Chapter 69: How Can Someone Be So Shameless?
"That was it? So easy to leave?"
Lin Wei left the sacrificial site and walked out without any obstructions, so smoothly that it made him a little confused.
Is the World Serpent usually this easy to deal with?
Wake up, how is that even possible!
Lin Wei scoffed at his naive thought and looked back at the tall, old pyramid behind him. He had just come out of there, as if he had stepped out of an ancient history book and back into the real world. It gave him a surreal feeling.
That was the location of the World Serpent's "sacrificial site," but Lin Wei guessed that it might not be the location of World Serpent's "headquarters base."
After all, a pyramid this tall was too conspicuous.
Lin Wei turned away, no longer paying attention to it. He walked towards a rather deserted small town in the distance.
Keeping his word was one of Gray Serpent's many good qualities.
Since he had said that he wouldn't make things difficult for him, and they had temporarily reached a consensus on the fundamental issue of the "Stigmata Project," he should be relatively safe for the time being, Lin Wei mused to himself.
This was North Africa, and as far as the eye could see, there was nothing but barren desert. Even if he wanted to leave, he would need to go to that small town to seek help, whether it was to find transportation or something else.
Or perhaps, that town was the start of a new trial?
Lin Wei stopped in his tracks, a thought occurring to him.
Since it was so close to the sacrificial site, the residents there were most likely World Serpent executives, or their families, or their descendants, in any case, they would definitely be World Serpent's people.
"Ms. Yae Sakura, are you there?"
Lin Wei took a breath and called out the name in his mind, feeling a little nervous. This was the first time he was trying to contact her outside of the Elysian Realm.
In the Stigmata space, the Yae Village was at midday, but the sunlight was as gentle and warm as spring. The leaves rustled as they swayed, the warm breeze brushed over the flower beds, bringing gentleness and fragrance into the ordinary homes,
"Big Sister, good afternoon. Big Sister has important things to do, I will take a nap obediently, and won't cause any trouble for Big Sister."
In an ordinary house, a little girl was nestled comfortably in her blanket, her big, bright eyes were closed obediently, and her pink short hair was spread softly on the pillow, with a few strands of bright red mixed in, which made it look quite striking.
"Okay, good girl. Big Sister will be right back."
Yae Sakura smiled gently, tucked her in, and then got up lightly. She then quietly closed the door, not wanting to disturb her sister's rest.
In the flower bed outside the house, there wasn't a riot of colors, just a few ordinary flowers.
Just as she exited the room, she was drawn to the eye-catching flowers. Although they were ordinary, her younger sister liked them very much. She would often weed them, water them, and take good care of them.
It's really good, isn't it?
It seemed like she had made Lin Wei wait for a little too long, how impolite.
Yae Sakura smiled slightly and began to connect to Lin Wei's consciousness.
"Why is Lin Wei-kun still so distant? If you keep doing that, Yae Sakura might really disappear, you know~ What do you need? You can tell me directly."
Yae Sakura joked playfully, she was always quite proactive.
"...Okay, sorry. And don't call me 'Lin Wei-kun' either, it sounds weird. Just call me Lin Wei, that's what my mom and dad always called me, I'm used to it."
Lin Wei sighed in relief, as long as he could communicate with Yae Sakura. It would be best if their friendship could continue,
"So, should I call you 'Sakura,' or 'Yae Sakura'? Um, I hope you won't think I'm being too distant."
Yae Sakura turned her head, looked at the sleeping girl through the window, and sighed,
"I don't like 'Sakura,' so you should call me 'Yae Sakura' from now on."
Okay, it does sound a bit uncomfortable like looking in a mirror.
Lin Wei shook his head helplessly, Yae Sakura did have some stubbornness in her personality.
"It's nothing, I just wanted to chat with you. We've left the Elysian Realm now, and we're about to leave the World Serpent as well. They didn't make things difficult for me. This has made me a little confused, I don't really know what to do."
Lin Wei found a bare rock by the roadside and sat down. There was no one to bother him now, so it was a good time to organize his thoughts and information.
As for plans for the future? Lin Wei felt like he had lost the motivation to plan his future.
