Mobius, Heading Toward the Sea of Quanta

Mount Taixu, Fuyun Temple.

The woman's slender fingers resembled freshly peeled lychees; her fair fingertips met the boy's face with a light and gentle touch.

She glanced casually at the scene of treason displayed by the [Haotian Mirror], then carefully counted the eyelashes of her beloved, and whispered:

Kiana, Bronya, Satou Yunona.

"They are all very familiar to you, so why would your records recreate these people?"

Su Qing'an instinctively pushed the other person's hand away, stood up, and faced the scene before him. His gaze lingered on the youthful and beautiful faces of the girls, listening to the whispers in his ears, his lips repeating fragmented words as if in unison:

"Kiana, Sato, Bronya."

The boy's eyes lit up for a moment, then dimmed again.

"Xiao Xi..."

Fu Hua showed no emotional fluctuation at Su Qing'an's reaction. Her expression as she gazed at the scene remained indifferent and disdainful. She simply responded to the instinctive words that followed:

"Don't worry, the child will be fine."

"They are too."

At least for now.

The woman possessed all of Su Qing'an's memories, and she knew deeply that these people had all played an indelible and important role in Su Qing'an.

If he hadn't found meaning and reason to remain in this world at the St. Freya Academy, given his personality, in the face of the choice between starting a new journey on the brink of death, refusing to restart would have been the normal course of action, and he would have had no way to continue down the path of instinctive extension that followed.

Whether it's Bronya, Kiana, or Satou Yunona, as well as the atmosphere of that academy itself, they are all important components that give him a sense of realism.

So, in this stage where the Manas consciousness is gradually waning to the point of seemingly collapsing, the return of these beings who once offered warmth and humanity to others in this form—is it perhaps hinting at something in the unseen world?

The boy's pupils reflected the figures of the others, vaguely revealing more vivid emotional colors, yet like dust rising and falling in a strong wind, returning to stillness, his emotions becoming heavy, and his lips no longer moving.

This empty shell ultimately lacks the most crucial element.

The image displayed on the [Haotian Mirror] faded away as the group departed.

The woman leisurely placed the core from the back of the Divine Key back into the hole in the strap. Looking at the boy's profile, she whispered:

"All the love and tenderness you once gave to the world now shines upon you like a receding tide."

But... can this light save you?

No one can say for sure whether it was an accident or a cruel joke played by fate.

The existence of these people is essentially just a record of the Lostbelt phenomenon created by their escape, but it seems that this interaction with Su Qing'an in the past has created a completely different dividing line for the other outsiders.

The overlap of records, the sublimation of the soul, the mutation of abilities.

No similar event has occurred in any other Lostbelt phenomenon.

Otherwise, in the struggle against the large forces produced by the Schicksal Inverse Merchant and other [Lostbelt], there would likely be many more twists and turns and unnecessary troubles.

This sense of specialness and the unspoken expectation it evoked was the core reason why His Your Excellency allowed the three to leave the [Moon Worship Palace].

Ultimately, this is because, under the current circumstances, the original plans for historical revision and the elimination of Lostbelt have gradually become dispensable.

Moreover, they could not change the plan to gradually pull back the anchor point of the Sin Domain, nor could they change the reality that they could not step into the heart of Chao Xian City or enter Mount Taixu. Even the thought of retrieving their past Heart Seal was just a dream.

Therefore, provided there is no risk involved, she doesn't mind believing in some unrealistic things for the sake of her lover.

On the other hand, Fu Hua was not unaware of Su Muxi's subtle actions.

My daughter is very smart.

Even though these past few centuries have felt like being trapped in a dark, watery prison, this consciousness born from the part of Udu-dust nurtured by the Manas consciousness has still grown considerably.

Whether it's the freedom of pure consciousness or the wondrous sensations resulting from this mode of existence, both belong to the level of being born halfway to the top of the food chain.

In theory, even a Herrscher misuses their powers would find it difficult to cause harm.

If it weren't for the special metal she discovered during her conquests beyond the realm, which had the power to lock away soul matter, and the fact that she then used that soul contract, she truly wouldn't have been confident in imprisoning the other party for seven hundred years without inflicting fatal damage.

The [Haotian Mirror]'s ability to spy on Kiana, the Herrscher of the Void, is completely undetectable, but it cannot escape Su Muxi's unreasonable intuition. This wondrous ability, inherited from her father, is enough for her to understand her situation.

