My days as a Simulation Herrscher since the Honkai Impact

On the contrary, the passageway is exceptionally wide, allowing two or three rows of vehicles to pass side by side.

After all, Valhalla is a military building that produces all kinds of large-scale mechanical military products. Moreover, it was designed from the beginning to take into account that everyone walking in Valhalla except Dr. May is a superhuman with no problem with dark vision. Light is useless to mechanical soldiers, so there is no actual need for lighting.

Heavy footsteps echoed through the corridor. Keqing, her body encased in liquid metal, walked past stiffly, her limbs trembling, like a zombie crawling out of some Western movie. Her shadow was stretched long by the light, and the empty echo reverberated throughout the corridor.

Ke Qing closed her eyes, still reliving the scenes she had just witnessed.

Bai Chen did indeed take her on a tour of the various production lines, which was no secret to Bai Chen's machinery factory. The Teyvat continent simply did not possess the necessary conditions to replicate these mechanical production methods. Even if the most famous alchemist on the continent were to observe the factory, the gap between Honkai energy machines and alchemy was so vast that it was almost despairing.

Those industrial machine tools, stretching as far as the eye can see, exude a menacing and heavy aura of massive machinery just by standing aside. Hundreds and thousands of metal parts, whose purpose is completely unknown, flow through conveyor belts, then are assembled and categorized by robotic arms in one sealed room after another, before being sent to the next room for welding and assembly.

Countless robots shuttled along the production line. Some of these robots were created by Bai Chen using the power of the Herrscher of Reason. His extreme control over the Herrscher's power made each of these robots appear to have the strength of a heavy machine from the ruins of the Keria civilization—after all, that thing was just a tiller in the past and wouldn't be stronger than a multi-armed work robot equipped with an ion heat gun.

Anyone from the Middle Ages who saw modern industrial factories would be filled with awe and genuine fear. The handcrafted methods they upheld seemed so small and vulnerable in the face of massive metal machinery and fiery steel.

Keqing, who was still in the era of small workshops and family industries, was no exception, especially since she had just visited the core of Valhalla, the Hephaestus steel furnace.

A gigantic furnace, hundreds of meters underground and 30 meters high, is powered by a high-concentration Honkai energy core. Bronya, the Herrscher of Reason, replenishes the Honkai energy core with energy every so often. When Keqing rides the elevator and slowly descends from above, it's as if she's looking down from the top of a volcano, seeing the gushing lava and flames. The high temperature distorts the air above, and the scorching air currents seem to be scorching everything in the world.

The molten steel poured down from the top of the furnace like a never-ending waterfall of flames, accompanied by the roar of machinery crushing steel, the hammering of heavy weights shaping steel, and the hissing of high-energy ion saws cutting steel into shape... These sounds struck Ke Qing's heart, making her hands and feet grow colder and colder, as if her heart had sunk to the bottom of the far north abyss.

These are completely different concepts. Even if all the blacksmiths in Liyue Harbor worked day and night for a month, they could only produce enough armor and weapons to arm a thousand people. Their monthly output couldn't even compare to the output of a single smelting in this blast furnace. This despairing gap in productivity would have devastating consequences should war break out.

Keqing had not forgotten that the Hall of Heroes was built in just one night, from nowhere to its complete establishment.

To construct such magnificent buildings and create such unbelievable industrial factories in a single night—this is a race born for war, a power born for war. If they can achieve this in just one day, what will become of these demons if given a month or even a year? Who can stop their rampage on this continent of Teyvat?!

It's not that Keqing doesn't trust her Lord Morax, but as a member of the Liyue Seven Stars, she can't deceive herself with lies, nor can she blindly believe that the Geo Archon can resolve all conflicts in the world and defeat all enemies.

Moreover, these are not enemies of this world, but devils from beyond, inhuman demons, and cunning creatures who toy with life.

