Chapter 497

Prometheus's words were blunt, which made Kiana somewhat indignant. Even without the complete Herrscher Authority, she could still annihilate the enemy army. How could she know if she didn't try?

Seeing Kiana's meaning, Prometheus reassured her, "Don't be too impatient. As long as we are well-prepared, there won't be any truly insurmountable problems. Moderate pessimism is a form of foresight; it's the first piece of common sense Dr. Mei instilled in me, and it's very effective. Based on this common sense, it's more prudent for me to lead your current mission. Any objections?"

His words were reasonable and well-founded. Indeed, a moderate degree of pessimism is very farsighted, as it allows one to fully assess the problems. Prometheus volunteered to take charge, because Prometheus felt that if he didn't intervene, things would go very wrong.

"... How are Mei and Bronya feeling?"

After a brief consideration of her own situation, Kiana realized that she was not suited to be a commander. As for Shen Gonglin, she hadn't even considered it. Now it was up to Mei and Bronya to decide. Letting this Prometheus take command shouldn't be a problem.

"We came here to solve a problem. In that case, it's only natural for us to follow the host's lead."

Mei also agreed with the suggestion. Given the lack of information, following Prometheus's command was obviously a good choice. In addition, Mei had a natural trust in Dr. Mei because of her past experiences in the Elysian Realm. Therefore, she thought there was no problem in handing over command to Prometheus, and that they would not have any bad intentions.

"Very good. So, you who possess the Herrscher Authority of the Void, I will later teach you in detail how to activate the Tree of Void Divine Remnant and bring it back to life. Just like repairing that broken bridge, you need to restore it to its complete form in the space we are in. However... there is still a step further. You also need to learn how to use the reconstruction technique to preserve the connection we are talking about and use it to achieve your goal... Sigh."

Tasks were being assigned, and Kiana had a lot to take care of. Fortunately, she wasn't the only Herrscher of the Void here; Shen Gonglin also possessed the powers of the Herrscher of the Void. Whether it was powers or Great Void Sword Qi, Shen Gonglin could provide powerful support. However, Prometheus still sighed softly at the thought of her saying so much. Explaining things was really troublesome.

"What's wrong?"

Listening intently to her plan, Mei suddenly stopped and asked a question, feeling that the plan was quite clear.

"It's alright, it's just that explaining it all at once would be too verbose. Let's get started. We can explain as we go, which will make it easier for you to understand."

The mechanical girl reached out and pressed her temples. This action, so similar to that of a human, helped her relax a little. Seeing her like this, Kiana felt a little sorry for her. It was as if she had just given a high-intensity lecture, and... as if the struggling student hadn't fully understood it.

"Um... is everything alright?"

"No problem."

The mechanical girl suddenly pulled out two slips of paper. Compared to verbal explanations, written explanations were much easier. She quickly drew diagrams on them at a speed almost imperceptible to the human eye, and then filled in various numbers, making the explanation much easier.

"Kiana and Shen Gonglin, go to the central hall to wait and familiarize yourselves with your targets. Mei and Bronya, run errands and help me verify that some necessary beacons are still functioning properly. Afterwards, I'll bring Dr. Mei to you. If there are any problems, please use your Herrscher of Consciousness channel to communicate with me. Dr. Mei will add me to it. That's all, dismissed."

After saying all that in one breath, Prometheus handed them the note she had just written and quickly turned and left. She felt that she would be overwhelmed if she continued to explain. She just needed to give the instructions; explaining too much was a waste of electricity, and she was really too lazy to talk anymore.

"Huh? Wait, I still have... What happened to her?"

Watching the mechanical girl disappear quickly, Kiana was a little confused. Why did she suddenly leave in such a hurry? There were still so many things she didn't understand. Who could she ask now?

"Who knows? Maybe she just got tired suddenly."

Bronya felt she could understand Prometheus's feelings; she was probably truly exhausted.

"Do robots... get tired too?"

