129. Entering the Sea of Quanta
"I didn't expect you to find me so quickly," Lieserl said calmly.
"We could have come sooner, but I wanted to give you some time," said Xiling, who was walking beside her.
"By the way, is Cocolia here?"
Bronya, hearing Xiling's question about Cocolia's location, turned her calm gaze to Xiling.
"What do you want with her?" Lieserl asked.
"Oh, if she were here, I would have just killed her." Xiling's tone remained unchanged.
Lieserl frowned slightly, but before she could say anything, Bronya spoke up.
"Excuse me, why did you kill Cocolia?"
"It goes without saying, of course, she deserved to die, didn't she?" Xiling's gaze fell on Raiden Mei, the meaning of which was self-evident.
Someone has to be held responsible for the tragedy in Nagazora City.
After a moment of silence, Lieserl spoke.
"She's not here."
As if afraid Xiling wouldn't believe her, Lieserl added, "She was here a couple of days ago, but it seems she received some information and quickly evacuated Deep City."
"That girl took the Gem of Desire with her when she left. I wonder what she did with it." Speaking of Cocolia, Theresa couldn't help but feel a little angry.
"Oh, then the World Serpent probably notified her." Hearing this, Xiling roughly understood what had happened. He felt a little disappointed, as he had thought he could accomplish two things this time.
"The Eye of the Deep's energy frequency has been unstable lately. Are you sure you want to activate it at this time?" Lieserl steered the conversation towards Xiling's purpose for coming today.
"It's alright. My method of activating it is a little different from yours, but don't worry, it won't affect the Eye of the Deep. If there are any problems, contact me, and I'll fix them for you." Xiling spoke confidently, promising that he wouldn't damage the Eye of the Deep.
"That's for the best. There's something else I need to remind you. Once the Eye of the Deep opens, the immense energy will attract a huge number of Honkai Beasts." Lieserl spoke as if to warn Xiling.
"If these Honkai Beasts destroy the Eye of the Deep, you might not be able to return."
Xiling nodded, indicating he understood, and then said, "Don't worry, we'll have some backup plans outside, and even if it closes, we should have a way to get back."
"That's best. There's another thing I don't know if you agree to." Lieserl turned her gaze to Xiling.
"When you open the Eye of the Deep, may I observe from the sidelines?" Lieserl wanted to see how Xiling would open the Eye of the Deep; perhaps she could gain some insights from it, which would benefit her future research.
Xiling nodded nonchalantly.
"Sure, but I can't guarantee you'll be able to learn anything from it."
"Then that's my problem." Lieserl nodded. As a genius, a genius with potential, one of the greatest scientists in human history, she possessed absolute confidence.
Kevin gazed in awe at the surroundings of Deep City, but the thought that this was the last remnant of the Mu Continent stirred a ripple in his heart.
Even though the future of the Ninth Herrscher's birth was still several years away, looking at these ruins still brought a sense of pressure.
"I will absolutely not let that future come to pass."
Kevin vowed in his heart that no matter what happened, the future must be changed.
Just as he was pondering this, Xiling, who had been walking ahead of Lieserl, appeared beside him, put an arm around his shoulder, and smiled.
"Speaking of which, we haven't been to the heart of the Mu Continent yet. Last time, Su and I went to Eden's concert, and we haven't been back since. Seeing the scene in Deep City, aren't you going to treat us to a visit?"
"Why should I treat you?" Kevin snapped out of his thoughts and said dismissively.
"Because you're a local, of course, you have to treat us. Let's invite Tianyi, Kyuushou, Dan Heng, and Elaina, so we can all experience just how prosperous the Mu Continent really is."
"Okay, okay," Kevin nodded, seemingly resigned.
Their words were undisguised, clearly heard by everyone present.
Lieserl remained silent, deep in thought.
Was the Mu Continent they were referring to the Mu Continent in the previous era? If it really was the Mu Continent in the previous era, why would they be discussing such a thing?
