Having recognized Jeanne's value, Luo Shu had no intention of leaving her to her own devices. He took an active role in guiding her—even employing a bit of persuasion to ensure her loyalty.
By the time they walked from the Eiffel Tower to the Grenelle Bridge, the innocent Jeanne had already fallen under his influence.
Thankfully, Luo Shu was a man of principle. He sought only her allegiance—he wasn't a womanizer, had no interest in building a harem, and certainly wouldn't take advantage of a minor. Otherwise, Jeanne would have been doomed.
Once their relationship was established, the Anomaly Compendium finally recorded her.
[Page: 175]
[Item Number: Unassigned (reserved for the SCP Foundation)]
[Item Name: Jeanne (naming rights not granted)]
[Object Class: Euclid / Reality-Bent]
[Image: …]
[Description: As a Reality-Bent, this subject is the optimal vessel for the world's will—a favored child of destiny. Tasked with saving the world, those who interact with her will inevitably become supporting characters. She is one of this world's potential protagonists!]
[Special Containment Procedures: None]
[Abilities: Chosen One. This ability means exactly what it says. You, however, will never have it. The Reality-Bent are the world's heroes; Reality Benders are its enemies. You can never be the protagonist here. If you harbor any inappropriate thoughts toward her, I suggest you forget them. Being exposed on social media would be the least of your worries—divine retribution is inevitable.]
[Status: Follower]
[Interaction History: Click to Play]
[X]
The Compendium's description was brutally honest, offering no courtesy even to its current holder.
But it wasn't wrong.
Jeanne was a Chosen One, watched over by the world's will. No matter how much Luo Shu schemed, she could only ever be a follower—never added to his Anomaly Lord Milestone list, and her abilities forever out of his reach.
Luo Shu couldn't help but wonder: If Reality-Bent like Jeanne are the world's chosen saviors, then what's the point of the "Revealer of Truth"?
Whatever.
Even if not for the countless innocent lives at stake, Luo Shu would fight for his own survival.
Being the protagonist didn't matter.
"Jesus" had tried to be one, calling himself the Messiah—only to become the Spear of Longinus' first victim. Low-key was the way to go.
If the world entrusted Jeanne with its salvation, so be it.
As long as "God" was defeated, Luo Shu didn't care who struck the final blow.
Returning to the Grenelle Bridge, Luo Shu retrieved his pickup-turned-transformer and glanced at Jeanne.
Now that he was traveling with this world's heroine, he needed supplies.
He drove to a nearby supermarket, stocking up on food and water.
The store was empty, its staff and customers long gone after the chaos.
As Luo Shu gathered his items and turned to leave, Jeanne tugged his sleeve.
"You didn't pay! Stealing is wrong!"
…Right. You're the moral compass now.
Sighing, Luo Shu swiped his credit card at the self-checkout. Only then did Jeanne nod in approval.
Great. A morally upright follower. This is going to be a pain.
If they were crossing the Atlantic, would she scold him for relieving himself in the ocean?
After a long internal debate, Luo Shu realized bringing her along was more trouble than it was worth.
*Maybe I should send her to SCP-100 in the New World.*
The Compendium had warned: Those who interact with her become side characters.
Being a side character was fine—but becoming cannon fodder? No thanks.
Better to send her back.
He could play the role of the mysterious mentor, gifting the protagonist a base right at the start.
Shared credit for saving the world sounded fair.
Decision made, Luo Shu called Jianxia.
"Everything alright at home?"
"Luo Shu!" Her voice brightened instantly. "You finally called! I've been so worried! Everything's fine here. Don't stress yourself. If you're tired, just come back. We'll always be waiting for you!"
For Luo Shu, Jianxia, and Aeolus—all of them homeless in their own ways—SCP-100 was their sanctuary.
Now, Jeanne would join them.
"I'm coming back. See you tomorrow morning."
"Okay! I'll be waiting!"
Her earnest tone made Luo Shu shift uncomfortably.
Back in Area-14, he'd only approached Jianxia to infiltrate the enemy and monitor Barbie's movements.
But the seeds he'd planted had grown into something deeper.
If their initial bond had been a memetic effect of the Compendium, their shared life-and-death struggles had turned Jianxia's friendship into something more.
The hardest debt to repay is a debt of affection.
Jianxia had saved him at Tel Aviv's airport. He'd returned the favor at Area-13.
That kind of bond couldn't be ignored.
The only reason they hadn't crossed the line was Luo Shu's lack of time—and emotional bandwidth—for romance.
But now, returning home meant facing it head-on.
His gaze drifted back to Jeanne.
She really is beautiful.
Innocent to the point of deterring sinful thoughts, but liking her was inevitable.
If he brought her back, would Jianxia misunderstand?
Would she think he was a scumbag, a playboy, a predator?
…I'll deal with it when I get there.
The straight-line distance from Paris to the South Carolina coast was 7,000 kilometers.
In ground-effect flight mode, the pickup-transformer could cross the Atlantic in 14 hours—arriving by dawn.
The real challenge was sneaking into SCP-100 undetected.
The New World was predominantly Protestant, with sizable Catholic and Muslim minorities.
Without a centralized civil registry, weddings were often held in churches—meaning nearly everyone was a believer, to some degree.
If Luo Shu landed there, resistance would be even fiercer than in France.
Worse, SCP-100 was surrounded by Foundation checkpoints.
If those agents were compromised, it wouldn't just endanger Luo Shu—SCP-100 itself would be exposed.
But Luo Shu had a plan.
By dawn, after a night of flight, they reached the South Carolina coast—20 kilometers from SCP-100.
The last stretch was always the hardest.
Thankfully, it was a new day.
All his anti-memetic abilities had reset.
Activating Unobservability, he prepared to return home.