Chapter 422

"Reading people's expressions...? Yes, but not today's expressions. The expression on your face when you recall your affirmative answer today, when I break through that barrier, is what I truly want to see."

Mei regained her confidence, or rather, she had never lacked confidence. With Shen Gonglin by her side, no matter what problems she encountered, he would always be there to support her. This was the source of Mei's confidence. This feeling of being able to charge forward without any worries was indeed addictive. Had Kiana been enjoying this feeling all this time? I was actually a little envious of her.

"You're so energetic... Well then, I'll be watching closely. Please... By the way, if you don't want to hear that word, then never mind... Well then, let's work hard for it. When we meet again... I hope we'll both be different."

For some reason, Mei felt a kind of domineering aura from Aponia. It was hard to imagine that someone who spoke at a normal pace could give off such a feeling. Her thoughts were not blocked, and a familiar feeling came over her. When Mei opened her eyes again, she was back in the Elysian Realm. Looking at the familiar ceiling in front of her, Mei fell into thought.

Returning here was effortless. Why is Aponia so special in the Elysian Realm...? She must be hiding something. But what about Shen Gonglin?

Mei sat up from the sofa, but she didn't see Shen Gonglin Mei. The handsome Herrscher of Thunder looked around blankly, but instead of Shen Gonglin, she saw Raven drinking a little wine next to her.

"Hi, Mei- sama, if you're looking for Shen Gonglin, he was called away by Mobius, but I don't really know what for."

He greeted Mei, who was so used to fainting so easily that even Raven was used to it.

Mobius Mei Shen Gonglin head and looked at Raven, "You look really comfortable, you don't seem like a guest at all."

He said this casually, after all, the Raven did look rather "arrogant" sitting on the sofa drinking the wine that Eden had stored here, enjoying himself very much. It seemed that the Raven was so at ease that he almost regarded this place as his home.

"There's no other way. People like us who have no fixed abode have to learn to treat any place as home. Alright, I know you must have something important to discuss, so I won't chat with you anymore. So, what was the outcome of your conversation with that Vinaya master?"

Raven put down her glass and looked at Mei with a serious expression. She knew about the prophecy targeting Mei, but Raven didn't believe that the girl in front of her would die in a few days.

"... Everyone believed it was true."

Mei had no intention of hiding anything from this comrade-in-arms who had fought alongside her in various senses. That was just how it was; even after Chakravartin, he had never doubted Aponia's precognitive abilities.

Chapter Seventy-Five: Roll Over Here

"Just as I thought, I also inquired with Eden for you, and the result was about the same... So, you have no choice but to believe it, right?"

Raven also shared her investigation with Mei. Although she still held onto her own ideas, the fact that everyone had such unwavering faith in Aponia's abilities did make Raven a little uneasy.

"... I will not acknowledge the existence of fate, otherwise I would not have come here. This has nothing to do with what I have seen and heard."

Mei shook her head. She wouldn't believe in this so-called fate just because she knew a lot. Even if everyone else believed it, as long as she didn't believe it, Mei wouldn't admit it. This wasn't just being stubborn... Well, maybe it was just being stubborn, but Mei just didn't want to accept it, and nobody wanted to accept it either.

"Then what are you going to do? No, I should say... what can you do? Why don't you hurry up and go out to see someone else? Don't look at me like that. Whether it's true or not, it can't hurt. Shen Gonglin is right here. It's very convenient to see whoever you want with his help."

Raven kindly suggested that Mei should know who she was talking about, and that Shen Gonglin Jingu should open a portal so that Mei could meet the girl, whether she was real or not, it wouldn't hurt.

"... No need. I still firmly believe that the prophecy she told me is limited to the Elysian Realm. Only in this man-made world can fate possibly unfold according to a predetermined prophecy. But if that's the case... what if I reverse my thinking?"

