Chapter 511

As Li Sushang said, we still need to divide our forces, but this time the purpose of dividing the forces is different.

"That's true. But this does give us an opportunity. Let's go, let's meet up with Kiana and the others first, and then I'll explain the next steps in detail. Don't forget our purpose."

From her previous conversation with Schrödinger, Durandal had confirmed many things. Since being together would affect each other due to the balance of power, they should temporarily separate and do what they needed to do. Li Sushang also realized this, her eyes widening with eager anticipation. This was the moon, but their goal had never been the moon. That meant... they had to go back?

On the other side, after "Ganggang" and Durandal decided to split up, Kiana, Mei, and Bronya hadn't gone far. To be precise, they were still watching the departing figures of Shen Gonglin and the others. The girls decided to watch Shen Gonglin leave before starting their operation, but weren't they walking a little too fast?

"Ah... I can no longer see Shen Gonglin and the others."

Bronya stood on tiptoe to look in that direction, but they were already out of sight. She felt like they were moving a little too fast.

"They're walking so fast... Mei, what's wrong? Is something the problem?"

Kiana was in the same pose as Bronya, and they disappeared so quickly. The girl noticed Mei's expression next to her. What's wrong? Why is she looking so thoughtful? Did she discover something strange?

Chapter 370 I don't want these legs anymore!

"Something feels off. Given Shen Gonglin's walking speed... we haven't gone very far, so why are they...?"

Mei, resting her chin on her hand, sensed something amiss. She knew Shen Gonglin's speed very well; he simply didn't have that kind of speed. Moreover, Durandal and Li Sushang had only been gone for less than a minute, yet they were already nowhere to be seen. This speed puzzled Mei greatly. Here, any anomaly had to be paid extra attention to.

"Huh? It seems like they're back again."

Unable to contain her doubts, Mei wanted Kiana to use Gnius to call Durandal, but Bronya saw the three figures running over again. What was going on? Weren't they supposed to split up? Why were they back so soon?

The three little Herrscher waited in place. Durandal and Li Sushang ran over. Had they already gone that far? Kiana looked at Durandal curiously, wondering if she had thought of something suspicious that she needed to discuss.

"Hey. We're back in a flash. Let me tell you in advance, what we're planning to do next will definitely surprise you."

Fortunately, the distance wasn't too far, and after running a little, she saw Kiana and the others. As soon as she ran over, Li Sushang couldn't wait to show off in front of Kiana and the others. This was the result she and Durandal had just discussed, a feat that no one had ever accomplished before!

"The two of us plan to run back to Earth on our own two legs!"

Before Kiana and the others could ask any questions, Li Sushang raised her hands excitedly and said, "Wouldn't it be a waste not to make good use of such long legs? So Li Sushang is going to do something drastic for herself: walk all the way back to Earth from the moon. It's very simple."

Silence fell over the room Bronya. Kiana, Mei, and Mei stared at Li Sushang as if she were a fool. Did this girl even know what nonsense she was spouting? Running back to Earth on foot? No matter how long her legs were, it wouldn't matter. What kind of delusions was she having? The girls looked at Durandal silently, hoping she could give an explanation, since she was much more reliable than Li Sushang.

"Yes. To sum it up, we do indeed plan to trek back to Earth from the Moon."

To everyone's surprise, even Durandal echoed Li Sushang's story this time. What's going on? Why has Durandal gone mad too? Hearing this, the girls looked at Shen Gonglin with great concern. It didn't matter that the two girls had gone mad, but Shen Gonglin had to stay normal. He was already mad enough; if he went any mader, they even worried that he might be kidnapped and slept with by other women on the street.

"I know this sounds absurd, but our decision is based on evidence. Just now, during the time we were apart, Dr. Schrödinger analyzed the current situation for us..."

Durandal explained the situation to Kiana and the others. The Stigmata Awakening Group and the Herrscher Group would be temporarily separated, and she needed to explain the situation to them all.

"The specific theoretical analysis is as described above. If we separate a sufficient distance, then you Herrscher can easily leave this labyrinth, return to the reality of the moon, and reach the bottom of the crater."

The intelligence was summarized, and the reason they were trapped in this maze was because the Stigmata Awakener and Herrscher were too close together. Therefore, as long as they acted separately, their current predicament would be resolved on its own.

"I see... But in that case, you..."

Having understood what Durandal had said, it was indeed a solution. While this might solve their problem, the idea of Durandal and Li Sushang walking back to Earth sounded terrifying.

