Chapter 580: Simple Reasoning

The next day, at dawn, the pitch-black world had just welcomed the sun.

The cello's melody drifted gently, Chopin's Concerto in E major stirring deep tremors within the soul, adding a serene, distant beauty to this European-style cottage.

About half an hour later, Huai Shi finished his morning training and arrived at the dining area—though it should more accurately be called a cafeteria.

"Shilang, be a good boy~ Open your mouth, ah~~~"

The white-haired, red-eyed girl paid no heed to the setting, calmly picking up a piece of fish and bringing it to Weigong Shilang's lips.

To be honest, this was the first time Huai Shi realized the difference between the Paper Person Protection Law and reality.

In reality, this hidden heroine from *Fate/stay night*, standing about 1.3 meters tall with a delicate, childlike face, her skin as white as sunlight, was precisely at the most adorable age of childhood.

Especially since Weigong Shilang, as if accustomed to it, placed her on his lap and held her in his arms.

It looked like at least three years had passed.

"."

Breaking convention?

Huai Shi suddenly became aware of this concept.

It was said Weigong Shilang joined the chat group shortly after the Holy Grail War began; if life were a galgame, then at that time, Weigong Shilang had not yet chosen a route.

Logically speaking, even a legendary harem wouldn't be impossible—yet.

After learning his future, he broke convention, choosing neither King Arthur nor Rin Tohsaka nor Sakura Matou, but instead choosing a path "never imagined."

"Maybe this could serve as a reference?"

After selecting some food from the warming station, Huai Shi pulled out a chair and sat nearby to observe.

But soon, the space was sliced by multicolored red light, and a Japanese sliding door appeared right beside Weigong Shilang, causing his pupils to contract sharply.

As the door slid open, a red-clad woman with black hair ribbons and cyan eyes, a purple-haired girl smiling, and a golden-haired female knight stepped out, all with striking poise.

Rin Tohsaka held a child with black hair and blue eyes and another with red hair and golden eyes; Saber and Sakura Matou each held a child by the hand.

"Tch." Ilya turned her head away, shooting Rin a cold glare.

"The timelines are synchronized—do you want the kids to starve at home?" Rin said with a teasing smile, glancing at Ilya.

"Their daddy~?"

"Rin, you'll regret this!" Ilya slapped one hand over Weigong Shilang's mouth to silence him:

"After this Holy Grail War ends, once I've mastered the new Holy Grail's power, I'll send them back!"

"Is that so? That's wonderful," Rin replied, visibly relieved: "Hear that, Auntie Ilya will send you back home~"

Upon hearing this, the children burst into tears and immediately ran to Weigong Shilang's side, chattering frantically that they didn't want to be separated from Dad and Mom, that they wanted everyone to stay together.

Huai Shi: "."

Emya-senpai, did I misjudge you?

So this is the legendary Ooku route!

"Didn't you enjoy watching *Home With Kids* on Dongwu TV this morning?"

A voice asked beside Huai Shi.

He turned his head and saw Su Lin holding knife and fork, gazing at the Weigong family's domestic drama with a kind, gentle expression, elegantly mimicking the motion of eating.

The reason it was called "mimicking the motion of eating" was because his plate was completely empty, yet Su Lin wore a joyful, satisfied smile, as if savoring a delicacy.

Are you also a modern abstract performance artist?

"Don't misunderstand—I'm savoring this joy and beauty, like a childhood summer, the endless sun, ice cream, and grilled steak on the beach."

Su Lin set down his utensils, wiped his lips, and smiled:

"By the way, the food had a massive amount of mustard and aged vinegar—this flavor is absolutely fantastic."

"In short, it's emotional cuisine. You see, some demons enjoy eating human emotions, don't they?"

I don't understand.

Something felt off, and I completely failed to grasp what this person was saying.

Yet suddenly, Huai Shi felt a chill run down his spine—as if some indescribable, unknown dread was watching him from the path of fate, then withdrew with regret.

Huai Shi stared blankly as Su Lin, still smiling, picked up his utensils and left.

He went to the food station, took new youtiao, soy milk, and baozi, added some bread, salad, and milk, packed it all, and left.