But what does it matter to her even if she knows that everyone's every move is being watched?

The woman's cold expression softened, easing the atmosphere of isolation and death. Her rosy lips curved slightly, revealing a rare, genuine smile as she softly said:

"Xiao Xi, what's the point of telling them to leave so quickly?"

She paused, then said softly:

"The part of the Heart Seal you are looking for ceased to exist in this world seven hundred years ago."

The hope and future that the other party desires have never had a path to success from the very beginning.

The border regions of Shenzhou.

A small town, Shaxian snacks.

A strikingly different gray-haired beauty skillfully poured vinegar and chili into a dish. Her features were distinctly Eastern European, with a somber expression on her delicate face.

Bronya placed different dishes in front of the two girls, while the owner, whose body was half-prosthetic, silently placed several baskets of steamed dumplings on the table before returning to the kitchen to continue frying rice.

With the skill of a mother hen, she used chopsticks to place the steamed dumplings into the porcelain bowls of the two little girls, propping her elbows on the table and tilting her head to ask:

"Yuno-nee, you should have received the message from Shio, right?"

Satou Yunona glanced at the steamed dumplings in her bowl and the dipping sauce to her liking. This reversal of roles created a rather complicated feeling, but the present matter was far more important than such details. She responded with a double entendre:

"Hmm, Xiao Xi's last move to let us leave was strange. I think everyone should have noticed it. That Your Excellency might have been watching [the Moon Worship Palace] from the front."

"In any case, to prevent any accidents, let Kiana try using the mind link first; it will make the conversation much easier."

Kiana nodded in response. She glanced at the kitten on her lap that seemed a little unhappy, scratched its chin, and made it purr for a moment before placing the somewhat haughty little animal on Satou Yunona's skirt for her to take care of.

The girl then took out the rose-pink core that resembled a gemstone from her bosom.

It seems that because it is frozen in the state of arriving in this world, its connection with the other two cores is quite arbitrary. It can be detached or restored to a quad-core state at any time.

It's almost as if Fu Hua and Bronya from back then are continuing to help themselves now.

Although it's illogical, this locked state really helped a lot.

Otherwise, resonating and connecting with any core authority, even just using the most basic level of consciousness authority, cannot be done casually.

Power link successful.

The Heaven and Earth Qi poured in.

The waves of the spirit are cleansed.

Kiana's voice resounded between their consciousnesses, she said:

"Okay, that's fine now."

Satou Yunona felt the wondrous sensation of this consciousness establishing an invisible channel with it. Subconsciously, she went along with the kitten's temperament, stroking its soft, snow-white fur, and whispered:

"Let me state the conclusion first; I think you've all guessed it."

"First of all, we were under Her Your Excellency's watchful eye, so after she handed Little White over to us, she let us leave the [Moon Worship Palace] directly."

"Secondly, the Heart Seal isn't in the signal tower; that was just a rhetoric Xiao Xi used to lower the other party's guard. The real guidance is hidden in the feather we brought her into the tower."

None of this surprised Bronya and Kiana. They weren't stupid; on the contrary, both possessed keen intuition and calm judgment in such matters.

Su Muxi's previous speculations were indeed reasonable, but all of this must be based on the premise that part of the Heart Seal still exists in the world.

The problem is that since the other party had previously emphasized that His Your Excellency was a tyrant, the underlying meaning was quite obvious.

Will a tyrant restrain his temper to tolerate the things he despises?

Unless the Heart Seal is indestructible, even if it contains one's past self, it is merely a stumbling block in His Your Excellency to saving Su Qing'an, and has no special significance whatsoever.

However, Su Muxi never mentioned the possibility that the Heart Seal was no longer in the world, which clearly meant she was not trying to preserve the so-called spark of hope.

False hope and misinformation will only lead to disillusionment, and given the underlying clues, the answer is not hard to guess.

So...

"Xiao Xi believes that the Heart Seal of Fu Hua from the past, the one we know as the Class President, has very likely been destroyed by the current Your Excellency in some way."

"She said that Udu-dust was born with the ability to record everything about the controller. It is a very troublesome thing to erase these Heart Seal of the self that hide the personality. However, if the side effect of being worn down after entering the Manas consciousness is properly utilized, it is possible to use this to completely disperse them into the world and make them cease to exist."

"And coincidentally, this Your Excellency did indeed enter the Manas consciousness once when dealing with the Herrscher of Restraint."

