Chapter 98: Bronya's Humiliating Memories

In the end, Jun An still couldn't pay Vill-V's salary.

It couldn't be helped. Jun An had already defeated three MANTISes today, and Mobius alone had eaten the share of two people, so he definitely couldn't pay up.

But who knows what kind of madness possessed Vill-V; she insisted on provoking Mobius right in front of her, saying she wanted to savor the experience properly after receiving the body Mobius would give her.

Using the body Mobius gave her to sleep with Mobius's man – wasn't this a form of netorare in itself?

Of course, the price also included having Jun An test her newly invented Anti-Jun An Armaments later. Because this time Jun An had thrown Mobius out, next time Jun An would have to face them alone.

Anyway, as long as she didn't create something like an Anti-Life Equation, Jun An didn't really care.

In short, Mobius had helped out and resolved part of the remuneration issue for Vill-V. After a bit more idle chat, Jun An bid farewell to Vill-V, each going off to attend to their own proper business.

However, along the way, Mobius still complained to Jun An endlessly, saying he couldn't control his little brother, that his small head was controlling his big head, and so on.

Jun An naturally coaxed Mobius a bit, and she calmed down. She might be smart, but she still couldn't help but be happy when she heard nice words.

And Jun An quickly confirmed his next target: Bronya.

————

E.T. Studio Company

This was one of Anti-Entropy's important industrial assets, with its main fields being media, game production, as well as mech and warship manufacturing.

It was an extremely important economic source and propaganda base for Anti-Entropy. Even after Anti-Entropy merged with Schicksal and became the Anti-Entropy Branch, this remained true, though its functions had slightly changed.

Now, E.T. Studio's work focus had shifted from preparing for the Honkai to civilizational reconstruction. And as long as there was work, money was needed; if money was needed, then money had to be earned.

Therefore, regardless of the era, E.T. Studio's main focus was actually always on acquiring funds and resources. After all, as long as human civilization existed and the current financial system persisted, acquiring general equivalents would be humanity's eternal goal.

Thus, E.T. Studio had always retained functions like game development and media.

And now, because Bronya Zaychik, a disciple of Anti-Entropy's former Sovereign, had also thrown herself into game production, animation had become one of E.T. Studio's main sources of income.

Even, due to her excellent foundation, at the young age of sixteen and just one month into her job, she already had her own independent studio and work team.

Today, however, the company executive had no intention of working on games.

She opened her computer and inserted the data USB drive copied from the Captain's computer.

The Captain's computer had already been burned by Bronya. This was according to Brother Jun An's request: if anyone sacrificed themselves in the future, the others should help destroy anything that might affect their posthumous reputation.

So Bronya, following Brother Jun An's last wish, helped him burn the computer. As for the pornographic books, Bronya hadn't found them when she rushed over; they were probably taken by Sister Mei.

Bronya lamented that she still hadn't fulfilled her promise, then moved the mouse, clicked on Favorites, Study Materials, Genuinely Study Materials, and then, from a series of real study materials like High School History, High School Chinese, High School English, she found an out-of-place folder – Advanced Mathematics (Enlightenment).

However, inside were photos and videos of the Captain with everyone.

But this was still the Captain's disguise. His real enlightenment materials actually required opening hidden files; that was where his true treasures lay.

The content inside amounted to a full five hundred-plus gigabytes. If Bronya's USB drive hadn't been top-of-the-line, it probably couldn't have held so much "enlightenment" material.

This was definitely an excellent hiding spot from Kiana and Mei. After all, upon seeing the group photos, they would probably stop thinking of searching this folder.

Especially Mei, she would probably even self-rationalize a bit.

"Not even bothered by the trouble."

Bronya couldn't help but let out a dry laugh, but ultimately had no intention of opening that hidden file. Instead, she unhurriedly flipped through the photos.

Knock, knock, knock~

Three knocks sounded on the door, followed by a middle-aged woman's voice, "Bronya, I've brought lunch. Come and eat."

"Mama, you're here."

A pleased look appeared on Bronya's face. She said, "Come right in, the door's unlocked."

Bronya's "Mama," of course, didn't refer to Cocolia. If it were Cocolia, she would add "Mama" after Cocolia's name. This was Alexandra, whom Jun An had brought back from the Imaginary Tree along with Cecilia; she was Bronya's biological mother.

