HLS Vol 2. 21-30 (Patreon)

Chapter Twenty-One: Still That Foolish ParameciumAlthough the real Kiana hadn't experienced these things, through these storylines Mei could vaguely empathize with Kiana's feelings at the time.She understood Kiana better than Kiana herself.But she hadn't expected that when the Kiana from the story reappeared, she would have changed so much.How could this not break her heart?Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. Her purple eyes were filled with heartache and self-reproach.She thought of what had happened not long ago. If that mysterious person hadn't appeared, would those tragedies from the story have repeated themselves?Knowing the tragedy yet having no power to stop or change it.How tragic and despairing that was.At that moment, Mei's purple eyes hardened once more.She would accept her power and become stronger so that she could protect Kiana and everyone!"Drunken Warrior: I almost didn't recognize her at first glance. Looks like that idiot hasn't had an easy time these past few months.""The Number One Cutest in the World: Luckily, Fu Hua is by her side. Otherwise, I can't imagine what would happen."Theresa's mind flashed back to the scene of Kiana kneeling on the ground, preparing to commit suicide."Cat Cat: But this kind of bug is really handsome! I can hardly believe it's that idiot cat~"Xiyue looked at the comments from the viewers and nodded in complete agreement.Void Drifter was a favorite among players in the past.Back then, countless hours were spent grinding for cores to upgrade Void Drifter.There is no way, Chinese players can't resist a white-haired girl with heterochromia.It is common knowledge that Chinese players are obsessed with white-haired girls.Around Kiana, surrounded by the members of Immortal Blades, Rita slowly walked up to her. A flicker of surprise appeared in her eyes as she observed the changes in the girl.However, a faint smile remained on her face as if greeting a long-lost friend."It's been a while, Miss Kiana."After saying this, her gaze fixed on Kiana's golden eyes, and she slowly said."Or should I address you as the Herrscher of the Sky?"Kiana stared at Rita. A flash of reminiscence appeared in her eyes as she spoke coldly.“Rita Rossweisse, I remember you. The inspector sent from headquarters. We met a few months ago during the exams at St. Freya Academy.”Her voice was no longer crisp and energetic; it had matured.Rita's smile remained unchanged as she spoke to Kiana.“I’m glad you remember my name.”“You must be tired after wandering for so long. I’m here on His Holiness the Overseer’s orders to invite you back to Schicksal headquarters.”Rita’s voice was elegant and warm, as if inviting a long-lost friend to her home.Of course, you have to ignore the heavily armed members of Immortal Blades around you.Hearing this, Kiana's gaze remained unchanged as she replied indifferently to Rita."I won't go with you."Rita was not surprised by Kiana's refusal and continued speaking."You should understand that your condition is very unstable. This innocent city is proof of that. Because of your existence, it is frequently attacked by Honkai beasts.""The only one who can help you is Schicksal. Go back to the lab for treatment, and no one will be hurt because of you anymore. That is better for everyone."Kiana listened to the moral blackmail implied in Rita's words, her gaze unchanged.She coldly stared at Rita, gripping her dual pistols tightly, and spoke in an unchanging tone."I don't want to repeat myself."Hearing Kiana's words, Rita's eyes gradually turned cold as she spoke indifferently."How willful."Then she launched an attack on Kiana.Exploding gunfire and scythes clashed and danced in the darkness like stars and a crescent moon locked in an endless battle. But this endless battle was merely a fleeting illusion in the eyes of onlookers.A moment later, the two landed, returning to their original positions.Kiana could sense Rita's immense power. She understood that without using the power of the Herrscher of the Void, it would be difficult to defeat this S-rank Valkyrie.But this time, her deliberate exposure was not to fight Schicksal's people; she had a more important mission.Sheathing her dual pistols, with one hand on her hip, she spoke softly to Rita."Rita, I have a question for you.""Which do you think is more important, capturing me or preventing the disaster in this city?"Hearing Kiana's question, Rita's expression remained unchanged as she answered,"Capturing you is preventing the disaster in this city."After saying this, the battle resumed.Gunfire and scythes clashed again.After the battle, Kiana moved away from Rita and watched the maid wielding the scythe. She continued softly,"Unfortunately, capturing me won't be so easy.""Believe it or not, I wasn't the reason the Honkai beast attacked this city.""The disaster in Arc City is far more dangerous than you imagine."With that, Kiana placed her hand on her chest, and a piece of hardware appeared in her hand."With this evidence, you can see for yourself what Heliopolis Life Sciences is planning."After saying this, Kiana tossed the hardware to Rita. Under Rita's surprised gaze, Kiana continued,"And I won't leave here.""For me, stopping the disaster is more important than running away."She walked past Rita, leaving behind her last words."I know you don't believe my stance, but the right to choose is always in your hands."Rita did not turn around but looked down at the hardware in her hands.After a long while, a soft sigh escaped her lips...."Cat Cat: Waaah, Bug has changed so much! She's so handsome! Especially that last line, what am I going to do? I'm becoming Kiana's fan, meow!""Driver's License Revoked: This idiot has grown up so quickly, it's unsettling. For some reason, Zaychik still prefers the old idiot.""Miss Elf: Me too.""Don't Want to Take the Exam: Hmph, Kiana is so cool like this! I want to be like her. Hehe~""Cook: Idiot, I don't want Kiana to become like that!""Drunken Warrior: So Kiana has been investigating the reason for Arc City Honkai all along. She's grown so fast; it's gratifying.""Dudu: Is what Kiana said true?""The Number One Cutest in the World: I think it's true. Didn't Alvitr see the zombie with the stigmata in the story before? I noticed that, and I always feel it is related to Heliopolis Life Sciences.""Dr. Lobsterhead: Heliopolis Life Sciences is clearly problematic. Let's see how the story unfolds later."Glancing at the live stream comments, Xiyue did not say anything to the viewers. After all, the current plot was more complex than before, and she needed to