Chapter 471

"It's not that he's amazing... Well, he is indeed amazing, after all, he is a hero from Previous Era. Although I have fought with him, that was definitely not his true skill. The main thing is that I can't figure out what he's thinking or what he wants to do. This kind of passive preparation is really a bit uncomfortable."

Shen Gonglin had a sense of impending doom, a feeling that hadn't been felt in a long time. She had fought Kevin more than once, each time ending inconclusively. According to Elysia, the Flame-Chasers possessed a state known as "Human Collapse," a state she had only witnessed with Aponia and Chakravartin. What would Kevin's form be like? And what about the Stigmata Plan, which was already at an unknown stage? This was causing Shen Gonglin, as the leader, considerable distress.

"Junior Uncle, don't worry. There's always a way out. No matter what happens, just make the right decision at the time. Besides, we're super powerful here too. Look, we have Ancestor Chiyuan, Durandal, and me... and those Herrscher girls you mentioned. No matter what happens, we'll be there for you."

Naturally optimistic, Li Sushang remained as insightful as ever, even as Shen Gonglin was somewhat conflicted. Perhaps because the young girl knew the least, she didn't seem interested in listening. This girl only knew that if she needed to fight, she could go up and wreak havoc. She had already fulfilled her promise to fight the Ottoman. Now, Li Sushang was Valkyrie under Shen Gonglin's command, sharing the emperor's burdens and doing whatever her junior uncle asked her to do.

Not to mention that they also have their Ancestor Chiyuan on their side. With the few remaining members of the Taixu Sword School gathered together, what is there to be afraid of?

"Su Sushang, I'm giving you a task. Go to the World Serpent's lair right now and take care of Kevin. Then use the Far East Binding Technique to bring him to me. I want to interrogate him properly to see if people from their era felt uncomfortable speaking without using riddles. I've been thinking about this for a long time."

After speaking with Li Sushang, Shen Gonglin relaxed a bit. Then, with a serious expression, he assigned Li Sushang this task. The sword fairy girl's face immediately fell. She only wanted to comfort her junior uncle, so why did her junior uncle want her to go and die? Even her junior uncle wasn't confident in dealing with the opponent, so how could she possibly succeed?

"Junior Uncle, why go to such lengths? Please keep me here. I eat very little but do a lot. Keeping me by your side will be very useful. Please don't send me to my death."

Li Sushang hugged Shen Gonglin's leg and started sobbing. Seele sat quietly to the side watching. Although she was a young girl, she had a maternal smile on her face. She had wanted to go up and comfort Shen Gonglin earlier, but Sushang beat her to it. Sure enough, everyone was a very capable girl. Seele still had to work harder.

"What are you doing? We're about to return to headquarters... Jingu, are you ready to meet with Sister Purple?"

She walked over from the other side, and the first thing I saw when she came in was Li Sushang, who was hugging Shen Gonglin's leg and pretending to cry. It's true that this is an essential skill for girls. Even Li Sushang has learned it. She looks like a completely different person from the sword fairy girl when she first woke up... But shouldn't you pay a little more attention to the separation between men and women? Although you are niece and uncle, you are still... I guess I'm overthinking it.

The only person I need to be careful of is that silly little sister. Shaking her head, Durandal brought up this matter, and this was also one of the reasons why Shen Gonglin returned to headquarters. Yukari Yakumo is at headquarters right now.

"Preparation... I've got everything ready. It's a specialty of Shenzhou, fried tofu. She should really like it."

Shen Gonglin pointed to the plastic bag next to her. Although she didn't have a deep impression of Shen Gonglin Yukari Yakumo, the thought of her involuntarily reminded her of fried tofu. Perhaps it wasn't a food she liked? But it should still be related to her.

Meanwhile, in the library of the Schicksal Headquarters, a girl with long golden hair was standing in front of the bookshelves, gently flipping through the books in her hands. This area was already considered a forbidden zone, and it should be impossible to read without extremely high privileges. However, this girl, who had just arrived at the Schicksal Headquarters, could come and go freely here. All of this was due to the girl's special identity.

The current bishop's older sister, whose appearance is almost identical to that of Shen Gonglin, reminds everyone who has seen her that no one is foolish enough to stop her. Moreover, her highest access privileges were personally granted by Durandal.

