Chat Group: Starting by Swapping Bodies with Elysia?

Qingque could honestly say she'd never been this motivated to go to work.

That whole chaotic mess she'd been blissfully unaware of seemed to have caused more of a stir among the Luofu's upper echelons and kept the Artisanship Commission's artisans busy than any real lasting damage.

After all, the main chaos had been concentrated at the Medicine Bureau and the Shackling Prison. Those malfunctioning mechanical birds and small automatons were mostly just a headache for the companies behind the Luofu's logistics.

Of course, there were still some concerns. Just as Fu Xuan had said, after an incident like this, the Divination Commission's workload would definitely increase—regardless of the Grand Diviner's absence.

According to her Diviner colleagues in the work chat, during Grand Diviner Fu Xuan's recovery period, an Acting Grand Diviner would be appointed to preside over the Divination Commission's affairs.

"Hey, who do you think Grand Diviner Fu Xuan will choose as Acting Grand Diviner?"

"It has to be Diviner Jingzhai! She's experienced, humble, meticulous, and has the Grand Diviner's trust."

"Not necessarily. Diviner Jingzhai can be a bit too rigid. The Luofu is in a delicate situation right now. We need someone flexible. I think the Grand Diviner will choose Diviner Mingyue."

"Well, I think both of you are wrong. It should be Diviner Huixing, who's in charge of the Grand Prognostication Array. Though small, she's tactful, kind, and super cute! Plus, she's not a gossip like some people." [Side-eyeing Jingzhai]

"Diviner Jingzhai is better!"

After the automaton incident, the Divination Commission was buzzing with activity. All the Diviners on leave had been recalled. Walking through the halls, Qingque overheard her colleagues heatedly debating the potential Acting Grand Diviner.

Of course, this wasn't surprising. The three Diviners had been vying for the position for a while now—even the seemingly indifferent Diviner Jingzhai.

After all, this was about the future, the succession of Grand Diviner once Fu Xuan moved on to bigger and better things.

This current situation was just a small preview.

But Qingque couldn't care less.

Her dream was to coast through life, enjoying a stress-free work experience. The Grand Diviner position, with its endless responsibilities and constant scrutiny, was her worst nightmare. If she became Grand Diviner, she wouldn't have a moment's peace!

Ugh, the very thought is terrifying.

But Qingque wasn't worried. Whoever became Grand Diviner, she'd remain safely tucked away in her little Diviner position. She knew those Diviners well. Unless Grand Diviner Fu Xuan herself descended from the heavens, no one could catch her slacking off!

Though, if she had to choose, she'd prefer Diviner Mingyue. Compared to the meticulous Huixing and Jingzhai, Mingyue wouldn't be as strict as Grand Diviner Fu Xuan, making it much easier to slack off.

Happily contemplating a morning of Mahjong at Chang Le Tian and a celebratory feast in Aurum Alley later that afternoon, Qingque arrived at the Duty Hall with her colleagues. Grand Diviner Fu Xuan would announce the Acting Grand Diviner remotely via jade shard.

"Hey, Little Qingque, did you take the wrong medicine yesterday? You were so productive!"

"Huh… what?"

Qingque, already imagining herself dominating the Mahjong table, blinked in confusion. "What did I do yesterday?"

"Oh, you don't remember? You were on fire at your workstation yesterday! So focused and efficient. We were all wondering if you'd been possessed or something."

"Uh… haha, no way…" Qingque laughed awkwardly, but her heart sank.

She'd been hoping Jiang Qiao would mess things up, giving her even more opportunities to slack off. But it sounded like… he'd done a good job?

Miscalculation! I didn't expect him to be so good at Divination Commission work right off the bat.

Well, it's not a big deal. I can just say I was feeling extra motivated yesterday or something! How much could one person accomplish anyway?

At worst, her workload might increase slightly. But as long as she remained committed to her 'slacker' lifestyle, she'd be back to her usual lazy self in no time.

Reassured, Qingque's worries dissipated.

As long as Grand Diviner Fu Xuan is away, everything will be fine!

Besides Fu Xuan, no one, no matter who becomes Grand Diviner, can stop me from slacking off!