It was a very strange feeling. The two of them were clearly in two different worlds, one in reality and one in the Stigmata; one in the past and one in the present; and even once, one was inside the game, and the other was outside the game.
But now, it was like a common thread was connecting them, a sense of trust that allowed Lin Wei to feel that he could speak his mind freely.
He stretched out his hand, and a delicate black box obediently appeared in the palm of his hand. It then floated into the air as if it had a life of its own, circling Lin Wei's body slowly and affectionately, just like it did in the Elysian Realm.
The presence of Yae Sakura and Pandora reassured Lin Wei's inexplicably panicky heart. His past efforts were not in vain.
As for the future...
"Heh, don't laugh at me, but I have this feeling like I've finished a game and I don't know what to do next. I want to hear your advice."
Lin Wei complained to Yae Sakura. She had learned a lot of modern knowledge in the Elysian Realm during the past year, so she was no longer a village girl and could understand what he was trying to say.
Yae Sakura chuckled, "Are you sure you want to listen to the advice of someone from five hundred years ago? Be careful you don't get the short end of the stick!"
"It's good to listen to different opinions, and you've also read my memories, so there are things that I can only talk to you about."
Lin Wei said helplessly.
Actually, Fu Hua could also be a listener, but first of all, she wasn't by his side, and secondly, she had already stripped away her memories of the future.
"You know that I don't have any sense of belonging to this world, I just ended up here by some strange turn of events. Then it felt like I was being pushed by fate, with death chasing me until I got to where I am today."
Lin Wei reached out, made a fist, then opened it, then made a fist again, then opened it, feeling the changes in his body's strength. Although it wasn't as obvious as it was in the Elysian Realm, he was still much stronger than he was a year ago.
"Look, now I seem like I can control my own destiny, at least I don't have to worry about being corrupted by Honkai and dying anymore. But what about after that?"
Lin Wei thought of Raven, who just wanted to live an ordinary life away from fighting. It felt like he was seeing a reflection of himself,
"I can't go back to my past life anymore! Although I don't want to admit it, I'm already on the edge of the storm. If I'm not careful, I will really step into it."
Lin Wei laughed bitterly, what is the truth of this world?
Honkai, humanity versus Honkai, and the organizations that represent the war, that control humanity's fate, as well as Herrschers, Stigmata, and Divine Keys...
Which of these things have I not gotten involved in?
Yae Sakura climbed onto the shrine, looking down at the peaceful Yae Village at the foot of the mountain, understanding Lin Wei's struggle.
Yes, if you could live a good life, who would be willing to fight and kill?
Moreover...
"And what if, because of my excessive activity, I caused unpredictable changes in the future? What if I have to clean up the mess I created because of my recklessness? What if I have to shoulder such a heavy mission as fighting the Honkai and saving humanity? What a joke!"
Lin Wei thought about that terrible future, and jumped up. Absolutely not!
I'm just an ordinary person, I was in the past, I am now, and I will be in the future!
I don't want to be a hero, and I definitely don't want to be a savior. I don't have the ability!
"This world already has its heroes and saviors. I just need to make sure that I don't make trouble, right? I just need to restrain myself, endure, and not do stupid things, and make sure that everything doesn't deviate from its path. Once everything is over, I can just find a quiet place to live peacefully, right?"
Lin Wei was rambling to Yae Sakura, his tone somewhat excited, and he seemed quite uneasy.
Yae Sakura also felt his unease, and smiled, directly pointing it out—
"You don't even believe these words yourself, do you?"
Silence...
Lin Wei suddenly found himself wanting to deceive himself like Raven, burying his head in the sand, and pretending that nothing had happened.
But he couldn't.
"Yeah, it's impossible. Even if I've escaped Schicksal's sight, I've already exposed myself to their eyes again, how can I possibly hide?"
The power of the Divine Keys was vital in this world.
And as someone who possessed a Divine Key, he was no longer the nameless nobody that was struggling to survive a year ago!
The World Serpent's plans for the future must have already taken into account the variable that he had become.
And Schicksal...
Elysia was right, he had already changed a lot of things!
