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Time flows like water, ever silently slipping away.
Kiana has spent several days within the inner space of Cosmic Juggernaut. At least, by her perception, it didn't feel brief—more than a month, at the very least.
"Zekeeee~!"
Emerging from a ripple that distorted space, Zeke frowned thoughtfully at a 3D model filled with intricate data. Just then, Kiana pounced on him.
Without looking up, Zeke sidestepped and swiftly extended his foot, perfectly tripping Kiana mid-leap.
"Thud!"
Face-first, bottom-up, she tumbled to the ground.
"Zeke!"
"Don't bother me; I'm deep in thought."
"Oh... Still, you didn't have to be so rough!"
"If you're dissatisfied, perhaps you should first reflect on your own actions."
Zeke glanced up, taking note of the girl's slightly reddened nose and bits of grass tangled in her hair, but showed no remorse. After all, this feisty young lady was quite resilient—such minor setbacks wouldn't harm her.
With tablet in hand, Zeke continued pondering as he walked past the fuming yet restrained Kiana. He headed towards the outdoor stone table used for rest and meals and took a seat.
Su quietly sipped her tea, watching as Kiana appeared behind Zeke, dramatically gesturing with exaggerated expressions while adorably avoiding any physical contact. The elderly woman could only smile, finding little else to say.
Just then, a communication signal from the real world reached Zeke's tablet.
In the real world, it had been two weeks since "Fu Hua" awakened.
Typically, observing someone's character and disposition for such a short period would only yield superficial conclusions.
However, Fu Hua was concealed within "Fu Hua's" body—even though it was technically her own—allowing her to perceive thoughts and feelings as if they were connected directly to her consciousness.
Thus, Fu Hua believed her observations had already reached a deep and comprehensive level.
Currently, all available intelligence clearly indicated that this "Fu Hua" is indeed a new Herrscher. Based on her demonstrated ability to manipulate minds, she corresponds with the title of Herrscher of Sentience. From Fu Hua's perspective, this Herrscher exhibits both innocent kindness and extreme ruthlessness; she requires proper guidance.
Yet, recalling certain past experiences, Fu Hua lacked confidence in handling personality development. Additionally, given the escalating situation and the high value of this Herrscher of Sentience, Fu Hua unhesitatingly sought assistance.
"So, that's roughly the situation. Do any of you have suggestions?"
In an empty room, Fu Hua's holographic figure sat mid-air, addressing the virtual projections before her.
Among those present at the meeting, Zeke sat deep in thought with his tablet, seemingly uninterested in Fu Hua's account. Next to him, Kiana leaned against his shoulder, biting on her lollipop and watching Fu Hua curiously.
On either side were old friends from the Sea of Quanta—Kevin and Su.
Further along, Hera gently waved her noble fan, smiling serenely as she crossed her legs gracefully. Welt, looking weary, glanced around before rolling his eyes—well, well, it seemed everyone was quite idle except for poor Zeke, who appeared absorbed in work! As a history teacher, he tirelessly devoted himself day after day, often skipping meals and losing sleep!
In response to Fu Hua's query, each person contemplated their thoughts, leading to a brief silence.
Then, Zeke lifted his head from the tablet model, looked around, and spoke first:
"How you handle this is your decision, but I have two requirements: First, maintain control over the Power of Perception. Second, avoid causing significant destruction, particularly anything that might hinder Welt's group. With your abilities, can't you manage the situation?"
"Uh... Thank you for your trust; I'll certainly do my best. So, does that mean you don't have any specific suggestions?"
"Need any advice? You're not a child anymore."
"Okay, I understand. What about everyone else? My apologies for bothering you all so abruptly, but I'd like to hear your thoughts."
Fu Hua first gave Zeke an exasperated smile at his nonchalant attitude before turning to address the others.
Kiana rolled her eyes, pulled out her lollipop, and raised her hand, ready to speak.
But Fu Hua sighed softly. "Let's skip Kiana—aside from agreeing with Zeke, I doubt you have anything else to add."
