Chapter 192: Let Us All Silently Recite "The Emperor Protects"

Chapter 192: Chapter 224: Let Us All Silently Recite “The Emperor Protects”

Chapter 224: Let Us All Silently Recite “The Emperor Protects”

After breakfast, Shinji went on another business trip; he had to tie up some loose ends.

With Chairman Keel as a breakthrough point, the task of cleaning up the aftermath was straightforward. Whether the remaining elders were hiding in secluded castles, primeval forests, or abandoned bases, he found them all and turned them into puppets one by one.

That is how Shinji operates: he either does nothing, or he leaves no future troubles behind. It turned out the elders of SEELE were not stupid. After the First Branch fell, they held several meetings and even discovered some anomalies regarding Chairman Keel.

If strict genetic testing hadn’t been required to participate in their online meetings, they would have suspected Keel had been replaced by a body double. Even so, they were using their own influence to investigate the attack on the First Branch and had managed to uncover some clues.

People who can sit in those positions are never fools. If this were a struggle between mere mortals, this tug-of-war might have lasted a while longer, but unfortunately for them, they were dealing with an Astartes.

Intellectual battles? Endurance? They didn’t exist. When an Astartes decides to do something, he maximizes efficiency; not even the luxury of a clear understanding before death is guaranteed.

The world underwent a earth-shattering shift in power, but the layout had already been completed. The handover process was silent and noiseless; apart from Ryoji Kaji, Misato Katsuragi, and Ritsuko Akagi, not a fourth person in the world knew what had happened.

Everything had changed, yet everything remained the same—at least for the vast majority of humanity. The sun rose as usual, the puppet masters behind the scenes remained confined to conspiracy theories, and even those who knew the truth found it miraculous.

“If Shinji hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t even have known that the people at the top had been replaced.” Misato Katsuragi rested her chin on her forearm. The biggest impact on her these past two days was having to deal with Asuka’s questions about where Shinji went, and that applying for funding had become a bit smoother.

“That is his style. Honestly, not everyone can resist the temptation of power, yet Shinji-kun has obtained unprecedented power.” Ritsuko’s fingers paused on the keyboard. She took out a cigarette, thought for a moment, and then put it back.

“Usually, when someone becomes a mayor, they can act arrogantly, seek benefits for their family, and use power to fill the void in their heart. Shinji-kun actually acts like nothing has happened. Every time I think about it, I feel that mortals are truly foolish and insignificant.”

‘You can praise Shinji all you want, but there’s no need to insult humanity along with him.’

Misato glanced at her, not knowing how to retort, because the Astartes’ values were indeed different from those of mortals. Someone had become the “Governor of the Globe,” yet remained completely unaffected—this in itself was something quite bizarre.

“But this is so boring, there’s not a hint of excitement. I was even planning to take fierce revenge on those annoying guys in the Strategic Self-Defense Force.”

“Misato, if you were to become a politician’s wife, I reckon you’d drag your husband down with you.” Ritsuko looked at her with disdain.

‘Look, this is what a foolish mortal is like. No wonder the future of humanity must be placed in the hands of an Astartes.’

“Cough, cough. I was just saying it. Do you think I want Shinji to be some sort of globe governor? Don’t books always say, ‘the imperial family is the most heartless’? If Shinji were truly in a high position, he wouldn’t have time to accompany me.”

“Read fewer trashy novels. If Shinji-kun hears you, you’ll get scolded again.”

Misato immediately shrank back, sneaking a look around. Seeing that Shinji hadn’t appeared, she felt relieved, and then began complaining about why that scumbag Kaji had gotten promoted, or saying things like, “Shinji is traveling the world, I’m so envious,” leaving Ritsuko with no desire to work.

“Is that all you came to me for? I’m not your mother.”

“Oh, I just needed someone to vent to. Look at Asuka, she spends all her time crawling inside Unit-02.” Misato trailed off, realizing she was 29 years old and it seemed a bit shameful to use Asuka as a comparison.

“Let’s talk business. Now that Shinji has solved the SEELE problem, we don’t have any more obstacles on our side, right?”

