrow. She grabbed Shen Gonglin's hand and pulled it away from her horns; every time he touched her like that, Mei thought of that idiot Elysia. After being comforted like this by Shen Gonglin Mei, Mei could only let out a long sigh and then snuggled onto Shen Gonglin's lap. Since there was no one else around, she didn't care about damaging her image by being a little spoiled.

"I know, I'm not going to just stand there and wait for her to kill me. I'm not the same as before... But it's so annoying. Everyone in this Elysian Realm seems so strange. They all talk like they're solving riddles, as if they can't show how powerful they are if they don't talk like that. Seriously, what? This isn't something you should know. There's no point in saying more. Seriously, just thinking about it is annoying."

Lying on Shen Gonglin's lap, Mei finally relaxed completely after pulling Shen Gonglin's hand onto her back. Then, the girl complained to Shen Gonglin about everything that had happened to her in the Elysian Realm. Most of the so-called Thirteen Flame-Chasers were flawed. The only ones who were slightly better were Sakura and the Class President. As for Pardofelis... Mei had previously thought that she was hiding her strength or something, but now she knew that she was really bad. But even so, she was sure that there were still many things that Pado hadn't told her.

"Yes, yes, Mei, you've worked so hard. How about we go back to the Hyperion? Everyone in the Hyperion misses you. They're so nice to talk to, unlike these people."

Patting Mei's back, Mei was very tolerant of Shen Gonglin's rare act of being affectionate. She thought to herself, "Let's see who dares to say that only I can be affectionate. I can also take on the job of comforting others. Mei looks like she's having a hard time and definitely needs some comforting."

"Hmm... But going back feels a bit awkward. I left without a word, and now I'm going back without a word. Just thinking about this makes me feel uncomfortable."

Hearing Shen Gonglin's words, Mei hesitated. She had joined World Serpent to alleviate Kiana's suffering; becoming the Herrscher of Thunder had left Kiana without a core, but now that was no longer a concern—the girl was now the Herrscher of Flamescion —it seemed Mei had no reason to remain with World Serpent. But if she were to go back...

Mei has already awkwardly started knocking on the villa. How is she going to face everyone when she gets back?

"Who said you left without a word? Didn't you beat Kiana up when you left? The way you hit her was terrifying to me. That girl has probably never been beaten like that before. Even Otto didn't beat her like that."

As always, Shen Gonglin Mei was completely oblivious to the atmosphere. Seeing that Mei seemed to have forgotten about that incident, he quickly reminded her. Back on the rooftop of the Senba Academy, Mei, who had mastered the power of the Herrscher of Thunder, had given Kiana, who hadn't fully mastered the power of the Herrscher of the Void, a sound beating. Shen Gonglin vividly remembered that battle; even he himself had never beaten Kiana like that. That girl was so pitiful.

"...Please don't say that. Now that you've said it, I don't know how to face her anymore. Do you think things would be better if I let her beat me up?"

The more Mei thought about it, the more embarrassed she felt. Mei covered her face in pain, saying that she wanted to save Kiana. At that time, she also wanted to vent her anger at the girl for hiding and bearing everything alone. Then, for some reason, she hit her too hard. She did feel good at the time, but now, Mei suddenly didn't know how to face Kiana. Should she let her hit her back?

"Ah... I don't think Kiana can bring herself to do it, but if you really want to get beaten up, I don't care, I'll do it. When we get back, if you feel embarrassed, I'll hang you up and beat you. That way you should be able to quickly blend in with everyone."

Shen Gonglin was very serious about helping Mei think of a solution. The girl was stunned by Shen Gonglin's idea. In the end, she looked at Shen Gonglin and her mouth twitched. She really had to thank Shen Gonglin for coming up with such a good idea. He was truly worthy of her.

"...That's all for later. Right now, we need to deal with Aponia. If we don't resolve this, it will become a hidden danger sooner or later. It's fine if she faints for a while under normal circumstances, but it would be terrible if she did it during a battle. So we have to find a way. I've decided, I really should go find Elysia."