continue the stream. She really wanted to fast-forward to the later Void Drifter short film.Then she continued the stream.Main Story 13 Side Story: Long Night DreamIn Fu Hua's consciousness space, Fu Hua spoke to the sleeping Kiana."Kiana, it's time to wake up."Hearing Fu Hua's words, Kiana subconsciously sat up. Her eyes still held a hint of confusion and reluctance. Although she had grown a lot in the past few months, her habit of sleeping in had not changed.She stretched and spoke helplessly."Ugh... Do I have to get up so early?"Looking at Kiana's expression, Fu Hua also felt helpless. For the past few months, Kiana had always had the same expression when she woke her up, without any change.This idiot, deep down, she is still that little bug.On the surface she has matured, but inside...However, it is alright this way.Fu Hua shook her head and continued speaking."Kiana, there's no time to slack off anymore."Only then did Kiana realize something was wrong. Seeing the unfamiliar surroundings, her eyes widened as she exclaimed in shock,"Where is this?"Fu Hua replied calmly,"This is a dream."Hearing Fu Hua's answer, Kiana was still somewhat skeptical. She scratched her head and asked doubtfully."A dream? But the flowers and plants here are practically identical to reality."Fu Hua was not surprised by Kiana's doubt and continued to explain."This is the Illusory Realm created by the Eighth Divine Key [Fenghuang Down], the boundary between your memories and mine. What you learned in the past is insufficient to cope with the impending danger.""Here, I should have enough time to teach you some things."Hearing this, Kiana's face hardened as she spoke emphatically."As long as it makes me stronger, I'll have this dream as many times as I want."Then she began one-on-one training with Fu Hua.The result was that Kiana was completely outmatched. She looked at Fu Hua, panting heavily.The battle with Fu Hua was her most difficult battle ever.Fu Hua looked at the panting Kiana and continued,“There’s still a long time until dawn. We can practice slowly.”Hearing Fu Hua’s words, Kiana could not help but ask,“Wait, why does it feel like we’ve been fighting for a whole day?”“My body can’t take it anymore.”Hearing this, Fu Hua crossed her arms and answered,“The passage of time in dreams is completely different from the real world. Sometimes you have a dream as long as a century, but when you wake up, you find that only a short while has passed.”Hearing Fu Hua’s explanation, Kiana suddenly understood.“I’ve heard that idiom. I think it’s called ‘a meal of millet and chrysanthemum’?”Hearing Kiana’s words, the audience in the live stream could no longer hold back."Want to Buy An Island: Typical of you, Paramecium.""Driver's License Revoked: No matter how outwardly she changes or how mature she becomes, the fact that she's an idiot inside remains unchanged.""Dr. Lobsterhead: A meal of millet? What the hell is a meal of millet? Theresa, your St. Freya Academy's teaching ability needs improvement.""The Number One Cutest in the World: Our school isn't to blame. This idiot can't learn; it has nothing to do with our academy's teachers.""Cook: ......""Drunken Warrior: I heard Xiyue say that this girl has never listened to a single word in her academic classes.""Don't Want to Take the Exam: Huh? Isn't it a meal of millet? Kiana wasn't wrong, right?"“Cat Cat: I've never been to school, but I still know the idiom 'a pipe dream,' you idiot!”“Miss Elf: Meow, you've never been to school? That won't do! You need to go to Aponia to learn more~”“Nun: The children's education needs to be put on the agenda. You should come too, Cat. The children will definitely welcome you~”“Cat Cat: No, meow!”Pardofelis never expected that a casual remark would plunge her into the abyss of studying.Thinking of this, Pardofelis immediately grabbed the now-chubby cat, hugged it tightly, and began to roughly squish it.The cat, faced with its suddenly crazed owner, was helpless.It could only resign itself to being squished.“Meow~”Back to the story, Fu Hua, upon hearing Kiana utter the idiom, had the same expression as the viewers in the live stream—a speechless look at the still-confident Kiana."It's a dream," she said, sounding annoyed."It's a fleeting dream. In the ancient martial arts of Shenzhou, there are techniques called 'Sitting in Oblivion' and 'Fasting of the Heart,' which can teach one to enter a meditative state, recalling and connecting what one has learned in the past hundred days."Hearing this, Kiana scratched her head sheepishly."Is this like what you're teaching me now?"Fu Hua nodded."Time is short. Superior martial arts allow one to practice while walking, sitting, or lying down, thus yielding more significant results."Hearing Fu Hua's explanation, Kiana seemed to understand a little and then asked the question she had been wanting to ask."What if I forget what I practiced in the dream after I wake up?"Fu Hua continued to explain."Although dreams are illusory, the physical reactions developed through continuous practice will be etched into your memory.""Rest time is over. I'm going to continue, Kiana."The arduous training resumed.After an unknown amount of time, Fu Hua changed the scene and continued speaking.“Today, you will practice fighting against illusory beings.”“Illusions are creations of the mind and consciousness. Although everything in a dream is fictitious, one can still unconsciously feel pain and fear, as if the body is truly in danger.”“In times of crisis, a person's potential is unleashed. This power lies dormant within the body but cannot be freely used in ordinary times.”“Therefore, excellent martial artists constantly challenge themselves with danger, allowing themselves to remember the moment their potential erupts for use in regular combat. But such training opportunities are rare. That is why I used Fenghuang Down to summon enemies for you to practice against, making it much more efficient.”Hearing Fu Hua's explanation, Kiana finally understood.“This isn't much different from the memory training system at St. Freya Academy.”Fu Hua nodded, then shook her head.“It is slightly different.”“As a key to consciousness, everything Fenghuang Down conjures is indistinguishable from reality. The force of the attack and the damage inflicted—every detail will make your brain believe it to be real.”Hearing this, Kiana realized something was wrong.“You mean…?”Then, under Kiana’s incredulous gaze, Fu Hua uttered an answer she could not believe.“If you believe you are dead in your consciousness, then your body will become a breathing corpse.”---

