236 Mr. Assassin, I only believe in you

 [ The number of existing crystals is 4521 ]

[Congratulations to the host, the character Zhuge Kongming has been distributed. Judgment: out of danger]

[ The game plot has not yet been collected: the main storyline is Lament of the Fallen, the Gemini Invasion, and the Honkai Kingdom (less than 24 hours, it is not recommended to collect)]

[This mission has been completed]

"Would she have died if you'd just given me her name sooner?" Luo Mo grumbled, a wave of relief washing over him.

Everyone calls him a loser, but deep down, He know system is the real loser.

Now he got 10,000 crystals burning a hole in my pocket, but he bet this Dog system is gonna screw up his chapter evaluation.

It'll probably leave me with nothing, and he won't even get a chance to fix it!

Man, I'm gonna be so frustrated...

The main reason is naturally that he doesn't want to smoke the Raven Stigmata at all. He is waiting for it to cool down and hopes that the system will automatically replace the Stigmata with new stigmata.

Now it seems that they are still accumulating grain and slowly claiming... Wait, why is it related to the rebellion?

[ The system follows the owner]

" ??? "

Luo Mo scratched his chin, trying to figure out what this system was getting at. Implying something? Talking about going rebel?

If this dog System starts getting sassy today, there's no telling what it'll try tomorrow! I need to nip this power trip in the bud.

The audacity!

" boss, boss, boss? Why don't you say something? "Kiana waved her hand in front of Luo Mo's dazed face.

Sure, this lady Luo Mo summoned was a little on the short side, and her face had that same harmless look as her aunt, but something was seriously off.

Those usually friendly eyebrows were pinched together, and her whole expression just screamed "don't mess with me".

And Suddenly, the air in the room felt a whole lot heavier.

Kiana had met her fair share of tough customers, but this lady was radiating some next-level boss energy.

The woman who looked like a tiny, grumpy version of the her Aunt snorted – definitely not a good sign.

She looked at me, then at those two troublemakers in the corner, clearly not impressed.

Based on that crazy video Luo Mo showed to Kiana about the Pirate Federation and that Schicksal group stomping all over the Huang Empire, Kiana probably had an idea of what was going on.

Speaking of Luo Mo, this was the game he kept mumbling about, something about revealing the world line? Sounded cool, but honestly, she had no idea what he was talking about half the time.

" In this way, when my future, your past, and the intersecting realities meet, the contract has become— "

The stargazer turned her head slightly and cast her gaze on Luo Mo. The black-haired boy was frowning and looking down at the spot.

her eyes. Seeing each other again after so many years, her performance... wasn't too bad, right?

But when she saw Luna standing aside with a face similar to her own, Kongming bit her teeth secretly, and her mood became bad. (competition adds one person)

"Well then, Mr. Assassin," she continued, regaining her composure, "it's up to you to get me home, alright?" This Theresa should be just as easy to handle as the original, right? Right.

"Eh?" "Wait, what?!" Kiana, Mei, and Seele blurted out in unison.

 This whole situation was getting weirder by the second.

Who was this lady, and how did she seem so chummy with the boss?

Bronya was limited by her emotional control issues and did not say a word in surprise, but she still kept her suspicious eyes wandering back and forth between the two.

" Huh? " Luna tilted her head and blinked her red eyes, trying to understand the current situation.

Why is there another sister Theresa?

"Uh, Mr. Assassin? You mean... me?" Luo Mo pointed at himself, his eyes wide.

Okay, maybe this was kind of expected, but... if that whole thing with Luna was just some weird consciousness dream, then this Kongming part has to be how it goes in the game, right?

Problem was, he had zero memory of it.

Like, none.

"Hmm? Well, who else would I be talking about?" Kongming's expression didn't change, and she took a step closer.

This world seemed a little off, but then again, not really. Maybe all those strategists just had that same intense stare?

" Now, you, come here! "

She lightly hooked her fingers and said coldly,

It would have been a seductive move, but instead of charm, it was all business with a hint of 'don't even think of arguing'.

Rita could pull this seductive move off with a sultry wink, but when Kongming does it it becomes something completely different.

If you look closely, you will see that there is a depth of wisdom like the ocean in the blue eyes, but there is weariness underneath.

under the feather fan was not only her shyness and joy, but the exhaustion of days and nights of strategizing.

Still, Luo Mo scrambled to his feet and obeyed. If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that this woman was the real Kongming, and that meant he could finally relax a little.

When Luo Moving came to get closer, Kongming whispered,

" you...."