That guy went to extreme lengths to please his sister-in-law. From now on, if anyone says she's old-fashioned, Durandal will stab them with her knight's lance. Since unlocking Schicksal, Yukari Yakumo has been spending a lot of time in this library. For her, who has come to the "New World," this is undoubtedly the most convenient place to obtain information. Unlike some crazy elves who only know how to carry two guns, Yukari Yakumo is undoubtedly a wise woman.

Chapter 245 Completing World Knowledge

So that's how it is. So this is how the world's history unfolded. It's somewhat similar to the world I knew before, but its essence is completely different. The knowledge recorded in the books was analyzed and interpreted by Yukari Yakumo. This Yokai Sage's mind is truly capable. In addition, the information recorded in the Schicksal Library is extremely reliable. These are all things that Otto collected during his tenure, and these can also help Yukari Yakumo understand the essence of the world as soon as possible.

The more she learns, the faster she can improve her abilities as a Yokai Sage. Right now, she's as weak as a chicken that hasn't even been trained for two and a half years. Kiana alone can give her a black eye. If she weren't currently unable to beat Kiana, Yukari Yakumo wouldn't bother maintaining her gentle and elegant older sister persona. She would simply stomp on the table and loudly declare that she's not an older sister but an older sister. Who agrees? Who disagrees?

Well, this older sister isn't the older sister they're thinking of; she's the older sister who's supposed to be serving tea.

Thinking of this, Yukari Yakumo reached out and touched her eye socket, feeling a slight pain. Although the Great Sage was broad-minded, he was still a little petty. She would definitely give Kiana a good thrashing in the eye sometime, but for now, she should try to understand the truth of this world as soon as possible.

The Sage gently raised her hand, and a strange black rift opened between her fingers. Yukari Yakumo placed the book she was holding inside, and another rift opened in front of the bookshelf. Currently, the rift's power had only recovered to this extent, only able to open within a ten-meter radius. This was practically useless to Yukari Yakumo, and her ultimate power hadn't recovered at all. Yukari Yakumo suspected that this was because she hadn't yet understood the truth of this world. Only by knowing the truth could she unleash her full power, and now...

Yukari Yakumo looked up at the enormous bookshelf. Although it contained many books, it didn't seem to fully record the reality of the world, or perhaps there had been a break in the continuity of civilization? The pre-civilization Mu Continent... There was still so much for her to learn.

"Lord Zi? Please rest for a while. I have prepared afternoon tea for you."

She took out another book and started reading. Just then, a soft footstep sounded behind her. Yukari Yakumo stood behind her Rita tea and snacks. It felt nice to be served. Yukari Yakumo closed the book, turned around, and smiled at the maid. Yukari Yakumo was very kind to this maid who respected and took care of her.

Although she's just a pig who's always eyeing her own cabbage.

"Thank you. I'm actually a little hungry, Rita. Let's eat together."

She took the book and walked to the table next to her. Eating and drinking in the library was definitely not allowed, but who could stop Rita without thinking? Besides, both of them loved books, so nothing could possibly go wrong.

Setting the book aside, Yukari Yakumo gently picked up a piece of pastry and put it in her mouth. The delicate texture made the Great Sage show a very satisfied expression. After reading so many books, even Yukari Yakumo felt her head was a little throbbing. Now that she had taken a proper rest, she felt much better.

"This is delicious! It's almost as good as Sakuya's. Rita, you're really amazing. Or are all maids this good?"

Without holding back her praise, Yukari Yakumo gave Rita a thumbs up. This meticulous service was indeed comparable to that of Izayoi. Both this maid and the maid she knew well were very good people.

"I'm glad you're satisfied... Also, is that Miss Sakuya and Lord Rin on good terms?"

After working so hard for so long, all she wanted was this one word of approval. By the way, Rita also wanted to find out some other information. Shen Gonglin had also had a maid before. Rita had already noticed this from the clues in Rita interactions with him. Now, Yukari Yakumo's words confirmed her guess. Knowing that such a person existed, Rita's maid spirit began to burn fiercely.

She was sure she was better than her, after all, she was not only a good cook, but also a servant to Shen Gonglin... No ordinary maid had her level of dedication. Rita felt confident.