Mei raised this question. If robots could get tired, it would be a surprising discovery for her. Mei had always thought that robots could work efficiently indefinitely, like Klein, or like Ai-chan from Hyperion.

I think I've heard that Mobius inputted overtime as a fundamental setting into Klein.

"The Heavy-duty Rabbit. But... let's take a look at the note she left behind first."

Suddenly, some surprising information was revealed: Heavy-duty Rabbit actually felt tired? Before Shen Gonglin and the others could ask for details, Bronya unfolded the note left by Prometheus. The text was quite detailed, and the things to do next were clearly written on the note.

"It seems she's tired of verbal communication itself. Apparently, Dr. Tesla was like that for a time too."

Kiana gave the most correct answer: Prometheus was indeed tired of verbal communication, as explaining things would be too troublesome. It was better to leave a note and let them interpret it however they wanted, thus avoiding the need for detailed explanations. It was truly the best solution.

"Dr. Tesla... well, it's not hard to imagine. However, since Prometheus has already left on her own, it seems pointless for us to stand here and analyze her personality."

Imagining Dr. Tesla in her mind, Mei was surprised to find that she didn't hesitate at all when she put herself in that situation. If it were her, she would definitely be able to do the same. Before leaving Anti-Entropy, Mei had always been with Tesla, so Mei was very familiar with that Dr. Lobster Head. If it were her, she would definitely be able to do the same.

Chapter 348 Deception

Analyzing other people's personalities behind their backs doesn't seem like a good habit, so the girls quickly ended the topic. Their immediate priority was to follow Prometheus's plan, since they didn't have any other options at the moment.

"That's settled then. As Prometheus instructed, Shen Gonglin and I will head to the Central District to await orders. Mei and Bronya can run errands for Prometheus for now. If any problems arise, contact us using the Herrscher of Consciousness's channel."

Kiana prepared to execute the plan with a serious expression. Bronya and Mei had no objections, although they were still a little unsure. But taking it one step at a time was the most appropriate approach. Shen Gonglin hadn't listened to a word. To put it nicely, he fully trusted these girls and thought they would handle it without any problems. To put it bluntly, Shen Gonglin hadn't put any thought into these matters at all. Whatever, he was sure he could win no matter what.

Although it was somewhat slow, Shen Gonglin could clearly sense that her Herrscher Authority were recovering. If it weren't for the fact that she was so unfamiliar with the power of the gaps and realms, Shen Gonglin could have used the power of the Yokai Sage of the Youkai to bring them back. But in the current situation, it was clearly not time for Shen Gonglin to use her last trump card.

The girls made their decision, and Shen Gonglin followed Kiana to the Central District, where they were to prepare to fight the Tree of Void Remnant. After defeating it, they would use its connection to return to their Intrinsic World... That's the plan, right? But why does Shen Gonglin feel like this doesn't quite make sense?

"Shen Gonglin? What are you thinking about?"

Even while traveling, Kiana sensed that Shen Gonglin's mood seemed a bit off. He had been biting his fingernails since earlier, perhaps without even realizing it himself. He unconsciously did this when he was thinking. Shen Gonglin Kiana, unable to bear it any longer, reached out and pulled his hand away. The girl carefully wiped his hand clean with a tissue. As expected, a battle was imminent, and Shen Gonglin's current state was not good.

"I'm thinking... I don't doubt that this method could allow us to return to the real moon and meet Durandal and the others, but I feel that what Dr. Mei said about reconnecting this World Bubble with the Tree of Illusions to continue its existence is a bit inappropriate... Tsk, I should have listened more carefully back then."

Shen Gonglin scratched his head in frustration. His intuition told him something was wrong, but he couldn't explain it in detail. After all, he didn't have the head of a staff officer.

"Alright, don't overthink it. There's a saying that goes, 'Things will work themselves out'... Don't think about it so much."

