Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

Luo Ye walked slowly, passing the fresh graves and the heavy, decaying or half-decayed bones in the cemetery. Like a hunter in a game, she quietly approached the secret door leading to the next stage, and with a gentle push, the purification chapel—which served as the central transit point in the game—came into view. Her supernatural senses were slightly released, and the sight within the chapel made her raise an eyebrow.

The church remained empty. All NPCs were deemed worthless and therefore nonexistent in this dream world. She entered the inner sanctum, greeted by a rich incense aroma. In the lore, the Yharnam people used incense to ward off the crazed beast-like patients of the night of the hunt. While this lore held no meaning for Luo Ye, the scent of the incense still brought a sense of peace to her heart.

"But what use is tranquility to me?"

Luo Ye spoke softly, gazing at the exquisite decorations and reliefs in the inner hall—unlike the setting, what appeared here was not the sage stone sculpture of the Healing Church from the game's setting. No, there were no stone sculptures or statues here; only a huge, bright moon appeared on the wall of the inner hall.

Chang'e's bright moon.

There were many blurry shadows around the bright moon, and two of them had particularly clear traces, but they also looked like they had been damaged.

Luo Ye lowered her eyes gently.

It was Chang'e who made it; this change was brought about by the primordial sage Chang'e. Even though she has fallen into the deepest slumber, as long as she remains there, the surrounding environment will change with the transformation of her dreams. Even though the origin of the Hunting Saint Cage possesses power beyond compare, the one who controls this ritual does not possess power comparable to her.

[Chu Xuan hasn't unlocked the fourth stage of his genetic lock yet; he's still just Chu Xuan, not Jun's reincarnation. Although he will eventually inherit Jun's legacy and position, that's not now… Perhaps he wants to ascend to the top in one step, to break free from the influence of his past life.]

He wanted to continue existing as Chu Xuan, not as the so-called First Jun or Second Jun. Just as Alice only wanted to be Alice and had no interest in, and even disliked, the identity of Luo Ye... Perhaps it was my existence that reminded him, leading him to make this change.

[To be able to make a destined saint reincarnated individual unwilling to continue being a saint... Should I give myself a good compliment? Hmm... I want a Coke.]

She turned away, no longer paying attention to the murals on the walls. As time passed, the influence of the Primordial Chang'e on this world would gradually become apparent. This was an unavoidable, inevitable event; delaying or preventing it was impossible. The only thing they could do was to weaken the Primordial Chang'e's power as much as possible before then, destroy her army, and then, before she fully awoke, open a path to the core of her dream world, thus ending her completely.

This is the destiny of those who reincarnate, and also their duty. The task issued by the Supreme God has clearly demonstrated the Supreme God's stance. And to accomplish this great undertaking, a price and sacrifice are required.

Luo Ye reached out and touched the closed door on the outside of the chapel—as she expected, the door couldn't be opened yet. The recovered fragments weren't enough; the path to the next stage hadn't been opened.

The next moment, she was back on the second floor of Yusevka's clinic. She had removed the outer garment that belonged to the First Hunter and replaced it with the white naval uniform that belonged to the fleet admiral. Work time had temporarily come to an end, and now it was time to relax.

Soon, she opened her eyes in the bubble world. At the same time, the world that had been frozen in place by her thoughts began to function again.

She stood in her office once more, with Sirius, who had taken over Lexington's duties as secretary, beside her. After a moment's thought, she had to admit that even for a superhuman being, pinpointing a specific time period from tens of thousands of years ago required considerable effort. After about fifteen milliseconds of contemplation, she realized she had seemingly finished her day's work, and what she needed to do next, or could choose to do, was to have a brief conversation with her secretary.

My secretary is... Sirius.

She was a survivor I rescued while retaking an island.

So... what would be a good opening line?

Sirius…

Luo Ye closed her eyes slightly, struggling to resist the urge to rub her temples. A long, well-chosen, and perfectly worded discourse materialized in her mind as a suitable draft. And then…

Could you please bring me that Coke?

—Very well, all that long-winded explanation was for nothing.

The girl beside him nodded silently, then quietly left before Luo Ye could try to change the subject. She moved so quickly that Luo Ye had no chance to respond effectively.

A superhuman being using mortal parameters is unable to come up with an effective response.

Luo Ye flicked her fingers, wanting to do something, but forcibly suppressed the thoughts in her heart before she could. She knew exactly what was wrong with her; it was just that she was... really tired.

Her body leaned back, slowly settling against the chair. She revealed a vulnerable side in the manner of a mortal, letting out a soft sigh, but the depression in her heart did not dissipate in the slightest.

The shadows nearby stirred; those were the other ship girls protecting her. They might want to come out, but they held back for the time being because Sirius was currently serving as the secretary—if Sirius had received a lengthy mission or if this weren't the admiral's office, they would probably show up to make their presence known. But for now, they decided to be patient.