"Hmm... Let me think about it. It is indeed very good, but in essence, they are just philanderers. They even team up for that kind of thing, which is shameless. What's more, they didn't even take me with them. They are all heartless bastards."

Speaking of her relationship with Shen Gonglin, Yukari Yakumo couldn't help but exude a low mood. Damn it, those three idiots beat her to the punch! The elf, needless to say, was her mortal enemy; half of Yukari Yakumo's dreams revolved around beating her up. Then there was that shameless shrine maid, and then that maid. These three teamed up and took care of Rin. Although she was furious, what's done is done, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Hmm? Lord Zi... what do you mean by that?"

Listening to Yukari Yakumo muttering to herself, Rita instinctively felt something was wrong. Could that maid be feeling the same way she was? Could she even be considered a proper maid? Rita was utterly ashamed of her.

"Tsk, Rita, you're not an outsider, so I'll just tell you... That maid, she's not a decent person at all. She went and served us in the room. As for what happened, you know without me saying it. Rita, you can't become like that. You have to maintain the professional ethics of a maid."

After hesitating for a moment, Yukari Yakumo started chatting away with Rita. She and Rita had a really good relationship, so she was just talking to Rita about this. She could also plan ahead and reduce the number of younger sisters she had.

What? A maid actually did that before I did?

Upon hearing this, Rita's smile faltered, and the knuckles of her little fingers gripping the teacup turned slightly white. Damn it, she was so angry! She was a maid herself... She thought she was the only one thinking this way, but it turned out other maids had already done it. Rita was utterly defeated.

"Hmm? Rita, what's wrong? Why are you suddenly silent?"

After stabbing him, Yukari Yakumo pretended to comfort him. "That's it. Be angry, be angry, be angry at little Rin. It's best to treat him like a stranger from now on. There's just not enough room at home. One philandering maid is enough. There's no need for another one."

However, Yukari Yakumo's wolfish ambitions were destined to fail. Rita took a deep breath and fully recovered. There was nothing to be afraid of. Rita had the strongest self-confidence.

Chapter 246 Maids Are All Off Their Minds

"It's nothing, I just wanted to admire your efficiency. As expected of Rin-sama's former maid, you've truly embodied the way of a maid. She's Rita's role model, Rita will take her as an example and take good care of Rin-sama. It seems Rita still has a long way to go."

Rita quickly regained her composure and became radiant again. This was no reason for her to back down. She had always thought she was the strongest maid in the world, but she never expected that someone would be even more dedicated to the way of the maid than she was. Indeed, there is no limit to progress. Rita would not admit defeat to that senior she had never met.

"Oh, well... whatever makes you happy."

She thought she could eliminate a potential threat, but now Yukari Yakumo feels that Rita seems to be getting more and more excited. She has nothing to say about this. As expected, maids' minds are not quite right. So she is not a maid, but Shen Gonglin's older sister. Before she recovers her full strength, she will have to hold on to the title of "older sister" for a while. If she exposes her wolfish ambitions, these girls will probably not give her a good ending.

If it were Shen Gonglin- neechan, they would have to respect her now. But if her identity made her an opponent to fight alongside them, then Yukari Yakumo would be an enemy of the whole world. She was a wise woman; only that stupid elf could do something like that.

For now, Yukari Yakumo had nothing to say about Rita's decision. Holding a cookie in one hand and flipping through the books on the table with the other, she decided to continue learning about this world. The more she learned, the sooner her abilities would recover. Once she was fully recovered, she would be fearless.

"Lord Zi, you seem to really enjoy reading. I mean, paper books... These days, very few people read this way anymore."

Setting down her teacup, Rita smiled and squinted at Yukari Yakumo. She had to admit, Shen Gonglin's older sister was truly elegant. Her current demeanor reminded Rita of medieval noble ladies; this innate grace and composure was something the maid greatly admired. This wouldn't happen with Rin herself; he would definitely complain that the tea was too hot and ask her to cool it down before drinking it all in one gulp, let alone sit there peacefully reading a book like this.

"Really? I just think this makes the process of acquiring knowledge more ceremonial. After all, with one less medium, the possibility of errors is reduced. Rita, even so, there are still some discrepancies in what is recorded here. We need more supporting information to determine which is closer to the truth. Rita, thank you for coming to read with me."

