Chapter 165
[After defeating the Void Archives, they received a notification from the Divine Strategy Mansion that the competition was entering its next phase. "Congratulations to both of you!"
"You've passed all the duels of the [Myriad Swords Tournament]. Please proceed to the Divine Strategy Mansion now. The General is waiting for you there."
Hua and Vita felt somewhat disappointed, having expected more challenges to play with, but it turned out there were only these few people. Theresa let out an awkward laugh: "Both of you are exceptionally talented individuals rarely seen. The General holds you in high regard, which is why when arranging the tournament schedule, he specifically instructed me to place you in the same group as the most promising candidates to succeed him."
"And you've proven the General's judgment correct to the entire Xianzhou with your strength."
"—Of course, that's the official statement."
"So, what's the unofficial version?"
Theresa's expression fell as she said flatly: "He's been wanting to quit for a long time."
"The sooner we select General candidates, the sooner he can step down from the Divine Strategy Mansion. From that perspective, your appearance saved his life... Hmph, what luck."
Grand Diviner Theresa showed an envious look.]
[March 7th]: "I-Is this considered cheating?"
[Fu Xuan]: "Although it seems manipulated, their actions still fall within the rules."
[Fu Xuan]: "But... is the position of General really that exhausting?"
[Jing Yuan]: "Lady Fu, you're welcome to come to the Divine Strategy Mansion and handle official duties to experience being General for a moment."
[Fu Xuan]: "So I work overtime while you relax? Don't think you can trick me into overtime!"
[Honkai Star Rail·Welt]: "Leading a large organization is difficult enough, let alone a major power like the Luofu."
[Jing Yuan]: "Mr. Welt understands me."
["Alright, please proceed to the Divine Strategy Mansion as soon as possible. Before you depart, I have one important matter to address."
Theresa stared at them with bloodshot eyes, gritting her teeth as she pleaded: "Please, absolutely must, drive that lazy and irresponsible guy out of office!"
"I'm begging you—!!"
"Is this starship really going to be okay?"
Even Ai-chan felt the Xianzhou was doomed sooner or later.]
[Murata Himeko]: "Sigh, Theresa, I want to say the same to you. You should do some work too."
[Theresa]: "Work... haven't I been handling work perfectly well? Haha... ha... haha..."
[Murata Himeko]: "No amount of laughing will change the fact that you're slacking off."
[Arriving before the Divine Strategy Mansion, Hua and Vita struck poses like ultimate villains, arrogantly striding into the mansion. General Welt Yang had been waiting for a long time and presented them with congratulatory gifts for their success.
As for the pass Vita requested, obtaining it required one final procedure—passing the test of the former General. "The Luofu General must possess both strategic ingenuity and martial prowess. Therefore, I will test both of you in these two aspects."
First test: Playing chess with Welt. Result: Hua and Vita team victory!]
[Qingque]: "This chess game seems so simple, I feel like I could do it too. Was General Welt really not going easy on them?"
[Stelle]: "All hail the Diyuan General—Qingque! Ascend to power!"
[Silver Wolf]: "LMAO, shouldn't it be simple? Plot-wise, Welt wants to retire ASAP, and game-wise, they wouldn't create an unbeatable level."
[March 7th]: "No way, Hua and Vita are guaranteed to win next. The Xianzhou General being Masked Fools... that's just terrifying!"
[Yanqing]: "Exactly, it's truly terrifying!"
[Welt prepared for the second test and pulled out a deck of Fool cards. "Fool cards again, as expected?"
"Ordinary Fool cards naturally wouldn't suit such a solemn occasion.
Therefore, I will conduct this match with you in the most formal manner possible."
"Both of you, look—"
Following Welt's command, a tall metal giant slowly rose from the ground, standing before them. "Behold, these smooth lines, this tension-filled structure, this majestic yet exquisite appearance."
Welt completely lost his previous bothered, half-dead demeanor, replaced by boundless excitement: "I believe you can also sense that this mecha represents the perfect combination of Xianzhou's industrial technology and engineering aesthetics!"
"Mr. Welt, what exactly is this..."
"To be honest, developing mechas has been my hobby since childhood. If I hadn't become General, I might have become an excellent mecha engineer."
"And this Alahato is my proud masterpiece over many years. Having it participate in battle couldn't be more appropriate."
Vita also grew excited now, her cyan [Starstrider] manifesting behind her, facing off against Alahato. Welt was even more excited now—mecha combat, awesome! "Are you prepared to fight until the very end? Challengers for the General's position—"
"Let us engage in an exhilarating game of Fool cards with these tempered steel bodies!"
Welt brimmed with fighting spirit!]
[Honkai Star Rail·Welt]: "Alahato, so cool!"
[Honkai Impact·Welt]: "Although still not matching Alahato, the Starstrider isn't bad either."
[March 7th]: "It's already mecha combat, why is it still called Fool cards!"
[Silver Wolf]: "Ever-changing Fool cards—this is mecha combat!"
[Stelle]: "No matter how you look at it, the Starstrider is cooler!!"
[Kiana]: "Right?"
[Honkai Star Rail·Welt]: "Stelle, it seems I must make you understand what truly wonderful and cool mechas are."
[Welt fought for a while, then lost all motivation and surrendered at lightning speed: "According to Xianzhou tradition, you are now officially the Luofu Generals."
"Although somewhat unwilling, I'm not one to overestimate myself.
Defeat is defeat—no excuses."
"The world changes, eras shift—this is simply natural law. The future Luofu should be protected by future Luofu people."
"...You're being way too casual about this!!"
Even Ai-chan, who had been watching from the side, was speechless.]
[Stelle]: "The three-year term has arrived! All hail Hua and Vita assuming the General position!"
[March 7th]: "Can the Xianzhou General position be held by two people jointly?"
[Jing Yuan]: "In reality, of course not, but this is just a game after all."
[Qingque]: "It's over. I don't even dare imagine what a Xianzhou ruled by Masked Fools would look like."
[After handing over the General position, Vita and Hua exchanged glances and simultaneously revealed mischievous smiles. "Mr. Welt, can we get our pass now?"
"Of course."
"Then what about other documents?
Like rule-making, personnel transfers..."
"Same applies. As the command center of the Xianzhou, the General holds supreme decision-making power." "In short, I'm counting on you for all kinds of Xianzhou work over the next hundred years."
Hua smiled very happily: "With those words, I'm relieved!"
Welt immediately sensed something wrong. "Ahem... We are the newly appointed Generals Hua and Vita. We hereby announce that during our term, all government affairs will be handled by former General Welt Yang."
Welt heard these words, which blended with Theresa's voice to form a desperate duet.]
[Qingque]: "Too terrifying, truly too terrifying! What kind of horror story is this! Being forced back to work after retirement—such things must never happen!"