Mei reached out and touched her chin, deep in thought. Aponia had predicted that she would die at her hands in a few days. If this was some kind of predetermined prophecy, what if she had accidentally died ten days earlier? Wouldn't that prove that her prediction was inaccurate?

Of course, Mei wouldn't actually throw herself a party over something like this. She's not that crazy. To go to such lengths to refute Aponia's prophecy would be madness.

"Oh? You found a way?"

Raven asked curiously, looking at the Red Dragon, it seemed she already had a plan, truly worthy of her.

"Pretty much, Raven. You also saw Chakravartin in the Elysian Realm, didn't you? What did you go through back then...?"

After much thought, Mei realized that only this person could complete her plan. Instead of directly answering Raven's question about her own plan, Mei posed the question, and Raven's pretty face instantly relaxed.

"Do I have to bring back those painful memories? I don't think he's a Flame-Chasers at all; he's more like the most terrifying monster in the Elysian Realm. If it weren't for my intuition developed over the years... I'm afraid I would have suffered a lot."

Raven's expression turned somewhat grim. She recalled her first meeting with Chakravartin. If it weren't for her intuition honed from navigating life and death, she probably would have been blasted to death by Chakravartin back then. She really didn't know what kind of person he was... After learning that Shen Gonglin had fought not only with Chakravartin, but also with several other Flame-Chasers, including Chakravartin, Raven gained a clear understanding of Shen Gonglin's specific combat strength.

That guy looks so harmless, but he's actually the strongest.

"Yes, I understand. Chakravartin also mentioned to me that he was once the final trial here, and as far as I know, only he and Mobius have truly caused the death of their successors."

Mei said in a deep voice, "Mobius is not suitable, and the only candidate now is Chakravartin. With Shen Gonglin away, this plan should be able to succeed."

"So, according to you, I really have escaped a disaster... Oh? This is the method you came up with?"

While still wondering why Mei would suddenly bring up Chakravartin, Raven made a bold prediction after seeing Mei's expression: This Miss Mei, she's really bold! This kind of thing is truly insane.

"That's right. Aponia's prophecy is that I will die in ten days... So I'm curious, what would happen if I were already facing an inevitable situation before then? For that, I must... put myself in a life-or-death situation, that is, challenge the Chakravartin."

Just like someone who knows they have a long lifespan and then goes on a crazy spree, Mei also put forward the same idea. If Aponia's prophecy is really like the law of cause and effect, then she wouldn't die if she challenged the so-called Honkai God. So, it is worth trying Chakravartin.

"Mei... you're really brave."

Raven was speechless. This seemingly rational girl would do something like this. That's right, he should have seen it sooner. There was always an impulsive little devil lurking in Mei's heart, otherwise she wouldn't have been so brave after drinking.

Without hesitation, Mei went straight to Chakravartin while Shen Gonglin was away. This grumpy guy wearing a mask had been squatting in the corner of the Elysian Realm Hall for a while. If she wanted to provoke him, wouldn't it be simpler to just slap him twice?

Mei pondered this question, after all, what she needed to do now was to recklessly court death, and do whatever it took to provoke Chakravartin.

"Oh, Herrscher, you..."

Chakravartin noticed Mei hesitating over there and turned to look at her. Even through the mask, he could still see the hesitation on the Herrscher's face. It felt like she was trying to let go of her usual manners and become someone else.

"Chakravartin ... Hmph, please come over here."

Taking a deep breath, Mei finally overcame her mental barrier. She had never sworn before, and even after becoming so assertive, she only ever mocked others. Now, having to say such things in front of others was indeed a considerable challenge for Mei.

The scene fell silent. Raven, who was secretly observing, covered his mouth and forced himself not to laugh out loud. Chakravartin, seemed not to have reacted at all. He had not expected Mei to say such a thing, so for the first time, he even wondered if there was something wrong with his ears.

"... Huh? Herrscher... what, have you mistaken me for someone else?"

