Chapter 457

Eden offered this solution, Mei frowned upon hearing it, as this action seemed somewhat inappropriate.

"Split up? But... wouldn't that make it easier for the enemy to pick us off one by one?"

Mei raised this question: if everyone is protecting what they cherish, doesn't that mean they have to "split up"? Sakura, Elysia, and Kevin all encountered accidents while acting alone, and now they still have to carry out this operation. Isn't that obviously wrong?

"Mei, as you can see, we each have different concerns right now. Since we can't reach a consensus, acknowledging our differences is another option. Besides, what if even the most special Elysia and the most powerful Kevin in the memory are not spared..."

Eden didn't finish her sentence, but everyone understood her meaning. Indeed, the Flame-Chasers had different personalities, and without Elysia to mediate and Kevin to stabilize the situation, forcing them to gather together might cause problems. In that case, it would be better to carry out Eden's suggestion.

"Then... Sister Eden, can I go with you? Even if it's just a little bit, I want to help everyone..."

The cat girl raised her hand. The current situation made her very uneasy. She didn't know what to do, so staying by Eden's side was probably the best choice. Even though she wasn't very useful, she still wanted to help in a little.

"Thank you, Pardofelis, but now... the first and second of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers have met with misfortune one after another. If the other party intends to set targets according to their rank, then it is definitely not safe for them to stay by my side."

Eden shook his head and refused Pardofelis's offer to follow him. Although Pardofelis might be looking for a powerful patron to rely on, Eden was more inclined to believe that she genuinely wanted to help, but at the moment, having her by his side was definitely not a suitable option.

Yes, ranking. I never thought of that. That's one way to think about it. Although Elysia is currently ranked second, she was the first when the Thirteen Flame-Chasers were first... Upon hearing that it might be related to ranking, Pardofelis's expression became inscrutable. Although it seemed safer for her to be ranked last, the feeling of being left to be eliminated was still unsettling.

"Moreover, what I'm about to do is rather unusual... I will travel to the Deepest Place to confirm Aponia's safety."

After explaining what he was about to do, Eden explained that if the attack on Flame-Chasers was indeed carried out in order of rank, then Aponia, who was ranked third, might be in danger. Therefore, Eden decided to go to the Deepest Place to check on her situation.

Is Mother Aponia in danger?

Finally finding an opportunity to interject, Griseo had been merely listening to these adult matters from the beginning, but when Aponia was mentioned, she couldn't help but speak up. According to Eden, Aponia's mother might also be in danger now.

"I don't know, Griseo, that's why we're going there. During this time, you'll stay with Kosma and not run around, okay?"

When facing Griseo, Eden was exceptionally gentle. After all, she was the youngest of the Flame-Chasers, and as the group's darling, none of the Flame-Chasers wanted Griseo to be in danger if they could.

"...Okay, I understand."

Griseo nodded obediently, following Kosma; this was an easy task.

"Sister Eden is going to the Deepest Place... In that case, it would be a real hindrance if I went along."

Knowing Aponia's current destination, Pardofelis scratched her head in disappointment. If it was that place, then it would indeed be pointless for her to go with them. Pardofelis knew her own strength, and if she went along now, she would only be a hindrance.

"Don't be discouraged, Pardofelis. There is something I really want to ask of you. Of all of us, you are the one who knows the shortcuts and paths in the Elysian Realm best. I would like to ask you to keep an eye out for any traces of other people's use of these little-known trails."

Seeing Pardofelis's dejection, Eden turned his attention to her. It wasn't that he disliked Pardofelis for being a burden; it was simply that there were other things he needed to entrust to Pardofelis. The situation was quite urgent, and everyone had to get moving. There were some things that only she could do.

"Oh... indeed, this is the only way to sneak around in the Elysian Realm without everyone knowing... sigh! Then... wouldn't I be in danger of running right into the murderer!"

Pardofelis nodded repeatedly. Eden was right. Pardofelis was only confident about this matter. But as she thought about it, Pardofelis began to panic. The murderer was very likely to have attacked through those alleys. If she investigated those alleys, would she run into trouble? If she encountered the murderer, her position as the last seat holder would probably be easily eliminated.

The cat-like girl started to panic. Eden was really giving her too much credit for such a dangerous task. Pardofelis looked at Shen Gonglin and Mei with teary eyes. If the two of them didn't help her, the cat-like girl felt that she might die today.

"Just be careful, your safety is the most important thing."

Knowing what Pardofelis was worried about, Eden smiled at her. Her gentle smile made it impossible for Pardofelis to refuse. Besides, she really wanted to help. In the end, the girl could only slump her shoulders and sigh.

"Okay... alright, I'll try my best... Anyway, running away is what I'm best at... leave this to me."

