"Achoo!"
Departing from the nearly quarter-completed equatorial space station, the silver spaceship had already traversed over one-third of the journey between Earth and the Moon when suddenly, Kiana sneezed.
"That's odd; who could be talking about me? Could it be my dear Mei missing me already? Or maybe it's Zeke... Oh boy, I must truly bear great sins! Just barely out here, yet so many people yearn for me—it's overwhelming!" Rubbing her nose, Kiana couldn't help but proudly puff out her chest—a fair assessment would reveal that compared to her two companions, hers were indeed impressively ample while still maintaining perfect harmony.
"You idiot—gross and utterly clueless." Sin shot her a cold glance, speaking with disdain and disgust.
Kiana rolled her eyes in response.
"Little squirt, I know you're envious of my fabulous figure. Keep growing... but no matter how much you stretch, you'll never match this lady's golden proportions. Heck, you might just stay a scrawny, flat-chested kid your whole life, hmph!" Kiana patted Sin's head smugly, her lips curling with pride.
However, she completely forgot about another petite girl present, one even more sensitive about her lack of growth.
"Initiate Procedure A3."
Up front, Bronya, piloting the spacecraft, spoke without turning around.
Her emotionless tone closely resembled Zeke's usual manner of speech, causing Kiana to shudder involuntarily.
In the next moment, several worker bees emerged from the corners, swarming around Kiana and launching precise, relentless impacts.
"Bam! Bam! Bam!"
Thirty seconds later, a bruised and battered Kiana huddled in her seat, weakly murmuring:
"I'm sorry; I got too carried away."
Normally, Kiana wouldn't cower before Bronya, but during this mission, Bronya represented Zeke's will. Moreover, the attacking worker bees themselves embodied aspects of Zeke to some extent—either way, Kiana knew better than to provoke them.
"It's fine; I'm not angry," Bronya replied matter-of-factly, signaling for the worker bees to return to their corner and resume hibernation once their task was complete.
Yeah right, as if you're not furious...
Kiana gently rubbed her swollen cheek, drawing in sharp breaths between restrained sobs.
"Serves you right, nyah~" Sin stuck out her tongue at Kiana.
Fear? No way! Regardless of how cold-hearted Bronya might seem, Sin viewed her as a radiant angel through the lens of a die-hard fan—a masochistic one at that.
"Settle down, both of you. Spaceships are quite fragile. We're already in outer space, and I'd rather not drift around in black armor waiting for rescue." Bronya glanced at the pair, still on the verge of another confrontation, and calmly admonished them.
Given their ability to effortlessly tear through steel, spaceships indeed felt flimsy to them—one misstep could easily shatter it all.
"Yes..." they obediently responded in unison, settling back into their seats.
Bronya shook her head, sighed, and continued:
"Your behavior at the space station was commendable; remember to maintain it when we reach the Lunar Base. On this mission, we serve as Headquarters' eyes and represent Zeke's authority and image. In public, we must present ourselves with the poise expected of elites, understood?"
"Yes!" x 2
"Although you two bicker constantly, I trust you know your limits—and I have faith in your abilities. We're about sixteen hours away from reaching the moon. You can get some sleep."
Kiana and Sin exchanged glances before huffing and turning their heads away from each other.
"Snoooore—"
Three minutes later, Kiana's head drooped, emitting loud snoring sounds. Below her nose, bubbles formed—a sign of deep slumber—as they expanded and contracted with each breath.
"She... actually fell asleep?" Bronya glanced back, unsure whether to laugh or admire her.
Sin rubbed her chin thoughtfully, then swiftly chopped down on the back of Kiana's neck.
"Thud!"
"Ugh!"
The forceful blow elicited a muffled groan from Kiana, rendering her completely unconscious.
With that, Sin spread her hands wide and flashed Bronya a sweet, innocent smile.
"Now she won't hear us, Bronya. Tell me about Zeke's secret mission! Whatever the task, entrust it to me—I can handle anything! For Zeke and Bronya, I'd do anything!"
Bronya couldn't help but feel exasperated.
Sin truly knows no bounds. Kiana's resilience has been proven countless times on the battlefield, but this level of determination—ah, she's taking after Zeke now.
"You know, if Zeke and I weren't keeping an eye on you, you'd eventually turn into a menace to society."
"Heh-heh!"