"Ilya, get familiar with the power of wishes."

As Su Lin passed by, he paused, and under Weigong Shilang's pleading, hopeful gaze,

formed a cross pendant and handed it to Ilya.

To prevent some overconfident or bug-exploiting ability user from analyzing the Holy Grail, a preemptive defense was set up, redirecting the targeting of mysticism or supernatural power toward himself.

After all, in this world, carbon-based lifeforms constantly pull off absurd feats—stealing and replicating the powers of god clans, star-devourers, mutants, exploiting rule loopholes.

Then let them try stealing his power.

"Don't worry about the safety of the universe and Ilya," Su Lin said to Weigong Shilang, nodding:

"How could a 'father' let his children get hurt?"

"That's not what I meant..." Weigong Shilang's expression twisted; he realized that faced with Su Lin's blatant taking of advantage, he had no idea how to refute him:

"It is that meaning, but not that meaning... wait!"

"Bye-bye, Mr. God~" Ilya waved goodbye.

Finally, he remembered what felt strange.

"Why would God enjoy demonic cuisine?" Huai Shi murmured.

"You only ate bacon and fried eggs for breakfast?" Zhou Mingrui sat down before Huai Shi, listlessly saying:

"Thank goodness for your music—I nearly missed breakfast. Missing a meal feels like a loss."

Huai Shi asked, puzzled: "Didn't you sleep well last night?"

Last night, the big shot caused a massive upheaval, as if a Category 17 typhoon had appeared over New York's sky, but all anomalies and effects vanished soon after.

According to Su Lin, the Holy Grail War has already begun; now we're just waiting for the participants to enter.

Huai Shi didn't know what else Su Lin had done, but if Dreaming Ke always failed to sleep well due to worry over the mission's progress, it was understandable.

"I felt something was off last night."

Zhou Mingrui put down his tray, which held a full set of breakfast items paired with black coffee: "The manuscript I read aloud mentioned a few names."

"Morning, Lao Zhou." Meng Qi sat down beside him with several tea eggs, glancing over:

"I suggest you go back to sleep; there's nothing to do during the day anyway."

One of these two had an eerie aura like a female ghost; the other bore dark circles and a face that screamed "overworked."

"Good morning, Senior Han Guang. I'll go catch some sleep soon." Zhou Mingrui replied naturally.

Even though he was already dreaming and couldn't recall any other group members, Zhou Mingrui interacted with the others with perfect ease, showing none of the awkwardness typical of a new Reincarnator joining a veteran team.

This was precisely what made Huai Shi suspicious.

"Where were we? A few names, right."

Zhou Mingrui used small tweezers to pick up five sugar cubes one by one and drop them into his coffee; as he stirred, he said:

"Our mission has no related hints, but the veterans clearly triggered some side quest — even the First Firmament is involved."

Zhou Mingrui frowned, stirring the dark-brown liquid with his teaspoon, creating a vortex; anxiety was visible in his furrowed brow.

As expected, he was worried about this.

"Did you think all night?" Huai Shi asked.

"As newcomers, if we want to survive in this cruel Reincarnation space, we must think more — though I'm not exactly smart."

Zhou Mingrui smiled awkwardly, with a touch of resignation:

"I've watched plenty of movies and comics, and I like playing games, so I'm fairly familiar with the lore."

"First Firmament — if that's the case, this might involve the Chromatic Pantheon and the Dark Pantheon."

As the primordial universe, the First Firmament was lonely, so it created the Heavenly Servants — also called the Pantheon — and the original Pantheon were all Dark Pantheon.

Later, the Chromatic Pantheon emerged, beings endowed with emotion.

They created life to please the First Firmament, then later waged war over dominion; the First Firmament found it amusing and did not intervene.

Then

The leader of the Chromatic Pantheon, OAA, detonated the "Godslayer" armor, shattering the First Firmament along with himself.

Since then, the prologue of the Marvel Universe officially began.

"The oath manuscript also mentioned 'Tai Chu Hao Tian Shang Di' — it seems these two beings are destined to clash, and we've joined the other side?"

