Volume 3, Chapter 52: Journey to Shenzhou
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If given a choice, Xia Chen preferred not to deal with the Herrscher of Sentience directly. With the current timeline in disarray and Kevin still within the Sea of Quanta, without Otto's intervention, the Herrscher of Sentience was effectively invincible.
Moreover, it was uncertain whether the prematurely appearing Herrscher of Sentience would still be troubled by Fu Hua's consciousness as seen in the original plot.
In that storyline, Fu Hua sacrificed a feather containing her memories to aid Kiana, which she entrusted to Kevin. When the Herrscher of Sentience confronted him, Kevin returned the memory feather to Fu Hua, setting off a series of subsequent events.
However, now the plotline had diverged.
Fu Hua died earlier than her storyline dictated, and there was no feather left for Kiana...
Wait, feather?
After ending the communication with Amber, Xia Chen suddenly recalled something. He found the Memory Feather that Fu Hua had given him during their time on Coral Island.
At that moment, he believed it symbolized Fu Hua's trust in him, and he kept the memory feather close ever since. But upon reflection now...
It is likely she anticipated her own demise even then.
While Fu Hua may not have foreseen becoming a Herrscher, she prepared a backup of her consciousness beforehand.
After briefly explaining the situation to Wendy, they set out with the Valkyrie Squad. The Oceanic Branch was virtually empty, resembling the Phantom Front, as all crucial data had already been transferred elsewhere. Aside from these minerals, the branch held little remaining value.
Xia Chen noticed that instead of excitement, fear permeated the Valkyries facing the impending battle.
During the Titan assault orchestrated by the dolls earlier, although there were no casualties, it seemed to have left a lasting impact on these Valkyries. They joined Schicksal not due to Honkai's threat—well, initially perhaps for that reason—but now primarily seeking comfort and ease.
Xia Chen had advised Wendy to disregard these Valkyries, as future battles would involve high-level combatants where their contributions would be limited.
However, Wendy disagreed.
She stated, "Schicksal cannot stand solely on one or two individuals; instead, these Valkyries form its foundation. If we allow such attitudes to persist, it will inevitably lead to Schicksal's collapse."
"A military organization without soldiers eager for battle is bound to become corrupt."
Wendy grew up within Schicksal from a young age, fostering a strong sense of belonging and commitment to the organization—a stark contrast with Xia Chen's perspective.
For Xia Chen, Schicksal was merely a platform for employment.
Seeing Wendy's determination, Xia Chen couldn't bring himself to refuse her request.
Even during their flight, Wendy continued to work on these individuals' mindset, leaving Xia Chen somewhat bewildered.
He couldn't help but think of her as a political commissar now.
The flying device safely landed within Shenzhou territory, near the outskirts of Taixuan Mountain. A person named Wu approached them for coordination.
"Hello, I'm Wu Jin, the coordinator for this operation."
Despite having a masculine-sounding name, Wu Jin was actually a spirited young woman. She looked at Xia Chen, Wendy, and the team behind them, saying, "Let me briefly outline the situation."
"Recently, a Herrscher entered Shenzhou's territory. The authorities reached an agreement with the Herrscher: both parties would refrain from attacking each other. In exchange, Shenzhou agreed to cover the Herrscher's regular expenses, while the Herrscher would impart knowledge about Honkai to us."
"Everything seemed normal until World Serpent bypassed Shenzhou's jurisdiction and initiated a retrieval operation against the Herrscher." As she spoke, a hint of frustration flashed in Wu Jin's eyes.
Shenzhou and World Serpent had always maintained a cooperative relationship. Due to Kevin's absence, World Serpent often appeared to be at a disadvantage in this partnership, although that might not have been entirely accurate.
The basis of their collaboration was straightforward: Shenzhou provided resources and land, while World Serpent shared knowledge and technology related to Honkai. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.
However, unexpectedly, this time the World Serpent attempted to recover a Herrscher directly.
Normally, recovering a Herrscher wouldn't be an issue.
But the critical point was that their attempt failed.
Following this failure, the Herrscher caused chaos at Divine City Pharmaceuticals and even warned the Shenzhou government. With no other choice, the Shenzhou government sought help from Schicksal.
Rumors had it that Schicksal now also possessed a Herrscher, so the Shenzhou government hoped that communication between Herrschers could foster understanding and ease tensions.
As for recovering the Herrscher? That wasn't on Shenzhou's agenda.
This was not the era of historical intolerance where 'those possessed must be executed'.
After comprehending the situation, Xia Chen couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions and complexities. Currently, he indeed had considerable experience interacting with the Herrscher of Sentience, albeit assuming her personality in both simulation and reality remained similar.
Meanwhile, Wendy suggested, "Let's first deal with the Honkai Beasts attracted by the Herrscher."
The presence of Honkai Energy around Taixuan Mountain was clearly due to the Herrscher of Sentience.
Fortunately, there were no residents near Taixuan Mountain, though it remains uncertain how many casualties this latest Honkai incident has caused.
Xia Chen didn't dwell too much on these thoughts.
With a nod, Wendy led the Valkyrie Squad into battle against the Honkai Beasts.
He understood the Shenzhou government's predicament; Fu Hua had become the Herrscher, and her unique status was well-known to the Shenzhou leadership.
As a result, they would not consent to recovering the Herrscher, nor did they possess the capability to do so.
Thus, it fell upon him to handle the situation like coaxing a child.
People often rely on logical reasoning - since he is also a Herrscher, just like the Herrscher of Sentience, they assumed he could easily establish rapport with her.
"Let me clarify first, I cannot guarantee that I'll meet your expectations. Therefore, be prepared for the possibility of confrontation."
Xia Chen wouldn't foolishly restrict himself from fighting; this wasn't a simulation scenario anymore.
Wu Jin nodded. "We understand. That's why you will lead this operation."
"In that case, things become much easier."
Xia Chen didn't intend to test the Herrscher of Sentience's strength; he simply didn't want his actions limited. Without these constraints, handling the situation becomes significantly simpler.
"Well then, let's head back first."
"Alright... Wait, head back?" Wu Jin looked puzzled.
"Yes," Xia Chen responded matter-of-factly. "Just recently, you engaged her in battle. Now showing up again, even if we claim our intentions are good, do you think she'll believe us?"
Although the Herrscher of Sentience was a child, she still possessed reasoning abilities.
In fact, being a child made her emotions more direct—her likes and dislikes clearer. If they left a negative first impression, it would complicate matters further.
After Wendy led the Valkyries to clear the Honkai Beasts, Xia Chen announced their departure back home.
On the way, he turned to Wu Jin and said, "By the way, I hope you wouldn't mind providing some funding for this initiative."
"That's not an issue, but we need to establish its purpose," Wu Jin responded.
"Hmm, I have an idea," Xia Chen shared his concept.