That's the only possibility I can think of. Maybe that beautiful purple eye of the Herrscher is just an accessory. She probably thinks of herself as someone else who's easy to bully.

Chapter Seventy-Six Provocation

"Mistaking someone for someone else? No, that's not it. This is something I learned from you, Chakravartin. Haven't you always been using this method to bluff? It's not a new tactic. I've seen many small animals use similar methods to try and scare away their predators."

Mei said calmly, feeling much more relaxed after making the decision. However, the content of her words only fueled the anger of the hot-tempered man in front of her to a whole new level. She never expected that someone would dare to provoke her like this!

"Hahahaha... You think this is just bluffing... Fine, fine!"

Enraged by Mei's words, Chakravartin turned around and looked directly at Mei, as if she were being locked onto by the gaze of some ferocious prehistoric beast. Mei felt as if her whole body was going numb, as if every cell in her body was reminding her that danger was approaching. At this moment, Mei suddenly felt that she understood Shen Gonglin a little.

I understand why he's so afraid of heights yet still willing to stand on high places. The thrill of this reckless behavior is indeed irresistible. Although provoking Chakravartin is clearly not something I should do, it's something I must do now to prove my point.

"Oh? You want to prove you're not just bluffing? Well, you'd better hurry up while Shen Gonglin isn't here. You know he's never been good with men. If he finds out you're so arrogant, he might just hang you up and beat you up."

Continuing to provoke Chakravartin, Raven, hiding in the shadows, was almost bursting with laughter. How come she hadn't noticed before? Mei was actually the kind of person who liked to stir up trouble. Shen Gonglin Rin was really just sitting at home when trouble fell from the sky. Mei was clearly the kind of girlfriend who liked to cause trouble outside. Shen Gonglin definitely hadn't said anything like that.

"Oh? Hanging me up to beat you, huh... Well then, I'll let you experience that first!"

The final tone of Chakravartin's voice was drowned out by the sound of air being torn apart. The distance between the two seemed to have disappeared. In less than a blink of an eye, the man's right fist had barely grazed Mei's cheek.

Wow, so fast!

Mei's pupils contracted. She had been prepared when the provocation occurred. Her timely defensive blade deflected the heavy blow, but even the aftershock was enough to send her staggering backward, leaving two long marks on the ground. This power... yes, this power was more than enough to kill her.

My right hand was a little numb, but this power was exactly what I needed. Chakravartin, who had once served as the final trial of the Elysian Realm, needed this kind of power now.

"Before you provoked me... were you prepared for the worst, Herrscher?"

After the attack, Chakravartin did not pursue her again. What Mei had just said was enough for him to sentence her to death. Before she died, Chakravartin did not mind letting Mei take care of her affairs.

"There's no need for that. My only preparation... is to plan what I'll do if you disappoint me. Oh... by the way, you once said that during your final trial, there was a period in the Elysian Realm where no one survived. Was that just you bragging?"

Sheathing her sword, Mei continued her provocation. It seemed this girl was on a path of no return, courting death. There was nothing she could do; only Chakravartin could help her now. Apart from Mobius, none of the other Flame-Chasers seemed willing to do it, and Mobius appeared to be with Shen Gonglin. She had to do it while Shen Gonglin was away, so only Chakravartin was available.

"You'll know once you try it."

Chakravartin did not continue his attack. This place was not suitable. If he were to take action, this place would probably cease to exist. Therefore, he needed to find a more suitable place.

"I'm going to do it this way. There are always exceptions, and I believe I'm one of them. So, Chakravartin, now you should understand, right? This is a challenge. I think... you wouldn't lack the courage to fight a successor without permission, would you?"

Mei continued to fan the flames, her provocative and reckless behavior even making Raven a little fed up. When did Mei become so wicked? Is this still the Mei I know? This girl is now rotten to the core. It's fine to be reckless, but please don't actually kill yourself. Please, Mei- sensei, restrain yourself.

