Chapter 393: Have a Cow (Not)

The two left the nonexistent Great Void and headed toward the Tohsaka Family's Western-style Mansion.

Although that location did not exist by common sense, it was not entirely fictitious either.

Thus, in Fuyuki City, that secret passage leading to the Great Void was still cleverly installed beneath the original Yuan Cang Shan—

even though the terrain there had already collapsed.

But precisely because of this, it instead became the ideal place to house the Alien Spider's VIP guest seats.

A location that once existed but no longer did, bearing the Great Holy Grail and the incomplete Third Magic, making it Fuyuki City's supreme Spiritual Land of high Mystery...

Besides bearing Mystery and a subtle symbolic connection, its association with the Material World had become extremely blurred due to changes in reality.

Indeed, it was a very suitable site for a prison.

The Magician had also been quite concerned in carrying out Territory Construction.

"Wait, are we just leaving like today? Should I stay behind to watch?"

Walking down the streets of Fuyuki City, the silver-haired girl couldn't help but look back several times, a hint of obvious worry flashing through her crimson eyes.

Finally she could no longer restrain herself, stopped her steps, looked toward the Magician ahead, and spoke.

"It's unnecessary; we've already been watching here for over a month..."

The Magician didn't look back, "This system has also been running for over a month, completely without problems, and I've also applied many patches..."

"Are you really that confident?"

Raising her slender eyebrows, Miss Filia curled the corners of her mouth.

How could this person be so carefree... Well, he might indeed be able to be so bold.

But I certainly cannot.

After all, what is imprisoned here is a Fierce Beast that can be called a "Human Threat," and its very existence is the pinnacle of planetary order.

So on the matter of how to treat it, one must naturally be extremely cautious.

"Something I built with my own hands, of course I know what level it should reach; technique and time won't betray me..."

The youth still didn't look back—

"Besides, didn't you issue a Mors Command to the Celestial Bull? As long as a problem arises, just have a thousand hooves trample it down..."

"That can't trample it to death!"

"Please be realistic; it was originally just an extra safeguard, striving for time to block it..."

Xia Zhi looked back at her once, then waved his hand.

You trust your cow so much, does your cow know?

Isn't this just like Jiu Tou Chong placing high hopes on Ben Bo Er Ba? If the Celestial Bull knew, it would definitely cry!

"Um, what I mean is..."

The silver-haired girl also realized she had spoken somewhat without choosing her words, she bit her lower lip, "What I mean is, if the Celestial Bull is taken away again, like you said before..."

After this period of time, she of course also knew about the other thing she had encountered.

After all, she was originally very curious, so whenever there was an opportunity she would probe indirectly, using various lines, and the Magician would also cooperate by throwing out some related Intelligence—

indirectly proving that he indeed understood her very well, was very familiar.

And not only Ishtar, but also Ereshkigal... in short, full of details, very well establishing the Persona presented to Filia's side.

Filia also learned during this process about her own blunder of digging a hole for herself.

Although speaking of it, it was indeed quite shameful, but once such a situation occurs, it becomes very difficult to avoid.

"If it's taken, then it's taken; I don't expect it to play any very critical role..." Xia Zhi held his chin, falling into thought.

"But this possibility isn't high; judging from the current time point, 'you' should only have these two Manifested split spirits active..."

"Divine Spirit Summoning isn't that easy, so it shouldn't be as popular as Artoria, no need to worry too much about mutual sabotage..."

"Wait, what do you mean not as popular as Artoria—" The silver-haired girl furrowed her eyebrows; she couldn't just pretend she hadn't heard this.

"Cough cough, I'll tell you about that later... Anyway, don't worry about anything else, as long as we still have the cow now."

The Magician blinked his eyes, decisively deciding to keep her in suspense.

One can't just say whatever she asks and spill everything in a few words; appropriately maintaining a sense of anticipation is necessary.

The effect was immediate; the Goddess's attention was immediately shifted, as if the ORT issue she had been worrying about just now suddenly became unimportant.

She locked her brows, the expression on her face was clearly not very convinced.

Could anyone be more popular than me, this Goddess of Beauty?

Damn it, how can this be acceptable!

"..."

"..."

Seeing this, Xia Zhi shook his head, but since the topic had already been shifted, it could be considered achieving the goal.

Probably because the disaster that ended the Age of Gods was too tragic.

The Goddess was very vigilant toward the existence of ORT; even though she always had to appear very calm and composed, she more or less had a feeling of PTSD.

If it could be directly Eliminated, things would be simple.

But now it still needs to be kept, continuing to collect experimental data, cooperating with the current important Magic Research projects... especially since the Feedback results were good, and the Progress was relatively Smooth.

Under such circumstances, it was even more impossible to rashly dispose of it.

Miss Filia, who deeply understood how terrifying this thing was, had an extremely serious and solemn attitude, proposing many meticulous and detailed Requirements on the security level.

