Chapter 510

"Ahem, you all don't know? Then let me explain."

Seeing that everyone didn't quite understand, Li Sushang explained, "I don't know if Shen Gonglin is mistaken, but it seems like this girl has slightly puffed out her chest. This action makes her already very good figure even more prominent. Finally, it's my turn to shine! I have to let my junior uncle understand that I am also a smart girl, not just a reckless fool."

"The way of Heaven is Yin and Yang; the way of Earth is softness and hardness; the way of Humanity is benevolence and righteousness. This means that two different forces must interact and contend with each other in order to establish the existence of all things."

Li Sushang couldn't explain scientific matters clearly, since she didn't understand them very well herself. However, she had seen a saying somewhere that the end of science is metaphysics. So, she thought she could explain it using Daoism, right? Li Sushang felt that the current situation was similar to what she had thought, so it should be correct. She thought that what she said would make them think she was very cultured.

"Two different forces... Hmm, that's an interesting idea."

Inspired by Li Sushang, Durandal nodded, resting her chin on her hand. It has to be said that having more people does have its advantages. Li Sushang's casual remark made Durandal realize that as a well-rounded warrior, she was not only accomplished in terms of strength.

"What's wrong? Did you think of something?"

Kiana quickly pressed for details. In this unclear situation, having Durandal by her side did indeed give her a sense of security; she seemed to be a natural problem solver.

"Hmm, I did think of something. If two completely different forces intertwine, they might achieve a new and wondrous balance. Like... no, nothing. What Sushang just said made me think of something. At the very least, we should examine whether there is such a yin-yang-like relationship between the Herrscher and the Stigmata Awakener."

Thinking of a certain situation, Durandal suddenly stopped talking. Now was not the time to talk about such things. She had finally found a way out and should solve the current predicament first.

"You mean... the very composition of our team has led to our current predicament in the labyrinth?"

Both are quick-witted girls. Mei also figured out what Durandal was trying to express: two completely different powers intertwined, which is why the current situation has been formed. And those completely different powers, is Durandal referring to the Herrscher and the Stigmata Awakener?

I, Kiana, and Bronya are Herrscher, while Li Sushang and Durandal are Stigmata Awakener. Shen Gonglin possesses both powers. Is this the situation that has led to their current predicament, where they are unable to save themselves?

"It's just a guess. But at least it's cheap to verify, right, Bronya?"

While she wasn't sure if her views were correct, at least it was a direction she was heading in. She shared her ideas with Bronya, the team's strategist, Durandal believed she understood exactly what she wanted to do. Although she had previously said that they should try to keep their forces focused and not scattered, it seemed that they would have to split up a bit now.

"Indeed. If we split up appropriately, it should be easy to verify whether this hypothesis holds true. So, shall we give it a try?"

Bronya naturally agreed with Durandal's suggestion. The only problem now was the grouping. Logically, grouping Herrscher and Stigmata Awakener should be simple, but... everyone's eyes were on Shen Gonglin. Should this guy be considered Herrscher or Stigmata Awakener? He did have the powers of Herrscher, and even multiple Herrscher abilities, but he was also Stigmata Awakener. The Stigmata on his back was left by the Time Spirit, so even Shen Gonglin himself couldn't tell whether he was Herrscher or Stigmata Awakener.

"How about this, let's try it out first. Junior Uncle, myself, and Durandal will be one team, and the three of you will be another team. We'll each advance a short distance in two different directions. If that doesn't work, then Junior Uncle can join your team?"

Li Sushang scratched her head and made this suggestion, which was unanimously agreed upon. Why not just give it a try? Mei opened her mouth as if to say something. She wanted to be on the same team as Shen Gonglin, but she didn't have a legitimate reason right now. So the girl could only raise a practical question: if they were to split up, how would they contact each other?

What if we had Shen Gonglin create a chat channel, like the Herrscher of Consciousness did before? That sounds like a feasible solution, but wouldn't using Herrscher Authority affect the situation of the two completely different powers intertwining that they just mentioned?

After much thought, Mei decided it would be better to use the power of the Herrscher of Thunder to summon them directly, since the sound of thunder and lightning would be quite distinctive.

