"Sacred Mark Plan—put it on hold for now."
Kevin, speaking with not an iota of courtesy toward his subordinates, issued his order bluntly.
"Yes, sir."
Though Grey Serpent and Jackal hesitated slightly at Kevin's command, since it came from him they naturally complied. Within World Serpent, Kevin's orders are supreme. To most in World Serpent, the strongest Fusion Warrior of the former civilization and the man behind many developments in modern society, Kevin has been almost deified.
Raven let out a quiet sigh of relief. Among the assembled cadres, her views were the most sensible. If the Sacred Mark Plan could be avoided, many lives might be spared—human life isn't merely a number. Perhaps many might perish at the hands of the Honkai or by the Regulators, but that is entirely different from dying at one's own hand.
"Alright then—everyone, get down."
Kevin gestured dismissively, signaling Grey Serpent and the others to depart.
"Wait a minute."
Just as Grey Serpent, Jackal, and Raven were about to turn around, they halted immediately. As far as Daniel Davis knew, World Serpent's leadership wasn't limited to these three—there was also someone known as Night Owl, and likely more beyond them. As an organization descended from the former civilization, their ranks surely exceed what meets the eye.
"If you intend to bring Chiyou's corpse back so that your revered master may replenish his strength, I insist you do not strike the Valkyries guarding it." Daniel Davis said, turning his gaze toward Kevin before continuing, "And regarding the Sacred Judgment of Heavenly Fire—if you want it, I can fetch it from Siegfei. There's no need to take any action against Anti-Entropy."
"Do as he says."
When Grey Serpent and the others looked toward Kevin, he fell silent for a moment before nodding.
To Grey Serpent and the rest, Daniel Davis was merely a stranger; they only heeded the word of their revered master—in Kevin's presence, Jackal remained so compliant that otherwise he would have sooner demanded to know who Daniel Davis was.
"Master, is this fellow here about to join World Serpent?" Raven asked after giving Daniel Davis a once-over.
"No, not at all. I'm here merely to enter the Land of Bygone Joy—and also to get a look at World Serpent's Divine Key. By the way, how many Divine Keys does World Serpent have?"
"Only one," Grey Serpent replied softly after glancing at Kevin.
"Show it to him."
Kevin then closed his eyes briefly.
"This is the Cleansing Seven Thunder, isn't it? It certainly suits Morgiana's weapon style."
As Raven handed over a futuristic-looking handgun, Daniel Davis couldn't help but think: in the original text the Cleansing Seven Thunder seemed to take on a very peculiar state in Morgiana's hands, seemingly beyond its sevenfold forms.
As its name implies, the Cleansing Seven Thunder is meant to manifest in seven states; however, very few can ever fully display all seven. Even Raven herself has only witnessed three of its forms—and when it's not in an optimal state or its temperament turns sour, it sometimes isn't even used as a weapon.
Perhaps because of that, even though Raven and the Cleansing Seven Thunder are highly compatible, under normal circumstances she doesn't carry it on missions. For a mercenary, if the weapon's temperament turns sour at a critical moment, it could be fatal.
Thus, when she passed the Cleansing Seven Thunder to Daniel Davis, Raven showed no reluctance at all.
"Although I don't know exactly what your relationship with our master is, using the Cleansing Seven Thunder is no easy matter," Jackal grumbled in a tone tinged with displeasure.
"My relationship with Kevin is best described as a cooperation. As for the Cleansing Seven Thunder, I don't really intend to keep it—I merely wish to examine and study it. By the way, Kevin didn't mention one thing to you all earlier: I come from another world—a world without the Honkai."
"A world without the Honkai? You must be joking," Jackal's first reaction was disbelief.
"So, it seems our master halted the Sacred Mark Plan because of you," Raven remarked thoughtfully.
"Indeed. If there were alternative methods to defeat the Honkai, there'd be no need for a brutal Sacred Mark Plan. By the way, Hiora—have you bought any villa-islands recently?"
Daniel Davis nodded and then smiled at Raven.
"How did you know?" Raven asked in astonishment.
"I just said it—I come from another world. I possess certain special abilities that let me observe the development of various worlds. Listen to my advice: you're not destined to own a villa-island. You'd be better off selling them."
"What do you mean by that?" Raven's tone turned a bit sour; after all, a villa-island was her dream—a dream intertwined with the orphanages she nurtured.
