"The Gem of Serenity could be anywhere in Southeast Asia, but it absolutely cannot be on Coral Island!"
Making use of what was available, the three of them commandeered a Shencheng Pharmaceutical facility, turning it into a temporary conference room to discuss their strategy.
The black-haired youth pointed at the map on the computer, making his assertion without hesitation.
The other two girls were puzzled, unable to understand the connection between Coral Island on the equator and the city they were currently in. "Why do you say that?"
Ana Schariac listened intently, but as she was primarily a combatant, she didn't offer an opinion.
Young Brian explained, "I think you should know what the Coral Island Project was planned for."
Planned for, not its purpose.
The silver-gray-haired girl perked up her ears, pulling the relevant memories from her mind. "The Coral Island Project was launched after the Second Honkai Eruption and has been going on for over a decade. It's a joint project between Schicksal and various countries around the world, with the goal of building a space elevator that can go directly into orbit."
"So what's the progress now?"
Bronya shook her head. "It's not ideal."
"Although Coral Island has gathered many outstanding engineers and scientists, a large high-quality population, and a significant high-end industrial cluster..."
"The current space elevator project is still in the foundation stage."
Such slow progress gave one a distinct impression...
"It's just a cover?"
The chestnut-haired girl interjected, following her intuition.
"Exactly."
Brian nodded. "There's no lack of technology for the space elevator. We at Schicksal have a complete technological reserve and can definitely complete this work. The industrial capacity of the world's nations is also more than enough to support it."
"There's actually only one reason for Coral Island's slow progress."
"It is a sacrifice offered by humanity to the Honkai!"
"..."
Sacrifice...?
The word made the two girls think of some unpleasant things.
It was as if there was an unspeakable cult in the world, and the leaders of all countries were members.
And they, the Valkyries, knew nothing about it, and were even working for their enemy.
As their minds ran wild...
"Don't worry, it's not what you're thinking."
Bronya: (ᗜ˰ᗜ)
Next time you talk, don't take such a dramatic pause!
Ana also breathed a sigh of relief.
The chestnut-haired girl patted her full chest, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. "Let's not beat around the bush. Our top priority right now is to find the Herrscher Core and stop Anti-Entropy's plot."
For some reason, she had a bad feeling, as if she was on the verge of a great disaster.
The black-haired youth continued, "Coral Island is indeed a sacrifice offered by Schicksal and the world's nations to the Honkai, but the purpose is not a cult sacrifice."
"It's to test the limits of what it takes to cause a Honkai eruption."
"You are all Schicksal Valkyries, so you should know that the probability of a Honkai event is positively correlated with the local level of development and population size."
"The more technologically advanced and populous a city is, the higher the likelihood of a Honkai event, until a great eruption that gives birth to a Herrscher occurs."
"That's the purpose of Coral Island: to sacrifice a city on this planet that is highly developed but far from populated areas, in order to obtain a formula that can prevent Honkai events from happening in other cities."
"If a Honkai eruption ever occurs on Coral Island, it will definitely be a great eruption that produces a Herrscher."
"And the other cities on this planet will thus be freed from the threat of the Honkai."
"..."
Silence and paleness became the common shades on the two girls' faces.
Hundreds of thousands of people were easily placed on the sacrificial altar, yet they could not condemn the evil of this act.
The struggle between humanity and the Honkai was like a war; someone always had to charge, and someone always had to sacrifice.
Sacrificing a small number of people to give the masses a chance to survive—this was the justification for the Coral Island project's existence.
As long as they could still live on this planet, no one except the residents of Coral Island could condemn this plan.
"Then what does the plan over at Coral Island have to do with our current mission?"
The calm Bronya was the first to come to her senses.
The future great eruption on Coral Island was still far off, but Cocolia's plot was imminent.
"Then what do you think of this?"
Operating the computer, Brian pulled up the data on the weaponization modification of Honkai Zombies.
Weaponizing Honkai Zombies... surely it wasn't for guarding their own homes, right?
To research the weaponization of Honkai Zombies, one would need a sufficient amount of Honkai Zombies as material.
And the way to obtain a large number of Honkai Zombies...
"Just create a Honkai eruption."
One great eruption, and you'd have Honkai Zombies, Honkai Beasts, and a Herrscher. You might even get a few Pseudo-Herrschers as an unexpected bonus.
And the scapegoat has already been found. It's all Cocolia's fault!
"..."
The worst-case scenario was confirmed, and Ana Schariac's face became exceptionally pale at this moment.
She had originally volunteered to appear before Brian just to see what kind of person the ex-boyfriend who could scare the S-rank Valkyrie Rita Rossweisse into a hasty retreat, yet still be on her mind, was like.
But in less than half a day since they met, she had received an unprecedented surprise.
Schicksal HQ had lost a Herrscher Core, and someone wanted to use it to create a great eruption.
This must be stopped! Even if it means sacrificing her own life!
"What do we need to do?"
She asked, with the resolve to face death calmly.
At this point, there was no need for secrecy. The right thing to do was to mobilize all available forces to stop Cocolia's plot as soon as possible.
