I, Herrscher Slayer: Another Mother-in-Law

She reached out her hand to Shen Gonglin. Although she could only watch from the perspective of an "observer," it was indeed something she had experienced as the protagonist. Thinking of the people she had met in this place, Yuto's regret grew heavier.

At times like these, even if you're alone, you'd want someone by your side.

He'd thought he could bring Bronya some news about her "family." But even if he could... well...

Yu Tu completed her words with actions, severing all ties with the past and making herself a complete outsider, because she understood that she had no say in what was about to happen.

After hesitating for a moment, Shen Gonglin also reached out and grabbed Hato's hand. Since there was nothing she could do here anyway, she might as well do as Hato suggested and see what happened first.

Chapter 421 Another Mother-in-Law

Following Yuto, Shen Gonglin's mind also traveled to that icy and snowy landscape, observing alongside Yuto from an outsider's perspective as she looked at her from that memory. At this moment, the woman existing in that memory also remained silent.

"... Did it still fail?"

She uttered this somewhat numb murmur, once again, simply because she had been thrown back into the real world, the area that was once inhabited by humans instantly turned into yet another ghost town. As she had tried before, she awakened the Stigmata within the dying body, attempting to save their lives through incubation.

However, just like before, everything was in vain... She had become somewhat indifferent to this. It wasn't that she had gotten used to it, but rather that reason and hope were difficult to coexist at this moment.

Hope is always crushed. When this process repeats itself, no one can remain hopeful without descending into madness... But I must not lose my mind; at least I must find a way to end everything, or at least end my own life.

At that time, she wanted to find a way to commit suicide, but neither water, fire, nor cliffs could kill her. Instead, in every appearance she made, she killed everything around her.

As an observer, Hato recounted everything that happened to Shen Gonglin; it was truly a sad story.

Yuto continued forward, her memories running wild. A short distance ahead, she saw a wooden house, and beside it lay a wrecked mech. "Is anyone here?" Yuto wondered. She approached the mech beside the house, but her examination yielded the expected answer, "It's already unconscious..."

She effortlessly channeled her power through the heavy metal. Awakening the pilot's Stigmata, due to its inherent nature, the process didn't even resemble genetic engineering. She had repeated this countless times before, and the result this time would likely be the same...

Even though she was more capable than anyone else of ensuring the survival of the person before her, Yuto deliberately projected a false sense of indifference onto her emotions. To Shen Gonglin, this was tantamount to reverse psychology, and the result was exactly as she had predicted. Inside this oppressive metal canister, a newly born Suicide Squad was attempting to break free.

"I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do."

All that could be left were these apologetic words. After investigating several mechs, the result was exactly the same as before. Yutu could only compile the past of those pilots into the Archetype Seed. As expected, there was nothing he could do.

"Maxim Vladimir?... Is that you?"

Just then, a weak voice suddenly came from the wooden house. Upon hearing this voice, Yu Tu's eyes widened and she couldn't help but run towards the wooden house. There was a voice? In the past, everyone who approached the area was dead.

She rushed into the wooden cabin, where she found herself in what appeared to be a temporary dwelling. Architecturally, it was more of a public building than a residence, but it did offer shelter from the early spring snow. Yu Tu silently approached the room from which the sound had come, but it was dimly lit inside, and she couldn't see anything clearly.

Could it be something like a phonograph or a tape recorder...? The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. At this moment, Yu Tu was even hesitant to open the door.

Is anyone there? Has anyone come?

The voice from inside the room was incredibly weak, sounding as if the person was nearing the end of their life. Yu Tu finally understood that the person in question was already on the verge of death and hadn't even noticed the newcomer's presence. The name the other person kept repeating was perhaps just someone they thought could pull them away from hell as they sensed their impending demise.

When she prayed, she ended up being the one who was the culprit.

In the darkness, Yu Tu channeled her power into the person who was still muttering to himself. Perhaps the person still had room to struggle for a while... but after this, there was probably only a quick death ahead.

Just for the sake of something that had never come before, he unilaterally disturbed the peace of the victims, making them die in the form of monsters... Yu Tu suddenly thought of an ancient legend: if hell really exists, he would probably stay there forever after he died.

