Chapter Twenty-Seven: Past Life and Present?

Western Europe, unlike the unified Shenzhou, has been divided into dozens of distinct nations since ancient times. These nations have existed in a state of constant interdependence and conflict, never finding a moment of true peace. Even in this relatively stable modern era, their history remains thick with conspiracies, calculated schemes, and open power struggles.

Yet, every head of state and high-ranking official knows that looming above them stands an immovable mountain: the Catholic Church. Unlike the royal houses and governments of Western Europe, this gargantuan institution truly permeates every corner of the region, embedding itself into every facet of the populace's lives. Though the Church nominally refrains from direct governance or political interference, everyone understands that with its immense influence, no nation would dare make a significant decision without first considering the stance and attitude of this titan. Often, the Church does not need to issue a formal decree; a mere hint of its intent or inclination is enough to sway the outcome of a royal succession or a presidential election.

Of course, the reason the Church possesses such vast, implicit power lies in its composition. It is, in essence, a body formed by various factions pushing their own representatives into its ranks. Fundamentally, the Church functions similarly to the historical Susha Federation—a political alliance of nations. However, in an era that prizes "science and democracy," an organization originally founded on "theology and superstition" cannot be openly acknowledged or legally legitimized. Yet, due to its sheer scale and the intricate complexity of its internal power struggles, it is impossible to dismantle or outlaw. Thus, the Church has become a shadow political alliance that Western European nations cannot openly admit to. Consequently, these hidden powers of the Church are, in fact, tacitly permitted by the various states. The Church itself serves as a silent battlefield for their ongoing power struggles.

At this moment, within the training grounds of the Church’s branch in Country D:

"Whew—"

Amber, having just finished a physical training session, exhaled and wiped the sweat from her brow, feeling refreshed and invigorated.

"There really is nothing more refreshing than a vigorous workout!" Amber exclaimed, stretching her limbs.

"Amber, come look at this!"

Just then, Amber heard a call from a member of her squad. Slightly taken aback, she walked toward them, curious about what they wanted to show her. Upon reaching the break area, she found several of her close teammates huddled together, watching a holographic screen projected from the terminal of a blue-haired member.

What was playing on the screen was something very familiar to Amber: Teyvat, and the game *Genshin Impact*.

How could Amber not know of this game? It featured a character who looked exactly like her—even sharing her name. When she was first assigned to this knight squad, a teammate who played the game had noticed her striking resemblance to the in-game Amber. Upon learning her name, the entire squad had been stunned, finding the coincidence utterly unfathomable. While they found it bizarre, they dismissed it as a mere coincidence and thought nothing deeper of it.

Only Amber knew that this was far more than a simple coincidence—it was absurdly improbable. As she grew older, she discovered that several of her childhood friends shared the exact same situation. If *Genshin Impact* hadn't been released decades before they were even born, they would have suspected that these characters were designed specifically after them. At the time, Eula and the others had wondered if someone was playing a prank on them, but after a thorough investigation, they confirmed that the game was indeed decades old, and the character models had remained unchanged since their inception, with their names never altered. Eventually, despite the disbelief, they had to admit it was a staggering coincidence, the kind that might occur only once in a millennium. Amber had even wondered if there was some sort of magic in the world capable of seeing the future.

While this realization caused a stir within their small circle, it didn't cause much trouble in their daily lives. For one, *Genshin Impact* was an old game, and few people actually knew about it; for another, they didn't dress exactly like the game characters. Therefore, no one really "recognized" them. Even if someone did, they wouldn't be surprised, likely assuming they had undergone plastic surgery to mimic the characters. Indeed, cosmetic technology in this era was highly sophisticated; if you had the money, you could become whoever you desired.

Thus, one would find that in this era, among the "upper crust," there were almost no ugly people. These "upper-class" individuals would claim it was due to their family's superior genetics, but in reality, it was all thanks to technology and "hard work."

...

Everyone in the squad knew that Amber looked exactly like the character in the game, so she was puzzled when they called her over.

"What is it?" Amber asked, scratching her head in confusion.

"Don't worry, just watch."

The blue-haired teammate who had called her over paused the video, waited for Amber to arrive, and then restarted it, dragging the progress bar back to just before Amber’s appearance. Amber looked at the screen with curiosity; it was indeed the familiar scenery of Teyvat, along with the familiar little Paimon.

However, the moment the next person appeared on the screen, Amber froze.

*Uh, wait... did the Traveler change?*

*But, this Traveler... he is so... so...*

The instant she saw Chen, Amber felt as if she had been struck by an arrow. Her mouth slightly agape, she stared blankly at the youth on the screen. An indescribable, unspoken sensation welled up within her, leaving her unable to finish her thoughts.

"How about it? Is my husband handsome?"

Seeing Amber’s reaction, the teammate who had called her over leaned in, boasting triumphantly. She also helpfully filled in the words Amber couldn't voice: *So handsome!!!*

Yet, these words caused Amber, still in a daze, to snap back to reality. A sudden, inexplicable tightness gripped her heart, leaving her with a strange, suffocating sense of distress.