Didn't you go to Teyvat to earn money to support me?

Even towards humans, Maria behaves in the same way. Durandal once saw Schicksal's database, which showed that Maria would even completely shred those beyond redemption who had been corrupted by Honkai, leaving no trace of their bodies. As a member of a saintly family, Maria's tyranny is, in a sense, quite freakish, so few people even consider her a gentle girl from the Schariac family, instead labeling her "Witch Maria."

It was only because of her bad reputation that many Valkyries secretly rejoiced when news spread that Maria had finally had a son, as the freakish Schariac family had finally settled down. A woman with a son is bound to have a much better temper; she even stopped going on missions and stayed home every day, devoted to her child.

Durandal initially thought so too.

But now it seems that the Schariac family has indeed changed. If they can tolerate such a violent and evil clansman, then it is not surprising that they secretly conduct Herrscher experiments.

Perhaps the Schariac family is no longer the saintly and selfless family of saints portrayed in propaganda. The fact that they can tolerate the birth of a Herrscher within the family suggests that they are rotten to the core from top to bottom!

"The Schariac family is the greatest contributor to Schicksal. It's a real shame that they've degenerated to such a state for their own selfish desires," Rita said sternly. "Lady Maria, even if the Schariacs wanted to break away from Schicksal, His Holiness the Bishop could tolerate it, but why conduct such experiments! Anna Schariac is your niece. How could you stoop so low as to raise your own blood relative as a tool of war!"

"What utter nonsense are you spouting!"

"Utterly shameless! Lady Maria, the World Serpent Organization from Northern Europe is in Munich and witnessed Anna's loss of control! Your experiments violate the Siberian Agreement and are utterly anti-human!"

"False accusations... blatant false accusations!" Maria trembled with rage. "I don't want to explain! What World Serpent? You let them confront the Shaniat family face to face! Now, get out of my way! I'm going to bring Anna back!"

Even Durandal couldn't bear it this time, suppressing her anger, "You still want to continue your artificial Herrscher experiment? Have you forgotten the Tower of Babel from twenty years ago! Maria, do you think this kind of experiment can still succeed!"

Maria paused, then gave Durandal a complicated look.

“You actually sided with Otto… Qi… Durandal.” Maria didn’t continue the conversation, but her voice lowered. “You don’t understand at all, you don’t understand anything. I don’t ask you to believe me, but you shouldn’t stand against me, against your… family.”

“I have no relatives left, Maria, and I never care about closeness or distance. I am only standing on the side of justice,” Durandal said coldly. “I don’t trust you, I don’t trust the Schariacs. Anna has lost control and is now being handled by Schicksal headquarters. If you interfere, Maria, I will consider it a last-ditch effort by the Schariacs. I also want to see if the Schariacs are truly insane!”

Maria stared at her, while Durandal returned the gaze without backing down.

Maria understood. Durandal might not have been slandering her; she genuinely believed it. Something was definitely wrong. Anna's transformation into a Herrscher had surprised everyone, yet someone was blaming them.

“Even if Shaniat were to split from Destiny, Destiny would not truly break with you,” Rita whispered. “But to cause trouble at this crucial moment when Destiny is about to undergo a complete evolution, Shaniat, you have betrayed Destiny, betrayed the pursuit of the Valkyries of all time. Your shortsightedness is disappointing.”

Why did this mishap happen just when the Destiny Headquarters was about to take off?

The Schariac family could have gotten out of control any earlier or later, but they just had to show their fangs at this particular moment! The Herrscher issue is one that Schicksal Headquarters cannot ignore. Two S-class Valkyries have been forced to come and restrain the Schariac family, so who will protect Schicksal Headquarters' launch plan?

Schariac and Schicksal headquarters do indeed clash frequently, but Rita never expected them to be so disregard for the bigger picture! Unauthorized research into Herrschers is a crime against humanity; to put it bluntly, it's even more terrifying than developing nuclear weapons. Does Schariac intend to use controllable Herrschers against Schicksal? How ridiculous! Even Schicksal doesn't have that kind of technological capability!

It was both sinful and outrageously stupid!

“What a huge accusation, you bitch.” Maria reached out and gripped her cross-shaped pistol. “We betrayed destiny? No, destiny betrayed us. The Chinese say that if you want to condemn someone, you can always find a reason. I don’t want to explain anymore. In my opinion, you are just accomplices. Who knows if Anna’s problems are related to you?”

“Lady Maria, only dogs bite back.” Rita held the scythe in her hand. “Lady Durandal, Rita will stay here to deal with Shaniat’s counterattack. Please deal with the Herrscher of Ice as soon as possible; we don’t have much time.”

Youlandel nodded.

Maria flew into a rage, “Stay here! Anna is a member of the Shaniat family, and we handle our own affairs! Even if she becomes a Herrscher, that’s our own business!”

"She's out of control in the city center, where tens of thousands of people haven't been evacuated! You're going to handle it? Can you handle it?" Rita glared at her. "Stay here, Rita! If you dare to take another step, Rita will personally execute you for crimes against humanity!"