Kiana gently patted Shen Gonglin's head. She must be under too much pressure lately, even Shen Gonglin, with her strong personality, was having a headache. Thinking about it was useless; she should focus on the present. The central district should be just ahead. Kiana could see the floating debris from here. Was this the Tree of Void Divine Remnant that Prometheus had mentioned before?

Kiana's judgment is now vastly different from before, but she hasn't yet realized that what Shen Gonglin just said does indeed contain some intriguing points. Furthermore, because of Prometheus's cautious approach to work, she might very well have let go of the perhaps insignificant truth behind those doubts.

Fortunately, Kiana had already made full use of her powers when she tried to repair the broken bridge, and with Shen Gonglin's restored powers, these things were enough to give some patient observers an opportunity to follow that fleeting connection, penetrate the edge of the world, and send their voices here.

[Shen Gonglin? Or Kiana... Is that you? Kiana? Shen Gonglin? Can you hear me?]

Suddenly, such a voice rang out, Shen Gonglin looked up in astonishment. This voice... was Durandal? She had almost forgotten about her. She had been traveling with her before, and then she was attracted by Little Herrscher of Consciousness's voice and entered the Sea of Quantum. After seeing Kiana, she forgot about Durandal. She never expected that she could contact her now.

Having caught that tiny signal, Shen Gonglin amplified the connection using her still-recovering Herrscher Authority. This was based on the same principle as the Herrscher of Consciousness communication channel that Little Herrscher of Consciousness had established before. Using the Herrscher of Herrscher of the Void powers, she really should let Durandal know that she was safe.

Meanwhile, after Prometheus crossed the broken bridge that Kiana had repaired, she saw Dr. Mei gazing quietly into the distance. The mechanical girl floated over quietly, and Dr. Mei was not surprised by her appearance.

"It seems they've found you... Subject Seventeen. But since you were able to come, has the situation progressed to the point where you no longer need to personally oversee things?"

Turning her gaze away from the distance, Dr. Mei looked at the girl who was quietly standing beside her. She and the girl had been working together for a long time, and it was quite gratifying to see her again.

"That's not the case, but all things considered, it's necessary to come back here once. There are some things I can't explain with knowledge alone. Or... you could also understand it as what humans call being disturbed."

The mechanical girl slowly shook her head, and what she said surprised even Dr. Mei. Disturbed? Even Prometheus felt this way? This is truly a cause for celebration.

"Oh? Is it because something unusual has happened to the remains of the Finality Device?"

Dr. Mei asked curiously, "This is the first possibility that came to mind Dr. Mei Prometheus to have such a feeling."

"No, although the suppression equipment used to control the Honkai energy was shut down for a period of time, there are actually no problems with that. What I can't understand is... Doctor, why did you deceive those children?"

Prometheus said in a deep voice that she had come here not for any other reason than to ask Dr. Mei why she had done such a thing. Deception was, after all, a bad thing.

"I know it's a white lie, but... if we let them become the basis for your betrayal of the world without their knowledge, it doesn't seem like a glorious thing to do."

Prometheus watched Dr. Mei silently, unable to understand her behavior.

Chapter 349 Comrades-in-Arms for Fifty Thousand Years

She imagined Prometheus would tell her this, but her way of saying it...

"This accusation is far too severe. As you know, since this World Bubble was activated, its collapse has been an irreversible process. Rather than betrayal, wouldn't it be more accurate to say it's conforming?"

After correcting Prometheus's statement, Dr. Mei realized that she was not a demon, and that the idea of betraying the world was too childish and only suited Kevin, not herself. She believed that her actions were more accurately described as conforming to the prevailing sentiment.

"I understand, just like...everyone dies eventually. But Dr. Mei ...the inevitable death in forty days is different from today's deliberate attempt to die...it's still different."

Floating in the air, Prometheus said this with his arms crossed. Dr. Mei was speechless at the mechanical girl's words. The young doctor looked into the distance, her purple eyes hidden behind her glasses gazing at the universe. To Dr. Mei, the choice between living forty more days and dying now was not difficult.

