Chapter 470

Shen Gonglin, of course, wouldn't refuse. She hadn't seen Durandal since she returned, so this was a good opportunity to see if she had gained or lost weight recently. Besides, as a bishop, it was perfectly normal for her to inspect her subordinate branches.

So the group got into the Shenzhou branch's car and drove off into the distance. Meanwhile, Durandal finished her work and headed to the airport. Although she had asked the Shenzhou branch to handle it, she still had to go and check on things.

Chapter 240 Little Aunt

They arrived at the Shenzhou branch in silence. As soon as they got out of the car, Shen Gonglin and the others received a very grand welcome ceremony. The bishop himself was there, and all the Valkyrie waiting in the Shenzhou branch came out to greet him. The previous bishop was like a shut-in. Although he had been in office for a very long time, he was basically always at headquarters. As a result, many Valkyrie had never even seen him in person. The fact that the new bishop was actually conducting this kind of inspection meant that he would definitely show them his best spirit. The Shenzhou branch would not be inferior to any other branch!

"Wow, Junior Uncle, you're quite prestigious. That really surprises me."

Li Sushang, half a step behind Shen Gonglin, whispered in his ear, "If the Ottoman were to receive such treatment, I wouldn't be surprised. But Shen Gonglin has only just become a bishop, yet he already enjoys such prestige within the Valkyrie unit. That's truly impressive. Think about it, Shen Gonglin was originally only active in the Far East Branch, then the entire Far East Branch defected, and then suddenly it was announced that he would take over as bishop. To outsiders, Shen Gonglin would never have such a large following. So how could this be?"

This is all thanks to Durandal and Rita. Perhaps because they've always worked at headquarters, these two girls handle such matters with ease. The Valkyrie Squad believes in the supremacy of the strong, Shen Gonglin's combat power is the strongest support. In addition, with their promotion, Durandal even attributed many of her own achievements to Shen Gonglin's command. In any case, thanks to their efforts, Shen Gonglin's prestige in the Schicksal Valkyrie Squad has been rising steadily.

With the support of the Valkyrie Force, the voices of those higher-ups can be ignored.

As for the Kaslana family, there weren't many people left to begin with, Kiana is still considered the daughter of the missing family head, so the Kaslana family's support seems only natural. As for the Shatnia family, Anna, who has now become Valkyrie again, has also provided strong assistance. Finally, there's the Apocalypse family, and the attitude of the current family head, Theresa, goes without saying. So now, the entire Schicksal has basically been integrated.

"What do you think? I'm pretty amazing."

Shen Gonglin raised her chin triumphantly. Although the current situation was a little frightening, it wasn't so scary once she treated these people like potatoes and cabbages. As she walked into the Far East Branch, a blonde Valkyrie walking towards her caught Shen Gonglin's eye. Durandal, she's already here.

"Bishop, Durandal Immortal Blade, reports to you."

Dressed in a black military uniform, Durandal stood before Shen Gonglin and gave him a military salute. This was an important matter; such seriousness and respect would allow the other Valkyrie to see her attitude toward the new bishop. While she could relax a bit at headquarters, this was still necessary for these Valkyrie who were meeting Shen Gonglin for the first time. Sometimes, her status as the strongest Valkyrie was quite useful.

Look, even the strongest Valkyrie shows such respect to the bishop, let alone others.

"Why are you being so formal, Durandal? Have you eaten yet?"

Shen Gonglin obviously wouldn't consider such a thing. After seeing an acquaintance, he was very happy and ran to Durandal's side. Shen Gonglin reached out and grabbed Durandal's hand, saying that he would go to Schicksal Headquarters to see her when he had time. He didn't expect to see her here first. It was a pleasant surprise.

"Bishop, you're being so... fine, forget I said anything."

Durandal sighed helplessly. She had wanted to support Shen Gonglin, but Shen Gonglin herself was now refusing to cooperate. Then, when she saw the looks in the eyes of the Valkyrie around her, she was speechless. It seemed that it wasn't a bad thing for them to see Shen Gonglin so close to her. Theresa wanted to change Schicksal, and perhaps this was the direction they wanted.

"Hi, Durandal, it's been a long time."

