By the time Chen Ran left the First Research Institute, twelve hours had already passed.
He held Durandal, who had self-terminated under Mobius's threat, in one arm while rubbing his growling stomach with the other.
"I'm a bit hungry, let's eat something."
The boy's walking posture was still a bit unsteady; even now, it was hard for him to say whether he was dreaming or not.
Alright, he admitted he was being silly.
If he had been afraid of Mobius before, that fear had now vanished.
Chen Ran arrived at the break area.
However, just as he was about to enjoy a meal to reward himself, the scene before him made him tremble.
He saw Kevin sitting in a prominent position, drinking with the captain of the Fifth Squad, Himeko, while the Fifth Squad member, Hua, was engaged in a video game.
However, the person playing games with Hua was surprisingly a white-haired, blue-eyed...
"Kiana..."
He had just uttered a syllable when Kiana jumped up like a startled cat.
The girl leaped up and, taking two steps at once, directly hugged Chen Ran, exclaiming loudly, "Cousin, Sirin came to see you!"
She hooked her arm around Chen Ran's neck and whispered in a voice only they could hear, "Now I'm called Sirin, not Kiana. My identity is your cousin, here to find you."
"I want to join Fire Moth, help me."
Chen Ran couldn't help but grimace.
It hurt too much.
When Kiana pounced on him, she had no control over her strength, and he nearly dropped Bia.
Fortunately, he had cleaned himself in the lab; otherwise, this scene would have been quite awkward.
"I understand, let go of me first."
Kiana quickly released Chen Ran and stepped back three paces.
Her face wore a smile that felt so fake it was almost unbearable, as she eagerly said, "Cousin, what are you doing? I've been waiting for you for so long."
"I've been busy, but the busiest part is over now."
Chen Ran paused and said to Kevin, "After Dr. Mobius returned to the First Research Institute, Blanca left, and the new assistant is Klein, who was conscripted with me less than an hour after taking office."
He paused again and greeted Himeko, "This should be our second meeting, right, Captain Himeko?"
Himeko chuckled lightly, "Yes, your cousin is quite interesting. When she saw me, she directly called me Teacher Himeko. I haven't even been a teacher yet."
Chen Ran couldn't help but glance at Kiana.
Kiana whispered, "It's because she looks so much like you."
While waiting in the break area with Kevin, she was startled when she saw Himeko bringing Hua over.
At this moment, Kiana didn't have a strong impression of Fu Hua, but she was very familiar with Himeko, who looked over ninety percent similar to her.
She had been caught skipping classes at Saint Freya multiple times by Himeko.
Chen Ran smiled and said, "Ah, that's actually understandable. Sirin had a teacher who looked a lot like you too; I've seen the photos."
Chen Ran and Himeko could only be considered acquaintances, and generally, they had no interactions.
However, her relationship with Kevin was quite good; specifically, because Kevin had surpassed Elysia's results after three months of training, Himeko was very interested in that.
Just like Himeko was to Kiana.
From this perspective, it really seemed like a cycle.
She didn't ask much about that teacher who looked so much like her but smiled and said, "It's getting late, so I'll take my leave. Hua, do you want to stay here for a while?"
Hua shook her head, "I'm leaving too."
At this time, Hua was not yet a warrior who could stand on her own; more often, she followed Himeko, who took care of her.
She had no meaningful friends and no firm goals.
Now, she looked just like an ordinary Fire Moth warrior.
Chen Ran watched them leave, and Kevin said lightly, "Since you all know each other, I'll leave the space to you."
"However, according to Fire Moth's internal regulations, non-area personnel cannot have separate dormitories, so at night, Sirin can only open a room in the break area."
Kiana blinked, "I actually don't mind sharing a room with MEI for a night."
Kevin replied, "MEI cares a lot about that."
After Kevin finished speaking, he left, leaving only Kiana and Chen Ran.
The bodies of the boy and girl relaxed, and Chen Ran lazily said, "Have you eaten... never mind, it doesn't matter whether you have or not, I'll treat you."
"You really know me well."
Kiana perked up and said, "Because there are outsiders present, I haven't been able to eat freely."
"Actually, it wouldn't matter if you did; Kevin's appetite isn't much smaller than yours."
Chen Ran had seen how Kevin ate during training.
It could be said that each person could easily finish a pot of food.
He bought two extra-large bowls of beef noodles, and Kiana took one bowl, happily digging in.
Chen Ran did the same, focusing on eating first and saving other matters for later.
After eating three large bowls in a row, Kiana finally let out a soft burp.
"That was so satisfying; I've been hungry all day."
Chen Ran chuckled lightly, "I'm about the same; I didn't even have a chance to eat instant noodles in the lab."
"Alright, let's get down to business. How did you end up here?"
He straightened up, his gaze fixed on the girl before him.
In the underlying rules of this world, both the paths to the future and the past were restricted.