Chapter Twenty-Two: Dudu's Killing Intent and the World Serpent's Ideology

"I won't interfere for the sake of training effectiveness. Kiana, please give it your all!"

Fu Hua said seriously.

Hearing Fu Hua's words, Kiana's eyes lit up with anticipation, and she replied confidently.

"Bring it on!"

Then, Kiana began endless training in her dream, growing stronger every minute.

Meanwhile, on the bridge of the Schicksal transport ship EOS.

Rita quietly examined the evidence Kiana had given her: a syringe, a familiar standard Schicksal product.

A data card bearing the Heliopolis Life Sciences logo, clearly a key to unlock certain doors.

Kiana's parting words left a trace of confusion in her heart. As time passed, this confusion grew stronger, turning into curiosity.

Just as Rita was pondering, Alvitr's voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Miss Rita, I checked the syringe's serial number; it is indeed one of the vaccines Schicksal provided to Heliopolis Life Sciences. However, the injection solution inside has been replaced.”

Alvitr paused for a few seconds before continuing.

“To be precise, it's been modified…”

“Based on the vaccine formula provided by Schicksal, it has been modified into an activator that can significantly enhance the body's Honkai resistance.”

“But from a pharmacological perspective, it does not pose any harm to the body.”

Hearing Alvitr's analysis, Rita fell into deep thought.

Rita had a premonition that this contained some kind of secret or plan. Recalling Kiana's words, Rita rested her chin on her hand and murmured again.

“Heliopolis Life Sciences, what are they trying to do?”

Seeing Rita lost in thought, Alvitr's eyes flickered, and finally, he spoke to her.

“Miss Rita, there’s something I must remind you.”

“During today’s operation, I saw glowing patterns on those Zombies. Now that I think about it, those shimmering marks were undoubtedly Stigmata!”

Hearing Alvitr’s words, Rita’s face paled. Looking at Alvitr on the large screen, she said sternly.

“Stigmata? Alvitr, do you know what you’re saying?”

Alvitr, seeing Rita’s stern gaze, instinctively felt fear, but remembering what he had seen today, he continued speaking to her.

“I... I absolutely wouldn’t be mistaken! Although many friends say I’m reckless, I absolutely wouldn’t be wrong about this!”

Seeing Alvitr’s reaction, Rita was somewhat convinced. She sighed deeply, her eyes becoming serious.

“If you’re correct, then what happened in Arc City is more complicated than we imagined. Stigmata are a technology that only Schicksal Valkyries can equip. Their appearance on an ordinary Zombie only means two possibilities—someone turned a Valkyrie into a Zombie, or someone is conducting experiments on ordinary people to implant Stigmata.”

“Whichever the possibility…”

Rita paused for a moment, then looked up and said.

......

In the previous live stream, Xiyue had already explained artificial and innate Stigmata, so everyone in the chat understood the concept of Stigmata.

"Cat Cat: Another human experiment? Meow! Heliopolis Life Sciences is a real scoundrel. I thought it was a good company, but it turns out to be such a terrible organization. Using ordinary people for experiments is so cruel!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Damn it, so that means most of the Zombies in Arc City were ordinary people who became Zombies because of failed Stigmata implantation. Damn it, they even made Kiana take the blame. Heliopolis Life Sciences is wicked!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: The side effects of current artificial Stigmata are still significant. Even for Valkyries whose physical abilities far surpass those of ordinary people, the success rate of implanting artificial Stigmata is not very high. Moreover, even if successful, their lifespan is greatly reduced. This is why Valkyries generally don't reach middle age."

"The Drunken Warrior: Even Schicksal Valkyries struggle to withstand artificial Stigmata; if implanted in ordinary people, the consequences are unimaginable."

"The Nun: Using drugs that counteract Honkai energy to conduct experiments on ordinary people. God will not forgive them!"

