Chapter 401
Tang Liuli softly revealed the cruel truth.
Beside Xie Qingxuan, the pink paper crane representing Little Sakura no longer hopped around; it displayed a visible sadness, slumped against the glass of lemonade, motionless.
Nobody is a fool.
The three hadn't noticed before because their memories hadn't awakened, so the identity of a Magical Girl could easily fool them. However, as they fully transformed into sentient beings, their memories gradually unlocked, the information gap narrowed, and many problems became clear.
First, why is there [pure white]?
Because of her physical problems, otherwise, given this Savior's personality, she would have burned the scourge to ashes long ago, leaving behind no troublesome Cult of Disaster Gods.
Second, why did Chu Yuanqing become Magical Girl?
Since her power is most likely contained within [Pure White], which is responsible for suppressing the disaster hordes, she would have to rely on the newly born power of the Magical Girl in the second playthrough if she wanted to take action.
Third, why can't we tell them certain things?
Because this fool was afraid of upsetting them, he thought it was better not to say anything.
These were the truths that the three of them gradually came to understand, guessed, and digested during the six months in the Ideal Country. They hadn't confronted Chu Yuanqing about them yet, purely out of consideration for his feelings and to avoid making this fool overthink things.
During the few days they spent at home, the group repeatedly discussed this issue.
Tang Liuli said softly:
"The only way we can save her is to kill them all before they Disaster God."
"This way, at least [Pure White] can be freed, allowing Xiao Qing to regain her power and have the time to heal her injuries."
Xie Qingxuan nodded without speaking; Liuli's words went straight to the heart of the matter.
Regardless of the reason for Chu Yuanqing's injury, the idea of sharing the pressure and letting the other party regain power is definitely not wrong.
But... it's too difficult.
In the first playthrough, she, Kiriwake Yayoi, Tang Liuli, and Charlotte may have killed apostles and Supreme Calamity Beast, but none of them were able to defeat the Disaster God alone.
Now, the mechanism of magical compensation and blessing, along with the Magical Girl's own power, has certainly raised the ceiling for her and Yayoi, but they simply haven't had time to grow to the point where they can defeat the Disaster God.
Even though they were all unhatched embryos at that moment.
We need time.
"We need Gap World of time, just like in the past."
Tang Liuli felt somewhat melancholy.
For those who can travel back in time, the value of time becomes even more precious.
In her first playthrough, she explored countless Gap World in order to discover the disaster zone. Like a player who had completed their encyclopedia, she did her best to pave the way for those who came after her.
It can be said that every step taken by the savior team in the first playthrough, from the timing of killing a certain Supreme Calamity Beast to the specific Gap World they entered, was meticulously planned.
Tang Liuli still remembers her first meeting with Chu Yuanqing.
She was separated from her family during a calamity in her childhood, during which time she awakened the [Blood of Sighs]. Due to her extreme weakness, she had to repeatedly regress in order to gradually gain a glimmer of hope.
In this process, she was eaten by Calamity Beasts, betrayed by humans, sold out by her parents for revealing her abilities, and even became a sacrifice to a cult and a tool of ambitious people. Without exception, she was able to escape each and every one of these fates by going back in time.
She struggled to survive, but still perished in the planet's destruction. In her final moments, she heard the satiated sighs of the swarm, and in her extreme will to survive and escape, she awakened a second [Wall of Sighs] that could conceptually defend against everything.
Only then, in a state of mental collapse, did he strive to overcome his fear and cowardice, attempting to save the world from the torment of endless death and to live under the beautiful sunshine.
But for an escapist, this is far too difficult. Rather than being a sword-wielding hero forging a new future, she would rather entrust her hopes to the heroes among humanity.
Even though she had long been utterly disillusioned with humanity.
From then on, she began to use the guise of "prophecy" to approach Ying Jie, a man of considerable reputation, impeccable character, and strong blessing abilities from her memories, to act as a strategist guiding the future through the power of time reversal.
But what followed was endless failure.
