And precisely because of Danika's unique nature, the Cogwheel Church now highly valued her.
Before Danika appeared, the normal process for the Mechanical Blessing Ceremony involved clergy members diligently reading the Mechanical Holy Scripture in the 'Prayer Room' for a period, successfully completing a data connection with the 'Quantum Fortress' in quantum space. That was considered the completion of the ritual.
However, when Danika, a 'character' from the Mechanical Holy Scripture: Cogwheel, suddenly "ran out," leaving behind a blank scripture for the Cogwheel Church, the original Mechanical Blessing Ceremony naturally couldn't continue.
Because when the clergy members received the Mechanical Holy Scripture: Cogwheel, the traditional reading method clearly wouldn't work. They could only complete the former 'data connection' by listening to Danika recite the scripture.
After all, within the entire 'Cogwheel Church' currently, only Danika could see the 'characters' on the 'Blank Scripture,' and only she could perform the Mechanical Blessing for the clergy members.
Without her, the 'City of Steam: Cogwheel Church' wouldn't face immediate problems. After all, the Mechanical Blessing was a sacred ritual that only high-ranking clergy with unwavering faith were qualified to perform, at minimum at the level of a 'Tier 2 Mecha Star Envoy.'
But in the long run, Danika's disappearance would have a massive impact on the Cogwheel Church. So massive, in fact, that the entire high-tier combat strength of the City of Steam: Cogwheel Church would experience a clear generational gap due to her absence.
Therefore, how to find Danika quickly, without letting the outside world, or even other Mechanical Theocracy branch chapters, know the true situation of Danika herself, became a huge problem for the Cogwheel Church.
Because one slip-up, and they would not only be reprimanded by the headquarters above, but might even have 'Danika,' the cornerstone of their church's power, forcibly taken away.
It was precisely because of this that the Cogwheel Church dared not search for Danika openly. They didn't even dare to let others know they were looking for Danika.
They could only use vague language, saying that their church had lost something very important.
As for how important this item was, or what it was specifically, the Cogwheel Church dared not easily tell outsiders. This even included some of the high-ranking clergy within the Cogwheel Church itself.
The reason for this situation was similar to the internal struggle between 'Dorian' and 'Burdian' in Deep Blue Metropolis, which appeared to be a corporate conflict but was actually backed by descendants of the 'Frost Whisper Family.'
The Mechanical Theocracy, founded by the Iron Dome Family, was also riddled with factions internally, constantly at odds with each other.
Otherwise, for a world miracle like Danika, a unique reincarnation of a text spirit, the Cogwheel Church would have long reported her to the Mechanical Theocracy Headquarters in the Quantum Fortress for a decision.
And if the plot of the original Season Two were to unfold, little Danika would suffer from beginning to end. Only a short period in the middle, after being rescued by Chen Kong and others, was relatively happy.
Because at the end of the original Season Two, after Chen Kong and the others finally managed to quell the brutal war between the upper and lower cities of the City of Steam, members of the Iron Dome Family suddenly appeared.
They not only defeated the protagonist group with overwhelming strength but also forcibly erased Danika's 'humanity' and took away her 'body.'
If it weren't for Chen Kong's hidden background being solid enough, so solid that even the cold and rigid automatons of the Iron Dome Family found his idea a bit prickly and ultimately chose to let him off the hook, otherwise, Chen Kong would have been instantly shredded by the Iron Dome Family's anti-aircraft guns, turning into literal 'dust' and 'air.'
However, what the Iron Dome Family didn't know was that Danika, at the last moment, just before her humanity was extinguished, quietly transformed her precious 'text' into 'memories' and imprinted them all in Chen Kong's mind.
This allowed him to truly obtain a part of the 'Miracle Stone: Law'.
As for her 'body' that was ultimately taken away by the Iron Dome Family, it was merely a fake without its precious text, just like the 'Blank Scripture' currently guarded by the Gray Rat Gang.
This was Danika's original story.
A tragic tale of a... human tool.
Actually, upon closer inspection, Tendo felt quite fated with those automatons from the Iron Dome Family.
In Season One, his greatest opponent was Benjamin, a Tier 2 semi-perfect mecha from the Iron Dome Family.
In Season Two, his greatest opponents were again a bunch of automatons from the Iron Dome Family.
Honestly, these guys pursuing 'mechanical ascension' are truly quite detestable. They show absolutely no mercy.
However, he, Tendo, was not Chen Kong.
Chen Kong needed to experience various 'hardships' to grow. For this, he often had to make himself suffer, and make those around him suffer, in exchange for the 'nutrients' required for growth.
But he, Tendo, was different.
As the ceiling of the Stars, he had always only eaten sweet things, never bitter ones!
The Iron Dome Family wants to take Danika from him?
They should first think about how they're going to survive.
After all, with the version updates, Tendo, the number one in the Stars, was no longer what he used to be.
At the same time, when everyone else saw Danika as the key to a miracle, the perfect tool, Tendo didn't think so.
Because in his opinion, there had never been a shortcut to the path of miracles.
He wouldn't treat Danika as some key.
Nor would he treat her as some tool.
She was just her, and whatever she wanted to do, she should do it.
Just like he wanted to help her, and then he did.
If Tendo were to give a reason for helping Danika, even to the point of changing the plot, it might be because he saw a certain individual's shadow in this little one.
That's all.
Relying on Tendo's 'Myriad Manifestations Concealment', Tendo and Danika effortlessly left the small prison where she was held.
But before they could even walk out of the abandoned factory, Danika suddenly tugged on Tendo's pant leg as if she had seen something.
"Mr. Tendo..."
"What is it?"
"Up ahead... there seems to be some movement..."
"It's fine, I noticed it long ago."
Tendo looked in the direction Danika pointed.
Soon, he saw Chen Kong and the others who had already appeared outside the abandoned factory.
Tendo wasn't surprised by this scene.
Because if it followed the original plot, this was the first time Chen Kong and his group would try to rescue Danika, only to unfortunately fail.
As for why they failed, that's where it gets interesting.
"Let's go, Danika. We'll find a place to sit down and get ready to watch a good show."
"Watch a show? What show?"
"Hmm... we'll watch an interesting spectacle of two bottom-ranked contenders fighting over who's truly second-to-last."
"Ah? Oh, okay."
Although Danika didn't understand what Tendo was saying, nor what the so-called 'show' was, she instinctively felt that Tendo seemed very happy at this moment.
He was clearly looking forward to what he called the 'grand show.'
And since Mr. Tendo wanted to watch, she would simply accompany him.
After all, she could only follow Mr. Tendo anyway; she couldn't run around by herself.
Led by Tendo, the two quickly reached the roof of the abandoned factory.
And thanks to Tendo's Myriad Manifestations Concealment, neither Chen Kong and his group outside the abandoned factory nor the Gray Rat Gang members inside could discover these two special 'spectators.'
At the same time, Tendo also understood one thing.
His Season Two 'screen time'... was coming.
And thinking about what was about to happen, Tendo, sitting on the edge of the roof, couldn't help but smile.
"The 'epoch-making battle' between NO.36 and NO.35, such an interesting show... is rare indeed."
Amidst Tendo's playful voice, Chen Kong and Vivian had already begun to observe the abandoned factory...