51. A Two-Person World with Rita?
Regarding the experiences of Miss Rita, an S-rank Valkyrie—making a grand entrance only to suffer a major setback halfway through—Gao Qi knew all too well.
No matter how smoothly things were going, this elegant and poised maid always managed to turn the situation into a disadvantage. Though, to be fair, it wasn't really her fault.
Gao Qi had always thought of this Valkyrie as a strategic genius from the moment she appeared. Yet, she ended up being thoroughly outsmarted by Raven and, in her attempt to escape, even deliberately crashed a transport plane into a Industrial Zone.
Honestly, even Kiana, who was with her at the time, was shocked by this sister's reckless behavior. To leave even a simple-minded girl like Kiana stunned, one had to be exceptionally daring.
After that, Sister Rita's streak of setbacks never seemed to end. When fighting the Herrscher of Ice, she and her Immortal Blades squad were instantly defeated—seriously, what kind of S-rank Valkyrie is this?
But then again, this was to be expected. The S-rank itself encompassed a wide range of abilities, and not everyone could reach Bianka's level.
Moreover, no matter how you look at it, compared to a certain former S-rank Valkyrie, Rita's setbacks were relatively few—how embarrassing, Aunt Theresa!
However, in Gao Qi's memory, Rita shouldn't have encountered any major setbacks when she first arrived in Arc City.
To be precise, Rita was somewhat like Cocolia—a force to be reckoned with in internal conflicts, always spot-on when dealing with the main cast, but prone to faltering against other enemies.
And this time, Rita was up against the Far East branch, which had already joined Anti-Entropy. Whether it was Mei, Theresa, or Gao Qi's beloved Bronya, they were all part of the main team that seemed to get bullied every day!
It was precisely because Gao Qi knew that this conflict between Schicksal and Anti-Entropy posed no real risk that he felt comfortable starting the simulation.
Later, Gray Serpent would infiltrate the Hyperion, but in the end, Bronya would resolve the crisis with the help of Fu Hua's Fenghuang Down, albeit with some close calls. Rita would also retreat immediately after obtaining the information she wanted.
In the end, no one was hurt, and the people Gao Qi cared about remained safe. Nothing could be better than such an outcome.
But Gao Qi truly never expected that even in such a straightforward mission, Miss Rita could still manage to cause trouble.
At this moment, all the Valkyries of the Immortal Blades had been dispatched to various parts of Tianqiong City to deal with the mecha forces and prevent civilians from getting caught in the crossfire. Even if Rita called for help, no one could spare the time to assist her.
Even Alvitr, who specialized in technical work and wasn't much of a fighter, had to pick up a weapon and join the fray.
Of course, Gao Qi couldn't allow Alvitr to be put in danger. In the battle against the Herrscher of Ice later, she would be instantly frozen half to death. As her friend, Gao Qi had to protect her.
"So… where are you, my dear Miss Rita, who never misses a chance to suffer a setback?"
Changing back into his Immortal Blades grunt uniform, Gao Qi navigated through the narrow alleyways between Arc City's skyscrapers, following the information on his communication terminal to track Rita's whereabouts.
At this moment, in this small city was home to three major forces: Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, and World Serpent, not to mention Kiana, the Herrscher hiding in the shadows. The chaotic situation and rapidly changing circumstances made it incredibly dangerous.
It was precisely for this reason that Gao Qi struck a small deal with Raven, simply purchasing information on the movements of all factions in Tianqiong City from her, the mercenary—though, of course, excluding World Serpent's activities.
After the simulation, Gao Qi gained a deeper understanding of the kindness and softness hidden within Raven's heart. He believed that, for certain matters, Natasha would definitely reach out to him.
Sure enough, it wasn't long before a set of coordinates was sent to Gao Qi's phone.
Gao Qi's current strength was no longer weak, but if he were to reveal it openly, it still wouldn't be enough. After all, in reality, he could only sacrifice his life once, and he dared not unleash his full power.
But when he heard that Rita had run into trouble, Gao Qi didn't hesitate to step in. There was no helping it—even though he wasn't close to her, he liked her!
Of course, this was admiration, a pure appreciation for beauty. It wasn't infidelity or two-timing. In Gao Qi's heart, Mobius was the only sun, and Hua was the only moon.
As for Cocolia and Natasha… well, add two more satellites?
Gao Qi wasn't some clueless protagonist. How could he not understand Cocolia's desire to find a father for her children or Natasha's wish to find a permanent partner for the future orphanage?
Even Mobius, who was arguably the least romantic person in the world, second only to Mei, had her heart laid bare to Gao Qi. He often shared relationship advice with Kevin as part of the "Boyfriends of Mad Scientists Alliance," so Gao Qi was now exceptionally adept at understanding women's hearts.
However, considering that he might soon meet his end, Gao Qi could only play dumb and avoid leaving too many regrets for the two of them—yet, even so, Cocolia still walked down that path.
"Forget it, I won't think about it anymore. The more I think, the more it hurts—ah, we're here."
Sighing softly, Gao Qi sprinted quickly through the darkness. Soon, his keen senses detected the eruption of several Honkai energy sources. An intense chase seemed to be unfolding in the buildings above.
Thinking this, a shimmering blue ripple surrounded Gao Qi, and his figure gradually vanished.
He entered a quantum state, much like Seele when she became a quantum ghost. He still existed in this world but was completely detached from the physical realm.
In fact, without knowledge of the quantum realm, no detection method could uncover Gao Qi's presence.
"Heh, our maid still needs my care, it seems."