"The straight-line distance between the Moon and the Earth is 380,000 kilometers. Even if your physical abilities are stronger than those of the Herrscher... Bronya cannot understand what power you intend to use to traverse this Tianwen journey."

Bronya calmly raised the question: 380,000 kilometers! Even if both of them walked until their legs were thin, they still wouldn't reach their destination. Durandal shouldn't be the type to act recklessly; they must have their own plans.

"Then of course we'll use Honkai energy!"

Li Sushang said confidently. Goodness, Bronya was speechless when she heard her say that. Honkai energy, can Honkai energy really explain everything? Honkai energy is really useful for explanation. Bronya suddenly thought of Rosaria. That girl once said that everything can be explained by the omnipotent Honkai energy.

"That's right. We plan to use the power of the Stigmata Plan itself. On the one hand, as mentioned before, the power of the Stigmata Plan has opposite effects on Herrscher and Stigmata Awakener from certain perspectives. On the other hand, since we are currently passively assisting the Stigmata Plan in weaving its web, this labyrinth itself must belong to some kind of central hub used by the Stigmata Plan to control the Earth."

Based on her speculation, Durandal asserted that, with the help of the Stigmata Plan itself, she and Li Sushang might actually be able to return to Earth.

Kiana and the others remained silent, only gesturing with their eyes for Durandal to continue. This girl truly exuded a sense of omnipotence and security; with her by their side, they were certain a solution could be found.

"Remember when I said that the spatial structure near the moon is too stable, making it almost impossible for the Sumeru Mustard Seed to function? Under those circumstances, it would be impossible for the Stigmata Awakener to spontaneously expand the surrounding Imaginary Space like we are now. From another perspective, this means that the World Serpent is actually quite cautious in its manipulation of Imaginary Space, and the area we are in now cannot be a derivative space that has no practical use. Of course, these are just some intuitive guesses. The real evidence is actually this."

Looking at Kiana and the others' expressions, Durandal knew that she had gradually persuaded them. In the past, she would have decided to do it directly, but now it was different. Now Durandal had to explain it to her sister and make her understand the significance of her choice. She couldn't act as willfully as before. That's why Durandal patiently and meticulously explained it to Kiana.

As she spoke, the girl flipped her hand, and the image projected by the Sumeru Mustard Seed appeared before everyone's eyes. It was because of this information that she made this decision.

Chapter 371

"This is... a scene from Earth?"

Looking at the projection of Sumeru Mustard Seed, Kiana and the others were quite surprised by what they saw. They had gradually gotten used to the desolate scene on the moon, and now seeing the familiar scene in the projection, they felt a deep sense of nostalgia.

"Yes, these are information projections that we just captured using the Sumeru Mustard Seed. It is clear that they all belong to our Earth. Among them are familiar train stations, familiar streets, familiar squares, familiar parks, familiar coastlines... This familiar and complex information is not far from us, flowing towards the moon like a torrent... and after some kind of processing, it is being transported back to Earth."

Having explained the resources they and Li Sushang planned to rely on, they realized they couldn't possibly walk back on foot. Fortunately, there was a "train" that could lend them a hand.

"In other words, as Stigmata Awakener, we can actually secretly hitch a ride on the Stigmata Plan back to Earth and find people there who can help us!"

Li Sushang summarized everything that Durandal had just explained. The girl crossed her arms and looked smug. This was something only Stigmata Awakener could do. Finally, she didn't have to get lost here anymore. After returning to Earth, this would be her home turf.

"Yes. Sushang Chang is right. This is both a free ride and going against the current. In short, according to calculations, with the help of the God-Slaying Armor's propulsion system, we can fly continuously for about 48 hours and reach the imaginary realm near Earth. Then, we can use the power of the Sumeru Mustard Seed to rise to the real space, understand the current situation of the real Earth, and further plan our own actions. Since Dr. Schrödinger observed that the Schicksal Headquarters was not directly affected by the Stigmata Plan... then Changguang and the others have likely already successfully implemented the first few steps of the island operation."

He revealed what he and Li Sushang were going to do next, which was theoretically very feasible. However, the island operation plan mentioned by Durandal surprised Shen Gonglin and the others. What kind of plan was this? As the Archbishop of Schicksal, why didn't Schicksal know that Schicksal had this plan?

"Huh? You didn't know? You personally signed the authorization for this plan. Rita got it from the Salt Lake Base and had you sign it... You weren't just busy playing with her back then, were you?"