Pardofelis patted her chest guiltily. Was it really okay to leave this to her? The cat was scared.

"Thank you, Pardofelis. And... Kosma?"

Having assigned Pardofelis her task, Eden looked at Kosma, and the autistic boy nodded. He knew his task and was happy to complete it.

"I know. I will take good care of Griseo."

Protecting the girl behind them was Kosma's usual mission; while they went to investigate, Griseo's safety was in their hands.

"Yes, thank you. Well... let's say goodbye here. Mei, and Jingu, please come this way, I need you... to do me another favor."

After assigning tasks to everyone, it was finally Mei and Shen Gonglin's turn. The girl had been waiting and needed Mei's help with something else. What was it?

Chapter 194 Crystal Flower

Mei had no doubts. Compared to the other Flame-Chasers, Eden was the one she trusted the most. The girl chased after Eden's figure and left. Pardofelis hesitated for a moment before investigating the paths in the Elysian Realm. Although she was a little scared, it was something only she could do. Sister Elysia wasn't there, and neither was Boss Kevin. It felt like the heavy responsibility had fallen on their shoulders. Now, the cat was scared.

"Eden, what do you need me to do?"

Having caught up with Eden, I realized that she had just assigned tasks to everyone as the coordinator, but she had deliberately omitted me and Shen Gonglin, probably because she wanted the two of them to do something else.

"As you can see, most of the Flame-Chasers are aware of the current situation, but Aponia, Vill-V, and Dr. Mobius... they're not here. It seems that we're not the only ones affected by Elysia's departure. After calming Chakravartin, Sue will try to contact Dr. Mobius, and I'll inform Aponia. As for Miss Mei..."

Traveling alongside the two, Eden, working with Mei and Shen Gonglin, eliminated all the enemies blocking their path. Of course, they had been called over for a special mission.

"I hope you can tell Vill-V everything that is happening now."

This is what Eden needs Mei to do, but Mei thinks this choice is a bit inappropriate. Before finding the suspect, is it appropriate to tell everyone this information?

Even if everyone is a suspect?

Even if everyone is a suspect.

Eden stopped in his tracks, gazing into the distance at this Eternal Elysium. Even in this situation, he had to tell Vill-V everything. Looking at everything, it was indeed as Sue had said: after Elysia disappeared, even the Eternal Elysium itself had been affected, since everything here was composed of her memories. Only by looking at this scenery could he truly feel it.

Elysia, she is indeed gone.

"Eden... I'm so sorry for keeping this from you before."

Seeing the sad expression on Eden's face, Mei also felt a little down. Because of Kevin, he had asked those who knew the inside story not to reveal it to others. Mei also thought that temporarily blocking the news was the right choice. However, not informing Eden in time also made Mei feel a little bad. She didn't want to be the riddle teller.

"No need to apologize, Miss Mei. I believe in Kevin's decisions, even though he always humbly denies it... He is undoubtedly an excellent leader. However, the situation is different now. No third person has the cohesion of Elysia or the power of Kevin ... Shen Gonglin, I know you do, but you are not Thirteen Flame-Chasers, and the current situation can no longer be controlled by the efforts of a few people."

Eden understands Mei's actions. He is always so gentle and understanding. The unity of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers is maintained by Elysia. Apart from her, Kevin can prevent accidents from happening with his powerful strength. But now they are both gone. Eden's eyes swept over Shen Gonglin. Although he does not know their lifestyle in reality, Eden thinks that Shen Gonglin should be a character similar to Elysia.

The bond that unites everyone.

"Therefore, in conclusion, I have no choice but to take a different approach from them."

Eden said softly, Mei fully understood, but she was still a little surprised. "To be honest, I was quite surprised that you would take the initiative to become the host."

"Really? Indeed... It doesn't fit the image I usually project, does it? Yes, Mei, even I have moments when I act out of character."

Eden smiled, then the woman stretched out her hand into the distance. Golden light emanated from her fingertips, eventually coalescing into a golden flower. Looking at this magnificent bloom, Mei's eyes were irresistibly drawn to it. This was...

"A beautiful flower, isn't it... just like her. I always carry it with me, it reminds me of her appearance, her smile... her love for everyone. And now, just when I'm almost overwhelmed by the sadness of parting from her again... this light has once again shown me the way."

Looking at the flowers in her hand, Eden felt as if she were seeing someone as radiant as a flower. This was something she wanted to achieve, so as her best friend, Eden decided to do the same.

"It told me... 'Stand in the spotlight and connect with everyone, just like she used to do. Otherwise, everything she left behind... won't it all just disappear?'"

