North America, at a scenic campground beside a lake.
In the past, the area had been dotted with tents and RVs, with tourists coming and going at all hours.
But now…
[Outdoor Temperature: -20°C]
In weather this bitterly cold, almost no one would willingly go camping. Those who did were usually the sort of survival fanatics who treated nature itself as something to be conquered.
Aside from them…
"So they finally found the Black Hole Creature's egg."
Beside the lake, whose entire surface had frozen solid, the Stellaron Train rested quietly amid the snow.
Sirin, having only recently gained the status of a "Passenger," was currently in the rear kitchen car, learning how to make pastries under the guidance of Train Master Pam.
Meanwhile, in the Observation Car, Ling Ke remained in the form of the Trailblazer, Caelus. Several glowing screens of "Omniscience" floated before him, each displaying something that had caught his interest.
Now that Sirin and Kiana had uncovered his true identity, Ling Ke, who had never been particularly serious about hiding it to begin with, saw little reason to continue limiting himself to a "commoner's perspective."
The movements of the various factions had become far too entertaining.
He had no intention of missing one spectacle after another merely to preserve some minor advantage.
In the end, Ling Ke had only ever "changed perspectives" for his own amusement.
Naturally, he would not become so fixated on the act that he lost sight of the purpose behind it.
Besides…
"There's no longer any reason for the Trailblazer identity to keep pretending to be weak."
That was Ling Ke's conclusion.
And with that premise established…
"Su has become a 'Self-Annihilator.' Though, strictly speaking, he would be closer to what will eventually be called a 'Doctor of Chaos.'"
"Of course, that faction doesn't exist in the current universe yet."
Ling Ke casually shifted his attention to another screen.
"As for MEI… she intends to cooperate with Kiana?"
"Heh."
A faint trace of amusement entered his voice.
"Ridiculous as the idea sounds, it truly is the product of 'Absolute Rationality.'"
It took him only a moment to understand the reasoning behind her decision.
Before today, people belonging to two different eras would almost inevitably have become enemies.
That was one of the traps Ling Ke had deliberately left behind when he carried out Project Broken Branch.
But the appearance of that treacherous Egg Cocoon had rendered the entire conflict meaningless.
As long as it remained dormant beneath the Arctic Ocean, still within the Solar System, it made no difference whether the Previous Era triumphed, the Current Era prevailed, or the two somehow reached a miraculous compromise.
Every outcome would lead to the same end.
A beautiful future?
Nothing more than a mirage, a moon reflected on the surface of the water.
In the end, both sides would be left crippled before the "Nihility," doomed to perish together without even the strength to resist.
Faced with that cruel reality…
"She knows that dealing with me, a 'God,' is nearly impossible. So she has no choice but to settle for the next best option and cooperate with someone easier to handle."
"You can't exactly say she's wrong."
MEI's reasoning was not difficult to unravel.
Kevin had most likely already told her what kind of person Kiana was. Combined with the rule Ling Ke had established, that anyone who successfully survived beyond the Twelfth Honkai Eruption could directly ascend to godhood, her intentions became obvious.
MEI now genuinely wanted Kiana to become the "God of Earth."
Because humanity truly did need a god.
More specifically, it needed a god unlike Ling Ke.
One who would willingly sacrifice herself for others.
To put it plainly…
"Once the so-called 'Project Wandering Earthlings' officially begins, human civilization will desperately need a traveling bodyguard."
"One capable of protecting it from the instability of the World Bubble, as well as the countless unknown dangers hidden throughout the vast cosmos."
"And if that bodyguard were only as strong as Kevin, it still wouldn't be enough."
Ling Ke continued his analysis without pause.
"Considering the range of threats they might encounter, the protector would need to possess power at least comparable to the Cocoon of Finality."
"Only something at that level could protect a fragile civilization after it leaves its mother planet, like a fledgling forced from its nest before it has learned how to fly."
In truth, MEI had reached much the same conclusion.
Although she had a fondness for romantic things, she approached serious matters with uncompromising rationality. She did not believe that the hatred between her people and the white-haired girl was truly beyond reconciliation.
In the past, she had cooperated with Kevin, whose heart had once again been sealed away, and pursued the girl without hesitation.
At the time, that had been the safest and most reliable solution available to the Previous Era.
But now…
Could they reconcile?
Hmph.
It sounded absurd.
Yet it was not impossible.
Had the person before her been Ling Ke, MEI would never have entertained such a thought.
But Kiana was different.
"As expected, it's always the good people who end up with a gun pointed at them."
Ling Ke's voice carried a trace of irony.
"Still, the fact that MEI even considered this possibility is thanks to the help of that Ascendant, Su."
Speaking of him…
The reason the unhatched Black Hole Creature had paid such unusual attention to Sim Su was not because of Sim Su herself.
It had actually been observing the Ascendant Su, who was attempting to transmit vital information to his counterpart within the Proper World.
Sim Su had merely served as the medium through which that observation took place.
With her background alone, she never would have drawn its attention.
The Ascendant Su, however, was different.
He could no longer directly interfere with anything that existed within the Proper World. He was also drifting farther and farther away from it, something even he could not control.
According to Ling Ke's understanding, this was because Su's ascension had not yet reached its conclusion.
Even so, the Ascendant Su could already observe "multiple timelines."
In essence, that meant he had established a connection with "The End."
Under those circumstances, even a Black Hole Creature that remained nothing more than an embryo of "Nihility," not yet a true Aeon of Nihility, would spare him a glance.
And it was precisely because of that single glance that Sim Su became a "Self-Annihilator."
Without ever learning the full truth, she had already begun walking the path of a "Doctor of Chaos."
With that in mind…
"Judging by the time, they should be arriving soon."
Ling Ke dismissed every "Omniscience" screen floating before him.
Because he was "Omniscient," he knew perfectly well that the Ascendant Su had not merely told Sim Su about the "Nihility."
There was something else.
Knock, knock.
Outside, the world lay buried beneath ice and snow.
The sound of someone knocking echoed through the train.
Since Pam was still in the kitchen car teaching Sirin how to make pastries, Ling Ke had no choice but to rise and answer the door himself.
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly as he made his way toward the isolation compartment.
The door slid open.
Several figures stood outside, their clothing and expressions marked by the exhaustion of a long journey.
Kevin.
Sim Su.
And…
"This is the first time we've properly spoken face-to-face, isn't it, Dr. MEI?"
Ling Ke addressed her without the slightest attempt at subtlety.
"After all, the last time we met in Nagazora, you lost consciousness before we could have a proper conversation."
He was referring, of course, to the events that had taken place in the café that day.
By speaking so openly, Ling Ke was also acknowledging his own identity.
The Ascendant Su had already revealed the necessary information. That alone was enough for Ling Ke to decide that there was no longer any point in pretending to be weak.
Now…
"It is an honor to meet you again."
Standing amid the wind and snow, MEI lowered her head slightly before Ling Ke.
"I offer you my sincerest greetings…"
Her eyes rose to meet his.
"To a true 'God.'"