Three days later, after Cocolia announced her abdication and named Bronya as the new Supreme Guardian, Belobog entered a new era.
But at the celebratory banquet that evening, the guests' eyes were glazed over, their minds still reeling from the sheer volume of information they had been forced to process.
In just a few short days, their entire world had been turned upside down. The mental journey of the average Belobogian went something like this:
Nani? Belobog is on the brink of destruction?
Nani? Our ancestors caused the eternal winter?
Nani? The thing that did this is called a Stellaron?
Nani? People from space are here to help us? We're saved?
Nani? Actually, they're villains here to overthrow us?
Nani? Their leader is so strong he can take on all of Belobog by himself?
Nani? Lady Bronya has been captured and is going to be forced to marry him?
Nani? Supreme Guardian Cocolia has abdicated? Lady Bronya is the new Guardian?
Nani? Lady Bronya is turning Belobog into a tourist city and launching an idol career?
Nani? Mo Wang is actually a good guy? It was all an act?!
No one could be blamed for their confusion. The past few days had been a relentless emotional rollercoaster.
And the revelation that it had all been an elaborate, bizarre play orchestrated by Mo Wang to save them had left everyone feeling like they had been run over by a freight train.
The whole thing was a cosmic joke. The people of Belobog would never forget this, their darkest, most absurd hour.
"Are you sure it's a good idea for you to be here, eating like nothing happened?" March 7th asked, watching Mo Wang shovel food into his mouth.
"What? A man can't eat? I've been working my butt off for days! If I don't get credit, at least let me get a decent meal!" Mo Wang retorted. He was the MVP of this whole operation, after all.
"No, I mean... aren't you worried about what everyone else thinks?" she said, gesturing to the crowd, who were all staring at him with a mixture of awe, fear, and utter confusion.
Gepard's expression was particularly complicated. He had been furious when his sister was captured, but now, knowing it was all part of Mo Wang's plan and that she was safe, he just felt guilty.
"You have no idea how evil that guy is," Serval was complaining to him. "He made us practice dancing and singing every day, no staying up late, no swearing, and he lectured us about healthy eating... I was going crazy!"
You know, Gepard thought, my sister is getting on in years. Maybe leaving her in Mo Wang's care wouldn't be such a bad idea.
"Why should I care what they think?" Mo Wang said. "Are they going to shoot me in the back?" The crowd, hearing this, gritted their teeth and went back to their food. They couldn't fight him, and they couldn't argue with him. All they could do was pray he would leave soon.
"You know, the food here is pretty good," Mo Wang said, finishing another plate of stew. "You should eat up, March. A rich person is paying for this, we might not get another chance."
"Would you stop eating like you've been starved for a month?" she sighed. "Hey, isn't someone missing?"
"Mmph! Mmph!"
A figure wrapped head to toe in bandages, like a mummy, appeared beside them.
"Holy crap! Uncle Yang?!" If it weren't for the signature glasses, March would have thought an exhibit had escaped from the Belobog museum.
"Oh, you're not dead," Mo Wang said, earning a glare from the mummy. "Don't look at me like that. You were the one who went crazy, piloting that old piece of junk like it was a Getter Robo. You should be thanking me you're not having a chat with Otto right now."
Welt had the decency to look embarrassed. He had a weakness for giant robots, and when Mo Wang had brought out Sky Thunder, he had lost all control. He had only realized after the fact that he had been fighting a clone the whole time. The only one who had been truly hurt in the battle was him.
"You're going to be out of commission for at least a month," Mo Wang said, taking a large bite of roasted meat in front of him. "And you broke their antique robot. You should probably fix that."
Just then, Bronya and the Honkai Girls Unit approached. "You don't have to worry about the Creation Engine," she said, her voice now carrying the weight of her new position.
"Yo, Bronya, you're looking good. Congrats on becoming the new Guardian," Mo Wang said.
She just gave him a deadpan stare. "Thanks to you, I have more work than ever."
"Hey, you're the one who has to save Belobog. With great power comes great responsibility. But don't think you can just quit the Honkai Girls Unit now that you're the Guardian. You're the leader, you can't escape."
"I have no intention of quitting," she said with a sigh. Before, she would have done anything to leave, but now, as the Guardian, she understood the true extent of Belobog's plight.
As ridiculous as it was, Mo Wang's idol plan was their best hope. They had no resources, no money, and a mountain of debt to the IPC.
The idol project was already gaining traction across the universe, bringing a glimmer of hope to their dying world. So, as humiliating as it was, she would see it through.
"Thank you... for everything," she said, her voice filled with a complex mix of emotions. Mo Wang was a chaotic, infuriating mess, but his plans, as insane as they were, had worked.
And his other ideas—turning Belobog into a tourist destination, developing the outlands, inviting immigrants—were surprisingly sound.
If they worked, Belobog might actually be saved.
"What, you're going to miss me? I can stay a few more days, if you want," he teased.
"No, thank you!" everyone in the room yelled in unison. They were afraid they wouldn't be able to sleep at night. Mo Wang's name was now more terrifying than any boogeyman in their folklore.
"But personally," Bronya said with a small smile, "I would appreciate your help in the future."
"Heh, a natural politician," Mo Wang laughed. "Alright, you've got it. If you need anything, just call me or Sampo. He'll be sticking around for a while."
---||---
The next morning, the crew was on their way back to the Express.
"Finally, we can go home," March sighed. It had only been a few days, but it felt like months.
"Mo Wang, where did you get that spear?" Dan Heng asked, noticing the new weapon in his hands. It was radiating the power of Preservation.
"This? It's a gift from the Amber Lord. Proof of my status as an Emanator of Preservation," he said, twirling the spear. "Looks cool, right? From now on, you can call me the number one iron man of Honkai."
"Wait, you're an Emanator of Preservation now?"
"Yep. The Amber Lord visited me last night. They were very pleased with my work." The power Qlipoth had granted him was only a fraction of what Aha had given him, but it was still immense. He was now a living fortress.
"So you got the IPC VIP card too?"
"Of course! From now on, I'm the richest person on the train! Little March, you'd better be nice to your big brother Mo Wang. I'll buy you whatever you want!"
"Wow! Mo Wang, you're the best! I want a limited edition camera, and some cute clothes, and some dolls~"
"An IPC VIP... interesting," Dan Heng mused.
Welt, however, was still trying to process everything. An IPC VIP? An Emanator of Preservation? Did I miss an episode? Wait a minute... you're a dual Emanator now?
The thought of Mo Wang, now an Emanator of both Preservation and Elation, made his vision go black. He wondered if there was a single planet in the universe that could withstand his brand of "help."