41. Be My Daughter, Bronya!
Bronya Zaychik, a soldier, an assassin, a sharp blade.
For as long as she could remember, she had been trained by the military as an assassin, learning how to eliminate targets with maximum efficiency.
She had once strangled thirteen high-ranking officers with stockings, killed an entire squad of special forces in a narrow alley with just a pencil. Her physique was extraordinary, her learning ability remarkable—it seemed as though she was born for nothing but killing.
As for why she killed or what she truly wanted to do... Bronya didn't know. After all, those who controlled her had never told her. Everyone feared her, and aside from mealtimes and missions, she hardly interacted with anyone.
It was precisely because of her cruelty, indifference, and efficiency that she was fearfully referred to as the "Ural Silver Wolf."
But this time, Bronya failed. She had encountered an opponent she couldn't defeat.
Armed with nothing but a shield, that terrifying man charged through a hail of bullets into the territory, eliminating every assassin one by one.
Her most reliable sniper rifle was rendered useless—her bullets only hit his afterimages, and even her scope couldn't capture his figure.
Rather than charging through the gunfire, it was more like he was strolling leisurely through the bullets, calmly walking right up to them.
In fact, Bronya even thought she saw the man smile at her. His riot shield was utterly useless as decoration—he subdued everyone present with his bare hands.
Fortunately, this terrifying man didn't approach her but instead charged toward another mercenary. Bronya didn't even consider taking the opportunity to ambush him and decided to retreat immediately.
Then... she realized her target, the "Witch" Cocolia, had already reached her from behind under the man's cover. She tried to raise her knife to counterattack but was knocked unconscious instantly.
When she awoke... she saw a little girl standing before her. Bronya fought back, but only managed to drive her away.
And now, that dangerous man had appeared before her once again.
"Doctor, please, just calm her down. Don't hurt her. She... she's probably just having a hard time adjusting..."
In the infirmary, a small girl with short blue-black hair timidly hid behind Gao qi, peeking into the room and begging him to help soothe the girl inside.
Even though it was her first time meeting this tall man, for some reason, Seele Vollerei instinctively felt he was a kind and trustworthy person.
Inside the room, the gray-haired girl, who had just been "captured" and brought back to the orphanage, gripped a sharp fork tightly, warily watching the two adults before her like a cornered young animal.
"Hah, the 'Ural Silver Wolf'—her reputation precedes her."
Narrowing her rose-red eyes, Raven fiddled with the lace trim of her maid uniform. Though her tone was relaxed, her expression when looking at the "Silver Wolf" was filled with barely concealed anger.
"I'd suspected as much, but seeing she's just a young girl makes it hard for me to accept."
The current Raven was far less skilled at hiding her emotions than her future self. Even without Gao qi deliberately provoking her, her anger was unmistakable.
"Oh? Because you like children? Or because you relate to her? I recall you were taken away after that disaster too."
Looking at the young Raven, Gao qi patted Seele's head behind him. From her, he sensed a familiar, comforting presence. At her collar, a hint of crimson peeked out—the Stigma of Death.
It wasn't the legacy of a Herrscher of Death but a "Stigma factor" left behind by the Previous Era for this age, representing absolute hatred toward the Herrschers and the Honkai.
Yet, because their powers shared the same origin, the two felt a certain closeness.
"Hmph, the training I received wasn't as brutal as what these kids went through. I was older than her when I went on my first mission. It's just that training ground... Enough chatter. Are you going, or am I?"
Raven let out a dissatisfied snort. Though she and her brother had been forcibly separated as children, she held no grudge against World Serpent itself. In fact, she even felt there was a touch of humanity within the organization.
Aside from the odd tradition of eating noodles at every gathering and the fact that the space she was sent to for training was full of weirdos, Raven felt she'd had it much better than these child soldiers.
"Fine, I'll go. Hello there, little one. Relax. No one here is going to hurt you. You're safe here."
Shrugging, Gao qi raised his hands to show he meant no harm. With a gentle smile, he cautiously approached Bronya, stopping the moment she reacted and staying outside her safe zone.
Her expression as blank as the future "deadpan Bronya," Bronya locked eyes with Gaoqi for a full minute with a sharp gaze. When she saw he wasn't backing down and still wore that gentle smile, she finally asked, perplexed:
"Why... aren't you killing me?"
This was the first time Gaoqi had heard Bronya speak. Her heavily accented, milky-sweet Russian satisfied him instantly.
"Why would I kill you? The world isn't so cruel that I need to kill a cute little girl."
Hearing his words, Bronya's frown deepened, and her hostility intensified.
"You want... my body?"
The moment those words left her mouth, Gao qi instantly felt two sharp, panicked gazes from behind him—clearly branding him as a creep.
"Ha—what on earth is going through that little head of yours?"
