"Klein, what kind of milk tea would you like to drink today?"
"Um, the super delicious one you just mentioned, called something-something make you go miep tea." Klein said, rubbing her temples somewhat troubled.
She had only come to pick up the Doctor after finishing most of her work, so her brain was a bit overworked and naturally hadn't memorized the long name Chen Luo mentioned.
[Ding! You have a new commission!]
"Oh, you mean QQ boba milk tea so delicious it makes you go miep?" Chen Luo had a sudden realization.
"Yes, that's the one. Please give me a cup." Hearing such a long name indeed gave Klein a bit of a headache.
"A cup of what?"
"The one you just said... Yi... So Delicious Miep..." Klein's mind was getting muddled.
"Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing you. Try to stay up less late and work less overtime from now on; you'll wear yourself out like this. I've added something special to this cup of milk tea for you. No need to thank me." Chen Luo pulled out a cup of milk tea from under the bar and tapped Klein's forehead with it.
"Ah!" The sudden attack made Klein shudder.
[Ding! Task Completed]
"That's easy to say, but there's really a lot of work. Also, Researcher Chen Luo, when can you come to the research institute to work?" After taking the milk tea, Klein looked at Chen Luo with expectation.
"And, Manager, you must know some medical theory and common knowledge, right?"
Klein urgently needs someone to help share her workload.
"Uh, that... might still need a bit more time." Chen Luo said somewhat awkwardly.
Chen Luo remembers that in order to join the Fire moth, he did have Mobius create an identity for him in the lab. It seems it should be a researcher or assistant or something.
But Chen Luo has been really busy lately, busy saving the world.
To be fair, Chen Luo has encountered quite a few special guests recently, so he's been busy completing commissions.
Chen Luo's schedule has been quite packed lately. First, there's rescuing Dvalin tomorrow morning. Then, within the same day, he needs to find Lumine's brother Aether and try to get them to meet. What happens after they meet isn't Chen Luo's concern; he can't control that.
Then, on the second day, he needs to consider whether to go to World Serpent, since he promised Raven he'd go within five days.
Next, there's the matter of the Herrscher of Wind core. After all, Chen Luo feels that keeping the Herrscher of Wind core and the Herrscher of Death core in Schicksal's hands will only bring people pain, so it's better for him to take them.
Of course, if Chen Luo does this, he'll definitely provide compensation. For example, helping Otto revive Kallen. For Otto, these gems are nowhere near as important as reviving Kallen, so it shouldn't be a big problem.
It's just that the timing of the revival isn't certain yet.
That already accounts for three days of schedule, and within these three days, it's uncertain whether other individuals might issue commissions.
Having a summer vacation is more exhausting than when Chen Luo used to go to school.
Moreover, each of the activities scheduled over the next three days has the potential to extend from one day to two or even three days; it's all uncertain.
"And, Klein, even if I go to Mobius's lab, the most I can do is not cause you extra trouble. As for how much work I can actually help you share, that's really quite doubtful. Because I'm very busy too." Chen Luo said somewhat helplessly.
"Sigh!" Klein let out a heavy sigh.
How Klein wishes an angel would come to save her, someone who could at least reduce her workload by ten percent.
[Ding! You have a new commission!]
[Klein's Angel]: Have a researcher who can help Klein reduce the laboratory workload by at least ten percent for at least one week.
Reward: 200 Primogems + 30 Klein Favorability + Random Item.
"But Klein, don't worry, I will definitely come to help you. This is my promise to you." Chen Luo said sincerely.
"Eh, really? If possible, please come as soon as possible." Klein looked at Chen Luo, moved.
"Mhm. Why would I lie to you? Also, if you ever want milk tea, you can just summon the bar; you don't need to only come when looking for Mobius. You're welcome anytime between 8:00 PM and 12:00 AM if you want milk tea. Of course, takeout is also available. Our bar's milk tea has excellent sealing and a shelf life of up to two days with no loss of taste."
"Really? Then I'll take 4 cups, no, 8 cups of milk tea." Klein looked at Chen Luo expectantly.
