"So Chen Ran and Sirin are fine, but they took the Herrscher away, right?"
When Kevin informed MEI and Himeko of the message sent by Chen Ran, MEI couldn't help but frown.
She didn't know about Wendy and Raiden Mei's arrival and instinctively felt that Chen Ran was hiding something.
Kevin nodded, "That's right, now there's only the corpse of an Emperor-class Honkai Beast left."
Despite the words, Kevin couldn't help but feel a chill.
An Emperor-class Honkai Beast was undoubtedly very difficult to deal with, not to mention in such a terrifyingly low-temperature environment.
He was astonished by Chen Ran and Kiana's abilities, and suddenly felt a twinge of unwillingness about his current self.
On the contrary, Himeko urgently said to Kevin, "Discussing Chen Ran's matters is pointless; you're injured, hurry back to treat it."
"It's just some frostbite; it should be fine."
Though he said that, his joints were tingling.
Having been in the low-temperature environment for too long, Kevin's skin had turned a purplish hue; this level of frostbite might actually require amputation.
But Kevin was still enduring.
MEI said, "Let's go back; since Chen Ran is fine, we have no reason to stay here."
"MEI."
Kevin paused and directly said, "When we get back, can you arrange that surgery you mentioned for me?"
MEI's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, then she responded, "Are you serious?"
"Yeah."
In this battle, he deeply felt his own powerlessness.
Kevin's combat ability was unquestionable, but the invisible barrier created by the low temperature made it hard for him to exert himself.
He didn't know what the future Herrschers would be like, but it was easy to think that Herrschers like the Herrscher of Ice, who mastered the rules, would only become more terrifying.
By then, could the frail human body really face the Honkai?
Moreover, even if he didn't say it, Chen Ran's combat ability had already surpassed Kevin's.
If Kevin said he wasn't jealous, that would be a lie.
Brothers are brothers, but competition still needs to exist.
MEI paused and said, "In that case, I'll arrange it for you when we get back."
She could sense Kevin's unwillingness, and this unwillingness was the most important thing for the upcoming gene fusion surgery.
Because the success rate of the super mutation surgery was closely related to belief.
Himeko didn't know what the surgery was, so she could only say lightly, "Although I have no position to advise you, I still want to remind you that any experiments are best conducted under Fire Moth's arrangements. Otherwise, the consequences of failure will need to be borne by the individual."
"It won't fail."
MEI looked at Himeko and smiled, "Unlike interfering with experiments, the conditions for this experiment are very sufficient."
"Can I invite you to be my temporary assistant? I think you'd be curious about what I'm going to do."
Himeko looked deeply at MEI.
She had been with Fire Moth for a long time, but she never liked the hypocritical faces of the internal staff.
She liked Hua, liked Kiana, who was named Sirin, because they were easy to understand.
But the MEI in front of her was different; her calm demeanor made Himeko feel only falsehood, even fear.
She pondered for a moment but still refused.
"No need, our specialties are different; I don't want to get into trouble."
Himeko's subtext was simple: I will help you keep secrets, but don't trouble me.
She had always been a rule-abiding person.
MEI seemed to anticipate this outcome, only smiling as she said, "Then let's leave first."
She touched Kevin's frostbite area and said, "You've worked hard, Kevin."
This was probably the first time Kevin received comfort from his girlfriend, and he couldn't help but grin, "It's okay; as long as it's something you ask me to do, it's not hard."
Himeko could only shake her head.
…
…
"Oh, so the Lord of World Serpent, Kevin, is actually in a relationship with MEI, and they are together now."
"The Mobius I met is your superior, and Klein is Mobius's assistant."
"Vill-V, who designed the Divine Key, has a good relationship with you, and Kalpas was bled by you…"
"Chen Ran, you've been living quite a fulfilling life in Fire Moth."
After a song ended, Chen Ran pulled Wendy away from the scene.
And it was precisely because this song ended that he spoke without burden about his life in Fire Moth during this time.
Of course, some things that should be concealed still needed to be concealed.
He smiled and said, "Life can't be said to be good; after all, I'm busy every day."