"Next, we're heading to the missile workshop, where they're currently manufacturing high-powered intercontinental ballistic missiles. I know you don't know what an intercontinental ballistic missile is, so let me explain it simply. It's a high-powered, long-range explosive; just seven or eight missiles can cover the entire city of Mondstadt. As for the range, if we measure it by your distance, launching it from Mondstadt would be enough to flatten the island of Inazuma."

Bai Chen did not explain the guidance issue to Ke Qing. Before having precision guidance capabilities, these intercontinental ballistic missiles were at most used to bomb the seawater to demonstrate their power and intimidate the Teyvat natives.

Although he planned to build several artificial satellites and launch them into the skies above Teyvat when he had time, at least to observe the Sky Isles, that would require moving the Hall of Heroes to the Laminariat to mine more minerals. As of now, Bai Chen hadn't found enough materials to build the satellites.

"There's no need to continue. This is enough. Bai Chen, what exactly do you, or rather, all of you, intend to do to our world? And what kind of help do you need from me?"

Keqing sighed deeply. She knew that Bai Chen was leading her on a tour of his base to intimidate and threaten her. But she had to admit that she was indeed threatened. In any case, she didn't want to see these mechanical soldiers, endlessly manufactured on the assembly line, rushing into the streets and alleys of Liyue in droves.

I don't want to see those soldiers I know, their vibrant lives crushed by these cold, emotionless metal objects. Even if a vibrant life perishes with the enemy, all that's gained is a broken tool that can be recycled and reused.

“It’s a pleasure to talk to intelligent people. Miss Keqing, I hope you can join us and become our representative on this Teyvat continent. As you can see, although we are peace-loving, kind, and helpful citizens, we also have enough power to take what we need.” Bai Chen’s voice was tinged with laughter.

"I believe you don't want to see us destroy the civilization on this continent by force and dig for treasures in the ruins. So, how about becoming our negotiator? I believe that if it were Miss Keqing, she could save countless lives."

Chapter Sixteen: Grandma Ping vs. the Young People

"This city is unexpectedly prosperous."

Kiana stood beside a rock on the mountaintop, gazing down at the magnificent port city.

It's strange, really. Despite the immeasurable distance between them, Liyue Harbor and Shenzhou in the Honkai world share many similarities.

If Kiana didn't know she was in Teyvat, looking at the ornate and painted buildings of China below, she would think she was visiting a nostalgic ancient town in China.

"And it's a peaceful city, but I wonder how long this peace will last." Raiden Mei stood beside Kiana with her arms crossed, gazing at the beautiful city below.

They carried the Keqing hair that Bai Chen had given them, and just before they were about to leave, Otto stopped them and handed them a bag of letters from their families that he had somehow obtained from the captured Thousand Rock soldiers.

This was actually the work of Saint Karen. Although she is hailed as the Saint of Destiny and is probably the most compassionate person in the group, Karen is not a complete saint. While she will protect those unarmed and innocent people, she will not be merciful to the enemy soldiers if they are on opposing sides.

After all, she had participated in the Eastern Expedition of Destiny, and in that massive battle, countless families were torn apart and people perished.

"Should we deliver the message first, or give Keqing's hair to the...Liyue Seven Stars Council of this city?" Kiana asked Mei, unsure of what to do.

"Let's go deliver the message first. Anyway, the mansion in the sky is so big, the people living there can't possibly run away." Mei pointed to the sky.

With the Herrscher's keen eyesight, even from a great distance, they could clearly see the artificial island floating in the sky—the Jade Pavilion. The Jade Pavilion was nothing special to Kiana and Mei; the Hyperion, as a space battleship, was much larger than that artificial island.

But in Liyue at this time, with its agricultural and family-run workshop-based civilization, the ability to create such a man-made structure that floats in the sky and never falls is nothing short of a marvel. Even a fool would think that the people living there must have been both wealthy and noble, undoubtedly among the most powerful figures in the city.

Kiana nodded, reached out and pressed her hand on the space in front of her, and a portal leading to the city below appeared before her.