The thought of the afterlife brought a glimmer of light back to Yuto's previously dull eyes. In the darkness, she sensed a sharp woodcutter's knife on the table. Clearly, in the harsh living conditions of Siberia, such a sharp knife would be very useful. Yuto touched her throat, which wouldn't leave a single scar, and pondered the angle from which to strike this time.

Although she had already tried it before, and this method could not kill her... just like when she awakened the Stigmata of others time and time again, she would keep trying to destroy her physical strength as long as there was even the slightest possibility.

"... Even though you won't die, won't you feel pain? I really don't understand your hobby."

Seeing this scene, Shen Gonglin couldn't help but speak. Having tried to commit suicide, he really couldn't understand what Yuto was trying to do.

It will hurt, but... keep reading.

Yu Tu didn't say much, but in her memory, she was thinking about how to make the cut. It was this persistence that made her temporarily ignore some other anomalies. It seemed a little different from the thousands of attempts she had made before. Why was it that even now, she still couldn't hear the terrifying sound that humans made when they turned into Suicide Squad?

"Etc..."

"I should be saying that to you. Put the knife down first, okay?"

The lights suddenly switched on, and only then did Yu Tu see the woman lying on the bed clearly. She...

"I don't know what happened, and I may not have the right to advise you... but only by surviving can we wait for a turning point, right?"

On the bed, the woman with gray double Roman curls looked tenderly at Yuto. Perhaps because of her pregnancy, she was unable to sit up easily to stop the girl's handmade knife that had suddenly appeared in front of her, so she could only try to stop her with words. Looking at the person in front of her who could have a normal conversation with her, Yuto's nearly parched heart felt as if a warm stream had flowed through it.

After countless attempts, has this finally brought about a different result? It seems that I have truly succeeded this time.

Chapter 422 Offering Flowers to the Deceased

Three days passed quickly after that, and on this day, Yu Tu stood in front of the woman, Alexandra's bed, and looked at the woman whose complexion was gradually improving, and spoke to her.

"That's right. Although I have never worked in this field, please believe me. I may have more medical knowledge than anyone you know... So, it's better if you don't go out."

Yu Tu refused the woman's idea of going out and has been taking care of her for the past three days. As the first "normal person" she can talk to, Yu Tu has shown her the utmost kindness. In this physical condition, she still wants to go out? Now Yu Tu wishes she could keep her in a glass bottle and take good care of her.

"Really? I do think... my health has improved a lot since I met you. Last month the snow was unusually heavy, the snow piled up and blocked the gate, and everyone had to go out to clear it; I only worked for a short while, and somehow I suddenly couldn't breathe, and after fainting, I lay in bed for two days before waking up..."

The woman on the bed gently stroked the sheet covering her abdomen. She seemed a little talkative after someone started talking to her, while Yu Tu remained silent, her attention still lingering on the other person's first words. She felt much better than before; she knew Alexandra's feelings weren't a figment of her imagination, but rather a given.

However, although her body is better than before, aside from her rare Honkai energy resistance, it remains vulnerable. Going out and encountering the monsters created because of her would be extremely dangerous, so it's best to stay indoors.

Despite the unbelievable nature of it, the woman before him named Alexandra truly possessed that theoretically possible aptitude. In other words, without a doubt, three days ago, he had successfully awakened a Stigmata Awakener. To observe why she was an exception, Yuto decided to remain here for the time being. Moreover, her current physical condition certainly required someone else to care for her...

Yu Tu's gaze shifted from Alexandra's face to her abdomen. Judging from the swelling, she was not only pregnant, but also only about three months away from giving birth, so he had to stay here to take care of her.

"So... the others really aren't coming back?"

While Yutu was thinking, Alexandra continued her rambling. Yutu hesitated for a moment but then nodded.

"Yes, they... encountered a monster."

He wasn't lying about that statement. Fortunately, the woman before him was a survivor of the Second Honkai, and wasn't completely ignorant of such disasters, so there was no need to waste time explaining too much to her. Of course... judging from her previous words and actions, just as she only had a superficial understanding of the Honkai, she also knew very little about anything outside of her peaceful daily life.

It seems she had received ample, even excessive, protection from childhood, making her appear overly naive and innocent on this snowfield ravaged by Honkai. Whether fortunately or unfortunately, she seemed to accept reality quite easily.