Li Sushang jumped out and waved to Durandal. As a new friend she made after waking up from her five-hundred-year slumber, she cared a lot about Durandal and even brought her a gift during this trip.

"It has indeed been a long time. I didn't expect that our reunion would cause the Bishop such a lot of trouble. Miss Li, you are quite a troublesome one."

Durandal criticized Li Sushang without any politeness. After all, she was now an S-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal, yet she made such a mistake and even affected the bishop. She was not a qualified Valkyrie. Durandal, who was focused on her work, felt that Li Sushang needed to be properly criticized.

"Hehe, not at all. He is your bishop, but he is also my junior uncle. What's wrong with seeking help from elders when you encounter problems? So Durandal, don't be so petty."

Li Sushang chuckled and scratched her head. Shen Gonglin was quite pleased with the term "elder" she was referring to. She never expected to become someone else's elder. It seemed she would have to prepare a red envelope for Li Sushang during the New Year. Although Shen Gonglin was really stingy, the money was worth it just for the title of "elder."

As everyone knows, Shen Gonglin is very easy to please.

Junior Uncle? What's so great about Junior Uncle? You talk as if your relationship with him isn't as close as hers. This is only because we're in a public place. If we were in private, I'd definitely show you what kind of relationship you have with Junior Uncle. You might even have to call me Junior Aunt then.

On the surface, Durandal appeared completely calm, but in her heart, she was already grumbling. They were just a mere uncle and niece, how could they be as close as she was to Shen Gonglin? On the surface, they were superior and subordinate, but in reality, they were superior and subordinate. So, rounding it off... Li Sushang could be considered her junior?

Thinking this through, the accusations that Durandal was about to utter vanished without a trace. The girl gave Li Sushang an incredibly kind smile, but it was this smile that made Li Sushang shudder for no reason. Durandal was always so serious, suddenly showing such a smile was really frightening. Was she alright? Shouldn't she continue with her useless accusations in this situation?

For the sake of that future title of "Little Martial Aunt, "Durandal gave up criticizing Li Sushang. After all, she was just a silly little deer. She could have her Little Martial Aunt teach her properly later. Durandal was full of confidence in this. She had once been stuck in the quagmire of her ex-girlfriend and couldn't get out, but now she was still on good terms with Shen Gonglin. So, she was determined to get this Little Martial Aunt.

Chapter 241 I Want to Eat Pancakes

Why does this girl suddenly seem so excited? Did she think of something thrilling?

Li Sushang looked at Durandal in front of her, somewhat bewildered. The innocent sword fairy girl was of course unaware that many people were plotting to become her junior master's wife. Even her Ancestor Chiyuan, wanted to change her title. These things were too difficult for Li Sushang, so she quickly put such troublesome matters out of her mind. At times like these, all she had to do was smile.

"I remember you are Seele, right? You did a great job this time. I feel relieved knowing you're with Shen Gonglin."

Unexpectedly Durandal greeted her. Seele had originally planned to remain inconspicuous, became a little nervous when she saw Durandal looking at her. In Seele's eyes, the powerful and beautiful Durandal was like a sacred flower that could not be reached. The fact that Durandal took the initiative to speak to her made the girl feel flattered, and she was even praising her.

"No, that's not true... It was Sister Bronya who told me to stay with Rin under these circumstances. Besides, I haven't been of much help; I've only been troubling everyone..."

Seele couldn't accept such praise without feeling guilty, because she really hadn't been of much help. Whether it was this time or before, it was always others who were putting in the effort. Seele could do was try her best not to hold them back.

"Don't underestimate yourself. Remember when you were at Kolosten? You used the Abyss Flower to save everyone. Not everyone can use the Black Abyss White Flower. So I knew from that time that Seele is a very powerful and useful person."

This girl is very capable, but she seems to be a little too insecure. Gentle encouragement can help her shine even brighter. Durandal mentioned what happened not long ago: Seele can use the Black Abyss White Flower. After that, Durandal investigated and found that the girl had the Stigmata of Herrscher of Death. As Stigmata Awakener, she, like herself and Li Sushang, had similar traits. Based on this, Durandal felt an instinctive affinity for her.

"Thank you, thank you... I will work hard!"