Tang Liuli's personality was flawed. Death did not bring her any trials, but rather mental exhaustion, sensitivity, fear, and sluggish action. Before she could even begin her own plan, she had already given up on two reincarnations.
As for the actual operation, there were many obstacles. She finally learned how to deceive people and how to act to gain their trust, only to find that changing the other person's destiny might also lead to her being killed by the butterfly effect.
In the era of Great Cataclysm, human life is worthless. The cost of using [Wall of Sighs] is the random sacrifice of flesh, limbs, and organs. If you're unlucky, one use can be fatal, and it doesn't improve your survivability much.
So, after a long and arduous journey, she simply gave up completely. Her weakness made it impossible for her to make good use of the power of [Blood of Sighs]. Perhaps the heavens wanted humanity to become extinct, which is why they bestowed this blessing upon her.
After giving up, Tang Liuli began to rely on reincarnation to measure the earth with her footsteps, aimlessly exploring the world that had been turned into an unknown place by the disaster.
Until...
In one of her reincarnations, she encountered a hero wielding the [Immortality], forging a path forward, and, amidst endless possibilities, the only mortal to defeat the Disaster God.
--Chu Yuanqing.
No one could comprehend the joy and awe that welled up within this weary, desperate, and almost numb reincarnator when he met the young Savior.
It turns out that the Disaster God is not invincible.
It turns out that some people really are capable of creating miracles that kill gods.
It turns out that there really is still hope in this world, in civilization, and in humanity.
Thus, fate began to turn. This reincarnator, who could travel through time and save those who had regrets, found a glimmer of light in the infinite possibilities and began to try to form a bond with the other.
Tang Liuli went back in time seven times and learned that Chu Yuanqing belonged to the City of Doomsday, the Sky City located in the dome. She went back in time a total of 19 times and found a way to enter the City of Doomsday and form a bond with him.
After that, she gradually got to know Charlotte, Kiriwake Yayoi, and Xie Qingxuan.
It's worth mentioning that these three seem to be some kind of limited, precious characters. If left unchecked, aside from Charlotte, who is the other's childhood friend, the latter two could easily drift apart due to various factors.
The consequence of Chu Yuanqing not recognizing these two women was their deaths.
Kiriwake Yayoi, acting as Saio high-ranking official), exploited the shrine's blessings for many years, ultimately losing her life force and having her soul offered to [Amaterasu].
Xie Qingxuan will remain silent until death in a city that worships the [Herdi] sect, existing or not existing in a quantum state like Schrödinger's cat.
The worst-case scenario is that if the former dies, Chu Yuanqing, who hasn't yet mastered the Martial God Skill, will have to wait an extra year to successfully defeat the Disaster God due to the lack of Laevateinn, causing the situation to completely collapse and resulting in his immediate demise.
The latter died, and after Chu Yuanqing's campaign against the [Solar Era], the entire planet would explode. Even if she relied on her [Wall of Sighs] to protect half the city, she could only witness the catastrophic swarm's resurgence and the galaxy's expansion in the deep universe, ultimately destroying everything.
What's even more despairing is that with each step closer to success...
Disaster God began to notice Chu Yuanqing in advance, and even once used the information gap to trick and kill everyone, almost dragging her along the timeline and destroying all hope.
It was after that that Tang Liuli realized that the [Blood of Sighs] was not invincible, and that the Disaster God also possessed similar, or even more powerful, authority.
The initial few hundred cycles went unnoticed because she had no impact on the overall situation. However, after becoming involved in Chu Yuanqing's fate, the fate of all humanity and even the disaster horde began to waver, become distorted, and change, forcing them to take notice.
That's why she said to Charlotte, "Kill me."
Without using the [Funeral Procession] to clear the timeline, humanity has no chance of defeating the Disaster God, who also knows the future.
Tang Liuli had no choice but to gamble. She had arranged everything in advance, using all the intelligence and clues from past reincarnations to assemble this world-saving team, all crowned by the stars, as quickly as possible. Then, at a certain point, she faced death calmly and entrusted her hopes to the next generation.