The Kiana of today is not the Kiana of the past. She is very familiar with the abilities of the Herrscher of the Void, and the other Herrscher consciousness, Sirin, located in her body, is no longer as covetous of her body as before.

Kiana's sleep quality has been excellent lately, and she's no longer frequently woken from her dreams or feeling threatened by Sirin. According to Fu Hua, this is due to Bai Chen's interference. Sirin knows that even if she takes over Kiana's body, that man will likely force her back in, so she might as well wait patiently for an opportunity.

After thoroughly teaching Kiana all the techniques of the Taixu Divine Sword, Fu Hua even considered separating her consciousness from Kiana's body. Unlike the other timeline where she was severely injured by Kevin and could only lie unconscious in the Feather Dust, Fu Hua's consciousness was now healthy and robust, to the point that she vaguely sensed something ominous was about to happen to her.

This unease wasn't about to befall her spirit, but rather that something seemed to have happened to her physical body. Fu Hua now knew that her body had been retrieved by Otto and placed in Schicksal's incubation chamber after her death, but unfortunately, before she could leave Kiana's sea of ​​consciousness to find her physical body in Schicksal, she was taken into the world of Teyvat.

Meanwhile, in the distant, devastated world, the immortal body left behind by the Crimson Iris Immortal, resembling a cicada's molt, is undergoing a shocking transformation. Unfortunately, the only two people capable of stopping this change are currently not within the devastated world, and thus, the situation inevitably veers in a strange and unpredictable direction.

Getting back to the main point, Kiana opened the portal and prepared to lead Mei to infiltrate Liyue Harbor. After all, neither of them had a pass to complete the game, nor any identification. Entering Liyue Harbor openly through the main road would require an unknown amount of effort.

However, what Kiana didn't know was that although Teyvat was a seemingly backward medieval world, it actually had many strange and advanced technologies. For example, in Liyue Harbor, there were many immortals and half-immortal beasts.

At this moment, in Liyue Harbor, at Yujingtai.

This is the largest sacrificial site in Liyue. Not only are there many Thousand Rock Army soldiers patrolling and guarding it at all times, but ordinary people without a certain status and position cannot even get close to it.

In a small alley near Yujingtai, an elderly woman, over sixty years old, with a full head of white hair, wearing coarse cloth clothes and thin-rimmed reading glasses, was bending over and tidying up her antique stall.

This alley is rarely visited, so setting up a stall here wouldn't earn much money. However, the old woman doesn't set up her stall to make money; she simply wants to keep herself occupied and also to better integrate into the city and experience the everyday life of its inhabitants.

She was certainly no ordinary person; her age was impossible to verify, but it was certainly no younger than the city itself. No one knew her real name either; everyone simply called her Granny Ping, following generations of tradition.

Grandma Ping is one of the guardian deities of Liyue, and she is the one closest to Liyue Harbor and most integrated into the city. She always wears a kind smile as she looks at these young people who are hundreds or even thousands of years younger than her.

But just as she placed a ceramic teapot on the red cloth, an ominous energy suddenly appeared in the sky above the city, and the undisguised spatial ripples spreading in all directions caught her attention.

"Who is this old friend? Why did he come to Liyue Harbor without saying hello?"

Grandma Ping looked toward the source of the spatial ripples. She didn't think that these young people could learn and master spatial magic. Even Gan Yu, the half-immortal beast she had the best faith in, hadn't even touched the threshold of spatial magic yet.

Moreover, at the other end of the space, a faint aura emanated, even making Granny Ping tremble with fear. It reminded her of the ancient war between demons and gods; even in such an earth-shattering battle, the owner of such an aura was undoubtedly a true overlord of a region.

A powerful, unfamiliar god or demon was about to enter Liyue Harbor without saying a word, and for both reason and emotion, Grandma Ping could not stand idly by.

She reached out and wiped her hand across her antique stall, and the cart and the antiques on it all disappeared into the alley.

Originally, there was a little gadget she made herself on the car, the Dust Song Pot, a magical artifact containing a hidden world within. However, she gave the Dust Song Pot to a lovely magical girl not long ago, and now she really doesn't have any space-related items left.

