Starting from the Collapse World, I became the behind-the-scenes boss

He looked completely calm... no, Shihen was wearing a black wig, so his expression was unreadable.

"Let's go, go back."

After glancing at the boy once more, the raven turned and left.

As long as the mission objective is achieved, World Serpent never cares about these trivial matters.

"Oh."

Shihen nodded, ripped off his hood, and threw it into the fire along with the baseball bat.

Just like the tactical mech he encountered before, this baseball bat was already worn out after he used it a few times.

Only weapons made of Soul Steel can withstand the load of conducting Honkai energy.

However, if he leaves behind a baseball bat after every battle, perhaps he can create a legend as the "Galaxy Baseball Man"?

Lost in thought, Shihen disappeared into the exit of the underground parking garage.

-------------------------------------

Later that evening, at Raven's Nest Bar.

crunch--

"Welcome, gentlemen. Would you like something to drink?"

Upon entering the bar, Shihen and Raven were greeted by an unexpected guest... no, perhaps it shouldn't be called a guest, because Gray Snake was standing behind the bar wiping glasses, although his black robe and metal mask didn't seem to fit the image of a bartender at all.

"Iced vermouth, don't mess up my things."

Sitting down at the bar, Raven gave his expert instructions, his expression somewhat helpless.

Why can't they come up with a different model for the Gray Snake?

This is her bar, bought entirely with her own money. Don't treat it as World Serpent's property!

"That's quite surprising, Mr. Gray Serpent." After expressing his surprise appropriately, Shihen paused and asked, "Do you have milk tea?"

"Of course. Bubble tea with 30% sugar, would you like it without ice?"

"want."

Shihen immediately made the decision.

This gray snake is much more professional than some mercenaries.

Shihen glanced at a mercenary out of the corner of his eye.

"Hey! This is a bar! A bar! Do you guys even know what the word 'bar' means?!"

Raven tapped her fingers forcefully on the bar.

"Sister Natasha, have you considered expanding your business? Selling only alcohol isn't a viable way to make money..."

Shihen kindly advised.

He'd been here several times, but he'd never seen how many customers the Raven's Nest Bar had.

Raven: “…”

"Please, both of you."

At this moment, the amateur bartender Gray Snake handed out two glasses and thoughtfully added a decorative lemon slice to Time Mark's glass.

Taking a sip through the straw, Shihen's pupils widened involuntarily. He gave Gray Snake a thumbs up: "Mr. Gray Snake's skills are not bad. I would rate this cup at least twenty yuan."

"Thank you for liking it, Mr. Shihen."

Gray Snake responded in a hoarse voice.

Although he didn't understand what the twenty yuan evaluation really meant.

On the other side, the raven, drinking absinthe, had its cheeks puffed up with anger.

If the kid next to her wasn't underage, she would definitely have shown off her bartending skills!

"Getting back to the main point, I've already read the mission report. Mr. Shihen's strength is truly astonishing."

As he spoke, the gray snake's single electronic eye flashed red.

Such a massive amount of Honkai energy is quite rare even among Stigmata Awakeners.

It seems that the boy's stigmata are related to physical enhancement; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to withstand such a terrifying burden.

As he carefully examined the marks of time, the gray snake began to ponder.

For someone of his caliber, it's a simple matter to deduce that someone possesses a natural holy mark based on the appearance of the time marks.

"Haha~"

Shihen simply smiled at Gray Snake's praise without offering any explanation.

As long as he doesn't admit to cheating, he is the world's top genius.

"Raven, do you have any other thoughts?"

The red electronic prosthetic eye stared intently at the mercenary, Gray Serpent said coldly.

Sensing the warning in Grey Serpent's tone, Raven sipped his wine and said softly, "No."

Shihen had already demonstrated his talent and ability, leaving her no room to suppress him.

"In that case, welcome Mr. Shihen to the World Serpent."

With a hoarse voice that hinted at laughter, Gray Snake pushed a palm-sized silver card toward the boy.

"World Serpent?"

As he examined the card, Shihen's tone revealed a hint of doubt.

“World Serpent, that’s the real name of our organization,” Gray Serpent explained. “This card is Mr. Shihen’s identification. You can use it to access the organization’s internal website. I believe the contents there will satisfy Mr. Shihen.”

At the same time, it is also an anonymous bank card; the ten million euros were a gift from the snake to Mr. Shihen.

Shihen's hand holding the card trembled involuntarily.

World Snake, they're damn rich!

Having been in the underworld for so long, he only had about 200,000 euros in total, while World Snake could easily have fifty times that amount with a flick of his wrist.

"You guys are pretty generous."

After a long pause, Shihen couldn't help but sigh.

"Compared to Mr. Shihen's abilities, this is nothing more than a trivial little gift."

The gray snake shook its head and chuckled softly.

In the underground black market, the bounty for a Stigmata Awakener is at least tens of millions of euros.