It's normal that Kiana and the others don't understand this, but seeing Shen Gonglin's surprised expression, Durandal was puzzled. How could he not know about this? The only explanation is... Rita used the excuse of getting him to sign something, but actually she secretly ran away to play with him.

"Ah. Island warfare, huh? I know that plan, I know."

Shen Gonglin quickly covered up. He seemed to remember that Schicksal did have this plan, but when Rita came to him for a signature, he pushed all the documents to Theresa. After all, everyone was having a water fight at the beach at the time, so who had the mind to deal with documents? At a time like this, why not use your deputy?

"...I knew you would do this. The so-called island operation plan is a set of experimental technologies that Schicksal has summarized based on the various data collected over the past six months. Simply put... It can use some techniques of the World Bubble to ensure that a very few specific locations are protected from direct attacks by any imaginary side, including the Herrscher of Finality and the Stigmata Plan."

The essence of the island plan was revealed: it was just the construction of a few safe houses. Since it couldn't ultimately affect the whole world, Durandal didn't mention the island plan much. However, she thought that as the Bishop of Schicksal, Shen Gonglin should know about the plan. Who knew that this guy was just a complete hands-off manager?

"But if that's the case, you're hitching a ride on Stigmata Plan. What if Kevin discovers your movements and intervenes directly?"

Kiana raised this possibility. Kiana actually supported Durandal and the others' decision, but she couldn't ignore the risk. What if Kevin discovered Durandal and the others' actions and took action directly?

"Then we will undoubtedly suffer the same fate of being sealed as you did initially. However, with the Stigmata Plan already underway, the World Serpent cannot tamper with this passage itself. Therefore, it is more likely that even if they discover this, they will not be able to intervene precisely in our case."

A rational analysis led Durandal to make this decision; it was not a gamble, but an action based on solid intelligence, making it highly feasible.

"That is, to do the opposite and use the tactic of being afraid to harm the innocent to defeat them."

Li Sushang made the final decision. She felt that this action was very feasible. The sword fairy girl grabbed the hand of Shen Gonglin and was about to carry out the plan. Durandal had the propulsion system of the God-Slaying Armor and could fly on her sword. In any case, she could rely on the omnipotent Honkai energy.

"...I see. This is indeed a method worth trying."

"Yes, the most terrifying thing is that we can't change the status quo no matter what."

Mei and Bronya agreed with Durandal's explanation, but according to them, this method could only be performed by those Stigmata Awakener, and their "Herrscher group" should now...

"I understand, but as Herrscher ... we still need to find our own way of fighting."

It's impossible to simply wait for Durandal and the others to succeed while they do nothing. As Bronya said, the most terrible thing is being unable to change the status quo. Kiana felt that they also needed to figure out what they could do.

"Speaking of which... there is actually another piece of information that will be very helpful to you. According to Dr. Schrödinger's observations, in the deep pit area that we originally planned to reach, there is... according to her, there is a extinguished fixed point."

Durandal also provided information to Kiana and the others. They would probably have to be separated for a while. Durandal felt that she had to provide Kiana with the greatest possible help, after all, she was her sister.

"Is it the remnants of the Finality?"

Bronya raised the question, and Durandal couldn't be sure either.

"Perhaps it's related to it. However, this extinguished fixed point seems to have undergone double mechanical modification, and is in a state that even Dr. Schrödinger finds very mysterious. In the doctor's opinion, as a remnant, it conforms to some characteristics of the Finality, as well as some characteristics of a wormhole. That is to say... in the distant past, perhaps someone used the power of the Finality to construct an imaginary path between the Moon and the Earth."

Chapter 372 Split Up Again

It's unclear whether this information will be of any use to Kiana and the others, but in any case, Durandal has told Kiana everything she knows. If used properly, it might become a weakness in the Stigmata Plan. However, even so, they ultimately cannot rashly provoke the power of the Finality.

"That's how it is. Compared to the World Serpent's Stigmata Plan, compared to Schicksal's immature island warfare plan... what we really need to do is transcend these negative approaches and find a positive destiny that truly belongs to everyone."

Durandal solemnly concluded that neither the Stigmata Plan nor Schicksal's island operation plan was the optimal solution to the Honkai in Durandal's mind; they were merely opportunistic escapisms. For Durandal, she always sought the method most suitable for all of humanity.

"A positive destiny..." Durandal's words reminded Mei of a message someone had once left for her. Durandal's current thoughts were exactly the same as hers. The girl parted her cherry lips and spoke the words that she had left for her, perhaps not just for herself, but for all of humanity.

"To allow everyone to live my life as the protagonist in the most comfortable way, according to their own will, towards their own goals... Durandal, is that what you mean?"