With renewed confidence, Qingque looked up at the stage where Grand Diviner Fu Xuan's image appeared on the jade shard screen.

"Mm… everyone's here. Good."

"As you all know, I suffered spiritual injuries while fighting off external enemies and require some time to recover. However, the Divination Commission cannot be without a Grand Diviner. Therefore… I intend to select an Acting Grand Diviner to take charge during my absence."

"And I already have someone in mind."

"She is diligent and meticulous."

Jingzhai smiled. If anyone in the Divination Commission, besides the Grand Diviner herself, embodied those qualities, it was her.

Jingzhai's supporters looked excited, while the other factions showed disappointment.

"She is tactful, kind, and courteous."

Jingzhai's smile instantly vanished. Huixing beamed. According to the law of conservation of smiles, a smile never disappears, it simply transfers.

The rigid Jingzhai was anything but tactful, let alone kind and courteous. Courteous, perhaps, but kind? Jingzhai maintained a perpetually stoic expression, even in front of the Grand Diviner. Kindness wasn't exactly her forte.

Only the adorable Huixing fit that description.

"She is skilled in interpersonal relations and beloved by everyone in the Commission."

Huixing's smile transferred to Mingyue, who looked rather pleased with herself. When it came to interpersonal skills, she was second to none in the Divination Commission, not even the Grand Diviner herself. She was a Foxian, after all. Interpersonal relations were their specialty.

Compared to Huixing and Jingzhai, the socially adept Mingyue had the largest faction of supporters within the Divination Commission.

"Her name is Qingque."

Qingque nodded approvingly. Oh, Mingyue. I like her… wait…

Mingyue? …Mingyue, right? It's Mingyue, right?!

Suddenly snapping back to reality, Qingque stared at the faces turned towards her, the stunned expressions of the three Diviners, and froze.

She pointed at herself in disbelief:

"…Me?"

"Gr-Grand Diviner, are you sure?!"

"Why me?!"

"Yes, Qingque. You." Fu Xuan's voice, transmitted through the jade shard, was firm.

Qingque tried to protest:

"But… but I'm just a small Diviner! You know me, Grand Diviner. How can I possibly shoulder such a heavy responsibility?"

"There's no rule saying a Diviner can't be Acting Grand Diviner."

"I've observed your performance, and your abilities and character are excellent. My only concern was your… frustrating lack of motivation and slacker attitude. However, after your hard work yesterday, I've seen your determination to turn over a new leaf. Therefore, I have decided to appoint you as the Acting Grand Diviner of the Divination Commission."

Fu Xuan, leaving no room for argument, addressed the assembled Diviners in a serious tone:

"From today onwards, Qingque is the Acting Grand Diviner. She will have full authority during my recovery period. You are all expected to assist her in familiarizing herself with and fulfilling her duties. If anything goes wrong, I will hold you all accountable. Jingzhai, I trust you the most. I expect you to help Qingque adjust to her new role."

"Yes, Grand Diviner. I won't disappoint you."

"Cough… I'm not feeling well. I'll be resting now… Qingque, the Divination Commission is in your hands."

With that, the jade shard transmission ended.

Qingque stood frozen in place. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined things would turn out this way.

I… I'm the Acting Grand Diviner?

"I've been framed! This is worse than a Kafka novel!"

Qingque's face crumpled. Her world had just imploded.

This is so unfair!

"This way, please, Acting Grand Diviner Qingque."

Though equally baffled by Fu Xuan's choice and slightly disappointed, Jingzhai, ever the dutiful one, blocked Qingque's escape route, gesturing towards the Grand Diviner's desk.

Unlike Mingyue, who excelled at social maneuvering, Jingzhai was all about duty.

If the Grand Diviner had entrusted her with guiding and overseeing the Acting Grand Diviner, she would carry out those duties without question.

The other Diviners dispersed, chattering amongst themselves. Huixing and Mingyue exchanged glances and sighed, accepting the unexpected outcome.

Though they had been competing for the position, this wasn't so bad.

As long as it wasn't one of them, Qingque… they actually liked her.

Mingyue admired her social skills and cuteness.