Young Brian didn't hesitate. "Just the few of us won't be enough for the next phase. We'll need your Snow Lotus Squad to help."
"The level of development in Southeast Asia is limited. The only cities that could host a Honkai eruption are a few port cities."
Coral Island was a hot potato and basically out of the question, otherwise it would mean offending the entire world.
Among the remaining Southeast Asian cities, Singapore was backed by the Strait of Malacca, and Manila was the capital of the Philippines...
In other words, if Cocolia was determined to use the Herrscher Core to create a great eruption, it could only happen in one of these cities.
Taking into account the results obtained from Coral Island so far and the existence of Shencheng Pharmaceutical...
"A Honkai eruption is highly likely to occur in the city of Manila."
Coral Island had already yielded preliminary results. Calculating the probability of a Honkai eruption in a city was a piece of cake. Choosing Manila undoubtedly greatly increased the feasibility of the plan.
Although creating a great eruption in a city where a Valkyrie squad was stationed seemed incredible.
But if you thought about it from a different perspective, it was precisely because of the presence of the Valkyries that World Serpent and Cocolia chose this place.
A Valkyrie squad with an A-rank Valkyrie couldn't change much, and they might even be able to convert one of them into a Herrscher using the Herrscher Core.
In this way, the goals of both Shencheng Pharmaceutical and Cocolia would be achieved. Apart from making the common people suffer, everyone would be happy.
For Cocolia's group, it was simply perfect!
With no time to explain further, Brian gave the order to mobilize the Valkyrie squad through Ana. "Ana, I'll leave the Snow Lotus Squad to you. Investigate Shencheng Pharmaceutical's recent customs records and any possible unusual locations."
"Yes, sir!"
They were not superior and subordinate, but the Valkyrie still saluted the young man.
If the city beneath their feet could be saved from a tragedy because of this, she wouldn't even mind warming his bed.
After Ana left, Bronya saw that Brian had no intention of leaving. "Where are we going next?"
They hadn't found any clues related to the Gem of Serenity here at Shencheng Pharmaceutical.
As Bronya saw it, they should now be doing everything they could to find the Herrscher Core, even if it meant turning all of Manila upside down.
However...
"I'm going to book a presidential suite to rest first."
The Inner World Protagonist emphasized again, "A king-sized bed."
Bronya: (ᗜ˰ᗜ)
You depraved man, ruled by your lower body!
For her sister's sake, she should compromise. But for the sake of her own duck butt, she felt she should bravely say no to this presumptuous guy.
"The mission is important. We are members of Schicksal. Retrieving the Herrscher Core is what we should be doing right now."
Young Brian was unmoved. "Don't worry about the details, and don't think I have any designs on your flat-chested, no-ass figure."
Bronya: "..."
But you not only have designs, you have big designs!
"The last time at the Far East Branch, Cocolia was zombified by the power of Jizo Mitama. I think we should verify whether the current Cocolia is still Cocolia."
The intelligence from Schicksal HQ indicated that Cocolia was the mastermind behind this incident.
But Bronya and Brian knew a thing or two about Cocolia's situation. Verifying if Cocolia was still alive was of great significance for the subsequent actions.
But Bronya still didn't want to get a room with this guy. She might really have his babies!
"Then what does getting a room have to do with this?"
Young Brian's smile was bright, like a great sun in the night sky.
"As a mother, she can't possibly watch her own daughter fall into the tiger's den, can she?"
Bronya: "..."
Damn it, the safety of her duck butt was actually entrusted to Cocolia's conscience!
...
Snow Lotus Squad base...
A sedan drifted into the corner, and the chestnut-haired girl rushed into the seemingly unremarkable building without hesitation.
"Everyone, it's time for us to act!"
"Ana, what happened?"
Snow Lotus Squad captain, A-rank Valkyrie Natalie Langley, had just come out of the training ground, her wheat-colored skin still glistening with sweat.
She had thought that the order from the Far East Branch this time would be a small matter that Ana could handle on her own.
But now it seemed that this incident was not only big, but also very troublesome.
Knowing that time was of the essence and that the existence of the Herrscher Core needed to be kept secret, the girl was concise. "People from Anti-Entropy are trying to create a Honkai eruption in Manila. We must stop those guys!"
Artificially creating a Honkai eruption—this act directly crossed the Valkyries' bottom line.
Most Valkyries were orphans adopted by Schicksal after Honkai events, and they harbored a strong hatred for the Honkai.
And now, someone dared to touch this nerve...
"Ana, you give the orders, we'll do it!"
"We need to find the device Anti-Entropy is using to induce the Honkai event and destroy it!"
"Alright."
The night was deep, but undercurrents were surging.
...
Manila city center, hotel presidential suite...
"You really are full of lewd thoughts, aren't you."
She inserted the key card, and the full view of the luxuriously decorated presidential suite came into view.
The silver-gray-haired girl watched as the man beside her registered his information at the front desk and then brought her to this room.
Looking around...