There was only one answer.
Lieserl clearly remembered how they had introduced themselves a few days ago.
They weren't from this world.
Lisser looked towards the location of the Eye of the Deep.
That was the portal to the Sea of Quanta.
The Sea of Quanta—
An ocean theoretically containing countless parallel universes, but this was only what they had discovered through their research. They had never actually reached the other side of the sea; the Sea of Quanta was still too mysterious to them.
But now, something was before her: those people behind her might… have arrived in their world from the other side of the sea.
Lieserl wouldn't pretend to know what she didn't, because that would make her look foolish. So, she asked directly when faced with a question.
"Did you come here from another universe?"
Lieserl's words came as a complete surprise. Raiden Mei and Theresa, who were surrounding Kiana, were initially taken aback, then their eyes widened in disbelief. Theresa exclaimed incredulously.
"What!"
Xiling gave Lieserl a thumbs-up.
"That's pretty much the principle behind it."
Although they had arrived here for their mission via the chat group, it wasn't surprising that Kevin's world might truly be just a drop in the Sea of Quanta.
Lieserl, having received a definite answer, felt somewhat incredulous.
"May I know how you arrived in our world?"
"Through some means, but those means are beyond our control." Xiling shrugged, not intending to reveal anything about the chat group.
Lieserl, realizing her mistake, said, "I apologize for my intrusion." Hearing that they had indeed come from the other side of the Sea of Quanta to their world, even someone as composed as her couldn't help but ask for more information.
"No offense intended," Xiling smiled nonchalantly.
Just then, a red-haired girl (?) appeared at the end of his line of sight.
Lieserl introduced her to Xiling.
"Dr. Frederica Nikola Tesla, our companion."
The hot-tempered older sister walked straight over to Xiling and stopped in front of him. She took a deep breath, and before she could speak, Xiling spoke first.
"I'll go and help Welt Yang. Don't be too hard on yourself, okay? Stay true to yourself, haha."
With that, Xiling walked past the bewildered Tesla.
She hadn't even said anything. How did the other party know what she was going to say?
Tesla, after learning everything, had indeed come here to ask Xiling to help Welt, but before she could even speak, the other party had already seen through her intention to humble herself.
"Thank you!" Tesla said softly, bowing her head.
"You're welcome."
That all-too-familiar voice rang out in front of Tesla, and she jerked her head up.
"Chicken-head! You want a beating, don't you!" Tesla felt like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. The thought that this wretched chicken-head had probably seen her earlier attempt at groveling made her cheeks burn.
"Dr. Tesla, maintain your composure." Lieserl's tone remained unchanged, as if she were genuinely reminding her, before she caught up with Xiling and the others.
However, having known her for countless years, Tesla immediately recognized that this girl was mocking her.
"You wretched chicken-head! You just wait!" Tesla stomped her foot angrily, gritted her teeth, and quickened her pace, catching up with the group. She passed through the connecting passage and officially entered the core of Deep City.
The instant she stepped inside, an invisible permeation enveloped everyone. The air carried an indescribable feeling—the direct sensation of the Sea of Quantaeroding the real world.
They had arrived.
Looking at the scene inside Deep City, Lemuen couldn't help but murmur, "This place is truly wondrous."
It looked completely different from the outside. Constantly eroded by the Sea of Quanta, the interior, which should have been man-made, now felt like an alien space.
"That's the Eye of the Deep up ahead. What do you plan to do now?" Lieserl asked.
After stretching slightly, Xiling smiled and said, "Let's not delay it any longer, let's begin."
With that, Xiling stepped towards the Eye of the Deep, standing just a few steps away.
Lieserl and Tesla stared intently, trying to record every detail.
However, just as everyone was observing with complete focus—
The Eye of the Deep moved!
It didn't start slowly; rather, it was like a sleeping behemoth being instantly awakened! A massive torrent of magical power erupted from Xiling, pouring directly into the center of the Eye of the Deep!