Yukari Yakumo had considered using a computer or other methods to look up information, but that would be too hard on her eyes. Her Yukari Yakumo wasn't around, and she didn't like having to do it herself. Besides, she genuinely preferred this way of reading. In the largest library in Schicksal, she could learn a lot of things, and all of this convenience was provided to her by Rita. Of course, Yukari Yakumo didn't think that just anyone could casually browse through these materials.

"It's just some information. Lady Zi can look into it anytime she wants. If I'm not here, you can go to Amber. She will also give you the highest level of access... Hmm? Lady Zi, it seems your reading plan for today will have to come to an end. Lady Durandal, they're back."

As they were talking, Rita's phone on the table suddenly lit up. The maid smiled as soon as she saw it. The message said that Durandal and Shen Gonglin had arrived in the airspace Schicksal Headquarters. Rita was a little annoyed at this. She wondered when Durandal had become so scheming. She hadn't told her that she was going to pick up Shen Gonglin without telling her, and only informed her after they had set off. Humph, wasn't it just so that she could see Shen Gonglin before her?

Even the once -Durandal has become like this.

"Oh? Then it seems we should go and greet them. They haven't been home for so long; this isn't something that can be excused by amnesia."

Upon hearing this, Yukari Yakumo closed her book and stood up. She was finally going to see Shen Gonglin. It was a pity that she couldn't reveal too much emotion, otherwise they would definitely become suspicious. Her current identity was that of a simple older sister. She needed to restrain herself.

Suppressing her urge to drink a bowl of Rin's soup on the spot, Yukari Yakumo smiled and followed Rita out of the library. Although she couldn't reveal her wolfish ambitions, as the older sister, it wasn't a big deal for her to have a little close contact with her brother whom she hadn't seen for a long time.

"Schicksal, I'm back!"

Durandal's flagship landed, and only then did Shen Gonglin dare to stand up from her seat. Looking at the newly rebuilt headquarters, Shen Gonglin stepped out of the spaceship. It seemed that under the leadership of Durandal and Rita, Schicksal was turning around quite well. She remembered that Little Herrscher of Consciousness had caused a great disturbance in the headquarters before, and Schicksal was severely damaged at that time. But now, there was not a trace of damage to be found. She didn't care before because this was Otto's base, but now it was different. Now this was her own property, so of course Shen Gonglin would care.

"Because of the urgency, I didn't notify the Valkyrie at headquarters to welcome them. After all, you don't like that kind of scene, do you? But I did notify some of them... Look, they've arrived."

Standing next to Shen Gonglin, Durandal gestured with her lip. Two girls approaching from a distance came into Shen Gonglin's view. Rita remained half a step behind, maintaining the humility of a maid, while the girl in front quickened her pace upon seeing Shen Gonglin. In the end, the girl even lifted her skirt and ran over. With long, wavy golden hair, deep purple eyes, and a beautiful face that made it impossible to guess her exact age, and with her figure accentuated even more as she ran, who else could it be but Yukari Yakumo?

[Tsk, on this day, an uninvited guest appeared at the Schicksal Headquarters: Yukari Yakumo, the cancer of the world. From this day forward, humanity's enemy changed from the Honkai to the Youkai. One day, humanity will surely defeat the Youkai.]

The moment Yukari Yakumo appeared, Kurumi started muttering to herself in Shen Gonglin's mind. She had always been at odds with this Yokai Sage, so now that she saw her, the elf girl shouldn't expect any pleasantries.

Chapter 247 My Sister

Before she could say anything to the elven girl who was muttering to herself, that sweet figure had already rushed into Shen Gonglin's arms. Yukari Yakumo hugged Shen Gonglin. This time was different from the previous times. This time she had really come to this world and finally found him. If she found him, everything would be fine. It wouldn't be like before, where she could only see him once before being sent back by this world.

"Rin, it's been so long, I've missed you so much."

She openly expressed her feelings, because in the eyes of these silly deer, her current state was just a slight emotional outburst after reuniting with her brother after a long separation. Yukari Yakumo was very good at using her identity; if she didn't do something using her status as the older sister, she wouldn't be herself. Didn't you see Durandal already showing a maternal smile? Yukari Yakumo was sure that if she weren't the older sister but something else, they definitely wouldn't have this expression.