She never expected to receive such recognition from someone other than her sister. This greatly boosted Seele's morale. Even Lady Durandal said so, so did that prove that she had indeed made progress? She felt so happy that her efforts had been recognized by such an outstanding person. Lady Durandal truly deserved to be praised by the entire Valkyrie squad.

Could this girl be planning to build a harem? She's not even going to let Seele go? Shen Gonglin's gaze gradually turned strange. Seele's face was flushed, and she looked extremely excited. This silly deer was like a little fangirl mesmerized by her idol's aura. Was she really that happy just because Durandal praised her? Durandal is truly remarkable; her emotional intelligence is probably miles ahead of Kiana's, almost on par with mine.

"Alright, Durandal, now that things are settled, let's head back to the Salt Lake Base. It's really kind of you to have come all this way. You should go back to headquarters too."

She couldn't let Seele fall for Durandal after just a short trip. Their relationship was destined to be doomed, and Bronya might even blame her if she found out. So, Shen Gonglin wanted to bring Seele back as soon as possible, because she couldn't let Durandal really corrupt her.

"What's the rush? We haven't seen each other for so long. Don't you have anything to say to me? Even if you don't, I have a lot of work to report to His Excellency the Bishop. As the Bishop, it is your duty to listen carefully to the opinions of your subordinates."

"Is he so eager to part ways with me?" Durandal secretly rolled her eyes. It was quite a contrast to see this valiant Valkyrie making such a move, but it was also rather cute. She had taken an airport flight directly from headquarters to the Shenzhou branch. They hadn't seen each other for so long, and this guy didn't have anything to say to her? He might not have anything, but she did. How could she let him off so easily?

He hadn't even told Rita; he just wanted to take this opportunity to spend some quality time with Shen Gonglin.

"Durandal is right. This is the first time the bishop has visited our Shenzhou branch. How can we not treat him well? Durandal, is there anything you would like to eat? There are many delicacies in Shenzhou."

At this moment, Chu Yan, the Valkyrie of the Shenzhou branch, also stepped forward and spoke. They were very hospitable, and this time, with the Bishop and Durandal both present, how could they not treat them well? When it came to food, they were second to none.

"Hmm... do you have jianbing guozi? I want to eat that."

When she asked that, Durandal actually started to consider it. Then, her eyes lit up and she made this request. She thought, "Surely I can get the most authentic Jianbing Guozi here?" She had queued up to buy it for Shen Gonglin before, and ever since then Durandal had fallen in love with this food. Eating the most authentic Jianbing Guozi was one of Durandal's little wishes.

"Jianbing guozi? Ah... Yes, we do. Please go to the restaurant first, it will be ready soon."

With so many delicious foods in Shenzhou, why did Durandal choose such a snack? And Jianbing Guozi... it seems a little out of place for Lady Durandal's image. As expected of Lady Durandal, her hobby is quite unique. She even knows about this kind of snack from Shenzhou. Durandal is truly knowledgeable.

Finally, Shen Gonglin and the others were left behind. The Valkyrie around them were also intrigued. They had many things they wanted to know. It was said that Lady Durandal and the new bishop had a very good relationship, and now it seemed that it was true. What kind of relationship did they have? These gossipy Valkyrie were eager to find out. And what about the two girls with the bishop? What was their relationship with the bishop?

Legend has it that the new bishop is incredibly popular with women, and almost Valkyrie in the Far East Branch have had close relationships with him. Is this really true? These questions have been lingering in the minds of these Valkyrie for a long time, and today they finally have the opportunity to find out. They can't let this opportunity slip by; they must find the answers to these questions that have been bothering them for so long during this gathering.

They were really curious whether what was said in that magazine supposedly compiled by members of the Immortal Blade was true!

Chapter 242 A Little Flirting

The chef used a special "bamboo dragonfly" to spread the mung bean batter evenly on the flat griddle. The aroma emitted by the batter as it solidified at high temperature made Durandal was staring at the griddle, nod in approval. This was the taste. In fact, she had tried to make it by hand in the headquarters dormitory, but it just didn't taste the same. It seemed that the pancake machine was not up to par. This kind of pitch-black griddle was more professional. Next, she should fry the eggs, right?

