Collapse: Nano Brigade Captain's Journey Across the Galaxy

"Well, after what you did, I guess not only the whole town is safe, but even other towns are safe. Since there's nothing outside, let's continue to look inside. Well, let me think...ah! Got it!"

Xier thought for a moment, then pointed to a place and said, "In the corner over there, I vaguely remember there are still some supplies. Because when we were young, we often played outdoors, and skin injuries were common, and even bruises and injuries happened every three to five days. In short, I hope the supplies were not destroyed by the monster just now."

Qiong said, "Don't worry, Sister Xier. With Brother Chenye here, the supplies won't be destroyed."

"Oh, I hope so. Let's go." Xi'er replied and asked everyone to keep going. But when she looked back, she found Bronya still standing there, and she couldn't help but urge her, "Why are you still standing there? Let's go!"

“…It’s not an illusion…Ah!”

Seeing that Bronya didn't seem to hear her, but seemed to be talking to herself, she walked up and patted Bronya on the shoulder, then asked, "What did you say?"

Bronya was startled by her, and after giving her a resentful look, she replied, "Well, I have... seen this building and these children's amusement facilities."

Hearing what Bronya said, Xier said with a disdainful look: "Ha!? Come on! The upper and lower areas have been sealed for more than ten years, and not a single Silver Mane Iron Guard has come down. If there really is a lady like you visiting the lower area, it would definitely be big news! I definitely wouldn't have heard nothing about it... Wait, could it be before that!?"

"That's indeed a possibility." Bronya confirmed Xi'er's guess, and then continued: "Because only this possibility can explain why my memory is so vague. Huh... Can I... continue to walk around? I think I need to look around more to be sure."

"No problem, let's go! After all, we can't find any medical alcohol outside, and we still need to go inside to look around, and we can also take this opportunity to let you take a closer look."

They searched several more places, and Bronya felt somewhat familiar with them all, but she still didn't know where they were familiar, and no one found any medical alcohol.

Then, everyone came to another place, and Xier said, "Huh... this is the only place left. I hope I remember it right."

Then she bent down and started searching among the boxes. Everyone else started looking too. After a while, Xier said in surprise, "Ah! Found it! Great! It's almost intact! I guess Nata would never have thought that the supplies she stored a few years ago could be preserved so well!"

Although Bronya behind her had not yet recalled those childhood memories, she still reminded her: "Xier, you should check the expiration date of things like alcohol. Although I know that people in the lower districts don't care about expiration dates, alcohol - especially medical alcohol! If it's past the expiration date, it's basically useless."

Xier thought about it and realized that what Bronya said was indeed correct. She said, "You are right. Let me take out a few bottles and have a look." After that, she bent down and took out a few bottles of medical alcohol, but found that there seemed to be something buried under these bottles of alcohol. Then she handed the bottles of medical alcohol in her hand to Bronya and took them out.

After taking it out, Xier looked at it and found that it was a crystal ball placed on a base. Inside the crystal ball was an owl with white and black feathers, preying on a rabbit, and the rabbit was running away on the vast snowy field (the picture is posted in the comment section).

"Ah! This is... this is... this is something from my childhood." Bronya, who was checking the expiration date of the medical alcohol, caught a glimpse of the crystal ball and was so frightened that he almost dropped the medical alcohol in his hand! Fortunately, he managed to hold it steady, but considering that his condition might not be right, he handed the alcohol to March Seven, then quickly walked to Xi'er and said so.

"Huh? When you were a kid? Are you sure?!"

Qiong asked, "Could it be that you have been to this town when you were a child?"

"Not really." Bronya said after refuting Qiong's words: "I just remembered when I saw this thing that I used to live here. Before the City Builder took me away and Lady Cocolia adopted me, I lived here! I... am from the Lower District."

"No, what's going on? Bronya, is it someone from the lower district?" March 7, who had just checked the expiration date of medical alcohol, heard such explosive news when she came here! So she asked in confusion.

Dan Heng answered her: "Yes, according to her, she used to live in the lower class area..."

Hearing this, Xier was also surprised and said: "You are... from the lower district!? No! What you just said was - Cocolia?! You are the adopted daughter of the "Great Guardian"?! Then..."

"Yes. I am... the designated successor of the "City Builders" (Note: City Builders is an organization). In the future, I will become the "Guardian" who leads Beloberg."

"Ah? This..." Xier's brain froze when she heard what Bronya said.

Bronya continued, "Why... why did I remember it only now? Damn! My childhood memories... are so vague..."

"Is it possible that Cocolia did something to you?" Qiong guessed from the side.

"No! Mother would never do that to me! Absolutely not!"

"Not necessarily." Dan Heng said on the side.

"You already know, don't you? The Star Core has self-awareness. It bewitched your mother, Cocolia. That also means it has the ability to bewitch Cocolia to attack you."