"Ah... I miss you too."

Having dealt with Yukari Yakumo than once or twice, and knowing that she would transform into her likeness if she used her realm or gap power, Shen Gonglin didn't doubt what she said about the relationship between the two of them. However, Shen Gonglin still didn't really feel it and couldn't remember anything about her, but it was probably true that she was her older sister.

"Really? How much do you want to? Let me feel it."

Slightly loosening her grip on Shen Gonglin, Yukari Yakumo pressed her head against Shen Gonglin's chest, listening intently as if she could actually hear something. This intimate gesture left Li Sushang and Seele, who were following behind Shen Gonglin, speechless. They knew that their junior uncle had good relationships with many girls, but to be so intimate with him in front of everyone like this, whose subordinate was this, and how could she be so brave?

"Hey, Durandal, aren't you going to say anything while you're watching them like this? I remember you're also Valkyrie Disciplinary Committee member, aren't you?"

Feeling inexplicably uneasy, Li Sushang didn't know what to do, so she quietly went to Durandal's side to try and persuade her to do something. As a disciplinary committee member of the Valkyrie Squad, she should be able to handle this kind of thing, right?

"What does this have to do with the prevailing social atmosphere? What's there to say? Sister Purple and the Divine Palace haven't seen each other for so long, what's wrong with them getting a little closer?"

Durandal glanced at Li Sushang with a puzzled look. What was this girl thinking? What a touching scene of siblings reuniting! She still wanted to leave a good impression on Yukari Yakumo, so how could she possibly step forward to stop it?

"Huh? Siblings? I never knew Junior Uncle had an older sister. Is this sister... proper?"

Li Sushang was particularly surprised by Yukari Yakumo's identity—her junior uncle's older sister. How should she address her?... Well, she'd just call her Sister Purple like Durandal and the others. Putting that aside for now, Li Sushang had never heard of Shen Gonglin having an older sister. Was this sister proper or not? The girl with a clear sword mind instinctively felt something was off. Although she didn't have any brothers or sisters, this kind of contact just felt a bit strange.

"What are you talking about? Of course it's serious. Didn't you see how much Sister Purple and Shen Gonglin look alike? If Jingu's hair were a little longer, she would look exactly like Sister Purple. What's so inappropriate about it, Sushang? You're overthinking it."

Durandal didn't see anything wrong with it. Mimicking how Shen Gonglin addressed Li Sushang, Durandal patted her shoulder. She didn't know what Li Sushang had to worry about. They weren't worried, so why was she, a junior disciple, so concerned?

"Hiss... You'd better not call me that anymore. It gives me goosebumps."

Sushang? Li Sushang had never felt anything wrong with this form of address before; in fact, she liked it when close people called her that. But after Shen Gonglin started calling her that, Li Sushang felt uncomfortable being called that by others. From now on, she would reserve this title for her junior uncle.

"Alright, Sister Purple, be serious, there are still so many people here... Rita, it's been a long time."

Rin Shen Gonglin felt there was some distance between them at first, but after Yukari Yakumo came over, she found that the two got along surprisingly well. Although she still couldn't remember the past, the instinct for closeness remained unchanged. This seemingly dignified and elegant Yukari Yakumo seemed to become a useless person after she pounced on him. Her adorable and silly appearance made Rita behind her unable to bear to look at her. Was this still the intellectual girl who was seriously reading in the library?

Slightly pushing Yukari Yakumo aside, Shen Gonglin greeted Rita, who was standing quietly behind her. This maid was very considerate; she didn't disturb Yukari Yakumo and Shen Gonglin's reunion, but simply stood obediently behind them.

"It has indeed been a long time, Lord Rin. I am relieved to see that you are still as lively as ever."

With a benchmark in mind, Rita raised her standards for herself once again. The maid bowed meticulously to Shen Gonglin, determined not to fall behind Shen Gonglin in any aspect. She admitted that she had been somewhat lax lately, cleaning four times a day, but recently she had only cleaned three times. She couldn't continue like this and had to hold herself to the highest standards.

"What are you saying? Why don't you just say that I've grown taller in all this time, Rita? That's not something a subordinate should say to their superior."