I don't want to think about this anymore. I'll deal with it when the time comes. Even Raiden Mei is having a headache when faced with this kind of awkward situation. If I can't figure it out, I'll just put it aside for now. The most urgent thing right now is to deal with the hidden danger that Aponia left behind. If this symptom of fainting at any time is not resolved, it will cause me trouble for the rest of my life. After thinking it over, the only solution the girl can think of is Elysia. After all, she knows too much about the Elysian Realm, and she has a good relationship with everyone. As long as she is subjected to severe interrogation... cough cough, no, as long as she earnestly begs, she should be able to give some good advice.

At worst, she can just touch my horn again. Of course, this time I'll touch her ears too. Letting Shen Gonglin touch them always feels like a reward for Elysia, so this time it's my turn.

"Okay, I'm also thinking of going to see Elysia... Hmm? Mei, what's wrong? Is that feeling again?"

Mei stood up, but the girl next to her stumbled and fell down again. Shen Gonglin looked helpless; this problem really needed to be solved quickly.

Chapter Fifty-Eight: Neck Pinching

Sure enough, it's here again... Alright, let's meet again, Aponia.

After the familiar dizziness subsided, Mei found herself in Mei familiar corridor. It was Aponia again, just as she knew it all too well. The girl took a deep breath. Good, seeing Aponia meant there was a chance to resolve this Mei. What she wanted was to see her.

The girl embarked on the journey she had repeated many times before, passing through the long darkness. She finally stopped in front of the iron bars, behind which stood Aponia. Mei stood before her without saying a word, while Aponia showed a look of joy.

"Ah, Mei... That's great. It's been so long. You don't seem to have any new scars."

The woman's voice, however, carried a hint of joy. It was hard to imagine her saying such a thing. She was delighted that she hadn't been injured, yet she also said that she would kill him in ten days. This person was so contradictory; it was impossible to guess what she was thinking.

"Ah, thank goodness. If you didn't fall and get injured because you suddenly fainted, then you probably don't have any other injuries. Also, Aponia, before..."

Thinking of the grand finale magic trick that Vill-V had mentioned, Mei suddenly felt like saying something. At the time, she thought it was Aponia who was behind it, but now all the signs indicated that it was Vill-V who was behind it, and Aponia's reaction was that of the person who saved her.

"Please, wait a moment, Mei."

Before Mei could finish speaking, Aponia spoke again. Just like before, when she uttered the word "request," Mei's body would react before she could even think of it. The girl shut her mouth, while Aponia, in the darkness, pointed to her collar.

"It's a bit messy here... Let me help you tidy it up. Please, come a little closer to me, okay?"

Aponia made this request, Mei wanted to refuse, after all, there were more important things to do now, and she should have answered in this way, but... for some reason, she just couldn't say it. The other party's gentle request at this moment... was like a divine decree, leaving no room for doubt.

Sometimes Mei even wondered if there was something wrong with her. After all, she couldn't refuse when Shen Gonglin asked her for favors in the past, and she would always do some terrible things half-heartedly. Could it be that there was something wrong with her?

"...OK."

Before her mind could process it, the girl's body reacted, and she approached the cell. Aponia's fair hands also silently emerged from the darkness without making a sound. In Mei's eyes, they were hands that looked even more beautiful when they emerged from the clean white sleeves. They didn't seem to be doing anything in secret at all. These hands were gently tidying up her slightly disheveled collar. It must have been from rubbing against Shen Gonglin earlier. Would it show up here too?

"Thanks."

Aponia's movements were gentle and swift; she quickly straightened Mei's collar. Mei thanked her softly, though she felt they should be enemies, she truly deserved her gratitude for this gesture.

Of course, this doesn't stop Mei and attacking people.

"It's just a small matter. If I could... actually, I would prefer to use these hands to soothe the weariness and doubt between your brows."

After straightening Mei's collar, Aponia spoke gently, then placed her hands back on her knees. She was happy to be able to talk to Mei like this.

"I... do have doubts, and these doubts... are because of you. Before I came here, I had an accident, but it seems... you saved me."