“There were never any obstacles to begin with; it’s just that we previously had to spend effort dealing with that group of elders. It’s truly amazing—the controllers of the script were wiped out overnight without leaving any subsequent impact. Is this the planning capability of an Astartes? Quietly preparing all the conditions, and once unleashed, it’s a guaranteed kill.”

Misato rolled her eyes, listening to Ritsuko’s endless flattery. She thought to herself, ‘Shinji isn’t even here, why are you praising him so much?’

Gradually, she realized that her own best friend was his number one fangirl, and secretly rejoiced that Shinji wasn’t the type to fall for that.

Hmm, she found that Shinji lacked desire, didn’t care for flattery, didn’t value power, and was absolutely rational—almost like a robot. Of course, he had improved a lot lately.

“Cut it out, cut it out. The cafeteria will be open soon, and I don’t want to listen to you gush all afternoon.” Misato finally couldn’t take it anymore and tapped the desk gently. “The report

from the First Branch came in; they’ll have the Truman send the items over. Where should we put them?”

“The Terminal Dogma, of course. Heh, SEELE would rather die than give up the Spear of Longinus, yet Shinji-kun went there once and brought it back. The air of mortals is truly laughable.”

“You are a mortal too!” Misato saw she was about to start a second round of praise and tapped the desk again. “Then let Rei take it into the Terminal Dogma. Do you think using that spear as a key will allow Neo Tokyo-3 to regain its function?”

Neo Tokyo-3 was originally built to draw fire, but the “Dead Sea Scrolls” framework had loosened, and this “aggro” value had decreased.

“It will certainly increase its weight. It would be too wasteful if this fortress, built at great cost, wasn’t put to use.” Ritsuko took out the cigarette again; this time she couldn’t resist, lit it, and held it between her fingertips, watching it slowly burn.

“Lilith, the Adam embryo, the Spear of Longinus, and even Shinji-kun himself—Neo Tokyo-3 has everything He wants. Your operations department should carefully consider strengthening defenses. Future Angels will be no joke.”

“I’ve been doing that! Do you really think I’m a tax thief? Now that SEELE is solved, the budget application process is even smoother. You know that the upheaval has made various countries develop their own ideas.”

“To ‘sweep the snow from one’s own doorstep’—what a shortsighted choice. It doesn’t matter; they still haven’t escaped SEELE’s control. They will become even more obedient in the future.” Ritsuko Akagi gave a mocking smile, flicked off the ash, and her expression turned serious.

“We are just here to assist; Shinji-kun is the one solving the problems. I want to know about the next arrangements. Hasn’t he mentioned anything to you?”

“Uh, he invited you to be a guest at home on the 21st—that’s today.” Misato said reluctantly. Since Shinji arrived in Neo Tokyo-3, Ritsuko Akagi hadn’t been to her home even once.

‘I’m not Asuka, why would I do something as stupid as inviting a wolf into the house? Wait, am I the wolf? Oh, never mind then.’

“Misato, you’re becoming more regressive as you age. Aren’t you afraid of getting scolded for doing this?” Ritsuko’s eyes were playful, filled with disdain.

“Let him scold me. I’m used to it anyway. If there’s work, can’t you just find me at the research department? Why do you have to come to my house?”

“It is Shinji-kun’s house. He is the head of the household.”

“Pah, it’s not your house, anyway.”

While the two adults were arguing in the underground, in a nearby hangar, another adult stood with his hands behind his back, staring at the Eva Unit-01 in front of him with a complicated look.

‘Yui, Shinji has become so unfamiliar that I don’t even recognize him.’

After Gendo Ikari learned the truth about the “Machine Spirit,” he came to the hangar frequently. Since he had nothing else to do besides being a workhorse, he might as well stand on the umbilical bridge and stare at his wife.

Perhaps it was an illusion, but he always felt that Unit-01 would break free from its restraints and slap him into a puddle of meat.

‘Should… not be the case, right?’

Gendo always felt strange. How could someone as powerful and wise as he had become so humble that he even needed a reason to stand here?

