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Durandal donned crimson imperial robes, revealing slender white legs beneath the flowing hemline. The garments accentuated her gently curving waist, further highlighting her striking figure—a beauty captivating in any world.
Under Zeke's calm, unwavering gaze, Durandal led the procession while Rita, Zhuge Kongming, and Kiana followed behind. Upon reaching him, they all knelt on one knee together.
"Your humble daughter greets the Imperial Father!"
"Your subjects greet Your Majesty!" (x3)
"Pfft—" (x2)
While the greetings from Zhuge Kongming, Rita, and Kiana were acceptable, hearing Durandal address Zeke as "Imperial Father" for the first time was too much for Senti and Kiana to suppress their laughter.
"I-imperial father? Ah-ha-ha-ha!"
"Bam! Bam! Bam!"
Senti knocked over the carefully balanced tower of pebbles she had spent ages constructing, pounding on the table with uncontrollable laughter until tears streamed down her face.
Fu Hua raised her hand to stop Senti's hysterical giggling but, stealing a glance at Zeke's grim expression—like he was staring at a corpse—she sighed and withdrew her hand, closing her eyes, unable to bear witnessing this scene any further.
Zeke remained silent, silently observing Senti for three long seconds. As her laughter grew louder without any sign of abating, Zeke clenched his fist.
"Crack! Crack!"
"Ugh!"
With two large bumps swelling atop her head, Senti slumped unconscious onto the table.
While the commotion within the simulation subsided, even greater noise erupted from the real world beyond the screen.
"Hey! Wait a minute! What do you mean 'father'? I refuse to be thrust into motherhood! Zeke, you philandering turnip, have you cheated on me again? No way!" Kiana's distraught face filled the entire screen as she fiercely yelled, bending the alloy prison bars with both hands.
Zeke pressed his fingers against his temples—a double dose of trouble, just as anticipated, finally materialized before him.
Then, high voltage surged through the bars Kiana clung to.
"Zzzt!"
"Ahhhh! Yikes!"
In reality, within her cell, Kiana lay limply on the floor, her shapely white legs occasionally twitching to demonstrate her remarkable resilience.
Outside the cell, Bronya wrinkled her nose, her delicate and slightly youthful face expressionless as she murmured thoughtfully:
"It smells quite appetizing. It's been a while since Bronya had any barbecue."
Well, let's temporarily overlook Bronya's display of sisterly affection.
In any case, Zeke finally achieved some peace and turned his attention towards the four members from the Huang Empire.
He noticed Durandal observing the projected screen with a hint of confusion on her serious yet youthful face.
"This is..."
Durandal murmured to herself but refrained from asking further questions. They were already aware that Zeke hailed from beyond their world, and anything could be possible in another realm, right? Besides, this wasn't today's primary focus—the survival of their world was the most crucial matter at hand.
However, her query left Zeke momentarily bewildered.
Introducing Kiana as someone he had raised since childhood felt inappropriate, given they had progressed far beyond mere companionship; yet referring to her as his partner seemed embarrassingly inadequate due to her boisterous demeanor.
"Um, let's just say she's my fiancée during a probationary period," Zeke responded casually.
Suddenly, louder protests erupted from the projection screen:
"Wait! There's a probationary period for engagements? I've never heard of such a thing!"
"Well, now you have."
"You didn't mention any probation when we were, uh, beep—ing, beep—ing, and beep—ing together!"
"Icarus, activate one-way silence. Mute the incoming audio."
As Zeke issued his command, the screen continued displaying Kiana's face filled with accusations and fiery indignation. However, amidst various harmonious phrases, her agitated voice indeed quieted down.
Then silently, Zeke increased the electrical output.
Soon enough, the person on the screen finally collapsed completely, pointing stubbornly forward as if making a silent accusation.
"As expected, with her physical constitution enhanced, the voltage should also be appropriately raised," Zeke nodded satisfactorily, summarizing matter-of-factly.
Fu Hua could no longer suppress her urge to remark, shaking her head helplessly between laughter and tears:
"Zeke, isn't this punishment a bit excessive? Remember, Kiana is still just a girl!"
"The rectification of genetic defects does not mean she can freely wield Herrscher powers. After battling that flawless Valkyrie, naturally, some recuperation is needed. The special current decomposes residual Honkai Energy in her body and helps mend any physical damage—it's beneficial for her."
Zeke explained without a hint of guilt, his expression resembling an unchanging iceberg as he calmly picked up his teacup for a sip.
Fu Hua frowned slightly, her small face reflecting a mix of emotions, deeply conflicted. After a moment, she spoke weakly:
"Couldn't you use a gentler approach instead? I'm honestly unsure whether you're spoiling her or tormenting her."
"...You don't understand. With some people, if you let them go unchecked for even three days, they'd try to turn everything upside down." After a brief silence, Zeke responded solemnly, his tone weary.
In that moment, Fu Hua sensed an extraordinary sense of desolation within Zeke's vacant gaze.