However, an immortal is still an immortal. Granny Ping took a single step forward and used her magic to instantly bridge the distance between herself and the place where the spatial ripples occurred.

Within a small grove, a black and gold spatial gate slowly rotated. Grandma Ping frowned deeply. She couldn't recall any of her old friends who used spatial power possessing similar spatial magic, and the fluctuations of this power were wrong. It didn't seem like immortal magic, nor did it resemble the innate magic of a demon god. In her long life, she had never seen a similar power.

"Within the sleeve lies the universe, within the earth lies the heavens." With her hands forming hand seals and her mouth chanting incantations, Granny Ping did not intend to let the people on the other side of the space directly break into Liyue Harbor. Instead, she wanted to move this spatial wormhole away and find a secluded place outside the city to properly reason with the owner of this power.

Kiana could certainly sense what was happening here. Her spatial passage had been forcibly interfered with. The force wasn't strong, but it was very much in line with the spatial laws of the Teyvat continent. Facing the overwhelming power of the Herrscher of the Void, it felt like using minimal force to overcome great strength.

"Mei, wait a moment."

Kiana was unusually serious. This was the first time she had encountered someone besides Bai Chen who could control space. Their contest was best left unsaid; it was a pure teaching session. Whether it was understanding spatial rules, instantaneous mental calculation abilities, or the storage and application of Honkai energy, she was completely outmatched by Bai Chen, with absolutely no chance of turning the tables.

But the Granny Ping she was facing now, although she possessed exquisite spatial magic, was ultimately just a mortal's trick compared to the unreasonable power of the Herrscher of the Void.

"The Flower of Sub-Sky, in full bloom."

Behind Kiana appeared a beautiful golden flower, composed of thousands upon thousands of tiny Void Spears. Originally two meters long, these Void Spears were reduced to less than 1/20th their original size after being compressed by space, and they were tightly packed together to form this deadly Void Flower.

When it blooms, thousands upon thousands of spatial spears instantly return to their original size and are launched simultaneously in all directions. Kiana has equipped the end of each spear with a gravity circulation acceleration device. Although it cannot compare to the instantaneous burst of a warp drive, it is still a terrifying weapon that ordinary people cannot dodge.

The extremely dangerous flower vanished instantly behind Kiana and reappeared behind Granny Ping on the other side of the portal.

The immortal's keen intuition gave a frantic warning: Granny Ping, who hadn't encountered danger for hundreds of years, unexpectedly recalled the feeling of following the Rock King Emperor Morax in his conquests during the War of Gods and Demons.

"What an unwelcome guest."

With a flick of her wrists, her wide robes grew enormous, enveloping the entire forest. This was, after all, still within Liyue City; if Kiana's Sky Flower were to bloom here, countless innocent Liyue citizens would be harmed.

Although it appeared to be just ordinary fabric, Granny Ping's sleeves, imbued with spatial magic, possessed extraordinary resilience. Sub-Void Flowers bloomed, and Sub-Void Spears shot out in all directions at speeds imperceptible to the naked eye. However, these spatially-powerful Sub-Void Spears completely lost their spatial properties within Granny Ping's sleeves, being blocked like ordinary arrows before collapsing and disappearing.

Although Grandma Ping's "Hidden Power in the Sleeve" move looks very cool, her increasingly serious expression shows that using this ability is also a great burden for her.

"Friend, this is Liyue Harbor. Many innocent people rely on this port for their livelihood. If you want this old woman to spar with you, please move over here!"

Granny Ping's robes billowed as she became even more determined not to let the opposing force enter Liyue Harbor. That kind of reckless, wide-range attack, launched directly into the city center, would likely have resulted in a tragedy with hundreds of casualties if she hadn't still possessed considerable skill despite her age.

