Miss Wang Weina, even your cousin won't do!

Director Henry breathed a sigh of relief, turned around, and made way for Saria and Himer. Saria stepped forward, and it was then that Kal'tsit noticed that Saria was carrying a sealed tin insulated box.

“These are the first batch of finished products from Project Spark,” Himer said, helping Saria open the insulated box. A faint mist of frost emanated from the opening. Himer took out a frosty test tube and a blood-red vial, handing them to Kal'tsit. “Miss Yelena provided us with a method to make a highly effective antifreeze ointment using inexpensive materials. We've made some optimizations to the raw materials. This frostbite ointment allows our researchers to operate continuously on the snowfield for 12 hours without suffering from hypothermia or frostbite. There's still room for further optimization. And this vial…” "We analyzed and deconstructed it using Originium crystals extracted from Mr. Bozokasti. Wendigo's physical abilities surpassed our expectations. These Originium crystals growing on Wendigo's body are permeated with his blood and the ancient sorcery power of the Sarkaz... Its effect is to allow the user, whether through ingestion or injection, to use Originium Arts for a short period without relying on a staff, with a slight increase in power. However, after use, due to the absorption of diluted Wendigo blood, it produces severe side effects. According to our observations, the worst-case scenario could lead to multiple organ failure, resulting in death."

Himer gritted his teeth, but quickly composed himself: "Project Spark was personally named by His Highness Wayne. It aims to ignite a spark from Rhine Lab to cure Oripathy and optimize Originium utilization, eventually leading to widespread adoption. The results of the first batch of products are still somewhat unstable. We originally intended to hand them over directly to His Highness Wayne, but since he's not here..."

“Leave it to me, I’ll pass it on to him.” Kal’tsit nodded, reached out and patted Himer’s shoulder in a friendly and cordial manner, just like Wayne had done, and sincerely praised, “You did a great job! Science has no end, keep it up.”

"I'm also handing you over the latest full-body Originium imaging report of Mr. Bozokasti and Ms. Yelena, Ms. Kal'tsit."

Saria placed a stack of reports and film on Kal'tsit's desk and said goodbye:

"Then let's head to the venue first. I hope that after this ceremony, Victoria will be free from turmoil, and will remain prosperous and eternally strong."

Kal'tsit glanced at the clock above her head and bowed slightly:

"Of course, see you in an hour."

P.S.: Group assignments are such a pain, I'm so annoyed. Filming a short video took from 9 PM to 11 PM, and I only got home at 11:30 PM and was just about to start writing when I was assigned a PowerPoint presentation to work on in shifts. I rushed to finish one chapter, but the next one won't be available until very late, or maybe tomorrow.

I'm so worried.

Chapter Forty-Eight: Write a book called Arknights

Londinium, Royal Park, ceremony scene.

"Vina, you're going on stage soon, are you nervous?" Theresa stood behind Vina, tidying her slightly messy, frizzy long hair as she asked in a joking tone, trying to ease the tense atmosphere.

Vina first shook her head subconsciously, but after realizing that the person asking the question was Theresa, her tense neck and shoulders slumped down, and she nodded slightly like a chick pecking at rice.

Theresa smiled understandingly and gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder: "It's normal, don't worry about it too much, Vina. Everyone has their first time. When you first stood on the television screen, at that crucial moment of suppressing the rebellion, delivering your coronation speech to the nation, weren't you even more nervous than you are now?"

"This time is no different. This time, only this time, those viewers who sat behind the television have come to stand before you. They will not criticize you or mock you. They are happy and proud to hear their Queen's voice in person."

Theresa said lightly, "And in this respect, you are already much better than your brother. He still doesn't dare to speak loudly in front of people. A prince of the royal family has never given a public speech or toured the country. Even when he visits foreign countries, he has to put a mosaic on his face. He is as shy as a little girl."

Hearing this strange analogy, Vina couldn't help but laugh and joked, "Moreover, on his first business trip, my brother even killed Columbia so as not to leave any image data of himself."

Theresa covered her mouth and chuckled, then after a few seconds of laughter, she suddenly realized what outrageous things Vina had just said. She couldn't help but reflect on how a pacifist like herself could laugh at such a nationally destructive joke, and when Vina had become so wicked that she could put even a joke in a hellish joke book.

Before she could figure it out, Vina suddenly asked her an unexpected question:

"Sister Theresa, what kind of person is your brother? Why do you and your brother seem to treat him badly?"

“My brother…” Theresa paused for a moment, her expression shifting several times. Just as Vina thought she had asked the wrong question and was about to say, “If you don’t want to answer, that’s fine,” Theresa sighed with mixed feelings and replied:

"Brother, you are a very capable person."

