Baiheng felt like a headless fly, aimlessly wandering the streets and alleys of Xianzhou Luofu with Jingliu.
Her small cart had long been put away; now her hands were empty, yet her heart was heavy as if filled with lead.
She secretly pulled out her phone, her fingers flying across the screen, almost sparking, frantically sending distress messages to Madam Herta:
"Master! Help! Jingliu wants to come home with me and stay over! Where am I supposed to conjure up a house for her?! Waiting online! Urgent!!!"
"She's right next to me! I Can't hold on much longer!"
"Master? Are you there? Did you see the message?"
Just as she was in a frantic state, a cool aura suddenly approached.
Jingliu had walked to her side at some point, tilting her head slightly to "look" at the phone in Baiheng's hand, her voice calm and unruffled: "What are you looking at? So focused."
Baiheng was so startled her hand shook, almost dropping her phone!
She wailed inwardly:
(Oh no, oh no! She saw it! Now everything's exposed!)
She stiffly turned her head, preparing for judgment, but was astonished to find that the interface on her phone screen had, at some point, changed into a popular Xianzhou Luofu food recommendation app, displaying the signature dishes of various establishments.
(Huh?)
Baiheng paused, then immediately realized—it was Madam Herta!
She instantly let out a sigh of relief, the cold sweat that had broken out on her back seemingly evaporating.
She quickly chuckled, shaking the phone screen in front of Jingliu's eyes: "N-nothing! Just looking at what good food is around here, thinking if I should change my stall location tomorrow... Haha, the competition is fierce!"
She swiftly shoved her phone back into her pocket, her movements as quick as if she were hiding stolen goods, forcing a perfectly natural smile onto her face: "Guest, shall we continue? My place... uh, it's a bit remote, might take a while to walk."
Jingliu silently "looked" at her for a moment; even through the blindfold, that gaze made Baiheng feel as if she were being scanned by a cold scanner.
Finally, Jingliu merely gave a faint "Mm" and did not press further.
Baiheng's heart settled slightly, but then she became troubled again.
She couldn't contact her Master, so the lodging problem was still unresolved!
Was she really going to sleep on the streets? Or... find an inn?
But that would make it easier to expose her identity... Just as she was in an internal struggle, almost despairing, a clear image accompanied by a specific address, as if directly implanted, abruptly appeared in her mind—it was a rather elegant and quiet small courtyard, located in a quieter area of Xianzhou Luofu, with the house number clearly visible.
Baiheng suddenly shivered, her steps faltering.
(This is...?)
She instantly understood—this was Madam Herta's response!
Although the method was a bit... direct, it was undoubtedly help in time of need!
Jingliu, noticing her pause, cast an inquiring "gaze."
Baiheng immediately straightened her back, a relieved smile on her face, her tone also much lighter: "Ah! I remember now! Guest, this way please! My place is not far ahead, I got distracted for a moment and almost took the wrong Path!"
Her heart was now completely at ease, even feeling a bit confident. Following the guidance in her mind, she led Jingliu, walking with firm steps towards that "home."
Jingliu walked beside her, still silent, but she seemed to have noticed the change in Baiheng's mood before and after, and her curiosity deepened.
Paradise • Central Hall
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the Paradise hall remained heavy, but had shifted from initial pure confusion to a deeper level of questioning.
Most of the Flame-Chasers had roughly skimmed through the book "Cosmic Knowledge for Dummies" and had gained some understanding of concepts like "Aeons," "Paths," and "Envoys."
This did not fully answer their questions, but instead raised more.
Kevin put down the booklet, his ice-blue eyes looking directly at the system, which had not yet left, and asked the most crucial question: "According to the description here, our world is just a 'world bubble' in the endless sea of stars? Then... what about the 'Earth' we once protected, and the 'Honkai'... what has become of them now?"
This question tugged at the heartstrings of all the Flame-Chasers.
Was everything they fought and sacrificed for merely an insignificant corner from a higher dimension's perspective?
The system seemed prepared, its electronic voice calmly answering: "Based on existing data model projections, your native world and the concept of 'Honkai' still exist within their specific Imaginary Tree system, and continue along their inherent developmental trajectories."
Mobius let out a cold scoff: "Inherent developmental trajectories? Heh... does that mean the Finality will still descend, and civilization will still end? Then what was our previous battle for? A futile drama?"
"Not so."
The system denied, "The preservation of your data and Stigmata here is itself a variable. And Madam Herta possesses the ability and willingness to interfere with and even alter the fate of specific worldlines. She once made a transaction with your world, and one of her goals is to 'help' your world overcome 'Finality.'"
"Help?"
Su's voice was filled with deep doubt, "In the form of 'Destruction'?"
"The manifestation of power is not the sole interpretation of its essence."
The system replied, "You have all witnessed the Lady's strength. What she possesses indeed offers another possibility—a possibility to break the inherent."
These words could not completely convince everyone.
Kalpas crossed his arms, his voice muffled from beneath his mask: "Easy to say! Who knows if she has other plans! Putting our hope in an unknown Lord Ravager? What a joke!"
Elysia sighed softly, her pink eyes filled with worry, yet also a glimmer of hope: "But... what if there really is hope? Even if it's just a tiny possibility, that everyone... that the children who come after, won't have to experience such sacrifices..."
Fu Hua remained silent. She had experienced too many promises and disappointments, but the system's description, and the power displayed by the "Black Herta," made it difficult for her to easily deny it.
Aponia prayed softly, the threads of fate interwoven in her eyes: "The future... is already a mist. The only anchor, unexpectedly, rests with that 'Lady'..."
Just then, the system's figure paused slightly, as if receiving some external command.
She bowed slightly to the crowd again:
"The initial common knowledge dissemination is complete. Regarding the specific details of future cooperation and your 'duties' in this new environment, Madam Herta will personally discuss them with you at an appropriate time. Please use this period to fully understand this new cosmic framework and reflect on your own positioning."
"I look forward to our next communication."
As her voice faded, the system's figure dissolved like ink blending into water, leaving the thirteen Flame-Chasers in this familiar yet strange hall, facing a new future full of unknowns.
A brief silence fell over the hall, then discussions resumed, more complex than before.
"Overcoming Finality... sounds like a fairy tale," Kosma murmured.
"But her power indeed exceeds our understanding," Yae Sakura analyzed calmly.
"We need more information, we Can't just listen to her side of the story," Griseo said softly, holding her drawing board, imitating someone.
"Meow... I feel like we've boarded a pirate ship..." Pardo said, hugging a Can, on the verge of tears.
---------------------------------
If you'd like to read the next 70 chapters in advance, you can support me on Patreon.
I regularly post chapter previews there, so you'll always be up-to-date and won't have to wait too long.
patreon.com/SolyuraMT
And if you enjoy the story, don't forget to give me a Power Stone. Your support really motivates me to continue translating!