Even because she was not reassured, she would also follow him and act together every day—

Cough cough, not to stay with Xia Zhi...

but without personally confirming ORT's situation, the Goddess simply couldn't put her mind at ease.

Any oversight could lead to irreversible Consequences; she didn't want to watch the story of the Planetary Vanguard from back then repeat itself right before her eyes.

——Ah, it's the season of White Destruction again……

Of course, this manifestation of a lack of a sense of security stems purely from an insufficient understanding of Xia Zhi, which is why she feels unable to be completely at ease.

Setting aside actual experience, just the many disaster films and monster films Xia Zhi has watched are enough to count as rich experience. He deeply understands the malice and capriciousness of fate, so in these aspects he absolutely will not be easily careless.

From the meticulous design of protective strength, to the minute detail of monitoring measures; from the rigorous order of inspection steps, to the decisive force of suppression methods, it can be said to be a complete set, doing his utmost to achieve the best.

This includes but is not limited to——

"Mobilizing the Golden Core to conduct simulation calculations"……

"Using Second Magic's experimental data to attempt to observe probability fluctuations"……

"Ordering Nano Intelligence to continuously send reports to himself in microsecond units"……

"And giving Mr. Spider three guaranteed punches morning, noon, and night every day, with no upper limit"……

Wait wait wait, all of these demonstrate his caution and thoroughness.

Speaking of which, it's also thanks to Mr. Spider's exceptional natural gifts and astonishing constitution; as long as a single cell remains, it will not be eliminated.

More athletic than an athlete——

Even if directly "beaten to death," it only needs a brief settling period to rapidly heal.

Because this isn't true death; for it, it's merely a simple shutdown and restart.

Benefiting from this extraordinary death resistance and recovery ability, Xia Zhi doesn't need to worry too much, doesn't need to treat this test subject carefully like some fragile precious porcelain.

On the contrary, he only needs to beat it daily without cease, keeping it in a continuous crashed state, maintaining it in a state similar to a vegetative person——no, accurately speaking, a vegetative spider state.

In this state, it has only the existence of body and instinct, yet has lost true senses and consciousness.

This undoubtedly saves Xia Zhi a whole heap of trouble.

And under such layered protection and restriction, further making arrangements on the laboratory prison, ensuring that even in the worst circumstances, he can handle sudden events.

Even if ORT is a zero-frame opening move without warning……

As long as it doesn't wake up and instantly enter a stellar reaction state, break through layered protections, and precisely perceive the connection between that異空間 prison and the reality world……

——Compressing this series of complex and exquisite operations into the span of a finger snap, completed the moment it wakes and suddenly attacks.

Then, it is decisively unable to escape.

Not to mention, the Magician also sends messages to the previous day every day, crossing the river of time, transmitting intelligence one by one, consciously presetting multiple save points.

No problem, proceed normally with progress; problem, directly SL……

If the hidden danger occurred further in the past, then load an even earlier save file……

So——

He's still very steady, it's just that only he himself knows.

………………

Walking back along the residential street.

Then ran into Rin; she was shopping with classmate Mitsuduri.

Along with the arrival of spring, temperatures rose, and the girl no longer wore a coat, switching to normal light clothing.

Although because it's still the school period, unless it's a rest day, she generally wears the Zhong Yu Qun Si Xue Xue Yuan uniform……

But——

After all, she's a human girl chosen by Miss Ishtar as a vessel; her appearance and posture are naturally extremely outstanding.

If she were just some ordinary girl, she fundamentally couldn't have any connection with the Goddess of Beauty.

Even less need to mention things like extremely compatible wavelengths.

So she's still very eye-catching.

Just, the girl's own expression is somewhat stiff, especially when seeing, on the distant slope, two figures walking side by side, looking like a perfect couple.

"Eh eh eh——"

At this time, classmate Mitsuduri at her side spoke in surprise.

"Isn't that Senior Xia Zhi? Wait, that girl——so beautiful!"

Ayako was very surprised; she'd seen that senior a few times recently, but the girl by his side really was the first time seeing her.

Good heavens, can there be such a beautiful person in this world?

Silver long hair like winter snow, crimson pupils like the clearest rubies, face also neat and beautiful like a doll.

Honestly, given Automaton City's quality control, carefully crafted artificial humans are originally top-tier in appearance……

White hair red eyes and such are also huge bonus points……

And when a soulless doll becomes a god's vessel, carrying the Goddess of Beauty's divine aura, it's even more like adding wings to a tiger……

Even if the split divinity rank drops, Beauty Manifestation as an innate skill is only Rank B, but it can still captivate both men and women.

"Eh eh——Tohsaka."

Mitsuzuri Ayako excitedly stared fixedly at the slope, not turning her head as she asked her good friend.

"That……is she Senior Xia Zhi's girlfriend?"

"……"

"……"

Although it's clear the good friend is excited, these words sting a bit.

"This this……"

Miss Tohsaka forced out a smile, stammering, feeling her head seemed a bit heavy.

(Chapter End)