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The situation had become quite challenging, escalating to a point where even Zeke had to take it seriously.
Achieving such mastery over consciousness domains implies the ability to interfere with Herrschers' minds—a significant threat, especially to Kiana, given her unique condition.
"Herrschers or remnants from the previous era, those were my suspicions as well. If not either of these, could it be...power originating beyond our world? Regardless, what might they hope to accomplish by targeting Little Theresa?" Hera pondered aloud, still puzzled.
Fu Hua considered for a moment before responding, "I can't precisely determine the specific suggestion implanted in Theresa's mind, but based on the strength of that trace, similar to you, Otto, the individual likely had no intention of truly harming her."
"That doesn't matter. I'll track them down and send them straight to hell," Hera declared resolutely.
Though exceedingly forceful, Zeke nodded in agreement.
Putting himself in their shoes, if anyone dared to target Kiana—Zeke's gaze chilled, resembling icebergs deep within polar regions.
"Regardless, this represents an extremely dangerous instability that must be addressed promptly," Zeke summarized.
Zeke summarized their discussion. Of course, whether to apprehend or eliminate this individual would depend on circumstances once they identified them.
Hera's response was a satisfied smile, and Fu Hua nodded in agreement.
No one understood better than Fu Hua the immense danger posed by interfering with consciousness domains. Despite wielding the Key of Sentience—Yu Duo Fenghuang Down—she never delved deeply into manipulating hearts and minds for fear of losing control someday, leading to irreversible tragedies.
Such power had no direct relevance in combating Honkai but posed a severe threat to human beliefs and societal order, necessitating vigilance.
"Today's performance won't be made public, but the Herrscher-level Honkai Energy impact is undeniable. Unless we impose strict information lockdown, that mysterious rat will find ways to learn about it. If he still harbors intentions regarding Little Theresa, he'll inevitably come to assess her condition... For the next while, Little Theresa likely won't visit me. Instead, she should interact more with you two, serving as bait to draw out our quarry."
Hera leisurely outlined her proposal. Seeing both nod their agreement, she continued:
"In return, I pledge to abandon all experiments on K423 entirely, and I won't hold any grudges regarding Yae Sakura's actions. As for Fu Hua, Fuxi will compensate her for the investment losses incurred."
Zeke rolled his eyes.
The Information Origin Theory was fully established, enabling control and definition of souls through technology. Combined with his perfected program linking soul information to life—abbreviated as the Life Equation—the capability to revive those recently deceased had become feasible, albeit intricate and resource-intensive, making large-scale resurrection impractical.
Now, the only obstacle preventing Kallen's revival was how to traverse time—not from a parallel world branching off the same timeline but from five centuries earlier within this very world—to extract Kallen's complete soul, which had already merged with the vast information of existence.
This task fell upon Otto.
Regardless, Kallen's resurrection was imminent. At this point, not even if Zeke truly harmed Theresa would it deter Otto; he'd endure it with a smile.
Of course, Zeke wouldn't stoop so low. He had long deduced what Otto did to Theresa, but he never acted on it.
The reasoning was simple: one of the most critical factors for ensuring stable development and future victory over Honkai lay in securing Otto's cooperation. To maintain his full support, Zeke would avoid doing anything that might displease him as much as possible—not out of fear, but with the foresight expected of a mature leader.
No matter how much potential Theresa possessed, compared to Otto's resources and influence, she paled in significance.
As for Yae Sakura, her involvement was purely accidental. If not for Zeke discovering the immense value of the Jizo Mitama and the need to sustain the incomplete Divine Key using the Herrscher of Corruption from the previous era—and if not for Hiru recognizing only Yae Sakura—Zeke wouldn't have bothered with her at all. After all, she had been dead for over five hundred years; no matter how adorable or popular, to Zeke, her past held little relevance.
In summary, Otto's reward amounted to nothing more than a freebie for Zeke—a classic case of getting something for nothing.
However, Fu Hua scratched her face, feeling slightly embarrassed as she said:
"Well, Fuxi's investments were her own decisions after all. As far as I know, due to Anti-Entropy's extensive development and investment in the Far East region, she had high hopes for its growth prospects. That's why she poured most of her funds into this country... It wasn't a small amount."
Speaking of which, Book of Fuxi truly got dealt a raw deal. Her assessment of the global situation was spot-on: With Anti-Entropy's developments and the widespread deployment of Moonlight Thrones, security became assured, and energy supply virtually limitless. For quite some time, the economy of the Far East would undoubtedly flourish—unfortunately, Honkai never plays by conventional rules.