Now that she had met Aponia, Mei wanted to clear up all her doubts. When she encountered Vill-V before, it must have been that Great Magician who attacked her, but she thought it was Aponia and even lost her temper in this the Deepest Place. That was really wrong of her.

"Yes, but even without me, Vill-V would still have finished her grand finale. The only reason I did that was because I couldn't bear to let you suffer any more pain amidst all the possible twists and turns."

Having acknowledged this, Aponia's words only deepened Mei's confusion. Couldn't bear... couldn't bear to die from a needle infection during the annotated execution? That seemed to be the gist of it. Mei directly voiced her doubts, wanting an answer.

"But... you yourself said you would kill me in ten days. If that's the case, why did you help me?"

Aponia said she was going to kill her, so why did she save her? Mei didn't understand. Did she mean that she could only die at her hands? It was surprising that Aponia had such a domineering personality.

"Because... killing you was not my intention. Mei, soon you will understand... that we don't necessarily have to have evil intentions when killing someone. The help I am giving you now... does not actually conflict with my actions in the future. It is a destiny that has already been predetermined between you and me in the future... that cannot be stopped or defied."

She started saying things she couldn't understand at all again... or rather, she could understand them, but Mei couldn't grasp their meaning. Aponia, this was a riddle master on par with Kevin. Mei remained silent, pondering what Aponia had just said. She felt that Aponia knew a lot, but this riddle master attribute probably wouldn't make her honestly reveal it.

"Mei, if I had a choice, wouldn't I also want to... let you hold my throat and push all those tragic fates onto me?"

As Aponia spoke, Mei unconsciously shifted her gaze slightly upwards, grasping Aponia's throat. That area must be as white as her hands Mei, right? Her gaze didn't extend beyond the darkness permeating the prison, but Mei still felt as if she could clearly see that white neck... as if it were right before her eyes, as if she were holding it tightly in her palm.

What would it feel like to hold it tightly there?

No, no, is this a common problem among Herrscher? Why do they all seem to be thinking about grabbing people by the neck?

Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Secret of Twilight Town

Shaking her head, Mei banished the terrifying thought from her mind. Whether it was a common ailment among Herrscher, Mei didn't know. In any case, Kiana in her Herrscher of the Void had choked her, and she had choked Kiana. As for others, Mei didn't understand. In this space, her thoughts and actions seemed to be interfered with in some way. A mental ability—was it Aponia's doing?

"Alright, Mei... Let's call it a day for now. Staying in this area for too long... is definitely too much for you right now. I'm looking forward to our next meeting."

Despite having many questions she wanted to ask, Mei didn't speak again after Aponia said those words. Her gaze drifted away uncontrollably, as if she had been banished from this the Deepest Place. She couldn't stay in such a place for long. What harm would staying there cause her? And why did she feel compelled to obey Aponia whenever she spoke? This reaction was not normal at all.

Mei had this feeling several times already, as if waking from a dream. Mei consciousness slowly returned, and she felt as if she were lying somewhere, but the feeling on her horns... Elysia!

Feeling someone touching her horns, Mei suddenly opened her eyes. However, the expected Pink Elf girl was not there. The person touching her horns was Shen Gonglin. Since it was him, it didn't matter. Mei's tense body relaxed. However, even though it didn't matter, it was still impolite for him to keep touching her horns while she was unconscious.

Honestly, they don't even bother touching other places.

"Mei, you're awake. Is it Aponia again?... When you fell headfirst just now, I thought Kakuzu almost broke his head. But it seems this thing is pretty sturdy; it even poked a hole in the Elysian Realm Land floor."

Of course, it was Shen Gonglin who was by Mei's side. After Mei fell into a coma, Shen Gonglin took care of her. At the same time, he also carefully studied the two horns on Mei's head. They were not extensions of bones. Only in the state of the Herrscher of Thunder would one have such horns. They were so sturdy and useful that Mei would have a good place to hold onto them even if she didn't wear pigtails.

