As they stepped through the wide entrance, the first thing to catch the viewers' attention was a sword-shaped black obelisk.
It bore the inscription: "There never were any gods or saviors. To create humanity's happiness, we can only rely on our own hands!"
The live stream's bullet comments momentarily went blank.
Below the obelisk lay countless gravestones surrounding a model of Earth, solemn and silent.
Rozaliya and Liliya bowed together.
For a brief moment, the camera jerked abruptly before stabilizing again. Rozaliya then explained:
"These are numerous great individuals from both past and present who have contributed significantly to human civilization. They include members from Anti-Entropy, Schicksal, and beyond—some well-known, others unsung heroes. Nevertheless, all deserve to be remembered. The Alliance Leader established a rule that upon entering these gates, everyone must first pay their respects to these remarkable people, for without them, there would be no present as we know it."
[Over these years, the changes across the world are evident to all... Salute!]
[Mr. Welt, a true giant of his generation! Salute!]
["Anti-Entropy has endured for over six decades, facing arduous beginnings, periods of uncertainty, and fearless battles. Ultimately, it emerged reborn from the flames, proudly carrying the banner to lead human civilization—a truly heroic journey!"]
["Despite numerous negative remarks about Anti-Entropy over the years, I've never believed them. Famine, war, and plagues have nearly vanished, global poverty has visibly improved, and technological advancements continue to benefit humanity... The world is undeniably changing for the better, as anyone with eyes can see. I'm not blind to this progress."]
["I've had the fortune to collaborate with Mr. Welt and Anti-Entropy's forces. Their capabilities speak for themselves, but what truly stands out is their spirit—their noble aura that makes one want to abandon everything and follow them. I'd believe you if you said the sky was red, but there's no convincing me that Mr. Welt and his team are wrong, even under threat of death."]
["Salute!"]
"Alright, alright, let's move forward now."
Rozaliya and Liliya walked past the cemetery, heading towards the entrance of the vast complex where a tall, graceful maid with gray hair, crimson eyes, and an elegant figure awaited them.
"Welcome back, Miss Rozaliya, Miss Liliya."
"Was Big Sister Cioara waiting for us?"
"Yes indeed. Sir Zeke was concerned that you two might not be familiar with Headquarters' overall layout, so he tasked me to guide you when necessary. Please bear with us, dear viewers."
But who would mind as an LSP?
All they saw were long legs clad in white stockings, a heart-stopping presence, and a maid outfit—how could anyone resist such allure?
"Heh-heh! Allow me to introduce, with great pomp, Big Sister Cioara: Head Maid of Headquarters, holding the title of Deputy Executive—a domestic all-rounder, firearms master, martial arts grandmaster, and military genius. She oversees daily operations, basic security, and guest reception at Headquarters. Apart from her less-than-impressive cooking skills, she's practically perfect!"
[Wow! A Deputy Executive? That's the third tier in Anti-Entropy's power hierarchy!]
[Is that it? Let me tell you, even our Prime Minister...the Prime Minister himself has to grin politely before her.]
[Pffft!]
[Now that's what I call clout!]
However, still smiling, Cioara reached out and gently tugged on Rozaliya's ear.
"I think I heard someone questioning my culinary abilities?"
"Mis...misunderstanding! Just a slip of the tongue, really!"
"Then allow me to prepare tonight's dinner for you with utmost dedication, ensuring it leaves a lasting impression."
"...Liliya, help!"
Cioara followed Rozaliya's gaze.
Liliya turned her face away, eyes wandering as she started whistling nonchalantly.
"Pssst... Pssst... Pssst..."
With that, Cioara released Rozaliya's ear and clapped her hands.
Following the applause, several small black spherical objects appeared around them.
Simultaneously, Liliya's streaming equipment disconnected, and the viewers' perspective abruptly shifted, becoming wider and clearer, capturing all three individuals and their surroundings within the frame.
Transparent projection windows then materialized before each of them, displaying the stream interface and bullet comments.
"Why bring such outdated broadcasting equipment when visiting Anti-Entropy?" Cioara asked with a smile.
The majority of bullet comments were filled with ellipses.
Liliya's streaming gear was top-notch by external standards—featuring independent signal channels, ultra-high-definition bio-cameras, intelligent data processing capabilities, and more... It truly embodied cutting-edge technology.
Considering this was Anti-Entropy Headquarters, renowned as the world's foremost center of technology, it wasn't surprising that their outdated equipment fell short.
"Can you blame me for forgetting? I should've just mentioned it to Zeke... What a waste of money! Rozaliya's debt just increased again!"
Rozaliya clutched her head in frustration.