As if giving a command, Xiling spoke.
"Open!"
An invisible roar exploded in everyone's hearts! The Eye of the Deep was instantly and completely illuminated!
The bridge to the Sea of Quanta was forcefully erected!
At the same time, the surrounding sea seemed to revive, and thousands upon thousands of Honkai Beasts, sensing the energy emitted by the activation of the Eye of the Deep, began to rush towards Deep City.
Faced with the open door, the two world-class scientists froze in place.
They... couldn't see anything.
Why did the Eye of the Deep activate like this? And so naturally?
Just as they were puzzled, their instruments sounded an alarm.
"This... this doesn't make sense…" The alarm drowned out Tesla's mutterings.
Lieserl quickly regained her senses and checked the alarm on her instruments. Soon, her brow furrowed. It was about Honkai Beasts.
But… the amount was more than what she had imagined was the increased energy release due to the different way the other party opened the Eye of the Lieserl?
Just then, a voice rang out:
"Hmm, looks like things are getting a bit out of hand. Well then, I'll take the final step."
Lemuen stepped forward, raising a hand with fingers spread, pointing towards the empty space above, and softly called out:
"Athena."
—In an instant, the entire Deep layer was illuminated.
A massive magic circle unfolded at the top of the Deep. The seawater was pushed aside by an invisible force field, forming a vacuum, and within this vacuum—
"What…what is that?!" Tesla's exclamation echoed loudly in the vast emptiness of Deep City. She pointed at the enormous signal source that had suddenly appeared on the monitoring screen, her voice trembling.
Everyone, including Einstein, was stunned by the incredible sight before them.
Inside the monitoring equipment of Lieserl City, a colossal object was slowly rising.
A two-kilometer-class mech, like a slumbering giant, descended upon the sea. Its outer shell gleamed with a cold silver light, and six pairs of wings unfurled from its back, each wing surface flowing with data. A halo, resembling the crown of the goddess of wisdom, hovered atop the mech.
"Mech - Athena - Activate."
Data flashed continuously in Lemuen's pupils.
Athena's perception system covered the entire sea area: the coordinates of the Honkai Beasts, the movement of ocean currents, energy fluctuations… all information flooded into her mind like a torrent. A slight smile played on her lips.
"Sorry, the sea also belongs to Laterano."
As soon as she finished speaking, Athena's six wings of light suddenly unfolded, and blazing red light burst forth from every point on the mech, like a blade of judgment, instantly piercing through the Honkai Beast horde surging from all directions.
—Annihilation.
No explosion, no wreckage, not even a cry of agony could be uttered. The Honkai Beasts were completely erased, as if they had never existed.
A brief silence fell over Deep City.
Lemuen, having finished everything, turned around, gave everyone a peace sign, her smile as relaxed as if she had just finished a game.
"We can go now."
"Awesome."
Xiling, Kevin, and the Tarnished gave a thumbs-up in unison.
The group stood in a neat row, facing the gate leading to the Sea of Quanta.
"Let's go…" Xiling was about to call out, "Let's go", but then, as if remembering something, he turned around and saw Kiana.
The girl stood with her arms crossed, staring at him with a resentful look, as if to say—"Have you forgotten about me again?"
Xiling smiled awkwardly and held out his hand.
"Um... Kiana, want to go see what the Sea of Quanta is like?"
Theresa almost instinctively tried to stop her:
"Wait, it's too dangerous there, Kiana can't—"
But Kiana had already whispered, "Sorry, Theresa."
She walked past Theresa and past the hesitant Raiden Mei, and grabbed Xiling's hand.
"Isn't that obvious?"
Xiling grinned, holding Kevin and the Tarnished's hands with his left, and Kiana and Lemuen's hands with his right.
"Then—hold on tight! Don't let them get separated!"
"Okay!" the four responded in unison.
Under everyone's gaze, five figures leaped into the vortex of the Sea of Quanta...