Final...
"Xiao Qing succeeded. She made it to the end, saved the world, and saved us, perfectly fulfilling her promise."
The girl's emerald eyes sparkled as she picked up the paper crane, looked at Xie Qingxuan, and said with utmost seriousness:
"Therefore, we must never repeat the process of defeating the Disaster God again, nor can we let Xiao Qing sacrifice herself and die in such a miserable state. Otherwise, if we are not careful, the situation may even repeat the tragic events of the past."
Tang Liuli had most of her information about the disaster group erased, but her intuition accumulated through repeated reincarnations and the deep-seated impressions she had formed told her that the Disaster God was extremely cunning and dangerous, and not so easy to suppress.
Chu Yuanqing was no longer the same as before; he was as weak as a candle flickering in the wind.
Given the right opportunity, the swarm of calamities, suppressed for 17 years, will launch an extremely terrifying counterattack, and if they fail even once, the entire planet will evaporate into a cold and desolate universe.
"I can no longer bestow blessings."
"But I have a feeling, a gut feeling, that my intuition will guide me to find hope for breaking this deadlock."
"But before that, you and Yayoi must regain power greater than your peak strength, strong enough... to snatch Xiao Qing -General Captain Koyo's position!"
Xie Qingxuan agreed with Liuli's idea of "plotting to usurp the throne," and she said:
"Indeed, making Xiao Qing the General Captain would only force her to push herself further."
The pink origami cranes hopped and skipped, as if in agreement.
Xie Qingxuan thought for a moment and said:
"The fastest way to become stronger is to revive the consciousness of the stars. His coronation will elevate my value to a level far exceeding the bonuses I received in the Ideal State."
More importantly, the coronation of the stars will be recorded in the Akasha Records, ensuring that their existence is constant and will not be lost due to being forgotten.
Tang Liuli agreed, acknowledging the unique nature of the [Titan's Authority]. After thinking for a moment, she unlocked her phone, opened the Countermeasures Bureau app, and directly summoned Dream Weaver Rabbit, proposing the following:
"Although I don't know how to revive the planet's consciousness, as long as your identity Magical Girl is revealed, your status should increase significantly with public approval, right?"
Astrid appeared suddenly like a phantom, looking down at the two Little Idol. After processing the information, she fell into thought. Revealing her identity as Magical Girl was undoubtedly dangerous.
However, considering that Chu Yuanqing's identity has already been made public, it doesn't make much difference to the disaster group whether her identity is made public or not, and it's not unacceptable.
In addition, Xie Qingxuan is very strong.
When she first entered the ideal world, she was able to kill the Archbishop with the help of buffs, and was no weaker than most Captain-Class Witch. After half a year of growth, she also has similar Combat Power in reality.
So she nodded and said:
"I will try my best to keep your parents from wandering off and protect them well."
This is the maximum protection the Countermeasures Bureau can offer.
The situation is getting worse, and the manpower and resources available to deal with the Calamity Beasts are limited. All we can do is try our best to resolve the Magical Girl's worries.
Xie Qingxuan nodded and thought for a moment before logging into her account and posting a Weibo saying "I am Magical Girl." Unfortunately, it was intercepted by Dream Weaver Rabbit as soon as it was sent, who said that it couldn't be done so casually.
The pink origami cranes even jumped onto Xuan Bao's head in a hurry, clearly feeling that this behavior was too unceremonial, to the point that fans' first reaction upon seeing it was not shock, but bewilderment.
Tang Liuli didn't complain. She was already used to the Golden Haired Doggy's eccentricities. Back when he was the city lord, he killed an apostle and then told the whole city, "I am the king," directly usurping the throne to boost his status.
For Xiao Xuan, the process is not important; what matters is the result. It's the same reason why she doesn't care about whether there's a sense of ceremony or a date before she meets Qing Bao Seshe; she just wants to be with Qing Bao Seshe.