This is something Elysia wanted to keep, and she shouldn't let it drift away with the wind. That's why Eden stepped forward to take on the task of maintaining everyone's relationship. This is quite abrupt, considering Eden's usual demeanor.

After all, in Shen Gonglin's eyes, Eden was like a lazy bum who only knew how to drink, but now he has stepped forward to rule everything, just like Himeko.

"Eden ..."

Mei's lips moved slightly, but she didn't know what to say. It seemed a bit too heavy. She seemed to really like Elysia.

"I'm sorry, did I confuse you? Just take this as... my excuse for my unusual behavior."

"No, I've never doubted you. It's just that Crystal Flower... I feel like I've seen it somewhere before. Is it a talisman that every Flame-Chasers possesses?"

Looking at the Crystal Flower in Eden's hand, Mei became somewhat curious. Is this something everyone has? Was it made by Elysia? Or does it have some other special meaning?

"No... I'm sorry, Mei, this is a secret guarded by a select few Flame-Chasers. I cannot reveal everything without their permission. More than a talisman, it is a token, a key... sealing a previously unknown past within these vibrant colors."

Without telling Mei the significance of the Crystal Flower, Shen Gonglin felt that Eden was taking revenge on them for not telling Elysia about her immediately. Kevin had asked a few Flame-Chasers to keep the secret, and now Eden was using the same excuse. It was hard not to think that this elegant and noble woman might actually have a bad heart.

Shen Gonglin didn't believe that anyone could be completely without any bad intentions. Even Elysia would tease others, so it didn't seem out of place for Eden to have such a personality.

Chapter 195 Always Elysia

"Not tell me? "Mei thought for a moment, then uttered those words.

"Was it... that the Last Banquet?"

That's the only thing I can think of. After Mei said that, Shen Gonglin looked at her in surprise. Why does it feel like I'm the only one who doesn't understand the situation? Mei, do you have to be so smart? You can tell from Eden's expression that Mei guessed right. It makes it seem like I'm the only one who's clueless. Shen Gonglin could only pretend to know everything, but in fact, this guy doesn't understand anything.

I feel like a complete idiot. Should I try a little harder? I feel like Mei is almost Mei me in the Elysian Realm.

"Mei, you are really smart. I'm starting to understand more and more why Elysia likes you so much."

Eden definitely likes Elysia. Rin Shen Gonglin noticed that Eden talked about Elysia almost every other sentence. Mei guessed correctly. Eden nodded slightly, then turned to look in the other direction. Mei immediately realized that, although it was hidden by the tower, she was looking at the small island shrouded in mist. That island was very suspicious.

"It was Elysia who told me. She told me a lot of things. We agreed to go there together to witness the truth about the Thirteenth Herrscher and her fate... And I would get the answers I was looking for. But... she couldn't keep her promise."

Mei also wanted to look in that direction. Turning past the tower, the mist-shrouded island appeared before her eyes. If Elysia hadn't disappeared, she would probably be on that island with her now.

"It seems... this is Elysia's wish. Then I have one more thing to do. Kevin is no longer here, but before he disappeared, he entrusted his Crystal Flower to Su, which means he trusted all of Su's judgments, including... how to deal with that secret."

Elysia told Mei so much? It seems she trusts Mei a lot, or rather, likes Mei very much. That makes sense; she likes everyone that much.

"Transfer? So those Crystal Flower can be transferred?"

This surprised Mei. She thought these Crystal Flower were exclusive to her, but it turns out they could be passed on.

"Although we cannot know the contents of the key, the person who obtains it must be the person the holder trusts the most, and therefore has the right to make decisions on his behalf. Sue told me that Kevin's data anomaly occurred in the middle of the night, and although we cannot trace who he was with at the time... before Kevin went to see that person, he gave the blue Crystal Flower to Sue, which means that he was somewhat aware of the danger he was about to face."

The Crystal Flower can be transferred, but only the holder can know its contents. However, if it is transferred, it must be to the person the holder trusts the most. Without a doubt, Kevin trusts Sue the most, as they are true best friends. As for himself, it is undoubtedly Elysia.

I really want to be close to Elysia.

"But... he still went to see that person."

Mei said in a deep voice, "Kevin knew that it might be dangerous for him to go to see that person, so he entrusted his Crystal Flower to Su beforehand. What kind of person could make Kevin, the leader of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers, make such a trusting gesture? I really can't understand it."

"Perhaps he had no other choice, perhaps he felt it was necessary, perhaps he didn't even go to see anyone... These things are unknown. But I'm sure Kevin was prepared for this."

There are still too many things we don't understand. Perhaps their assumptions were wrong from the start. What they encountered is probably only known to Kevin and Elysia themselves.