Having caught Shen Gonglin Durandal observing the making of Jianbing Guozi (a type of Chinese crepe) up close for the first time. She found it quite interesting, which made the chefs at the Shenzhou branch restaurant very nervous. Although they weren't Valkyrie, they had heard of this girl's reputation while working at the branch, and they never expected Durandal to get used to such a Shenzhou snack.

Originally, they thought Durandal was the type who would enjoy a cup of black tea and cakes in the afternoon, but now, this lady is surprisingly down-to-earth.

The egg was cracked on the griddle, and the chef used one hand to spread it onto the batter to form a pancake. Then, the bamboo dragonfly spread the egg evenly. Next came the thin, golden-brown crispy crust, which was Durandal's favorite thing. One bite and it was crispy and crunchy, with a particularly good taste.

"Can the little girl handle spicy food?"

Not being a member of the Valkyrie Squad, the somewhat elderly cook simply addressed Durandal as such. Was this girl truly the strongest Valkyrie, even more powerful than their Shenzhou branch's Lady Chu Yan? That being said, the sight of Durandal standing before her, intently staring at the pancakes, was something she couldn't quite relate to. Was she staring at her like that to prevent her from sneaking a bite while she was making them?

"Yes, you need to brush on some chili sauce, that's what makes it authentic."

Durandal nodded, but while brushing on the chili sauce, a drop of chili liquid accidentally splashed out and hit Durandal's eye. The girl gasped and covered her eye. This made the aunt very worried. How could she have made such a mistake? The minister had told her to treat them well.

"Oh, little girl, are you alright?"

The aunt was at a loss, but Durandal simply rubbed her eyes gently and comforted her.

"It's alright, this kind of pain is nothing to worry about. As Valkyrie, how could I not even endure this level of pain? Thank you for your hospitality, I'll be going now."

Rubbing her eyes, Durandal walked towards Shen Gonglin, holding a jianbing (Chinese crepe) in one hand. She had been staring too closely; it was no one else's fault.

"Truly worthy of being the strongest Valkyrie that those young girls admire." The kitchen aunt looked at Durandal's retreating figure with great admiration. These girls were all exceptionally talented. While other girls their age were enjoying their youth, they were dedicating their lives to the front lines of the fight against the Honkai. If it were an ordinary girl, she would have definitely gone to someone to whine and beg for mercy after that, but they... Sigh, it was precisely because her own daughter was also Valkyrie that she understood the hardships these girls endured.

However, Durandal's next move completely surprised the aunt who was praising the Valkyrie squad. Her previous composure was only because the person she could confide in wasn't around.

"I got some chili pepper in my eye, it hurts so much... Can you check if there's anything wrong?"

Setting down her plate, Durandal, her eyelids drooping, moved closer to Shen Gonglin. Her blue eyes were red and brimming with tears. Durandal looked at Shen Gonglin with a pitiful expression, a stark contrast to her earlier dashing demeanor. Shen Gonglin didn't suspect a thing; she did look truly miserable. Chili peppers were bad enough, but now they'd splashed into her eyes. It sounded awful.

"Then I'll blow on it for you. Honestly, how can you be so stupid? How can you do something like this?"

Holding Durandal's face in his hands, Shen Gonglin blew hard into her eyes, listening to his complaints. Durandal obediently complied. This slightly complaining feeling made Durandal feel good. Does her younger sister always get this kind of treatment? She was so envious. She, the older sister, could only enjoy this kind of treatment by taking advantage of the opportunity, while that silly little deer sister was immersed in such a gentle ocean all day long. She was so envious.

Hehe, I guess only Durandal would say that Shen Gonglin is gentle.

Hiss... Durandal, is she being affectionate with her junior master?

Sitting on the other side of the table, Li Sushang stared dumbfounded at Durandal, feeling as if the world had become unreal. As for Seele, the well-behaved and shy girl obediently lowered her head, pretending not to see anything. Was this something a little girl like her should be seeing? So this was what Miss Durandal was like in private? This was completely different from what she had imagined. This feeling was exactly the same as Miss Kiana's; they both liked to act Shen Gonglin.

"Okay, it doesn't hurt anymore... Everyone, let's start eating."