"I've observed many World Bubbles, and in each one I can see your counterpart. Almost every version of you eventually loses their villa-island through some mishap. If you really want to buy a villa, do so on solid ground."
Daniel Davis had a favorable opinion of Raven, and coupled with another Raven he'd seen in a World Bubble, he felt compelled to advise her.
"You're kidding, Raven? You're really that unlucky?" Jackal couldn't help but laugh.
"Why should I believe you?" Raven retorted skeptically.
"I have evidence."
"By the way, Theresa, you know, in one World Bubble your relationship is very good," Daniel Davis said as he displayed images from the City of the Heavens in a World Bubble—showing Raven, Theresa, Bronya, and others.
"In that World Bubble, you're a mercenary as well as a bar owner. Oh, and you've adopted many orphans. That Bronya there is one of them."
"'Raven's Nest,' huh."
Watching the bar in the footage, Raven was momentarily stunned—villa-islands were her dream, and being a bar owner was another. A person can have many dreams.
"So listen to me: give up on the villa-island. Of course, try it out too—perhaps your counterpart in that world will be exceptional."
"I'll sell them off immediately," Raven replied as she walked away. Although a villa-island was her dream, it was one acquired with her hard-earned money. This wealth was meant to provide a better life for the orphans she cared for. If she knew that wasn't meant to be, she wouldn't risk it—nobody wants to see their assets vanish.
"Really, is there truly no Honkai in other worlds?"
After Raven left, the smile on Jackal's face finally faded. Although Jackal wasn't the most pleasant person, when it came to dealing with Regulators of the Recognizing Order she was notorious for shouting her tactical plans. That, however, was simply her forte.
To borrow a phrase Kevin once used about Jackal: she is quite resourceful—not in combat, but in science. Being able to become World Serpent's chief scientist speaks volumes about her abilities. In scientific matters, she is on par with Einstein and Tesla.
"You don't really think I could fool Kevin, do you?"
"Of course not."
At the mention of Kevin, Jackal's expression instantly became deferential. After all, this was none other than the famed Kevin Kaslana.
"The Land of Bygone Joy—an independent space, indeed."
The next day, under Kevin's lead, Daniel Davis joined him as they entered the Land of Bygone Joy. This place turned out not to be ruins or a gigantic supercomputer but rather a space akin to a Sacred Mark Space.
"Is this, in a sense, another way of being alive?"
Lost in thought, Daniel Davis suddenly moved his right hand; the Yan Luo Mirror Classic appeared, and he whispered, "Lingwu Ba, Xiu Baixue."
Accompanied by the command of "Shijieyu," a tachi with a pure white blade, guard, and hilt materialized in his hand. At the end of the hilt, a white satin ribbon danced in the breeze.
"The power of the Soul-Cutting Blade is active—meaning, in a sense, that this place is real after all."
Liberating the Soul-Cutting Blade wasn't because Daniel Davis intended to fight, but rather as an experiment. In a virtual space the power of the Soul-Cutting Blade could never be unleashed.
"What a beautiful blade," came a sweet, playful voice from the side. Following the sound, a youthful, flower-like girl with short pink hair slowly walked over.
"Aleliyah."
"Hey, Kevin, long time no see! After all these years, you haven't changed a bit. Doesn't the sight of me—still as lovely as ever—warrant a smile? I remember when Su showed me your school photos back in the day—they really startled me."
"Aleliyah, I'm not here to see you."
Facing Kevin—whose expression had remained as cold as it had for fifty thousand years—Aleliyah's brow furrowed ever so slightly.
"Not here to see me? Kevin, that is truly heartbreaking. So what are you here for? It can't be just to accompany this one, right?"
Aleliyah's eyes then shifted toward Daniel Davis. Although her expression remained impassive on the surface, if one looked closely, her gaze revealed just how surprised she was.
A Regulator entering the Land of Bygone Joy alongside Kevin—this was major news. In the former civilization, it would have stunned every Fusion Warrior.
"I'm here to look for Mebius," Kevin stated directly. If Mebius hadn't stirred up trouble, he wouldn't have come to the Land of Bygone Joy—just like Fu Hua; none of them would venture in unless they had defeated the Honkai.
Since the collapse of the former civilization, neither he, nor Fu Hua, nor Su had ever set foot in the Land of Bygone Joy.
