This simple question made Mobius's emotions crumble. He slumped somewhat in his chair, saying, "Of course I don't want to die, but other than that, I have no other option."
"You have never worked here, so you don't know how cruel the Bureau Chief can really be."
"During his travels in the Multiverse, his greatest hobby is collecting all kinds of tortures from various worlds, and then using his ability to control time, to slow down the process of each torture to infinity, until they are plunged into the deepest, most painful hell."
Mobius's voice had trembled so much it was hard to understand what he was saying: "I've never been in charge of interrogations, but I once accidentally saw one. Ravona, B15, and others have seen his atrocities as well..."
"We did not want to see such scenes for the second time, so we wanted to help the young girl escape, and we certainly did not want such terrible things to happen to us..."
"But you chose her over yourselves," Loki lowered her eyelashes, the halo behind her became brighter and brighter, to the point that when Mobius raised his head again, he saw in Loki's eyes a hint of compassion he had never seen in anyone else's face.
"'If I don't go to hell, who will?', this statement is easy to talk about, but very few people would actually do it. When faced with suffering, people instinctively choose to let others suffer."
"Anyone who can overcome this instinct is a rare saint, so you deserve my respect."
Mobius's expression gradually calmed down. After a while, he stood upright with the last of his strength, tidying his tie and hair, and said to Loki: "Leave here, go back to your old life with your daughter..."
"If you do not want to die, you should allow me to stay and help you find possible ways to survive."
Loki rose from her chair, pushed the door open and walked out, Mobius had no idea where she was going, but he instinctively followed her.
"If it were in the past, I would never follow you, nor would I listen to anything you have to say." Mobius slightly shook his head.
Loki's expression looked dazed for a moment, she murmured, standing by the door, "If it were in the past, I would never follow you..."
Suddenly, she stopped, fixed her eyes on Mobius, and asked, "Why didn't you want to follow me in the past?"
"Because, the 'you' I knew before were all liars, arrogant, and yet only capable of childish pranks. I wouldn't have followed you anywhere, let alone allow you in my office. Who knows what kind of a mess you would make?"
"So why are you willing to follow me now?"
"If it were before, I would think, maybe, this is just another one of your lies." Mobius looked into his eyes and said, "But just now, I could feel that, no matter what, you genuinely want to help us."
Loki stood still, falling into contemplation. After a while, she said to Mobius: "Thank you, you've made me understand something."
"What is it?" The two of them kept walking forward, Mobius asked with a hint of confusion. Loki slowly began to speak:
"To destroy trust, it's actually very simple. So simple that a single lie could shatter all the credibility that was once built. And if all my life before were lies, then no one believing in me serves me right."
"Building trust, however, is difficult. It's not about sudden changes or contributions that should make people revere me immediately."
Loki sighed and said, "Their lack of trust or respect for me may not just be because I lack status, but because 'I' or the 'I' from before, truly do not deserve respect from anyone. Not even from myself."
As he said this, Mobius knew he was referring to Asgard, and now, Mobius no longer wanted to hear any news from the Asgard royal family.
Loki, walking ahead, her expression slowly calmed down. It was as if she had suddenly made an important decision and therefore, felt relieved.
Previously, her plan was to save this group of civil officers using the special properties and powerful force of her own cosmos in order to supplement Asgard's manpower shortage.
If the Time Management Bureau were destroyed and the Chief prowling around outside, this group could only swear allegiance to Asgard and herself for protection.
Their characters have been tested, the Asgardians admire their selflessness. It would not be difficult for them to integrate, making them excellent candidates.
Why she wanted to help this group, besides admiring their character, was actually to build goodwill, after all, these people were civil officers. Demonstrating her commitment early on would help her lead the team in the future.
But now, the words Mobius just said made Loki think.
Indeed, a well-arranged plan and some harmless lies can quickly achieve goals. But if it is done too often, everyone would get to know what kind of person you truly are, and no one would be willing to follow you anymore.