“Vina, please don’t underestimate Theresis. Although he has started to lose his mind since he became the chairman and principal, he was my biggest rival before that.”

Theresa didn't use the word "enemy," but rather "rival," which implies that despite their differing ideologies, she has always acknowledged Theresa's abilities.

"The Sarkaz have long lifespans, so most Sarkaz mature very slowly. Some Sarkaz who appear mature might seem quite naive in certain ways. But Theresis is an exception; I've never seen him young. He always seems excessively mature. This is no exaggeration. When Theresis was only twenty, he was already touring the various Sarkaz courts, acting as a link between Kazdel and the Sarkaz. By thirty, he was already giving public speeches, building a following. His wartime speech in Kazdel when he was a hundred years old remains vivid in my memory; it's a speech that could definitely be included in textbooks. For the centuries that followed, he served as a general in Kazdel, leading the Sarkaz in resisting wave after wave of invasions. His resume is illustrious, and the highest government in Kazdel—the Kazdel Military Council—was established at his suggestion."

Vina nodded. She vaguely knew some of the Sarkaz's developmental traits that Theresa had described. For example, the taciturn Mudrock always had various clay sculptures in his room and would give them as birthday gifts to others. Surtr was always straightforward and hot-tempered, and his arrogant attitude often annoyed people, but he secretly loved ice cream and often made the bizarre suggestion to the finance department to exchange the royal guards' salaries for ice cream. The newcomer, Warfarin, had an eccentric personality; she would become obsessed with things she liked and couldn't control herself. She also liked to sleep upside down in high places, enjoying the cold wind. Kroos was also obsessed with collecting all kinds of currencies, showing the potential of a shrewd businessman.

But Theresis had no weaknesses. As Theresa said, Theresis only yielded to power. Wayne possessed the power to change the world and proved to Theresis that he could do it too, and even better. So Theresis stayed securely under Wayne's command. Such a person, who clearly lacked loyalty, was ironically among the most loyal.

"If it weren't for Mr. Bruce, our conflict would have almost become irreconcilable. If it had escalated to that point, what would Kazdel have become?"

Theresa tried to imagine that scenario, but after thinking for a long time, her mind remained a jumbled mess. Just then, a knocking sound suddenly rang out in the empty room.

"Bang bang bang!"

"Please come in." Vina answered subconsciously, then realized that the noise was coming from inside the room, and was immediately startled and gasped.

The first to react, Theresa, glared angrily at the coffin placed in the center of the room: "Mr. Bruce, why are you scaring people when you're awake!"

"Because I heard people talking badly about me behind my back, thinking I'm a shy little girl."

Wayne's voice came from the vent in the coffin. A normal coffin wouldn't have one, of course, but Wayne wasn't really dead, so naturally there had to be an opening for him to breathe.

Theresa awkwardly started braiding Vina's hair with her fingers, only then remembering that while she was chatting with Vina, there was a third person in the room, eavesdropping from inside the coffin.

Fortunately, Wayne didn't dwell on the issue too much. After all, Theresa was right; Wayne was indeed not good at giving speeches in big situations.

He said, "I heard something very interesting. You were just talking about what would happen to Theresa and the Chairperson if I weren't there, right?"

"This hypothesis is very interesting and has inspired my creative desire. I've decided that once I'm fully recovered, I'll write a book to record the subsequent developments of this hypothesis! How about calling it 'Arknights'?"

Theresa and Vina exchanged a glance, then shrugged, half-laughing and half-crying. "I'm really looking forward to it, but Mr. Bruce (brother), aren't you a little too idle? It's weird talking to someone in a coffin. Can't you finish your important business before starting your creative journey?"

Wayne rolled his eyes and asked, "How much time do we have?"

"Five minutes left." Vina stood up, walked to the coffin, stuck her finger into the ventilation opening, and said, "Bite it!"

"Why?" Wayne asked, taking a bite as he did.

Vina withdrew her finger, covered her hand, and said with flushed cheeks, "Consider it a sign of encouragement for me."

PS: Anyone who's played Hoi4KR Mod (KR Mod is actually the base game, really!) knows there's a special event where a British writer (I think it's Churchill?) publishes a book describing what the world would be like if Germany had lost World War I. (In the KR timeline, Germany won the war, the British and French governments collapsed, one fled to Canada, the other took over Africa, and Germany's homeland became a syndicalist state.) Playing as a KMT leftist in China and having Chairman Wang unify China will also trigger an event—Edgar Snow wrote a book called *The Sun Shines Over China*, the original of which was *Red Star Over China*, written by the same person in the Shaanxi-Gansu border region, recounting the author's experiences in Yan'an from June to October 1936.

This is a joke.

Leave of absence note: The computer desk collapsed, and the computer fell with it.

I have something really surreal to tell you. I've had incredibly bad luck today.