"But Dan Heng, you overlooked a very important point." Chen Ye suddenly interrupted, "Cocolia really loves Bronya - loves her very much. So Cocolia will never do anything to Bronya! I can be absolutely sure of this."

"If that's the case, then it can only be explained by the length of time that passed and Bronya's young age at the time."

"I think so." Bronya confirmed Danheng's words, and then continued: "The "City Builders" said that the selection of the successor to the "Guardian" will be carried out throughout Beloberg, and the process will take a few years or even decades. During this time, every child who has reached the age in the upper and lower districts will be tested, and in the end, only one child with "qualifications" will be selected. I seem to have been selected here... and then brought to the surface."

After hearing what Bronya said, the five people present were stunned. After a long while, Xier spoke first: "In my impression, the children in the orphanage always come and go... I really didn't expect that there would be a future guardian among us! I don't know if Nata knows about this? Or... she has been hiding it..."

But before she could finish her words, she was interrupted by Bronya: "No! I don't think she would know! Because the selection of the Guardian's successor is an absolute secret! The only ones who know about this plan are the "Great Guardian" himself, the "City Builders" and the selected "Heirs"! And - the selected children must completely bid farewell to the past!"

"It is precisely because of this that I was adopted by Lady Cocolia and became her daughter. Therefore - apart from being the next Great Guardian, I... have no other identity. But, I... I am so far from it! Every day I witness the Iron Guards fighting bloody battles in the Rift until they are seriously injured and sacrificed! But no matter what, I can't make up my mind to change my mother's mind!" After saying this, he turned around and overlooked the entire Rivet Town from the orphanage.

Then, he continued, "I clearly... clearly knew that the lower districts had been suffering for a long time, but I could not do anything to help! My former homeland had clearly suffered such suffering! But I was completely kept in the dark and knew nothing! In the end, I couldn't "protect" anything. I... I couldn't... do anything! I couldn't do anything! I couldn't do anything! Why was I chosen? How on earth can I be qualified for the position of guardian? I really... really can't do anything..."

"Hey! You! Have you said enough?!"

"Ah?" Hearing this, Bronya, who was already in tears, suddenly raised her head and looked at Xier.

"You're crying and making so much noise!"

"I..." Bronya seemed to realize that something was wrong, but she couldn't help it...

Xi'er continued to speak mercilessly: "What? You said a few words to move yourself, do you think I will sympathize with you? Humph! You can just hide in your palace and let your imagination run wild! Even if you go to the front line, you don't have to gamble your life, and there are even people to protect you! But what about us in the lower district? We have no food to eat, and it's good enough to be alive!"

"And - "Even if you are just a glimmer of light, you must illuminate others"! You said this yourself. Don't you want to protect everyone? Then, is there anything more important to do than crying here? ! "

Under Xier's continuous output, Bronya's expression kept changing. Finally, she closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths, and then said, "You are right. Self-pity can't solve any problems. Phew...Xier, thank you."

"Eh?"

"Before...when I was in a negative mood, the voices beside me always comforted me; but no one has ever dared to wake me up by hitting me on the head like you did."

When Xi'er heard this, she smiled and replied, "Ha, comfort? I don't know how to do that, and don't expect me to. But if I want to wake you up, I can do it as many times as I want! Besides, I can tell at a glance that the burden in your heart is... too heavy. Why do you push yourself to this point?"

Bronya replied: "Well... because, as the future guardian of Beloberg, I must always examine my actions and thoughts."

"Yes, yes, yes (~I really can't do anything about you), young lady~ Humph, the future great guardian was born in the same orphanage as me... Hey, what a bad fate. Oh, right. Do you want me to take you around the orphanage? I'm different from you. I remember everything from my childhood clearly [Chen Ye: Then why don't you remember Bronya (doge)?]."

"Well, okay, then I'll just... mind wander with you for a little while."

After saying that, the two of them walked towards the orphanage together.

"Ah, aren't you going to look for the remaining painkillers?"

"I don't think so. It should just be their halftime break."

"Why do I feel like I can go back to sleep right away?"

"It's okay, let them walk. After all, even if we are not native to this planet, we feel our heads buzzing after hearing this news, not to mention Xier, a native. So I think she invited Bronya to walk, not only to show her the orphanage, but also to give her some time to digest the explosive news she just heard. Let's go, they are still talking, let's take this time to find the remaining painkillers."

"You're right, there is indeed such a possibility. Let's go."

"Let's go!"

"Let's go!"

Chen Ye and Dan Heng followed reluctantly. They ran into a tunnel on the left side of the orphanage, but halfway through the run, Chen Ye and Dan Heng each held down Qiong and Sanyue.

At first, Sanyue and Qiong were confused, but soon, they heard some noises coming from the end of the tunnel. The four looked at each other and nodded. Then, Danheng took out Jiyun, Sanyue opened the bow, Qiong took out the baseball bat, and Chenye took out the Nirvana Sword Sulter from the storage space.

Then he slowly moved towards the end of the passage.