Without hesitation, he turned into a blur. Before Bronya could react, Gao qi snatched the fork from her hand, reached out, and firmly pinched her cheek. Then, he pointed toward Raven at the door.
"Let me tell you, your worldview is seriously messed up, kid. Normal people have zero interest in a girl like you—no curves, no nothing. That older sister over there is more my type, though she's not exactly 'big' either."
At the door, Raven's face flushed instantly, and she shot back a fierce glare.
"I'm telling you, I just became an adult, you better not have any ideas about me!"
If I could actually fight him, I'd definitely give him a piece of my mind!
"Mmmph..."
Suppressed by Gao qi's absolute strength, for a moment Bronya thought she was about to get hit, but instead, he just gently pinched her cheek, leaving her utterly bewildered.
This person—really doesn't intend to do anything to her?
"Then… are you going to be my… master too?"
Hearing this, Gao qi and Raven exchanged a glance and couldn't help but sigh simultaneously—it seemed they'd have to go out, find this so-called "master," get some answers, and then pick him a nice gravesite.
"Don't worry, you won't have a master anymore from now on. You'll only be your own master. If you really want to call me something…"
Looking at the confused, "Ural Silver Wolf" before him, Gao qi felt as if he had gone back to the first time he saw "K423."
"Just call me Dad—don't worry, you don't have to fight anymore."
Although he'd love to marry the grown-up Bronya one day, the little Bronya here, who isn't even twelve yet, is someone Gao qi wouldn't dare touch.
"Dad… that's weird. Bronya Zaychik, just call me Bronya."
It seemed Gao qi's words—"you don't have to fight anymore"—had an effect. Bronya finally quieted down, mulling over the term "Dad."
Then, in a very soft voice, Bronya said her name. She couldn't remember who had given it to her—her mother who was no longer here, or those soldiers—but she still held onto it firmly.
And this man before her, though a bit strange… somehow, Bronya seemed to sense in him a long-forgotten care and warmth, the kind that belongs to family.
"Bronya, that's a wonderful name—alright, Seele brought you some food, eat up… it's okay, but I cook better. I'll show you my skills tonight."
Seeing Bronya calm down, Gao qi smiled slightly, brought over the tray, glanced at the somewhat clumsily made borscht, and flashed a look of culinary disdain.
At the door, Seele finally let out a soft sigh of relief, while Raven leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching the scene with great interest.
When Gao qi shot her a look as if seeking praise, Raven didn't hesitate to stick out her tongue at him.
"Dad… huh."
Now, at least, she was sure that this man truly cared about these children.
Soon, the two left Seele in the infirmary and walked out side by side, running into Cocolia, who had been waiting in the hallway.
"So, did we pass the assessment, Ms. Cocolia? I heard the children call you 'Mother' too—I hope you don't mind me stealing your title?"
Smiling confidently at Cocolia, Gao qi was full of assurance.
"I'm already an old auntie, Mr. Zero. I won't let such a small thing bother me… You two are indeed suited for this job. I hope you'll also get along well with the other children at the orphanage."
Cocolia gave a faint smile, brushed aside a strand of golden hair from her forehead, and shook Gao qi's hand again.
[And so, you became a member of Cocolia's Orphanage. Compared to the soldiers under Cocolia's command, you got along much better with the children—perhaps because the food you cooked was indeed better than military rations.]
[Besides Bronya, you also met the somewhat introverted and shy Seele Vollerei; the noisy, not-yet-modified sisters Liliya and Rozaliya; the slightly tsundere Sin Mal who always sought attention; the ever-following Isabella; the book-loving Sophia…]
[They had different personalities, but their natures were good… Well, as for Seele—maybe, perhaps, possibly—she had a little bit of goodness in her too?]
[You and Raven often carried out missions outside. You raided many Boss and bandit strongholds, rescuing numerous civilians and children.]
[Although Raven complained every day, you could tell she enjoyed it too. Every time the children called her "Sister Raven," she'd break into a genuine smile.]
[Bronya gradually adapted to the life of an ordinary child—she didn't call you "Dad," but she started calling you "Father." Among the children, Seele was closest to her.]
[Influenced by her, the other children at the orphanage also started calling you "Dad" or "Daddy." You began to regret not teaching them to call you "Big Brother" instead.]
[However, you knew that this beautiful life might not last much longer.]
[One day, you and Cocolia, returning from a mission, drove back to the orphanage.]
[The orphanage was unusually noisy, and the air carried the scent of gunpowder. You had a vague feeling something was wrong, but soon, a group of chattering children rushed out and crashed right into your arms.]
"Dad! You're back! Something big happened!"
Holding the children in his arms, Gao qi raised an eyebrow.
Soon, Gao qi's power sensed a familiar presence.
It was the power of… "Death."
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
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Raw: 崩坏模拟器,你找的人是我么?