"Raiden Mei, that is indeed a solution. But... Kiana, take this with you."

Durandal took out Gnius and handed it to Kiana. Of course, the older sister had to take care of her younger sister. Although Raiden Mei's method was feasible, she still wanted to give her sister an extra layer of insurance.

"This is... the Gnius we used in Kolosten?"

This isn't the first time I've seen something Durandal hand me; it can indeed be used as a communicator.

"Yes. In most cases, we only need her to determine our location. Plus, with Raiden Mei's methods... well, there shouldn't be any problems... Shen Gonglin, what are you doing?"

Durandal was relieved after handing Gnius over to Kiana, while Shen Gonglin lifted Durandal's waist armor with great curiosity. The girl quickly covered her chainmail and glared at Shen Gonglin. What was he doing? Couldn't he have waited until Kiana left?

"I'm just curious, where did you get all of these from? They were the same when you gave them to Seele. I was starting to wonder if you had Gnius wrapped around your waist. Goodness, Theresa is Judah launcher, are you Gnius launcher?"

Shen Gonglin muttered to herself, "Why does it feel like she gives everyone she meets a Gnius? Just like the Class President. The Class President used to shed feathers wherever she went, leaving feathers scattered all over the world. If she were a bird, she'd probably be bald by now."

"... Shall we begin the experiment?"

Ignoring the flirtatious banter between Shen Gonglin and Durandal, Bronya said expressionlessly, "Can't you be a little more serious? This is a very serious mission!"

Chapter 367

"Ahem... Okay, let's give it a try."

Durandal adjusted her skirt armor. This armor was clearly quite effective, so why was Shen Gonglin so able to find the gap so easily? It must be some kind of innate talent. After marveling at Shen Gonglin's ability, Durandal coughed twice and said seriously. Then everyone nodded and went their separate ways. The Herrscher group and the Stigmata Awakening group parted ways and went their separate ways. Shen Gonglin temporarily went with the Stigmata Awakening group.

"Junior Uncle, you're also Stigmata Awakener? I never expected you to be one. You're truly worthy of being called one. We really do get along very well."

Li Sushang was quite surprised by this situation. After all, ever since she met Shen Gonglin, he seemed to have been using Herrscher and some kind of strange power. Li Sushang really didn't expect that he was also Stigmata Awakener. She felt that she and her junior uncle had more in common, which made her very happy.

"I don't even know if this counts as Stigmata Awakener, Sushang, do you have something like this too?"

Shen Gonglin lifted her clothes to reveal her back. After gathering her power slightly, the bright red, clock-shaped mark on her back became prominent against her fair skin. This was something left behind by the Time Spirit after it had taken possession of her. Shen Gonglin had always thought it was a way of marking off territory, so she had never paid any attention to it.

"Yes, I have some too, Junior Uncle, I'll show you later... Speaking of which, Junior Uncle, your skin is so good, it feels even better than mine."

Li Sushang exclaimed in amazement and wanted to reach out to touch it, but at this moment, Durandal blocked her with her hand. Was she joking? Letting her touch it was no different from putting a hat on her in public. As for Shen Gonglin, how could she just expose her back to Li Sushang? Didn't she know that boys should be careful to protect themselves when they are out? The Taixu Sword School are not decent people. Even Fu Hua has such wolfish ambitions, let alone Li Sushang.

"Alright, I also have Stigmata. I'll show them to you later if you want... Ugh! That's not it. Anyway, be careful. This distance should be enough. Let's try contacting Kiana."

Almost losing her composure, Durandal quickly changed her tune. The distance was about right now. The girl hurriedly took out her Gnius, not wanting to show her Stigmata to Shen Gonglin. Even if she were to show it, it couldn't be under these circumstances; it had to be done in the absence of outsiders.

"Hmm? Do we no longer need to increase the distance?"

Li Sushang felt that the distance was a bit too close, and weren't they just talking about the Stigmata? Why did they suddenly change their minds? Li Sushang really wanted to see Durandal's Stigmata.

"We should be cautious with experiments. After all, no one knows what might happen... hmm?"

Durandal tried to contact Kiana. While talking to Durandal, Kiana opened her own Gnius, but the feedback made the girl's expression change. What was going on?

