Volume 4, Chapter 2: When the Gates Named Garden of Eden Opened

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When Xia Chen woke up, no trace of daylight could be seen outside.

The space within the World Serpent lacked distinct day or night cycles; all illumination came from internal generators.

Similarly, time seemed nonexistent here. Aside from the ticking clocks, Xia Chen felt no sense of time passing.

He took a deep breath and communicated with Sirin within his Stigmata, "Sirin, can you perceive the nature of this space?"

While Xia Chen lacked knowledge about spatial manipulation, it didn't mean Sirin did not understand.

Herrschers are born from humanity's extreme advancements in physical sciences, akin to players using cheats in a game.

Xia Chen himself did not possess spatial authority, but Sirin did.

Apart from simulations, Xia Chen had spent most of his time recently in the stigma space, fostering a bond with the Holy Mark consciousness—specifically referring to Ana.

As for Sirin, he primarily provided her with Honkai Fragments to construct the stigma space. In return, Sirin lent him her spatial powers, making it a fair exchange.

The connection between the holder and the Holy Mark consciousness typically occurred around once every half month.

Following his question, Sirin's presence materialized behind him, appearing within this space.

She tilted her head, observing, "This place is similar to the stigma space, albeit more advanced. One could say it's a newly created dimension."

"Can ordinary humans achieve something like this?"

"Certainly not," Sirin replied firmly. "It requires a Herrscher's power to accomplish such a feat. Theoretically, even you, as my bearer, should be capable of it."

Xia Chen pondered, "In other words, the person who created this space essentially used Herrscher-like abilities."

Utilizing Herrscher-like powers is different from being an actual Herrscher.

Strictly speaking, Divine Keys themselves harness Herrscher power, with the Key of Blankness even allowing temporary connection to Virtual Being, elevating one's capabilities to that of a Herrscher.

However, each use of a Divine Key incurs backlash, as divine authority is not meant for ordinary humans to covet. Xia Chen had experienced this once within the simulator and knew the price such actions entail.

He couldn't help but admire the creator of the Divine Keys; even simply utilizing a Herrscher Core was no easy feat for most individuals.

Sirin did not respond and vanished immediately.

Xia Chen remained unfazed.

Asking about this space was merely on impulse, so he sat down on the bed, beginning to organize his recent gains.

[Special Soul Steel Locator: After use, can pinpoint the location of a specific Soulium.]

[Horse Hoof Cake: A favorite food of a girl named Ji Lin.]

"Ji Lin has been dead for five thousand years, so what use is there for horse hoof cake?"

Shaking his head, Xia Chen chose not to retrieve it.

In Xia Chen's view, Soulium was important but not urgent. His priority was resolving matters here first, then obtaining the Jizo Mitama before finally searching for Soulium wouldn't be too late.

After some thought, Xia Chen decided to step out of the room and explore the area.

Just then, he brushed past a familiar figure, causing both to pause instinctively.

"Chen Tianwu?" Xia Chen greeted the man who appeared significantly different from his memories, unsure whether to call him "Owl": "Or should I say, Owl?"

Unlike before, Chen Tianwu looked weary, as if he hadn't slept well. However, upon seeing Xia Chen, his expression brightened with excitement.

He gratefully exclaimed, "Benefactor, I never expected to find you here."

"No need for 'benefactor,' it feels too formal. Just call me Xia Chen. Although, I didn't anticipate you joining the World Serpent so soon."

Chen Tianwu hesitated before responding, "To be honest, I have relatives holding positions in the Philippines, which allows me access to certain information. By the way, how is Little Wen doing? How has she been?"

It seemed that Chen Tianwu deeply cared for his sister, but due to their differing allegiances, they had minimal contact.

Chen Tianwen wasn't naive; even within Schicksal, she was known for her reserved nature.

Xia Chen considered his words carefully and replied, "She's doing well. Her talent isn't the most exceptional, but still quite remarkable. However, because of her young age, she hasn't yet undertaken the Valkyrie assessment. Currently, she serves as a non-combatant Valkyrie."

Chen Tianwen was only 11 years old this year. Despite being identified with A-rank Valkyrie potential, her limited understanding of Honkai prevented her from becoming a formal Valkyrie at present.

She needed to meet all training requirements and pass theoretical knowledge assessments before having the opportunity to become a C-rank Valkyrie.

This task wasn't easy, as the demanding learning and training regimen can be overwhelming for an 11-year-old's mindset.

Xia Chen briefly explained the situation; however, he wasn't particularly concerned about Chen Tianwen's current status. It was Ana who often kept tabs on her, occasionally mentioning their conversations, so he wasn't entirely uninformed.

Chen Tianwu nodded, "That's reassuring. With Schicksal's protection, I feel at ease."

Noticing his fatigue, Xia Chen couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong? You seem quite drained."

"Just post-surgery side effects," Chen Tianwu replied casually. "Following your advice, I found the World Serpent and underwent Jackal's modifications, escaping the torment of Honkai's corruption. However, there is always a price to pay." He smiled and continued, "It's nothing serious. Just being alive feels incredibly fortunate."

Xia Chen felt a mix of emotions upon hearing this.

"Oh right, this must be your first time here. Would you like me to show you around?" Chen Tianwu extended a sincere invitation.

Xia Chen shook his head. "No need, you should go back and rest. Someone will come for me shortly."

"Alright then, see you later." Chen Tianwu didn't press further and promptly left.

After watching Chen Tianwu depart, Xia Chen couldn't help but wonder if Hare was also present at the World Serpent Base.

If she discovered Herrscher of Sentience's arrival here, how would she react?

With this curiosity, Xia Chen decided to take a stroll around.

Unfortunately, he found nothing noteworthy.

The World Serpent Base seemed unguarded against him, but it was indeed small, lacking any strictly valuable assets.

Xia Chen spent two days there idly.

On the third day, Raven appeared.

"I've already informed the Garden of Eden's administrator, so now you can enter alongside the Herrscher of Sentience."

Her only option was to notify Klein, as approaching other Heroic Spirits could be too risky.

"Together?"

Xia Chen looked somewhat surprised. "Won't that cause issues?"

He initially thought entering alone would suffice.

Raven responded casually, "What issues? Eventually, I'll have to join you anyway. Honestly, it's not a place meant for humans."

She paused briefly, preparing Xia Chen mentally, "The personalities inside are quite peculiar; they may not align with your expectations."

"It's fine; once we reach that place, it won't be my problem anymore." Xia Chen remained unperturbed.

As the saying goes, do your best and leave the rest to fate. While he couldn't pave the entire path, he had at least cleared a small trail. If the final outcome is failure, then so be it.