Huixing appreciated her optimistic outlook on life.

Even Jingzhai, despite disapproving of Qingque's work ethic, acknowledged her abilities.

In fact, everyone in the Divination Commission respected Qingque's skills.

She was just… incredibly lazy.

No one had expected this 'slacker' to leapfrog from a minor Diviner to Acting Grand Diviner.

But perhaps it wasn't so surprising. Thinking back, Grand Diviner Fu Xuan had always shown favoritism towards Qingque. Perhaps she'd been planning this all along.

While the other two Diviners went about their duties, Qingque, now seated at Fu Xuan's desk, stared at the mountain of documents with a look of utter despair.

How did things turn out this way?!

It was supposed to be a peaceful holiday, a relaxing break for the Grand Diviner, the perfect time to slack off… how did it become this?!

No! I deserve to know how I died!

Qingque, burning with indignation, opened the previous day's work logs. She immediately found 'Qingque's' work record.

Late arrival… started working… and then… completed nearly three months' worth of work.

Seeing the evaluation note about the three months of work, Qingque's eyes bulged.

"Th-three months?!"

She was utterly speechless.

This… this is insane!

Seriously, I thought he'd do a good job, but within human limits, right? But this… this is inhuman! Is this even possible?! Is the Aeon of Erudition (elation) messing with me using an alt account?

Just as Qingque was reeling from the sheer volume of work, the Diviners arrived, placing more documents on her desk.

"Acting Grand Diviner Qingque, since you have been chosen by Grand Diviner Fu Xuan, we'll hand over these remaining tasks from yesterday to you."

In the Divination Commission, Diviners were generally responsible for conducting timely divinations.

The Diviners reviewed, approved, and corrected those divinations.

And the Grand Diviner, besides acting as the final reviewer, also handled crucial data that required personal attention, managed personnel, finances, and other administrative matters within the Divination Commission.

Furthermore, due to the Divination Commission's unique role within the Xianzhou's Six Commissions, they provided development advice to other departments, and many complex calculations were also entrusted to them.

For these reasons, the Divination Commission had the heaviest workload besides the Divine Strategists' Office.

And now, Qingque not only experienced the Grand Diviner's workload firsthand but also—because she had been a Diviner yesterday—the documents and calculations processed by 'Qingque' were, after being reviewed by the Diviners, submitted again to Qingque for a second approval.

Realizing this, Qingque's face turned ashen. She accepted her fate.

I'm going to become Mara-Struck. I just know it.

—Chat Group—

Using Jade Tokens to save lives: Good job, Jiang Qiao! Real good job!!! @Jiang Qiao @Jiang Qiao @Jiang Qiao @Jiang Qiao @Jiang Qiao!!!!! gnashing teeth.jpg

The other group members watched the drama unfold.

Jiang Qiao, noticing the message, chuckled.

I do good deeds and leave without seeking recognition, a true hero in the shadows~

No need for thanks, call me a living saint!

He closed the chat window and looked at his reflection in the mirror. Silky white hair, like melted white chocolate, cascaded through his fingers, forming a curtain that concealed the curves of his body.

Flickers of starlight danced around him, weaving themselves into a black, white, and bright yellow outfit—the Skydome Ranger. [Battlesuit name]

He glanced at Bronya's now empty containment pod and paused in thought.

…

Meanwhile, at the remote Salt Lake Base—

"…Where… am I?"

Dressed in thin clothing, Bronya looked around the empty corridor with a mixture of wariness and confusion.

As a large-scale simulation device, to provide the Flame-Chasers with an environment as close to 'real life' as possible, Elysium had a 'physiological system' identical to the outside world—including the need for sleep.

While the containment pods outside could provide physical rest, they couldn't replenish the mental exhaustion caused by training within Elysium. Therefore, they lived ordinary lives within the simulated world.

Bronya remembered falling asleep, dreaming of a happy reunion with Seele.

But she'd woken up in this strange place.

The unfamiliar sensation in her body told her she wasn't in Elysium.

But her body should have been in the containment pod.