[Ding! You have a new commission!]
"Can you finish that many?" Chen Luo asked while preparing the milk tea for Klein.
"Two cups a day is manageable. And since I'm drinking, I can't just drink alone." Klein said honestly.
"Are there only four people in your research lab?" Hearing this, Chen Luo asked curiously.
When Chen Luo used to watch the short skit [Mobius's Lab], he found it strange. Although he has never participated in a research lab or heard much about them, aren't four people a bit few?
"Mhm, that's already quite a lot. After all, Dr. Mobius's experiments are notorious... ahem, the selection process is very strict. Everyone is an elite, so the number of people is small." Klein paused for a moment before saying this rather against her conscience.
Klein couldn't very well say that the lab she works in is notorious outside, called the Demon Lab, known for being inhumane, could she? That would scare away the only seemingly reliable researcher, wouldn't it?
"..." Well, you, Klein, with your honest appearance, have learned to lie.
Chen Luo shot Klein a glance and then packed the eight cups of milk tea into a bag.
But Chen Luo didn't really want to criticize Klein either. After all, Klein is indeed in a rather dire situation in Mobius's lab.
Although Chen Luo accepted Klein's commission, he didn't specify when he would go. For commissions like these, it's best to accept them first; what if they expire?
"Klein, beat up Chen Luo for me!" Mobius, who was being supported by Klein, muttered.
"...What did you do to upset the Doctor?" Klein asked curiously.
"Ahem, that's a secret. Anyway, Mobius will forget about it once she sobers up, so let's not mention it. Bye, take care." Chen Luo waved at Mobius.
Seeing Chen Luo's somewhat timid demeanor, Klein sighed and slowly helped Mobius out of the bar. However, as she passed by the Book of Fuxi, she took an extra glance at it.
After all, this Book of Fuxi really looks a lot like Fuxi, and there is a Fuxi in Mobius's lab.
Fortunately, Klein's thinking and imagination aren't sufficiently expansive, so she didn't make the connection between the two.
Also, at this point in time, ELF technology hasn't been developed yet.
So Klein was only curious, not suspicious.
"Were those... Mobius and Klein?" Only after watching Klein take Mobius away and close the door did the Book of Fuxi, who had been silently watching everything without speaking, finally speak up.
The Book of Fuxi isn't stupid; it couldn't call out in a crowded situation like that. Now, the only outsider in the entire bar is Venti, who is already drunk, so there's no need to worry.
"Correct, they are exactly the Mobius and Klein you're imagining." The Herrscher of Sentience nodded beside her.
"I never expected your bar could not only connect to other worlds but even to different timelines. It's truly amazing." The Book of Fuxi couldn't help but marvel.
"But that makes me curious about one thing: if you change the past, what will happen to the future?" the Book of Fuxi asked.
"Probably the major structure remains unchanged, while the minor details are altered." The Herrscher of Sentience said, sneakily taking one of the little fox's fried tofu pieces and putting it in her mouth.
"Ying!" The little fox started baring its teeth at the Herrscher of Sentience.
"Thump!" A flick on the head from the Herrscher of Sentience made the little fox dizzy, and then she stole another piece of fried tofu.
In the Herrscher of Sentience's view, there's so much fried tofu anyway, and the fox can't finish it all. Her condescending to eat a few pieces is just to help out.
The Herrscher of Sentience has modified your consciousness. Now you think the Herrscher of Sentience is a good person.
"Actually, there are examples in reality too. For instance, the only known case where the outcome was changed is the 12th Herrscher. In my original memory, the 12th Herrscher's final outcome wasn't very good, but in reality, A'Luo sent her to the Elysian Realm to reunite with her sister." The Herrscher of Sentience said while eating the fried tofu.
"Eh, just this one example?" The Book of Fuxi was surprised.
"After all this time, you've only encountered one thing from the Previous Era? What have you been doing all this time then?"
"You, a newly awakened ELF, have no right to say that. But speaking of which, I still can't figure out whether the cause appeared first and then the effect, or the effect existed first and then the cause appeared." The Herrscher of Sentience muttered.
