"Gray Serpent, Jackal, your little pets. Considering you would eventually return, our usage of them was quite restrained, and now we're returning them to you. With the Herrscher of Corruption having just retreated, it's typical for the ensuing period to be relatively calm in terms of world collapse. Moreover, my coronation won't hastily occur while many still await aid. Therefore, I suggest you go out and personally explore this world, how about that?"
Shortly after breakfast, the two former World Serpent executives, who had been elusive for a long time, were finally sent back to Headquarters. Zeke waved his hand, formally handing over the quiet duo, subdued like quails, to Kevin.
Kevin glanced at both of them.
Gray Serpent and Jackal visibly tensed, unable to conceal their excitement—Heaven above, their Lord has returned; they have someone to rely on now! Only the heavens knew how they managed to endure through years of being experimented on and exploited by Zeke and Otto alternately.
Kevin nodded towards them and then turned to Zeke, saying:
"Thank you."
"You're welcome; I've gained much as well."
"Well then, I'll be taking my leave now. What about you, Su?"
Kevin also felt it was essential to acquaint himself with this long-absent world, particularly those influential beings. Observation and communication were indispensable processes.
At that moment, Su was handling the Vodka Sisters' boundless curiosity, patiently addressing their persistent inquiries and answering peculiar questions. Upon hearing Kevin's question, he managed a brief smile amidst his engagement.
"I'll stick with you, just in case—you never know when you might get into a fight."
"...I'm not prone to violence."
"Sure, sure. Then let's say I want to see more of this world too, so please take me along."
"All right."
With a nod, Kevin turned and headed towards the door.
Su crouched down, smiling warmly as he patted the sisters on their heads.
"Well then, Big Bro Su will go out with Kevin for now. Let's save your questions for another time, okay? As compensation, I'll give you some musical scores from Eden, hoping they may prove helpful."
"Wow! Songs from the previous era? That's amazing!"
"Stupid Big Sister, quickly say thank you," Rozaliya urged, holding the songbook translated by Su into modern notation format as she joyfully bounced. Liliya promptly kicked her, trying to uphold their image of being polite and well-mannered Vodka Sisters.
Rozaliya stuck out her tongue, then together with Liliya, they bowed in gratitude.
"Thank you, Big Bro Su!" × 2
"You're welcome. If Eden knew that her compositions could be brought to life by such adorable children like yourselves, she would undoubtedly be overjoyed. So, keep up the great work!"
Su's eyes gently widened, reflecting a soft glow within them.
He was well aware of Eden's regrets. As an artistic luminary who stood unparalleled in the previous civilization, even amidst the apocalypse where culture had no room to survive, she never abandoned creation or her songs. Likely, she yearned for art's flower to bloom once more, allowing humans to experience the beauty of the old era and thereby heal those weary, fear-stricken, and deeply scarred hearts, didn't she?
Sadly, until the very end, humanity never found the luxury for such pursuits. Thus, Eden departed alongside civilization, filled with unfulfilled dreams.
Now, in this era where hope still persists, if Eden's songs could once again be sung after spanning fifty thousand years...
"Would she, perhaps, be so overwhelmed with joy that she'd cry?"
Su smiled, yet within him was a complex mix of grief and relief.
He gently patted the Vodka Sisters' heads once more and, with sincerity, said,
"I'm counting on you both, great artists of the new age. Please bring these songs to life. They are the final melodies from the previous epoch, the remaining vestiges of those bygone days. Please do not... let them fade away completely."
"Yes! On behalf of Rozaliya and Liliya, we solemnly promise - when it comes to singing, we're all in!" Rozaliya raised her thumb, smiling confidently.
Liliya, though silent, nodded vigorously and earnestly.
With a relieved smile, Su finally stood up, greeted Zeke, and followed Kevin's footsteps.
The four of them quickly departed from the Inner City buildings, and Zeke paid no heed to their mode of transportation. After all, if these individuals wished to travel around the world, they had ample means at their disposal, making unnecessary resource expenditure redundant.
After watching Good Big Brother Su depart, Rozaliya and Liliya huddled together, whispering for a moment. Then, with Rozaliya holding the performance application form, they approached Zeke.
"Big Bro Zeke~"
"Get to the point; no need for such sugary sweetness."
"Well, umm, we wanted to perform outside..."
"Hand it over."
Zeke accepted Rozaliya's application form and extracted the carbon paper and marriage certificate carefully hidden beneath, burning them before signing his name.
Rozaliya pouted unhappily as she retrieved her papers.
"What gives? Kiana, Bronya, and Sin all got approved—why not us too?! Are we not cute enough?"
"Smack!"
In response, Zeke delivered a loud flick to Rozaliya's forehead.
Her accomplice Liliya turned to make a run for it but was hauled back by her collar without touching her, courtesy of Zeke's telekinesis.
"Smack! Smack!"
"One for joining Rozaliya in mischief, another for trying to evade punishment. Got it?"
"Wah—"
Liliya and Rozaliya both crouched down, cradling their reddened foreheads with teary eyes, gazing up at Zeke seated on the couch.
Leisurely crossing one leg, Zeke swiped through numerous fleeting data screens, keeping tabs on recent global developments while patting the girls' heads with his other hand.
"All right, now go out there and do your best. Many people outside are deeply saddened and fearful; they need the light you bring."
Rozaliya's words about their dedication to singing weren't just empty talk.
Initially, during happier times, the sisters' performances were lively and cheerful. But after witnessing countless wars and tragedies, their songs gradually evolved into slow ballads that could evoke tears, allowing listeners to vent their emotions and find solace. Now, Rozaliya and Liliya's works had reached another level—ethereal melodies carrying the essence of hope and light.
