11. Xia Ling: Origin? Who? Me? / 12. Mei and I Are as Close as Sisters, So...

"Did you... fight?"

"And where did Xia Ling run off to again?"

"That's a long story, Headmaster. In Changkong City, we encountered the World Serpent..."

"Why do I suddenly feel a chill...?"

At this moment, Xia Ling in Changkong City suddenly shivered.

"Xia Ling, what's wrong?"

Bella, lying beside her, noticed Xia Ling looking around and asked a question.

After Xia Ling's treatment, Bella's injuries have recovered considerably. Although it will take some time for her to fully recover, she is able to speak without any problems.

"It's nothing... I just feel like someone is thinking about me again."

Unconsciously touching the collar around her neck, Xia Ling couldn't help but feel pessimistic about her life after returning to the ship.

"Um... if Xia Ling, you don't need to worry about me. I feel it will probably take some time before I fully recover."

Seeing that Xia Ling had been sniping earlier and now seemed distracted, the understanding Bella suggested, "I'll come find you once I've recovered. I know the location of the Hyperion."

"No, Bella, you don't understand..." Xia Ling's face was bitter. "I feel like once I go back, I probably won't be able to get out for a while."

"Therefore, I need to get everything settled for you before that."

"Is there anything else besides me?"

Bella tilted her dragon head in a subtle arc, perfectly expressing her confusion.

"Yes, there are many people who want to save Kiana, and quite a few who want to take advantage of her. I need to take advantage of this opportunity to arrange everything properly."

"Bella, you stay here and recover. I'm going out for a while, but not back to the Hyperion."

"Will there be any danger? You're not in good condition. Although I haven't fully recovered, I should still be able to protect you. Besides, I have a lot of experience working with your queen-like abilities."

"No need, I probably won't be fighting next."

Xia Ling waved her hand.

"Moreover, even if a battle really breaks out, you probably won't be able to help much... Even if you tied everyone in Changkong City together right now, it probably wouldn't make any difference."

After saying that, Xia Ling disappeared.

The top floor of the former orphanage site in the East District of Changkong City.

"Raven, how's the mission going?"

"Everything is normal. The Herrscher of the Void has been re-enclosed by Anti-Entropy."

"Normal? I doubt it..."

The Gray Serpent's voice was full of amusement. "Every move you make in Changkong City is under my watchful eye. Do you think you can escape accountability for your self-serving actions?"

"... I have to admit, I did have the idea of killing her at first, but when I found out that the people who came were Xia Ling and Mei Raiden, I had already given up on that idea."

"What happened next was merely a way to test the waters of the previous attitude beforehand..."

"Yes, I can testify, that's exactly what she thought."

A familiar voice suddenly broke into their conversation.

"Hi, long time no see? It hasn't been that long, though."

"Xia Ling? How did you find this place!"

Raven was startled by Xia Ling again. She was about to draw her weapon to defend herself, but then she suddenly remembered that Xia Ling seemed to have broken her weapon.

However, the Raven's leap silenced the Gray Serpent on the screen.

Looking at Xia Ling's familiar mode of transportation beneath her black stockings, the crimson light in Gray Serpent's mechanical eyes was flashing like C4 about to explode.

Chapter Eleven Xia Ling: Origin? Who? Me?

"Gray Serpent? What, are you surprised to see me?"

Xia Ling looked at the Gray Serpent, which had gone into a shutdown state, and a smile couldn't help but appear on her lips.

That's right, she wanted to see Gray Serpent's shocked expression.

"May I ask, who are you with...?"

Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask!

Xia Ling immediately cut off the question that Gray Serpent hadn't yet voiced.

The Gray Serpent's eyes flickered several times, but it ultimately chose to remain silent. After all, if Xia Ling didn't want to talk about it, it was better not to ask if it was related to that person.

"So, what do you want to do here? You're not just here to act as my witness, are you?"

Seeing that the Gray Serpent showed no intention of speaking, Raven could only step forward and ask.

"How could that be? I'm not that free." Xia Ling shook her head. "I just wanted to find someone to ask about some things."

"Looking for someone, Reed? It's a pity she wasn't involved in this mission. If you have anything urgent, I can help you contact her."

Raven completely misunderstood Xia Ling's meaning. After all, from her perspective, the person the other party was most likely to be looking for was Flame Willow.

"No, the person I'm looking for is your Honored Master, Kevin."

Xia Ling slowly uttered words that startled both of them.

"He should be in Changkong City, right? I need to confirm some things with him."

The Raven turned to the Gray Serpent for help, knowing she couldn't make the decision herself.

"Your intelligence is very accurate, Miss Xia Ling." Gray Serpent pondered for a moment, "However, you seem to be overestimating my power."

"I can convey your request to the Honored Master. If the Honored Master deems a meeting necessary, I will have the Raven inform you."

"Classic, go back and wait for notification, right..." Xia Ling pursed her lips, just about to say something, when suddenly another person's voice came through Gray Serpent's communication.