Although she had never been Kiana's guardian nor fully comprehended her myriad eccentric ideas and "remarkable achievements" over the years, one glance at Senti slumped unconscious on the table gradually enlightened Fu Hua.
Senti, born only a few months ago, had already caused Fu Hua considerable headaches—despite having the Book of Fuxi and Zeke's presence to keep things under control. Considering Zeke had single-handedly cared for Kiana for many years—
Fu Hua gently patted Zeke's shoulder, looking at him with sympathy in her eyes, and said, "All these years, it must have been tough."
"It's alright; one gets used to it."
"As for small techniques that yield noticeable results without causing harm, I do know a few myself. Perhaps we can share insights in the future. Given Senti's personality, I'm likely to need your experience sooner or later."
"Yes, I'll gladly share what I've learned when the time comes."
Zeke met Fu Hua's gaze, seeing determination reflected in those icy blue eyes.
With a shared understanding in their gaze, they recognized each other as fellow parents deeply troubled by child-rearing issues.
In that moment, their mutual respect deepened further, albeit somewhat oddly focused.
Zeke redirected his attention to the four individuals kneeling on one knee nearby. Due to being repeatedly distracted by these mischievous youngsters, he hadn't yet asked them to rise. Demonstrating remarkable discipline, they remained obediently kneeling until acknowledged by the retired emperor.
"Please stand," Zeke said casually, waving his hand effortlessly. Four ancient stone chairs emerged from the ground with a rumble.
As each took their seat, Fu Hua swiftly poured tea for all four. With a graceful sweep of her sleeve, she gently delivered the cups to their hands.
"Thank you, immortal!" echoed four voices in unison.
This synchronized reverence made Fu Hua glance sidelong, slightly exasperated. However, such was the custom of their era; she decided to adapt, treating it like a return to ancient Shenzhou where similar formalities prevailed, accustomed to people bowing upon meeting her.
After observing basic etiquette, Zeke, without beating around the bush, directly queried, "What is your decision?"
The trio fell silent, leaving Emperor Durandal, as the leader, to speak up.
"I implore Imperial Father to take action and save our Huang Country!"
"Do you fully understand the risks and consequences?"
"Yes."
"Was this decision made by just the four of you? Or have you consulted all living beings under heaven, willing to take this gamble with them?" Zeke posed a sharp question.
This wasn't solely about Durandal and her three companions; it concerned every life within the world bubble. Acting unilaterally required immense resolve, reflecting a highly self-centered, selfish, and arrogant choice.
Durandal sat upright like a sword, her exquisite face solemn and resolute, devoid of any hesitation in her clear emerald eyes.
"This is Durandal's decision."
"Solo rule doesn't seem your style."
"As an emperor, one must uphold the vast cosmos for their people. We did not make this public but deliberated extensively before deciding for the sake of the world. Whether it's right or wrong, Durandal does not yet know. However, the citizens of Huang Country cannot live in a fragile illusion that could shatter at any moment, nor should future generations be denied a chance at a better tomorrow. This may be our world's only opportunity; missing it would forever foreclose any hope of changing our fate. I am prepared to bear all the consequences, whatever they may be."
"If something goes awry, the entire world will vanish. Can you truly shoulder such responsibility? On what grounds do you claim this burden?"
"As Emperor of Huang Country, that's reason enough! We considered seeking the opinion of every citizen, and with the Central System's capabilities, it might have been achievable. However, neither choice would satisfy all, leading only to endless conflicts and potential chaos. In such circumstances, Durandal will make the decision on behalf of the people. If I am wrong... then let them hate me. I'd rather bear their hatred, becoming history's most detestable sinner, than forsake this opportunity for lasting progress."
Durandal crushed the teacup in her hand, blood mixing with tea as it dripped from her fingers, yet her stern expression remained unchanged.
This was indeed the decisiveness of a warrior, the awareness of an emperor, and the demeanor of a dictator.
As for right or wrong—ignoring the populace's wishes certainly invites criticism, but popular sentiment is not always correct either. In matters like these, determining what constitutes 'right' or 'wrong' becomes challenging; it ultimately depends on one's courage and conviction.
In that moment, Zeke glimpsed his own future reflected in Durandal.
One day, Zeke too would become a dictator, forcefully guiding civilization forward according to his vision. At that time, he would also disregard many individuals' opinions, shouldering alone the burden of responsibility for right or wrong.
Perhaps, he thought, he should learn from Durandal's resolve.
Zeke stood up and casually ended the video communication with the real world, opening a spatial vortex ahead.
"Let's go. Now that we've decided, there is much to be done."
As Zeke approached the space portal, he gently patted Durandal on the shoulder, unsure if it was more of a comforting gesture or encouragement.
"Yes sir!" ×4
The four individuals rose simultaneously to follow him.
Fu Hua picked up the still dazed Senti, bringing up the rear as they all stepped through the vortex, finally departing from this underwater scenic area where they had lingered for several days.