"Huff... huff... huff..."
The more Lin Wei thought about it, the more frustrated he became. The more frustrated he was, the more he wanted to vent. As soon as he had the urge to vent...
Lin Wei forced himself to calm down and was scared of his reckless thoughts.
No, I can't be reckless, I can't act willfully. I can't afford the consequences.
"After all, I'm a transmigrator..."
Yae Sakura, who was connected to his consciousness, sensed the fear and anxiety in Lin Wei's heart and gently comforted his uneasiness.
"Heh, yeah... A transmigrator!"
Lin Wei laughed mockingly.
Changing a world, how grand and romantic does that sound!
But the pressure and responsibility that came with it was not something that ordinary people could understand.
How many people would live because of you, and how many innocent people would die because of you?
The world might be plunged into chaos because of you, civilization might be annihilated because of you;
Are you ready to shoulder all of this?
Someone seemed to be asking him in the darkness.
Lin Wei wanted to scream, "To hell with you! I'm not!"
But it seemed that God wasn't going to give him that chance.
"I really want to go back to the Elysian Realm and hide. Why should I care about the troubles of this world!"
At that moment, Lin Wei seemed to understand why Gray Serpent had generously let him leave—
He seemed to have planned from the very beginning for me to stand in the center of all this!
But what was his motive? Lin Wei didn't understand.
Although Lin Wei knew that Gray Serpent had always been tolerant towards humans with value. Just like how he had insulted Cocolia but made an exception for Einstein—even the shot he had fired at her was just a tranquilizer, and he even gave her a life lesson.
But she was one of humanity's top scientists, she should be protected. So what am I?
If I can't understand, I'll just stop thinking about it for now.
"Have you made a decision?"
Yae Sakura smiled slightly. She hadn't said much from beginning to end, and she hadn't offered any advice. She knew that the man whose soul was connected to hers had a very strong will, and that he would make his own decisions. As for her, she just needed to listen, and...
"Yeah, thinking about all that stuff is useless. Let's find a place to settle down first."
Lin Wei sighed and gathered his thoughts.
Those were too big of questions. He wouldn't be able to figure them out by just idly thinking about them.
Let's just take things one step at a time.
Fine, whatever!
"No matter what the future holds, Lin Wei-kun, this body and this sword will only fight for you."
And to support him...
To the man who had used such an unreasonable and forceful way to save her from the nightmare and give her a new life, Yae Sakura felt that this was all she needed to do.
"Ah, thank you..."
Lin Wei was a little touched by Yae Sakura's confession. What had he done to deserve this?
And the feeling of having someone by his side, it was really good.
Yae Sakura smiled gently, cut off the connection, and left reality to Lin Wei.
Lin Wei stood up and took a few steps forward. Then, he turned around sharply and drew his sword. The crimson blade flashed by, slicing the rock he had been sitting on into two halves.
Lin Wei sheathed his sword without even looking, that's so cool.
And then...
"Thump!"
Lin Wei planted his sheathed katana on the ground, and his whole body slumped against it like a dead dog, barely supporting his trembling limbs from falling on the ground. He was panting heavily, his vision was black,
"Damn, dizzy... This sword is really something..."
Fu Hua was right, don't just randomly unsheathe it, he couldn't handle it.
After catching his breath and his vision no longer blurry, he gradually began to recover his strength,
"Hah, that outburst felt so much better."
His body was very uncomfortable, that was true, but his heart felt much lighter.
Now that he had gotten rid of all the complicated emotions, his mind could focus on thinking.
In addition, he really did need to train this body. After being nourished by the Stigmata for half a year, in game terms, it was like he had accumulated a lot of skill points, which he could now use to level up his skills.
Lin Wei clicked his tongue, Hua was right, even when back in reality, he still needed to train.
Ugh, why is Hua's shadow everywhere I go?
After resting for a while, Lin Wei felt like he had mostly recovered his strength.
He took out his phone and made a call.
"Hello? Seriously, why are you so troublesome? It's only been a short while since we separated, alright? Just so you know, if it's for some private request, I'm sorry, but I'm not available today."