"Miss Elf: Regardless of the purpose or reason, using ordinary people for human experimentation is unacceptable and abhorrent."

"Queen: Heh. Isn't this something you humans often do? Now you're cursing? What were you doing before? Hypocritical!"

"Dudu: This Heliopolis Life Sciences looks a lot like World Serpent's style. Is it World Serpent?"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Very likely. It's hard for any other organization to do something like this. I really don't understand how that Fire Moth Flamechaser turned out this way."

Raven didn't speak, just silently watched everyone's comments.

She knew that what World Serpent did was difficult for others to understand or accept, even she herself approved of it, let alone others.

However, it wasn't a matter of good or evil.

Their ultimate goal was the same as Schicksal's and Anti-Entropy's.

However, the road to success would be fraught with bloodshed.

She sighed heavily inwardly, then continued to focus her attention on the live stream. She was also curious about how Rita would deal with Heliopolis Life Sciences, which she was protecting.

Back to the story.

After saying that, Rita softly said to Alvitr,

"I'm afraid I won't be able to get a good rest tonight. I need to verify my suspicions."

Hearing Rita's words, Alvitr looked surprised and hurriedly said to her.

"Eh? Miss Rita, are you going to enter the Heliopolis Life Sciences industrial area? That's a violation of regulations."

Hearing the worry in Alvitr's voice, Rita gave her a faint smile and continued.

“Sometimes, to achieve certain goals, we have to break the rules a little. Besides, right now, the priority isn't K-423 anymore.”

After saying this, Rita looked at the syringe and magnetic card in her hand, her eyes deepening.

...

“Cat Cat: Hey, I'm suddenly a fan of Rita, even though I didn't like her before, meow.”

“Dr. Lobsterhead: This woman finally did something right.”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: Actually, Rita... well, you'll see what kind of person she is as you read on. Although she's a bit cunning, she's much kinder than we imagine.”

“Dudu: Yes, Rita isn't a bad person.”

“Miss Elf: Pretty girls are usually not bad people~”

...

Meanwhile, somewhere far away, in a room with an obscured location, two virtual, indistinct figures sat in six seats.

Raven spoke softly to the seated figures.

“The Schicksal people came uninvited, and we're still being suspected.”

The seated Jackal listened to Raven's words and replied nonchalantly.

“How disappointing. But weren't you planning to take them out anyway?”

Raven's eyes remained fixed on the Jackal as she answered softly.

“I don't consider myself involved unless absolutely necessary.”

“I originally intended to use that Herrscher girl as bait, letting the Schicksal people eliminate this threat for us and divert their attention. Now it seems the situation has changed.”

“However, I've already prepared a backup plan for this scenario.”

Raven paused for a few seconds, a hint of amusement flashing in her eyes, before slowly saying,

“Since Rita wants to get closer to the answer, then let’s just show it to her openly. The moment someone focuses on the answer is the moment they’re most vulnerable.”

Jackal listened to Raven’s plan without surprise or concern.

She didn’t care about Rita or Kiana; the only thing that concerned her was the experiment in her hands.

“Remember to use the gift I prepared for you when you do it. I’m looking forward to its effects.”

“How will the Schicksal Valkyrie’s struggling screams and pain tolerance differ from ordinary people?”

“I really want to observe her up close. If possible, leave one alive for me to study.”

Jackal spoke these words with madness and cruelty.

Raven was used to Jackal’s madness and ignored her, continuing to speak to her.

“Once I begin, the experiment must immediately enter countdown mode. We must obtain the data we need before Schicksal's main force arrives.”

Hearing Raven's words, Jackal understood what Raven meant and promised her.

“Don't worry, after the mission, you'll have a completely new identity and disappear. Schicksal won't find you.”

Raven nodded upon hearing this, then continued to inquire.

“What about the people in this city?”

Raven's words were interrupted by Jackal.

Jackal spoke indifferently and coldly.

"Don't waste your compassion on worthless things; your compassion should be reserved for humanity itself. While Schicksal possesses immense power, they have always deceived humanity for their own selfish gain, misleading people into believing that the world is safe under their protection."

"As long as Schicksal exists, humanity will be like weak lambs in a pen, only knowing how to seek shelter."

"But times have changed. The Lord has returned. He will sweep away Schicksal's control over the world. What we must do is allow the world to be transformed and reborn under the Lord's guidance."

"Because only in such a world will you and those you want to protect have a place."

...

"Dudu: Since this person opened their mouth, all I've felt is two words: hypocrisy. Aren't the people of Arc City human? This person before me shows no love or protection, yet claims to love humanity—how hypocritical! And what the Schicksal Valkyries have done is beyond the judgment of a hypocrite like you!"

Durandal was angry; hearing the Jackal's words filled her with rage.

She hadn't been this angry in a long time.

She never imagined there could be such hypocritical people.

The Schicksal organization is largely absent, and even the Schicksal Overseer himself had his own motives for fighting the Honkai, not just for the sake of humanity. However, he did do many things, protecting the world from Honkai attacks to a certain extent.

For example, the Schicksal Valkyrie system.

The artificial Stigmata system.

Especially the Schicksal Valkyries— which Schicksal Valkyrie wasn't fighting on the front lines against the Honkai, risking their lives to protect ordinary people?

Most of the Valkyries were under 30 years old.