"What's wrong?"

Li Sushang quickly pressed for an answer, asking if something unexpected had happened since they split up.

"Why isn't Kiana's Gnius working either?"

He explained the unexpected situation, but why didn't Shen Gonglin seem surprised at all? It would be strange if something didn't happen. Shen Gonglin took the Gnius from Durandal's hand and tapped it lightly on the ground. Was this thing broken? It seemed less reliable than a mobile phone.

It seems some more unfortunate accidents have occurred.

A familiar voice emerged; Schrödinger's voice came from the golden pocket watch. Fortunately, Li Sushang had already dealt with it before, otherwise, it would have been quite frightening if the watch could talk.

"Is it Dr. Schrödinger?"

[You guessed right. But... it's not exactly something to be happy about, since the moment my voice appears, it seems to mean that the space you're in has returned to an unstable state.]

Its appearance immediately solved the problem they were facing. So that's why they couldn't receive Kiana's signal. Why did the space around them become unstable as soon as they split up?

[To put it simply, just like you guessed, Durandal, that's exactly the situation. Coincidentally, I've been doing some research lately, would you like to hear the results?]

"Of course. However... for us right now, confirming Kiana's situation is indeed more important."

Although she was a little curious about Dr. Schrödinger's analysis, Durandal wanted to know about Kiana's situation first, if possible. This was an older sister's concern for her younger sister, and the importance of this matter should be the top priority.

Simply put, Durandal isn't in the mood to listen to any of this right now; she's in a hurry to find her ultimate, invincible, super cute Momo!

Shen Gonglin's alarm bells rang loudly. Was Durandal normal? Could it be that after Mei, Durandal was also shot down by Kiana? Damn it, I didn't expect Kiana to be my greatest enemy.

[Hehe. You're still as impatient as you were when you were a kid. No problem, the issue you're concerned about and the survey results I wanted to share happen to originate from the same source.]

As Durandal's external brain, Schrödinger helps her analyze situations. After listening to her words, Durandal calmed down and realized that the situation she was concerned about and what the doctor had analyzed were from the same source.

"... So, the very existence of us Stigmata Awakener will serve the expansion of the Stigmata Plan, and become a cornerstone of the Stigmata Plan?"

Without Schrödinger needing to elaborate, Durandal, once calmed down, could analyze this information herself. Such a change occurred immediately after they separated, indicating that the Stigmata Awakener themselves are also part of the Stigmata Plan.

I see. That makes sense. Considering your behavior after that... I really didn't need to only tell you the negative information.

Neither Durandal Lin nor Li Sushang could understand a single word of Shen Gonglin and Schrödinger's conversation. Shen Gonglin was already used to this kind of thing, but Li Sushang clearly didn't want to just obediently be a couch potato. She also wanted to figure out the current situation.

"... So what are you talking about? I'm not as smart as Junior Uncle, so can you explain it to me too, and teach me a lesson?"

Seeing her junior uncle nodding solemnly, Li Sushang felt that she was the only one who didn't know the situation. This wouldn't do. He should tell her quickly so she could find out what was going on.

Chapter 368 A Warm Comfort

"Smart?" Li Sushang's words moved Shen Gonglin to tears. Perhaps this was the only girl who considered herself smart. To be honest, Shen Gonglin felt his intelligence was completely insufficient. They called him the Archbishop of Schicksal, but Shen Gonglin felt like a mascot, completely unable to understand what they were saying. This made his head Shen Gonglin. He decided to resign when he got back. He had initially thought Bishop of Schicksal was quite fun, but after actually becoming one, he realized he couldn't understand the work at all.

Shen Gonglin felt that she was better suited to being a laid-back person. Intelligence and emotional intelligence were both extremely important. Shen Gonglin might have enough intelligence, but her lack of emotional intelligence made it difficult for her to understand many things, giving her a feeling of being suppressed in every way. Perhaps she shouldn't have been in a group with Durandal and the others; she should have been with Kiana and the others...

Although going there might bother Kiana and Mei, she could at least play with Bronya. Now, listening to so many things she couldn't understand at all, Shen Gonglin felt a lot of pressure. With a brain like hers, she'd probably be helping someone count money even if they were being scammed.