The call was picked up and a lazy female voice came through, her tone was rather impatient and not polite at all.
Who else could it be but Raven?
"Oh, it's nothing important. I guess you haven't gone far. I do need your help with something. It's not really a request... To put it simply, I'm homeless, and I want to ask if I could stay with you for a few days. Please take me in! ...Oh right, you've already resigned, so calling you 'Raven' doesn't seem right. What should I call you from now on?"
Lin Wei spoke as if it was the most natural thing in the world, as if he was just stating the obvious.
Raven, who was leisurely drinking wine alone in Gray Serpent's meeting room, was so angry that she almost crushed her phone.
How can someone be so shameless?!
Chapter 70: Times Have Changed
"You're still here?"
Lin Wei looked at Raven, who had appeared as suddenly as a ghost with a whoosh, just moments after he hung up the phone. He had a strange expression on his face, you really didn't leave?
He had to admit, that entrance with black feathers fluttering everywhere was pretty cool.
"...Should I leave then?"
Raven retorted irritably, I shouldn't have bothered with you!
Without another word, she prepared to disappear.
"No, no, no! I was just curious, didn't you leave earlier? You came back right after I hung up, are people from World Serpent always this efficient?"
Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, take notes!
Lin Wei quickly stopped her.
There was no helping it, he had to be polite since he was asking for a favor.
If he wanted to ask for shelter, he couldn't afford to be arrogant.
"Heh, really? Do you think everyone is like you, able to stay in the Elysian Realm for half a year without a word, like a young master who doesn't have to worry about anything? Us pitiful workers have to go through procedures to resign."
Raven made up an excuse,
"Do you expect me, a resigned employee, to wait around during your meeting with Gray Serpent?"
Well, that does sound reasonable.
Lin Wei didn't want to delve into how much truth there was in her words. It would only make things awkward if he pushed it.
He had already confirmed that Gray Serpent currently held no hostility towards him. Confirming this key point was enough, it was better to remain ignorant about the other details.
Moreover, at the moment, who else could he turn to for help besides her?
Lin Wei was helpless, he couldn't call Fu Hua from halfway across the world, could he?
Could he ask Gray Serpent? No way!
He was probably waiting for Lin Wei to go back to him, so he could lord over him.
As for Raven, what conflicts of interest could they possibly have?
Lin Wei looked at Raven's profile, stubborn and slender. She used a black hood to isolate herself from the world, almost blending in with the darkening sky.
They were both pitiful people swept up in the currents of this world, forced into this game, unable to control their own fate.
Besides, from what he knew of the original storyline, Raven wasn't someone who prioritized profit above all else; in fact, she was quite sentimental.
It was easier to deal with...
Cough, no, it was easier to trust people like that!
"So, what is it? Are you planning to hitch a ride home?"
Raven seemed to have forgotten what she had said on the phone earlier. She wanted to see what this guy would come up with.
"I told you on the phone earlier, I want to stay with you for a few days, Natasha. I have nowhere else to go."
Lin Wei said pitifully.
She already told me her name on the phone, and now she's trying to deny it?
"Heh, I'm sorry, Mr. Lin Wei. I only take in homeless children, not homeless adults. Unfortunately, you're too old."
Raven glanced at Lin Wei up and down with feigned scrutiny, her tone blunt,
"I'm a mercenary, not a philanthropist. For old times' sake, I can give you a ride. It's not a commission, so it's free."
"Then where should I go? The World Serpent doesn't want me, I can't go back to the Elysian Realm, I really don't know where to go next... Home? Heh, my home was destroyed in the 3rd Honkai! I don't have many people in this world that I can call 'friends.' After thinking about it, the only person I can ask for help is you, Natasha."
Lin Wei appealed to her emotions, then suddenly scoffed,
"You're not going to send me back to St. Freya, are you? Don't be ridiculous... After disappearing for half a year and suddenly reappearing, I'll probably be taken away by Schicksal the moment I land! Those Schicksal people, heh, I can't afford to mess with them."
Raven was a survivor of the 2nd Honkai, and because of the truth behind the 2nd Honkai, she had a strong aversion to Schicksal.