For projects like the one for teenagers, which have already been developed to a certain extent, even hundreds of millions of euros are barely enough.

For true leaders, money is just a number, utterly insignificant compared to rare and precious treasures like natural holy marks.

"It seems that ten million is a bit too much to handle."

Shihen looked at the gray snake with a smile.

If World Serpent can casually give away ten million, what it naturally desires is even greater profit.

"What did Mr. Nian mean then?"

"I can't breathe," Gray Snake asked slowly.

“From now on, we’re colleagues.” With a flick of his wrist, the silver card disappeared between his fingers, and Shihen revealed a bright smile. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Gray Serpent.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a string of subtitles that only Shihen could see appeared in front of him.

[New Player Quest - Gate of St. Freya: You have already witnessed the madness of this world. It's time to join a secret organization fighting against the Honkai and find a group of like-minded companions to save the world. (Completed)]

You have received the reward: The Ringing Serpent.

[The Looping Serpent: A serpent with its head and tail intertwined represents the closed loop of fate. When you receive fatal damage, you will ignore the attack and recover to full health. Cooldown: 24 hours.]

Main questline now available.

[Main Quest - Path of Destiny: You have become a member of a secret anti-Honkai organization. Hide behind the scenes and strive to become the final boss. (Current progress: 0.1%)]

[You have obtained the interim reward: Blank Herrscher Core.]

[The Blank Herrscher Core: A high-energy crystal containing powerful Honkai energy, possessing the wondrous power to communicate with the imaginary space. It may change upon encountering the authority of other Herrschers.]

After reading all the subtitles, Shihen's smile widened even more.

The World Serpent was even more generous than he had anticipated.

Chapter Six: A Fateful Encounter

Ah, the weather is so nice.

Raising his hand to shield the fireball radiating endless light and heat from the sky, Shihen's gaze swept across the crowded beach ahead, and he couldn't help but sigh softly.

This is a seaside city in Sicily, in southern Europe.

A week ago, Raven said he had received an important mission, so he took Time Trace and flew all the way from Northern Europe to the Mediterranean, leaving Raven's Nest Bar facing the predicament of closing down again.

Why open a bar when you're constantly getting missions and running around the world?

Shihen really couldn't understand the thoughts of this legendary mercenary.

But after arriving in Sicily, the raven had no intention of taking him on any missions. Instead, he was nowhere to be seen all day long, and no one knew what he was doing.

Out of boredom, Shihen began to wander around Sicily.

Enjoying the scenery and delicious food every day makes for a relaxed and pleasant life.

Although the important task mentioned by Raven was intriguing, Shihen certainly wouldn't lose his appetite for such a reason.

Living each day to the fullest is his life motto.

After all, the world could collapse at any time.

Gathering his scattered thoughts, Shihen strode towards the seaside.

The intense sunlight made the sand feel hot, and stepping on it barefoot, you could feel a surge of heat rising from the soles of your feet, giving you a strange kind of stimulation.

It's quite comfortable.

Feeling the strange texture of the sand rubbing against his feet, Shihen's mood warmed up.

Sunshine, beaches, girls in swimsuits... the coast of Sicily has a real summer feel to it.

Even though it was already autumn in Northern Europe, and some places had even seen snowfall, Sicily, located on the Mediterranean Sea, was still bathed in sunshine.

Strolling casually along the beach, waves lapped at his feet, leaving behind a few grains of sand and foam. Shihen's gaze swept over the crowds around him, admiring the exotic beach scenery.

Children playing with sand sculptures, young men and women playing beach volleyball, girls applying essential oils to each other, a white fluffy ball on a high chair... wait, something strange seems to have wandered in here.

Blinking, Shihen looked at a white-haired girl sitting on a high stool in a lifeguard uniform and couldn't help but question his life.

With white hair, blue eyes, and that shifty, seemingly dim-witted look, Shihen was certain that this was probably the person he was thinking of.

As if noticing Shihen's gaze, the girl looked over from afar, revealing an incredibly bright smile, her pearly white teeth sparkling in the sunlight.

What a shiny idiot!

Despite being complete strangers who hadn't exchanged a single word and were even more than thirty meters apart, this white-haired idiot still extended his kindness.

Thinking this, Shihen blinked and smiled.

After giving a perfunctory greeting, Shi Hen turned and plunged into the sea.

This encounter was purely accidental, and he had no intention of approaching the other person now.

With his limbs slapping the seawater, propelling his body further and further from the shore, Shihen quickly put the matter out of his mind and wholeheartedly enjoyed his beach trip.

What a weirdo.

Watching the black-haired boy gradually disappear into the waves in the distance, the lifeguard girl scratched her head in confusion.

However, the other person is quite handsome.

Recalling that fleeting yet unforgettable face, the girl's smile slowly faded into a dreamlike state.

The job of a beach lifeguard is so boring that she can only find some fun in these things.