Zhou Mingrui sighed, took a sip of coffee, and said:

"The odd part is, Marvel has no character called 'Tai Chu Hao Tian Shang Di' — only Jade Emperor."

"But that's a Father-level deity, utterly incapable of opposing the First Firmament."

"So I wonder — could this be someone's alias?"

It seems Ke's time as a detective in Baker Street left him with a professional habit.

Yet it was precisely this habit of calm analysis and strategic action that allowed him to survive amid so many Path competitors and Outer Gods.

Thinking carefully, he's actually had a hard life.

Huai Shi maintained a gentle smile and replied: "Any deductions?"

Ke probably never guessed that 'Tai Chu Hao Tian Shang Di' is the one who fed him candy wrappers — even divination wouldn't reveal that.

"A little, but I'm not sure."

Zhou Mingrui sipped his coffee, then looked up, puzzled in thought.

"Who?" Huai Shi placed a soft-boiled egg and bacon in his mouth, feeling guilty toward Boss Bei, yet once again ranking Wei Gong as the top chef.

"FirstFirmament."

Zhou Mingrui lowered his gaze, silently looking at Huai Shi: "'First' as an adverb means first, original. 'Firmament' as a noun means sky, firmament."

"Hao Tian means the heavens, a specific direction of the sky."

"Tai Chu Hao Tian Shang Di — Tai Chu Hao Tian corresponds to First Firmament, and Shang Di means Creator, Prime Deity. Isn't that common? That kind of split personality, good and evil, enemy and origin the same?"

"I just thought — maybe Tai Chu Hao Tian Shang Di is actually the First Firmament."

Huai Shi tilted his head, confused.

No, bro.

Are you that imaginative?

"I'm just guessing wildly — I was just too scared to sleep and ended up thinking of this." Zhou Mingrui laughed it off, reaching for a red bean bun to eat.

Beside him, the sound of chopsticks dropping echoed.

Zhou Mingrui turned back and saw Meng Qi — who had been sitting there all along, yet somehow overlooked — mouth agape, expression dazed.

"What do you think of my emotional state?" Meng Qi suddenly whispered telepathically: "Any problems?"

Zhou Mingrui froze, unsure why the other suddenly asked this.

"Judging by your face."

Meng Qi's voice carried a faint hint of panic.

"Senior, you're incredibly handsome — clearly a dashing, charming, and dashing type. Your romantic luck must be intense!" Zhou Mingrui flattered.

In that instant, Meng Qi thought of many things.

From the Skylight Su Lin pulled out from nowhere, to every word Ke had spoken, until…

That day, the divination within the Heavenly City.

Without reason, only two words surfaced in Meng Qi's mind: Done for.

Marvel parallel universe, a swamp region.

A crimson-gold arc carved a circular portal; four Reincarnators dragged out a white-haired woman, barely escaping, while behind them, the space erupted with attacks: a stone statue head with a body of flesh-worms, a woman hiding her face, and a warrior wearing a horned helmet.

But a massive magical energy burst forth, forming hundreds of sealing chains that constructed a giant pentagram to bind the three.

"Stephen!" the white-haired woman cried.

Doctor Strange, Stephen Strange, clad in a blue robe, turned his back to the three-bound monsters and smiled gently at her:

"Klia, I will always love you."

As he dismissed the portal with a wave, he turned to face the three monsters, now freed from their bonds: "Besides, I was already dead. Come."

"No!!!" Klia screamed, lunging forward, but two Reincarnators held her back.

She watched helplessly as the portal closed, and a Ring of Sorcery was thrown toward her.

This meant Stephen Strange had utterly abandoned all hope of escape!

But the other men's faces were even worse than hers—nearly green-black, their despair visibly spilling from their eyes.

They were an S-class team, yet assigned to the Marvel parallel universe's time-node: "The Death of Doctor Strange"!

Half their eight-member team was already lost, and now even the last remnant of the Doctor, who was meant to save the world, had been killed by the Three Mothers to cover their retreat.

What the hell are we even fighting for?!

Failing the Time Wardens' mission was secondary—key was, before the Reincarnation space judged them failed and returned them, they'd likely be wiped out right here in this universe!

When that time came,

no one could revive them.