And Bronya had heard from Misteln that this biological mother, in order to give birth to her, had once given up a readily available chance to live, rejecting the Stigma given by the Hare, and ultimately died in childbirth.

Alexandra's fate should have been like that, but the Captain brought her back by deceiving history.

After returning, to make up for the dozen or so years she hadn't been by Bronya's side, she had always been very attentive to Bronya.

Although she had only known this mother for a short year, Bronya truly felt a mother's love from her.

"Bronya,"

Alexandra came in holding a pot of freshly cooked chicken soup, smiling, "I just learned how to use that pressure cooker today. Come and try it."

"Okay, just put it on my desk," Bronya replied with a smile.

Alexandra inadvertently saw the photo on Bronya's computer. Although she hadn't even fully figured out smartphones, she could tell who the main subject of the photo was.

A red-haired boy and a blue-haired girl stood on either side of Bronya. Both used their fingers to gently pull back the corners of Bronya's slightly stiff face, forcing Bronya's face into a "smile," which was how this group photo ended up with all smiling faces.

"This is from when you were at Cocolia's Orphanage, Bronya, right?"

Alexandra put down the lunchbox, proactively dished out rice for her, and poured the chicken soup.

Bronya took it, nodded, her expression dim. "Yes, I look at it occasionally, to reminisce a little about the days when Brother was still around."

Bronya liked to call Jun An "Brother," or rather, all the children at Cocolia's Orphanage liked to call Jun An "Brother." Even two children older than Jun An called him that.

"Jun An..."

Alexandra's understanding of her savior, besides basic gender and name, was limited to "very strong, super strong, incredibly strong."

Even his ability to bring her to the "future" had taken her a good while to process and accept, piece by piece.

However, less than three months later, he died in battle. During those three months, he went to World Serpent to deal with the Herrscher of Corrosion, followed by the Stigma Project. Thus, Alexandra didn't have many opportunities to interact with Jun An.

And Alexandra had also seen the change in her daughter. Jun An's death had already dealt a heavy blow to Bronya, who saw him as an older brother. Alexandra didn't dare to stimulate her daughter further. It took a month for Bronya to gradually recover, sort out her feelings, and start doing what she wanted to do.

Alexandra initially thought Bronya had moved on, and indeed, it seemed so. Afterwards, Bronya was genuinely proactive and motivated. Even Alexandra could see her daughter had become accomplished.

But moving on didn't mean she wouldn't fall back into it. And after returning from sweeping his grave, Bronya had been restless.

"Can you talk to me about it?"

Alexandra knew her daughter needed someone to vent to.

"Mhm," Bronya nodded lightly. "Actually, it's nothing major. It's just that during the time we lived together in the orphanage, I was always bullied by him with a stick, and he wouldn't stop until I cried."

"A stick?" Alexandra's mouth twitched slightly.

"Mhm. Don't worry, I had an equivalent weapon too."

"Is this about weapons?!"

"A Glock 17 pistol."

"Who exactly was bullying whom?!"

"He bullied me."

Bronya answered without hesitation, her face somewhat gloomy. "Every time Mama Cocolia came, he would cry and say I bullied him with a gun."

Bronya gritted her teeth slightly. "Back then, he said he didn't know how to cry and make a fuss when I bullied him."

In children's fights, the child who cried the loudest was always considered in the right. But Bronya knew that the Captain back then was a secretly mischievous fellow.

Not only did he snatch her Seele, but he also bullied her every day! He even acted cute and slept with Mama Cocolia every day!

Back then, Jun An was undoubtedly labeled a bad guy by Bronya.

"...Haha, quite mischievous indeed," Alexandra chuckled drily.

However, that wasn't all. Bronya said with a humiliated expression, "He later fought me a few more times, making me feel like I was improving rapidly each time. Just when I thought I was about to win, he pulled out a slave contract and proposed a duel..."

"...You, you signed it?"

Alexandra felt her question was very foolish, but she couldn't help but be curious.

"...Yes."

Bronya bit her lip in humiliation and continued, "Just when I thought I had a new understanding of his shamelessness and lack of limits, I realized I was still too naive."

"What did he do?" Alexandra wondered if he had paraded the slave contract around, ruining her daughter's reputation.

Bronya now looked completely dejected. "He started teaching every illiterate child to write their own names."

Bronya recalled her state of mind back then, her heart heavy with gloom.

—It was Bronya who failed to protect everyone!