This afternoon we were supposed to go out, but when I got there, my friend who was supposed to go with me suddenly had something come up and canceled. I was feeling down, so I thought I'd go get some barbecue, but when I got there, the barbecue restaurant had closed down. Just when I was feeling really unlucky, I decided to go to Haidilao, but Haidilao had also closed down. I had eaten at this Haidilao just last week, and now that I was thinking of going this week, it's closed down.

I figured since I was having such bad luck, I might as well not think about what to eat, so I just grabbed a bite at a roadside restaurant and went back to my dorm to work. Then the most dramatic thing happened: while I was writing, my computer desk, which I'd used for over a year, collapsed.

As I was writing, it just collapsed!

My keyboard slammed to the floor with a loud crash, keycaps scattering everywhere. Before I could react, my laptop followed suit, hitting the floor as well. The screen went black instantly, and it wouldn't turn on.

I'm typing this on my phone now to ask for leave. It's 10 PM. I took my computer to the computer repair shop on campus, told the dorm manager that my desk was broken, and asked if it could be repaired. The computer will take two days to repair, and the desk won't be reported for repair until Tuesday.

I'll be going to an internet cafe tomorrow to temporarily use a computer to write. My dorm room is already closed today, so please allow me to ask for leave.

I'm going to sleep now. This whole ordeal has left me feeling a bit irritable. When will things finally turn around for me?

(The above is all based on my true experience today. Laugh if you want, I can't see it anyway, it's through the screen!)

Chapter Forty-Nine: Heaven Blesses the Empress!

As the Royal Victorian Military Band stood ready, a resounding tuba chorus opened the magnificent performance of the Victorian national anthem, "God Save the Queen," amidst the standing gaze and chorus of the entire audience. As the long, majestic melody filled the air, residents near Royal Victoria Park began to join in with their own impromptu singing.

"May God protect the Empress, may she live a long and prosperous life, may God bless the Empress! May she always be victorious, bathed in glory; may she be trusted by the people, and may her heart be filled with joy; may she govern the country well and may her reign be long and prosperous: God bless the Empress!"

"Wield divine might, spread the net of heaven, protect the royal family, annihilate the enemy, and sweep them away in one fell swoop. Shatter the conspiracy, destroy the treacherous party, and wipe out the chaotic alliance; we look up to heaven, may the Empress be blessed!"

"God is gracious, bestowing treasures and overflowing treasuries, may her reign be long and prosperous! May she uphold the laws of the land and win the hearts of the people. We sing from the bottom of our hearts, God bless the Empress!"

Victoria's national anthem has six verses, but normally the Queen only sings the first verse repeatedly. The second verse is only sung in times of war to boost morale and inspire confidence. Unless it's a major event to highlight achievements and celebrate authority, the anthem is rarely sung in three verses. Even at Queen Victoria's coronation, only the first and third verses were played, skipping the second. This unprecedented three-verse chorus is truly rare even in the entire history of Victoria.

But it was precisely because of the unusually long performance that the Victorian citizens watching and the dignitaries from various countries who participated as witnesses understood even more the significance of this ceremony in Victorian history. It took place during a war with Deeppool, and was an incredibly grand gathering, receiving the highest level of attention from the Victorian royal family. Anyone who dared to cause trouble for Victoria at this grand event would, as the lyrics describe, be "destroyed by Her Majesty's divine might, her net of justice spread, and in one fell swoop swept away! Conspiracies thwarted, treacherous parties destroyed, and chaotic alliances wiped out!"

As the national anthem played, Vina, dressed in military uniform with a heavy blue cloak that resembled a large quilt draped over her back, adorned with various medals and ribbons belonging to Queen Victoria, holding a scepter and wearing a crown, walked onto the ceremony platform. Her calm face and composed gaze slowly swept over the international guests outside the security line and the Victorian people participating in the ceremony outside the fence. She flashed a friendly smile, handed the scepter to the bewildered Theresa beside her, and raised her free hand to wave to all the Victorian people.

"Ohhhhhhhhhh!"

This breathtaking scene caused a sensation throughout Lentinium, and even the Victorians who were unable to attend the ceremony in person, watching on television and computer screens, were amazed and shocked.

Kal'tsit whispered through the earpiece hidden in Vina's ear, which was obscured by her hair—a precaution in case Vina forgot her speech. Although no one expected Vina, who had been memorizing her lines until the early hours, to have an earpiece hidden beneath her thick hair, it was always good to be prepared for anything at such a large event. Her disheveled hair provided excellent cover; no one could see the earpiece hidden under her long, thick hair.

"Your Majesty, it is against the rules to lay down the scepter. The scepter symbolizes your supreme power and rule over Victoria. Giving it to Theresa could easily be misinterpreted by some media outlets or organizations with ulterior motives, thus causing a loss of reputation for both you and Her Highness Theresa."

