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At a World Serpent base,
Kevin stood listlessly, gazing into the distance. After successfully defeating the Herrscher of Domination, the answer he sought seemed faintly within reach.
Perhaps… this era truly was different. Despite the arrival of the Herrscher of Domination, people around the world still knew little about Honkai, and society continued to function smoothly.
Could this be the evaluation that Honkai sought?
Should he persist with Mei's Stigmata Project or heed the voices of his comrades?
Kevin pondered deeply, his fingers slowing their habitual tapping.
Suddenly, his solitary communicator buzzed, indicating a new message.
Kevin's eyes narrowed.
The message was from… Elysia!?
(TL: ofcourse. I knew one of them will tell him~)
It contained only a brief message about Griseo's whereabouts, whether to save her, and a call to action.
For a moment, Kevin was dazed. A faint smile briefly touched the corner of his lips before vanishing.
After a few moments of stillness, he stood up.
Rather than continuing to wrestle with the Stigmata Project, finding a lost comrade and pursuing salvation seemed far more important.
And perhaps… he no longer wanted the Stigmata Project either.
Even though MEI, the project's proponent, stood opposed, her silent disapproval itself sent a message.
So… let's go and see. Funny how just a few days ago, he had refused to meet, and now he was proactively heading out.
Such are the twists of fate.
But he was in a surprisingly good mood.
"Gray Serpent, I'm stepping out for a while," he said casually to a nearby Gray Serpent. The android's eyes briefly flickered red, signifying its understanding. This information would quickly spread among the other units.
---
Meanwhile, Luo Mo resolved to have a serious "battle" with the system to explore better solutions.
"System?"
[Yawn~~ What is it? How rare for you to come to me voluntarily.]
[Ding! Two pending storylines are available for retrieval—Post-Honkai Odyssey (up to Chapter 1 conclusion) and Elysian Realm Arc.]
"Can you save Griseo?"
[Sure! Only 100,000 crystals!]
[Reminder: This system is an auxiliary system and has no intention of taking direct action. Previous interventions with characters like Luna and Kongming were merely to grant them local resident identities.]
"Who are you fooling? Weren't you the one who summoned them here?"
Luo Mo grumbled internally. Not taking initiative, huh? It's obvious you're just not offering enough payment!
Ten thousand crystals... Maybe it's better to focus on eliminating Sa instead; that seems more realistic.
[No... The system didn't take initiative. That was part of the predetermined contract. There are already threads connecting you to them.]
"What about Irene's ship? Can it get there quickly? How many days would it take?"
[...The speed of light cannot be surpassed. That's a fundamental fact—unsolvable.]
Luo Mo's brow twitched. It seemed impossible to get useful answers from the system. Questions about the Hyperion were always met with vague, repetitive responses.
What a swindler of a system, demanding such a ridiculous price left him utterly shocked.
But Irene... she should be in her room. Instead of questioning this clueless system, it might be more productive to ask Irene directly.
Now that he thought about it, had he ever been inside her room?
He crossed the hall to the second floor and arrived at a wooden door adorned with a chibi Rita signboard, alongside an illustration of a bouquet of lavender.
Luo Mo knocked politely. From within came a clear, sweet voice, "Come in."
When he opened the door, he was met with Irene's mildly surprised expression. She smiled softly, teasing, "What's this? Has the Captain remembered his old crewmate at last?"
"…What? Do you think I'm that kind of person?" Luo Mo's face flushed as he tried to defend himself.
"Heh—who can say for sure? So, what brings you here today, Captain?"
The room was filled with an elegant fragrance. Luo Mo cast a quick glance around, everything was neatly arranged, exuding Irene's characteristic refinement. She clearly had a penchant for mysterious purples, as the wardrobe, dressing table, and even her bedspread all carried deep purple hues adorned with intricate floral designs.
Her bed was impeccably made, smooth and inviting, while the window was flanked by dark curtains quietly gathered in the corner.
"Shh—"
Irene raised a finger to her lips, drawing his gaze. She shook her head playfully. "It's impolite to freely observe a lady's private space, Captain~"
"Uh… Oh, sorry."
Faced with her ever-smiling demeanor, Luo Mo felt a bit flustered and at a loss.
She always seemed to know exactly what he was thinking, yet she maintained a teasing distance—what a dangerous woman!
That was something he'd discovered previously: unlike the straightforwardness of Luna or Kongming, Irene was more like a voice whispering in the mist. Though she guided him, she always remained just out of reach, as if she existed both in his dreams and right before his eyes.