This must be the place Su mentioned earlier; he should be here.

On the moon, in a desolate place, Fu Hua was slowly walking through ruins. The girl, dressed in white, looked like a celestial being descended to earth. Compared to the deep mountains that were even more beautiful than the real Mount Tai Xu, this desolate land in front of her was incomparable. However, Fu Hua still came here resolutely, as if to bid farewell to her former comrade-in-arms. If nothing unexpected happened, she and he probably wouldn't have many more opportunities to meet.

In Fu Hua's line of sight, a man's back appeared in her eyes, a blazing greatsword stuck beside him. The man was just sitting there quietly, yet he gave off a feeling that could not be ignored under any circumstances.

Or perhaps, this is the kind of grandeur a savior should have? Fu Hua looked at the greatsword beside him; the power that could once sweep the world away like dust was now prostrate at his feet, submissive and obedient. However, aside from this power, he should probably be considered nothing now.

Fu Hua sighed inwardly. After all, he wasn't like her; she already had a place to belong.

The girl stood quietly beside Kevin. Kevin noticed Fu Hua's footsteps, but neither of them spoke. In the silence, Kevin spoke first with a soft sigh.

"So you knew I was here, Hua."

Without turning back, Kevin simply looked ahead. Although he was looking at what was in front of him, what appeared in Kevin's eyes was the existence from thousands of years ago. Mourning must be something like this.

"Su told me unintentionally that it was more than two thousand years ago. When we were each fulfilling our mission as pioneers, you accidentally missed one of the meetings. Su told me that every year on this day, no matter how important other things are, no matter what burden the emergency use of the Second Divine Key would place on your body, you would come to this place on the moon alone."

Fu Hua slowly said that this was information she had obtained from another friend. No matter what happened, Kevin would come here on this day to gaze at the remnants of the Herrscher of Finality and spend the whole day there.

"That was a promise, and I must keep it. But... Hua, you didn't have to come; it was unnecessary. As you just saw, during the Stigmata Plan, the World Serpent prepared a resting place especially for you. Just stay there quietly and wait for the Stigmata Plan to be completed."

Kevin still couldn't face her former comrade-in-arms in this way. Her presence here proved that the two were ultimately on opposite sides.

"That is indeed a Mount Tai Xu that is even more beautiful than the real one. But... Kevin, you should also know that I am not actually interested in a secluded life now. It's just a habit from the past, nothing more."

Speaking of this, Fu Hua thought of Shen Gonglin. Given his habits, he would never want to live a secluded life. That guy likes a lively and bustling life. A secluded life like Mount Tai Xu is fine for occasional vacations, but if Shen Gonglin were to actually live there, it would probably be more unbearable than killing him. So, of course, Fu Hua had to follow him. They couldn't be separated, could they?

Unaware of Fu Hua's thoughts, Kevin gazed ahead and slowly spoke.

"In any case... if possible, I don't want to fight you."

"Do you think I'm going to stop you? Like... Sue did before?"

The two comrades from 50,000 years ago were exchanging this conversation. The former comrades now stood on opposite sides. Although they understood each other, they could not agree. This was not something that could be persuaded by words, and both of them were very clear about this.

Upon hearing another friend's name, the man's almost icy breath caught in his throat, but he offered no further response. If this young woman hadn't been a former comrade-in-arms, Kevin might have already assumed she was launching a psychological offensive.

But... the two standing here are the only remaining humans in the world who have transcended two eras, possessing the longest lifespans and the most distant memories. Yet, apart from the desolation before them, they have been unable to retain anything, at least in Kevin's view.

"Hua, the Elysian Realm no longer exists."

Kevin suddenly brought this up. The Elysian Realm? Fu Hua pondered quietly for a moment. Shen Gonglin had mentioned this, but she herself...

"It seems I've forgotten some things that were very important to our past."