"It's really strange, the two people who saved me recently, one only told me her surname, and the other only told me her first name. Do you know her? Her name is Cocolia, and she's an officer..."

Alexandra seemed to really enjoy talking to Yuto, but Yuto, of course, didn't recognize her; the person in front of her was the only normal person she could talk to.

"... No, I've never heard of that name. And I... I'm not just willing to tell you my surname. It's just that I've never had a given name."

She didn't have a name. Even the surname Saniyat, which she gave to Alexandra, was something she had just thought of. After all, she was born from Saniyat's Stigmata, so calling herself Saniyat shouldn't be a problem.

"That won't do... Saniyat, is that what others call you too?"

"No. I am actually... completely unworthy of this title... and no one could possibly use it... but... it is indeed very accurate."

She seemed quite dejected. Although she used the hero's surname to refer to herself, Yu Tu felt that she was not worthy of the title. She had saved the people of this land with her own life, while wherever she went, death would follow. Could she really use this surname to refer to herself? Yu Tu didn't know.

"Sometimes the way you speak is really hard to understand."

Alexandra tilted her head, and what she said made Yu Tu silently decide in her heart, "Is it really that hard to understand? Then I'll try my best to improve in this aspect in the future."

"So, what exactly do you want to do today? Although I do object to you going out on your own... I'd be happy to help you take the exam if it's on your behalf."

Speaking of this, Alexandra's physical condition is such that it's best for her not to go out and to stay in bed to rest. But today she seems to really want to go out. Is there something she absolutely has to do? If so, I can help her.

"Ah, thank you... just a moment."

Upon hearing this, Alexandra was overjoyed. She struggled to sit up halfway on the bed and carefully rummaged through the wooden cabinet beside her. Finally, she opened her hand and showed the object in her palm to Yu Tu. It was a small bunch of faded plant specimens. Only by using the knowledge of the Stigmata could Yu Tu recognize that it was originally a ton of cornflowers.

"Well, these are just dried flowers I found in the nearby herbarium, but they're better than nothing. If you could... could you help me find a tombstone nearby? The name on it is Alexei ... Alexei Sidavich Zaitsev. Please, place this flower in front of his tombstone for me."

Having entrusted what she wanted to do to Yutu, Alexandra's serene face carried a faint sadness.

"He was my husband, who passed away a few months ago because of that disaster. Although only his hat and pistol are buried there... I visit him every week to chat and offer him a bouquet of flowers. When he went abroad, he said that the most desolate cemeteries are those where no one visits, because the people buried there are truly gone. I... don't want him to end up like that."

So that's how it is. But... why did Alexandra tell it in this way? This attitude... is too calm, isn't it?

Chapter 423 Misterin Saniyat

This puzzled Yuto. It would be perfectly normal for her to be more emotional in this situation, but... Noticing Yuto's puzzled look, Alexandra continued to add.

"Is it surprising that I can talk to you so calmly? I've already said it, my current body doesn't allow me to be too sad. After all, even medication to maintain lung capacity is hard to find. When I can... no. Let's leave that for then. You... you should understand, right?"

To say such unsettling things in such a calm tone, so rational and optimistic... Yu Tu could only nod.

"Hmm... I understand."

Not knowing what to say, Yu Tu took the cornflower from the other person and left the room. Since this was something she wanted to do, she would help her complete it properly.

On a snowy plain, following Alexandra's earlier directions, Yutu easily found the small hillside with many tombstones. Among the many small tombstones, Yutu finally found the inconspicuous but very neat one.

Alexei Sidavich Zaitsev... He was a sinner, but he always did his best to keep his family and friends from hunger and cold.

Softly reading the epitaph on the tombstone, Yu Tu placed the dried flowers in front of it with a stone. She didn't understand why humans had such a custom, but her knowledge told her she should do it.

For her, compared to transcription—a way of preserving thoughts and experiences as much as possible—a stone tablet and an inscription summarizing the deceased seemed utterly futile. Like a name, it is so important to humanity, yet simply cannot hold too much information.

Life is too long, and epitaphs are too short.

Go back, I still have some things to explain to Alexandra.

After standing on the snowfield for quite some time, Yu Tu finally made up her mind. There were some things she had to explain to Alexandra, otherwise the guilt she felt would be unbearable.