Mei suddenly uttered these words, surprising everyone present. They weren't surprised that Mei could say such a thing, but rather that her summary was so insightful. Wasn't this the very purpose they were here for? They didn't want to be controlled by the Stigmata Plan and have others decide their fate, but rather to live their lives as protagonists, as themselves. This was what they were fighting for for all of humanity.

"Ah... yes. That's a brilliant statement, Raiden Mei."

Durandal nodded in agreement. As expected of her sister's most important best friend, these words were right up Durandal's alley. However, she felt that these words didn't quite sound like something Raiden Mei would say. They seemed more like something a more emotional person would say.

"This is not my statement, but a message left to us by Elysia... She was Kevin's comrade-in-arms 50,000 years ago, and she sacrificed herself before the Finality came."

Once again, she thought of that girl whose face was always beaming with a smile. Just thinking of her Mei smile involuntarily, and then a wave of sadness would wash over her again. She still remembered the blessings that the girl had given her and the others. Elysia, she loved humanity forever.

"...I understand. Perhaps, for World Serpent ...no, I should say for Kevin, he probably hopes more than anyone else that we can surpass the Stigmata Plan, right?"

Was this something Kevin's comrade said? Durandal could imagine what the people who fought against the Honkai 50,000 years ago thought when they faced their end. It was because of that unparalleled despair that Kevin had to implement the garbage Stigmata Plan. Although he was faithfully carrying out the plan, he must have been hoping that someone could defeat him, stop him, and come up with a better plan than his current one.

Mei nodded gently. From beginning to end, she did not think that Kevin was the last enemy they would face. His words were more like a trial to determine whether they were qualified to continue and face the final challenge.

"In any case, we cannot stand by and watch the world we love be manipulated by so-called rules."

Bronya and Kiana picked up the thread. Although the sudden launch of the Stigmata Plan disrupted everyone's plans, Kiana believed that as long as everyone reunited— St. Freya, Schicksal, and everyone from Anti-Entropy —they could definitely devise a solution that surpassed all other plans and even the Finality.

Therefore, based on the current situation, a temporary split is the best solution. Durandal and Li Sushang will travel to Earth through their own methods, while the rest of them will face Kevin's rescue of the Class President. If possible, they should try to avoid engaging in combat for the time being.

"Yes, just like Kiana said, if we can return to Earth, then we can do this: gather everyone together. If Dr. Tesla or Ms. Changguang were here, they would think the same way,"

Durandal looked at her younger sister with some worry. If she could, she would like to stay by her sister's side to protect her, but now they had to separate. Her sister should be alright, after all... Shen Gonglin would be traveling with them.

"Alright, Durandal, scientists should be left to their own devices. In any case, our two teams need to find their own way back to Earth. That's the most important thing right now, isn't it? Junior Uncle, let's get ready to go."

Li Sushang remained as optimistic as ever. As long as she could find something to do now, that was enough. What she hated most was standing still and doing nothing. The thought of returning to Earth from the Moon was exhilarating. The sword fairy girl grabbed Shen Gonglin's hand and was about to move forward, but Durandal stopped her. Shen Gonglin didn't need to travel with them anymore. As the older sister, how could Durandal feel at ease if she didn't let him stay by her sister's side?

"Shen Gonglin will be traveling with Kiana and the others from now on. There's no need to worry about the Herrscher and the Stigmata Awakener. The experiment just now has already concluded that he is both Stigmata Awakener and Herrscher, and he won't interfere with either side. Moreover, no matter how you look at it, Kiana's side is likely to directly confront Kevin, so having sufficient combat power is essential."

Kiana and the others, having pulled Shen Gonglin over, naturally wouldn't refuse Durandal's conclusion. Shen Gonglin herself was terrified by Durandal and Li Sushang's plan to "walk" back to Earth. If she ran back like that, she would definitely die. It was better to stay here and fight Kevin.

"Bronya seconded that, Shen Gonglin should just stay with Bronya ... So, according to Dr. Schrödinger, as long as you're far enough away, Kiana can easily use the Herrscher of the Void's powers to help us return to the reality of the moon, right?"

After welcoming Shen Gonglin over, the Herrscher trio all showed satisfied expressions. After all, having Shen Gonglin by their side, the three of them felt very secure. This was the most appropriate grouping.

Chapter 373 Competitors

"Huh? You want me to be separated from my junior uncle?... Okay, it's true, Bronya. Then that's the only way. It's true, Bronya. As for Grandmaster... Fu Hua, we'll have to rely on everyone to help her."

