70. Unite, Young Widows!
Pre-Civilization, Moth of Flames Headquarters.
The attack by the 8th Herrscher had ended. The sudden assault had plunged almost the entire Moth of Flames into slumber.
Due to the existence of Gao Qi, the 8th Herrscher had followed the will of the Honkai, abandoning its original plan to spread corruption through the internet and instead directly assaulting the headquarters. This caught the Moth of Flames completely off guard.
If history had unfolded as it originally would have, there wouldn't have been any chance to wait for Su to become a MANTIS to turn the tide. The 8th Herrscher would have ended the world right then, leaving no role for the Herrscher of the End.
However, the Honkai is an examiner, not a world-ender. Otherwise, it could simply unleash all fourteen Herrschers at once. With their combined power, unless some divine emperor popped out from somewhere, no one could save this civilization.
Although each Herrscher always brings immense destruction, the "exams" must be taken one by one. The Herrscher of Flame had just incinerated nearly half of Australia; it wouldn't make sense for the next Herrscher to appear immediately.
The emergence of the Herrscher of Sentience was merely to eliminate a certain suddenly appeared "anomaly." Now that the task was accomplished, it was her time to die.
But even with the Herrscher of Sentience eliminated, a massive mess remained. The death of half the High Council sent shockwaves through the entire Moth of Flames.
Days later, after regaining some organizational structure, the Moth of Flames initiated a round of inquiries and investigations into those involved.
"Dr. Mei, you claim that Gao Qi seized your weapon and killed half the council members present, yet there is no concrete evidence linking this directly to the Herrscher."
"Relying solely on two individuals from Sundown Alley—commoners, ahem... citizens—who were there for unknown reasons, is insufficient evidence."
"Dr. Mei, we must consider whether you are truly serving this world with your whole heart."
"That woman named Aponia seems to be deliberately gathering those infected with Honkai disease. We must eliminate that threat, purge them. Sakura disobeyed our orders this time; let her prove her loyalty."
"However, that woman does possess some utility. She seems to have repelled the Herrscher single-handedly. We must bring her under our control."
"As for that white-haired man, hand him and that woman over to Mobius. We need them to become MANTIS."
"Mei, answer our inquiries, or we will truly have to consider sanctions against you!"
The councilors sat on a high platform, looking down at Mei, who stood at the inquiry desk—or rather, the defendant's stand—subjecting her to constant, condescending interrogation.
"Is this what matters most to you all? Your safety, status, authority... Ah, forget it. In the past, someone told me that human folly hinders human reason, persisting until the very end. I used to think little of it—I was indeed wrong."
The composed doctor, facing these councilors, elegantly sat down, crossed her legs, rested her chin on her hand, and looked utterly disappointed.
"I thought that in the face of the apocalypse, a matter of life and death, you would stand by my side. Not necessarily offering full support, but at least avoiding foolish choices and maintaining a shred of normal human rationality... It seems my estimation of human reason was overly optimistic."
Mei's voice remained calm, but this time, it was not just calmness; it carried a touch of emotionless coldness that sent a shiver down the spines of the high-ranking members on the platform.
"Dr. Mei, repeat what you just said!"
"Mei, do you think we are the ones who granted you your position? We gave you a stage to display your talents, and we can take it back anytime!"
"Mei, immediately issue a self-criticism before the council, and we might still—"
The politicians grew agitated, beginning to denounce the traitor before them. But before they could finish, Mei made a gesture, and their words were instantly stuck in their throats, unable to utter another syllable.
To their astonishment, they realized they were no longer standing on an untouchable high platform looking down upon all, but were instead bound by shackles, standing in the very spot Mei should have occupied.
Was this an illusion? When had they been deceived?
"I once thought of giving you a chance. Ah."
Pinching the bridge of her nose, Mei stood up from the judge's seat. Behind her, a beautiful woman dressed in black nun's attire, like mourning clothes, slowly emerged from the shadows.
"Thank you for your trouble, Aponia. What we need now is a group of cold, efficient leaders, not selfish and foolish swine."