Releasing Yukari Yakumo, Shen Gonglin stepped forward and looked at Rita. What did she mean by "still lively"? Rita felt like she was dealing with a naughty child. She needed to understand that she was now the Bishop of Schicksal, and Rita was just a small Valkyrie under her command.

"I'm so sorry, but Rita really didn't notice any change in your height, Rin-sama. I remember your body measurements very clearly, and... you really didn't grow any taller, not even by a centimeter."

Rita was actually still holding back her anger. After learning from Yukari Yakumo what the other maid had done to Shen Gonglin, she was furious. Before, she had restrained herself due to her professional ethics as a maid, but after seeing Shen Gonglin, the girl couldn't hold back anymore, so she wanted to provoke Shen Gonglin. The maid took a step forward and was almost touching Shen Gonglin. After comparing her height with Shen Gonglin, the maid made such a hurtful remark.

There really hasn't changed at all.

Chapter 248 The Operation of Schicksal

"... You'll have no friends if you talk like that."

Shen Gonglin was speechless. She had never realized Rita was so lacking in emotional intelligence. Wasn't this girl always the kind of person who was very considerate in dealing with people? Why did she suddenly become so hurtful? Where did her obedient, cute maid who used to praise her go? Who is this sharp-tongued girl? Give her back her cute maid!

"You don't need to worry about that, Lady Rin. Rita's social skills are actually quite good. If you don't believe me, you can ask Durandal. Rita's social skills are definitely much better than the Bishop's."

Her smile remained unchanged, and her words of hurtful words were spoken without any attempt to conceal her true feelings. Who said that maids had to be submissive? Rita was going to speak out if she was unhappy. She had worked hard and diligently for so long, so what was wrong with venting a little?

Shen Gonglin was speechless. When it came to social issues, she was no match for Rita. Shen Gonglin only had good relationships with those girls, but social life was obviously not limited to that. If it came to friends, Rita was definitely much better than Shen Gonglin. But even if you're better, you can't flaunt it in my face. Not knowing why this maid was so aggressive today, Shen Gonglin could only reach out and tug at Durandal's sleeve for help. Who knew what was wrong with Rita today?

Is it possessed by a honey badger?

Durandal was initially watching the spectacle with great interest, as she rarely saw Rita in this state. Since it wasn't Rita who was being targeted, she coughed twice to help Shen Gonglin after seeing his pleading look. Who knew what Shen Gonglin had done to offend Rita again? But she didn't care about such things, as long as it didn't affect her.

"Alright, let's go to headquarters first. There's no point in staying at the airport. Besides, when the bishop returns to headquarters, he'll have to meet with the higher-ups... who are some of the higher-ups from the three major families. Don't worry, they'll be easy to handle. We've got you covered."

Rita subtly changed the subject, and then she became more composed. Indeed, this was the most important matter at the moment, and the maid resumed her usual elegant demeanor.

"Indeed, this is the first time the bishop has met with the higher-ups... There's no need to be too reserved. We have completely taken control of the Valkyrie forces. The Schariac family has Miss Anna as an inside agent. As for the Apocalypse family, you can just say that everything is the will of the Theresa family head. As for the Kaslana family ... there's nothing to worry about."

The maid explained to Shen Gonglin, point by point, how to meet with those high-ranking officials. In short, there was no way. If they were given face, they were considered high-ranking; if not, they were nothing. Schicksal was already facing restructuring, but because it was wartime, drastic changes might have consequences, so the status quo was being maintained. However, the Valkyrie Force, as a pillar, was firmly in the hands of Shen Gonglin and her group. This was a direct confrontation, and they couldn't possibly lose. Shen Gonglin could do whatever she wanted.

"Rita, you... well, that's true. There's no need to be too restrained. Even bishops need to show their strength."

Durandal felt utterly helpless about Rita's attitude, but it was indeed the case. There was no reason to back down; she could have been more assertive. The previous bishop was not the kind of weakling who could be manipulated by the higher-ups, and the new bishop should be just as capable.

"Alright, then let me go meet those guys. I'm ready."

"Shen Gonglin said excitedly, and then the group walked out of the airport. Yukari Yakumo stood next to Shen Gonglin. There are too many people now, so it's not easy to operate. Wait until night, when there are no people, then it will be her time to shine."