"But I also handed the scepter to my brother at the coronation ceremony."

Vina's lips twitched slightly, as if she were smiling, but her calm voice was already audible to Kal'tsit.

This was the first time Kal'tsit had heard of this. After a slight pause, she immediately shook her head and said, "But no one saw it except for the nobles. There is no video or audio evidence to prove it."

“Many people witnessed this, and there is video evidence to prove it, so I should do this even more.”

Vina's tone was calm and composed, showing no sign of panic despite Kal'tsit's reminder. She took a step forward, bringing herself closer to the crowd, and suddenly raised her voice, proclaiming:

"Reporters, please take pictures. Guests, please witness. My people, please remember what I am saying now."

"I lay down the scepter that has symbolized power for centuries. At this moment, have I lost the power to be Queen Victoria? At this moment, as I wave to you, will anyone still cheer for a queen who only has a crown?"

A brief silence fell over the crowd, but the next second, as if in response to their Queen's question, tens of thousands of Victorians from all directions gathered in Royal Victoria Park simultaneously raised their hands, waving and erupting in cheers that resounded throughout the entire city! At first, their hand gestures were not synchronized, and the cheers were varied and not very clear. But soon, when one person shouted a slogan at the loudest volume, and another was inspired by it, a unified slogan was etched into the minds of all voices:

"Long live the Empress! Long live the Empress!"

The people in Londinium Royal Park shouted this, and the same voices echoed in the surrounding cities. The Victorians across Terra roared in response, and even in Dublin, the last stronghold of Deeppool, which was still in the occupied territory, waves of arm-raising shouts surged forth!

The sound coalesced into a wave, surging towards the Queen at the center of the platform. Vina waved her arms; even in such cumbersome and heavy attire, the constant raising and waving had made her right hand somewhat numb, yet she persisted in acknowledging the cheering citizens in every direction. Wherever she faced, the cheers grew louder; wherever she smiled, the crowds there smiled back at her!

She was alone, yet she led the entire Victorian wave.

She is the wave!

Theresa, holding the scepter, froze in place. Kal'tsit, sitting in front of the monitor, ready to handle any unexpected situation, also froze. Neither of them had expected that Vina would abandon her pre-written speech and launch into a captivating opening address in a way that was both unexpected and remarkably effective. This was such a risky move; if Vina hadn't controlled her words, if her choice of words had been inappropriate, it would have been a huge stain on her resume.

But it wasn't until the cheers from the crowd gradually subsided that Kal'tsit and Theresa suddenly realized that Vina had succeeded.

She didn't just succeed, she triumphed! She perfectly controlled the scene, relying solely on her own strength, eloquence, status, and symbolic gestures to ignite the entire event! She pushed the atmosphere of the ceremony to an unprecedented peak!

"She is a genius! A born queen. With just a little guidance, she can grow quickly and take on her own responsibilities."

Lying in his coffin, Wayne listened to Vina's speech and couldn't help but recall the character profile's evaluation of Vina, the Push King. He felt genuinely happy for his blood-bound sister, Vina's stunning performance at this moment.

Vina, standing on the platform, finally lowered her hands, a captivating smile of joy spreading across her face. She was overjoyed; after so long, she finally truly understood one of the many truths her brother had told her: "You see, as Queen, my power does not come from the scepter I hold, nor from any gold, silver, or jewels inlaid with emeralds. My power comes from you, from all the people of Victoria."

"Therefore, now, facing the last adult of the Drak royal family, the descendant of the old royal family who led Victoria out of the barbaric lands and established the first settlement, the first city, and the first empire—Miss Talulah Atrias—I hereby formally declare, with the supreme and unshakeable power bestowed upon me by all the people, that the ceremony of the abolition of the Holy Covenant has officially begun!"

The Victorian national anthem played again, this time only the third verse, yet it was even more impactful than before. Because it resonated with the present moment, everyone present at the ceremony clearly understood the meaning of the lyrics:

"May she uphold the laws of the land and win the hearts of the people. We sing from the bottom of our hearts, God bless the Queen!"

"God bless the Queen!"

Chapter 50 Please Calibrate the Clock (4700 words)

"Are those Edward's horn and sword?"

Blending into the crowd, the cloaked Celt gazed at the altar, where Talulah, holding the broken horn and longsword, handed them to Vina, muttering to herself.

Her guess was indeed correct; Wayne had indeed gone to Lungmen to obtain certain evidence of the Drak bloodline that had escaped there—the Atrias lineage—to prove Talulah Atrias's legitimacy. But she hadn't expected Wayne to actually acquire something as significant as the "Dragon Horn."