——————
Meanwhile, on the rooftops, an intense chase was underway.
"Hahaha, your name is Rita, right, big sister? Won't you come play with Seele? Anti-Entropy would welcome you with open arms—come on, weren't you so enthusiastic earlier? Where's your elegance? Where's your composure?"
With pitch-black hair and crimson eyes, Seele's light blue dress had now turned a vivid red, and her azure scythe had transformed into a dark hue.
The gentle and resilient Seele had now become the wild and gleeful "Seele." Her crimson attire was also a gift "Dad" had left for the other Seele.
Over the years, Seele cherished the "gifts" she received, and the bond between the two Seele grew stronger.
After Bronya left, Seele stayed with Anti-Entropy, following Cocolia and trying to prevent dangerous experiments while participating in numerous battles.
From beginning to end, due to the vigilance preserved in the Stigmata, Seele never regarded that man as a father like Seele did, nor did she enjoy wandering around every day. However, under Seele's persistent coaxing, she would always take over control of the body and occasionally come out for a stroll.
But rather than playing silly games of affection with those foolish humans, Seele preferred other things—such as protecting Seele's wishes and satisfying her battle lust to eradicate the Honkai.
Her power, nurtured in negative emotions, grew increasingly violent, sadistic, and dangerous.
And now, she was reveling in—the fear of an S-rank Valkyrie!
"Your head is held too high! Kneel!"
The dark scythe suddenly extended and enlarged. A massive phantom of the scythe slashed directly toward Rita's head. Compared to Seele's elegant, dance-like combat style, Black Seele's fighting was more wild and insane!
Whether for her own desires or that guy's parting instructions, Seele would never allow anyone who threatened her older sister to remain alive!
Clang—
"Huff—well, even a lady can't handle attacks from so many directions."
Rita sensed the incoming strike. Her armor shuddered abruptly, and the master of the refrigerator—no, the master of frost—once again summoned icy armor to block the sharp scythe.
Then, without hesitation, Rita swung her Frost Scythe, preparing to counterattack. Though caught off guard initially, the difference in true combat skill between an S-rank Valkyrie and this little girl was worlds apart.
But before the ice scythe could strike, another bolt of lightning shot from several kilometers away. The Divine Key wasn't operating at full power; instead, it traded power for firing speed, once again paralyzing Rita's arm. A half-second delay allowed the massive scythe to slam into her shoulder!
"Mmm—my, my, little one, you really do have an elder who cares for you~~"
In the brief battle, Rita understood that the distant attacks weren't meant to kill her but to protect these children.
Dealing with both World Serpent and Anti-Entropy simultaneously was a bit too much even for an S-rank Valkyrie.
"Alright, then the game ends here, little girl. This round goes to you."
Admitting defeat cleanly, Rita stopped trying to attack the girl behind her. Instead, she clenched both fists, and a surge of ice crystals erupted instantly, obscuring Seele's and Raven's vision from afar before she vanished.
Seele wisely refrained from entering the icy mist, staying in place as her hair and eye colors lightened once more.
"Seele, the battle is over. That girl has returned to the Hyperion with us."
Bronya's voice came through the earpiece, and Seele sighed in relief, surrounded by shimmering cerulean ripples.
"Mm, I'm coming back right away, Bronya-sis."
Soon, Seele entered a quantum state, preparing to teleport back to the Hyperion. At the same time, she smiled and nodded toward the rooftop of a nearby building.
She knew that, even though they had never met, Raven-sis had been protecting them all these three years.
However, just as her form was about to disappear, Seele suddenly sensed a quantum field fluctuation somewhat similar to her own.
"Huh—weird, is it a Honkai beast?"
Seele ultimately couldn't discern anything. Amidst a flurry of drifting butterflies, her figure vanished from the spot.
Meanwhile, on the window ledge of a high-rise, Rita hung by one hand, looking utterly disheveled.
Her earlier composure had been nothing but a fragile facade. Even without these youngsters, being hit repeatedly by the 3rd Divine Key was something even the Overseer couldn't endure, let alone Rita.
"Hah, Anti-Entropy and World Serpent collaborating… I must report this immediately… Falling from here would really hurt. I hope rescue arrives soon—at least faster than any Honkai beasts."
Her fingers gradually lost strength. Staring at the ground dozens of meters below, even in her armor, Rita's expression turned grim.
Finally, Rita began to plummet toward the ground, helplessness engulfing her completely.
In that moment, she suddenly recalled the despair and helplessness from ten years ago, when she was just a middle schooler caught in a Honkai incident.
Back then, Instructor Ragna had saved Rita. But now… the two stood on opposing sides, and no one was coming to help her.
Thud—
But the next second, the expected impact never came. A gentle embrace caught her mid-air, cushioning the heavy force of the fall.
"Ouch, my hand hurts—Vice Captain Rita, if I end up with a fracture from this work injury, you'd better help me apply for compensation properly."
Then, Rita saw that familiar man, smiling brightly as he held her in a princess carry.
"Oh... Thank you for the rescue, Mr. Gao qi. Let's not return to the base just yet—we need to shake off any potential tails."
Feeling his sturdy chest, Rita couldn't help but turn her face away. As a woman, she found the position somewhat embarrassing, but she knew well that if he put her down, she might not even be able to stand steady.
"Your thanks are noted. What I want to say is—we might not be able to go back directly anyway."
Gao qi gestured ahead with his chin. In the dark depths of the alley, several faint purple glows belonging to Honkai beasts shone conspicuously.
It seemed the two-person world of Gao qi and Rita would need to last a little longer.
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?