55. Resolution, All Parties, New Simulation!
Before sunrise, Gao Qi and Rita returned to the camp.
On the way, they also reunited with the other Valkyries who had hurried over.
Fortunately, before that, Rita's armor—the "Argent Knight· Artemis"—had already recovered from its previous state as a metallic shell, free from the effects of the Third Divine Key. It had regained its original softness and lightness.
However, Rita seemed to have grown accustomed to being carried like a princess by Gao Qi and hadn't even realized she had recovered. It wasn't until she spotted the other Valkyries approaching from afar that she hastily hopped down from Gao Qi, pretending nothing had happened.
All in all, although many things happened that night, in the end, no one sacrificed their life. Only some Valkyries were injured, making the operation quite successful overall.
Even though Rita didn't obtain the information about Gray Serpent's humanoid machines, she no longer needed it. After all, Kiana had appeared right in front of her, and she would definitely investigate World Serpent.
But after the intense night of battle, what remained was a mess. The Valkyries, who had fought Honkai beasts all night, returned to the camp looking utterly disheveled. Without even taking off their armor, they collapsed and fell asleep.
"I'm so tired, so tired—Mr. Gao Qi, help me change my clothes!"
"Could you please get me a wet towel, Mr. Gao Qi? I don't want to shower..."
"Mr. Gao Qi, I'm so hungry! I need food! I want milk tea, iced!"
As soon as Gao Qi and Rita stepped into the camp, they were met with a chorus of complaints. The Valkyries, who were dignified and heroic outside, completely let loose once they returned to the camp, acting like students back in their dormitory.
And the scene Gao Qi had imagined when he rejected Alvitr—a den of spiders—finally appeared.
"Shoes, shoes, shoes! Don't just toss them around!"
"Stockings, whose stockings are these!"
"Can't you respect my gender a little? Don't you know how hard I'm trying to endure this? Go change in your own rooms!"
After helping one Valkyrie take off her black stockings, Gao Qi began assisting others with removing their armor. In the process, he was occasionally kicked around by the girls. Finally, he carried Alvitr, who had been up all night providing high-intensity logistical support and was utterly exhausted, into her room.
Normally, other Valkyries would help with these tasks, but since the entire team had been deployed the previous night, Gao Qi was the only one left to take care of everyone. Only then did he understand the pressure of being the "tool person."
Exhausted from the night's work, Gao Qi continued to attend to the girls. Only after everything was settled did he slip into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for the Valkyries.
Of course, Gao Qi was more than willing. Firstly, these girls were genuine heroes who saved people. Secondly, their legs were truly beautiful. Thirdly, he had finally met Kiana as he wished and was now in a good mood.
In fact, Gao Qi had even fantasized that his beloved daughter would rush up to him in surprise upon seeing him, hug him, and call him "Dad" again. However, it was clear that such thoughts were rather unrealistic.
Kiana remained the lonely and solitary ranger. The immense changes she had undergone had stripped away her former naivety and innocence, forcing her to mature and become rational.
This... wasn't exactly something to be happy about. If Gao Qi could have stayed by Kiana's side all along, he would never have wanted her to grow up in such a way.
Naturally, Kiana couldn't recognize Gao Qi either, as she wasn't his obedient daughter from before.
Still, even so, Gao Qi wanted to help her—to help her become the meteor of the sky. Ideally, in the future, she wouldn't be "domestically disciplined" by Mei and could also have her condition treated.
"Phew... Okay, I've decided!"
Thinking this, Gao Qi nodded. In his heart, his goals had shifted.
Originally, when he arrived in the Honkai world, his only aim was self-preservation. Now, although he wasn't particularly strong in reality, at least... he could do something.
Fu Hua, Kiana, Bronya, Raven, Cocolia, and Seele—even though Mobius was likely no longer around—Gao Qi thought... he should do more for them, to turn the unpleasant things into something beautiful!