Art reflects life and evolves with it, and Rozaliya and Liliya embodied this truth through their music. They resonated with the world's joys and sorrows, responding with their unique kindness by weaving these experiences into their artistic creations. For those enduring hardship, the sisters' voices often struck the deepest chords, bringing warmth and comfort.
Su's wish was indeed accurate: if anyone could embody Eden's former brilliance and sentiments in this era, Rozaliya and Liliya were likely the finest choice.
However, despite Zeke's approval, Rozaliya and Liliya exchanged glances. Liliya pursed her lips, while Rozaliya gently tugged at Zeke's sleeve.
"Zeke..."
"Hm?"
"Do our performances really make a difference? Everyone out there faces constant threats. Kiana, Bronya, Sin... they can step forward to protect this world, but no matter how hard we try, all we do is sing a few more songs. Is that truly meaningful?"
"It is, indeed very much so," Zeke replied slowly. He folded away each screen one by one, then looked down at the sisters crouching before him.
Rozaliya's eyes lit up.
"Really useful? You're not just saying that, right?"
"I've always been straightforward; you don't need to doubt me. Without entertainment, life becomes numbingly dull; and without art, a civilization teeters perpetually on the brink of collapse. The power of culture and art may be intangible, yet it fosters shared empathy among people. In dark times, it offers solace to their souls, inspiring them to pursue hope—no matter what, I will reserve space for art and entertainment. I won't create a distorted civilization solely focused on mere existence. Such a flawed society lacks creativity and the resilience needed to overcome darkness," Zeke said, somewhat wistfully.
After observing numerous world bubbles, Zeke realized that the death of civilizations was a gradual process. It began with the loss of intangible forces like art, culture, and entertainment, leading everyone to numbly pursue mere survival. Then, as the civilization focused solely on subsistence, distortions, divisions, ugliness, and other darknesses flourished unchecked. Eventually, people lost their shared understanding, eroding even the concept of civilization itself... In the end, the civilization perished, and humanity met its extinction.
Essentially, this was the common narrative.
Therefore, regardless of circumstances, never discard these intangible aspects, for they serve as the nurturing bed for hope, light, and other unseen strengths—when one thrives, all prosper; when one suffers, all decline.
"Go forth now, using your heartwarming smiles and voices to empower those in need. This is something only you can do; no one else can replace you."
Zeke reached out, gently pinched both girls' cheeks, and gave them an encouraging smile.
Rozaliya and Liliya, gazing at Zeke's smile, nodded together.
"I understand, Zeke! We'll give our best effort!"
"Big Sister's right, I will strive hard too, Liliya."
Holding hands, the sisters rekindled their vigor and determination, walking confidently with heads held high and chests puffed out towards the exit.
As Zeke watched them walk away, he couldn't help but smile softly.
"They've grown up so much..."
With a gentle sigh, he felt immense satisfaction knowing that these two were steadily pursuing their childhood dreams of becoming exceptional singers, dancers, and artists—perhaps even idols one day. It seemed this path might be the most suitable for them. Compared to their previous fate, forced to integrate Honkai Beast genes and engage in battles with fragile bodies, this life likely brought them greater happiness, didn't it?
While Zeke was lost in thought, a fleeting figure suddenly burst into the hall.
"Water! I need water!"
Senti rushed to Zeke, grabbed the glass before him, and gulped it down in one swift motion.
"Burp~ Ah, that's refreshing! I was parched!"
"...Where have you been?"
"Oh, hey! I just had a rare training session with Wendy, Seele, and Mei. It was quite exhilarating, but now I'm drenched in sweat and parched on this walk back. Zeke, not to criticize, but this base is like a small city, yet only a handful of us live here along with thousands of Cecilia clones. Don't you think it's overly spacious? At least install some water dispensers along the way; I nearly couldn't find any refreshment!"
"Most facilities in the base operate automatically. Haven't you called upon Icarus?" Zeke replied, puzzled.
He was well aware that the Inner City felt empty, but given the numerous hazards present, it could only accommodate a limited number of residents safely. Consequently, most daily needs were managed by automated control programs. To obtain water, one simply needed to summon Icarus.
Senti's expression froze momentarily. "Wait, you can do...that?"
"What else did you expect?"
Zeke stared at Senti with deadpan eyes, causing her to fidget nervously and lower her head silently.
Then, Zeke furrowed his brow, sensing something amiss.
"This glass of water...when did it appear?"
Zeke meticulously recalled and confirmed that it wasn't prepared by Seele, Bronya, or Mei, nor left behind by Fu Hua, and definitely not automatically provided by Icarus. Strangely, he couldn't figure out how the water on the table had appeared.
"What's wrong?" Senti approached, her voice filled with curiosity.
Just as Zeke was about to respond, Senti's expression suddenly changed, and she collapsed softly onto her knees at his feet with a thud.
"Strange, why do I suddenly feel so hot? My body feels weak..." Her smooth, tense thighs involuntarily trembled, and her hands instinctively moved towards her abdomen, rubbing gently without understanding.
Moments later, she completely slumped over onto Zeke's legs, her face flushed red, eyes hazy.
"Z-Zeke... something's not right... Did my Old Antique body get sick somehow?" Senti's voice quivered, laced with confusion and fear, yet also emitting enticing breathy sounds.
Zeke frowned; this reaction seemed familiar, reminiscent of Bronya. But Bronya wouldn't resort to such tactics... would she?
Excluding Bronya, who already had a track record for such mischief, there was only one person left in the entire base with the motive, courage, and spatial abilities to tamper with Zeke's drink.
"Qii...aannnaaaa!!"