[Creation Engine · Hiding Place]
Just as everyone was immersed in the complex emotions of victory and Bronya's sorrow, no one noticed the two figures who quietly appeared in a hidden shadow at the base of the massive and ancient 'Creation Engine'.
Madam Herta was still clad in her mysterious purple-black dress, her gray-white long hair fluttering slightly in the cold wind.
Beside her, Cyrene followed closely, curiously looking up at the colossal, mountain-like robot before them, her azure eyes filled with shock.
"S-such a huge robot..."
Cyrene gasped softly in admiration, subconsciously leaning closer to Black Herta. "Is this... also influenced by the Stellaron?"
"No,"
Black Herta shook her head slightly, her gaze assessing the Creation Engine's ancient and powerful shell. "This is a legacy from the past, a symbol of the will of Belobog's 'City builders', the giant who guards this place."
A clear interest shone in her eyes.
A mechanical construct so massive, imbued with specific history and belief—its internal structure, energy circuits, and the very concept of "guarding" settled by the passage of time—all constituted extremely valuable data.
"It... seems to have stopped moving?"
Cyrene noticed that the Creation Engine was stationary.
"Its mission has temporarily concluded."
As Black Herta spoke, she elegantly raised her hand. Purple-red streams of data light swirled around her fingertips, which she gently pressed against the Creation Engine's cold metallic exterior.
Instantly, countless dense, spiderweb-like purple-red data lines rapidly spread out from her fingertip, covering the Creation Engine's massive ankle area like living vines.
These data lines were not physical but pure streams of information. They penetrated the metal's interior, rapidly scanning, analyzing, and copying all information regarding this ancient colossus—from its most basic physical structure and material composition, to any residual energy operation modes, and even the faint traces of the "guarding" belief crystallized by the people of Belobog over hundreds of years.
The entire process was silent and lasted about ten seconds.
When Black Herta withdrew her hand, the purple-red data streams receded like a tide, gathering in her palm, finally condensing into an exquisite, palm-sized model that perfectly replicated every detail of the Creation Engine and shimmered with metallic luster.
She opened her palm, and the miniature Creation Engine model slowly rotated in her hand, forming a fascinating contrast with the colossal, motionless entity behind it.
Cyrene watched, dumbfounded.
Black Herta examined the model in her palm, a look of satisfaction flashing in her purple-black eyes.
She gently closed her hand, and the model vanished.
"Let's go." She turned, her skirt cutting a sharp arc.
Cyrene quickly followed, unable to resist glancing back at the silent giant. She asked softly, "Madam, why did you copy this... what is it for?"
Black Herta did not stop walking, her voice carried on the wind, bearing a hint of profound meaning:
"This, well, this is an important 'prop' that might be used later... when 'persuading' certain Golden Descendants."
[Belobog · Administrative Plaza]
The cold wind was still biting, but the gloom hanging over Belobog seemed to be slowly dissipating.
On the streets, surviving Silvermane Guards and members of the Wildfire began working together to clear the traces of battle and treat the wounded. Conversations, long absent and filled with hope, sporadically broke out.
March 7th and Danheng walked along the streets that were gradually returning to Order, watching all this, their pink-blue eyes filled with relief.
But this relief was quickly replaced by a hint of worry.
"Teacher Danheng, where did that guy Xing run off to now?"
March 7th stood on her tiptoes, looking around. "She disappeared the moment the fight ended. Don't tell me she went to rummage through a trash can in some corner again?"
Danheng crossed his arms, his calm gaze sweeping the surroundings. "Given her habits, it's not impossible. Let's split up and look."
Just as the two were about to separate, Xing appeared, rubbing her forehead, stumbling every few steps like a sleepwalker, slowly pacing out of a small alley.
Her face was covered in dirt, her hair speckled with dust and grass clippings. Her eyes looked blankly at the noisy, unfamiliar scene around her, and she seemed to be unconsciously clutching something in her hand.
"Xing!"
March 7th's eyes lit up, and she immediately ran over, steadying the slightly swaying Xing. "Where did you run off to? We were worried sick! Are... are you okay? Why do you look so dizzy?"
Xing blinked, her golden eyes filled with confusion. "I... I don't know. What happened?"
Her head felt heavy and faintly painful, especially her forehead, which seemed particularly prominent.
"Whoa! Xing! Your head!"
Only then did March 7th notice that a fresh, bright red bump had swelled up conspicuously on Xing's forehead!
"How did you hit yourself again?! Where did you fall this time?"
Xing subconsciously touched the bump, wincing in pain, and became even more confused. "F-fell? I don't remember..."
She looked at the damaged buildings and the busy crowd around her. "What... what happened here?"
March 7th and Danheng, who had hurried over, exchanged glances, both seeing surprise in the other's eyes.
"Xing, you don't remember?" March 7th asked tentatively. "We just... defeated the Supreme Guardian Cocolia, who was controlled by the Stellaron!"
Xing shook her head blankly. "Did we?"
"Don't you remember getting a super—cool Flame Lance?!" March 7th gestured. "It just appeared with a 'buzz,' and then you'swooshed' it toward the sky!"
Xing imitated March 7th's motion, waving her empty hand. "...Like this?"
However, the moment she waved her hand, a long spear, coiled with faint flames and possessing an ancient, majestic design, suddenly materialized in her grip!
Xing: "!!!"
She was so startled she nearly dropped the spear, staring dumbfounded at the large object that had suddenly appeared in her hand, radiating warmth and power. "W-what's going on?! Where did this come from?!"
Danheng carefully observed Xing's condition, analyzing calmly: "Memory gaps, lack of awareness regarding key events and personal changes... perhaps a blow to the head caused selective amnesia."
"Exactly, exactly!"
March 7th quickly agreed, pointing to Xing's dirty clothes. "Look at you, you're so filthy, you must have taken a huge tumble somewhere and scrambled your brain! Do you still remember Bronya? Seele? The Wildfire? The Lower District? And that little white-haired girl named Clara?"
Xing frowned, trying hard to recall. Some vague fragments flashed through her mind: "Bronya... Seele... I think... I have a slight impression..."
Just then, March 7th noticed the delicate cloth doll Xing was still clutching in her other hand—black and purple witchs hat, gray-white long hair, exactly the type they had seen before!
"Xing, where did you pick up this doll again?"
Xing picked up the doll and looked at it. As if flipping a switch, she suddenly remembered: "Ah! Right! Ms. Herta's sister asked me to give this to Ms. Herta!"
As she spoke, she subconsciously patted her body and indeed pulled out the black card with dark purple light flowing along its edges from her pocket. "Yes, yes! And this! The travel money Ms. Herta's sister gave me!"
March 7th was completely bewildered. "Ms. Herta... has a sister?"
Xing then recounted her previous meeting with "Ms. Herta's sister," embellishing and sympathetically narrating the "sad past" the "sister" spoke of regarding Ms. Herta being "chubby," "crybaby," "insecure," "tsundere," and "running away from home due to body image issues."
March 7th's eyes turned red as she listened, deeply moved. "I never thought... Ms. Herta looks so formidable, yet she had such a hard time growing up! Her sister truly loves her! She's been quietly caring for her all along!"
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