'Seele...'
'Do you know how much a single loaf of bread costs outside now?'
'A full five hundred thousand marks. You couldn't even fit that much money in a car.'
...
(╯°Д°)╯︵┻━┻
Which Seele is this?
Wu Tong's face darkened as he quickly shook his head, trying to dispel the images in his mind.
Then, looking at Bronya, he said, "A promise is a promise."
"A word once spoken cannot be taken back," Bronya firmly completed the phrase, her eyes filled with determination.
At that moment, Kiana, who was standing nearby, seemed to have an idea.
"How about I sell Sirin to you?" she blurted out.
Before Wu Tong could respond, Kiana heard Sirin's furious voice in her head: "Kiana, you—"
But before Sirin could finish, Kiana used the Honkai energy technique taught by Fu Hua to block out the rest of Sirin's words.
Then, Kiana stared intently at Wu Tong, waiting for his answer.
In Kiana's mind, since Sirin would eventually harm Teacher Himeko, using her as payment for Himeko's treatment now would be the perfect way to make up for the damage she would cause.
As for Sirin's resistance?
That didn't matter. To Kiana, who hadn't yet fully understood the situation, the culprit didn't deserve forgiveness—even if it was another version of herself.
"..."
Wu Tong was stunned by Kiana's words.
Kiana, you truly live up to your reputation as a "genius."
Isn't Sirin just another side of you?
How is this any different from selling yourself?
...
The others nearby remained silent, simply watching as Wu Tong and the others negotiated.
Hearing Kiana's words, the group visibly relaxed.
Only Cecilia's expression was complicated, though she didn't speak up.
It wasn't that they didn't care about the two, but they simply couldn't intervene.
For one, Wu Tong had just helped them resurrect a large number of old friends.
Moreover, Wu Tong's potential alone made him a prime target for investment by major factions. There was also the possibility that they might need his help in the future to fight against the Honkai.
Under these circumstances, it was only natural that they wouldn't want to ruin Wu Tong's plans.
As Valkyries, they couldn't let their personal desires endanger the entire world.
Of course, this was also because they didn't know Wu Tong well, leading them to prepare for the worst.
But such preparations were understandable.
...
"Alright, it's settled then."
Wu Tong snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Kiana with a slightly odd expression, but he didn't refuse.
After all, Sirin's combat abilities were indeed formidable, and she was a talented individual.
If he took her back to the Douluo World and put enough effort into her education, once Sirin shed her illiteracy and fully mastered the authority of the Imaginary Space, she could become a powerful asset under his command.
As for Bronya, Wu Tong naturally planned to use her to bring the entire Cocolia Orphanage under his control.
After all, that place was full of talented individuals.
Whether it was Rozaliya, Liliya, or even "Lord" Seele... even Cocolia herself possessed remarkable abilities.
With that, Wu Tong waved his hand, and a dimensional curtain instantly appeared, connecting to the Sea of Quanta.
...
Sea of Quanta.
"Bronya-neechan, what are you doing now? Seele misses you so much."
In an unknown location, a girl dressed in blue and purple clothes sat发呆, her thoughts drifting back to the past, her expression filled with longing.
"Why bother thinking about her? Maybe your beloved Bronya-neechan has already given up on you."
Seeing Seele like this, the dark-haired Seele (Black Seele) felt uncomfortable and couldn't help but mutter bitterly.
"That's not true, other me! Don't say bad things about Bronya-neechan! She would never forget me." Seele responded firmly to Black Seele's words.
"Hmph, suit yourself. I don't care." Black Seele snorted and fell silent.
"...Other me, did I say something wrong?"
Seeing that Black Seele wasn't talking to her anymore, Seele asked timidly.
"...No."
After a while, Black Seele couldn't bear to see Seele's pitiful expression and finally responded.
Just then, a chaotic, gray-and-white curtain suddenly appeared before Seele and rushed toward her.
"Seele, watch out!"
Black Seele immediately took control of Seele's body, her expression turning serious as she faced the oncoming dimensional curtain. A scythe materialized in her hands as she braced herself for whatever was coming.
Swish—
But no matter how prepared she was, Black Seele couldn't resist the power of the dimensional curtain and was forcibly transported out of the Sea of Quanta.
Not long after Black Seele disappeared, a figure appeared in the same spot, silently watching where the dimensional curtain had vanished.
...
St. Freya Academy.
Dormitory Living Room (Main Trio).
"Where is this?"
Black Seele felt the scenery around her suddenly change, and in an instant, she found herself standing in a large hall.
Judging by the layout, it seemed to be a living room?
Black Seele gripped her scythe tightly, remaining on high alert.
Just then, a familiar voice reached her ears.
"Seele~"
Black Seele turned her head and immediately saw a figure she remembered from the past.
"Bronya-neechan!" In an instant, Black Seele was pushed aside as Seele took over.
"Hmph." Feeling herself being shoved aside and watching Seele and Bronya embrace tightly, Black Seele felt a pang of bitterness in her heart.
She turned away with a proud huff, refusing to look at the heart-wrenching scene.
The others nearby smiled knowingly, choosing not to disturb the reunion.
Stare—
At that moment, Wu Tong felt a burning gaze on him. He turned and saw Kiana staring at him with eager, fiery eyes.
...You really can't wait, can you?
Wu Tong found Kiana's impatience amusing but didn't say anything.
Then, a green light emerged from his hand.
With a flick of his wrist, the light flew toward Himeko.
"Ah~"
As the green light touched Himeko's body, she felt as if she had just received a luxurious spa treatment. A moan of pleasure escaped her lips.
"Mmm..."
Hearing the sound she had made, Himeko snapped back to reality, her face flushing red as she quickly covered her mouth.
She lowered her head, too embarrassed to look at the others.
After a while, the soothing sensation faded, and the constant pain in her body disappeared completely.
Himeko immediately realized that Wu Tong had cured her Honkai energy corrosion.
"Thank you, Wu Tong." Now free from the threat to her life, Himeko smiled warmly and expressed her gratitude.
...
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(End of Chapter)