It's quite rare for Shen Gonglin to have such negative thoughts, given her personality. Although trusting Durandal and the others no matter what happens is a good option, isn't that just another form of irresponsibility? Sigh, Shen Gonglin is really worried.

"Junior Uncle, what's wrong?"

Li Sushang squatted down next to Shen Gonglin and asked in a low voice, "Was it the words of the compass doctor that provoked my junior uncle?" But she didn't seem to say anything. Durandal was still talking to the compass doctor. Li Sushang hesitated for a moment, then reached out and gently touched Shen Gonglin's head, feeling that her junior uncle needed her to comfort her.

"Sushang..."

Deeply moved by the comfort, Shen Gonglin immediately threw himself into Li Sushang's arms. Indeed, in this cold world, only a girl like Li Sushang could bring him warmth. He felt much more comfortable and comforted.

"Oh! Junior Uncle, I'm here, I'm here... It's alright."

Like Shen Gonglin Rin nestled into Li Sushang's arms, making her feel flattered and surprised. The sword-wielding girl gently patted Shen Gonglin's back, wondering what was wrong with her junior uncle. But this was probably just her being affectionate. No wonder her master liked being with her junior uncle so much; who could resist her junior uncle's affection? Li Sushang knew she couldn't resist. She'd leave the research to Durandal; she had more important things to do. In her junior uncle's current state, she needed to comfort him properly.

"... So, Doctor, you mean that it's because we, the Stigmata Awakener, and Kiana's Herrscher group are too close that we're trapped in this Imaginary Space and unable to reach the lunar crater?"

Watching the "heartwarming" scene unfold, Durandal felt a throbbing in her temples. Forcing herself to turn away, she wanted to comfort Shen Gonglin, but why had Li Sushang beaten her to it? She couldn't believe it; their relationship as junior uncle and niece was illogical. She was the one who knew Shen Gonglin first, but now... If she weren't burdened with responsibilities, she would have shoved Li Sushang aside.

Who gave you permission to comfort someone else's boyfriend?!

[You seem a bit agitated right now... But based on my speculation, that's indeed the case. And the reason you think Gnius isn't working on Kiana's side is very likely because time there might not have been passing much at all. Your time is accelerating, while their time might still be fixed at the beginning.]

Perhaps these doctors all speak in this way. Einstein and Tesla, because of Shen Gonglin, now speak very concisely about theoretical knowledge. Dr. Schrödinger, on the other hand, has not had much contact with Shen Gonglin, so only Durandal can understand her explanations now. It is because they have been working together that they are trapped here due to the influence of the Stigmata Awakener.

Durandal pondered the situation carefully, and their temporary split-up seemed to have brought about some changes to the sluggish situation.

In summary, we can roughly conclude that the nature of Herrscher is to push a simple thing to its extreme; while the nature of Stigmata Awakener is to connect different things and develop something new that did not originally exist in the world.

Knowing that Shen Gonglin wasn't interested in such things, the rest of the conversation was mostly a private one between Durandal and Schrödinger. After listening to Schrödinger's words, Durandal closed her eyes slightly, trying to make a summary.

It's a bit difficult to summarize in one sentence, but for Shen Gonglin's sake, to make it easier for her to understand...

"Life is a bridge, its greatness not being its purpose. It connects noon, dusk, and dawn, allowing spontaneous meaning to expand continuously in the process. Doctor, is that not so, as this passage suggests?"

Ah, from the perspective of free will, that's certainly a valid understanding. And it's not just about those Stigmata Awakener their Stigmata; if we're just going to expand on those two sentences, I would hope that everyone is the creator, solver, and savior of their own life. At least... as you've seen, those Herrscher who possess humanity have already achieved this to some extent. However, our immediate priority isn't analyzing the meaning of life. What I meant earlier was...

It seemed that Li Sushang's comforting words were over. Seeing Shen Gonglin and Li Sushang walking over, Schrödinger also ended his discussion with Durandal about human nature. Now was not the time to do such things.