" Huh? What? "

The voice was too low, and Luo Mo couldn't hear what she was saying, so he subconsciously lowered his head and got closer.

Then what you smell is the cool fragrance of orchids, wisps of it, not very rich, but elegant and tranquil, you will not ignore it.

Seeing this, Kongming showed a sly smile, before he could process it, Kongming looped an arm around his neck in a move that seemed surprisingly casual for someone so dignified.

Leaning close, she whispered, "The rest of you, don't worry. Mr. Assassin, I have complete faith in you. Honestly, I'm exhausted... think I'll take a quick nap."

And with that, she went limp, collapsing into Luo Mo's arms. Her eyes were squeezed shut, a picture of utter exhaustion... or a very convincing act.

That urgent, take-charge demeanor from earlier seemed to flicker out, replaced by the familiar weariness.

It made sense – she'd been ruling a kingdom, organizing everything for her departure, and then BAM, a mysterious message about the Collapse of the palace. Of course there were probably assassins lurking too, just waiting for an opening. Lucky for her, she got teleported here instead.

She'd planned on a quick hello to him, but Kiana's news about the Huang Empire's collapse hit her hard, She'd barely kept it together since.

Now, though? Her energy was completely drained, and with Luo Mo beside her, she felt that familiar sense of security.

No need to force herself to stay alert any longer.

...And hey, maybe collapsing into his arms was a tactical move too, A little show of vulnerability to gain his trust... after all, she was Kongming.

Luo Mo reacted quickly, scooping Kongming up in a princess carry. One hand went under her back, the other under her knees, the silky fabric cool against his skin.

She was surprisingly light, like Luna or Theresa, but radiated a quiet power even in sleep

Unlike Luna, who liked to cuddle, Kongming carried herself with an almost regal air, It felt like cradling a precious snow lotus from a mountaintop, and he was terrified of dropping her.

Those usually sharp eyes were closed, making her seem less like a strategist and more... well, just a person. Now her soft, even breaths spoke of exhaustion, the kind that follows days of unrelenting pressure.

Seriously? Just plop out of nowhere and do this to him? Luo Mo's heart was still pounding in his chest. He'd been through a lot today, thanks.

Okay, the system prompts were usually right, weren't they? It might be stingy and weird, but its information was solid – every warning, every bit of weird trivia had been spot on.

So, this "safe arrival" message should mean what it says, right?

Even so, Luo Mo couldn't shake the feeling of panic.

The tiny figure in his arms curled inwards, her elaborate hairstyle getting a little mussed.

He caught a flash of smooth white hair and a subtle scent, then a flicker of a smile that vanished as quickly as it appeared, Luo Mo didn't have time to dwell on it.

She seemed fine, but best to be safe. He carefully laid her down on the sofa.

Now... who was the closest doctor? Then it hit him – Seele! She might actually know what to do.

"Seele... Seele, come here! I think you studied medicine, right?" Luo Mo fidgeted, his eyes darting back to Kongming's still form.

The few people behind looked at each other in confusion. This Kongming person wasn't in the game yet, and they were clueless about her identity.

But judging by how nervous their boss was, and that little finger-linking move earlier... well, it wasn't rocket science to figure out she must be important to him.

Bronya had some guesses. She had been surprised by the last words of the Gemini Invasion, Maybe the game wasn't as far off as everyone thought...

This was starting to feel familiar. If this event connected to the last one, it made sense for the twins to be here. But that other person, the one whose voice was so prominent in the videos... they still hadn't shown up, and Bronya wasn't ready to jump to conclusions.

While the woman named Kongming spoke, Bronya noticed something interesting – a subtle similarity to the voice from the previous video.

Sure, the boss mentioned Theresa's voice being altered, but there was a definite connection. It had to be her.

"Oh! Okay, let me see." Seele hurried over and gently examined Kongming. Thankfully, the situation seemed simple enough.

She smiled reassuringly at Luo Mo, "She looks fine, just really, really tired. I only got the basics down, but that's my guess."

"Speaking of... Boss, who is she? You two seem... close." Kiana finally gave in to her curiosity. After glancing around to make sure the coast was clear, she leaned in for the important question.

Meanwhile, Luna stared in horror at this new lady who looked like Sister Theresa. Then Luo Mo had the nerve to pick her up! Luna's eyes went wide with alarm.

Oh no! Another bad woman was coming to steal her precious human!

Luo Mo gently carried Kongming to the sofa, and Luna got a better look.

Then...

She found that although they had the same face, her dress and temperament were inexplicably inferior. The other person's clothes looked very high-quality just by looking at them, and the light makeup was also very suitable.

