Chapter 279 — Senti: Wait, I'm the Herrscher?!
Regular viewers of Senti's livestream are well aware that she frequently performs "cross-talk comedy" with the Old Timer—no, with Fu Hua. This duo, one mindless and the other unhappy, consistently pushes the show's entertainment value to the limit.
The pairing in the game is a perfect 1:1 recreation of the real-world Fu Hua and Senti, making Senti's fans feel an immediate sense of familiarity.
"This is the vibe! This is exactly it!"
Seeing a group of fans "troll" her by pinning the "mindless" label on her forehead, Senti immediately pulled a long face.
"What do you mean mindless?! You guys are going too far! It's fine to call the Old Timer unhappy—he definitely fits the title. But how could 'mindless' have anything to do with me? I'm still just a child!"
[LOL, definitely a child. A literal newborn infant!]
[An infant who got played like a fiddle by Otto, right?]
[Senti, don't worry. Mommy won't stop loving you just because you're an idiot.]
[No male mommies! No male mommies!!]
[What's wrong with male mommies! *Shakes, cries, and throws up.* Why the persecution!]
[If it's that cold, just turn on the AC!]
The livestream was instantly filled with a joyful atmosphere. Watching Senti bicker with her audience made everyone chuckle. This "living treasure" was simply too much fun!
As the game continued, Senti revealed her destination to Fu Hua—she wanted to return to Mount Taixu. This clarified for the audience that the events of the previous chapter actually took place later in the timeline; Senti arrived at Mount Taixu before Kiana and Bronya.
On the road to Mount Taixu, Senti talked incessantly. However, Fu Hua remained cold and distant, appearing quite resistant to her presence. Feeling frustrated, Senti asked point-blank why she was being treated this way.
Fu Hua pointed out that while Senti possessed her memories and body, they were fundamentally different. Senti was an entirely new existence. This infuriated Senti.
["Ha! What kind of nonsense is that? I have her body, I have her memories. If I'm not her—then who else could I be?"] she retorted.
["I think you're the strange one. You're just a feather, yet you act like you're the real master here."]
["You think I didn't notice? You're always staring at me like an elder looking at a child!"]
["You don't need to—worry about yourself."]
After a pause, Senti spoke again.
["But you're right about one thing. I don't need to be shackled by my past self. I am a brand-new me now. Why should I copy how I used to be? I'll just be myself."]
Strolling through the clouds, Senti told Fu Hua that she could simply define her as the "past self." But was the past self really that great? Not necessarily.
Using her power, she created familiar illusions—Kevin and Otto—labeling them as pathetic people shackled by the past. Then, she conjured an illusion of Lin Zhaoyu. Reflecting on those memories, she criticized her past self for being too kind and soft-hearted.
["I don't even remember them, so why talk about love or hate? But it's only natural to pay for a life with a life. Not to mention, I was the master who raised them. Forget revenge—even if I told them to die, they'd have to obey me."]
When discussing the "seven little brats," Senti answered without a shred of hesitation. Her words resonated deeply with the viewers.
[Exactly!]
[Well said, Senti!]
[Those seven brats deserved what they got!]
[Loving and hating boldly, seeking eye-for-an-eye... this personality is so refreshing!]
The audience adored Senti's straightforward nature.
"Senti's personality is so different from the Class Monitor... has she not realized that herself?" Kiana scratched her head, looking puzzled. "She keeps saying she wants to be a new person and not be shackled by the past... but she still insists she *is* Fu Hua. Isn't that the definition of being shackled?"
"It's not quite like that," Bronya shook her head. "Senti's situation is understandable. She has the Class Monitor's memories and body... it's only natural she'd subconsiously feel she is the Class Monitor. Even if she notices something is off, she'll find a way to justify it."
"More than that, I think the Class Monitor is as... socially awkward as ever," Kiana sighed. "Since waking up, she's been desperately trying to deny that Senti is Fu Hua. She's basically tap-dancing on Senti's landmines..."
"Tell me about it. But there's no helping it; that's just the Old Timer for you," Senti shrugged. "That's her personality. You expect her to actually coax someone? Don't make me laugh. I'd sooner believe Su Mu suddenly turned into a four-foot-seven spinning magical girl."
The Herta puppet outside the stream: "..."
"True. If the Class Monitor knew how to raise kids, things wouldn't have ended like they did back then," Kiana agreed.
Senti looked at Fu Hua with disappointment. "If the Old Timer were more flexible—if she used some sweet talk to win me over first and then slowly guided me—I might have just joined the protagonists' side. I'm not an unreasonable person! Ugh! It's exactly because I'm *too* reasonable that Otto managed to trick me..."
Fu Hua looked helpless. "If a normal person saw their game account logged in from a strange location and the person using it claimed to be the real owner, would your first reaction be to coax them like a child?"
Senti froze, then gave a dry laugh. "Uh... if it were me, I'd probably just want to beat the crap out of them..."
She realized that if someone stole her account and insisted it was theirs, she would lose her mind. Thinking about it now, the fact that the Old Timer hadn't tried to hit her yet showed she had a pretty good temper. Then again, the Old Timer *couldn't* hit her; she needed Senti's power just to maintain her form. No wonder she could only fight back with words.