"You're actually coming to look for her? How interesting. Is there something you need?" Aleliyah said with a smile.
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"You should know why I'm here to look for her," Kevin's tone remained unchanged.
"Seems you already understand. Then I won't delay you any further. Let me host your guest," Aleliyah said knowingly with a nod.
For Kevin to break his steadfast resolve and enter the Land of Bygone Joy to see Mebius, there could only be one possibility. Others might not know what Mebius intends, but she—lovely Aleliyah—already knows all about Mebius's plans, perhaps even her current situation.
"Mm."
After nodding slightly, Kevin headed deep into the Land of Bygone Joy. As one of the Thirteen Heroes of the Flame Moth, he naturally didn't need to undergo various tests like others to meet the heroes inside.
"Kevin, that guy is so rude—leaving without even introducing his guest. Well then, allow me to introduce myself in my own charming way," Aleliyah declared with her unique flair as Kevin departed.
"Second among the Flame Moth's heroes—one might say, rightfully so."
Strictly speaking, among the Thirteen Heroes of the Flame Moth there is no real hierarchy; the so-called ranking was merely born out of a moment of fancy on Aleliyah's part and has stuck ever since.
After all, each member of the Flame Moth has their own specialty—some excel in combat, some in scientific research, and others in mental prowess. For instance, when the former civilization's Eighth Regulator, the Recognizing Regulator, appeared, although Kevin was powerful, he had no means to counter her until Su intervened and captured her true form.
Daniel Davis mentioned that his information—and what Fu Hua herself told him—indicated that Aleliyah is second only to Kevin in combat ability within the Flame Moth; none of the others even come close.
Among them is that polite yet hot-tempered fellow, Qianjie, whom Aleliyah once instructed to be a bit more courteous to Thunder Regulator Mei. Qianjie listened.
Qianjie isn't one to simply obey—only someone stronger than him can command his obedience.
"Aleliyah, you really are just as Fu Hua described."
"You know Fu Hua? Is she well?"
Upon hearing that Daniel Davis had mentioned Fu Hua ahead of time, Aleliyah's expression softened into a hint of nostalgia.
"She wasn't doing very well, but now things have turned for the better. At least, no one now calls her 'the Witch'."
"Well, that certainly calls for congratulations," Aleliyah said sincerely. To put it bluntly, among the many Fusion Warriors of the former civilization—who came in all sorts of personalities, each with their own agendas—only Fu Hua always toiled diligently as a tool.
Whether it was Dr. Mei or Mebius, Fu Hua had been pushed to the brink of death several times—hence her moniker, "the Witch."
It was precisely because Fu Hua had repeatedly clawed her way out of near-certain death that Mebius set her sights on her, forcing her to conduct experiments as the Invasive Regulator, and Fu Hua survived once more.
"By the way, now it's my turn to introduce myself: Acting Third Regulator of Reason, Traveler of the World—pleased to meet you, Lady Aleliyah."
"Acting? Oh dear, I got so caught up talking that I forgot to invite the guest in. Please, come in."
Aleliyah said with a smile as she led Daniel Davis further into the Land of Bygone Joy. All around, the decorations were resplendent—predominantly in golden hues. No wonder this place was called the Golden Garden.
The Land of Bygone Joy, as it appeared now, was nothing short of a vast courtyard.
"A Regulator—so a Regulator has entered the Land of Bygone Joy. How fascinating!"
When Daniel Davis and Kevin first entered the Land of Bygone Joy, deep within its confines, in a spacious and mysterious area, an unusually excited burst of laughter suddenly echoed throughout.
"Regulator—Kevin!"
"Regulator."
The aura of the Regulators emanating from Daniel Davis shone like a candle in the dark within the Land of Bygone Joy. At that moment, every hero within these walls knew of his arrival.
Because this is the Land of Bygone Joy, even though the Regulators' arrival was known, no one took action immediately. Elsewhere, Qianjie might have charged out at once.
"This is Eden."
Daniel Davis and Aleliyah entered a spacious reception room. At first glance, Daniel Davis noticed an exceptionally radiant portrait of a woman adorning one wall.
It was none other than Eden—a superstar of the former civilization and also an extremely wealthy benefactress, renowned for her lavish generosity, freely bestowing priceless gems and treasures.
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