The discrepancies filled Bronya with unease as she cautiously surveyed the base—it was eerily similar to the bases of those shady organizations she used to infiltrate during her Ural Silver Wolf days. She couldn't shake the feeling that she'd been taken somewhere dangerous.

She continued her cautious exploration.

…

Meanwhile, Seele, humming a childhood tune, started her day in high spirits.

Another beautiful day, another chance to see Bronya Onee-chan… A pang of regret hit her.

'Bronya Duck' had been fun, but she still preferred the real Bronya.

…Body double. Such a strange thing.

Bronya Onee-chan hadn't even told her about something so important.

Slightly annoyed, Seele prayed for this 'body double' situation to end quickly, for her real Bronya Onee-chan to return.

Lost in thought, she turned a corner and saw the figure she'd been longing for.

Bronya Onee-chan!

Bronya, seeing the familiar twin-tailed girl, froze.

"…"

She stared at Seele, her mind blank.

S-Seele?

Am I dreaming?

She took a step back, instinctively pinching her thigh hard. The sharp pain made her wince, confirming this wasn't a dream.

She was in the real world, and the girl in front of her… seemed to be the Seele she had been yearning for.

Strange…

Why does body double Bronya Onee-chan seem so flustered…? Seele, attuned to others' emotions, looked at Bronya with a puzzled expression.

"Is something wrong, Bronya Onee-chan?"

She waved a hand in front of Bronya's face.

—Though this was body double Bronya Onee-chan, out of habit and necessity within the Salt Lake Base, she still used the familiar honorific.

"…Nothing. Bronya is fine."

"…"

Hearing the familiar self-reference, Seele's eyebrows shot up as she scrutinized Bronya.

This felt like the real Bronya Onee-chan! But… something felt off.

Recalling 'Bronya Duck,' Seele, certain this wasn't her, had a sudden, bold thought—

Could this be another body double for Bronya Onee-chan?!

The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Seele puffed out her cheeks, a pang of jealousy hitting her.

Why does Bronya Onee-chan keep getting body doubles? And they're all girls I don't know… just how many girls has she met while I was gone?

And now there's another one, a really convincing 'Bronya Onee-chan'… Ugh, if it's just about being a body double, I could do it too!

Though annoyed, Seele mentally labeled this 'body double' as 'High-Quality Imitation Bronya.'

"Did you just wake up, Bronya Onee-chan?"

Though unhappy about the constant stream of unknown girls inhabiting Bronya Onee-chan's body, perhaps because this current Bronya was a high-quality imitation, and Seele already had a favorable impression of her, she didn't expose her.

…I could call her out, but… Looking at 'High-Quality Imitation Bronya,' Seele suddenly felt a spark of mischief. She wanted to see just how convincing this imitation truly was.

"Uh… yes." Seeing Seele, Bronya was overwhelmed with emotions, questions swirling in her mind. But Seele's question, coupled with the current mysteries, made her hesitate.

Is this really the Seele I know?

And what is going on here? Filled with questions, Bronya decided to play along, hoping to get some answers.

"Let's go to the cafeteria."

"Okay."

Though unsure about Seele's authenticity, Bronya wouldn't refuse an opportunity to eat with her.

At the cafeteria, Seele ordered a brightly colored, rather intimidating-looking breakfast.

(My other self… are you sure about eating this…?)

(Hey~ I rarely get out. Can't I at least eat what I want?)

(Okay…)

At Dark Seele's insistence, Seele relinquished control, allowing her to enjoy breakfast.

Looking at the intimidatingly spicy meal, Bronya fell silent.

While she remembered Seele enjoying spicy things sometimes, it wasn't a regular occurrence. This, combined with her existing suspicion about Seele's authenticity, raised a red flag.

"Bronya recalls Seele not being fond of such spicy food before."

(Heh, not bad. Pretty convincing.)

(Um…)

(Stay out of this! Let me handle it!)

Dark Seele, annoyed, grabbed control. She didn't have the same patience for this 'imposter' that Seele did.

"Eh—is that so? But Seele always liked spicy food." Trying her best to maintain Seele's innocent demeanor, Dark Seele tilted her head. "Perhaps Bronya Onee-chan is mistaken?"