The system's greatest help to him was opening a time gap to the future, allowing him to freely traverse between the future and the past.
Wendy could traverse the past because she utilized her consciousness for deep quantumization, moving through the timeline of the world. Even so, her crossing still relied on the Honkai's assistance, similar to how he traversed to the future.
But Kiana before him was different.
He could truly feel that the current Kiana seemed like a person born in this era, with her own body and no need to expend willpower.
She was a true physical crossing.
Just like when he first arrived in this era.
Kiana did not hide anything: "It was a god."
"To be precise, I don't really know how to refer to Him; anyway, that's what Sirin calls Him."
She recounted everything she had encountered to Chen Ran.
There was no need to hide this, as she had no idea what was going on.
Chen Ran pondered.
It was evident that after he left the time belonging to the future, the state presented at that time was stagnant, which could be considered a function of the system.
It had absolute control over the time nodes of the future.
In other words, when he returned, the future he simulated was merely a string of data.
However, when he arrived at that future, the simulation presented influenced a deeper future, which was reality.
Otherwise, it would be impossible to explain Wendy's many actions.
So, during his crossing, the system had actually made some 'characteristic' changes between data and reality.
Just like Sato Yuna could change the level of life, the Herrscher of the Void could turn the 'Infinite' branches of the Imaginary Tree into 'finite'.
The system could also change the characteristics between 'data' and 'reality' in the future.
However, this change was likely not controlled by the system; otherwise, the Möbius strip of fate would not have occurred.
Thus, after he returned, the future he had drafted became data.
Data cannot contain consciousness, so those who crossed over, like Wendy, Raiden Mei, Otto, etc., would return to their original time and space. Meanwhile, the Herrscher Sirin was parasitic on Sirin.
Only Kiana, who had lost her body, was left with nowhere to go.
But perhaps due to the god's mercy, or as He said, enjoying a good show.
In any case, Kiana arrived in this era.
It was not a matter of consciousness crossing into this era to open the thin membrane of the world, but rather that the physical body of this world was first forged to accommodate the consciousness from fifty thousand years later.
That casual act by the self-proclaimed god casually surpassed Otto's pursuits over five hundred years.
Chen Ran silently noted this and did not ask too much.
It was clear that Kiana was also only half aware of this matter.
Chen Ran smiled and changed the subject, "So why do you want to be called Sirin?"
"You know I'm not really that person."
Even though her voice feigned nonchalance, Chen Ran could still hear that she cared deeply.
He shook his head and said, "Have you ever thought that the real Kiana might not care about that name either?"
"A rose will not lose its fragrance because of its name; some things you don't need to worry too much about."
Chen Ran and Kiana's relationship was not deep; in fact, they had only just begun to interact.
So he could only advise her like this.
Kiana shrugged indifferently, "Anyway, I'm Sirin now, so don't call me by that name to avoid slipping up."
At this moment, Kiana had a hint of mischief.
Perhaps it was because she had this personality before attending Senba Academy. After all, only a bit of mischief could help her protect herself while wandering.
Kiana blinked and suddenly asked curiously, "But why are Mei and Himeko here? I feel like they're not just similar; it's as if they're the same person."
Chen Ran casually replied, "I don't know about that, but what I do know is that according to bloodline, Kevin should be your ancestor, and MEI would be your great-grandmother."
"What's it like being with your own ancestor?" Chen Ran's eyes held a hint of mischief.
"Ancestor? Great-grandmother?"
Kiana was stunned.
Then, Chen Ran explained to her what he knew about the formation of the Kaslana genes.
Kiana blinked and said, "Is that really the case?"
She naturally knew the power of the Kaslana bloodline, but she didn't expect its origins to be so complicated.
However, after Chen Ran explained, Kiana couldn't help but say, "So according to you, every member of the Kaslana family is essentially..."
"A humanoid Honkai Beast," Chen Ran said directly.
"Currently, there are many ethical issues surrounding humanoid Honkai Beasts, but when humanity finds itself at a loss against the Honkai, these ethics will be the first to be torn apart."
He shook his head and changed the subject, saying, "Alright, don't dwell on that. I'll take you to rest."
"I'll find someone to help you join Fire Moth later, but don't expect me to take care of you too much. It's already a lot for me to take care of myself."
Chen Ran's status in Fire Moth wasn't high—well, that might change after tonight.
But for now, he had no privileges to help Kiana join Fire Moth.
In this regard, he could only seek help from Mobius or MEI.
However, not long ago, he had a dispute with MEI, and just thinking about it made Chen Ran's head ache.
He warned Kiana, saying, "But there are a few things you should pay attention to in Fire Moth."
"This isn't Saint Freya; everyone here has secrets. You can't treat others the same way you treat Mei. Being open-hearted won't end well."
"After all, the interests involved in Fire Moth are too many. Until a sufficiently powerful enemy appears, it's impossible for humanity to unite as one."
