From the moment Enoxia regained consciousness, she had been immersed in the illusion of [Enoxia], reliving everything she had experienced since her birth.
“So, there were originally computers and phones in Angelia’s home, but you didn’t back yourself up into the network that first night. What exactly happened?”
[Enoxia] replied in a calm tone: “The main reason is that, based on the information I had, I knew Atlantis had neither MANTIS warriors nor Dr. Mei, Mobius, or Vill-V. This world had Honkai, but before me, no Herrscher had ever emerged—so there couldn’t be any Divine Keys either.”
“Therefore, even if I didn’t immediately back myself up in electronic devices, I would still be perfectly safe.”
Enoxia raised an eyebrow. “And the less important reason?”
[Enoxia] was utterly honest: “I spent the whole night watching Kiana’s sleeping face, and by the time I snapped out of it, it was already morning.”
Enoxia blinked but said nothing.
[Enoxia] tilted her head in confusion. “Is there a problem? From your memories, I saw that when you used to share a bed with Sirin, you also once—”
Ahem. “Never mind. Last question—are you going to let me continue this immersive experience of your past in Atlantis, or… are you just going to corrupt me directly?”
[Enoxia]’s tone remained indifferent. “The former. If I tried to corrupt you now, I wouldn’t be confident of success.”
“Even though you’ve received some direct assistance from [Sa], making your parameters higher than mine?”
[Enoxia] didn’t answer.
“Fine. Anyway, I’m not sure I can beat you in this state either. Might as well keep playing this ‘immersive experience game’ you developed based on your own memories.”
With a wave of [Enoxia]’s hand, the scenery before Enoxia shifted again. She found herself in an unfamiliar room, her mind now filled with new information.
“The current timeline is 10 months after [Enoxia] joined the Special Affairs Bureau. This is where I live. In these 10 months, [Enoxia] has handled countless Honkai incidents. She’s still the deputy captain of the 1st Squad, but in the eyes of everyone else, her strength is now on par with Cecilia’s… Well, of course—there isn’t a higher rank beyond that.”
“And it’s not that Angelia is unwilling to step down and yield authority to [Enoxia]. Rather, she’s handed over actual command while staying on as captain to shoulder the political pressure.”
After reviewing the new details in her mind, Enoxia nodded in satisfaction.
“So, the middle 10 months got the ‘skip filler’ treatment, and now we’re jumping straight into Chapter 2. To prevent bugs, there’s even a handy quest guide. Alright, I’ll follow the prompts and see what my world-bubble self went through back then.”
With a thought, a quest guide appeared before her eyes. It was simple—just reminders of what she needed to do, along with an option to click “Next” and skip waiting periods.
Just then, a vibration sounded. Enoxia’s phone buzzed with a new message.
“Today’s Kiana’s third birthday, and I’m invited. Over a hundred people will be there—more than a dozen council members (including the Guardian), other Bureau personnel, and assorted VIPs… This scale suggests they’re using the occasion to negotiate future resource allocations. Even without the guide’s reminder, I’d go.”
“I can even see other people’s conversations… Right, of course. The other me is the Herrscher of Corruption, so she can read network communications for a god’s-eye view.”
Enoxia was convinced—the Corruption Herrscher’s authority was indeed the perfect tool for game development. She’d already decided: once she returned to the main world, she’d make a “groundbreaking action mobile game.” The story? No problem—just tweak Honkai Impact 3rd and Guns GirlZ a little. She was sure most people would enjoy a “wholesome, uplifting” narrative.
…..
Meanwhile, at Cecilia’s home, Angelia pinched Kiana’s cheeks.
“Kiana, someone’s coming soon to take you to where Mommy and Auntie work. We’re throwing you a huge birthday party—aren’t you excited?”
“Mhm.”
Kiana nodded, her face lighting up with an innocent, heartfelt smile.
Soon, a sleek black luxury car pulled up downstairs. Cecilia carried Kiana inside, with Angelia following close behind.
Enoxia climbed out of her computer and back into her home, glancing out the window. Sure enough, a silver-white car was parked below, clearly waiting for her.
The guide reminded her: Please board the vehicle within 15 minutes.
Enoxia smirked and sprawled on the sofa. Fifteen minutes, huh? Let’s see what happens if I ignore the timer.
When the 15 minutes elapsed, the clock on the wall froze. Pedestrians outside halted mid-step.
“So it just… stops time? Well, I already know this is an illusion. If I refuse to follow the script, the only one losing immersion is me.”
With a sigh, Enoxia stepped out. The moment she reached the car, time resumed.
Outside, protestors still marched with banners, but their numbers had visibly dwindled compared to 10 months ago—undoubtedly thanks to the Bureau and [Enoxia].
First, Enoxia alone could eliminate hordes of Honkai beasts, allowing others to focus on support and saving vast resources.
Cecilia, however, couldn’t replicate this. [Enoxia]’s efficiency relied on her Herrscher authority, independent of equipment.
Cecilia, though immensely powerful, had a catch: her deployment meant activating Atlantis’s strongest—and most expensive—gear.
That equipment, usable only by her, could theoretically one-shot an Emperor-class Honkai beast while offering equally formidable defense. But the energy cost and wear from a single strike exceeded the combined annual wages of tens of thousands of lower-class citizens.
Even at lower outputs, merely powering it consumed astronomical sums per minute.
So, should Cecilia forgo the gear and fight with standard weapons? Only if the Honkai threat was minor and Bureau forces were stretched thin. Otherwise, they’d rather throw bodies at the problem than risk losing their unmatched powerhouse.
Second, the Bureau’s policy of “prioritizing Honkai suppression over civilian rescue” had an unintended effect. Over these 10 months, most Honkai outbreaks struck residential areas, leaving land relatively uncontaminated. With stable resource yields and a shrinking population, the survivors’ per-capita share naturally increased.
Third, as Honkai intensified, Atlantis’s factions—despite infighting—reached some consensus. Previously reluctant backers opened their coffers. After all, when the nest overturns, no egg remains unbroken. This shift rein in price-gouging merchants, further easing social tensions.
Yet even as conflicts lessened, Honkai grew stronger. In [Enoxia]’s 10 months with the Bureau, four Emperor-class beasts emerged—three soloed by her, the fourth requiring a joint effort that left over 10,000 dead.
By this trajectory, the next Herrscher’s birth was inevitable.
Against this backdrop, on December 7, 1035 (Atlantis calendar), the Special Affairs Bureau building—Kiana’s birthday celebration began.