Those who bear the Stigmata are like spiders, natural web weavers. The Stigmata Plan is supposed to be such a vast web, capable of even binding and absorbing the power of the Finality. However, this web is still in its nascent stage; it needs people's dreams and the existence of Stigmata Awakener to weave more complex phenomena. This has nothing to do with everyone's subjective will. Therefore, as I told Bianca before, it's thoroughly bad news. However, she told me then that she believed that even so, she and her companions could find the right way to deal with the crisis.

Chapter 369 Things Girls Worry About

As expected of a Doctor, Shen Gonglin could only understand part of what the Doctor said. In short, there were still difficulties, but Durandal believed that they could overcome them. Otherwise, they would not have brought this matter up in the open at this time.

"Hey. As the saying goes, there's always a way out. It seems you, Dr. Compass, have already discovered something, haven't you?"

With her keen senses, Li Sushang knew that the purpose of bringing this matter to the forefront was definitely not to explain how serious their current predicament was. Given Durandal's personality, they must have already found a feasible solution. They were just comforting their junior uncle and hadn't noticed the situation here. Just tell me what they need to do.

Dr. Compass? Schrödinger didn't react to this nickname. Nicknames were just something she liked. Einstein had the nickname "Chicken Coop Head," and Tesla had the nickname "Dr. Lobster Head," so she was just following the trend.

In short, as we just discussed, the Stigmata Plan is like weaving a net; and the Herrscher are naturally the sparks that will burn out this unfinished net. Knowing this, we can formulate an action plan.

Therefore, the first step of the World Serpent's Stigmata Plan was to specifically seal all the Herrscher Core.

Durandal and the others listened attentively. Was this the reason why they made such targeted arrangements for the Herrscher?

[If Herrscher can divide their power into many parts for use, then this power can also weave another net in reverse, just as matter forms a solar system under the influence of gravity.]

Explaining what was about to happen, Durandal was quite clever; she had already realized what Schrödinger wanted to do.

"In short, Stigmata Awakener and Herrscher... are we like the two poles of a magnet?"

[This analogy isn't entirely accurate, but it helps you understand. For example, you might think Kiana's Gnius has no work... but the truth is, their time has barely passed since you left them.]

Upon hearing this information, for some reason, Durandal and Li Sushang reacted more intensely. Their time had not passed, while theirs was passing by rapidly. Did that mean that their age remained unchanged, while theirs was aging quickly?

No way! These are the best years of a girl's life. If everyone's time passes like this, it's fine, but if it's just the two of them... No way!

Durandal subconsciously touched her cheek as well, afraid that she might find wrinkles. Even after finding it still smooth and tender to the touch, Durandal couldn't relax. It was just too terrifying.

"Their time hasn't passed... Is it our time that's passing by so quickly?"

Durandal asked anxiously, and Li Sushang was also staring intently at them. Both girls were extremely flustered about this issue.

[I don't know what you're all so nervous about... but this is a more complex detail than what was described earlier. In this special space related to the Stigmata Plan... once you leave those three Herrscher, the distance between you in the Imaginary Space will spontaneously increase exponentially. I had considered Shen Gonglin's Herrscher identity before, but now it seems he's special. Whether he's Stigmata Awakener or Herrscher, possessing both identities, he won't affect you, nor can he affect him. The final result is that you, currently, will be unable to receive their Gnius signals due to time-space asynchrony.]

Now Shen Gonglin and the others understood. Because the flow of time on both sides was different after they separated, they couldn't establish contact. So, if they returned along the original coordinates, there was a high chance they would see them again.

[Yes, you're right. If you go back this way, you'll most likely find that they've only just left their original spot and haven't traveled very far. The combined power of their Herrscher Authority to influence the Imaginary Space still surpasses the Stigmata awakened within you, Durandal, and Miss Li Sushang. Shen Gonglin is not a consideration, but this ensures that you can close the distance when you travel towards each other.]

Durandal breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the good news. At least they could return the way they came and tell Kiana and the others the results.

"That's true... But what's next? According to Dr. Compass, we still have to split up, right? After all, adding on one side and subtracting on the other, the final result is just like that endless maze we just saw."

Li Sushang raised her own question, which is indeed an objective fact. Even if they knew this information, it seemed that it wouldn't change the current situation. However, Durandal had already considered this point.