"Huh? No way, I do have suggestions!"
"...What might those be?"
"Heh heh! We can conquer her taste buds with Mei and Seele's cooking! Trust me, no one can... mmf!"
Zeke shoved the lollipop back into Kiana's mouth, effectively stopping her overly cute ramblings.
It wasn't that Kiana was genuinely naive or dim-witted; rather, she felt secure knowing both that the situation was under control and that there were several reliable adults present. In this entirely safe environment, her mind unconsciously switched to single-cell mode, making it difficult for her to think seriously.
"What did you do that for, Zeke?" Kiana asked innocently, still holding the lollipop in her mouth.
Zeke merely patted her head, sighed helplessly, and said nothing.
Hera observed this scene with a smile before folding her elegant fan gracefully and suggesting, "As I see it, since she's so deeply immersed in the role of an immortal, why not let her continue playing that part?"
"You mean, maintain this identity indefinitely?"
"Yes. From what we've witnessed, upon her rebirth, your old friend's extensive memories and hidden will likely overwhelmed her sense of self... Well, in a way, it's another timeless wonder—an unforeseen situation. In any case, if she doesn't recognize herself as a Herrscher but believes she is Fu Hua, then let her remain as Fu Hua. As long as she holds onto this belief, she'll acknowledge your bond, adhere to your moral compass and mission, and ultimately give everything she has to accomplish what you strive for: defeating Honkai. Isn't that desirable?"
Hera unfolded her fan, concealing her gleeful smirk behind it.
With the Herrscher of Sentience assuming the persona of Red Kite Immortal, Fu Hua no longer had to bear the heavy burden of her mission constantly, allowing her some respite.
At the same time, humanity's combat strength effectively doubled, thanks to the direct involvement of the Red Kite Immortal.
Taking it one step further, all the difficult and dangerous tasks could be entrusted to the Herrscher of Sentience. Even if sacrifice were necessary, Fu Hua's counterpart could handle that too—after all, even if she died, her Herrscher Core could still be recovered with no real loss. Meanwhile, Fu Hua herself would only need to discreetly support from behind the scenes, greatly reducing any potential risks.
Lastly, Fu Hua wouldn't lose her identity because of this arrangement. Those who needed to know the truth would understand, and everyone else would simply play along, fully aware of the deception.
It was twisted, but the payoff would be immense.
Kevin remained expressionless, while Fu Hua, Su, and Welt furrowed their brows, signaling their disapproval.
At that moment, Kiana raised her hand again.
"Lying is wrong. No matter how clever a lie, it's still false, and there will always come a day when it's exposed. When that happens, she'll undoubtedly be furious—she might even go berserk!"
Her comment met with silence from the others.
She wasn't incorrect; the issue was that everyone already understood this principle, making it unnecessary to point it out explicitly.
Seeming to grasp this as well, Kiana scratched her face and continued eating her lollipop, disregarding the adults' reactions.
In the end, it was Hera—the one who proposed the idea—who gently waved her fan to ease Kiana's awkwardness, adding nonchalantly:
"The saying 'one lie requires a thousand more to sustain it' is incorrect. A skillfully crafted deception can itself blur reality, making it impossible for others to expose it—no additional lies are needed to patch any holes... Hmm, anyway, if I were designing this plan, I could make her believe she's Fu Hua until death. You can have complete faith in my abilities, right, Your Majesty Zeke?"
Hera blinked innocently, perhaps bordering on feigning cuteness.
"As I've said, everything depends on Fu Hua herself. I don't care how you handle this; all that matters is the outcome."
Zeke remained unconvinced by Hera's confidence.
Everyone knew even Otto had his missteps at times. However, one undeniable fact was that before Zeke emerged, regardless of any setbacks, Otto's plans consistently progressed as intended. No unforeseen events or obstacles could significantly alter their course.
If this cunning individual genuinely set his mind to weaving a web of deceit tailored specifically for the naive Herrscher of Sentience, with everyone else's cooperation, they could create an impenetrable facade without room for doubt. There should be no need for skepticism.