In the reception room aboard the Hyperion.
Xia Qi, Kevin, Otto, and Welt sat in the lounge.
The others waited outside.
"What do you want to discuss, Otto?"
Xia Qi looked at Otto, her gaze cold and unfriendly.
"Very simple."
Otto looked at her, a warm smile on his face: "We are not direct enemies. Our true enemy is the Honkai. Therefore, I hope you can share the intelligence you possess with Schicksal."
"That is impossible."
Xia Qi stared intently at Otto, saying coldly.
"You have no choice."
Otto was still smiling.
Nearby, Kevin and Welt each sat on a sofa, watching Otto with cold expressions.
"No choice?"
Xia Qi looked at Otto, raising an eyebrow coldly.
"As I said, this is for the stability of this world."
Otto looked at Xia Qi, still smiling.
"Facing the threat of the Honkai, I believe no one can remain uninvolved. Moreover, the Far East Branch has always been subordinate to Schicksal. This unauthorized action by the Far East Branch is tantamount to rebellion."
"This is your leverage?"
Xia Qi looked at Otto and asked coldly.
"Of course not. If that were the full extent of my leverage, it would be far too laughable."
Otto shook his head gently, then looked at Xia Qi, as well as Welt and Kevin.
"Schicksal is the primary governing force of this world, and Schicksal has always stood against the Honkai. Only Schicksal can be the first to arrive when Honkai disasters occur across the globe, dealing with them before they can expand further.
But if Schicksal encounters a crisis unrelated to the Honkai, a crisis that could lead to its own destruction, Schicksal will not sit idly by either."
"..."
Xia Qi looked at Otto and fell silent.
She admitted that what Otto said was correct.
Only Schicksal could truly stand against the Honkai. Anti-Entropy's scale was insufficient; it could not bear that responsibility alone.
World Serpent?
Although World Serpent's elite combat power was formidable, its scale was far smaller than Anti-Entropy's.
"Bronya will share intelligence with you."
Looking at Otto, Xia Qi said coldly, then added: "But Bronya knows what you are doing, and what you want to do..."
"Then you shouldn't stop me. On the contrary, you should support me."
Otto looked at Xia Qi, still smiling.
"You know that what I am doing brings only benefits to all of you. And some things are better left unsaid."
"..."
Kevin and Welt watched Otto, their brows deeply furrowed.
They didn't know what matter Otto was referring to, so they turned their gaze to Xia Qi.
"..."
Xia Qi also remained silent, her feelings growing complicated.
Otto's eventual death... and his plan...
Left Xia Qi momentarily speechless.
Was this Otto, from beginning to end, simply charging headlong toward the World Tree?
Xia Qi looked at Otto, her gaze becoming complicated.
"Now that Bronya has arrived here, and everyone else after Bronya, Otto, do you truly believe that everything will still proceed as you imagine, as you have planned?"
"Naturally."
Otto met Xia Qi's gaze, his eyes gradually growing much deeper.
"No matter how chaotic the world becomes, everything will, according to the Grand Trend, converge back toward its proper form. This world has no inherent meaning. Everything I do is to enable this world to be filled with hope, to possess meaning."
"..."
Xia Qi looked at Otto, uncertain what other cards he held that she hadn't seen.
Cards that allowed him to speak with such confidence.
But Otto's gaze, so deep as he looked at her, successfully put Xia Qi on alert.
She didn't see a trace of threat in his eyes.
"Moreover."
Otto suddenly reverted to his usual casual and elegant manner, continuing:
"My plan cannot tolerate accidents. If an accident occurs, no matter what happens, I will bend it back into the shape of my plan."
He looked at Xia Qi, his smile brilliant, but behind it was a determined and resolute posture.
It still made Xia Qi angry.
She wouldn't let Kiana go through those things again.
Her gaze toward Otto grew even colder.
"Your plan is bound to fail, Otto."
"?"
Nearby, Kevin and Welt watched the two of them exchange cryptic remarks, their brows furrowing deeper and deeper, their moods growing increasingly heavy.
"Then we shall wait and see. For now, let's discuss the shift in the world's balance of power, intelligence sharing, and matters concerning our respective organizations."
Looking at everyone, Otto smiled brilliantly. Even though this wasn't his home turf, his casual and elegant demeanor made it seem as though Xia Qi and the others were the guests.
...
Several hours later.
The reception room door opened.
Otto stepped out, his smile still elegant and casual.
Xia Qi sat in the reception room, her expression cold. After a moment of silence, she couldn't help but sigh.
Kevin and Welt had already walked out as well.
During the negotiations, they had exchanged a great deal of intelligence. Xia Qi did not share the identity information of every future Herrscher with Otto.
Otto didn't ask either.
Because they all understood that if that information were spoken aloud, it would be heard by the Honkai's will. Therefore, only Xia Qi could hold those words.
The intelligence they exchanged was mostly concerned with technology and the ruins various organizations would discover in the future.
Schicksal, World Serpent, and Anti-Entropy had all reached agreements with each other. World Serpent would also emerge from the shadows.
But unfortunately, by the time Gray Serpent had initiated his actions, Schicksal and Anti-Entropy had already each suffered significant losses of liquid capital. The ultimate destination of those funds was unknown to anyone in the room, though everyone knew full well who was behind it.
"Bronya?"
After they had all gone out, Himeko and the others immediately entered the reception room and looked at Xia Qi with concern.
"Bronya is fine."
Xia Qi shook her head, looked at them, and a smile appeared on her face.
"It's good that you're fine."
Raiden Mei breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Throughout the long wait outside, each of their hearts had been in their throats.
"Teacher Himeko."
Xia Qi looked at Himeko and said softly: "Bronya has just finished negotiating with Overseer Otto. He will not pursue the matter of the Far East Branch."
"Is that so? That's good."
Himeko pressed a hand to her head and sighed in relief.
She didn't want to be sent to a military tribunal upon returning.
"Afterward, the Moonlight Throne technology within the Hyperion will be jointly researched by Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, and World Serpent. The research location will be the New Zealand Branch."
Xia Qi said softly.
"What?"
Raiden Mei and the others were somewhat stunned.
"But Bronya, what about you?"
They all understood what the Hyperion meant to Xia Qi. This battleship was perhaps the only thing in this world that could evoke her memories of that other world.
"Bronya will take out everyone's belongings from the lounge first." Xia Qi spoke to them calmly, her expression unchanging.
But Himeko and the others, watching her, each felt their hearts grow extremely heavy.
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