"Gray Serpent, bring her over here."

Without a doubt, the person who connected to the communication was Kevin.

Kevin's sudden voice startled Gray Serpent. He hadn't even told the Honored Master about this yet, so how did the Honored Master already know?

However, it was not his job to guess the Honored Master's meaning. With Kevin's consent, Gray Serpent naturally did not hesitate and quickly reported a series of coordinates.

"Thanks, Kevin, I'll be right there."

Xia Ling waved at Kevin, who had no expression on the screen, and then vanished from their sight in an instant.

"Leave this matter to me; you can proceed with your plans as normal."

"Yes, Your Honored Master."

After giving the instruction, Kevin also disconnected the communication connection.

"Gray Serpent, just who exactly is Xia Ling...?"

Raven was completely baffled. She had never seen anyone treat Kevin like this before, as if he were just casually visiting the neighbor's older brother...

"The Honored Master has his reasons for doing this, Raven. You should focus on the task at hand."

While there's not much that can be done about Xia Ling, Gray Serpent can easily handle Raven.

To Xia Ling's surprise, Kevin was not in the World Serpent's base, but in a very ordinary house in the settlement.

However, it seems that Kevin is only staying for a few days. According to Xia Ling's recollection, the storyline of "Elegy of the Sinner" probably lasts no more than five days.

Looking at it this way, it seems that in the original work, Chiya had just reunited and then separated again.

Putting her wandering thoughts aside, Xia Ling opened the door.

"Long time no see, Kevin." Sensing the dangerous aura around Kevin, Xia Ling couldn't help but sigh, "It seems the food in the Intrinsic World is much better than in the Sea of Quantum."

"The World Serpent retrieved Chi You's body for me as nourishment, and now my strength has been largely restored."

Kevin seemed to have no intention of exchanging pleasantries with Xia Ling, and instead went straight to the point.

"You just said you wanted to come and ask me a few questions."

"You can ask now, and I'll consider whether or not to answer you depending on the situation."

Seemingly afraid that Xia Ling might misunderstand, Kevin added, "If it doesn't involve the core secrets of the Stigmata Project, I will try my best to answer your questions."

"As expected of Kevin, he speaks much more easily than he does when chatting with Gray Serpent."

Xia Ling nodded and said, "First of all, I want to know if the World Serpent has any way to save Kiana."

"Yes." Kevin answered the question without hesitation, "As long as Mei Raiden becomes Herrscher again, the burden on Kiana's body can be reduced."

"Similarly, I noticed that you seem to have subdued the Judgment-class Honkai Beast Benares. It seems that you are preparing to take the same approach as World Serpent."

"The body of Judgment-class Honkai Beast can easily support a core."

"Yes, that's what I thought too, but you know about my treatment of Bella?"

Xia Ling was very curious, and when she used the Cipher Plate, she made a point of checking if there were any onlookers around.

Moreover, Kevin immediately sensed her arrival when he was with Gray Serpent.

"I didn't try to monitor your actions. It's just that the primordial aura on you is too conspicuous to me. It's hard not to notice it."

Kevin had just finished explaining when he noticed that Xia Ling seemed completely stunned.

"Wait, what did you say? Origin? Me?"

Xia Ling pointed to herself, as if a bunch of question marks had appeared above her head.

"You don't know? The mark of Origin has already appeared in your eyes."

"Yes, is there?" Xia Ling immediately took out a small mirror. The pupils in the mirror were as deep black as before, without any pink diamond-shaped marks.

Xia Ling: oO?

Kevin: OMO

"..."

Kevin suddenly felt like taking back what he had just said.

It seems that Elysia doesn't want her successor to know about this, but she seems to have let it slip just now.

But you can't blame him for that. The pink diamond-shaped mark in Xia Ling's eyes had become visible to the naked eye. He didn't expect that Xia Ling herself couldn't see it.

"Kevin, explain in detail what the aura of origin is."

"... Let's change the subject. It's best if she tells you about her herself."

"I did ask, I just asked." Xia Ling shrugged. "But it's been read but no reply."

"Then I have nothing to say."

"... Well, it's already a pleasant surprise that you let that slip."

Seeing that Kevin didn't seem to be planning to reveal anything, Xia Ling didn't press him further.

"Is Otto planning to conduct the next experiment on the Tree of Imaginary in Changkong City?"

"That's right. This experiment only requires opening the Imaginary Singularity left over from Changkong City. Due to the deal with Schicksal, the World Serpent will not stop Schicksal. The experiment will take place in one day."

"Thankfully, it's not today... there's still some buffer time."

Xia Ling breathed a sigh of relief.

"So, one last question."

"Are you... planning to kidnap Mei and take her to World Serpent?"

Chapter Twelve: Mei is like a sister to me, so...

"..."

"Given Mei Raiden's personality, this will likely be her own choice."