Actually, Granny Ping misunderstood Kiana. Kiana is, after all, a young girl with normal values, completely different from people like Bai Chen and Kevin who disregard life. The Herrscher has complete control over the Void Spear she creates. If Granny Ping truly cannot stop the Void Flower from blooming, Kiana herself will make the Void Spear disappear.

"Then as you wish."

Kiana tore a rift open in front of herself, and the same rift appeared in front of Granny Ping, the entrance of the rift leading to a small piece of imaginary space.

Without hesitation, Granny Ping knew that if she didn't go, Liyue Harbor would be the one to suffer. So she took out a stack of paper cranes from her sleeve, threw them into the sky, and stepped into the Imaginary Space. The paper cranes gained sentience the moment they left her hand, flapping their wings and carrying a message as they flew towards the abodes of the various immortals.

In the dim imaginary space, strangely shaped pebbles floated. Grandma Ping chose the one that looked the most solid, steadied herself, and carefully examined the two opponents who appeared opposite her.

Unexpectedly, they weren't the ancient demons she had imagined, but two very young-looking girls. They weren't using any magic to preserve their youth, nor were they sealing their memories and reincarnating like Fu Hua. Their life force was incredibly vibrant, like the rising sun, untouched by the passage of time. Their surging youthful bodies revealed their flesh and soul to be as young as their appearance.

"What brings you two young ladies to Liyue Harbor?"

Upon seeing that they were two young people, Grandma Ping became even more puzzled. She felt that Kiana and Mei were probably humanoid cubs of some kind of ferocious beast she didn't understand, and perhaps even extremely powerful ones, to the point of causing terrifying natural disasters. This was because she sensed a surging sea of ​​lightning emanating from Mei; even the strongest being she had ever seen, Inazuma's previous Thunder God, could not control lightning to such an extent.

"You're the Liyue Immortal? Perfect, you're exactly who we've been looking for." Mei didn't answer Granny Ping, but instead took out a handful of hair tied with rope from her pocket.

It was Ke Qing's hair.

Chapter Seventeen: You Can Always Trust Morax

Grandma Ping's expression froze. Immortals have a special perception of life force, so she immediately realized that the hair came from someone she knew very well.

"What have you done with Keqing?" Grandma Ping asked.

"This morning, she led your soldiers into our base. As for now, she should be in her cell having a good chat with the Wind God Barbatos." Mei's words lacked confidence because she didn't know Keqing's true situation. Based on her understanding of Bai Chen, Keqing shouldn't be in any life-threatening danger, but it wasn't impossible that she was tied to a dissection table in the laboratory and dissected.

As an ancient immortal who has lived for over a thousand years, Grandma Ping's ability to read people and distinguish truth from falsehood is at its peak. She immediately saw through Mei's insincerity, and her heart sank.

Keqing is a child raised by Granny Ping, and she is also an indispensable part of the Liyue Seven Stars system in Liyue Harbor. If Keqing were to be in mortal danger, it would be impossible to find a replacement for her in a short period of time, leaving the country in a very passive position when dealing with subsequent changes.

"With such special power, and entrusted with the important task of delivering a message, you must be quite important figures in your organization." A long cane appeared in Granny Ping's hand at some point. This was Granny Ping's weapon. Although it looked unremarkable, it actually possessed the power to split mountains and fill seas.

"Since you're here, stay. I won't force you. You can leave as soon as Keqing returns."

One after another, arrays carrying profound power appeared beneath Granny Ping's feet. Each of these arrays possessed unique power, and when combined, their combined might far exceeded the imagination of most people on this continent.

During the war between demons and gods, this magic array defeated countless ambitious demons and gods. Originally, Granny Ping thought that she would have little chance to use this power in the future, but unexpectedly, she encountered an emergency situation that she had to deal with herself.

However, what she is facing now is not the immortals, demons, or holders of the Eye of God on the Teyvat continent, but the prime plane from the distant Honkai world, the prime plane that is so vast that there are only 13 Herrschers in the same era.

Mei raised her right hand, and unimaginable surges of lightning descended from all directions of the imaginary space.