Why is that?

The reason is self-evident.

And this person claims that such an organization is fooling humanity and seeking personal gain?

Durandal found it utterly ridiculous.

What have you done to fight the Honkai? To fight the Honkai and obtain the data you want, you've experimented on ordinary people, even at the cost of wiping out an entire city?

Arc City is a metropolis of millions, can they die just to cooperate with your experiment, saving the humanity you speak of?

What kind of utter nonsense is this?

Durandal's eyes were filled with rage and murderous intent. She had never wanted to kill anyone like this before, never!

"Cat Cat: It really is an organization from World Serpent. This organization is terrifying. They can just ignore the people of an entire city like that... This... I really think Schicksal and Anti-Entropy are far, far better than World Serpent."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Focusing on people's ideas, but not on specific humans. Ridiculous and laughable."

"Drunken Warrior: Schicksal isn't necessarily good, but how the Schicksal Valkyries fought against Honkai and protected people speaks for itself."

"Queen: Hah, humans, how laughable."

"Cook: I really don't understand why the Previous Era MANTIS would create such an organization and recruit such people as subordinates. Kevin doesn't seem like that kind of person."

"Driver's License Revoked: Incomprehensible, unacceptable."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: This kind of organization would definitely be a villainous organization in a manga! Since it's a villainous organization, Kiana, as the protagonist, will definitely not let them succeed!"

"Cat Cat: Why are Fu Hua and Kevin, both Flamechaser, so different, meow!"

“Miss Elf: Sigh, what happened to cause such a change? I really need to know the story of Elysian Realm!”

Elysia didn't understand either. She hated and disliked World Serpent's ideology.

Even if the organization's goal was to eliminate Honkai, such extreme methods were truly repulsive.

Moreover, in her mind, Kevin would never have devised such a plan or established such an organization.

What exactly happened to the Herrschers after the Previous Era?

What happened to the Thirteen Flamechasers? What happened in the final battle of their era?

Elysia was restless, wishing she could tie Xiyue to her right now and make her stream day and night, showing her the entire Elysian Realm story in one go!

Xiyue looked at the comments in the live stream, unsurprised.

Most players, except for a few, never really liked World Serpent. Although their ultimate goal was to defeat the Honkai, their extreme methods and plans were hard to accept.

Even if the truth eventually comes out and the whole story unfolds.

Kevin, as the final boss, tests the three law families.

But players can only understand Kevin; they find it difficult to accept him.

Of course, they won't say who's right or wrong.

After all, the Previous Era was simply too difficult to explain.

......

Back to the story.

Raven didn't really want to hear what the Jackal was saying, scoffed, and then said,

"Then, let's begin."

......

At the same time, Rita had already begun entering Heliopolis Life Sciences.

Under the cover of night, Rita moved like a shadow through the corridors of the research building in the industrial area, silently. With her ID card, most of the doors here were virtually unobstructed.

Looking at the research lab in front of her, Rita spoke calmly.

“I’ll prioritize searching their database; that will clear up many of my doubts.”

Hearing Rita’s relaxed tone, Alvitr’s tense mood eased, and he hurriedly told her.

“Please stay in touch, Miss Rita. I’ll play the role of a reliable tool, providing you with support.”

Rita nodded upon hearing Alvitr’s words, a mysterious smile on her face.

“Let us be reliable. What secrets lie behind Heliopolis Life Sciences?”

Rita then searched for useful information in the research lab. She quickly found a file and slowly began to read it, while Alvitr’s voice echoed in her ears.

“From the Second Eruption, this company offered moral aid to cities worldwide affected by Honkai. After the Third Eruption, they increased their support for the Far East and Shenzhou.”

“This industrial zone was built around that time.”

Rita read aloud from the file.

“Providing free effective drugs to citizens infected with Honkai.”

“Providing free clinical treatment to severely ill Honkai patients.”

Alvitr exclaimed excitedly, looking at the text in the file.

“Free, free, free… truly wealthy philanthropists.”

Rita sneered, her face full of sarcasm.

“Free things often come at a higher price, sometimes even requiring the risk of life.”

She continued searching for useful information and soon found a document titled “Research on Schicksal’s Patented Anti-Honkai Vaccine HBA-022.” Seeing this file, Rita asked with a puzzled expression.

“The drug analysis report for HBA-022… isn’t this the vaccine model that has been shipped from headquarters to Shenzhou?”

Alvitr asked suspiciously.

“Is Heliopolis Life Sciences trying to analyze and steal our drug formula?”

Rita shook her head.

“Judging from the modified drug in the syringe, they don’t seem to need to do this unnecessary thing.”

She then instructed Alvitr.

“Check the inventory of HBA-022.”

Upon seeing the data Alvitr sent, Rita’s eyes widened in shock.

“Zero inventory?”

Alvitr was even more puzzled.

“Even the nearly 30,000 doses shipped this time have all disappeared?”

Seeing this, Rita felt a massive conspiracy unfolding before her.

“It’s a bottomless black hole.”

As she flipped through the documents, her unease grew stronger. The information she gathered seemed disorganized, yet it vaguely pointed to a terrifying answer.

However, she was still missing a crucial clue to piece together everything before her.

She sighed, looking at the research lab before her, and murmured.