"Now it seems that perhaps that part of the personality was deliberately used as a price to pay during that battle, and was thus eliminated."

Kiana had anticipated this, but she was still heavy-hearted and even felt disheartened by it.

For her, Fu Hua's existence was very special.

This pioneer, who has protected Shenzhou for thousands of years, has repeatedly pulled himself out of the dark depths of the sea.

That immortal was selfless and gentle, like a warm ocean embracing her, firmly pulling a traveler lost in the fog out of rampant absurdity, telling her that there was still a path ahead that she could forge.

After that, Kiana truly followed the admirable ancestors along the way, transforming into an unyielding flame, and finding her own perseverance and courage in the dark and boundless wasteland.

To her, the past self, whom the current Your Excellency sees as an obstacle, is actually a benefactor and friend who once offered her salvation.

This news is tantamount to a cold and indifferent statement of the other party's death, so it's impossible to remain completely unmoved.

Bronya was also momentarily stunned. Suppressing the surge of emotions brought on by this almost confirmed possibility, she calmly asked:

"Then... does Xiao Xi have any other methods?"

"If there really is no other way, Xiao Xi probably won't hand Little White over to us, because theoretically it's safest for it to stay by her side."

"She must have considered a possibility, and handed Little White over to increase our chances of winning."

Satou Yunona processed the information flow within the feathers and said softly:

"Xiao Xi said that Su Qing'an left behind his memories in the timeline of the previous era during a reincarnation. If the Moth to Fire have the habit of leaving behind the memories of their warriors, then Fu Hua, who survived to the end, also has a high probability of leaving behind her own memories."

Bronya pondered its meaning and whispered:

"I know what Xiao Xi is referring to. I've heard Mei mention it before. It's a special area used by World Serpent to train its officers. A large facility called Sea of Quanta is hidden underground at World Serpent's headquarters."

"The memories of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers lie dormant within this facility. Mei once spent a considerable amount of time there in order to uncover the truth behind certain events."

She calmed herself down and continued:

"Xiao Xi means that Hua, as one of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers, should have had corresponding memories left behind. Compared to the Heart Seal, which is very likely to be destroyed and difficult to find, it might be more feasible to use this memory to fill in His Your Excellency's consciousness now."

Kiana snapped out of her daze and inevitably raised her questions:

"Even if that is truly the Class President's memory, it's still more than 50,000 years different from her current self. Even after deducting the time she spent sleeping, there are still roughly five or six thousand years of memories mixed together."

"I've seen a few of the Class President's Heart Seal on Mount Taixu before and learned about her past. In the beginning, Hua was just an ordinary girl."

"For the Class President, everything he experienced in this era was an indispensable element in shaping the later Immortal Chi Yuan."

She sighed:

"I believe that the Hua who left behind a memory was already a mature warrior, but there must be a significant difference between her and the one who came later."

"This memory itself is fundamentally different from the part of her personality that she voluntarily separated. Given this huge difference, even if we were to use the power of consciousness to force it into His Your Excellency's soul, we might not achieve the results we hope for."

Satou Yunona said softly:

Kiana is right, but we don't have many options left.

"Moreover, Xiao Xi's expectations go far beyond this."

"She proposed a hypothesis, a hypothesis that overlaps if the Lostbelt phenomenon also occurs in the Sea of Quanta."

Kiana understood the meaning. If the Lostbelt phenomenon was seen as a leak of Su Qing'an's Personal Record, then the friends had all undergone different changes and overlaps, which were then revealed to the world.

The possibility that Fu Hua, as the other party's wife, would encounter the Lostbelt phenomenon is actually higher.

The reason why His Your Excellency has not been affected by the overlapping records is simple: Su Muxi once said that the other party had already successfully overlapped all the records nine hundred years ago, so the [Lostbelt] phenomenon will naturally not affect him no matter what happens.

But... even a feather, which is a byproduct of several people, can trace back to that person's fragmented consciousness through that faint Karma. It's normal that Hua, who is the memory body in the Sea of Quanta, would be affected.

Even if an even more outrageous operation than Satou Yunona were replicated, it wouldn't be entirely impossible to directly create a living, Immortal Chi Yuan through this overlapping consciousness.

Bronya stated:

"So now there's only one question left."

Does the Sea of Quanta in this world still truly exist?