"Is it because of my previous fight with Shen Gonglin that you have the wrong impression? You think you can do it too, haha... I just realized you're not so annoying, but you insist on courting death at this time? No matter what the situation, I will not show mercy."

Chakravartin couldn't suppress his laughter. Did he think that he had used his full strength when he fought against Shen Gonglin? That was less than a tenth of his strength. So, that gave this Herrscher the illusion that she could defeat him? Then he had a responsibility to make her understand how cruel the world is.

So what if Herrscher? It's not like I haven't killed Herrscher before!

"Yes, of course I understand. Showing no reservations is a sign of respect. Otherwise, you wouldn't be carrying the Mark of Decimation."

Moreover, if it weren't for this, she definitely wouldn't have come to him. Mei didn't say this aloud, but it was precisely this that was Mei's final decision in coming to Chakravartin to carry out this plan.

"Alright... then so be it. It's been far too long since I've personally killed a Herrscher. Go, I'll give you plenty of time to come up with a hundred ways to save your life. And then... die a willing death."

Chakravartin gave his answer to the final battle, and Mei nodded to herself. Very good, this was much easier than she had imagined. Chakravartin was indeed a very suitable candidate.

"Where is it? Right here?"

Mei Shen Gonglin would definitely find out. She had to fight when he was not around, otherwise she would never be in a situation where she was sure to die.

Moreover, fighting here would definitely damage a lot of things, so if possible, Mei really doesn't want to add any more workload for Klein.

"This place? Too fragile... Perhaps it suits you, but it's not worthy of me. Herrscher, go to the deepest part of the Elysian Realm as far as you can. Even if you have to crawl, crawl there. Otherwise, you don't even deserve to die by my hand. The killing array they prepared for me... a part of the Deepest Place can also serve as your burial place!"

Chapter Seventy-Seven: Comradeship in Arms

Phew, it seems that not only did the plan succeed, but there were also some unexpected gains. The battleground with Chakravartin was actually part of the Deepest Place.

Chakravartin left, and Mei breathed a sigh of relief. The scorching temperature had made her slightly uncomfortable. At this moment, Raven jumped onto Mei's body. The mercenary girl had a complicated expression on her face. She looked at Mei, not knowing what to say. This girl's ideas were really a bit scary.

"No need to say anything else, this is my decision. In order to break the curse of Aponia, this is what I must do."

Seeing Raven's hesitation, Mei stopped her from Raven further. At the same time, she took a deep breath and prepared to head to the Elysian Realm Trial site. Heading to the place she had agreed to meet with Chakravartin was not going to be an easy task.

"You've misunderstood. I didn't intend to stop you, but are you sure you don't want to tell Shen Gonglin? If you don't tell him about this plan, I feel like you're going to get a good beating later."

Raven shrugged. She knew how determined Mei was. Once this girl made up her mind, she couldn't be persuaded by just a few words. She was just kindly reminding her that Mei hadn't only acted recklessly once. There was also Shen Gonglin Mei afterward, the girl would definitely be in trouble.

"...I know, so you'll keep it a secret for me..."

Hearing Raven's words, Mei's expression became complicated. Indeed, it was so satisfying to court death in front of Chakravartin back then. Mei never thought about her future fate, so she could only keep this a secret from Raven, otherwise things would be too difficult for her.

"Dream on. I will definitely tell Shen Gonglin. And do you think you can keep this a secret? Even if others don't tell, Elysia or Pardofelis will definitely tell Shen Gonglin. I don't want to become your accomplice."

Raven firmly refused Mei's request. She was quite adept at avoiding risks. If she helped Mei keep the secret, wouldn't she become Mei's accomplice? She knew perfectly well how petty Rin was. So, if Mei was going to do something reckless, she could do it alone. Don't try to drag her down with you. Shen Gonglin told Mei Raven a straight face that she would definitely tell on her, for her own safety.