Patience. They were patient, and so was she.

Logically speaking, extraordinary beings should not possess such weak emotions. Yet, this inexplicable situation still occurred.

Is it because I'm too fragile? Ah... perhaps. After all, millions... hundreds of years ago, I chose to back down at the final step of the ritual. That's why this has happened... If I had known this would happen, wouldn't it have been better to have died sooner?

She thought this, but deep inside, another voice whispered—for extraordinary beings, chance is extremely rare. And if we elevate our perspective to Shinki's level, in her eyes, does the final outcome of an event truly involve an element of 'chance'?

She hadn't had this thought before because the level of power she had encountered wasn't high enough. However, as she grew stronger and came into contact with increasingly powerful beings, including super-life forms that shouldn't have been encountered at this level, a few subtle thoughts began to surface deep within her mind.

Was my decision to give up at the end of the ceremony inevitable? Was it simply part of the ritual? And have all my thoughts and choices since then been part of the many steps involved in performing that ritual?

After all, if a mere mortal, a mere Luo Ye, could, with just a surge of enlightenment, create a child of dreams that even an existence like Shen Qi could aspire to, then Shen Qi's grand ambition to repair the Multiverse Tree... seems far too frivolous!

She sighed softly, dismissing the sudden thought from her mind. Perhaps Luo Ye truly had no choice from the beginning, or perhaps all the sacrifices and efforts she had made, from the past to the present, were part of Shen Qi's plan. But even so…

I have no intention of changing my mind.

After all, this is the only thing I can do.

She tilted her head and looked out the window at the distant sky. In this world of bubbles, the ocean stretched all the way to the sky. And from this suitable vantage point, one could basically see another small continent on the distant horizon.

Just then, Sirius walked in from outside, carrying a cup full of cola.

..........................................

In the next few days... the update situation may be very severe.

Because I, Jiu, am getting engaged on July 18th! OAO

Section 20: The Path to Truth - Part 5

Cola, a carbonated beverage, is junk food. It is neither good for health nor for the stomach. Its only advantage is that the caffeine and carbon dioxide in this drink have a slight refreshing and cooling effect, which can make people feel slightly pleasant when they drink it.

A fleeting moment of pleasure, a moment of coolness. In the end, it's nothing more than a trivial thing, unsuitable for formal occasions or everyday meals. Most people with a bit of life experience, who have weathered some storms, wouldn't really like this kind of drink that offers no health benefits and carries no added meaning.

—However, Luo Ye liked it.

She disliked expensive and luxurious wines, indulgent drugs, calming tea and coffee, simple milk and honey, and even pure, flawless water—she only liked cola.

She only likes these low-class, unpopular carbonated drinks that are popular only among children and young people and will gradually be abandoned as they grow up—she doesn't care about the brand, the recipe, or even the taste. As long as it's a liquid with sugar and carbonation, she likes it.

She loves sugar, and she loves the fleeting sweetness.

She really liked carbonation, especially the bubbles struggling to break free from the water.

She really likes it...

No, actually I don't like anything. I just simply wanted to drink it.

Luo Ye took the chilled cola from Sirius's hand, nodded slightly to her secretary in thanks, and then brought the cup to her lips, slowly sipping it—she treated this convenience drink like a cup of tea. As she savored the sweetness unfolding on her tongue and the tiny bubbles bursting, her long, unremarkable eyebrows furrowed slightly.

It offers no nourishment, no addiction, requires no preparation, and brings only a fleeting moment of pleasure—such an object is perfectly suited to Luo Ye.

a long time……

Luo Ye slowly finished her drink, exhaling softly. The heat in her heart seemed to dissipate with that breath. Whether it was the carbonated drink that truly worked or a subtle psychological shift, she did feel a sense of relief as she exhaled.

Beside him, Sirius, who had been standing quietly, twitched his toes slightly.

"Is there something you need?" Luo Ye asked without looking up. Although she was using a mortal body here, her mortal senses were enough for her to accurately perceive many subtle changes around her. Sirius's small movements were very clear to her, and Sirius had no intention of hiding his actions.

So, Luo Ye's ship girl secretary bowed slightly to her.

“Commander.” Sirius’s voice was detached, yet her concern was still evident in her tone. “Have you been… preoccupied with something lately?”

"So obvious?" Luo Ye tilted his head slightly.

"Everyone is very worried about you," Sirius said calmly, while several shadows nearby trembled slightly. The ship girls hiding among them might have intended to come out and express their feelings, but in the end, they restrained themselves from violating their agreed-upon rotation protection rules.

“You don’t really need to worry that much. Although the deep sea is vast in number, there is no way they can break through the island chain defense line you have laid out over the past few months—even with the greatest advantage, they cannot overcome your command. And since then, we have been in an invincible position.”

"We will win sooner or later. Even if your operation suffers some minor setbacks this time, we will win sooner or later."

