Honkai Impact: Star Railway: I'm really not a Star God!

Upon hearing this news, Cocolia thought she was hallucinating.

According to the Star Core, these outsiders are...more evil than they appear.

When Cocolia heard that Bronya had been taken away, her feelings were extremely complicated. Being taken to the lower district... her chances of survival were slim.

"Where is she? Take me to see her."

"Stop being sad," Cocolia said immediately.

All she wanted to do right now was hug her as quickly as possible.

"No need, Great Guardian, I'm here."

Bronya's voice came from behind the door, and soon a pair of delicate hands pushed the door open, her eyes filled with doubt and suspicion.

Noticing Bronya's gaze, Cocolia gave a wry smile and shook her head at herself.

It seems that his daughter has learned quite a bit this time...

She knew about Swaro in the lower district.

This is the legacy of the Great Guardians in terms of information and data.

The more they know, the more pain they suffer, because revealing much of it would cause considerable chaos.

What Belloberg needs most right now is stability.

They knew that no matter how hard they tried to defend themselves, the day of their demise was inevitable.

Even knowing how dire the situation was at the front and how many soldiers hadn't returned for years.

But every time she gave a speech, she would smile and speak to her people.

"Gentlemen, a great victory at the front!"

Bringing back the soldiers who had become numb on the front lines did not ignite the celebratory atmosphere; they knew perfectly well the situation on the front lines.

"You can go now. Keep an eye on the door. Postpone anything else until I finish talking with Commander Bronya."

"Yes, Great Guardian."

After the Iron Guard closed the door, Cocolia walked from behind the table to Bronya.

She wanted to open her arms to hug Bronya, but she saw her take a slight step back.

Cocolia paused for a moment, her gaze slowly shifting downwards, unable to meet Bronya's eyes directly.

"Bronya, can you stop calling me High Guardian now? Just make yourself at home. Where have you been all this time? Are you hurt? I'll go get the butler right away..."

"No, no need! I don't really want to see Sebastian right now. I'm sorry, Mother... I'm fine, really fine. I've been running around the lower districts and been through a few battles, but overall I'm managing."

Bronya's eyes were filled with remorse as she realized that her actions had hurt Cocolia.

"The lower level...? How were those three outsiders? They didn't do anything to you, did they?"

Cocolia, as if nothing had happened, slowly lifted Bronya's hand.

In this world... Bronya is the only one left... who is the most important to her.

The best thing right now is that Bronya... her daughter, is back.

“Mother… they’ve been very kind to me, perhaps a little presumptuous… but they… are really not the traitors you’ve described, and in the lower districts… Mother… I’ve also learned some… secrets of the Great Guardians.”

Cocolia looked at Bronya with kind eyes and sighed.

In the end, her own child found out everything.

Perhaps in her eyes... her mother... was very incompetent? An incompetent Great Guardian was enough to cause Bronya's faith to crumble.

“Bronya... I really want to talk to you about this from the perspective of our mother-daughter relationship... but it involves far too many things... This matter concerns the very survival of Berlberg.”

"Was it Star Core who instigated you? Mother... If you're willing to tell me, those outsiders... they can take care of Star Core!"

Upon hearing this, Cocolia paused, her expression filled with bitterness.

“Bronya, what do you think is holding Beloberg back right now? Is it the monsters that never stop attacking from the front lines, or the endless cold waves? Even if they take down the Star Core, can they handle the endless cold waves?”

Bronya was stumped by the question. After only a moment's hesitation, she quickly shook her head in denial.

“Mother! It’s not like that! The Star Core brings only destruction! Instead of everything being destroyed, why don’t we think about it differently? What if the Star Core is controlled and the cold wave stops? Although it will take a very, very long time, we know... there is definitely hope.”

"Yes, at least there is hope."

A male voice rang out in the audience hall, and both men looked to the side in shock.

At some point, Bronya noticed that a man who looked very familiar was now sitting in Cocolia's seat.

He whistled, then dangled his feet on the desk, looking nonchalant, which made Cocolia frown.

Just as Cocolia was about to summon her guards, she shielded Bronya behind her, but Bronya stopped her.

"Mother, he's an outsider too! He definitely meant no harm!"

Ling Kong smiled slightly, feeling that this was the perfect opportunity for him to perform. He instinctively spun the chair and then fell off.

The atmosphere that had just been built up was instantly ruined.

Ling Kong coughed a few times to cover his embarrassment, patted his robe, and said with a smile.

"Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Ling Kong."

Suddenly remembering something, Ling Kong took off his hat again, placed it in front of his chest, and bowed slightly to Cocolia.