Had it been typical natural disasters followed by reconstruction efforts and speculative capital influx, Book of Fuxi might have salvaged some losses. However, following the Major Honkai Eruption, no matter how effectively the Fourth Divine Key repaired the damage, lethal amounts of residual Honkai Energy remained, with new Honkai Beasts and Zombies constantly emerging. In short, there was no saving this place; aside from Schicksal and Anti-Entropy, no one dared invest here anymore.
Fu Hua rubbed her nose with a wry smile, already envisioning Book of Fuxi rolling around the room in frustration. Who knows, when she returned home, that kid might even stage a dramatic tantrum—complete with tears and threats—and suggest the harebrained idea of having Fu Hua secure more funding.
"It's no issue, just pocket change," Hera dismissed it with a wave of her hand.
One mustn't underestimate the accumulated wealth of an organization secretly governing the world for 500 years. For Hera, money was readily available as long as the expenditure passed Amber's scrutiny as legitimate. In reality, unless it involved funding video games, Amber rarely objected to any spending.
Fu Hua, momentarily stunned by this display of opulence, furrowed her brow before continuing, "Something seems off. We staged a conflict today, and tomorrow you're planning to replenish Fuxi's funds? Won't that raise suspicions?"
Hera raised an eyebrow, but before she could respond, Zeke emotionlessly explained, "You're overthinking it. On one hand, this woman hasn't cared much about appearances for quite some time; on the other, she's exceptionally skilled at maintaining them. So, following a confrontation today with a cheerful gift-giving tomorrow is entirely consistent with her modus operandi. The more valuable you are, the more normal such behavior will seem."
"Me? Valuable?"
"Let's be honest here: you're truly one-of-a-kind—a straightforward individual with exceptional abilities. Following Otto's modus operandi, relentlessly showering favors upon you would be entirely expected and raise no suspicions. Instead, it would reassure those observant enough that everything is normal. Moreover, he wouldn't lose out on anything. For instance, I merely found and restored the Book of Fuxi from your Taixuan Mountain's hidden chamber, yet now you'd grant me whatever I ask. So, by investing more, he actually stands to gain even greater returns. Just accept his gestures calmly."
Indeed, genuine individuals like Fu Hua are increasingly rare. Even Welt, once sincere, has developed sharp cunning depths over time. Conversely, after regaining her unparalleled strength, Fu Hua has become even more gentle, exuding an amiable demeanor easily swayed.
"What do you mean 'grant me whatever I ask'...? The way you put it makes me seem too susceptible to manipulation," Fu Hua chuckled, shaking her head.
She isn't naive either. Fu Hua can discern who treats her sincerely and who harbors ulterior motives. Zeke may not mince words and often act assertively, but at heart, he's genuinely good-natured—his moral compass far exceeds many others. As for Otto... while his actions have been reprehensible, since shifting perspectives, Fu Hua can sense the sincerity behind how he treats her.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have pledged to vouch for Otto wholeheartedly if he were ever to change his mind.
As for Hera, despite Zeke's public denigration, she merely smiled and responded, "Since I'm so adept at diplomacy, should I also offer you the newly acquired Herrscher of Ice as a gesture of goodwill?"
"Then it's settled."
"( ̄3 ̄) Wait! I was just joking!"
"( ̇- ̇ ) No, you weren't."
"I truly meant it as a joke!"
"...Never mind, then."
Zeke pouted, slumping over onto the table, feeling his eyelids grow heavy, almost unbearably so.
Otto invested in Fu Hua because she was trustworthy, ensuring eventual returns. However, Zeke wasn't known for honesty. If they clashed one day only for Otto to yield the next, suspicions would inevitably arise.
To knowingly participate in such a futile charade—Otto could be utterly tedious...
These thoughts gradually faded from Zeke's mind as he closed his eyes, soon drifting off with even breaths.
Meanwhile, at Schicksal Headquarters thousands of miles away, deep within the awe-inspiring City in the Sky, a silver-haired girl with golden eyes looked up as if sensing something beyond the thick metal walls.
"What's wrong, Young Lady?"
"It's nothing. I just felt someone thinking about me. Being on such a high level sometimes makes one overly perceptive; it's likely not significant."
"Oh... I wonder how those children are doing—whether they were rescued safely or not... Was it right for us to act that way, Young Lady? So many people died this time... We could have saved so many lives."
"The death toll would've been the same regardless of our actions. In the face of Major Honkai Eruptions, there is no escape. On the contrary, we facilitated the birth of two new Herrschers for the upcoming era, which holds immense potential for shaping the future. As for me... I cannot intervene—not until the final day arrives."
Kiana spoke calmly, her clear voice reaching Vera's heart with a soothing undertone.
"Get some rest now. In the future, you'll have many chances to save lives."
"Oh..." Vera murmured unhappily, snuggling closer into Kiana's soft embrace. With a deep breath, enveloped by the faintly sweet scent, she gradually drifted off to sleep.