Her words were earnest and her tone serious. In the end, she almost broke her calm and composed persona and tightly grasped Luo Ye's hand.

"As long as you're still here, we will definitely win. So...so..."

Please take good care of your health.

Luo Ye turned her head to look at her secretary, and saw only her own reflection in Sirius's pale purple eyes.

“Sirius.” Luo Ye gently pressed her fingers on the ship girl’s wrist, and the girl in front of her immediately quieted down.

"In the war that follows... there will definitely be sacrifices." Luo Ye said slowly and earnestly, word by word: "Many of the ship girls you know may die. Including those ship girls you are very familiar with and close to, they may die. You will never see them again, never hear their voices again, and as the war continues, you will even have less time to think about them—you will lose them forever, forever."

"It would be their honor, and it would be my honor as well," Sirius replied just as earnestly. "As ship girls, protecting the seas and fighting against the abyss is our inherent duty. If any of my comrades were to sacrifice themselves because of this, I would be sad, but I would also be happy for them. Because they have fulfilled the mission they were born with in this world. They have made their existence meaningful."

"...You might die too."

"Then I will surely die protecting you, or sink on the battlefield to carry out your orders. Such an outcome would be the best for me."

Luo Ye's fingers stiffened slightly.

"I will forget you. It won't be long before I forget you, forget your existence, forget that you like amusement parks, forget that you always get lost... I will forget everything about you, as if you never existed in the first place."

"The fact that you remember me now, and remember so many things about me, is already the greatest compliment you can give me." Sirius pressed her hand to her chest, her beautiful cheeks flushed slightly for some reason. "And if you forget me after I die, it can only mean that a ship girl who is more outstanding, more considerate, and more worthy of your attention has appeared by your side. Isn't that a good thing?"

"........."

“…Sirius.” Luo Ye lowered her eyes slightly, only glancing at her fingertips out of the corner of her eye. “You…didn’t you ever think that you could choose not to die?”

"If you want me to live, then I will definitely strive for that goal." Sirius calmed himself down and bowed slightly to Luo Ye again. "But since you've asked this question, it means there's a possibility that a situation might arise where I can't survive even if I try... That must be an important war, and if I could dedicate everything to such a war... Although I would have some regrets about not being able to stay by your side, Commander, after that, I would never regret it."

"...Didn't you ever consider that you didn't actually need to fulfill this duty, that you didn't need to die in the first place?"

"If that was your order, Commander, I would have voluntarily withdrawn from the battlefield at that time."

"...No orders were given."

"...I'm sorry, Commander, I can't understand your thinking." Sirius's face showed a confused expression. "I am a ship girl. Ship girls are born to protect the sea frontier, fight against the abyss, and obey the Commander's orders. We are born as weapons, as tools, as creations bearing responsibilities... I can't understand why ship girls would betray their duties and missions. Compared to them, life is really nothing important."

She suddenly asked Luo Ye a question in return.

“Isn’t that what you think too, Commander? I often see that determination to complete the mission at all costs in your eyes. Even a stubborn German ship woman like Bismarck couldn’t match that pure and resolute look. You should be able to understand my thoughts easily.”

"...Have you changed your mind?"

Luo Ye's fingers snapped open, but she forcefully stopped them less than a millimeter from leaving the handrail. Her lips twitched slightly, and her mind raced with a myriad of thoughts.

After a long silence, Luo Ye shook her head slightly: "No, I haven't changed my mind. I decided to do this from the very beginning, and now that I've done so much, I'll naturally continue doing it until it's all over... Is it because I've been too tired lately? Or is it..."

She felt a pair of slender hands placed on her shoulders, and then she heard the ship girl's soft voice.

"Would you like me to help you relax, Commander? I've been going through quite a few books lately and found many ways to relieve fatigue." Sirius's voice was slightly hurried. "If you'd like, please close your eyes. It's already dark, and now is the perfect time to rest. You don't need to do anything; I... we'll make sure you get enough relaxation, both physically and mentally."

However, Luo Ye simply raised his palm.

"I want to be alone for a while." Luo Ye's voice was flat, revealing no emotion. As she said this, Sirius quietly left behind her, walked to her side, bowed slightly, and then headed towards the door.

Luo Ye's gaze shifted, sweeping over several shadowy spots in the room. Several well-hidden ship girls silently emerged from the shadows, bowed slightly to her, and followed Sirius toward the office door.

“We’re right outside the door. Please call us immediately if you need anything.”

Luo Ye nodded slightly, watching the office door open and close silently. She glanced back at the windowsill behind her; the shadows cast by the window remained motionless.

That's enough. While the ship girls will execute their orders well, they can still be flexible in the details. Although if I were to give them a verbal reminder, the ship girls hiding outside the window would definitely obey the order to evacuate, doing so would actually be pointless.

What I've already decided, there's no need to change it.