For example, regarding the First Branch incident, he knew that Unit-01 had been deployed early and that Shinji was definitely up to something, but he dared not ask, let alone stop him, or even inquire about what happened afterward.

A self-deprecating smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. Since Shinji returned, many people had changed, and Gendo Ikari was one of them. This was normal; everyone’s AT Field would change, but he was the most persecuted one.

How could the old him have ever come to gaze at Unit-01? He was the kind of man who would do as he pleased even if the whole world hated him.

“Just as your teacher said, I have become some sort of MADAO—a weak and incompetent man. It’s really strange; logically speaking, my heart should have long been as hard as steel.” Gendo was very confused, but since he wouldn’t get an answer, he sighed and turned to look the other way.

Just like in a mental hospital, there was another “patient” here.

“Commander Ikari, you’re here again today.” Asuka walked over carrying a bucket; she still had to clean her mother’s body today. Seeing Gendo, she wasn’t even afraid.

In terms of pressure, after staying by Shinji’s side every day, she had become desensitized.

“Hmm.” Gendo nodded slowly, feeling more and more like a MADAO; he couldn’t even scare a little girl anymore.

The two looked at each other, and it took a long time for Asuka to regain her senses.

‘What a boring middle-aged man. Doesn’t he even know what to say to me?’

Asuka had no impression of Gendo Ikari. Or rather, with Shinji as the bright moon, this “decaying grass” had no presence. In Asuka’s mind, this was just a boring middle-aged man

who sat in the central command center posing for no reason, not knowing what he was doing all day.

‘What? You say this kind of person is a sneaky mastermind doing big things? Can he be smarter than Shinji? Can he do things as big as Shinji?’

Gendo pursed his lips, naturally seeing the dismissal in Asuka’s eyes, and his hands hidden behind his back quietly curled into fists.

‘If I remember correctly, this Second Child is just a trivial, expendable piece of cannon fodder in the whole script meant to make Shinji’s AT Field stronger. How dare she look at me with those eyes.’

But the most frustrating thing was that he couldn’t do anything about this nominal subordinate, not even cause her trouble.

” Asuka Soryu Langley.” He suddenly deepened his tone.

“Ah? Is something the matter?”

“What exactly is your relationship with Shinji Ikari? Do you want to walk with him until the end?”

‘What my relationship is with him has nothing to do with you.’

Asuka was about to blurt that out, but then she blinked, suddenly remembering that this boring middle-aged man had another identity.

‘Eh, he’s the father of that idiot Shinji!

Winning big! Winning big!’

Asuka walked home excitedly, her footsteps light, feeling as if she were floating. Just moments ago, she had a “pleasant conversation” with that idiot Shinji’s father. Actually, they hadn’t discussed any secrets; Gendo just asked a question, and after seeing the girl lower her head to draw circles with her toe and say things like “I can barely accept a friendship relationship,” he had his answer. Finally, he gave her his reply under those extremely expectant eyes.

[Ha? He’s willing]

“I do not object. No, I should say you are more suitable.”

‘Hahaha, isn’t this an admission?’

She immediately told her mother about it, and Unit-02’s machine spirit was greatly pleased.

‘Hmph, I’ve met both of the idiot Shinji’s parents, and they both like me very much. What do you have to fight me with?’

“German Winning Studies” had been appearing frequently lately, but when she reached the door, she placed her hand over her chest and took a deep breath.

“Asuka, calm down, calm down. Jealousy makes one twisted. If she finds out, she’ll want to stab me again.”

“Of course, it’s not that I’m afraid of her, we are barely friends, after all. I shouldn’t tear our relationship apart.”

“What are you muttering about there?”

A hand suddenly rested on her shoulder, and Asuka almost jumped. Looking back, she saw Rei Ayanami’s cold face. After the brief shock, she couldn’t help but curl her lips.

‘Damn, I can’t hold it in.’

“What are you smiling at?”

“I… I thought of something happy, but I’m not going to tell you.”

“Oh, keep being happy then.” Rei wasn’t curious and walked past her. Just as she put her hand on the door handle, this “provocation” made Asuka unable to hide her secret.

“I talked to the idiot Shinji’s father today, you know.”