A neat white king-sized bed, an S-shaped sofa that could only fit one person, a bathroom made of frosted glass...
Without a doubt, if the man next to her had any ideas, her duck butt would be forfeited here tonight.
Her great cause of saving her sister was not even halfway done, yet she had to face this huge threat to her duck butt.
Bronya Zaychik was in a state of inner turmoil, seriously suspecting that the guy next to her was just controlled by his two-ounce flesh, here to get a free piece of her duck butt.
If this last bargaining chip was given away so easily, then her only way to get this guy to save Seele would be to threaten him with a gun to her own stomach in a few months.
Unaware of the dramatic thoughts in Bronya's mind, young Brian walked to the window, pulled open the curtains, and then wrapped his arm around the girl's slender shoulders, starting tonight's routine work.
"Whatever you say, let's start with the full package first."
Bronya: "..."
Her whole body tensed up. She felt the crisis of being defiled was imminent!
What to do?
Should she really submit to this guy and bet that he's not a scumbag who eats and runs?
She wasn't afraid of paying the price; she was afraid of paying the price and getting nothing in return.
Once she lost this most important bargaining chip in her hand, she would be tragically added to Raiden Mei's list of concubines, become that woman's scapegoat, and play games with Kiana for the rest of her life.
In a moment of inspiration, Bronya, who always had her sister on her mind, thought of a solution.
"It's fine if you want to make a move on Bronya."
Young Brian: "..."
He actually hadn't thought about giving Bronya a little 'surprise' tonight, but since Bronya had said so, it seemed unreasonable not to make a move.
After all, his pants had moved.
Bronya: "But you have to promise Bronya one condition!"
"Don't worry, I'll definitely help you rescue Seele."
"You've never even met her, and you're giving me an empty promise here!"
The silver-gray-haired girl was a little dissatisfied, feeling that this man was currently letting his little head control his big head.
The man was unconcerned. "Although I haven't met your sister, I've seen her picture on a screen."
"How can such a beautiful girl be left to languish alone in the Sea of Quanta?"
Bronya: (ᗜ˰ᗜ)
The figure of Project Bunny flickered behind the Russian loli, almost unable to resist firing a shot at the man beside her.
She had tolerated him eyeing her duck butt.
But she never expected this man not only to eye her duck butt but also to eye her world's-cutest little sister.
This was truly unbearable!
But!
If she couldn't rescue Seele from the Sea of Quanta, everything was just empty talk.
For this great cause, even Bronya could only grit her teeth and agree. "Then it's a deal. As long as you can help me rescue my sister from the Sea of Quanta, I'll help approve your marriage."
To save Seele, she was going all out!
It was just a promise, after all. At worst, she could just go back on her word.
"Put it in writing!"
Brian's eyes lit up. He felt that even the duck butt right in front of him wasn't as appealing anymore.
After all, 8 > 55000, and he still had to wait eight years, otherwise the power of the unspeakable Old God would erase his existence.
But Seele Vollerei's development was exactly the same as Cocolia, this woman who had a Stand that could drain breast size. As long as the feelings were there, he could make a move.
Much more appealing.
"No problem!"
A shameful backroom deal was witnessed in the presidential suite that should have been a battlefield.
For a greater goal, the silver-gray-haired girl had to tearfully sell out her long-separated sister.
Anyway, it was just a promise she never intended to keep. She would just consider it a small sacrifice for her sister.
"I'm going to take a shower."
Bronya wanted to follow Raiden Mei's usual routine to buy some time.
But the Inner World Protagonist was already impatient. His hot hand resting on the girl's small shoulder tightened.
"No need for a shower. Let's start with your ice cream."
Bronya: "..."
She really couldn't understand a man's XP.
However, she did not refuse.
She, too, was very curious about Cocolia's current state.
"I'm lying down. You can start."
...
Boom—!
A mighty Titan was smashed into a pile of parts, and the lights of civilization took on an air of slaughter and iron blood.
"These guys from Anti-Entropy are really persistent!"
The Valkyries were strong, but Anti-Entropy's Titan troops were more numerous.
Moreover, this was a place Anti-Entropy had set up as a feint. Besides a pile of Titans meant to exhaust the Valkyries' stamina and Honkai energy, there was nothing here.
"Ana, are there any other clues!?"
There was no time to explain, nor time to confirm who was asking the question.
The chestnut-haired girl ruthlessly dealt with a member of Anti-Entropy and immediately replied, "Anti-Entropy is cooperating with Shencheng Pharmaceutical. They might need a large number of Honkai Zombies for their weaponization research."
All locations in the suburbs of Manila had been checked by the Snow Lotus Squad, and they hadn't found what they were looking for.
Since they wanted to create a Honkai eruption and needed enough Honkai Zombies...
The answer was obvious...
"They actually set it up in a densely populated area. These guys from Anti-Entropy really deserve to die!"
...
The salty sea breeze lifted the cloak, and the deep night sky became the best camouflage for the crow of death.
"Well, well, I really didn't expect this guy to stumble upon it by chance."
...