"…Irene, can your ship leave the solar system?"
"Hmm?"
As expected, he caught a brief moment of surprise on Irene's face before she quickly returned to her usual composed smile.
"Could you repeat that, Captain?"
"How long would it take your ship to reach the edge of the solar system?"
"Um… I'm not sure, Captain. This ship is certainly fast, but it was designed primarily for navigating the Quantum Sea."
This time, Irene heard him clearly, and a faint, wry smile appeared on her face as she answered honestly.
"First, let me correct you—this is your ship, Captain. Second, in terms of speed… At its fastest, maybe one-tenth the speed of light?"
"…Oh, I see."
Luo Mo nodded in understanding, or rather, he pretended to understand. He had no idea when or how this incredible ship was constructed. Surely, it must surpass the Ark in performance!
"In truth, if speed is your concern, Captain, you should consider spatial abilities or quantum effects."
Irene gently reminded him.
This ship was built with a focus on long-term navigation, crisis management, and energy sustainability. Its role was meant to serve as a safe harbor, rather than prioritize speed.
As for time? Within the Quantum Sea, time was the least valuable resource.
"Well... since you've asked your question, Captain, would you mind staying for a little chat? After all, opportunities for one-on-one conversations are rare."
Irene's smile grew as she patted the seat beside her, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief.
Luo Mo hesitated briefly. Surely, she wouldn't devour him whole, would she?
Confidently, he sat down beside her, only to... spend the next two hours locked in conversation. During their chat, he was utterly outmatched, retreating at every turn.
Just as he found himself on the verge of falling under her spell entirely, losing himself in the warmth of her smile...
"Hmph—Enough already. Don't you know he's been wanting to leave for a while now?"
From behind the still curtains came a cool, sharp voice.
It was Kongming.
She emerged from behind the drapes, visibly annoyed, and glared at the pair. How dare they leave her to eavesdrop all alone! Did they have any idea how boring that was?
The earlier conversation had piqued her curiosity, she was genuinely interested in the details about Irene and Luo Mo's ship.
But then, things took a turn.
What kind of ridiculous topics were they discussing now?
Asking whether he preferred petite or curvy figures?
Obviously, he'd choose petite!
Asking about his favorite perfume?
He didn't like perfumes—what a vixen!
And then, asking whether he preferred the moon or the stars…
The moon? Too few—there's only one! Stars were much better!
Kongming gripped her fan tightly, her knuckles turning white. She was visibly fuming.
"Kong… Kongming? What are you doing here?"
Luo Mo's eyes widened, as if caught in an illicit affair by his rightful partner. A cold sweat broke out over him instantly.
"Hehe, take a guess~ A guy who claims to love the night, the moon, and the stars."
(TL: so Irene is the night. Well, I like stars and night "not them, but literally the night and stars")
Kongming's face was expressionless, as cold as an unmelting frost.
Her eyes, devoid of their usual sparkle, were filled with a chilling murderous intent. She approached step by step, each one stomping directly onto Luo Mo's nerves.
He felt like he was treading on thin ice.
-----
Meanwhile, in the player community, things were equally unsettled.
The storyline in Post-Honkai Odyssey left Honkai lore theorists scratching their heads. They were racking their brains trying to reconcile the new information with existing lore.
This mental gymnastics left them exhausted, with less energy to speculate about the follow-up to the Elysian Realm storyline. Their predictions for HoYoverse's next heartbreak-inducing twists turned out to be way off, leaving them later regretful and full of lament.
It was, without a doubt, a masterful diversion tactic—a strategy of feinting one way to strike another!
Let's be honest, with the tantalizing hope of unraveling the key to stopping the Honkai Apocalypse and averting all tragic endings, who would care about a small, peaceful corner of the world?
Well, the Elysian Realm fans would care.
Those who cherished the stories of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers would care.
Take, for example, Luo Mo, the leader of the so-called Elysia Cult. He cared deeply. But instead of clarifying things, he deliberately muddied the waters further. He instructed his team to release a series of sugary, heartwarming articles.
The themes? The Thirteen Flame-Chasers' sweet moments, tales of love and rivalry, and touching slices of life.
They even included some tender interactions with Mei, leaving fans marveling at how Kiana had painted such a beautiful picture of the post-Entropy world.
Luo Mo even toyed with the idea of creating a comic about the Thirteen Flame-Chasers living in St. Freya, loosely inspired by reality. He was sure it would stir up even more excitement among players.
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