A few years back, Zeke had already compiled a clear debt ledger, meticulously documenting all expenses and resources spent on the two sisters. These were amounts they both needed to repay with earnings from their idol activities!
"You silly Rozaliya, don't worry. Once we marry Big Bro Zeke, these debts will be wiped clean."
"Oh! You're right! As long as we secure Zeke, no amount of debt is a problem!"
The sisters high-fived each other, brimming with confidence.
Cioara's lips twitched slightly.
To be honest, she hadn't been oblivious to pondering who might become the future mistress here. However, regardless of how one looked at it, the chances for these two seemed incredibly slim.
[You're dreaming...]
[Zeke's life-changing decision... Personally, I'm Team ZickHera!]
[Miss Hera forever, the ultimate ship!]
[Over these years, only three women have truly caught Sir Zeke's attention: Schicksal's destined Miss Hera, Anti-Entropy's Dr. Einstein, and Shenzhou's Red Kite Immortal.]
[I'm rooting for the Immortal side! With Sir Zeke being so exceptional, he's obviously destined for Shenzhou!]
[I think Dr. Einstein has a higher chance. Look, they're colleagues, spending day and night together, mutually appreciating each other—it'd be unjust if they didn't end up as a couple!]
As Cioara read the bullet comments, her lips twitched once again.
Not a single correct guess.
To be precise, did their master even harbor any interest in finding a woman? Trying to envision a scene where some girl, dressed in a wedding gown, blissfully walks down the aisle with Sir Zeke—she dared not imagine it; it seemed utterly impossible!
Sir Zeke clearly lacked worldly desires!
Cioara silently nodded, ending her speculative thoughts.
"Ladies and viewers, please enter the base."
"Alright!" exclaimed Rozaliya.
"Yes..." agreed Liliya.
Meanwhile, deep within the base, a handsome young man with silver hair and blue eyes, clad in a white trench coat, stood before multiple floating projection windows, handling today's crucial administrative tasks.
Suddenly, he turned his head towards the long-haired silver-haired girl clinging to him like a pet cat or dog, expressionlessly stating:
"You've been hanging onto me for one hour and seven minutes now. Let go."
"I won't let it go! Why can't I join the Lunar Base patrol? That jerk Sin gets to go, so why not me?!"
"The arrangements on the moon are crucial, and you're not as composed as she is."
This was true, but there was more to the story.
The real concern was that Zeke couldn't be certain if any traces of the God of Honkai remained within the Lunar Ruins—even near-certainty wasn't absolute when it came to Kiana's safety. He refused to take any risks involving her.
However, Kiana couldn't grasp Zeke's worries; she only felt underestimated. Pouting defiantly, she puffed out her cheeks, causing her softness up front to continually brush against Zeke's back as she insisted,
"I am very composed, okay?!"
"...Given your current behavior, do you really expect me to believe that?"
"This is just an exception—whose fault is it for not letting me go? I can handle it! You gotta trust me, pleeease~"
Pouting, Kiana swayed her body against Zeke, coaxing him with an overly sweet voice.
After clearing a few more document windows, Zeke sighed, feeling somewhat helpless. Only Kiana would dare to act this shamelessly. With anyone else, even Bronya or Sin, his decision would have been final—no one else would question it.
"Why are you so insistent?"
"Because it's the moon! You know, lunar landing? Kiana means 'goddess of the moon,' so how could I possibly miss this opportunity?!"
"...That makes no sense," Zeke remarked on Kiana's thought process.
She was always like this, leaving Zeke utterly baffled as to where such quirky and nonsensical ideas came from within her small head.
To him, deciphering her might be just as challenging as defeating Honkai—a riddle requiring a lifetime to solve.
Kiana playfully bumped Zeke's head, disgruntled. "Never mind if it's strange or not! Just say yes already!"
"No."
"Ahhh! Then I'm staying right here!"
"Oh really?" Zeke swiftly turned his head, grasping Kiana's little white head with one hand. His smile seemed gentle as spring breeze, yet his eyes gleamed menacingly.
And then, Kiana hopped down, squatting beside Zeke's feet.
"I don't care! I want to go!"
Zeke remained silent.
"If you don't agree, I'll roll around here all day! Even when you're sleeping, I'll jump onto your bed and keep rolling!"
"...Alright, you win." After hesitating for a long moment, Zeke finally relented with a nod. "But there are three rules—you must obey—"
"Yeehaw! Zeke said yes!"
Bang!
Kiana bolted out, slamming the door open before Zeke could finish his instructions.
Zeke stood frozen in place for three seconds before speaking emotionlessly:
"Icarus, initiate internal cleaning mode. Target Kiana—use level-two firepower!"
"Yes, My Lord!"