Watching the girl's heavy steps towards the wooden house, Shen Gonglin, observing this memory from the sidelines, turned to look at Hato beside her. That Alexandra must be Bronya's mother, right? She hadn't expected Hato to have such a connection with her, and the other party...

"You're back?"

Hearing the noise outside the door, the woman lying quietly on the bed tried to sit up. Yu Tu walked into the room, looked at her, and nodded.

"I'm back... Flower, I've stayed there."

"Thank you for your hard work. Come here quickly, I have something prepared to show you."

The answer was quickly revealed: on the thick blanket, Alexandra's knees created a small undulation. Nearby, several different plant specimens were piled together somewhat haphazardly. Alexandra smiled gently as she displayed her "collection" to the rabbit.

"Just consider it another favor to me, choose your favorite one."

"Hmm? Is this some kind of ritual again?"

Not understanding why the other party wanted her to do this, Yu Tu felt that she really liked doing things that were full of "ritual".

"Hehe, I'll tell you after you've made your selection."

A sly smile played on her lips as Yu Tu sighed softly. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. Alexandra's impulsive nature was perfectly embodied in her. Frustrated by her personality, Yu Tu reached out and randomly picked through the unidentifiable specimens, choosing the least noticeable one. Withered, messy, bearing pathetic fruit... just like her self-assessment of her life.

"Oh...it's it. Let me think...um..."

It seemed she was indeed putting her mind to it seriously, and after thinking for a long time, Alexandra finally had a flash of inspiration and came up with an idea.

"Ah, let's use Misterin then. Do you like this name?"

Alexandra was thinking of a suitable name for Yutu. After a period of deep thought, she finally came up with a name that suited her. The girl looked very pretty, so of course she should choose a nice-sounding name.

"... Name? What are you talking about?"

For a moment, I didn't react. Misterin? Her name?

"You just chose mistletoe. I thought about its pronunciation in different languages, and only Misterin sounds the best. In some myths, it represents life; while in others, it's closely associated with death. It seems quite suitable for you..."

He smiled and explained the meaning of the name, saying it represents life? Yet it's also closely related to death... It really is a choice of fate.

"Ah, no... I mean, you're making me choose just so you can pick a name for me?"

Unexpectedly, Alexandra was trying to choose a name for him. Being treated like this by her, Yu Tu was at a loss for what to do.

"Of course. If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. But how can you say you really didn't... If someone wants to recall their time with you, silently Misterin is better than that mysterious and difficult-to-understand Saniyat, isn't it?"

Listening to Bronya's mother's words from this memory, Shen Gonglin nodded with deep feeling. Indeed, she was mysterious and spoke in a way that was difficult to understand. This summary was really good.

Ah, her speech is mysterious and difficult to understand... so that's the impression she leaves on others. Thinking of this, Yu Tu felt a little downcast. But... a name, to her... really doesn't mean anything.

"Don't overthink it. Anyway, I've already given it to you... Whether you use it or not is up to you. Oh, right, actually, there's something I wanted to say..."

Just as Alexandra was about to say something, a sudden knock on the door interrupted her. The two of them turned their astonished gazes to the wind and snow outside the window. At this moment, the remnants of the Ural Mountains were simultaneously sealed off by Honkai and frost, making it a place that almost no temple could set foot in. And yet, in this environment, someone was knocking on the door.

It must be him again, that Gray Serpent... Misterin could easily guess who it was that was knocking on the door at this time.

"Alexandra, stay here and don't make a sound. That man is very dangerous to you."

After giving Alexandra these instructions, Feathered Rabbit left, and that was when Gray Serpent invited her to join the World Serpent once again.

Chapter 424 Bad News

What... what's going on?

Alexandra was clearly still reeling from the terrifying events that had just transpired. After the knocking, Misterin struggled for a long time before finally sitting up and looking out the window. There she saw the black figure talking to Misterin for a while before suddenly shooting at her. The sound of the gunshot still left Alexandra shaken.

In that instant when his cold will was about to crumble... his mechanical finger, propelled by inertia, pulled the trigger, firing the deadly bullet at her hidden in the room. Fortunately, having stood beside the living curse for so long, she was nearing her limit in every sense. The shot only left a bullet hole in the chimney on the roof.