Perhaps it was because Li Sushang and Seele's gazes were too obvious that Durandal couldn't bear it at first, or perhaps it was because Shen Gonglin's breath was too strong that Durandal couldn't bear it either? In any case, the girl took the initiative to push Shen Gonglin away, ignored Li Sushang's gaze, and took the initiative to call the others to start eating. It's better to eat jianbing guozi hot, it won't taste good when it's cold.

"Durandal, you like to eat this? I ate it when I came to Shenzhou, and I felt... it wasn't that delicious."

Her attention was quickly drawn to the jianbing guozi on the table. Logically, she should be more able to accept this Shenzhou delicacy, but why was Durandal eating it with even more relish than she was? Sometimes watching others eat is a kind of enjoyment. If Durandal were to switch careers and become a mukbang streamer, it would probably be quite good. It was clear that she was genuinely enjoying the taste.

"That's because you don't know how to eat it. When I get back, I'll have the headquarters restaurant add professional Jianbing Guozi (Chinese crepes)."

Durandal ignored Li Sushang's questioning. The girl held the jianbing guozi in both hands and opened her mouth, trying to take a bite. However, the girl's cherry-like mouth obviously couldn't do it. So Durandal could only look at her with regret. What does a silly deer like Li Sushang know? Does she really know how to taste delicious food?

"How about adding this? I think this is pretty good too, it's called pickled vegetables with tofu, I think it's my first time trying it, and it's quite delicious."

Chapter 243

Li Sushang was also a little foodie. Hearing that Durandal was planning to reform the restaurant, she wanted to do her part. She pointed to the small copper pot in front of her. There were many delicious foods in the Shenzhou branch. She felt that this was pretty good. She ate while cooking. Eating it hot made her feel comfortable. Her junior uncle was now the Bishop of Schicksal. It wouldn't be a problem for her to offer advice for the development of Schicksal, right?

"Pickled vegetables and tofu? I understand. I'll add that dish to the restaurant's renovation. Seele, is Seele anything you particularly want to eat?"

Durandal actually took Li Sushang's words to heart. She wasn't the kind of person who was single-mindedly fighting the Honkai and didn't care about anything else. Even if she didn't care about these things herself, she still had to consider the other Valkyrie. Since Theresa took over as the Vice-Bishop of Schicksal, the entire Schicksal was undergoing a subtle change. She didn't want to continue her grandfather's approach. She wanted to create a new Schicksal. This was happening not only in the training of Valkyrie, but also in things like the restaurant.

"We can't favor one over the other, "Durandal asked Seele. "Seeing how happily she's eating, the snacks from the Shenzhou branch must suit her taste too."

"Hmm, hmm... If possible, I can also eat this fried tofu in the restaurants where I live. It's fragrant and crispy and tastes especially good... And this... Drizzled with shrimp oil, it's really delicious. Seele wants to bring some back for Sister Bronya so she can try it too."

Taking a small bite of the golden fried tofu on her plate, Seele blushed as she pointed at the snacks in front of her. "Is the Valkyrie Restaurant at the Shenzhou branch really this good? It feels even better than the Salt Lake Base!"

"Fried tofu with shrimp oil... Okay, I'll remember that."

I've made a note of everyone's tastes. As for Shen Gonglin, there's no need to consider her. Her tastes are too limited; she can't eat spicy food or strongly flavored food. We just need to pay a little attention to these aspects. That's enough of the small talk. Durandal has some important business to discuss with Shen Gonglin.

"Regarding the real Stigmata Plan you mentioned, Senior Theresa has also informed us. Without a doubt, the Stigmata Plan that Kevin wants to execute is extremely dangerous, even more so than the impact of the Honkai on people. If his plan succeeds, the vast majority of humans in this world will be immersed in the beautiful dream woven within the Stigmata Space, and only a very small number of people will remain in the entire world."

Durandal said seriously, "Kevin's plan coincides somewhat with Otto's previous idea of pulling back the timeline. Kevin wants to pull the vast majority of humanity into the Stigmata Space, then replace the 'androids' within it to fight the Honkai, leaving only those with superhuman strength to remain in this world—likely the Herrscher and Stigmata Awakener. Otto, on the other hand, wanted to use all humanity outside of Kolosten as the price for resetting time, allowing only those within Kolosten to return to 500 years ago, using their advanced combat power and knowledge to fight the Honkai ..."