"And…"
He paused and said to Wendy, "The era I'm living in now has started to deviate from the future."
Wendy looked puzzled, "Deviation?"
"Yeah, didn't I mention to you that my goal is to defeat Finality?"
He paused, his words carrying a hint of unease: "But the Fifth Herrscher that has appeared now already has a concentration of 8000hw Honkai Energy; you should understand the significance of this concentration."
Wendy nodded.
"In the records of Saint Freya, the Honkai Energy concentration caused by Raiden Mei was only just 2000hw."
Chen Ran nodded, "Yes, this time's Honkai has also exceeded what MEI and I expected, and the time gap with the Fourth Herrscher's arrival is also very short."
"I now suspect that I am changing time, which may accelerate the Destruction of this era."
Wendy instinctively tightened her grip on his hand, comforting him: "It won't happen."
"You can find a way to awaken me from despair, so you must also be able to find a way to save this world. I have always believed in you, so don't give up."
He forced a smile, "Sorry, this was supposed to be a happy time, but I couldn't help but say all this."
Chen Ran felt very uneasy.
Even the joy of Wendy's arrival here didn't diminish this unease.
High concentrations of Honkai seemed to be the usual culmination of fate, mocking how fragile and weak all his efforts over time were.
He shared his uneasy thoughts with Wendy.
"No, you should say it." Wendy released Chen Ran's hand, walked in front of him, and looked into his eyes: "We are lovers, so sharing each other's worries and listening to each other's confessions is the responsibility of lovers."
She opened her arms: "Come, let's hug."
Chen Ran embraced her.
"You see, now that you can hold me here at this time, it already shows that you have changed the timeline, changed the future, right?"
"My heartbeat isn't fake, and the scent you smell from my hair isn't fake either."
The girl transformed into a philosopher, soothing his heart: "So, since there's a miracle of time travel, there must also be a way to change the future."
She didn't say that before crossing over, Vill-V had mentioned that the Fifth Honkai would bring a storm.
Wendy didn't dare to say that.
Because saying so would mean that nothing had changed.
She began to hate the thing called the Mobius Ring.
Because of this, Wendy even doubted that her appearance here was something that had already been arranged. But now she had to disguise herself as another version and tell Chen Ran that this was a changed fate.
Chen Ran couldn't help but hold her tighter.
He poured out his heart: "Actually, when I first learned about Honkai, I never thought about defeating Honkai and Finality; I just wanted to survive."
"My special ability actually knows that the people of this era can live until fifty thousand years later. At that time, avoiding Honkai was my purpose for joining Fire Moth."
"But people can't be without emotions, and I'm no exception."
"So I stumbled through life in this era, learning, and took on the responsibility of saving the world when I was still ignorant."
He said, "I want this era to continue, but that also means the world you are familiar with will disappear. Even so, you won't blame me, will you?"
Wendy whispered, "What a fool."
She couldn't find the words to comfort the man in front of her; Saint Freya hadn't taught any relevant courses.
"No matter how fate changes or remains the same, Wendy is right here."
"So, Mr. Chen, you must walk forward with pride and find our future."
…
…
"Mei, you wouldn't believe it, but there's a boy in Fire Moth who looks almost exactly like me, and a girl who looks a lot like you. I even met Aunt Himeko and Fu Hua, the Class Monitor."
After Chen Ran and Wendy left, Kiana couldn't wait to tell Mei about everything she had encountered.
Aside from feeling a bit awkward about recognizing Chen Ran as her cousin, she shared his resemblance and all these events with Raiden Mei.
Raiden Mei hesitated for a moment and said, "Kiana, I've met Kevin."
"You've met him?"
Kiana was slightly taken aback: "This fifty thousand years ago, and fifty thousand years later…"
"What I wanted to tell you is exactly that."
Mei looked at Kiana, who was holding Bia in her arms, and earnestly advised her: "Although I met the memory version of Kevin, I heard from Wendy that the real Kevin also lives fifty thousand years later. As for Fu Hua, the Class Monitor…"
"Although I'm not very familiar with the Class Monitor, I feel she's different from us; she should also be someone who lived from fifty thousand years ago to fifty thousand years later."