Otto's treatment has restored Fu Hua to her full strength, but she hasn't fully recovered some of her memories. The feathers scattered around the world carry many of her memories. Unlike Little Herrscher of Consciousness Fu Hua, who remembers everything, Fu Hua hasn't found the feathers that carry those memories, so she can't recall those forgotten things.

The man gently shook his head, seemingly unsure of what he was about to say, "It doesn't matter. It really doesn't matter to you anymore."

The man's expression remained unchanged, revealing no emotion. He looked at the ruins before him and sighed.

"Look, this is the most ordinary scenery in the universe."

Chapter 350 The Tomb Seeker

The most ordinary scenery?

Fu Hua looked up into the distance, but no matter how hard she tried, all she could see was desolation and death, barren and lifeless, like a tomb. Was this what Kevin was trying to express? Fu Hua didn't speak, and Kevin remained silent as well. It was as if he could sit quietly like this all day long as she didn't say a word. But today, Fu Hua wasn't here to reminisce about the past with him.

"Although it is indeed a bit too harsh to think that way... but Kevin, in your opinion, people of this generation, even if they belong to the same species as us, are not your kind."

With a sigh, Fu Hua spoke the words that had been weighing on her heart. Perhaps in Kevin's eyes, the people of this era were merely "lower beings" who carried out his promise, and it didn't matter how they were treated. As long as they firmly carried out what they wanted, they didn't need to think about other beings.

As she spoke, Fu Hua thought of many creatures that had gradually become extinct over time, like a strange and precious fish. The world was indeed still vibrant, but nothing would ever understand its language again. Loneliness was inescapable, like the eternal, unyielding ice.

Just like Kevin.

After a long while, Kevin spoke again.

"No, Hua. It's not hard to see them as one of our own... The real difficulty is letting go."

Kevin said this, but Fu Hua wasn't wrong. Kevin's attitude now was the same as Dr. Mei's when they were working, treating everything in the world as an objective object, which indeed had nothing to do with the so-called sense of belonging.

"I understand that, which is why I came here."

Knowing how unwavering her will to fight was, Fu Hua understood that he must also know how unshakeable her decision was. That's why she came here to fulfill her responsibility. Fu Hua came here not only for herself, but for many other reasons.

"For them?"

"No, it's for you too. Right now, at least in my opinion, you need someone like you who can understand your language. Even if you don't say anything, even if... you're at odds, even if..."

Before she could finish speaking, Kevin stopped her from continuing. Everything was understood without words. After all, the two of them were the only survivors of that previous Previous Era. For former comrades, there was no need to be so explicit about the defeat.

"Hmm... Kevin, do you still hate yourself like you used to?"

Kevin didn't answer, because he himself didn't know the answer. After fifty thousand years, Hua might no longer be the same person he once was, but Kevin was still Kevin. His last comrade-in-arms had long since merged into a new era. The evidence of that once-rooted, glorious civilization, its very existence, was now reduced to this epitaph named Kevin.

The two warriors from the Previous Era, Kevin and Fu Hua, gazed simultaneously at the dark sky. Those names that had vanished, whether she remembered them or he forgot them, were all irretrievable.

Of course, nothing can be undone.

Many years later, when the girls have long since passed away, my songs of youth will still remain. But you may take all my songs; I only need one living girl to come to me.

Kevin and Fu Hua inexplicably recalled a passage from a singer they once knew, which, in the distant past, had precisely defined their current feelings.

"Since seeing me will inevitably remind you of those who have passed away, then... why don't we talk about your last dream? Now, Kevin, you have indeed done it. Even if the end of the Honkai is a different kind of end, at least for you, through your own hands, humanity is about to defeat the Honkai."

He spoke of his original purpose for coming here, and upon hearing Fu Hua's words, Kevin chuckled and seemed about to say something, but then shook his head and shut his mouth. This behavior reminded Fu Hua of another former comrade-in-arms; how had he become like this too?