She looked down at herself. Her clothes were more childlike, and she didn't know how-to put-on makeup at all.

But, luckily, everyone started out with the same body shape.

Her precious human had to prefer her… right?

Luna looked at Luo Mo expectantly, only to find that he had been staring at the Kongming.

"Ugh, this is not good. I finally – finally! – got my human to see me differently. It's no longer that kind of loving gaze."

" Another person showed up... Fortunately, the others are not threatening yet."

She was figuring out the rules of humans and their confusing relationships, Her cute act wasn't going to work with Kongming around – that much was clear. She needed a new plan, and fast!

Learning from anime on TV, Luna begins to know that love has many forms and can change depending on the situation or the person themselves.

She was off to such a good start! Just follow the guide, swap her role from 'daughter' to something more interesting, and she'd be set.

Her whole plan was already mapped out after this morning's success, but then... BAM! This new lady pops out of nowhere.

With a sigh that was almost a groan, Luna realized yet again that nothing ever went according to plan.

"Alright gang, mission over for today!" Luo Mo announced.

A whole day of gaming was enough, but hey, for Kongming, maybe he'd be tempted to toss out a few more of those hard-to-get cards.

It wasn't like he didn't have the resources.

But now that she was actually here? Time to reassess. Turning to the Valkyries, his playful expression vanished. "What happened today stays between us. As for the Schicksal, I will explain it to Bishop Kallen."

" Oh, " Kiana nodded, but her face was still very interested. She weighed her feet and kept looking towards the sofa.

" Boss, tell me her identity, I promise not to tell anyone ~"

She looped an arm around Mei's shoulders, trying to recruit her as backup. "Mei can vouch for me – I'm basically a vault when I want to be. Right, Mei?"

Mei giggled nervously. "Um, Kiana... maybe it's better to respect their privacy..." Despite her words, Mei couldn't deny her own curiosity about magic circles.

The Honkai had already shaken her view of the world, Who knew if those fantastical things from anime could be real? Thinking back, she'd already seen elf ears, cat tails... maybe even a donkey-eared girl or a fox spirit? Suddenly, the possibilities seemed endless.

Even Mei, always the voice of reason, had a spark of curiosity in her eyes.

Of course, she'd never be as bold as Kiana about it.

" Yeah, take a look and don't ask... Okay, "

Luo Mo grumbled, finally giving in to the collective puppy-dog eyes aimed his way.

Even Luna seemed interested - the earlier the opportunity to collect enemy intelligence, the better!

He compromised. It wasn't a big deal anyway. The other party was supposed to appear in the next part of the game.

Shrugging, he figured it wasn't that big of a deal. Wasn't she supposed to show up in the game eventually?

"Her name is Zhuge Kongming, a legendary strategist from the Huang Empire – you know, the one in the game. Those two troublemakers are probably the reason she's here."

Luo Mo gave a super brief rundown of Kongming's origins, but definitely wasn't about to get into all the nitty-gritty details.

Besides, the game's plot was about to kick into high gear, wasn't it? He jabbed a finger towards Rozaliya and Liliya. "If anyone's to blame, it's these two troublemakers."

"Whoa, hold on, boss, we're innocent!" Rozaliya protested, hands on her hips.

"Easy for you to say!" Liliya piped up, but kept her voice quieter in consideration of the sleeping Kongming. "Vodka girls never admit defeat, but we can't be blamed for everything!"

" Looking at the world of the game plot just now, it can reflect the answer to the subsequent plot. It is your fault in other worlds! "

Luo Mo countered. If it weren't for those two messing with that ridiculous wish machine, he wouldn't be in this mess in the first place.

"So... that means the Gemini Invasion really is where it all starts? That...and whatever this is?" Bronya asked, her mind already racing with theories and possibilities, This whole logical deduction thing was totally her jam.

"You could say that," Luo Mo hedged, not wanting to get into the weeds right now. "Long story short, she's on our side, she my Friend, and she doesn't mean any harm..."

"Ooooh, just friends, huh?"

Kiana asked with a wicked smile, poking the other person with her elbow, giving a rather embarrassing feeling.

There was no way the flustered way he acted earlier was just out of friendship!

What was he, blind?

" It is. "

Luo Mo replied, keeping his face completely straight.

Inside though, he was just as curious.

Kongming hadn't acted like he was a stranger, but there wasn't that instant familiarity you'd expect either, What was her deal? (well you left her for hundreds of years)

Meanwhile, Luna practically bounced on her toes, her little head swivelling back and forth between him and Kongming. "Aha! I knew it was fishy..."