The torrential rain around her seemed to be shaken off, and an invisible domain extended. As an S-class Valkyrie, Rita actually knew some abilities to control ice, fire, water, and lightning, but she wasn't good at those things. What she was truly good at was fighting.

Moreover, in battles between S-class Valkyries, those icing-on-the-cake abilities are useless; S-class can only rely on swords! The most primal violence erupting from the closest distance is what truly threatens the top humans on this planet!

The killing intent had already arrived. Rita faced Maria, her scythe held horizontally behind her back, like a tigress poised to strike. Maria was about to leap into the air but was forcefully forced back down by Rita's imposing presence. She knew she couldn't ignore this maid, even though she was a woman who always presented herself as charming and gentle. She was still an S-rank, a monstrous existence, and the consequence of being careless would only be death.

“I need to make this clear to you, that little Anna is Pandora’s woman.” Maria said to Rita, emphasizing each word as she watched Durandal’s figure disappear into the horizon.

Rita paused slightly, then sighed softly, "I knew it. He couldn't possibly let go of such a beautiful girl."

"That's why I must save Anna."

"Do you believe what you're saying? Besides, Lady Durandal has already made her move, so there's no need for you to put on airs."

"She will only kill her."

“That was created by you sinful parents,” Rita said softly. “So don’t mention Pandora to me. Have you ever cared about these children? Just like when you abandoned Lady Durandal.”

Maria lowered her head, and the next second she was gone.

Rita seemed to see a red plain appear before her, and on the plain, helmeted Crusaders on horseback charged forward, raising their battle banners. The army, like a sea, gradually coalesced into a blood-red expanse, and as the red became clearer, a phantom of a spear over a hundred meters long descended like a falling moon!

----------

"It's already started in both places, hasn't it?"

The audio-visual room at Schicksal headquarters remained dark. Otto stared at the two live video feeds coming from Munich and London, muttering to himself, "The Schariac family, who were most likely to cause trouble, have been restrained. The Herrscher of Ice has also fallen into the hands of World Serpent. Old friend, I've done everything I could. I don't even ask for anything in return."

Karen's 3D projection quietly watched the man sitting in the movie theater chair, and she could see the excitement surging in his eyes.

Then, a new 3D projection was illuminated two meters in front of Otto.

He was a white-haired man, about thirty years old, with a cold and resolute appearance.

The newly appeared man did not speak. The two remained silent for a while. Otto shrugged and suddenly said, "Long live the World Serpent."

The cold, white-haired man's expression remained unchanged, but he finally spoke: "The transaction is not yet complete."

“Yes, yes, of course. The proof plan can only be completed after the Herrscher of Ice experiment is a perfect success. A controllable Herrscher is a feat that no previous civilization had ever accomplished,” Otto laughed. “But in this era of civilization, this is not the first case. Although the Herrscher of the Void experiment failed, it brought us a wealth of experience. The Herrscher of Ice will definitely be able to evolve successfully through Holy Blood. After all, that is Cecilia’s Holy Blood… Cecilia herself may be even more powerful than the fully fused Herrscher of Ice.”

"Sacrificing your powerful saintess for a Herrscher of unknown risk... Hmph, putting aside whether this exchange is worthwhile, how can you be sure that the saintess would awaken an ordinary girl? That girl named Anna is neither her daughter nor someone important to her."

"She will do it. The reason she is a saint is because she has a greatness that others cannot reach. After all, she is still young. Young women are always so sentimental, like to abandon the so-called big picture, and like to sacrifice themselves for the justice in their hearts."

The man was silent for a moment before finally saying, "There are also saints in this era."

“Every era has its own. Just like Kevin, you are the Lord of the World Serpent, your power and authority surpassing almost all humans, yet you also have one in your heart. Of course, I also have one in my heart.” Otto turned his head to look at the projection of the young female priest behind him and smiled slightly.

The two people conducting this remotely projected conversation in this room are Bishop Otto of Destiny and Lord Kevin of the World Serpent. Anyone who witnessed the leaders of the greatest superhuman forces having a secret meeting here would be on high alert, because their conversations are often more shocking than anything discussed in the UN Security Council.

“Sometimes, I don’t quite understand your choices. The Schariacs are one of the strongest forces in humankind, yet you’re willing to sacrifice them,” Kevin said calmly. “How absurd, all for a Black Abyss White Flower?”

“Power that cannot be used is not power. You should understand this principle. By taking advantage of this opportunity to cause the Shaniat family to lose their saintess, we can ensure that Destiny will never fall apart again. This is a worthwhile deal. Even if not for me, it is a good move for Destiny.” Otto smiled. “The Black Abyss White Flower may not seem important to you, but the same thing is a treasure that is essential to success for another person. My plan has reached its most crucial step. The core of the Herrscher of Death is a necessity.”

"I can guess what your plan is."

"Hahaha, we're like two hyenas sharing their prey. The beautiful and holy Shaniat, that name is about to disappear from history, just like Kaslana. How tragic." Otto slapped his knee, laughing silently. "The infamy of conducting Herrscher experiments, the passing of the Saintess, the fall of an S-rank Valkyrie—think about it, how long can this family survive? Without the Saintess, the Saintess lineage is nothing more than meat that anyone can take a bite out of."

