[You, Vill-V, and Ashara returned to your residence on the Mu Continent and began your daily life.]
[On weekdays, Vill-V would attend university. After returning home, she would huddle together with Ashara, absorbing knowledge while using the Herrscher of Reason's ability to conduct experiments.]
[Although the materials cost almost nothing, the cost of these experiments was considerable.]
[According to your observations, due to the Herrscher of Reason Ashara's excessive submissiveness towards Vill-V, she was often persuaded by Vill-V to perform dangerous experiments, including the research and development of various explosives and lethal weapons.]
[The result of this was that, within a single month, your house was blown up three times.]
[The fire department started calling you pros!]
[You were helpless against this and had no choice but to lay down a rule: experiments were allowed, but only in the MOTHs' underground laboratory, which was bomb-proof.]
[From then on, Vill-V would run to the MOTHs as soon as she was out of school. You could do nothing about it and could only accompany her to the headquarters to work overtime.]
[On a side note, The MOTHs Who Chase the Flame has been officially established. The major powers have all inserted their own spies, attempting to usurp your authority.]
[That Miss Irene, who bears a striking resemblance to Rita, easily obtained their information. Acting on the data she provided, you paid them a visit one by one.]
[In the end, they were all placed under [Discipline] and now follow your every command.]
[After dealing with this small matter, you used your connections to observe the childhood movements of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers and collected their childhood photos.]
[Kevin and Su have just started high school. The former is foolishly chasing after MEI, while the latter is watching from the sidelines like you. You did not interfere.]
[Elysia has already traveled around the Mu Continent, has come to understand what 'humanity' is, and mysteriously disappeared after the First Honkai Eruption. She is likely trying to find a way to infiltrate The MOTHs.]
[Aponia and Pardo are still living in Twilight Street, uninvolved with the world's affairs.]
[Eden has just begun her concert tour. As a new and talented artist, she has inevitably faced some ostracism, so you personally made the rounds, flexing your influence with all the big shots in the entertainment industry and giving them a warning before resuming your quiet observation.]
[Kalpas has not yet fallen from the sky, so his whereabouts are unknown.]
[Kosma and Hua are still just ordinary middle school students. You have not interfered at all.]
[Sakura, through your under-the-table maneuvering, has joined the secret operations unit 'Toxic Chrysalis' and now serves you.]
[As for Griseo, she is still just two uncombined cells.]
"Sigh... these companions are doing just fine..."
Fu Li flipped through the childhood photos of his old friends. After surreptitiously encrypting them, he shut down his computer. Looking at the sunlight streaming in from the window, a faint smile touched his lips.
All of this was so wonderful...
It gave one the illusion that this was a world full of love.
Bang!
The office door was thrown open. The corner of Fu Li's mouth curved; he already knew who had come to find him.
"Hey! Li! I'm done with work! Whatcha doin'?"
When Fu Li turned around, he was met with an enthusiastic hug. Looking down, he saw Vill-V already snuggling into his chest, rubbing against him as she said:
"Li, Momma Cocolia just sent me a message. She said their magic tour in the Far East is over, and they're bringing the whole magic troupe over tomorrow night to celebrate your birthday."
"Oh? My birthday?"
Fu Li blinked blankly. He reached out and stroked the yin-yang-colored little head in his arms, saying politely, "My birthday doesn't matter. You know I don't care about these things."
"But I care! Hmph, hmph."
Having been spoiled by Fu Li her whole life, Vill-V had long since developed a lawless personality and was rather forceful about such matters.
Besides, Fu Li wouldn't refuse her anyway.
When she was younger, she had been a bit of a loner. Although she knew Fu Li's birthday, she would always forget. On the rare occasions she did remember, she was too shy to bring it up.
But now, after spending her free time reading the "Manual for Flirting with Guys," Vill-V had come to the clear realization that on special days, it was often very easy to raise a boy's affection points!
In another two years, she and Li would be adults.
Once they were adults, she could just push him down!
Then, no more little bitches would come sniffing around her Li!
Vill-V's mental abacus was clicking away furiously, as if she could already picture the steamy scene of her pushing Fu Li down.
"Anyway, just look forward to it, Li! I still have things to work on with Ashara, so I'm heading out!"
"You... go on, go on. Don't invite too many people, just a few close friends will be fine..."
Fu Li watched Vill-V, who lingered in his arms for another moment. After plucking her out, he began shooing her away.
Is it still a surprise if you tell me about it?
Besides, Vill-V's "surprises"... he'd be thankful if they didn't turn into scares and explosions.
But just as Vill-V was about to leave, a rush of hurried footsteps came from the office door, and then, Irene burst straight in.
Such an impolite display was truly unlike her.
But in the next moment, he understood why Irene was so frantic.
"Boss, ten minutes ago, the Far East Branch suddenly lost contact with us. Five minutes ago, via satellite, we confirmed a massive amount of Honkai energy emanating from the Far East region."
"And now... after multiple confirmations, we can be certain. The entire Far East has vanished, leaving only an ocean behind."
"The tentative codename for this incident is: The Spiriting Away of the Far East."
---o---