"I understand, but let's wait and see. I have no time to hesitate now."

Mei glanced at Raven with utter disdain. She wondered how she had come to know such a shameless person who showed no regard for camaraderie. After all, they were supposed to be comrades-in-arms. Just thinking about it Mei a headache, so she decided to just put it off for now and do what she wanted.

"Yes, that's the kind of fearless spirit you need. Go for it, Mei. If you accidentally die, I'll take good care of Shen Gonglin for you, so don't worry."

Although Raven made it clear that she would definitely betray Mei, she was still worried about Mei. In order to let her fight against Chakravartin without any worries, Raven patted her on the shoulder to comfort her, telling her not to worry about what would happen afterward, as she would be there to help.

"... Well, thank you so much, but it's alright. I'll take care of my own people!"

Mei rolled her eyes at Raven and turned to walk deeper into the Elysian Realm, while Raven idly passed the time on the sofa. Although she was going to tell Shen Gonglin, she needed to seize the right moment. If she went there now, wouldn't that be selling Mei out? So she decided to wait a while and, in the meantime, have a good drink.

There were indeed more paths to continue forward. It was an area she had never seen before. It must be the place where Chakravartin had been during the final trial. It was part of the Deepest Place. This was indeed an unexpected gain. But... looking at the space in front of her, Mei took a deep breath. Even after coming here, she still felt uncontrollably nervous.

After all, they were Flame-Chasers who regarded battle as everything, and were among the most powerful warriors of the Previous Era... If there was indeed a gap between them, then... this was also an opportunity for me to see it clearly, so there was no need to hesitate any longer.

With her resolve strengthened, Mei walked forward without hesitation. At the crossroads, Elysia, who was acting as her "guide," was there. Seeing Mei approaching, the fairy-like lady ran over happily.

"Mei, you're here... Why did you come? The passage here suddenly opened, and I felt something was off, so I came to check. Chakravartin is inside too... Hey, Mei, come here, it's not that you're here... Mei, why do you suddenly look so determined to die? Don't give me that 'you've got me covered' look, or I'll be really worried."

He was yelling in front of Mei, even though he hadn't said a word, but Elysia seemed to have guessed everything. This guy's ability to read faces is too strong. No wonder he's the author who wrote about methods to deal with Chakravartin and Kosma and even published a book. He's too strong.

"It's okay, don't worry, I just wanted to confirm something."

After comforting Elysia, Mei continued forward. Ahead lay the decisive battleground that Chakravartin had prepared for them.

"Hmm... How can I not worry? I should probably go and talk to little Rin. That way, Mei won't blame me."

Watching Mei's retreating figure, Elysia's smile remained unchanged. The girl turned and ran towards the Elysian Realm Hall. Naughty children need to be punished, you know.

"So, when you're bored, why don't you go play with that pink fat woman? Coming here, aren't you afraid I'll eat you up?"

In Mobius's laboratory, Mobius, who was bearing the Infinity Mark, looked up at Shen Gonglin, who was sitting idly at the lab bench, trying to mix the various solutions he had prepared. Why wasn't he afraid of him? He said he came to play with him because he was bored. Mobius thought that he was not the kind of person who could come to play with him just because he was bored.

What kind of idiot is Shen Gonglin? She should treat me like Raiden Mei would be.

"Pink fat lady... Hahahaha, Mobius, say it again, I want to write it down. I didn't expect Elysia to be called that. Quick, say it again."

Chapter Seventy-Eight: Photo Deception

Upon hearing Mobius's description of Elysia, Shen Gonglin immediately lost his composure. He put down the beaker and solution in his hand and took out the megaphone that was lying to the side. He had borrowed it from Elysia and never expected it to be so useful now. The nickname "Pink Fat Girl" was just too catchy. Shen Gonglin couldn't help but record it and listen to it carefully.

"Oh, pink fat lady, pink fat lady... Why are you all alone today? Where's the other guinea pig?"