How did I come to know Mobius?
Regarding this question, Xu Ziling definitely couldn't say that he had met Serpent because he had traveled through time and failed to summon her even after ninety-nine pulls. That would be far too embarrassing.
After taking on the "Pre-pre-civilization" persona he had created for himself in front of Mobius, Xu Ziling thought for a moment before answering honestly:
"Regarding this question... I'm not really sure myself. So I can only use the simplest method and tell you exactly what happened. Please forgive me for that.
"Before this, I was forced into an eternal slumber because of certain circumstances. The moment I saw the doctor after waking up, I understood that she had pulled me back from the boundary between life and death caused by bodily exhaustion. She also provided me with food, clothing, and shelter afterward... I'm deeply grateful to the doctor.
"But at the same time, I could also sense that the doctor seemed to want something from me. It was an eager desire that could only be cultivated in a long-term, high-pressure environment... So I understand her, and I don't reject her having ulterior motives toward me.
"Is this the answer you wanted, Miss Elysia?"
"Hmm... Hmm?"
Elysia blinked, then couldn't help reaching out and poking Xu Ziling's National Goddess-level face. Her expression was full of astonishment as she said,
"So... you really are the lifeform inside that statue Professor Mobius went to such great lengths to purchase?"
"Hm? So you know about the doctor's business?"
Xu Ziling was somewhat surprised. This time, he wasn't pretending.
From Elysia's earlier reactions to some of Mobius's words, he had actually already guessed that the statue he had been in before his "Monkey King's Birth" had most likely been secretly purchased by Mobius without anyone else knowing. He had thought that since Mobius could arrive in Changkong City without making a sound, this should have been confirmed. Yet Elysia actually knew about it?
"Mm-hm~"
Elysia smiled, then raised one finger and said,
"An elf always keeps an eye on the general situation of the people beside her pillow... I mean, beside her! As for Professor Mobius... Mm-hm~ Though she sometimes hides from me, an elf's magic is omnipotent, you know? Looking into some information is a piece of cake~"
Since Elysia already knew Xu Ziling's identity, there was honestly no need to continue the subject. After all, by working backward from the answer, Elysia could figure out the relationship between Xu Ziling and Mobius on her own. Mobius's earlier protectiveness toward Xu Ziling had also been given a reasonable explanation.
However, out of habit, Xu Ziling still told Elysia about how Mobius had placed great hopes in him after he was born from the statue... Of course, Xu Ziling chose to leave out some particularly stimulating details.
"So that's how Little Ziling met Professor Mobius..."
After listening seriously to Xu Ziling's story, Elysia happily nodded at him and said,
"I understand now~ Then next comes Little Ziling's question time! Is there anything you'd like to ask Miss Elf? I'll do my best to satisfy your curiosity!"
Elysia was that kind of person. She didn't like owing others anything, nor did she like one-sided progress. What she enjoyed seeing was a passionate story in which both sides gave and took.
So Xu Ziling didn't say that he had nothing to ask just because he had seen Elysia in the game's story before transmigrating, thereby retaining his right to ask questions. After thinking for a moment, he decided to ask what period he was currently in.
After all, Xu Ziling had only been awake for a short while after transmigrating before Mobius pushed him into the restroom and called him a "research sample." There was almost no information about the Honkai online on his phone, and he didn't even know how many Herrschers the Previous Civilization had reached by this point.
With that in mind, Xu Ziling was about to ask.
[Beep~ Host, um... I feel it's necessary to advise you against this behavior to some extent.]
[Although from your perspective, you have seen through the past and know the future, to Mobius and the others, you are merely a mysterious lifeform that has just been reborn from a stone statue. Asking rashly about the current progression of the Honkai will only add pointless suspicion to the host's image.]
[Of course... the system's suggestion is only meant to ensure that when you have the opportunity to make a choice, the host of the future will not regret it. The final decision, naturally, still rests with you, Host.]
Was the system... warning him?
Xu Ziling suddenly found it somewhat amusing. This was the first time his system had been on the road, and it really was both naïve and foolish. Did it think he hadn't considered this?
Thinking this, Xu Ziling quickly prepared what he was going to say in his mind before speaking to Elysia:
"Miss Elysia, since you've finished asking your questions, then my question is... how far has the 'Honkai' of this era developed? Have you learned of and witnessed the existence known as the 'Herrscher'?"
"The Herrscher?"
Elysia blinked. A trace of doubt appeared in her pink-and-blue eyes at the abrupt term, and she asked in return,
"What's that?"
"...You don't know what a Herrscher is?"
Now Xu Ziling was the confused one. Elysia didn't know what a Herrscher was? Could it be that she still didn't trust him and remained wary of him?
Xu Ziling looked at Elysia. Seeing the clear confusion in her eyes, he dismissed that possibility on his own.
That meant... he was currently in an era before even the First Herrscher had been born?
"I'm sorry, Little Ziling, but I don't know what this 'Herrscher' you mentioned is..."
Elysia shook her head blankly, then propped her face up with both hands and leaned over the experimental table in front of her.
"But... Honkai, I can explain that to you. It's the general term people of our era use for natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, and volcanic eruptions... But judging from what you mean, the 'Honkai' we're talking about probably isn't the same thing, is it?"
"Hiss~"
The Fire Moth's official attitude toward the Honkai still treated it as nothing more than a natural disaster... It seemed he really was in an era before even the First Herrscher had been born...
But that was fine too. At the very least, it gave him the maximum amount of time to develop before facing the 14th Herrscher of Finality. He wouldn't have to end up like the protagonists of certain transmigration novels, who started by appearing right in front of a Herrscher and being chased down relentlessly...
Huh?! Wait!
The current era was one in which even the First Herrscher had yet to be born? The Fire Moth's official understanding of the Honkai was still limited to natural disasters?
If that was really the case, then survival and development would naturally be at their maximum. But the problem was... if the Honkai had not been taken seriously, how had the Fire Moth, an organization formed to oppose the Honkai, come into existence?
This was a simple matter of logic. Reality had already proven that before facing a common enemy, humanity was fundamentally incapable of achieving true unity. If the Honkai was still incredibly weak throughout this period, then what was the significance of establishing the Fire Moth as an organization against it?
Xu Ziling put himself in the position of those in power. If he were a ruler, then before there was a common enemy, he would never permit the existence of an organization capable of standing independent from all the various powers. The United Nations served a similar function, but although the national representatives attending its meetings spoke repeatedly of acting for all humanity, if given the chance, which of them wouldn't want to fight for greater benefits for their own country?
Even the Great Tub kept proclaiming that his heart and conduct were as clear as a mirror, and that every thought and action of his was for the people! But could anyone say he was a good person? Obviously not.
So, returning to the original question, had Elysia lied to him, or had... the plot of this world truly taken a completely different direction from the original because of his appearance?
After looking at Elysia's innocent expression, Xu Ziling felt that the latter possibility was overwhelmingly more likely.
Before you continue