bookbashuk Chapter 869 Countermeasures (9)
Chapter 869 Countermeasures (9)
Nasita gently shook her head, her snow-white hair swaying slightly with the movement, like willow branches brushing against a lake.
Now is not the time to indulge in thoughts.
She took a deep breath, calmed her chaotic thoughts, and when she looked up again, her eyes had regained their usual clarity and wisdom.
“If we’re trying to get a cunning tongue out,” she said slowly, her voice as calm as a spring in the forest, “this matter will probably require careful consideration.”
"As long as there are still people holding Void Terminals and still being controlled by the royalists, we cannot act rashly."
Nasita's tone was calm and firm: "Otherwise, if we alert them, the situation will only get more out of control."
[Comment: A good beating would have made them behave.]
My answer was: Ora ora ora ora ora ora ora ora ora ora ora ora...
[Persuade people directly with reason.]
It's a pity the other side has hostages; otherwise, this might have been a much more efficient solution.
However… I was surprised that Nasita would seriously consider such a reckless strategy.
[Nasita: I am young, not ignorant of the ways of the world.]
[But if all proposals are rejected, what's the point of giving us three options to choose from? Is it just to highlight the uniqueness of the final solution?]
Every single plan proposed by the three was rejected by Nasita.
In the end, they could only admit that they had run out of ideas.
"Hmm... Is there really no other way?" Paimon floated in the air, his little face scrunched up, scratching his head in distress.
Then she turned to look at the deity sitting quietly like a lotus, and asked with a face full of expectation, "Nasita, you must have a way, right? After all, you are the goddess of wisdom."
Ying also softly echoed, "Or... does Caesar have another better plan?"
Everyone knew that if Naxida had no solution, she wouldn't have specifically summoned them to Jingshan Palace.
As Caesar was her attendant and the guide who led her out of the fog, it would be reasonable for him to have a brilliant plan.
Nasida's lips curved slightly, her smile as gentle as the morning sun falling on the tips of leaves, yet sharp: "Only by rejecting the unfeasible plans can the truly feasible ones appear more substantial."
Her gaze shifted, as if piercing through layers of mist. "This is the speculative approach highly regarded by the Theological Seminary."
"However, I am not being stubborn. By drawing on the strengths of many schools of thought and pooling the wisdom of the masses, we may indeed be able to come up with a more perfect solution."
With her arms crossed, Yi Ya said earnestly, "Actually, you don't need to be so humble, sister."
“My brother once said that truly powerful people never rely on underhanded tactics—because their power is enough to shake the heavens and the earth.”
“You are the god of wisdom. Even if it is just a whisper, we will do our utmost to listen and act.” He shrugged, his tone carrying a frankness typical of his age. “And to be honest, I don’t think we can come up with a better solution than you.”
Upon hearing this, Nasita gently reached out and softly ruffled His hair, a hint of warmth appearing in her eyes: "That's not necessarily true."
Her voice was soft yet firm: "As an ancient saying in Liyue goes: 'Even the wisest person can make a mistake; even the most foolish person can have a stroke of genius.'"
"The world is full of phenomena, and there are countless perspectives. Only by embracing diverse viewpoints can we see the blind spots and fill in the gaps."
Ying blinked and pressed on, "So...did our method give you any inspiration?"
Nasita paused slightly, a slightly embarrassed but polite smile appearing on her face: "Strictly speaking... the inspiration is indeed... quite limited."
As it turns out, even when wise men and fools gather together, they may not be able to piece together a perfect answer.
The so-called "fool's one gain" is often already hidden within the "thousand considerations of the wise." What coincidence could possibly perfectly compensate for such a loss? While this saying sounds elegant, it hardly reflects reality.
No wonder the Theory faction has been able to maintain a foothold in the Council of Churches for so long; perhaps they are experts in political maneuvering?
[Suddenly reminded of an old joke: "We'll give the Prime Minister three options—two that seem different but are actually the same, and the third that's so absurd it's impossible for it to be adopted."]
Ying nodded slightly, her voice low but firm: "Just as I thought..."
Upon hearing this, Nasita could only offer a slightly embarrassed smile, gently stroking her hair with her fingertips, and said slowly, "Then let me tell you my solution."
Her tone was calm, her gaze as clear and deep as a lake in the morning mist: "My idea is—since we cannot directly possess the consciousness of those key figures, and we do not want to drag innocent ordinary people into this turmoil..."
"Why not find someone who is not entirely 'innocent' and whose stance is not yet completely firm, to lend us a hand?"
Paimon floated in mid-air, arms crossed, tilted his head and pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized and said, "You mean... to cultivate a 'mole' within the royalist faction?"
“This is indeed a feasible solution.” Ying nodded again, her eyes flickering slightly, as if old memories were flowing through them.
Iya frowned and pondered, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes: "This plan... why does it feel so familiar? As if I've used it before."
"Now that you mention it..." Ying's voice softened, her thoughts seemingly pulled back to the distant past.
“It seems…that’s indeed the case,” Paimon murmured, a subtle undertone in his voice.
