"Can't we go with you?"
Himeko frowned deeply. "The Hyperion is currently under repair. Maybe after it's fixed, we could pilot it into the Quantum Sea and help you find Seele."
"I'm sorry, but this is something Bronya has to accomplish on her own."
Xia Qi apologized softly.
Her resolute attitude left everyone feeling very uneasy inside.
"How about we think it over carefully and make some plans first? A place so dangerous... if you two Bronyas go in there and encounter an accident with no backup, or wander into another world bubble and can't come back..."
Theresa looked at Xia Qi and Bronya with great concern, completely unable to feel at ease.
"Not much of a chance of that, is there?"
Himeko frowned in deep thought from the side.
"Bronya, don't push yourself. When facing difficulties, you should act together with everyone. One person's strength can never match the strength of everyone together!" Kiana looked at Xia Qi, her expression tense as well.
"..."
Xia Qi remained silent.
In her heart, she held an extremely urgent desire to go and rescue Seele, and then...
There was also Wendy.
"Is there anything we can help with?" Himeko ended her contemplation, looking at Xia Qi with a slight frown and an extremely serious expression.
"..."
Xia Qi thought for a moment, then said: "After Bronya rescues Seele and emerges from the Quantum Sea with her, we will need to evacuate as quickly as possible."
"Evacuation will be necessary? Leave that to us, then. What's the specific timeframe?"
"Hey! Himeko!"
Theresa grew a bit anxious. "You're really going to let Bronya go?! What if — what if they run into danger?!"
"Ha..." Himeko sighed helplessly, just about to say something when Xia Qi spoke to them calmly:
"I'm sorry, Principal, but this is... something Bronya must do... Seele... is extremely important to Bronya."
"..."
When Theresa heard this, she looked at the extremely determined expressions in the eyes of both Xia Qi and Bronya and pressed her hand to her head with a groan.
"Alright, alright, aaah, how annoying... Since that's the case..."
Theresa lowered her hands, the distress and irritation on her face instantly vanishing, replaced by an extremely resolute expression. "I am your Principal, after all. I can't just do nothing while you're risking your lives!
This Principal does know the Overseer of Anti-Entropy. I'll give him a call later and have him protect you as much as possible..."
Speaking up to this point, Theresa looked at Xia Qi hesitantly, then glanced at Bronya before continuing: "Protect little Bronya! If he dares let anything happen to you, this Principal will have words with him!"
"Thank you, Principal."
Xia Qi nodded, speaking softly with gratitude.
"As for the evacuation... Bronya, do you think something will happen during it?" Himeko looked at Xia Qi with some doubt.
"Bronya won't have any conflict with the Overseer of Anti-Entropy, Welt Yang however..." Xia Qi frowned slightly, a grave expression appearing in her eyes.
"Bronya is worried that the dangers within the Quantum Sea... might follow us out."
"Are you referring to those Quantum Shadows?"
Fu Hua looked at Xia Qi and asked seriously.
Xia Qi shook her head, meeting her gaze, and said calmly: "Something else... something more dangerous. Bronya cannot let Seele remain there any longer."
"Is that so."
Fu Hua nodded gently.
"Wait... what are these 'more dangerous things'?" Raiden Mei grew increasingly tense. She was very afraid that after Xia Qi and Bronya went to that place, they might never return.
"Bronya cannot answer that."
Xia Qi shook her head.
"Aaaaaah! Are all of you speaking in riddles?! Why are people from the future all like this?!"
Theresa couldn't help but erupt into complaints.
"..."
Xia Qi looked at them expressionlessly, saying nothing.
"Alright..."
Himeko rubbed her forehead, her expression troubled. "Then how should we prevent that dangerous thing from getting out? Or rather, how do we make sure that after you go in, the first ones to come out are you?"
"Bronya has a way to restrain it, and will send a signal before coming out."
Xia Qi said calmly. "Although Bronya cannot defeat it in a fight, Bronya can restrain it for a very long time."
She lied.
"Work out a detailed plan later, Bronya."
Himeko stood up and walked toward the door.
"Theresa, what are you standing there for? Get ready. We're... going to give Bronya a hand."
"Ugh, honestly, I'm the Principal here, you know, you explosive woman."
Theresa reluctantly got up and walked toward the door. Before leaving with Himeko, she turned back to look at Xia Qi and called out urgently:
"Hey! Bronya, let's talk about this tomorrow! Let us make some preparations first! And don't you dare run off alone with Bronya!"
"Okay."
Xia Qi nodded, watching Theresa and Himeko leave.
Then she stood in the living room, facing Raiden Mei and the others.
"My head itches..." Kiana scratched her head, looking a bit confused, but soon snapped out of it and spoke very seriously to Xia Qi: "Bronya, I'll go with you to rescue Seele! If Seele is that important to you, this young lady can't just stand by and watch!"
"Kiana, it's very dangerous there. You might not even be able to defeat the weakest Honkai beasts in the Quantum Sea."
Xia Qi looked at Kiana and said calmly.
"Impossible!"
Kiana put her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest, the perky, full curves bouncing slightly with the motion. "This young lady is super amazing! I'm about to become a B-rank Valkyrie!"
"The weakest Honkai beasts in the Quantum Sea possess strength equivalent to a B-rank Valkyrie and moreover, their numbers are nearly endless and they possess teleportation abilities."
"Huh?"
Kiana instantly froze.
"Idiot Kiana, don't worry. Bronya will bring herself and her Seele back safely. The protagonist of this story is Bronya, so Idiot Kiana can't come and steal Bronya's thunder."
Xia Qi looked at Kiana, speaking in a calm, gentle, and oddly endearing tone.
"...But what about Bronya? The Bronya of our timeline her strength isn't great either." Raiden Mei asked from the side, her voice filled with concern.
"Bronya and the Overseer of Anti-Entropy will protect her well."
Xia Qi said seriously. "Seele... can only be found by her. Bronya is uncertain whether her own self who doesn't belong to the same timeline as this world's Seele can confirm Seele's location. Or rather, whether Seele might see her as a fake Bronya and be unwilling to leave with her."
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