"Klia, never give up," said the white woman with short red hair, helping up the Supreme Sorceress of the Dark Dimension, Dormammu's niece:

"We must leave—otherwise they'll catch up immediately."

Even as she spoke, her voice was already weak, barely a whisper.

"Eleanor," Klia smiled bitterly: "They're already here."

No sooner had she finished than over a dozen robed figures soared from the swamp; one middle-aged man with a long beard grinned triumphantly.

"Cassilius?!" Eleanor stared in despair at Cassilius, whose hands had been stitched together after absorbing Doctor Strange's, now accompanied by a full Reincarnator squad.

"She's right—you can't escape," Cassilius formed a magical matrix with his hands, immense magical energy ready to pour down:

"Any last words? Or will you beg for mercy?"

Klia pushed herself upright, coldly staring at them without speaking—even now, she would not yield.

Terrifying pressure, the prickling premonition of death, all forces sealing every possible escape.

The other four Reincarnators struggled to raise their weapons—it was already too late.

This time,

it truly was the end.

Klia's mind replayed every moment with Stephen—how they had repeatedly safeguarded the peace of the multiverse.

But this time, they were truly powerless.

She clenched the Ring of Sorcery Stephen had left her tightly in her palm.

Just as the annihilating magic descended, shaking heaven and earth, the Ring in her hand glowed faintly—a rune etched within activated, carving a complex, arcane ritual array beneath her feet in the swamp!

Boom—!

A vast radiance triggered a colossal shockwave, shaking even the sky and surrounding stars!

Yet…

In an instant, the torrent of magical light collapsed inward, condensing into a slender hand, shrinking to the size of a candy.

"Nice welcome."

A familiar voice, an identical figure, a slightly flippant tone.

"How did you—"

Amid Cassilius's shock and the Reincarnators' stunned expressions, Stephen Strange—with dark circles under his eyes—tossed the hyper-compressed magical energy into his mouth.

"Tastes good."

Stephen turned to the other side, where three terrifying figures emerged from the dimensional rift—exactly the Three Mothers, mothers of all magical crises.

"Excuse me," Stephen noticed their killing intent focused entirely on him, and politely asked: "Are all of you targeting me?"

"Well, looks like I don't need to—"

Overwhelming attacks once again engulfed Stephen; without hesitation, sinister yet dazzling radiance crashed down.

Amid layers of shattered space, a black, monstrous tentacle lashed out.

The next second—

Cassilius looked at his own severed lower half, then at the Three Mothers collapsed from the impact, spitting blood:

"What just happened…"

In an instant, the smoke cleared as the shrinking monstrous tentacle withdrew, revealing Stephen Strange, his face now marked by a ferocious beast-like shadow.

"Don't waste my time."

He turned, stomped on the stone head with a body of acid-spitting worms, crushing it to dust, then flicked his finger—snapping the neck of the horned-helmeted warrior queen who charged at him with weapon raised.

The remaining Mother fled into another dimension; Stephen merely glanced, made no move to pursue, and waved his hand toward the other side.

A golden magical disc whistled forth, slicing through the other Reincarnators as they fumbled uselessly.

Only after completing all this did he slowly approach the dazed Klia, gently take her right hand, and reveal three red marks forming a tattooed sigil.

"I promise you victory," Stephen smiled: "My Master."

The four Reincarnators stared, dumbfounded—life's highs and lows had never been so sudden. Eleanor opened her mouth to speak, but then noticed pure white light glowing beneath their feet.

"Stephen!" Klia snapped back to awareness.

"Don't worry, we're about to cross over," Shi Difen reassured.

"Where to?" Klia asked, confused.

"Of course to participate in the Holy Grail War," Shi Difen said, lifting her right hand to reveal the Command Seal. "You didn't know?"

The four Reincarnators paused, then exchanged glances.

Holy Grail

War?

【Main Quest Three (I Am Legend): Trigger subsequent side quest — ensure the Master and Servant of this timeline win the Holy Grail War!】

A male Reincarnator wearing black-rimmed glasses removed them, revealing the "Eyes of Death Perception," and asked:

"Did we get the wrong movie set?"