"I have a feeling there's something far more sinister hidden here."

Hearing Rita's words, Alvitr's face also showed unease.

"If there really is some terrible secret hidden here, then isn't Miss Rita in danger right now?"

"Miss Rita, should we retreat temporarily and plan carefully before proceeding?"

Before she finished speaking, a signal source slowly lit up under Rita's visor, like a tiny bubble floating in front of her.

Rita's lips curled up slightly.

The battlesuit she was wearing was from the Schicksal Helheim Laboratory, designed to hunt any creature infected by Honkai energy.

Now, like a hound smelling blood, Phantom Iron's bio-detection radar detected a faint signal belonging to a Zombie.

"The plan to seize intelligence is fleeting."

"Alvitr, will you wait until the prey flies away before firing?"

With that, Rita walked deeper into Heliopolis Life Sciences. Looking at the architectural plans of Heliopolis Life Sciences, Rita slowly analyzed.

"The structural plans here don't show any underground layers. But the radar has detected Honkai energy rising from the ground."

Then, she marked a point on the map and gave the order.

"Alvitr, order all non-Immortal Blades team members to be on standby, ready to support my location."

Some places are invisible to human eyes, but Rita's loyal hounds can see them.

She issued a command to the mechanical hounds that had been waiting behind her. The hounds leaped up and began to explore.

Soon, the hounds led Rita to the underground entrance.

Rita praised the mechanical hound.

"Well done, good dog."

"Now open the passage for me."

With a hum, the elevator doors opened. In the darkness, the unknown seemed to be extending an invitation to Rita.

Rita stepped into the elevator and activated it.

Soon, the massive elevator platform descended to the bottom.

What came into Rita's view was an astonishingly large hall, but what shocked her even more was the scene within. Experimental pods were lined up one after another. The experimental subjects suspended within were both familiar and strange to Rita.

Rita took a deep breath.

"This is..."

Zombies.

On the skin of these zombies, whom Rita had fought countless times, intricate patterns intertwined, forming glowing marks.

Stigmata.

Until Schicksal developed artificial Stigmata, in the long history of humanity, only a very few chosen by fate would display these special marks.

Rita gritted her teeth, staring at the faces in the containers.

Thankfully, none of them were familiar.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

But instead, a stronger surge of anger welled up within her.

The test subjects varied in height, size, and age. Some had Honkai beast tissue implanted within them, their bodies covered in a white silicon-based shell. Others had parts of their bodies removed and replaced with electronic prosthetics.

This place resembled a bizarre human museum, demonstrating to the intruders just how far the human body could be modified.

Rita realized at that moment that she had arrived at the source of the secret.

---

Chapter Twenty-Three: Rita's Rage and Her Ultimate Killing Intent

“Cat Cat: Are all these people ordinary people who were injected with the Heliopolis Life Sciences vaccine and turned into zombies? Meow! This... this!”

Pardo, clutching her can of food, stared at the scene. Her face was deathly pale. Although she had witnessed much human evil at Sundown Alley, the actions of those villains there paled in comparison to what these people in the livestream were doing.

No, utterly incomparable!

“Dudu: Heliopolis Life Sciences? No, the World Serpent organization shouldn't exist!”

Durandal wanted nothing more than to rush to Heliopolis Life Sciences in Arc City and wipe out all the World Serpents. She couldn't accept it or understand it. What was the World Serpent doing now that was any different from Napoleon?

For humanity?

Looking at the countless corpses, Durandal only felt a sense of absurdity.

"The Number One Cutest in the World: These people are bastards!"

Unable to contain her anger, Theresa smashed her cup. She had previously thought World Serpent was just an intelligence organization, but she never imagined their actions were so disgusting.

"Dr. Lobsterhead: In some ways, they're even more despicable than Otto! Really, Anti-Entropy never discovered this organization. They've been hiding it so well!"

"Driver's License Revoked: This organization claims to be for humanity, but Zaychik doesn't understand. Aren't the people they use as test subjects part of humanity?"

"Sister: I can't imagine such a tragedy occurring in an organization under the MANTIS' command."

Aponia, witnessing the horrific scene before her, paled. Her expression became even more pained and sorrowful.

Elysia said nothing; she couldn't say anything. She could only cover her mouth, unable to believe that Kevin's organization would do such a thing.

As for Dr. Mei, she calmly observed everything.

Those purple eyes were so calm that they were impossible to look directly into. No one knew what Mei was thinking.

After an unknown amount of time, Dr. Mei shifted her gaze from the livestream to the experiment in her hands.

Until the truth came to light, any speculation was futile.

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: I can't suppress my anger! You're worse than an animal!”

Raven remained silent, simply watching the livestream. She had nothing to say. Their factions differed and their ideologies differed.

Any further words would be meaningless to them.

For all the World Serpent executives, the process didn't matter as long as they ultimately defeated Honkai.

After all, in the Serpent's eyes, true humans were a minority.

She shook her head, clearing her mind, then continued to focus on the livestream. She also eagerly awaited how Rita would unravel the intricate web prepared for her.

They eagerly awaited the final result.

Back to the livestream.

Alvitr could clearly sense that Rita was not doing well and asked her with concern,

"Miss Rita, are you alright? I detected that your heart rate and blood pressure are both elevated."