"Impossible."
Kiana opened her mouth wide: "To live until fifty thousand years later, wouldn't that require time travel?"
Clearly, Kiana did not equate the Fu Hua of fifty thousand years later with the current Hua.
"No, it's an experiment called the Super Transformation Surgery."
In the Elysian Realm, Raiden Mei learned a lot of information from Wendy.
"The Super Transformation Surgery is the first step to becoming a Honkai Beast, and Honkai Beasts have no lifespan limitations."
Most of the Honkai Beasts that humanity faces today are life forms composed of inorganic materials.
The lifespan of life largely depends on aging, and inorganic materials do not have the concept of aging. This is also why, after becoming MANTIS, they have almost endless lifespans.
The super transformation factor after the surgery is actually an important factor of Honkai that corrupts the cells in the human body.
It can grant endless lifespan, but correspondingly, it can also bring extreme suffering, gradually pushing one towards the side of Honkai.
"Kiana, I hope you can undergo the Super Transformation Surgery, even if it's for me."
Raiden Mei did not expect this era to defeat Finality.
Just like Vill-V said before they traveled, there would be a storm at the site of the fifth Honkai.
Then, the Destruction of the previous civilization era seems to be a foregone conclusion.
The safest way is to have Kiana undergo the Super Transformation Surgery to break through the limitations of lifespan.
Kiana said seriously: "Okay, I will consider Mei's opinion, and I will clarify things with Chen Ran afterward."
"But Mei, are you okay in the future? How is Bronya?"
"I'm not sure."
Raiden Mei shook her head: "I haven't had the chance to return to Saint Freya. Do you have any messages for me to bring to her?"
Kiana said earnestly: "If she remembers me, then tell her to play fewer games."
Raiden Mei felt a bit despondent.
At that time, there should be no one besides her who remembers Kiana.
Raiden Mei said seriously: "I will find a way to make everyone remember you."
"You shouldn't be forgotten by the world or by anyone."
They didn't go anywhere, just started chatting aimlessly in this nameless place.
Raiden Mei reminded Kiana about some events recorded in the Elysian Realm that would happen in the future. This also included what Vill-V said, that she was the last point of connection in the entire domain.
Kiana cheerfully agreed, though it was unclear if she remembered.
And time always slips away unnoticed.
Raiden Mei looked at Kiana, running her fingers through her hair.
"I have to go now, Kiana."
"If there's a chance, let's meet again next time."
Raiden Mei's body slowly disappeared.
Kiana's joyful mood became increasingly desolate.
At that moment, she suddenly turned around: "Who is it?"
"I heard everything."
A pink-haired fairy, Miss, smiled brightly: "Kiana?"
…
…
The lover in her arms finally vanished, leaving only the warmth behind, despite his lingering affection.
These were the stolen four hours.
But he hadn't planned well, just wandering around Mu Continent, like an ordinary couple enjoying their time together.
In fact, Chen Ran hadn't even bought a gift for Wendy.
"Phew, things here should be about wrapped up. After finishing up, I'll handle the third simulation scenario."
He began to sort out what he needed to do next.
"Cooperation with Otto is imperative; Durandal is special and likely the key to unraveling Finality."
"The Stigmata terminal also needs to be accelerated, but projecting the terminal into the future requires a special mobile energy source."
"It can't be electricity; after all, the power storage devices are too fragile. After thinking it over, Honkai Energy is the best option, but where can I find a planet-level Honkai Beast? I can't just go catch one in the void; that's unrealistic."
"After all, I'm not enough to fill the gaps of a planet-level Honkai Beast."
Chen Ran began to ponder the energy device for the Stigmata terminal.
Now, number 666 had completed the terminal's operation system, but finding a suitable terminal to connect to and supplying energy to the terminal remained a significant issue.
"The life anchor point projection and calculation for the Stigmata terminal, as well as the placement…"
"Forget it, let's head back first."
——
Fifty thousand years later, Elysian Realm.