"Who told you not to catch me when I fell down... That's right, it was Aponia again. Just now, while talking to Aponia... my thoughts seemed to be completely out of my control. Mental ability, this might be the truth behind Aponia's power."

Rubbing her head, Mei tossed aside the towel that Shen Gonglin had created using his Herrscher of Reason abilities. She wouldn't be so angry if he had just put it on her forehead to give her a cold compress, but this guy had been rubbing her horns like they were antiques. This guy was exactly like Elysia, both of them so interested in their horns.

"Is that so? Anyway, it seems that guy doesn't plan to meet me because of the Herrscher of Consciousness's abilities. There's really nothing we can do in this situation. Mei, what should we do now?"

The ability was interrupted, and the towel turned into blue light spots and disappeared. Shen Gonglin was also clueless about the situation Mei described. She had previously used Mei as a medium to enter the Deepest Place, and then Aponia seemed to have imposed special restrictions on Shen Gonglin, making it impossible for her to help Mei. Mental beings are really disgusting.

Aside from my own spiritual system Herrscher of Consciousness, damn it, Little Herrscher of Consciousness has disappeared somewhere. Otherwise, she, as the genuine Herrscher of Consciousness, would surely have a way.

"It's alright. I have a feeling that Aponia's true purpose will be revealed soon. I also have a basic plan now... However, let's learn about other things first. There are some things that I'm a little concerned about."

Things had to be done one by one. Mei was very concerned about what Pardofelis had mentioned about Twilight Town. Pardofelis, Chakravartin, and Sakura all seemed to be connected to that Twilight Town. So Mei wanted to ask another person so that she could find out the truth. When she saw the pink ears swaying gently, Mei knew she had come to the right place.

"Cherry."

With Shen Gonglin by her side, Mei greeted the samurai girl over there. The girl with two big pink ears turned around. She seemed normal when she saw Mei, but when she saw Shen Gonglin, she subconsciously reached out and covered her ears. Last time, she was bewitched by Shen Gonglin Mei saw. So Sakura had been avoiding them lately, but now it seemed that they had come knocking on her door.

"Ahem... Mei, is there something you need?"

After waiting a while, seeing that the other party didn't seem to have any particular thoughts about her ears, Sakura's expression returned to normal. The girl coughed twice and looked at Mei. She wouldn't come here for nothing; Mei definitely wouldn't be asking her if she had eaten or something so trivial.

"Yes, there are some things I'd like to talk to you about. Recently, I've heard some things related to Twilight Town, so..."

Asking the person in question is the best course of action, but Pardofelis doesn't seem to know much, and Chakravartin doesn't seem like the right person to talk to, so it has to be Ying. This girl is one of the few normal people in the Elysian Realm... Well, actually, her normality is limited. Although she's much better than others, she also has a bit of a riddle-solving potential.

"Mei, are you... trying to criticize me?"

Before Mei could finish speaking, Sakura uttered something that greatly surprised Mei: accusation? Why should Mei accuse Sakura? In the matter concerning Twilight Town, had Sakura done anything that warranted accusation?

"Although it was an order from the organization, I still bear an inescapable responsibility for that tragedy."

As if recalling something unpleasant, Sakura's pale purple eyes lowered slightly. Was her action the right thing to do? To this day, Sakura still cannot make a judgment, but there is no denying that such a thing was indeed related to her.

"So, the sanatorium on Twilight Town... that's really where you first met Chakravartin?"

By piecing together all the clues she knew, Mei came to the conclusion that before becoming Thirteen Flame-Chasers, Sakura and Chakravartin first met at a place called the Twilight Town Sanatorium.

Chapter Sixty: A Coincidental Accident

"Yes, that's right, Chakravartin... He was the biggest variable in that mission, or rather, the unexpected... No, it's more accurate to say that every aspect of that mission was filled with unexpected events like Chakravartin's."

As if recalling something unpleasant, Sakura's expression was complex. A mission full of unexpected events, and the ending of that mission wasn't a good one either. Mei's brow furrowed; judging from Sakura's words, there seemed to be many details she didn't know.

"Hmm? Sakura, tell me more... cough cough, tell me more."