Rita didn't answer Alvitr's question. Instead, she directed her hound to tiptoe up to the main computer and begin connecting to the terminal. In an instant, countless documents flooded Rita's vision. Amid the flurry of documents, she immediately spotted the target she was looking for.

The data was open.

[Stigmata, the most precious legacy in human blood.]

[Stigmata are not products of natural evolution but rather miracles of Previous Era biotechnology. Their principles and mechanisms remain shrouded in mystery. Before the Previous Era's demise, they inoculated a complex Honkai antibody genome into the embryos of a small number of their descendants.]

[These genomes form marks on the human body's surface—Stigmata. Humans carrying Stigmata possess stronger Honkai resistance and control, thus exhibiting incredible powers. Unfortunately, with human heredity, genes constantly mutate and exchange. The originally complete Stigmata genome eventually disintegrated.]

[Once the puzzle pieces are broken, the meaning of the pattern ceases to exist. Therefore, although every modern human carries Stigmata genes, only a handful of people can naturally express Stigmata.]

[The Schicksal organization once artificially replicated Stigmata and used them through implantation. However, this technology was flawed and dangerous, merely a clumsy imitation. Nevertheless, inspired by the omniscient and omnipotent serpent, our research has made a leap forward.]

Upon hearing this, Rita vaguely understood what kind of organization was behind Heliopolis Life Sciences.

"The serpent? Could it be World Serpent?"

She didn't dwell on it, continuing to examine the secret document.

[Now, we know how to activate and recombine latent Stigmata fragments within the human genome through artificial intervention, allowing them to be fully expressed. This process is extremely difficult. Those who cannot withstand it will die or even become zombies.]

[But those who survive will possess the power to live within Honkai.]

[The cost is extremely high, but it's well worth it. The activation progress is still slow, far short of the expected numbers. We plan to conduct the experiment in a densely populated city.]

Upon seeing this, Rita could no longer maintain her composure, speaking with shock and anger.

"Experimenting with the entire population of a city? They must be insane!"

.......

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Madmen! They're definitely insane!"

"Cook: This kind of organization is disgusting and terrifying. Using the entire city's population to carry out her so-called experiments. What do they consider humans?!"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: I used to think no one in the world could be crazier than Otto, but I was wrong. This World Serpent is even crazier than Otto! Damn it!"

"Cat Cat: This organization is most likely the final villain of this game. It's terrifying! Rita has to stop them!"

Tesla watched this scene, her face filled with rage. She now wished she could pilot her mech and wipe out the entire World Serpent, eliminating a scourge from the world.

Suppressing her anger, Tesla looked at the equally furious Bronya and said seriously to her,

“Bronya, you now know the whole plot of this trip to the Sea of Quanta beforehand. You know what to do, right?”

Bronya nodded immediately upon hearing Tesla's words, her silver eyes showing a determined expression.

“Bronya knows. Bronya will definitely not let the Serpent succeed!”

Meanwhile, Cocolia and Gray Serpent reached a deal, just like in the original plot. Schicksal headquarters also dispatched a large number of troops to intercept Cocolia. After all, the Wind Herrscher could not be taken by Anti-Entropy.

At this time, Schicksal was split in two.

One part was pursuing Cocolia, while the other, like in the previous life, was searching for information about Kiana and Xiyue around the world.

However, the difference was that Rita had not yet joined them but was instead ordered by Otto to go to London, England, to find information about Divine Key. As for Durandal, she had applied to Otto to go to Arc City to be stationed for a period of time once Divine Key was found.

Changes subtly shifted as the livestream progressed.

Back to the plot.

As Rita angrily uttered those words, a giant screen at the far end of the laboratory suddenly lit up, revealing Raven's face hidden in the shadows. Looking at the furious Rita, Raven said,

"Sometimes, I feel that way too."

Then, before Rita could react, the small gift Jackal had prepared for the Valkyrie Schicksal was activated.

One by one, the incubation chambers opened, and different types of zombies awakened. Their eyes flashed crimson as they attacked Rita. Rita, watching the zombies gradually surround her, calmly said,

"I'm surrounded. Immortal Blades, prepare to rendezvous."

Then Rita began her elegant and precise slaughter, eliminating the zombies surrounding her one by one. She then appeared on the large screen.

Raven looked at the unharmed Rita, her words tinged with sarcasm.

"As expected of Schicksal, daring to so brazenly trespass on someone else's territory without permission and spy on their secrets."

"Miss Rita, since you seem so interested in this place, why not take a look around a bit more? This will give me time to properly entertain you. However, one always has to pay a price for what one gains, doesn't one?"

Raven chuckled softly as she said this.

"Using your and your men's lives to exchange for everything you see here, isn't that a bit too much to ask?"

Rita retorted bluntly to Raven's words.

"Do you really understand what kind of opponent you've chosen? If World Serpent thinks they can destroy Schicksal's Valkyries with just these things, I can only offer my deepest sympathy."

She then entered battle mode.

Xiyue's face twitched slightly as she looked at the familiar battle scene. If there were a few difficult parts in Honkai's main storyline, this was one of them.

The enemy has incredibly high HP. If you don't time your entry into the gap perfectly, you might not be able to easily pass this level and get three stars.

It's incredibly difficult.

