Raven: I Want to Quit, Aaaah! / Xia Ling: Whatever, I'll Shoulder My Pack

She couldn't possibly be unaware that there was a second page of the letter in that bottle... Bronya suddenly thought of that possibility.

"In short," Kal'tsit sighed, glancing at the deteriorating environment around her. "I was hoping to ask about Xia Ling's situation, but it seems I won't have the chance this time."

"Mon3tr, come here."

"Let me escort you out of here first."

"Huh? Aren't you leaving with us?"

Seele asked timidly.

" In the Sea of Quantum, my companions are still waiting for me, and we also have other things to do."

Kal'tsit said calmly

"When you close your eyes and cross the Sea of Quantum, you may experience some dizziness and weightlessness."

Then, Bronya and Seele were suddenly thrown into the Abyssal Eye's capture range by Kal'tsit.

"Doctor, we've received a signal from the Abyssal Eye! Bronya and Seele have appeared!"

"I understand, Theresa, go and pick them up."

Ain's face was full of thought, but not because of Bronya.

Her computer was connected to a special communication signal, a signal from an old friend of hers— Schrödinger.

Chapter Twenty: Raven: I want to quit my job!

The familiar ceiling.

This was Bronya's first impression upon waking up.

After all, she was very familiar with this place; Hyperion's infirmary, and she had visited it at least five times recently.

Somewhat groggy, she sat up and noticed Theresa standing guard beside her.

"Huh? Bronya, you're awake?"

Theresa immediately perked up. "How are you feeling now? Is there anything uncomfortable?"

"Bronya is fine, Headmistress... It's just that she's over-consuming Honkai Energy and has been corrupted to an excessive degree."

Bronya shook her still-dizzy head and asked, "Headmistress, what happened after Bronya fainted? How is Seele? Oh, right, Bronya also encountered..."

"Alright, alright, don't get agitated. Seele has already told me and the Doctor what happened to you."

Theresa quickly comforted Bronya.

"That lady who claims to be Kal'tsit... is most likely really Xia Ling's elder."

"After you fell into a coma, Ain received a communication from her old friend, Schrödinger, who had been completely quantized and was once lost in the Sea of Quantum."

"She talked with Ain for a long time and helped her retrieve Welt from the Sea of Quantum as well."

"At the same time, she also told Ain that there was indeed a shuttle ship near the place where you fought Kevin."

"A pink-haired person came down during that time, and it basically matched what Kal'tsit had said before."

"Moreover, after Kal'tsit returned to that shuttle, the shuttle disappeared from her sight. This is consistent with Xia Ling's strange black box props. I remember Xia Ling had something similar."

"So, Bronya really did encounter Sister Xia Ling..."

"Yes, it's an exciting discovery, but one that doesn't exactly bring joy..."

Theresa sighed.

"In short, once Ain has finished dealing with things here, we will head to Changkong City as soon as possible."

"Tesla has completed most of the data decoding. She is currently at the Anti-Entropy Headquarters handling the remaining finishing and summarizing work. If necessary, Mei can also come over in advance."

"As for us, let's go with Hyperion."

"Oh, right, there's one more thing." Theresa said as if she had suddenly remembered something, "Ain and Welt said they're coming to see you later, it seems they have something to say."

"I think it might be because you successfully integrated the Herrscher of Reason Core in the Sea of Quantum."

"I suspect they may have decided that they want you to succeed them as the third Herrscher of Reason."

Meanwhile, in New Mexico, USA, at the Entropy Anti-Entropy Base.

The roar of gunfire and the howls of Honkai Beast turned this once peaceful Anti-Entropy base into a sea of fire.

"Brother Ryoma, are there any mechs in the base still operational?"

"Activate what? I've already started the base's self-destruct program. All the mechs and crew that can still move are here!"

The middle-aged man with purple hair answered, equally panting.

"This firepower doesn't seem like the work of Schicksal, and I've never seen any Schicksal team fight by releasing Honkai Beast."

Raiden Ryoma gritted his teeth and said hatefully, "World Serpent seems to have been conducting research on the Collapse of Phosphorus Dream II: Another Item - Fin-Isan Kaimon. It's probably their doing!"

"Tsk... Why are they still chasing after us?" Sigfried drew his Heavenly Fire Judgment and fired several shots at the rear, knocking down several throwing knives and arrows.

"Brother Ryoma, you take your men and retreat first. I'll cover the rear."

What nonsense are you talking about?

"I feel like they're targeting me, but I don't know if it's me personally or Tianhuo."

"In short, even if they're not targeting me, the chances of survival are much higher if they split up and run away."

Sigfried, wielding two pistols, leaped backward and broke away from the main force.

"If you find Kiana, please give her my regards and tell her that I am not a good father!"

Leaving behind those words, Sigfried headed off in the opposite direction.

"That bastard!"

Raiden Ryoma slammed its fist into the mech beside it. "Damn it, if Plasma Shadow Show VIII Ling Si Ling Wu were here..."

A moment later.

Raven put away the Seven Thunders of Retribution, which could no longer be used for a while, and his expression was somewhat unpleasant.

"Gray Serpent, could you assign me a safer mission next time?"

"Luckily, I reacted quickly, otherwise he would have unleashed the Heavenly Fire Judgment directly! It would have been both harmless and kept the Heavenly Fire intact... This is a veteran combatant who has been Schicksal S-class Knight since I was a child!"