"Are you very proud?"

“No, it’s just letting them go first, and the Apocalypse family will follow.” Otto shrugged. “Once my plan succeeds, I will disappear from Schicksal and from the world’s sight. At that time, Schicksal will not have the three major families, nor a supreme ruler. Then, you can take over Schicksal at any time. Your Stigmata Project can also be truly laid out, and no one in the world will be an obstacle to you.”

"I am looking forward."

“Oh, right,” Otto suddenly remembered something and asked again, “Why are you so fond of that kid named Pandora? Isn’t it a bit of an overreaction to send an S-class to deal with him and Sirin? What’s so special about him that the Lord of the World Serpent would give him such special instructions?”

Kevin glanced at him expressionlessly.

Otto subconsciously took a step back, then spread his hands. "Just curiosity. After all, our focus, that Miss Anna, is essentially someone's girlfriend. We have to know why we're using such underhanded methods, right?"

“It’s nothing serious.” Kevin’s usually expressionless face showed a rare hint of coldness. “It’s just that my friends and I have some differences in our parenting experiences.”

Otto was stunned, his eyebrows furrowing.

Chapter 52: Secret Technique: Hunting and Lin in the West

After Kevin's figure disappeared, Otto leaned back, letting Karen's projection behind him press lightly against his temple.

He closed his eyes and pondered for a long time before finally whispering, "Karen, have I been too sinful, driving innocent people to their doom?"

“You know my answer,” Karen said softly. “Why ask again?”

"Once I've completely dealt with Schariac and obtained the Divine Key, I won't continue this kind of thing. Give me some time."

Karen's eyes were filled with endless sorrow.

“Perhaps at that time, the first thing you would do is kill me with your own hands.” Otto suddenly laughed. “Speaking of which, that child named Pandora is indeed very similar to me… We are both about to lose the people we love, both are deeply trapped in the conspiracy woven by others, and both are powerless.”

"I believe that child can forge his own path."

"is it?"

“Because I once believed in you just as much,” Karen said.

Otto froze, unsure how to respond. But the next second, Kallen suddenly looked up, her eyes alert: "A second wave of Honkai energy fluctuations has been detected! The fluctuations can reach as far as the Cologne monitoring station in western Germany! This time, the shape of the ripples is not that of a Herrscher!"

"How is this possible?" Otto immediately stood up and looked at the monitor, only to find that the screen was completely distorted. He thought for a moment, then suddenly grinned and said, "It's Cecilia! Cecilia made her move! Only she could have such power! She couldn't hold back anymore!"

"Wait, there's a third wave of Honkai energy fluctuations! Also at the Herrscher level!" Kallen stood there dumbfounded, her high-speed processor frantically trying to identify the source of the fluctuations, even causing her projected image to freeze. "It's nearby! In the SoHo district! The Honkai energy fluctuations are undetectable; there are no similar reference points!"

No reference point?

Otto was truly stunned. How could there be no reference points? There were countless records of the Honkai energy fluctuations of Valkyries, Herrschers, and Honkai Beasts. Even if you couldn't identify who it was based on the shape of the ripples, you could at least identify whether it was human or something else... But what did it mean that the fluctuations couldn't be identified?

----------

Essentially, both Shen Liang and Xi Lin are holders of spatial abilities.

The most basic advantage of spatial abilities is their extremely strong ability to save one's life. Shen Liang can hide in another world and instantly become invincible, while Xilin can hide in imaginary space and similarly become invincible.

It's just that they're likely to get caught and taken away when they come out.

"Hey, are you confident you can beat her?" Shen Liang stared at Li Sushang and asked Hu Qiandai directly.

There's no need to communicate through heart-to-heart anymore, and Shen Liang is too lazy to avoid Xi Lin.

“It’s difficult. Your opponent is superior to you in every aspect. In terms of speed alone, she surpasses your physical and visual limits. In terms of strength, if she hits you, you’re basically done for, even your Sea God bloodline can’t withstand it. The Transformation of the Sea Moon is meaningless to her. She only needs one punch to incapacitate you,” said Tiger Chiyo. “She’s not attacking first only because she’s worried that your spatial abilities will allow you to dodge the first round of attacks and then run away separately. She probably doesn’t have the ability to catch both of you at the same time.”

"What if you took control of my body?"

"That won't work either. Even if you push your current physical potential to the limit, you're no match for this little girl. To put it bluntly... I might be able to take her down myself while I'm alive, but it's hopeless with your body."

Shen Liang felt a chill in his heart.

As a familiar of the Demon God, Torachiyo is arguably the strongest being below the Demon God, on par with the immortals of Liyue. Shen Liang has encountered beings of Torachiyo's caliber, such as Yae no Miko and Gan Yu. These individuals appear gentle, kind, and alluring, but even without ever making a move, their terrifying power is evident. If Shen Liang hadn't relied on his intimidation tactic of "opening portals and throwing bombs at any time," he wouldn't have been able to engage in a discussion about strength with them.

"Think about it carefully, boss. How long have you been slacking off?" Torachiyo said in a low voice.