"Strive to increase my strength. With the knowledge of the quantum realm, I can at least conceal my identity. And the life-giving power of Brahma can heal and save people. Maybe I should learn from Uncle Lu and become a 'Dark Night Justice'?"
While boiling water, cutting vegetables, and preparing ingredients, Gao Qi pondered the path he should take next.
Grow stronger in the simulation system, and then, in reality, help those he cared about!
Having cleared his thoughts, Gao Qi nodded contentedly. As for how to grow stronger, Gao Qi had a simple idea:
Undergo the MANTIS surgery again—this time properly, not as a test subject for Snake Lady!
Soon, Gao Qi heard footsteps approaching. He turned to see Rita, who had changed back into her classic maid uniform, walking quickly toward him. Her expression was conflicted, lacking her usual composure.
"Let me help you cook, Mr. Gao Qi. Don't worry, my body has already recovered."
Looking at the man she had been intimately close to all night, Rita felt a complex mix of emotions. After all, Gao Qi hadn't done anything wrong.
"Mr. Gao Qi, for the next two days, I need to temporarily return to Schicksal to report on our work and transport a batch of vaccines back. You and the others should stand by for now..."
After hesitating for a moment, Rita lowered her head, her rose-red eyes fixed on Gao Qi, and warned him somewhat shyly:
"What happened last night must not be mentioned to anyone, especially not to Lady Durandal—understand?"
Meanwhile, Gao Qi had already brought out two plates of dishes. He respectfully bowed to Rita and quickly walked out of the room.
"As you wish, Miss Rita. I will obediently follow my master's commands~~"
"Hey, Gao Qi! Don't call me that..."
Rita let out a helpless sigh. She knew that from now on, she probably wouldn't be able to maintain her perfect maid persona in front of Gao Qi—her elegant image simply couldn't be preserved any longer.
"But the sun is about to rise, and it's a new day~~"
Then, Rita hummed a soft tune, planning to prepare dishes that could rival Gao Qi's.
As for what she had witnessed tonight, she decided to slightly omit Mr. Gao Qi's act of aiding the enemy when reporting...
"Lady Durandal, this person named Gao Qi... is truly interesting."
——————
On top of a skyscraper in Sky City, Kiana yawned and stretched widely. She sat down at the edge of the rooftop, hundreds of meters high, humming a little tune as she took out the snacks she had been given the night before.
"Wow, chocolate, milk candies, and sandwich biscuits—just my favorites! The Immortal Blades sure have good treatment. When I was a Valkyrie, we never had such good supplies. When I went to Singapore with the Class Monitor, we didn't even get to eat properly."
Feeling a bit cheerful, Kiana tossed a candy into her mouth.
"...You're tougher and more optimistic than I thought, Kiana. We'll keep going together."
Crimson feathers drifted through the air as a figure with pink-white short hair, dressed in ancient Shenzhou attire, silently sat down beside Kiana.
Although Kiana had faced many moments of despair during these days, Fu Hua was surprised to find that she could quickly pull herself together and face every challenge head-on.
"Yeah, it's all thanks to my dad. He used to say that life is like a box of chocolates—you never know if the next one will be sweet milk chocolate or bitter dark chocolate, but you have to keep eating until you find the sweet ones. Even though he's gone, his words will always stay with me."
With a mischievous grin, Kiana tossed another chocolate into her mouth.
"Besides, I have an older sister now. She goes by Bianka now and is even an S-rank Valkyrie. Even though I'm a clone, I can't lose to her. I'm going to quietly get stronger and then amaze everyone!"
This "sister," whom she had never met, was also someone Kiana held dear in this world.
"Bianka... I'm not familiar with her. You have a good father, Kiana. That's something truly fortunate."
Recalling the now-faint image in her mind, Fu Hua smiled softly and gazed at the rising sun alongside Kiana.
"A new day ahead. Let's do our best, Kiana."
——————
In a pitch-black space, two ethereal figures were conversing.