Raiden Mei and Wendy were almost too weak to stand, only able to support each other to barely keep their bodies upright.
"Ah, you finally came back."
Conductor Vill-V yawned: "You've pushed the Herrscher Core's power to the limit, as expected of you. But because of that, the experts' weapons can obtain complete data."
"So, how about it? Do you want to try again? With only one set of data, the experts probably won't be satisfied."
"No need."
Wendy shook her head and said, "Next, Raiden Mei and I will go out and continue traveling through time; it's just meaningless."
She still remembered that she came here to verify the grandfather paradox.
Because their Herrscher Core came from Sirin, and since Sirin did not become a Herrscher, they should not become Herrschers either.
Wendy thought this should have broken the grandfather paradox.
But before this time travel, Vill-V had said that the fifth Honkai would bring a storm from the sky.
So, this indicated that their time travel was actually predetermined.
This would imply one thing: when Chen Ran travels to Siberia in the year 2000, there would definitely be other ways for the Herrscher Core to appear.
Perhaps it wasn't Sirin becoming the Herrscher of the Void, but the outcome wouldn't change.
Chen Ran had been jumping through time, merely altering some processes of the previous civilization era, yet not changing the destined result.
And everything they did in the river of time was merely participation.
They could decide the process leading to the result, but they could never change the destined outcome.
This was the most tragic aspect of the grandfather paradox.
And that's why the Void Archives said that Chen Ran was the most pitiful person.
Jumping into the Möbius strip of fate, one could only witness the predicted future slowly arriving, even if they tried hard to reverse a tragedy, the result would still be uniquely different.
"To be honest, I no longer know whether this is good or bad. Although the Second Honkai Eruption has disappeared, it merely delayed the cost."
Wendy shared everything she knew with Conductor Vill-V.
Her tone carried a hint of sadness and a sense of self-destructive despair.
"I can actually feel that he's very tired; he shouldn't have to bear such an important responsibility. The Destruction of that era wasn't his fault, and he's not suited to be a savior."
"But he's doing it, so I must quickly find a way to help him. Traveling through time here won't lead me to the answer."
Conductor Vill-V rarely fell silent.
Afterward, she watched Wendy and Raiden Mei leave.
Conductor Vill-V slightly lowered her gaze.
"After MEI found the real me to arm time, the real me sealed herself away."
"That part of the memory was not transmitted to the Elysian Realm by the real me."
"I thought it was just a delay in data, but it seems the real me has been hiding important information. She has long known the current situation."
"There are no memories of MEI and Chen Ran in the Elysian Realm; I seem to know the answer."
"Is this also MEI's strategy?"
"How unfair."
"Whether it's to me, the real me, Chen Ran, or everyone from that era. Everyone's fate is being toyed with."
She left her spiral workshop and went to find another person.
"Ah, my dear Vill-V, let me guess, are you the conductor now?"
Elysia smiled brightly, looking at the conductor Vill-V before her: "Long time no see, finally out of the spiral workshop, are you here to see me?"
"Yes."
Conductor Vill-V rarely spoke without her usual flamboyant tone.
"Ah, I'm so happy." Elysia smiled brightly, holding her hand: "Let's go do something fun, like trying on the new clothes designed by Eden?"
"Elysia, I have something to ask you."
Conductor Vill-V paused and looked at her.
"You knew from the beginning, didn't you, the real reason Chen Ran refused to enter the Elysian Realm?"
Elysia blinked: "How could that be? I was very sad when Chen Ran rejected me."
"If you were sad, you wouldn't have disappeared before the battle of Finality."
"Whether it was Wendy or Raiden Mei's arrival, you didn't seem surprised."
Conductor Vill-V stared at Elysia: "I'm curious, what did Chen Ran say to you the day before Finality arrived?"
Elysia's pupils slightly widened, smiling: "I've already answered you, haven't I? This is our little secret, are you jealous?"
"Yes."
The conductor's straightforwardness left Elysia momentarily stunned.
She asked, "Where was the Stigmata terminal that Chen Ran always wanted to place?"
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