Raiden i woke up in her bed, feeling sowhat dazed. Just monts ago, in her sleep, she had recalled so things from the past – things that she should have forgotten.
It was the day her mother had just passed away. Her father seed to have drunk himself into oblivion. Then, she saw a big brother carrying him back. She couldn't clearly rember the big brother's appearance, only that he had white hair, showed her the stars, and sang her a song.
That person's embrace was very warm, even reminding Raiden i of the hugs her mother used to give her when she was still alive.
Why had she forgotten before, only to rember now? Perhaps it was because she had now lost all support. Back then, she still had her father, but now even her father was imprisoned. Having lost both parents, maybe that's why she now rembered the person who had left a trace of warmth in her life.
"I... I'm such a despicable person."
Overwheld by everything she had suffered recently, Raiden i couldn't help but fall into self-pity. She felt her behavior was utterly contemptible – forgetting soone completely, only to rember them when she needed them. It was truly laughable.
"Heihēi de tiānkōng dī chuí~" (Dark, dark sky hangs low~)
Suddenly, an extrely faint singing voice reached Raiden i's ears. The girl abruptly lifted her head, looking around in disbelief. But her surroundings were still empty, just her alone. Yet the singing voice persisted, seeming close yet unreachable.
Normally, hearing a song suddenly manifest late at night would fill anyone with terror, but Raiden i felt no panic. Instead, an inexplicable warmth spread through her heart.
She got out of bed, went to the window, opened it, and looked up at the sky. Due to the city lights, people usually couldn't see the stars.
But perhaps because a few stars were exceptionally brilliant, tonight she could indeed see several relatively bright stars twinkling in the heavens.
Raiden i could still hear the ethereal, phantom-like, yet undeniably real singing. She gazed at the twinkling stars.
"Mommy..."
Sleep would not co tonight.
"Raiden i's psychological state is much better than so ti ago. Is it because of that kid from the Kaslana family?"
Within Nagazora City, in the Corp President's office, the master of internal conflict, Cocolia, was currently looking at various intelligence reports displayed on her computer.
"Yes, it should be because of that girl. Recently, she has been staying by Raiden i's side, protecting her from the pressure of others. It's this behavior that has led to Raiden i's improved ntal state. If the previous Raiden i was slowly sinking into despair, then that girl might have beco a rope lowered from above the abyss, tightly grasped by her."
"...Understood. Make arrangents. Doesn't she like playing the hero? Create so chaos on the outskirts of the city, sothing that kid can discover. While that kid is off playing knight, execute the plan directly. It must be done in one go, triggering all the despair and pain within Raiden i's heart."
"...Ma'am, so mbers of the organization still have family in this city. Should we perhaps notify them?"
"No need. You may leave."
"...Yes."
The subordinate seed about to say more, but seeing Cocolia's uncompromising expression, knew he couldn't dissuade his extrely assertive superior. He could only leave helplessly.
Cocolia sat back in her office chair. Of course, she knew doing this would cost her support, that so who previously backed her would leave her faction.
But this operation required sacrifice. This operation needed to be swift, executed before Schicksal could react. Trigger the Third Honkai Eruption, quickly secure the Third Herrscher, then imdiately withdraw from the scene, leaving Schicksal with no evidence.
If Anti-Entropy suffered no losses whatsoever during the Third Honkai Eruption, not even losing a single family mber of its personnel, such a massive loophole could easily be exploited. If Schicksal were to investigate and launch a war against Anti-Entropy, the hard-won Third Herrscher host body wouldn't be available for research.
Cocolia stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window behind her, and gazed down at the bustling crowds below, at this city still thriving for now.
"These are necessary sacrifices."
However, what Cocolia didn't know was that at this very mont, everything she was doing, all the so-called asures deployed to deceive Schicksal, were nothing but a joke.
The Overseer sitting in Schicksal HQ, seemingly oblivious, had long since seen through her supposed plan. He had even deployed his own pieces accordingly.
After all, Kiana Kaslana—no, K423—arriving in Nagazora City and enrolling in Senba Academy was no coincidence.
Xin Yu suddenly stopped his little electric scooter. He looked up at the sky; clouds completely covered it, hiding the sun.
"...Why this intense feeling of unease? It feels like sothing is about to happen? Is this what they call a 'sudden impulse on a whim'?"
Xin Yu frowned deeply. In that instant, he had felt a strange pressure in his chest, making it slightly difficult to breathe.
He checked the orders displayed on his phone and decided to head back early today, just in case sothing unexpected happened.
After all, he only had this one disciple. If any accident befell him, he, as the master, would feel terribly inadequate.
Better finish these deliveries quickly.
With this thought, Xin Yu looked at the address on his phone, still so distance away, started his scooter again, and sped away from the area like lightning.
Kiana was feeling rather gloomy at the mont. The original plan was to go shopping with i later – that basically counted as a date! And according to the plan she had formulated, they might even end up at the amusent park. Then, once they were on the Ferris wheel and the atmosphere was right, i's affection score for her might just shoot up rapidly!
But then her phone rang with a call from a completely unknown number, telling her that a small-scale Honkai Eruption had occurred sowhere on the city outskirts.
Kiana wanted to demand how the caller knew her phone number and knew she could handle Honkai, but the person hung up without another word. The whole thing reeked of conspiracy, but at the sa ti, Kiana couldn't just dismiss the caller's words as a prank.
So, even though it might be a setup, Kiana could only grit her teeth and head towards the address the caller had given.
"i! Sothing ca up this afternoon, so I can't hang out with you. Make sure you head ho early!"
Raiden i watched Kiana's rapidly retreating figure. She had wanted to say sothing, but the girl left too quickly for her to get the words out.
She sighed. She had wanted to tell Kiana to be careful on the road. After all, she gave off such a reckless vibe, looking like she was prone to causing trouble.
Raiden i walked ho alone, planning to buy so groceries first. Kiana had moved in with her these past few days, and that girl had an enormous appetite. As a result, i had to go grocery shopping at the supermarket every two or three days.
Just as Raiden i was heading towards the supermarket, soone suddenly blocked her path.
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