Therefore, emphasizing his identity as a "Honkai survivor" and the fact that "Schicksal might be a threat to him" could greatly improve his relationship with Raven.
Besides, what he said was true, he wasn't lying!
Lin Wei felt justified.
Times have changed. Last time, successfully hiding near St. Freya was because it was a blind spot. Going there now would be like walking into a tiger's den.
He had finally escaped Schicksal's sight, and now he was going to go back to St. Freya to die?
I'm not crazy!
"...If there's really no other way, then send me to Nagazora. I'm relatively familiar with that place. Since it's a dead zone, there shouldn't be anyone to bother me there."
This was Lin Wei's real request - to return to Nagazora.
Times have changed.
A year ago, Nagazora was a dead zone that he had to escape quickly, but now, a year later, it had become his best hiding place.
Lin Wei thought that with his current Honkai resistance, the residual Honkai energy, and the possible Honkai beasts and zombies in Nagazora were basically no threat to him.
It was a city that could originally accommodate millions of people. In such a large area of ruins, he could hide there for two years without any problems.
Lin Wei had already made up his mind, once he went in, he wasn't coming out!
It would be nice to just bask in the sun like Pardo, wouldn't it?
As for the World Serpent, he was indeed always under their surveillance.
But as long as he made his stance clear, stayed in Nagazora, acted harmless like a little white rabbit, didn't go out, didn't cause trouble, and didn't threaten any of World Serpent's plans, wouldn't that be fine?
How did that saying go again?
As long as I lie down flat enough, then I'm invincible!
I don't care what you're planning, Gray Serpent.
As long as I just lie down and do nothing, and don't cause any trouble, you can't just come and beat me up, can you?
Plan successful!
Lin Wei looked at Raven frankly, stating his true needs,
"If you send me back, then Schicksal definitely won't be able to find me, right?"
World Serpent's ability to hide themselves was truly impressive!
The fact that they had their headquarters in North Africa, basically face to face with Schicksal, and Otto hadn't been able to find them after all these years, was proof enough~
(ノへ￣,)
Overseer , are you even trying?
"..."
Raven was speechless, Nagazora? Of all places?
Looking at Lin Wei's harmless expression, and recalling their similar life experiences, how both of them had everything taken away by the sudden Honkai, she couldn't help but soften.
I really owe you one. Raven sighed helplessly. But she said,
"Fine, I just so happen to have taken in some orphaned survivors from Nagazora and set up a temporary shelter there... Don't look at me like that, I'm not being irresponsible, it's a long story."
Raven felt a strange look from Lin Wei, and mistaking it for an accusation, she glared back,
"Besides me, there are only children in the shelter. For reasons you also know, there are very few boys, and we've been short-handed for some of the more physically demanding tasks, so, taking you in temporarily isn't impossible."
Raven looked Lin Wei up and down, and made a disgusted expression. Like an HR manager from a big company, she said condescendingly,
"I happen to have some jobs like climbing, carrying heavy objects, and unclogging sewers, and I need to hire a temporary worker to do some odd jobs for a few days. As for payment... Room and board, no salary. Are you in?"
She's making it sound pretty convincing...
Lin Wei touched his nose. She's already offered me a way out, so what am I waiting for?
"Heh, good choice. My car is on the other side, follow me."
Raven was satisfied with Lin Wei's attitude. She glanced at the smooth cut between the two halves of the boulder, took his arm, and with a 'whoosh,' the two of them disappeared from the spot, leaving only black feathers fluttering in the air.
"Hey! Hey! Slow down!"
Lin Wei's distant cry faded in the wind, barely audible.
.........
The sun had already set, and the small town in the distance was brightly lit. There wasn't the noise and flashing lights of a city, only peace and tranquility, as if it was just an ordinary town.
"Hehe, I told you, he won't play these boring games with you. Jackal, it's time to put away your silly traps."
Gray Serpent appeared out of nowhere, walking into the town with relaxed steps.
The climate in North Africa was very dry, with very little rainfall. Walking outside with an umbrella in this weather could be called performance art, but no one seemed to mind his strange behavior.
No, there was someone.
"Hmph, you let Raven interfere?"