"Anyway, let's announce it during the Public Performance; it will be even better if it's edited into the program."
The Green Eyed Cat, in collaboration with the Dream Weaver Rabbit, determined the course of events.
Meanwhile, Little Sakura also got off the plane and arrived at the store. Together with the two, they walked out of the airport and arrived at the entrance of the residential area where Chu Yuanqing had lived for more than ten years.
Volume 1: 374. Chu Yuanqing, you have indeed become weaker.
The clouds on the horizon are thick and heavy, shaped like towering mountain peaks. Their white, rounded outlines are blurred, gradually tinged with the golden sunlight, highlighting the purity and gentleness of the blue sky.
The Little Idol walked through the old iron revolving door together. Their beautiful and delicate faces, the beauty that shone from their hair to their fingertips, and their vibrant and youthful vitality were all out of place in this community where even the side gates were rusty, like a fleeting glimpse of light and shadow in the swaying branches.
Tang Liuli took off her beret and sunglasses, revealing her delicate and lovely face. Her emerald green eyes were full of a cat-like curiosity.
The girl's soft black hair was tied into a low ponytail. She used Kiriwake Yayoi and Xie Qingxuan as shields to avoid being seen, while secretly looking around. Her gaze swept over the green mailbox, the lush banyan tree, the old box that had not yet been moved, and the swing with its scattered green leaves swaying gently in the wind in the distance.
Kiriwake Yayoi was used to the Green Eyed Cat's little tricks. If she just treated the cat as a socially awkward elementary school student playing a detective game, she could perfectly understand Liuli's thought process.
The girl was carrying Shiroi Koibito (White Lover) cookies she bought from Hokkaido. These are a well-known local snack in Sapporo and can be considered a specialty of Hokkaido. Because of their attractive packaging and pleasant name, they are suitable as a gift.
"Is this where Xiao Qing lives?"
While not as observant as a certain cat, Kiriwake Yayoi found the old, somewhat grand Summer Wind neighborhood quite novel. Following the house numbers, she searched for Qing Bao's residence, stopping and starting along the way, quite lively.
Xie Qingxuan was very composed and remained mostly silent throughout the journey.
Until we reached the bottom of the building,
The girl seemed to suddenly remember something. She stopped in her tracks, put her hands in her coat pockets, and let a few strands of platinum blonde hair fall over her shoulders, giving her a cool and aloof appearance. She turned to look at the two of them and asked:
"Everyone, have you ever thought about being called 'Mom' by Xiao Shu?"
Kiriwake Yayoi's body stiffened, and she remained silent for a moment.
Tang Liuli wasn't that awkward. She had initially relied on empathy and imagination to assume the Little Cotton-padded Jacket was Qing Bao's niece, and her mindset had always been that of an elder. After thinking for a moment, she simply retorted:
"I have thought about it, but wouldn't this generational hierarchy be too strange? Xiao Shu is about the same age as us."
Although it's common in Great Xia to call someone your age "uncle" or "maternal uncle," it can feel a bit awkward when dealing with close friends, let alone a very intimate relationship like that between a mother and daughter.
The Green Eyed Cat glanced at Xuan Bao's ample curves filling out his jacket, and feeling a pang of self-consciousness, she couldn't help but pout and say in a huff:
"Xiao Xuan has a strong maternal instinct; maybe Xiao Shu will even call you 'Mom'!"
Xie Qingxuan took it seriously. She nodded thoughtfully, took the initiative to step forward, and climbed the steps, deciding to learn from Charlotte and lift Chu Wangshu high so that the other party would call her stepmother.
Kiriwake Yayoi keenly sensed the Golden Haired Doggy's dangerous intentions, and she immediately followed it, nervously lecturing it:
"Xiao Shu only recently learned the truth, and she probably hasn't fully processed it yet. Xiao Xuan, you can't act like Charlotte and do anything reckless!"
Most importantly, if Xiao Shu really calls Xuan Bao" Mom," then if she backs down, wouldn't she be completely outmatched? That's a despicable form of involution!