"Mission accomplished, Raven. You really care about those 'good kids' of yours. I can't help but wonder what happened to you in Siberia a few years ago."
"Enough with the chatter, Jackal. Gray Serpent has successfully infiltrated Anti-Entropy. Leave his affairs to him. We have our own mission—it's time to pay my salary."
"Tsk, money-grubber. You'll get your funding, but now is not the time to act. The Sovereign is about to emerge from the Sea of Quanta. The World Serpent is awakening. We will achieve humanity's ascension, attain true transcendence, and defeat the Honkai once and for all!"
Listening to Jackal's fanatical, almost delusional speech, Raven, who was sweeping the floor in a bar, suddenly thought of someone.
[Cocolia, my friend and foe, I hope you won't... become as mad as she is. If he really could return, he would surely be heartbroken.]
——————
Above the clouds, a massive aerial warship was speeding forward. The Hyperion was now accelerating toward the underwater city of Schicksal in the Mariana Trench.
After stowing away the Oath of Judah, Theresa tiptoed to a dormitory cabin on the warship and gently pushed open the door.
Inside the room, Bronya and Seele sat quietly by the bedside, caring for the modified android girl.
"An anomaly has occurred in the underwater city. We must head there soon to transfer the Gem of Desire."
Seeing the serious expressions on the two young faces, Theresa couldn't help but smile.
"As for deciphering the computer in this child's brain, once we reach the underwater city, Mei will take her back to the North American headquarters for decoding. Are you two really sure Cocolia will try to interfere this time?"
Having just completed the mission in Arc City, Theresa and Einstein received a request from Cocolia to transfer the Gem of Desire. Bronya, however, immediately concluded it was a trap.
"Yes, Principal. Cocolia Mom will definitely do this. She's a good mother, but... to retrieve Dad from the Sea of Quanta, she'll stop at nothing."
"Mhm, Mom would definitely do that, she..."
Bronya nodded firmly, and Seele also fell into hesitant silence. They both knew that for the sake of that person, their dearest mother would do anything.
"Dad... I do know someone who's often called 'Dad,' but to win over someone like Cocolia—he must be quite the remarkable person."
It was hard to imagine that cunning vixen showing affection for anyone. Theresa stuck out her tongue playfully and beckoned the two children to come out for a meal.
"Alright, leave the rest to Mei. She's already prepared breakfast. Eat up before you sleep."
Soon, the room fell silent. In the darkness, a faint green glow flickered to life.
The android—no, "Gray Serpent" himself—opened his eyes, revealing a pair of bright black pupils.
Then, this adorable little girl sat up. Behind her petite frame, a mechanical arm resembling a serpent's tail suddenly extended, piercing through the floor and seizing an optical fiber connected to the Hyperion's main network. She effortlessly plugged it in.
"Good thing I learned a trick or two from Auntie Vill-V. Now, let's start taking over this outdated warship."
A bewitching smile spread across the girl's face.
"Wait for me, Mom. Those bad aunties and uncles who locked you away—and whom you locked away—would never imagine my existence. Let's reunite soon, Mom. Together... we'll find Father! Only we can have him!"
——————
Finally, Gao Qi had almost exhausted himself, having satisfied dozens of Valkyries along with Rita. Thoroughly worn out, he staggered back to his dormitory amidst the Valkyries' grateful voices.
Lying on his bed, Gao Qi's drowsy eyes began to glaze over.
"Yawn, time to start the simulation."
And so, Gao Qi slowly closed his eyes.
[Simulation count has been reset—]
[Simulation time: 50,000 years ago, the Previous Era.]
[Simulation location: Sundown Alley]
[Simulation Name: Breaking Free from Fate.]
[Simulation begins.]
Note: I'm new to translating so please be kind and tell me any mistakes you all find, I will try to release a chapter a day but don't expect much
Please support the original author: warboss
Raw: 崩坏模拟器,你找的人是我么?