"I'm not complimenting you... The secret mission is quite straightforward: once we reach the moon, be more lenient with Kiana. If she wants to do something unusual, as long as it's permissible, let her go ahead. Also, await Zeke's instructions."
"That's it?" Sin tilted her head, blinking adorably like a well-behaved girl.
Bronya replied mildly, "That's all. This idiot must have caused some trouble again, right? Let Zeke handle it. You should rest; there's still time left. Or maybe I can lend you my virtual reality headset for some fun?"
"Yes, please!"
"Alright... Bronya strictly declares that this is solely for gaming purposes. Unlike last time, don't smother and sniff my helmet, almost licking it like before."
"Oh..."
Sin's unique and captivating heterochromatic eyes dimmed, showing evident disappointment, as if her excitement had significantly waned.
It was akin to expecting the worn lingerie from her crush, only to receive an unopened new pair instead.
Bronya hesitated, unsure whether to give in or hold back.
The journey proceeded smoothly.
Zeke had meticulously completed all necessary calculations beforehand, leaving Bronya's role primarily to monitor and confirm real-time speed adjustments during flight.
After over twenty hours, the spaceship entered the moon's gravitational field and safely landed on a vast platform. There, figures clad in white spacesuits approached the trio disembarking from the ship.
"Staff Sergeant Chen Tianwu of the Lunar Base, welcoming our esteemed officers! Thank you for your hard work!"
Dressed in advanced, non-bulky space suits, their visitor crisply saluted with military precision.
As you may recall, this is none other than Chen Tianwu.
Although his altered experiences might have diminished his potential as a Herrscher, he was still someone capable of becoming a key figure in the former World Serpent. His intellect, learning capacity, and execution skills far surpassed those of ordinary individuals—making him an invaluable asset to Zeke. Given that they already knew his name and background, there was no reason not to utilize him.
Moreover, in the original timeline, he had survived severe Honkai Energy corruption. It's crucial to note that without resistance to Honkai Energy, immediate death follows infection; there would be no chance for any form of corrosion. As one of the few males with such resilience, his unique capabilities made him a vital subject for ongoing research projects on the moon.
With Bronya leading the way and Kiana followed by Sin behind her, they all stood at attention, saluting with precise military formality.
"Chen Tianwu, right? Zeke mentioned you to me. How's the progress on that project?"
"Sir Zeke... If possible, I hope he doesn't think too much about me. Honestly, I don't want any more overtime; I just want to go home and visit my little sister..." Underneath his spacesuit helmet, the solemn expression of the gray-haired young man with heavy dark circles crumbled instantly. His eyes, filled with exhaustion and dejection, seemed lifelessly dull like those of a beached fish.
After a series of sighs, Chen Tianwu continued, "Regarding the Stigmata adjustment plan for males... it's not exactly smooth sailing. But then again, as expected from Sir Zeke—the title 'Man of All Trades' truly fits him perfectly."
Speaking with profound emotion, Chen Tianwu gently removed his helmet. Despite facing the near-vacuum lunar environment and intense cosmic radiation, he casually stretched his neck before putting the helmet back on and communicating via wireless device:
"As you've witnessed, I am the third individual at this base to possess Stigmata and currently have the highest compatibility among males. My physical capabilities already surpass the average A-rank Valkyries significantly, with exceptional adaptability to harsh environments. As for S rank, it's highly unstable, making direct comparisons difficult. Naturally, my physiology is quite unique; such circumstances cannot be replicated easily. To create male Honkai-resistant warriors on a large scale, akin to Schicksal's mass production of Valkyries, will require more time."
"It's still remarkable progress. For centuries, virtually all fighters capable of confronting Honkai have been women. Despite men generally having superior combat potential, they were always limited by their complete lack of resistance to Honkai Energy. If this plan succeeds—or even if we achieve just some replicable results—the human military strength could double instantly."
"Yes, I understand its importance too. So although it's exhausting, I accept the extra hours... Hopefully, once you return, sir, you can mention to Sir Zeke that at least some additional overtime pay would be appreciated!"
"I'll pass along your request."
As Bronya and Chen Tianwu conversed, they entered the vast complex of interconnected buildings stretching beyond immediate sight.
Sin and Kiana followed closely behind them.
Just as the base gates slowly closed, Kiana seemed to sense something, turning her head towards a specific direction outside. She pursed her lips thoughtfully.