Seeing that Mei seemed quite interested in this, Shen Gonglin listened to it as just a story.

"... Okay, maybe you feel there are many things you don't understand, but for me, who experienced it firsthand, it's the same. To this day, I still can't say for sure that I know the whole story of that incident. Initially, my orders were... to track down and eliminate several defectors from the Flame-Chasers to prevent leaks of secrets. But after arriving at Twilight Town, I discovered... that the situation there was far more complicated than I had imagined."

Since Mei and Shen Gonglin wanted to hear it, Sakura told them what had been buried in her heart. She had been ordered to investigate a defector, and after arriving in Twilight Town, what she discovered left her somewhat bewildered... Yes, she was indeed bewildered.

"It's Honkai Disease, isn't it?"

Mei finished what Sakura hadn't said, and Sakura nodded in agreement.

"Yes, there are quite a few infected people there, and... they are all very well hidden. At the same time, there seems to be a mysterious figure on that street who is called the boss... He seems to be involved in everything that happens on Twilight Town, but... no one can say for sure who his true identity is."

Upon hearing Sakura's words, Shen Gonglin and Mei's expressions suddenly turned strange. Calling someone "boss" in Twilight Town sounded so familiar. Could it be what they were thinking?

"That boss is very mysterious. Apart from that, the only information I can find out is a cryptic folk song. After all, the Twilight Town's hostility towards outsiders, especially towards soldiers like me, has reached an unimaginable level. That's why the Flame-Chasers made an exception and equipped me with weaponry far exceeding the standard for a single soldier, to deal with all sorts of emergencies. But when facing Chakravartin, all I had left in my hands was this knife."

Sakura told Mei about the situation, and her expression became confused. Mei had clearly misunderstood. She could imagine that Sakura, who was on a mission in that place, must have brought a lot of equipment, but in the end, when facing Chakravartin, she only had the sword in her hand left. It seemed that the situation was more serious than she had imagined.

"The war of attrition with the residents of Twilight Town... has it really become this severe...?"

Mei could only think of this situation, and only this situation would cause Sakura such exhaustion. However, after hearing Mei's words, Sakura's expression became even more subtle. It seemed that Mei was wrong. Even she herself could not use something so lethal on those residents. There was a reason why only this knife was left.

"Uh... no, actually... those weapons... were mysteriously stolen before the operation even officially began."

Sakura said this with great distress, and this time, Shen Gonglin and Mei couldn't hold back anymore. For some reason, they seemed to hear Pardofelis's cheerful voice in their ears, as if she was saying...

You've got some stock? You've got some stock?

This was probably done by that cat girl with the dirty hands. After exchanging a glance, Shen Gonglin and Mei didn't say anything. After all, Pardofelis was a friend, so it was best to keep it a secret if possible.

"Then, in order to recover the stolen equipment, I further expanded my search area... I noticed the anomaly at the sanatorium around that time, and the series of unexpected events that happened during that mission... from process to result, it was all too coincidental. It was as if someone was manipulating things in the dark. If it weren't for tracking down those defectors, I wouldn't have gone to Twilight Town. If it weren't for the complicated situation in Twilight Town, the organization wouldn't have made an exception and equipped me with special-grade weapons. And if those weapons hadn't been stolen... I probably would have had a hard time finding the gathering place of those infected... the sanatorium in Twilight Town."

Sakura's expression was incredibly heavy. To this day, she still couldn't understand the reasons behind all this. Mei, however, already had a general idea. This... this Pardofelis should already be in the stratosphere. She was incredibly lucky; she just randomly called someone "boss," and then inexplicably created an image connected to many things, yet incredibly mysterious, stealing all of Sakura's equipment, which led Sakura to investigate further and get involved with the sanatorium...

Pardofelis is really strong.

"You know what happened after that, Miss Mei. The unexpected Chakravartin of Mei there almost shook the entire leadership of the Flame-Chasers. Many things changed because of it. And what was more like an accident was the two people I brought back from Twilight Town... They eventually became Flame-Chasers."