Durandal wondered if the big bosses of such massive organizations all liked to do this kind of thing.

"That's true."

Shen Gonglin nodded in agreement. This was what Elysia had told her. This was the final version of the Stigmata Plan. The initial version completed by Raven was to implant Stigmata in everyone, even if only one percent of them were awakened. However, after fifteen versions of refinement, the Stigmata Plan became like this. When Elysia said this, Shen Gonglin could clearly see the disappointment in her eyes. For her, who loved all of humanity, this plan, whether the initial version or the final version, was not what she had hoped for.

Perhaps that's why Kevin, the World Serpent, didn't dare to see Elysia in the Elysian Realm. If he saw Elysia, he probably wouldn't know how to respond to Elysia disappointed gaze.

"If that's the case, then Anti-Entropy and Schicksal should indeed focus their efforts on World Serpent right now. That kind of plan is far too dangerous... I already informed Senior Theresa about the situation before. Some relics suspected to be the work of World Serpent have been discovered on the moon. The possibility of future space warfare cannot be ruled out. Anti-Entropy should have already started modifying the Hyperion, right?"

Durandal touched her lips, brushed the thin, crispy crumbs from her mouth, and then asked about the matter. The battlefield might not be on Earth but on the Moon, so the modification of the Hyperion was urgent, and the Schicksal Headquarters had provided strong support for it.

"Ah... Tesla is very motivated. I even suspect she wants to stay up all night to modify it."

Mentioning this matter, Shen Gonglin's expression became extremely strange. Tesla was indeed full of energy, sending Otto's Soul Steel bodies into the Honkai Furnace one by one. At that time, Tesla's evil smile made Shen Gonglin almost think that she was the real villain. Tesla was working on that task with great enthusiasm, Shen Gonglin didn't want to disturb her.

"... It's conceivable, after all, the former bishop did do many things that no human could do."

Durandal had obviously thought of Tesla's maddened state, but she didn't comment on it. Although everything she had now could be said to be created by Otto, Durandal knew what a contradictory person that guy was. He had hurt many people, so it wasn't a big deal to let Dr. Tesla vent a little.

"Yes, yes, the Ottoman is not exactly a good person. I only agreed to help him fight."

Li Sushang chimed in from the side. During her travels, she had also compiled a list of Otto's deeds over the past five hundred years. To be honest, even Li Sushang was a little speechless. If she put herself in the shoes of those he had hurt, she probably would also want to take revenge on him.

"Ahem... Let's not talk about the former bishop for now. Until we figure out what World Serpent's next move is, Shen Gonglin, you'd better stay quietly by Theresa's side. Don't run around this time, understand?"

Until the World Serpent its next move, all they can do is actively prepare for battle, be ready to respond to its next action at any time.

Chapter 244 Fried Tofu

The only solution is to actively prepare for battle. This feeling of knowing what the other party is secretly doing, but being unable to respond and only being able to passively be on guard is just too awful. What exactly is Kevin planning to do? It's really incomprehensible. The Stigmata Plan... Although I've listened to so much from Elysia, I still can't understand it. Without actually experiencing it, no matter what she says, I seem unable to escape the state of half-understanding.

Sigh, that's why I hate riddle people the most.

On the warship returning to Schicksal Headquarters, Shen Gonglin sighed deeply. She hadn't stayed at the Shenzhou branch for long before Shen Gonglin, along with Li Sushang, Seele, and Durandal, embarked on their journey back to Schicksal Headquarters. According to Durandal, with a great war approaching, she, as the bishop, should stay at headquarters to oversee the overall situation and act as the backbone. However, Shen Gonglin still hadn't figured out Kevin's next move, which was truly exasperating.

"Junior Uncle, you actually sigh? That's rare. Is that Kevin really that powerful? Can I even beat him?"

Li Sushang, who was admiring the scenery outside the window, heard Shen Gonglin sigh and quickly came over. She had a lot of confidence in Shen Gonglin. Her junior uncle could even thwart the Ottoman's conspiracy. But why did he seem so unsure this time? She decided to let her obedient and cute junior nephew help him solve his problem.