"There's nothing we can do, Raven. As you know, the organization is short-handed, especially in terms of high-end combat capabilities."

Gray Serpent said unhurriedly, "Moreover, the Seven Thunders of Retribution are in your hands, and only you have the ability to complete these tasks."

"Last time you sent me to snipe Otto, this time you sent me to snipe Sigfried, are you going to send me to snipe the Anti-Entropy Leader next time...?"

Raven's tone was very displeased. "Can I please stop using this Seven Thunders of Retribution? With this thing, all the high-risk missions are assigned to me."

"Sure."

Unexpectedly, Gray Serpent agreed without hesitation, "You have served World Serpent for so many years, and I agreed to your request to leave World Serpent back then. I can naturally grant you this request as well."

"However, before you, there was indeed no one else in the World Serpent who could use the Seven Thunders of Retribution. Others might even get injured if they touched this Divine Key."

"Fortunately, we have recently found another suitable candidate for the Seven Thunders of Retribution."

"A new member? How come I didn't know?"

The Raven asked with interest.

"How could you not know? Didn't Reed say that she would agree to join the World Serpent as long as the Honored Master returns?"

Gray Serpent said matter-of-factly, "She also has the aptitude to use the Seven Thunders of Retribution. Although she's not as suitable as you, her recovery ability allows her to recover in time when she suffers the backlash from the Seven Thunders of Retribution."

"Gray Serpent, you?!"

The Raven's tone suddenly rose.

"No wonder they sent a Gray Serpent I don't know well to participate in this mission... Damn it, you're ruthless!"

"Don't worry, Miss Raven, I know that you and Miss Reed are already in a real relationship, so you will still be in charge of the Seven Thunders of Retribution."

"Of course, I also assure you that as soon as other suitable candidates for the Seven Thunders of Retribution appear in the World Serpent, I will give this thing to them immediately."

"After all, I don't really want to ruin your happy family."

The Gray Serpent's voice remained calm as always. "Now that the Honored Master has returned, I will not deceive you in front of the Honored Master."

"Nobody believes your guarantee!" Raven said viciously. "I have one condition, and now I've changed my mind: you are not allowed to approve Reed's application to join."

"Just let her maintain her current unofficial and employment relationship."

"Of course, I can grant you this request. After all, as long as it doesn't involve the goals of World Serpent, we don't object to members associating with members of other organizations."

Gray Serpent smiled, "Just like I didn't inquire about your strange relationship with that Valkyrie Anna either."

Chapter Twenty-One: Xia Ling: It doesn't matter, I'll pack my bags.

"Your Lord Bishop, based on the information we obtained from the humanoid machine, although it is not enough to pinpoint Kiana's location, we can determine that she is still in this city."

"However, the intelligence did not mention any information about Xia Ling's whereabouts."

In the bishop's office at the Schicksal Headquarters, Rita was reporting the deciphered information to Otto.

"The best intelligence is the one that is not reported."

Otto, reading the technical department's analysis, asked:

"Rita, you've been to the St. Freya Academy and personally met K423. Do you think she has the ability to build a safe house independently and remain undetected even under the watchful eye of a snake?"

"Obviously not, which means that someone must be helping her."

"This person is undoubtedly Xia Ling, which matches your previous experience of being attacked."

"But..."

Otto put down the report, a look of interest appearing on his face. "It's reasonable for Xia Ling to be by Kiana's side, and it's within my expectations."

"So, why exactly is the World Serpent clinging so tightly to this city...?"

"Rita, I need you to go to Changkong City again. This time, your main mission is still to bring Kiana back."

"Of course, it would be best if we could also find out the World Serpent's purpose."

"Your Lord Bishop, we just had a conflict in Changkong City not long ago. Wouldn't going back now be alerting them...?"

Rita had some concerns, but these concerns were not directed at Kiana, but rather at World Serpent.

"Don't worry, I've prepared a new identity for you."

"We have many partner companies all over the world. In Changkong City, we have reached a cooperation agreement with a company called Kamisato Pharmaceuticals."

"We provide them with a large number of Honkai Energy vaccines and aid supplies every month, which they then distribute to the people of Changkong City."

"Now that it's only the beginning of May, the new batch of vaccines hasn't been delivered yet. You can bring the Immortal Blade and, as the representative of this delivery of supplies, enter Changkong City."

"This time, Xi will act with you. Durandal is currently in North Africa, preparing to conduct an experiment with me on the connection between the Thousand Worlds Layered and the Tree of Imaginary."

"However, if needed, you can send a message to Durandal at any time and have her head to Changkong City."

"Yes, Your Lord Bishop."

"Rita, I guarantee the mission will be accomplished."

QUN Wuyi Banner Ba Ba Lingqi+Sulfur "ying "OK, I also got this one."

Xia Ling put away the miniature camera, and her body, hidden under the Scale Cloak, instantly disappeared from the spot.

Then, she appeared beside Kiana, who was guarding nearby.

"Mission accomplished, you can lift the alert now, Kiana."

Xia Ling gently patted Kiana's shoulder, and the girl's body tensed up suddenly, only relaxing again after hearing Xia Ling's voice.

Kiana sighed. She had been tricked by this kind of joke several times before, and had even gotten used to Xia Ling's sudden appearances.

"Sister Xia Ling, why won't you let me go in with you to take evidence... I have spatial abilities too."