‘Hmm?’

Rei let go of the door handle and immediately turned back. Seeing the proud girl, her gaze turned cold, immediately making Asuka shift into a defensive posture.

“You, you, you, you’re not allowed to be jealous. It was Commander Ikari who proactively sought me out.”

“What question did he ask you?” Rei slowly approached, making Asuka more panicked, blaming herself for not keeping her mouth shut. Look, you’ve stimulated someone now.

“Speak.”

“Uh, you first promise not to use violence, otherwise I’ll definitely complain to the idiot Shinji.”

“Fine, I won’t use violence.”

‘That’s not right. What am I afraid of her for? I’ve been hitting the gym lately.’

Asuka suddenly realized she looked shameful, so she straightened her back, raised her head, and went all out: “He said he doesn’t object, that I’m… I’m… I’m more suitable to stay by the idiot Shinji’s side than you.”

‘That’s it?’

Rei was a bit puzzled. She was worried just now that Asuka had been tricked by Gendo into revealing secrets that shouldn’t be told, which would ruin “Ikari-kun’s” major plans.

After hesitating for a few seconds, she understood.

Asuka had no contact with Gendo, came to Neo Tokyo-3 very late, and Misato and the others wouldn’t gossip about the father-son relationship. Apart from feeling that the relationship was stiff, she didn’t know how complex it was between Ikari-kun and Commander Ikari.

‘How pathetic. You are the one who knows the least secrets of everyone. You don’t even understand Ikari-kun’s attitude.’

‘Wait, aren’t you supposed to be jealous? Why is there pity in your eyes?’

Asuka blinked hard, feeling that things weren’t going as she thought. Shouldn’t she be biting her lip, eyes filled with tears, and saying something like, “You received the blessing of Ikari-kun’s parents, I lost”?

“Wait a second, don’t you have any thoughts???”

“Thoughts? Hmm, Commander Ikari has changed a bit. He actually cares about these problems. He wasn’t that kind of person before.”

“Who asked about him! I, I, I, don’t you have even a tiny bit of jealousy?”

Rei looked at the expectant expression on Asuka’s face, thought for a moment, and said in a monotone, “Hmm, I am really jealous of you for receiving Commander Ikari’s blessing.”

“Wait a second! You’re doing this to annoy me on purpose, aren’t you? Commander Ikari is the idiot Shinji’s father, his admission is important!”

‘Oh, you haven’t seen how miserably Commander Ikari was lifted up and persecuted.’

“Yes, yes, it’s very important. I’m hungry, can you move?”

“No! Your reaction is wrong!”

‘Asuka, you’re really troublesome. Is this forcing me to reveal a jealous expression? But even if I could fake it now, she wouldn’t believe it.’

Just when Rei’s eyes lost their highlight and she didn’t know how to deal with her, the door was suddenly opened.

“You two are so noisy. What are you doing dawdling and not coming in?”

“Ikari-kun (Baka Shinji), you’re back!?”

The two who were just arguing instantly looked over with joyful faces. Shinji nodded gently; he had indeed just returned and was wearing an apron, preparing dinner.

“Where on earth have you been running off to all this time?”

As swift as the German Blitzkrieg, Asuka jumped to the front, full of curiosity.

“Let me see… New York, Rome, Shanghai, Moscow, London…”

“No, did you sneak off for a trip around the world without us?”

“A trip? I wouldn’t call it that, at least not that relaxing.” Shinji waved his hand. This was a globe-trotting tour, but certainly not a vacation.

Deep castles, unreachable forests, sci-fi military bases—he visited the “dragon’s lair and tiger’s den” that only appear in movies one by one. Sometimes he infiltrated them directly to face the elders, other times he had to start a slaughter, turning entire bases into dead zones.

But no matter the process, the results were surprisingly consistent.

No one knew what happened. He left, and the “Owl” cleanup team cleaned the battlefield until it was spotless. All dozen or so members of SEELE were captured; they controlled most of the world’s intelligence agencies.

Even if there were survivors, there was no chance for a Hollywood-style plot. No matter who you reported to, the CIA would arrive, ensuring you kept your mouth shut forever.

