Honkai Impact: I, The Herrscher of Ice, Am Loved By Players

Please support me on Patreon, where you can read a bunch of extra chapters, not just for this novel, but for all the novels I'm working on. I upload at least 2 times daily for most novels - There are at least twice as many available chapters on Patreon, compared to here on Webnovel.

Additionally, there are also free extra chapters available for Free Members, so head on over:

Patreon.com/ThatGreatStuff

******

"Wendy, you're alive!"

Only then did Theresa, Kiana, and Himeko notice Wendy, with Kiana exclaiming in delight.

Wendy looked at them all, her gaze searching for something specific.

"Where's Big Sister Bronya?" she asked, eyes settling on Kiana. Kiana lowered her head, avoiding eye contact. The expressions on Theresa and Himeko's faces instantly froze as their cheerful chatter turned to silence.

Ana blinked, her brows slightly furrowed.

Though they didn't say it aloud, she understood perfectly well what had happened.

Bronya, unwilling to harm them, chose to destroy the bio-chip implanted in her brain.

Bio-chips were outside Ana's realm of expertise; this technology belonged to Anti-Entropy, though World Serpent also dabbled in it. However, Ana genuinely couldn't comprehend its workings.

During her time with World Serpent, she and Gray Serpent merely collaborated, and neither he nor Jackal would share such advanced technology with her unless she truly became a high-ranking officer within World Serpent.

Moreover, even Abyss Flower held little sway over bio-chips. It could only affect organisms with genetic material, not mechanical systems. Although Bronya wasn't strictly mechanical, she had indeed undergone significant cybernetic enhancements.

Seeing their silence, Wendy seemed to grasp something as well, her mood plummeting.

"Big Sister Bronya, she..."

"She isn't dead yet, but her condition is very critical."

It wasn't Theresa who spoke this time, but Ana. With her eyes closed, she calmly interjected—the oppressive atmosphere these three had created was becoming unbearable for her.

"..."

Theresa's lips twitched slightly. She wondered how Ana knew, but refrained from asking further.

Everyone has their own secrets, just like Theresa herself. On the surface, she appeared as the head of Schicksal's Far East Branch and the granddaughter of Bishop Otto of Schicksal. In secret, however, she had dealings with Anti-Entropy.

"Contact Dr. Einstein; her expertise should be able to address this issue," suggested Ana.

Upon hearing this, Theresa's eyes widened dramatically.

Kiana and the others nearby also displayed various expressions, making for quite a spectacle.

After all, they were currently at one of Anti-Entropy's bases, yet here Ana-sensei proposed collaborating with them.

Only Theresa showed no significant change in expression, though there was a hint of surprise.

"What's so surprising about that?"

Ana shrugged.

"Within Anti-Entropy, there are two factions: conservative and radical. Cocolia leads the radicals, while Dr. Einstein represents the conservatives; she would undoubtedly be open to collaboration."

As Ana spoke, her gaze shifted towards Theresa.

"Moreover, in a sense, Bronya is already affiliated with Anti-Entropy. Seeking their assistance for her seems quite reasonable, doesn't it?"

Although Ana made this suggestion, she knew well that it was actually Fu Hua, using the power of Fenghuang Down, who truly healed Bronya.

Bronya's injury lay within the brain, at the level of consciousness—a realm inaccessible not only by the Abyss Flower but also beyond the expertise of Anti-Entropy's scientists.

So why did Ana bring up Anti-Entropy?

Naturally, because Otto was close to inspecting the experimental results.

By giving Anti-Entropy advance notice, they could expedite support and improve decision-making efficiency. As for forming alliances?

What a joke!

Rita, Bianka, and Fu Hua—among Schicksal's A-Class Valkyries, only Li Sushang had yet to mobilize. If Ana's actions indeed triggered a butterfly effect, it might even prompt Otto himself to intervene this time around.

How did Ana know these specifics? Not solely due to her familiarity with the plot; after leaving World Serpent, Otto issued her a directive, instructing her to report directly to Schicksal Headquarters.

Choosing this moment to send her away made his intentions clear: Otto was preparing to make his move.

And why would Ana obediently follow orders? Likely, even Otto anticipated her defiance. Thus, immediately upon departing from World Serpent, Ana rushed here and decided to extract Wendy's Core while ensuring its stability.

At this critical juncture, the Gem of Desire held greater significance for Ana than for Wendy. After all, she might soon find herself confronting the entire Schicksal organization.

Why not explain everything to Wendy first? Come on, how could one possibly clarify such abstract circumstances? Explaining precognitive abilities alone is no easy task! Moreover, Theresa never expected Otto to conduct the experiment at this point.

However, Theresa indeed had suspicions about Otto's plans, largely thanks to Anti-Entropy's insights.

"True, but..."

Himeko frowned slightly, looking troubled as she glanced at Theresa. If they followed Ana's suggestion and sought help from Anti-Entropy, it wouldn't necessarily be problematic; however...

"I trust Ana-sensei's judgment!" Raiden Mei interjected firmly from the side. She couldn't imagine her father posing any harm to them, so he must also belong to the conservative faction. If her father could escape confinement, perhaps...

"Alright, I'll contact Anti-Entropy," Theresa agreed, determination shining in her eyes.

"But, if I recall correctly, there should be relevant information in Saint Freya's church."

"That's great, Auntie! Let's go together!"

"No, the Central Cathedral holds Schicksal's most sensitive secrets. Only I have clearance to enter. You stay put in your dormitory!"

"Ugh—okay!"

Watching Kiana and Theresa converse, Ana shook her head with a soft sigh.

She had altered some things but not others, likely due to the world's self-correction force. Despite mentioning that Anti-Entropy had solutions, Theresa still chose to visit the Central Cathedral.

Schicksal indeed had some related research, but it was limited. Even if Theresa found relevant technology, implementing it would be incredibly challenging. Ultimately, they still needed to rely on Fu Hua's power.

The real reason she wouldn't allow Kiana to accompany her wasn't as stated earlier; rather, it was because the Central Cathedral housed information about the Sirin Project and crucial data from the Second Honkai Eruption.

In Ana's view, the most critical issue was that the location contained a surveillance system connected to Schicksal Headquarters. If Kiana were to follow, it would be like walking straight into a trap.

And if this scenario unfolded, Ana would need to reconsider her own actions. With her teammate recklessly gifting kills, she couldn't just follow suit, could she? Perhaps playing the role of a double agent at a crucial moment might be better—though she wondered if the Player would accept such a twist.

After all, undercover operations didn't seem to align with her character's established traits.

However—

Ana sighed, feeling somewhat helpless.

It appeared that no matter what choice she made, the outcome remained largely unchanged. In that case, perhaps it's best to take things step by step or opt for the option with the most explosive impact. This way, she maximizes potential gains.