The three women fell silent for a moment, their expressions varied, yet all wore a similar thoughtful look. The air seemed to freeze for a instant, then their expressions simultaneously became complex—
It was as if she had remembered something that shouldn't have been mentioned again.
“Ah…” Paimon slapped his forehead and sighed helplessly, “When Inazuma overturned the Eye Hunting Order, we actually did just that.”
Ying chuckled softly, a self-deprecating smile curving her lips: "Back then, wasn't Kujo Sara turned against us step by step until she finally sided with the resistance?"
Iya shrugged, his face full of speechlessness: "I knew this plan was so familiar... it turns out it's a 'tradition' we left behind."
[Who says Kujo's stance isn't firm? She's Raigami's most loyal blade, single-mindedly devoted to protecting Narukami Taisha. The reason she switched sides is because she saw through the conspiracy behind the Eye Hunt Order; someone was trying to deceive Raigami!]
[The 'traitor' from the previous main storyline, whose first reaction upon being recruited was to storm the castle tower with a sword, vowing to purge the court of corrupt officials—is he going to do it again?]
[Mihoyo's obsession with "traitor" storylines is practically ingrained in their DNA.]
Speaking of which, it seems there are quite a few storylines in Honkai Impact 3rd that unfold through infiltration... This trope really works every time.
Although Nasita had not personally experienced that event, she had roughly grasped its meaning from the expressions and conversations of the three people.
She smiled gently, a glimmer of wisdom appearing in her amber eyes: "It seems you are already quite adept at this kind of thing."
Ying, Paimon, and Iya nodded in unison.
—It's not just skilled, it's so experienced that I'm a little nervous.
Iya sighed, a hint of unease in his voice: "But I have a bad feeling... Will this 'mole' plan really succeed?"
Nasita shrugged, her movements so calm they were almost indifferent: "We have to try first, don't we?"
Her voice remained gentle, yet it carried an undeniable chill: "Besides, if this person wasn't entirely innocent to begin with, even if there are losses in the end... we don't need to feel too heartbroken."
Paimon's eyes widened in shock, and he exclaimed, "Nasita actually said such terrifying things so calmly!"
Naxida simply smiled, her smile as gentle as a new bud in early spring: "Although I am unwilling to take action against the royalists because of the nature of the demon god to love people; if they really suffer misfortune, I will feel pity for them."
"But I won't help them."
Her voice suddenly became calm, like a flower bud quietly closing in the depths of the desert:
"Because all the consequences are their own fault."
As always—she restrained her divine power, solely out of compassion for all living beings.
However, she never ignored what those people did.
From initially retaining a sliver of sincerity to vindicate the Great Tree King, to now committing one crime after another in the struggle for power, disregarding the law and conscience...
She saw it all.
At this point, the royalists were no longer idealists, but power-hungry schemers corrupted by desire.
In her eyes, most of these people were no longer worth saving.
They are sinners.
If fate were to ultimately settle accounts, she might feel regret for their demise.
But she won't try to stop her.
Because she knows——
All of this was the result of their own actions, like the wheel of fate quietly turning, and will eventually return to its origin.
"My thoughts are the same as Paimon's," she stated calmly, revealing the chilling truth...
But what she said made such a good point that it was impossible to refute.
[Bad news: She's a Virgin Mary; Good news: Cut her open, and she's pitch black inside.]
[They wouldn't personally lift a finger, and might even show a hint of sympathy... but beneath this facade lurked a secret schadenfreude... Suddenly, I thought of Otto.]
[↑I might offer a glass of fine wine at Otto's grave in remembrance; but if he were to ever attempt to rise from the dead, I would not hesitate to slam his coffin shut, never letting him see the light of day again.]
Ying and her companions nodded slightly, having roughly grasped what Nasita was thinking. After a moment of silence, Ying spoke up: "Alright, since you've already come to this realization, then let's proceed accordingly."
"Now that you've proposed a plan, you must have someone in mind. Why don't you tell us about it?"
At this point, Paimon interjected, "If you haven't thought of a suitable candidate yet, I do have a recommendation."
“We met a guy named Elhesen in Port Ormos. He always keeps to himself and keeps a low profile, but he always likes to make plans behind the back of the Council of the Church. He is probably not a royalist.”
Nasita said softly, "Elhesen? I know him. He is one of the most outstanding scholars of this generation in the Church Council."
"However, his stance is very clear—he stands firmly on his own side."
"The factional strife within the Council of the Church is common knowledge, and although Elhesen appears to be deeply involved, he has always remained aloof and uninvolved."
He would temporarily pledge allegiance to whichever side could provide him with the necessary academic resources and would do everything in his power to assist them.
She shook her head slightly, her tone resolute: "In terms of cooperation, he is undoubtedly an excellent ally; but as for acting as a mole, he is not suitable."
"He is willing to work together, but he would never take such a risky step. Therefore, let's exclude him."
——Digression
There might be another chapter later. If not, then this chapter will be expanded to 4000 words.