"Emmm, I don't understand." The Book of Fuxi shook its head.
"What I mean is, clearly in my memory, there's no trace of Chen Luo at all. So why does Rin know Chen Luo? It doesn't make sense for Rin to know Chen Luo but for Hua not to know him." The Herrscher of Sentience voiced her confusion.
"Is the current Honkai Impact 3rd world one that Chen Luo has altered numerous times, or does the worldline change every time Chen Luo makes an alteration?"
"Could something like this happen: when we go to the Honkai Impact 3rd world today, we can hear the legends of Fuxi and Nuwa. But if Chen Luo goes to the Previous Era tomorrow and kills Fuxi and Nuwa, will we no longer hear the legends of Fuxi and Nuwa when we go to the Honkai Impact 3rd world the day after?"
"Uh, that probably won't happen, right? And please don't say such terrifying things." The Book of Fuxi suddenly felt it had lost its appetite for snacks.
After all, it was created by Fuxi and Nuwa.
"So, I tend to think this world is one that A'Luo has slightly altered numerous times, which is why there's a Rin who possesses the Children's Funland. But A'Luo hasn't changed much, or only changed things that don't affect the world's progression, so it hasn't had much impact on the current worldline." The Herrscher of Sentience said.
The Herrscher of Sentience suspects that given Chen Luo's personality, he wouldn't openly and drastically alter the Previous Era, because Chen Luo met people from the Current Era first, and then met people from the Previous Era.
If Chen Luo really allowed the Previous Era to continue, everything in the Current Era would be completely destroyed.
Destroying a thriving world like this would be quite stressful for Chen Luo.
Or for any person with a conscience, really.
Especially when this world has your friends in it.
But not making any changes is also impossible.
Didn't you see Chen Luo already made a change today? He even gave away a necklace made from a Honkai core. If Klein still dies after this, it can only be attributed to the convergence of the worldline.
"What are you all discussing so enthusiastically?" Chen Luo asked as he came down after finally managing to drag the completely passed-out Venti upstairs, tossing him onto a sofa.
"We're discussing how much change you can bring to the Previous Era." The Herrscher of Sentience said.
"Ah, that. I feel it probably won't be very significant? But it could also be quite substantial. It all depends on what kind of items I can obtain before the previous civilization is destroyed." Chen Luo said after thinking for a moment.
"Just like how only after I obtained the Children's Funland could I give it to Rin. What rewards I can get and what I can do are highly uncertain. If one day I obtain a real world, I could put the people of the previous civilization into that world and let the Final Herrscher clean up the remaining [trash heap]. That's also possible." Chen Luo said completely unconcernedly.
After all, what random items Chen Luo can obtain is truly random.
Even with targeted rewards, the randomness is still very high.
Just like when Chen Luo drew the Series Magic, he never expected to get the Fireball Spell series.
When Chen Luo drew Mobius's specified reward, he never thought he could draw Favorability.
"Ding-dong!"
The bar welcomed guests once again.
This time, the guests made Chen Luo frown slightly, but then he showed an expression of seeing a fat sheep.
"Ah, Durandal, long time no see. What have you been busy with lately?" Chen Luo greeted her with a smile.
"And the two behind you, one is Miss Rita, I know her. This one... should be the Overseer of Schicksal, Otto, right?" Chen Luo looked at Otto, who was walking behind Durandal and Rita, and showed a warm smile.
Otto... It was only after Chen Luo joined the Schicksal faction that he realized just how rich Schicksal is.
Moreover, Chen Luo suspects that his first 5-star commission as a traveler might come from Otto.
Thinking this, the smile on Chen Luo's face grew even more enthusiastic.
Seeing this smile, Otto frowned and instinctively took half a step back.
This person... why does his gaze towards me feel somewhat fanatical?
It strongly resembles the look of someone who has been searching for a long time and finally sees what they were hoping for.
Otto suddenly felt his soulium body grow a bit cold.