She pulled up a virtual panel, looked at the countless information bars on it, and zoomed in on one of them.

[Recruitment Regulations: Anyone interested in participating in the experiment in exchange for Honkai Elixir or Soul Steel Surgery qualification, regardless of status or position, may travel to Chao Xian City at any time to sign the relevant contract.]

[Relevant Person in Charge: Doctor Mobius]

The girl said softly:

"His Your Excellency has already taken action against the memories within the Sea of Quanta. Other matters are unclear, but at least this doctor has been extracted and is living in this world with a Soul Steel body, continuing his research on Fusion Gene and Stigmata for hundreds of years."

"I think Fu Hua's strength is partly due to the help of this memory."

"After all, Fusion Gene isn't something that can be easily transplanted and evolved. But with a genius researcher with extensive experience in this field conducting research for hundreds of years, frankly... it's somewhat like exploiting a bug in a game. It's not surprising that the results are astonishing."

Even researchers from the previous era might not have spent ten years on the combined study of Fusion Gene; if this was spread across other fragmented projects, the time required would have been even shorter.

While time cannot represent everything in scientific research, it is perfectly reasonable to develop superior gene technologies based on a foundation built upon dozens of times the original time.

Furthermore, His Your Excellency has bestowed upon all scientists with potential a body of Soul Steel, as well as a mental imprint that does not affect their temperament and self, in order to maximize the value of these beings who stand at the top of the ladder of human wisdom.

The final result is the bizarre and ridiculously powerful world we see today.

Even if the Finality truly arrives, when faced with technology that has developed to the point of approaching theology, we will need to weigh whether our own limits can surpass the limits of humanity and the current Your Excellency's level of madness.

This is why, even when forced into a situation with almost no way out, they never considered confronting each other head-on.

--I can't argue with them at all.

She retracted the virtual screen and reasoned logically:

"Once Fu Hua makes a move on one of the memories, there's no reason for her to leave the other Flame-Chasers' memories unused. Of course, given her tyrannical and unrestrained nature, it wouldn't be surprising if the Sea of Quanta of the Past were only missing Mobius."

Kiana said what she wanted to say:

"However, given the circumstances, the anomalies in the Sea of Quanta probably couldn't have been kept secret from them."

"If a [Lostbelt] really do overlap, then they've probably already been taken control of by the other side before we even get there. Going there would just be walking into a trap."

Satou Yunona calmly replied:

"Logically speaking, that's indeed the case."

"But if, just like the Schicksal Headquarters and the Anti-Entropy Continent that appeared together in this world, another alternate timeline appears in this world, and this Sea of Quanta is still undiscovered, then we might have the possibility of obtaining this card by deceiving everyone."

From a rational perspective, this state is far too idealistic and unrealistic.

Even though the Lostbelt phenomenon provides justification for all the illogical situations, it doesn't mean that miracles can happen at will.

Both of them believed that Su Muxi would not give them the hope that such a miracle could only be witnessed by a series of miracles.

The fact that Satou Yunona raised this possibility only proves that it is a proven reality.

Kiana asked:

"Did Xiao Xi tell you the specific location?"

"Hmm, it's probably some kind of coordinate. I need to take a moment to extract this information."

Satou Yunona rubbed her slightly sore temples, which caused Little White, who had lost her masseuse, to let out a lazy gurgling sound in dissatisfaction.

Seeing this, Bronya took over the task of smoothing the hair.

Although she didn't know what purpose the kitten served, it was still the child's treasure and friend. She felt that since the other party had entrusted such an important existence to it, it naturally needed to be treated well.

The girl only began to understand the hidden information step by step, as if unlocking a combination lock, after sitting down in the shop. She could sense the terrifying nature of the Your Excellency from this cautious operation.

Su Muxi clearly believed that without using such subtle methods, it was impossible to guarantee that the information would not be leaked. This also meant that Satou Yunona, who was the one deciphering the information, learned it at a speed that was almost synchronized with the speed of their communication. No wonder she chose to entrust it to the girl who had experienced five reincarnations.

Neither Bronya nor Kiana had the qualifications or ability to extract information from it.

Even with conscious power, Kiana can only use the most rudimentary form of forced linking.

Satou Yunona took a bite of a steamed dumpling, slowly digested the information, and stated it through the consciousness link:

"A World Bubble in the depths of the Arctic Ocean."

"From then on, our goal is to find the Sea of Quanta from there, guided by the signs."