Mei shook her head. She had thought herself sufficiently ruthless, but now it seemed she was still somewhat naive.
"It was his wish. Therefore, I shall comply."
With her hands slightly spread, a faint smile appeared on Aponia's face.
In the next second, countless golden arms manifested behind her, like a hundred-armed giant, a thousand-handed Buddha.
Immediately after, a pair of iridescent butterfly wings unfurled from her back. The Honkai beast named "Mitra" had now completely fused with her. The once vague and ineffable threads of fate now appeared as clear as harp strings in her eyes.
And now, Aponia's words were the genuine article—a Commandment.
"Then, everyone, from this day forward, please fight against the Honkai selflessly, earnestly, without hesitation, and with your whole heart and soul!"
————
Ten minutes later, Mei and Aponia walked out of the council chamber. From then on, the MOTH gained a leadership group devoid of personal feelings, highly efficient and coldly rational.
"It's over, everyone. I have matters to attend to with Kevin. That guy... what was his name again? Damn it, even if you told me, I wouldn't remember. His departure again clearly upset that man named Kalpas. Kevin and Sakura are restraining him."
Mei looked at the grey-haired young woman and the green-haired woman in a lab coat who had been waiting for her, then nodded to Aponia beside her.
"I think... you all have much to discuss. I'll take my leave."
Sensing the increasingly tense atmosphere, as if a drama of "Six States Contending" was about to unfold, and knowing that dealing with domestic affairs is difficult even for upright officials—especially when the scoundrel who should bear all responsibility is already dead—Mei unhesitatingly found an excuse to slip away.
Her relationship with Kevin was so simple. She truly didn't understand what these people were thinking.
"Thank you, Mobius. I feel the increase in power. I can now impose 'Discipline' on others at will, but... he said I shouldn't casually alter others' wills. Such actions must be exercised with extreme caution."
Lowering her eyes, Aponia gently placed a hand over her chest. Her emotions were somewhat complex at the moment.
Gao Qi's departure indeed filled her with immense sadness, but she also seemed to see... a glimmer of hope.
Before them stood two beautiful women, bound by intertwined destinies.
"He always had a lot of nonsense to say, chattering away every day. But if he ever gave you a serious warning… you'd better believe him."
Wearing a white lab coat, Mobius scowled as she leaned in close to Aponia, chest to chest, and reached out a slender hand to pinch Aponia's lovely cheek.
"This guy really has good taste… It seems that without the influence of familial bonds, he prefers this type of girl—Hua, want me to adjust your bust size for you? It's simple."
Two pairs of soft curves pressed together, swaying before Hua. Mobius's obvious provocation instantly soured Hua's expression.
"Please stop saying such strange things, Dr. Mobius… We need to think about what to do from now on. I've already remembered everything about Brother Qi. What about you?"
Turning to Mobius, Hua recalled everything about her brother the moment the Herrscher of Sentience was eliminated and Gao Qi died.
"Only parts of it. Every minute, every second, I keep remembering the little moments he shared with me at this very time. That means the time he stayed with me and left me is later than now… It's as if he's still by my side."
A rare trace of gentleness flickered across Mobius's fierce expression as she gently linked arms with Aponia.
"When I remember the day he left me, I might be able to compare the differences in our experiences, understand just how special Gao Qi is, why he came to us, and why he always leaves in such a hurry."
A scientist's excited smile spread across Mobius's face. She knew Gao Qi had left her with a monumental puzzle.
"I'm not an expert in this field, and unfortunately, only the three of us have the strongest memories of him."
Mobius was no physicist; her research into time and space paled in comparison to Dr. Einstein in Mu Continent. But after comparing the memories of the three, she quickly drew an inference.
"The good news is, perhaps at some point—whether in the past or the present—he'll return to our side. Before his death, we'll remain unaware, and after he dies, he'll leave behind a new widow. We'll remember him again, and next time it might be a meeting of four. Pah, what a scoundrel!"