"Oh, right, hello, the supreme leader of Beloborg, the Great Guardian, and... the poor soul bewitched by the Star Core."

The second half of Ling Kong's sentence pierced Cocolia's heart like a needle.

When did you arrive here? How many conversations did you overhear?

"Don't you think it's strange to ask such a question? You should understand that since I can appear in the audience hall without your knowledge, the initiative in the conversation should be in my hands."

Seeing the tension between the two escalating, Bronya immediately stepped in front of them.

She spoke anxiously to Ling Kong.

“Ling Kong, I’ve considered everything you’ve said, but please don’t hurt my mother… she’s innocent.”

"Alright, I meant no harm. Come, come, Great Guardian Sister, please have a seat."

Ling Kong's attitude left Cocolia completely bewildered.

Talking to someone in mid-air...you never know what they'll do next, you have no control over the situation.

"Just sit down. Tell me, why are you here?"

Cocolia stared intently at Ling Kong. If he made the slightest move, she would do everything in her power to stop him and then call her guards to surround him.

"Oh? Oh dear, there's no need for that. I really didn't mean any harm. I just came here to discuss with you... whether you've considered changing the state religion?"

Chapter 74 Conditions for Changing the State Religion

"Change the national religion?"

With wary eyes fixed on Ling Kong, Cocolia led Bronya slowly toward the door.

"The state religion, oh, let me tell you, worshipping the Star God Kripper is pure nonsense. Unless you're extremely powerful and bring significant benefits to Kripper, he might grant you a protection order... But the protection power you gain... has little direct relation to him. It's like he has an automatic program running; as long as you think the path of protection is good, it will automatically allocate a few hundred million points of protection power to you..."

While Ling Kong was talking animatedly, Cocolia had already led Bronya to the doorway.

As the Great Guardian, she knew one thing well: she must never put herself in a disadvantageous position in negotiations.

Just as she was about to open the door, a feeling of weightlessness came over her. There was no door behind her, only emptiness, and she was falling into the void.

That's right! My own daughter! Bronya!

Her pupils contracted as she hurriedly reached out to grab Bronya, but there was no Bronya behind her... just a life-sized doll.

"Bronya!"

Having broken free from the illusion, Cocolia gasped for breath as if she were a fish out of water.

Bronya stepped forward to help Cocolia, while Ling Kong remained seated in his chair, smiling at her.

“Mother... what’s wrong? This is Ling Kong, also an outsider. You can trust me, he has absolutely no ill intentions.”

When Cocolia met Ling Kong's gaze, her back was already soaked with cold sweat.

"Bronya, you can say what you want to say later. I'd like to talk to this outsider first, is that alright?"

With one hand blocking Bronya's path, Cocolia said seriously.

"Bronya, you can wait a moment. Don't worry, I won't do anything. I just have something to discuss with the current High Warden."

After Bronya left, Ling Kong sat up straight, but did not give up his seat, as if Cocolia was his subordinate and Ling Kong was the Great Guardian.

"Now, we can talk about the state religion again. Changing the state religion... is fine, but you need to convince me. After all, the Beloborg faith has existed for who knows how long... Although this faith comes from the stars and from the builders, no matter what, without the builders, Beloborg would not have existed until now."

“You’re right, but don’t you find it strange? First, did the builders construct the walls to protect Beloborg for you or for their faith? Second, why should you thank Kripper for the walls built by the builders?”

"Third, in the seven hundred years of the cold wave's history, why did the Star God of Preservation never even glance at this place? Even though He only needed to intervene slightly to save this planet, He didn't... What is the final reason? The Star God was only upholding His destiny, not His believers."

"God has not even glanced at you."

After saying three sentences in a row, Ling Kong switched back to his "retreat" state and lay back down.

It's like how speaking three sentences is extremely difficult.

Cocolia gazed intently at the sky for a moment, then fell into deep thought.

“I find it hard not to agree with what you’re saying, but… this isn’t a problem you can solve with a few words. Suddenly changing the state religion might cause internal collapse and destroy Beloberg before the cold wave even finishes us off.”

"It's alright, no need to rush. I'm not a robber. I'm quite logical. If I ask you to change your state religion, I naturally have corresponding conditions for exchange."

Taking a deep breath, Cocolia stood in front of the desk, her hands resting on the table, regaining her commanding presence.

"What are your conditions?"

"Help me process the star core... and there's one more..."

......

In a small alley in the seventh block, a manhole cover was pushed open, and a head popped out. After looking around to make sure no one was there, Sambo immediately climbed up and shouted behind him.

"Come out, guys, there's no one here. The path I, Sambo, provide will definitely be fine."

"No problem yet?!"