On the other hand, Shiller's past experience, which Loki had witnessed, showed her that even Shiller's strategies and planning abilities – the only ones Loki willingly admired and admitted were better than her own – almost caused big trouble.
In truth, planning and arranging alone cannot guarantee success. No matter how brilliant a plan is, it is merely static, while people are dynamic.
Loki has long contemplated what makes Thor superior to her?
After many experiences, Loki has arrived at the answer - sincerity.
Strategy can win manpower, sincerity can win hearts.
If there is any area in which Loki has matured, it is the recognition that her current predicament in Asgard cannot be blamed solely on others. She herself bears a large part of the responsibility.
After all, she herself has told the lies, caused mischief for her amusement. While it seemed meaningful then, in hindsight, many actions were just to satisfy her own cruel sense of humor.
Everyone must pay for their youthful recklessness someday, Loki thinks, her turn to pay might have come now.
Since lies won't work, why not... be sincere for once?
In the hallway, Loki suddenly stops, under the watchful eye of Mobius.
Loki strides to the middle of the hallway, and in a flash of light, takes on the form of a handsome young male, donned in the most elaborate and sophisticated armor of Asgard, even wearing a crown which she seldom wears.
Loki places her hand on her heart, bowing to Mobius, who jumps up from his seat, startled, and stammers, "What's happening? Why suddenly..."
"Please allow me to express my gratitude to you, Mr. Mobius," Loki says, standing upright and looking at him. "Each Asgard in this cosmos is my home, and I don't wish to see any member of Asgard suffer."
"Your kindness and that of your colleagues saved a god of Asgard, regardless of whether she is me from another Universe, or my family, you are her benefactor and mine."
"In order to repay your kindness, I promise you that I will do everything in my power to fight for you, whether the Chief of the Time Anomaly Management Bureau returns or not. I and the Asgard behind me will always be your unwavering shield."
"Enough!"
A cold female voice rings out, and Ravona, leading B15 and several other guards who clearly know about the situation, approaches.
Mobius seems flustered, but Loki realizes that this conversation with Mobius was always under the control of Ravona; this is all within her calculations.
"Who do you think you are?"
Ravona stands in front of Loki, one hand gripping her Magic Wand, saying to Loki, "You're just a prince of Asgard from a tiny universe. The Time Management Bureau controls all timelines in the cosmos, and the Chief of the Time Management Bureau can even bring an entire Twilight of the Gods into this wand."
Ravona lifts her wand, the top of which sends out a golden glow. Just looking at this light leaves Loki feeling uneasy.
"Whatever decisions we make and actions we take, we will ultimately bear the consequences."
"We don't need anyone to protect us, nor do we need you, a damned time criminal, to shoulder our responsibilities."
Ravona looks at Loki with frigid eyes and says, "You aren't capable of bearing this responsibility."
Loki doesn't let her response spark anger in her. On the contrary, she looks at Ravona with sincere eyes and says, "I admit, I'm not strong enough to completely alleviate this disaster for you."
She lowers her head slightly and gestures an oath with her index and middle fingers pressing against her forehead, a gesture Mobius recognizes as an Asgardian oath.
The young prince, adorned in gorgeous armor, possesses a more majestic demeanor than any other Loki anyone there has seen, even though she just looked like a goddess who was tender and gentle moments ago.
Ravona looks at Loki, and the Judgment Chief's eyes show a flicker of disbelief.
Because she knows, in Asgard, when a promise is made on the honor of Asgard, every Asgardian hears it. If the vow is unfulfilled, the person making it will be banished from Asgard forever.
Traditionally, the voice of the oath comes from the Father of all Gods, well known to the Asgardians, or the current king.
But today, when a somewhat unfamiliar voice resounds above Asgard, all Asgardians lift their heads in astonishment.
"I swear on the honor of the Northern God, no matter how weak I am, no matter what I'm capable of doing, if disaster inevitably comes, I will stand with my friends until my last drop of blood, fighting until death,"