A slender woman with a dog-like mask walked out of the town and came in front of Gray Serpent, her tone quite indignant,
"A mere ant, how dare he be so impudent! If we let him off so easily, what about the Serpent's dignity?"
How could Jackal not realize that she had been scammed a year ago?
And out of all the people in World Serpent, why her? It was so infuriating!
The sudden humiliation made her furious, and she had been holding a grudge for a long time, waiting for an opportunity, until today.
Therefore, she was even more dissatisfied with her failure, and vented all her anger at Gray Serpent,
"You told Raven to save him, didn't you?"
"And this man is such a valuable specimen! A natural Stigmata implanted from the outside, it sounds like a complete paradox, yet it's so naturally integrated!"
Jackal was immersed in her scientific dreams, her tone becoming more and more excited. She wanted to rip off her mask and curse at Gray Serpent,
"Don't you know how much capturing him would contribute to our Stigmata Project? And you just let him go! You, you're committing a crime!"
"Hehehe, calm down, Jackal, I didn't order Raven, I didn't give her any hints, and I certainly didn't give that man any clues."
Gray Serpent chuckled and endured all the insults, not getting angry at all,
"After all, as an excellent scientist, you should also understand that things have their own laws of development. The purpose of an experiment is to observe and verify, not to interfere with the process. That wouldn't be in line with my aesthetics."
"Are you saying that ant discovered my presence on his own?"
Jackal was unconvinced, how was that possible?
"Whether he did or not, what's the difference? I'm glad he didn't step foot in here, otherwise the Serpent would have lost a valuable companion today."
Gray Serpent's tone was as calm and measured as ever.
"Oh? You actually agreed to let him join the organization?"
Jackal raised an eyebrow, quite dissatisfied with Gray Serpent's decision.
"No, I'm talking about you, Jackal. Now, put away your silly toys and traps, if you really encounter him, they will only become weapons that kill you."
As Gray Serpent's voice fell, the brightly lit town suddenly fell into darkness. Then, the quiet turned noisy, the creaking of transforming machinery, the sticky sounds of twisting limbs, and the rustling sounds of footsteps mixed together, turning the quiet town eerily lively.
If either Jackal or Gray Serpent turned around now, they would see a large number of eerie, crimson dots, like the eyes of evil spirits, staring at them.
Those were indicator lights from various mechs, bio-engineered bodies, Honkai beasts, and zombies implanted with control systems. Hundreds, thousands, densely packed together.
The peaceful town had disappeared, or rather, it never existed.
Jackal clicked her tongue in annoyance and took out a controller from her sacrificial robe. She pressed a few buttons, and the horde of monsters that looked so daunting seemed to have received some kind of command. They formed an orderly line and walked into some sort of passage.
"You're talking about the 12th Divine Key? Heh, a pitiful insect who didn't even have Honkai resistance a year ago. I'd really like to see if he can wield that miraculous power."
Jackal's tone was full of disdain. Then she turned and stared at Gray Serpent with an extremely serious tone,
"What happened today, I will report to the Lord when he returns."
"Hehe, feel free."
Gray Serpent didn't seem to care at all. Instead, he made an elegant welcoming gesture,
"Also, I think you've misunderstood something, Jackal. I didn't stop you - after today, you can still do whatever research you want, even if you want to capture that man and send him to your lab. Heh, of course, as a fellow companion, I have to give you a friendly reminder. I do not recommend you do so."
Jackal looked at Gray Serpent with some puzzlement.
"After all, the Lord has also expressed interest in him. I think you should understand what that means."
Gray Serpent stopped there, opened his umbrella, and left on his own, quickly disappearing into the night. The rustling of his footsteps gradually faded away.
"...Such theatrics!"
Jackal was silent for a while and then reluctantly left.
There will be other opportunities!
Jackal gritted her teeth and thought hatefully, she had not given up.
The night wind picked up the sand and dust, burying the footprints of humans, erasing all traces.
The camera zoomed out, and the tall, ancient pyramid had also disappeared from its original spot, as if it had never existed.
All that remained was a desolate, uninhabited desert, as it had always been.
Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
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