Li Sushang was very unhappy to learn that she would be separated from Shen Gonglin, but she had no choice. She also wanted to be in a group with her junior uncle, but Durandal's arrangement was reasonable and justified, so she could only accept it. After cheering herself up, Li Sushang clasped her hands in a fist salute to Shen Gonglin, Kiana and the others, and said, "I'll leave Fu Hua to you."

"Your opponent is likely Kevin. He's not an invincible enemy, but you don't necessarily need to fight him to the bitter end right now. Understand?"

As they were about to part ways, Durandal gave them some words of advice with concern. They were very likely to see Kevin soon. Shen Gonglin had already fought Kevin many times, but she still couldn't rest easy. After all, his strength was truly unfathomable. Having also fought Kevin, Durandal knew this well and hoped they understood that defeating Kevin had never been their goal.

"Yes. Our primary goal remains to reunite on Earth. And... I've always believed that Kevin isn't our enemy, but rather our competitor."

Mei understood what Durandal was trying to say, and she thought so too. Kevin wasn't their final opponent; it would be more accurate to call him a competitor. He was preparing to use the imperfect Stigmata Plan to fight the Finality, while they were now trying to prove that they were more suitable than the Stigmata Plan. So, a competitive relationship was indeed more appropriate.

"If this is a competition... then the first half might not even be halfway over, right?"

Kiana appeared confident, her team was now practically complete, a lineup she hadn't had in a long time. With Mei around, it was like having the strength of a hundred people, and with Shen Gonglin by her side, Kiana felt no unease. The girl reached out and grabbed Shen Gonglin's hand, and before he could dodge, Kiana had already firmly grasped him. What was this guy doing, acting all stubborn? Be good.

"Yes. The outcome of a battle is not important... What we need to do is to achieve victory in the end. So... everyone, farewell. Shen Gonglin, please be careful in all things."

Not one to drag things out, Durandal turned and left after explaining everything clearly. Before leaving, she didn't forget to give instructions to Shen Gonglin, and that they would have to work together in their respective directions from now on.

"Don't worry, Junior Uncle, I will definitely work hard... Let's cheer each other on!"

After bowing to Shen Gonglin, the sword-wielding girl skipped away. Just as they expected, their figures vanished quickly, and the two groups embarked on their journeys. With the Stigmata Awakener and the Herrscher separated, the spatial confinement also disappeared. According to them, they should now be able to open a spatial portal directly, allowing them to return to the reality of the moon.

"Then leave the rest to me."

Still holding onto Shen Gonglin's hand, Kiana had no idea what was wrong with her. She wasn't going to let go of Shen Gonglin. The girl tried to activate the power within her body, and sure enough, just as Durandal had said, the space tunnel opened up. As long as they could get through this, they should be able to return to the reality of the moon.

"Let's go, Mei, Bronya."

With a shout, Mei and Bronya disappeared into the spatial tunnel. Just as Shen Gonglin was about to follow, Kiana pulled her back. Now that Mei and Bronya were gone, she finally had time to ask Shen Gonglin what was going on.

"What's wrong? Is Kiana alright? We need to catch up quickly."

Why is Kiana stopping me? Shen Gonglin tilted her head, puzzled. The girl, however, stared intently at Shen Gonglin. There was no mistake; it wasn't because she was overthinking things. This guy was just being distant. As someone who was close to Shen Gonglin, Kiana could easily sense this. What was going on? They hadn't even been together yet, how could their relationship have broken down? They weren't even married and it was already like this? This was unacceptable!

"It's not that I have a problem, it's that Shen Gonglin has a problem. What's wrong with you? Why are you so distant with me? I could sense it before. Shen Gonglin, what's going on with you?"

Kiana didn't mince words when faced with a problem. She wasn't the type to be coy, especially since the person in front of her was Shen Gonglin. Rin had been by her side when she left St. Freya and her family to wander. From that moment on, Kiana trusted Shen Gonglin completely. If she were to hide things from him, hesitate, or be afraid to speak or ask, then she wouldn't be Kiana.

"No, I'm not distant with you at all... It's just that you and Mei are getting along really well, so I just..."

At first, he wanted to deny it, but when Kiana stared at him with her azure eyes, Shen Gonglin couldn't bring himself to say it. He scratched his cheek and looked away as he said that he felt Kiana and Mei were the real couple and that he was a little out of place. He didn't expect Kiana to have sensed it... This was really awkward. Couldn't it be better if everyone just knew the truth?