In Mobius's memory, someone should have been by her side all along. Just moments ago, the two might have ended an intimate moment in the lab, awkwardly facing Klein's complaints.
But now, Mobius's side lacked the lover who should have been there, as if some force had completely erased his traces.
From Mobius's perspective, she couldn't comprehend how Gao Qi's journey progressed—how he could be in relationships with different girls at the same time while simultaneously not existing at all.
Where did he come from? What was the purpose of these repeated journeys?
Mobius's curiosity burned like a cat's scratch. She couldn't wait for the day they parted, hoping to piece together the puzzle with her complete memories.
Or, if next time Gao Qi got involved with another girl, would her present self, meeting that girl at this very moment, superimpose different memories? Or would she remain the same person as her current self?
Such complex logical reasoning gave Mobius, a biologist, quite a headache.
Hearing her call Gao Qi a scoundrel, the other two girls protested.
"Brother Qi is not a scoundrel! Maybe… maybe every time he does this, he's lost his memory. He's such a good person—even you, Dr. Mobius, fell for him. When he turned into a child, Sister Aponia loved him too. Why wouldn't others like him?"
Hua pouted. In her eyes, Brother Qi had always been a decent person!
"...Fate ebbs and flows unpredictably. Gao Qi's fate is too grand and complex; even I cannot see its entirety. His life is destined to be filled with joys and sorrows, partings and reunions. Let him love boldly and freely. Only then can he persevere on this journey and reunite with us once more."
Beside them, Aponia smiled faintly, clasping her hands before her chest and gazing at Mobius, Hua, and even her own destiny—spiraling forward and backward, changing repeatedly yet returning to its course time and again, ultimately extending toward a distant future.
Perhaps those spirals were the intersections of their paths. Gao Qi would return to her side again and again, and at those times, she might not remember him at all, nor understand the meaning of this fate. But he would remember her and love her.
Would he try to rekindle their past bond, or would he choose not to disturb her? Aponia didn't know, but she looked forward to it.
All Aponia needed to do was walk steadfastly forward, survive tenaciously, and eventually… everyone's destinies would converge once more, merging into a single thread.
However, she didn't plan to tell everyone about this. Aponia's possessiveness was never small. The two girls before her were kind, but Aponia knew they were her rivals in love.
With that in mind, Aponia thought, if she could… have Gao Qi all to herself for a little while in the future, wouldn't that be wonderful?
"Fine, congratulations to Gao Qi for bringing us a mystical fortune-teller. I don't believe in your so-called ability to see through fate at all. Even Honkai beasts can't do something like this. You're utterly useless to us."
Mobius shrugged and rolled her eyes. She was a materialist and didn't believe in such mystical nonsense.
"I hope if there's a next time, Gao Qi can bring a physicist into our family. No, never mind—the fewer such people, the better. Alright, let's go, everyone. Let's talk about the him we know."
Taking the hands of the two girls beside her, the most terrifying scientist in the Flame-Chasers showed a gentle, radiant smile.
"And we'd better not let this guy manipulate us. If there's a force erasing our memories, then I think… we can find a way to locate that force and preserve our memories."
The gentle smile lasted only a moment before Mobius's eyes narrowed into slits like a snake's as she looked at the two before her.
"Interested in joining—my Divine Key Project?"
And so, the three walked hand in hand into the distance.
Hua still only partially understood the details about her brother, but knowing there was a chance to see him again filled her with joy.
Aponia had already uncovered the secrets of fate. She resolved to agree to Mobius's proposal. If Gao Qi's journey continued, she had to remember him and offer him aid.
As for Mobius, she adored Gao Qi—her eternal companion had left her with an eternal mystery!
"Should we give our little group a name? The Widows' Alliance? The Bereaved Hermitage?"
"No, that won't be necessary!" x2
If fate had led to all of this, then they decided—they would break free from fate!
Note: I'm new to translating so please be kind and tell me any mistakes you all find, I will try to release a chapter a day but don't expect much
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Raw: 崩坏模拟器,你找的人是我么?