"Uh…"

Bronya wanted to argue, but looking at Seele's innocent expression, she swallowed her words.

(Nice try, imposter.)

They finished breakfast in silence.

"Bronya Onee-chan, shall we go to the training grounds?" Seele suggested.

Her main activities at the Salt Lake base were reading and combat training. Though different from Schicksal, Anti-Entropy also had its own training regimens.

Perhaps not as comprehensive as Schicksal HQ, but definitely superior to St. Freya. After all, while Anti-Entropy valued ideals, as those on the front lines against Honkai, both Tesla and Einstein found St. Freya's overly… idealistic doctrines somewhat impractical.

"Okay."

Bronya felt a surge of confidence at this suggestion.

She'd learned a lot in Elysium… Sigh… my game…

While proud of her progress in Elysium, she also felt a pang of regret at leaving her game development behind.

At the training grounds, Bronya performed admirably, even tapping into the Herrscher of Reason's power.

She was quite pleased with herself.

Before entering Elysium, using Herrscher powers had risked backlash. But now, having mastered Taixu Sword Qi and undergone rigorous mental discipline, she felt a noticeable improvement.

However, to Seele's eyes—

(Definitely a fake!)

Dark Seele was certain.

(Um… uh…)

Seele hesitated. It felt real, but…

(The real Onee-chan is much stronger than this.)

Dark Seele's words were the final nail in the coffin.

Even Seele had to admit—compared to the 'real Bronya Onee-chan' she'd met before, this 'high-quality imitation' was a pale imitation—at least in terms of combat.

Recalling Bronya's display of power in the Sea Of Quanta, Seele shook her head, looking at the 'fake Herrscher of Reason,' the 'High-Quality Imitation Bronya' in her frilly dress.

Just then, Einstein's image appeared on the comms screen:

"Bronya, Seele, please come to the central control room."

A short while later, they found Welt, Einstein, and Tesla in the central control room.

Bronya's expression turned serious. From her brief interaction with Seele, she'd gathered she was at Anti-Entropy's Salt Lake base.

And knowing these three, judging by their expressions, something big must have happened.

And indeed it had—

Einstein, looking as overworked as ever, explained with a serious tone:

"Our informant within Schicksal has relayed intel that Dr. Magi, under the influence of an unknown faction, is planning to defect to the British Isles."

"Dr. Magi?"

"According to the intel, he was originally a specialist in artificial Stigmata research. Later, he led Schicksal's 'artificial Herrscher' project. Wendy's Gem of Desire was one of his projects."

"And currently, it seems he's leading the artificial Herrscher experiment involving the Gem of Serenity."

"…What's the connection?" Bronya was confused.

Einstein, though finding Bronya's confusion strange, attributed it to incomplete information.

"Based on the intel we've gathered, he's likely defecting with the Gem of Serenity."

"And that other faction… though we haven't obtained any concrete intel, based on what you've told us before, we suspect World Serpent is involved."

Though some details were omitted, Jiang Qiao had informed Anti-Entropy about World Serpent's existence, their goals, and some of their methods.

This had prompted an internal investigation within Anti-Entropy.

Fortunately, most of World Serpent's infiltrators within Anti-Entropy had been planted within Cocolia's extremist faction. Anti-Entropy's previous purge of Cocolia's remaining forces had effectively filtered out a significant portion of them.

Me? Bronya was completely lost.

Before she could dwell on it, Welt spoke in a serious tone:

"Bronya, we want you to go to the British Isles, retrieve the Gem of Serenity from Dr. Magi, and, if necessary, investigate and disrupt World Serpent's plans."

With Jiang Qiao's intel, Anti-Entropy's stance on World Serpent was clear—as long as they continued their Stigmata project, they were enemies.

And Europe was Schicksal's primary area of influence. Due to its proximity to Schicksal HQ, it was extremely dangerous for Anti-Entropy, currently at odds with Schicksal, to deploy any large-scale forces there.

To prevent any unforeseen disasters caused by the Gem of Serenity and to counter World Serpent's potential schemes, they needed a powerful force to neutralize the threat.

And for that, they needed their resident Herrscher.