Now, SEELE had become a tool for concentrating human resources. Shinji didn’t even need to be a “partner of justice” anymore. Any individual or organization that wanted to investigate the truth or overthrow SEELE’s control was annihilated without mercy.

Simple, efficient, cold-blooded. This was the Astartes style of doing things.

“It seems things went very smoothly.” Rei wasn’t as nagging; she was just happy Shinji had returned safely.

“Hmm, although it was a bit ahead of schedule, there will be far fewer troubles in the future.”

Rei didn’t care about the trouble. She walked into the house while Asuka was demanding a gift. As soon as she walked into the living room, she froze.

Ritsuko Akagi was sitting on the sofa drinking coffee, wearing a brown tight skirt, black silk stockings, and a white shirt, making her look exceptionally mature. She sat sideways, observing Rei with a rational gaze.

“Rei, this is our first time meeting at Misato’s house, right?”

“Dr. Akagi, why are you here?” Rei was extremely vigilant; she knew how high Ritsuko Akagi’s “level” was.

“Shinji-kun invited me. Rei, some things are not up to you, and you can’t influence the thoughts of a strong person.”

Rei’s brow jumped and she sank her face. “I have not influenced Ikari-kun’s thoughts.”

“It’s best you haven’t.” Ritsuko used her coffee cup to cover her face. Just then, Shinji finally freed himself and came back, leaving Asuka standing at the entrance holding a pistol magazine, wondering which “local specialty” this was.

“Dinner will be ready in ten minutes. Please wait a moment. After we eat, Ritsuko, we will talk about business.”

“A guest follows the host’s convenience.”

Ritsuko Akagi raised her cup and then looked around the room with great interest. The changes here were indeed great. She remembered the last time she came, Misato didn’t tidy up at all and threw her worn underwear on the dining table.

Now, the whole room was spotless, clean to the point of OCD-pleasing perfection.

“As expected, Shinji-kun pays great attention to details. Not only does he save food, but he even keeps the room neat and tidy.”

“Ikari-kun said that filth is the breeding ground for Nurgle.” Rei sat to the side and signaled to Asuka, but the latter didn’t understand the meaning and went to find Shinji with the magazine to settle the score.

Can I only fight alone?

She sighed softly and said seriously, “Dr. Akagi, are you here specifically to show off to me?”

“It has nothing to do with you. I just wanted to make that Misato nervous. It’s one thing for a mature adult to lose face, but she keeps showing off in front of me all day.” Ritsuko glanced at the girl beside her and gave a faint smile.

“Rei, I am your guardian, after all. I should care about you more. Shinji-kun has done what I wanted to do but failed to do.”

“What you wanted to do?” Rei shook her head gently. She felt that the life she lived before meeting Shinji was…

Monotonous, boring, like a walking corpse.

“A little bit, after all, I still have a remnant of a conscience.”

‘Is that so?’

Rei didn’t confirm or deny it, but turned to look in the direction of the kitchen.

The strong youth was wearing an apron, his expression focused. The blade flashed like a chain, cutting the various ingredients evenly, while finding time to humor Asuka’s questioning.

Her gaze was as gentle as water, and her smile carried confidence and calmness, as if she were glowing.

“Dr. Akagi, whether it is true or false, I no longer need it.”

Ritsuko fell silent. Every time she saw Rei, she would marvel at Shinji’s miracle, because she knew too well what this doll had originally been like and what she was supposed to be like.

Whether it was a time paradox or a parallel universe, it was probably hard to find another Rei like this.

“Is it hard to understand?” the girl asked on her own.

“Indeed. Even now, I can’t confirm if you are ‘Rei II’. How should I put it? You are too lively and real. Shinji-kun didn’t even intentionally do anything.”

“Back then, when Ikari-kun told me to follow my intuition, I couldn’t imagine life like this either.” Rei’s expression was a bit confused, but then it opened up again. She became what she was today just because she listened, and when faced with an incomprehensible problem…

“Dr. Akagi, let us silently recite ‘The Emperor Protects’ together.”