Novas Etier, Seventh Floor, private bedroom.
Higashino Makoto stood by the window, gazing at the artificial starry sky outside.
Momo stood behind him, her black maid outfit neat and elegant, her short pink hair meticulously styled, and her ahoge (cowlick) trembling gently under the light.
His purple eyes were looking at him, his profile reflected in their pupils.
"Cheng-san, what are you thinking about?"
"I'm wondering how they'll react."
"Who?"
"Those kings, those queens, those ordinary people. The flowers in the Garden."
Momo tilted her head.
"Is Cheng-san worried they'll be unhappy?"
"I'm not worried."
Higashino Makoto's tone was flat.
Whether they're happy or not is unimportant.
"Then what's important?"
My happiness is the most important thing.
Higashino Makoto turned around, walked to the armchair, and sat down.
"I gave them a fence. A natural, insurmountable barrier. Those demi-humans, those alien species, those creatures that feed on humans, will find it much harder to invade on a large scale now."
He paused.
"But a fence isn't a panacea. It can only block most of the way; the rest they'll have to deal with themselves."
Momo walked over to him and sat down opposite him.
Its black tail swayed gently behind it, the heart-shaped tip gleaming softly in the light.
"Cheng-san, do they even know how much you've done for them?"
"Perhaps no one knows, but some people should be able to guess."
"Aren't you going to tell them?"
Higashino Makoto picked up his teacup and took a sip.
"Unnecessary."
Momo looked at him, her purple eyes flashing with a complex light.
"Makoto-san, you're really... strange."
What's strange about it?
"You've clearly done so many good things, but you never say it. You're clearly very gentle, but you never admit it."
"Good news?"
Higashino Makoto put down his teacup and looked at Momo.
"Because I don't think I'm doing a good deed."
What are you doing?
I'm tending to my Garden.
Higashino Makoto leaned back in his chair, his golden eyes gazing at the ceiling.
"The flowers in the Garden need sunlight, water, and fertilizer. I give them sunlight, water, and fertilizer. Not because I want to be a good person, but simply because I want the Garden to look beautiful."
He paused.
That's all.
Momo stared at him for a long time.
Then she chuckled softly.
"Cheng-san, do you know? The more you say that, the more I think you are a good person."
"Then you're wrong."
"I don't think so."
Higashino Makoto looked at her for two seconds, then chuckled softly without arguing.
"Okay."
Momo's lips curled up slightly.
She stood up, walked over to Higashino Makoto, and sat down next to him.
The black tail coiled around his wrist, its heart-shaped tip gently rubbing against his palm.
"Cheng-san."
"Um."
"Whether you are a good person or not, I like you."
Higashino Makoto was silent for a moment.
"I know."
Momo smiled.
That smile held sweetness, tenderness, and an emotion that was hard to describe.
"Cheng-san, you really don't know how to talk."
"I know."
"But I, a young lady, like it."
Higashino Makoto did not respond.
He simply reached out and ruffled her hair.
His short, pinkish-white hair brushed against his fingers, and the tuft of hair on his head trembled slightly.
Outside the window, the man-made starry sky twinkles eternally.
In the distance, the newly formed strait gleamed silvery-white under the moonlight.
On this side of the strait, the flowers in those Garden are slowly, little by little, adapting to the new boundary.
A new world.
A new destiny.
Novas Etier, Seventh Floor, Strategic Conference Room.
Higashino Makoto sat at the head of the long table, his golden eyes gazing at the portal of light that floated in mid-air before him.
The door was not large, about two meters high and one meter wide, with a frame made of silver-white metal and its surface engraved with complex runes.
The light curtain inside the door flowed like mercury, shimmering with a faint blue glow, with occasional ripples spreading from the center to the edges, as if something was breathing on the other side of the door.
This is one of the three passages to New World formed after the "Silver Key" was sacrificed and devoured the Great Hollow.
The first door.
The other two doors remained tightly closed, like sleeping eyes, waiting to be awakened.
Momo stood behind Higashino Makoto, her black maid outfit neat and elegant, her short pink hair meticulously styled, and her ahoge (cowlick) trembling gently under the light.
Purple eyes were fixed on the portal of light, the flowing runes reflected in the pupils.
Its black tail swayed gently behind it, the heart-shaped tip trembling slightly.
He looks a little nervous.
"Makoto-san, shall we begin exploring this New World now?"
"That's right. We need to have a clear understanding of what's in New World, whether it's good or bad."
Higashino Makoto's tone was calm, but his fingers tapped lightly on the table.
"We've waited long enough, we can't wait any longer. We need to know the situation on the other side."
"But you said there might be danger on the other side of that hole."
"It's dangerous, so I won't participate in the exploration myself, and the gate will only be opened once a week."
Higashino Makoto stood up, walked to the portal, and gently touched the light barrier.
The moment my fingertips touched the light screen, a warm, lifelike sensation came through.
The light screen slightly dented at his fingertips, then bounced back, like a layer of elastic skin.
"I've already sent Doppelganger over there."
He said, "Take your hand back."
"Two of them. They can disguise themselves as any human, quickly adapting to different languages, cultures, and habits. Their level isn't high, and even if they die, the resources required for resurrection are acceptable."
Momo's brows furrowed slightly.
"Only send Doppelganger? No combat power?"
"It's been sent."
Higashino Makoto walked back to the table and sat down.
"Two Hanzo, both level 80. Stealth, infiltration, and assassination are all top-tier. If the enemy is in danger, they can protect the Doppelganger. If the danger is too great, they can also find a way to escape, at least bringing back some intelligence, right?"
He paused.
"They also sent several monsters between levels 30 and 50 to serve as targets and test the enemy's combat strength."
Momo looked at him, her purple eyes flashing with a complex light.
"Cheng-san, you've considered everything very thoroughly."
"It's not about being thorough; it's simply about being afraid of death."
Higashino Makoto leaned back in his chair, his golden eyes gazing at the ceiling.
"What lies on the other side of that void? Perhaps another YGGDRASIL world, perhaps another Earth, perhaps something I know nothing about. Therefore, I need information, the more the better."
He paused.
"I will absolutely not go in until I have obtained sufficient intelligence."
Higashino Makoto is very worried about what kind of characters are on the other side: Sea Tiger, Dragon Ball, Cthulhu, Junji Ito, A Certain A Certain Magical Index, Problem Children, Stellaris, etc.
I can't be that unlucky, can I?