"Wait, the Old Timer who can't lay a finger on me and can only attack me with words... oh no, why does that sound strangely satisfying?" Senti imagined Fu Hua shouting at her in anger, unable to win a fight, only able to scold her incessantly. How fun!
"Did you just say your thoughts out loud? My dear sister~" Fu Hua's large hand suddenly covered Senti's head, making Senti break into a cold sweat.
"Old Timer! You—you can't hit a child! That's domestic violence! It's illegal! Everyone is watching!!"
After some joking around, the audience began seriously debating Fu Hua's parenting skills. The topic ended quickly because everyone realized she had zero capability in that department. You can't pin your hopes on something that doesn't exist! Everyone concluded that Senti and Fu Hua were bound to come to blows sooner or later.
Later in the story, Fu Hua asked Senti why she returned to Mount Taixu. Senti said she had just awakened with a blank mind, but there were things she *must* do—things she had to do as Fu Hua.
[I get it. To the one who is Fu Hua.]
[Not 'To the one who is Flat'?]
[What did our Shenzhou Flatlands ever do to you?]
[Flats, so many flats! This is the true flatland! (Very loud)]
[Hey! Why do you trolls persecute the Jingwei Immortal every day! You want your butts burned by Fenghuang Down?!]
[What are you doing! You people don't understand the charm of Shenzhou Flatlands!!]
Watching the comments persecute Fu Hua, Senti was having the time of her life. She was about to burst into laughter when Fu Hua's hand covered her forehead again. The "headpat" from the Old Timer sent a chill down her spine, forcing her to swallow her laughter.
Fu Hua felt a strong urge to hang this brat up and give her a beating. "Shenzhou Flatlands"—that term originated from this mischievous child! It was her rambling on the livestream that made this title stick to her forever.
Soon, Senti and Fu Hua arrived at Mount Taixu. As they walked, Senti occasionally awakened the sleeping feathers on the mountain, absorbing their power and memories. However, as the memories grew, Senti became increasingly disgusted with the "past self's" way of doing things.
Dr. MEI, Kevin, Otto—to hell with them all! Her past self was always so indecisive, which is why everything turned into a mess! She decided that from now on, she would call the shots!
Before long, while searching for a feather, they encountered Honkai Beasts. Fu Hua told Senti that Mount Taixu was supposed to be peaceful, with a village of about a hundred people nearby. But seeing Deadweights and Honkai Beasts meant the villagers were likely doomed.
At Fu Hua's urging, a reluctant Senti went to the village. No one was left except for a little girl hiding away. Seeing them, the girl clung to Senti like a lifeline, begging for help.
["Save me, please, save me!"]
Senti knelt before the girl. Facing her pleas, she tried to use the gentlest tone possible.
["I will, I will."]
She touched the girl's forehead. The girl calmed down, the fear leaving her eyes.
["Wait for me to come back, okay?"]
The girl nodded and closed her eyes.
["What do you plan to do?"]
["Avenge her."]
["That is not the salvation she wants!"]
["This is all I can give her. You know she won't live long... at least I'm good at this."]
After clearing all the Honkai Beasts outside, Senti returned to the girl's side. She used the power of Fenghuang Down to let the girl dream. In the dream, there was no pain or sorrow; everything in the village was as it used to be... and so it remained until she passed away. This was the only thing Senti could do.
"Even with all this power, I still couldn't save her?" In the livestream, Senti clenched her fists in frustration. She had the body of the Old Timer at her peak and the strength to fight the strongest MANTIS, Kevin. Yet even so, she was powerless to save a single girl's life.
"You did your best, Senti," Kiana comforted her. "In a world of Honkai, death is the only fate for ordinary people without antibodies... this world is just that cruel."
Bronya agreed. "Yes... it couldn't be helped. At least you let her die without pain. For her, that might be a form of salvation."
Their words cheered Senti up slightly, but she remained moody. "Still, why does a Honkai outbreak happen the moment the Old Timer and I return to Mount Taixu? It feels like the Honkai is chasing me."
Kiana and Bronya were stunned by her mumbling. "Now that you mention it... the Class Monitor said Mount Taixu should be peaceful. Why did the Honkai suddenly erupt? What's going on?"
In the game, Fu Hua looked at Senti and told her that Mount Taixu was protected by Fenghuang Down and the Xuanyuan Sword. Ordinary Honkai energy could never affect this place. Yet, the moment they arrived, the Honkai broke out. There was only one explanation left.
Before she could finish, Senti cut her off harshly.
["I can make you shut up with a single thought. I can make you disappear just as easily."]
["You are a feather of Fenghuang Down... a Herrscher from the previous era. I should have destroyed you immediately. I shouldn't listen to a word you say."]
["But I respect you. I allow you to exist independently and stay by my side. You should show gratitude for my respect."]
["...Stop trying to cloud my mind, Honkai."]
Senti turned and walked away, and the power binding Fu Hua vanished. This scene left the real Senti in the livestream stunned as a realization hit her.
"Ordinary Honkai energy can't affect this place, but if it were Herrscher-class energy..."
"Does that mean... I brought the Honkai to this village? Is my true identity... a Herrscher??"
END OF CHAPTER
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