"Your body is very special because the current Kevin doesn't have a true Kaslana bloodline, so you are actually the most worthy of research."
"Under such circumstances, both Mobius and MEI will naturally want to get closer to you, but discerning their intentions will depend on you."
"Besides that, the future Herrschers will become increasingly powerful, and even the Herrscher of this era will be stronger than those fifty thousand years later. You need to be mentally prepared for that. You will be an excellent warrior in Fire Moth; I have no doubt."
"But please take care of yourself."
Chen Ran wasn't worried that Kiana would cause trouble.
Kiana was actually a very smart girl; she would only let her guard down in an absolutely relaxed environment.
But Fire Moth wouldn't give Kiana that kind of feeling.
What he was most worried about was that the Kaslana bloodline would amplify her savior impulse, which could end up harming her in this era.
The Herrschers of this era were the true Herrschers, with the concentration of Herrscher Cores starting at 6000hw. The 3rd Herrscher affected East Asia, while the 4th Herrscher impacted South America, showcasing their destructive power.
In this situation, if Kiana continued to fight with the mindset of fifty thousand years later, it would be easy for her to get into trouble.
"I believe you will overcome all difficulties, but still, be mindful of your safety."
Chen Ran reminded her once again.
"Let's go. I'll take you to rest, and then tomorrow I'll help you find someone."
Chen Ran stood up and carried Bia away.
Kiana followed, deep in thought.
——
In 2014, at the Schicksal Headquarters in Europe.
Otto looked at the files of the Valkyries of Schicksal, lost in thought.
Cecilia still existed, and Kiana was still the real Kiana.
But there was now one more A-Class Valkyrie in Schicksal.
Sirin.
"Has the timeline been altered again?"
His expression changed, making it hard to tell if he was excited or distressed.
Otto was actually very afraid of this feeling of being unable to control everything.
The changes in the timeline, while giving him a chance to resurrect Kallen, also brought more risks.
He copied many of Kallen's files and even insisted that the Void Archives keep a copy.
But even so, he still feared that all traces of Kallen would disappear from the world.
Even from his own memory.
"I must complete the transaction with Chen Ran faster, but for now, only he can open the nodes in time."
"However, according to Chen Ran, he can create a terminal to record Stigmata in that era, allowing Wendy to have a record in the future."
"Then, can I try it at this time?"
Otto didn't know if he would succeed. If he could create a Stigmata terminal, allowing Kallen to appear at some point in the future wasn't impossible.
But one thing was certain: Kallen had already appeared in the past. Wouldn't her reappearance in the future create a paradox?
Otto's progress in exploring the realms of time and death was currently zero.
"I must find Chen Ran."
He thought to himself.
"My consciousness can't support me to fifty thousand years ago, but there is one person who can."
"No, to be precise, two."
He pulled up the files of the Valkyries of Schicksal.
One was Sirin's file, and the other was Cecilia's daughter, Kiana, who had not yet changed her name to Bianka.
The former was a Herrscher who had once seen a god. Even though the current Sirin showed no signs of being a Herrscher in Schicksal's files, Otto still believed she was extremely special.
The latter was the perfect product after Project Stigma.
She could traverse the Sea of Quanta and the imaginary space, and she also had the potential to travel through time.
He had managed to make Wendy experience consciousness travel, but he still had no clue about physically traveling back to an earlier time.
That was something only a god could do.
So how did Chen Ran manage it?
Otto quickly pushed that thought aside.
"Although I can't yet let the body replace consciousness to travel to the past, relying on consciousness to trace back to fifty thousand years ago is still very necessary."
A hint of contemplation appeared in Otto's eyes, and then he made up his mind: "The first step is to persuade Cecilia."
"But will she still trust me now?"
Cecilia must have learned about Otto's actions in the true timeline; he didn't need to think about that.
Cecilia was no fool.
"Let's have an open and honest talk."
He suddenly felt a lack of confidence; this feeling of powerlessness was something he hadn't experienced in five hundred years.
However, no matter what difficulties he had to face, at least Otto saw hope in resurrecting Kallen.
"Sometimes I feel that being suddenly lost and ignorant is a good thing. Now that I have hope, I still feel a bit hesitant."
"Heh, the tricks of fate are like using honey to lure ants in circles."
He rarely took a deep breath to calm his emotions.
"Amber, help me contact Cecilia and tell her I have something to discuss with her."
"Okay, Lord Bishop."
Amber began to reach out to Cecilia.
At that moment, Cecilia was teaching Kiana in Squad Snowwolf.
"Mom, do I really have to go to Saint Freya for school?"
Sixteen-year-old Kiana asked Cecilia with confusion, "I don't want to leave you, Mom."
Cecilia shook her head with a smile, "I don't want to leave you either, but right now I have no choice."
"Don't worry, Big Sister Sirin will take care of you," Sirin said, patting Kiana on the chest.
At this moment, they coexisted peacefully.
The intertwining of fate always makes it hard to predict.
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