"Wait a minute, the Crystal Flower ... handing it over, I see. I have indeed seen another Crystal Flower, although to be precise, I did not see what it looked like... the purple one that Aponia entrusted me to deliver to Griseo ... the aura I felt at that time was exactly the same as this flower."

There was a sense of familiarity about her. Looking at the golden Crystal Flower in Eden's hand, Mei finally remembered where that feeling of déjà vu came from. Back then, she had gently stroked her neck... If you remove the gentleness, what she had asked Griseo to pass on was her Crystal Flower.

"Aponia... gave her key to Griseo? It seems there's one more thing I need to confirm. Griseo probably doesn't know about this, right? And... Kosma?"

Eden felt his head was spinning. Was this what the host usually faced? It was truly speechless. He wished he could continue being a lazy bum who only drank alcohol, but now... sigh.

Whether it was just her imagination or not, Flame-Chasers Shen Gonglin felt that this heroic figure bearing the Golden Sigil seemed to have become somewhat depressed.

"At least in my opinion, they were unaware of it."

"It's best to leave it as it is. I'm worried that our reaction to this will make them the next target."

If possible, Eden believed that no one among the Flame-Chasers would want Griseo involved, so maintaining the status quo was the best course of action.

"Perhaps this is the secret that Kosma was talking about..."

Mei had a feeling of being in a game of Werewolf, but this was much scarier than those board games.

"Yes. We always hide things from others for various reasons, believing it's the better choice. Sometimes it is, and sometimes it leads to trouble. For example, even though it was Kevin's instruction, didn't Mei hide Elysia's disappearance from everyone?"

Eden steered the conversation towards Mei's previous actions, which confirmed Shen Gonglin that Mei was indeed retaliating for hiding Elysia from her. Sure enough, despite her great figure, Eden wasn't very shrewd; she still possessed the petty-mindedness typical of girls.

"...you're right."

Mei was speechless now, since she had indeed done it herself and had kept it from Eden, so she couldn't blame him for being sarcastic.

"Deceiving someone out of good intentions... that's still a form of deception. But if it were Elysia, she would definitely say that... Everyone has their own secrets, everyone has different beliefs, and even so, everyone is my most important companion."

Eden couldn't stop talking about Elysia, and Mei agreed with her. It was definitely something Alicia would say. Elysia even said that she was the darling of everyone in the Elysian Realm, but actually, she was the one who was.

Chapter 196

That said, true to the usual pattern of TV anime, the so-called least likely person is often the culprit. Shen Gonglin, chin in hand, pondered wildly. Could Eden be the real killer, and she's just pretending right now... Or perhaps Kevin? That "Human Cancer" guy is a good possibility, and so is Mobius? Or maybe Vill-V ... or even Griseo?

Why don't I have a pair of glasses that reflect light at all times? There's only one truth, Shen Gonglin sometimes wants to say that with a lot of pride.

It's unclear what Rin Shen Gonglin is pondering so intently here, but Mei continues her conversation with Eden. Eden is quite familiar with Elysia, so if it's her...

"Yes, that's certainly what she would say. Eden, do you believe there are no traitors among the Flame-Chasers?"

To find out Eden's thoughts, the disappearance of Elysia and Kevin's data can be roughly divided into two possibilities: an attack by outsiders, or the appearance of a traitor among the Flame-Chasers. What does Eden think? Mei believes that she is more inclined to believe that there was no traitor.

"I didn't say that, and please don't let the atmosphere around you influence you, Mei. You need to use your own judgment. For example... what if I were the traitor? Jingu... please don't look at me like that. I'm just using an analogy. What if I, who am telling you everything now, am the one who wants to hide everything?"

Eden was just using a metaphor, so why did Shen Gonglin look at him like that, as if to say, "It really was you"? Eden didn't understand. Was there something wrong with his behavior? Was Flame-Chasers really doubting him? Shen Gonglin Hero was a little helpless. Mei- san must have a lot of work to do usually.

"As I said, if I were drawn to the wine called the New Era, and desperately wanted to leave this place, and used everyone for it... Shen Gonglin, I told you, this is just a hypothetical scenario, I don't intend to do that, you have to believe me... Under such a hypothetical scenario, Mei- san, would you still do as I say?"

Why couldn't Eden reason with Shen Gonglin? Eden felt her head was spinning. She could only explain earnestly again that she was just joking and making a hypothetical statement. Why did she act like she was ready to draw her sword at any moment? Shen Gonglin seemed easy to get along with, but in reality, it wasn't easy to truly become familiar with him and get close to his heart.

Among the people in the Elysian Realm, only Elysia and Mobius are somewhat close. Oh, right, there's also Hua and Sakura... Wait a minute, does that mean I'm the same kind of person as that woman, Aponia?