However, this is for newbies who are just starting out in Honkai. For veteran captains, this level of difficulty is nothing.

Easily pass this level and re-enter story mode.

Raven ignored Rita's sarcasm and continued speaking to her.

"I've prepared a little gift. Let's see if the so-called elite Immortal Blades can still perform as well as ever in dire circumstances."

After saying this, a large amount of poison gas was released toward Rita's location.

But Rita's current equipment consisted of a built-in gas mask, so the poison gas was useless against her. Rita glanced indifferently at Raven on the large screen and said dismissively,

"Zombies or poison, these petty tricks only make you look more pathetic."

Rita's voice carried a subtle mockery as she brandished her scythe, casually slicing the oncoming zombie in two.

But the figure on the screen continued to smile, seemingly amused and showing no sign of frustration at her thwarted plot.

"Hmph, I don't think so."

As soon as Raven finished speaking, Rita suddenly realized that the zombies and Honkai beasts surrounding her were retreating. These monsters' had their strength drained, their bodies beginning to wither.

Seeing Rita's puzzled expression, Raven said with amusement.

"This isn't filled with tear gas. It's HSN-B46 serum. You should know what that is."

Hearing this, Rita's face changed drastically, and she gripped her scythe tightly.

Raven continued.

"The serum that rapidly deactivates and disperses Honkai within living beings is the masterpiece of a scientist in Schicksal. This is a specially formulated version for you. It doesn't require breathing; it enters the circulatory system through skin contact, rendering the Valkyries as defenseless as ordinary people."

"Ha, using weapons made by Schicksal against Schicksal's own people, what an amusing irony."

Immediately, at Rita's command, several mechs crashed to the ground, lunging toward her.

“Dr. Lobsterhead: What a jerk! Doesn't shee dare fight Rita one-on-one? Scheming and scheming, utter trash!”

Although Tesla disliked Rita, she disliked this woman named Raven even more.

“Cat Cat: Damn it! This person has no sportsmanship. She keeps saying Schicksal is no good, but he's too afraid to fight Rita one-on-one. What kind of hero is he, hiding in the back!”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: I have no respect for people who only chatter behind people's backs!”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: Rita's situation is very bad. I hope Immortal Blades' support arrives soon.”

“Dudu: I believe in Rita!”

“Miss Elf: I hope Rita wins! I have absolutely no liking for this woman hiding in the back.”

“Want to Buy An Island: ....."

Back to the story.

As the serum gradually took effect in her body, Rita could feel her strength waning. She was finding it increasingly difficult to fight the zombies and Honkai beasts before her. As Rita pondered her next move, Raven's mocking voice rang in her ear.

"What is it, Rita?"

"Aren't you going to show me the power of the Immortal Blades?"

"Let me introduce you to our specialized Valkyrie-hunting weapon, codenamed 'Death Weaver.'"

"Hope you have some fun, hehe."

Ignoring Raven's taunts, Rita used her last ounce of strength to eliminate the zombie before her, then checked on the Immortal Blades members.

The Immortal Blades members were also being attacked by zombies and Honkai beasts.

Raven looked at the Un-Immortal Blades fighting back and said with a smile,

“No, Immortal Blades are truly tenacious. Don't worry about your comrades; to be fair, I'll give each of them the same gift.”

Rita watched as her familiar Immortal Blades teammates were felled by zombies or Honkai beasts, their corpses lying in wait, before the signal was cut off.

Rita lowered her head slightly. Her eyes became deep and dark, and she gave Raven a cold laugh.

Seeing Rita laugh, Raven couldn't help but feel strange.

“You can still laugh while watching your comrades fall?”

“What a cold-blooded bastard.”

Raven's sarcasm didn't affect Rita's emotions. Rita simply supported her injured arm with one hand, a faint, cold smile on her face. Looking at Raven on the screen, she spoke calmly.

"I was just thinking about how I should deal with you when you fall into Schicksal's hands!"

Rita finished speaking, her eyes turning icy cold, fixed on Raven with murderous intent.

Raven sensed Rita's visceral killing intent and her anger, paused slightly, and continued disdainfully.

"I hate people who don't keep their promises."

"Kill her."

As soon as the words left her lips, two Death Weavers attacked the heavily injured Rita.

---

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Super-Evolved Paramecium Is Different!

“Cat Cat: No! Meow! Rita isn't going to die like this, meow! Although I didn't like her before, after watching this scene, I feel like Rita is a really nice person, meow!”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Probably not, hehe. Kiana will definitely show up in time to save her. Heroes always save others at crucial moments.”

“Driver's License Revoked: Based on Zaychik's years of gaming experience, there's a high probability that idiot Kiana will arrive. After all, the previous plot hinted at it.”

“Cook: I also believe Kiana will arrive. That Raven is so despicable!”

“Dr. Lobsterhead: Why does World Serpent always have to use such despicable methods? It's infuriating! I really want to drive a mech and wipe out their lair!”

“Sakura: I don't really like this organization called World Serpent.”

“Dudu: I won't let anyone in World Serpent get away with this!”

Raven looked at everyone's comments about World Serpent and herself, her face full of helplessness.

Although she knew that when World Serpent and she appeared, they definitely wouldn't be liked by the viewers in the livestream and might even evoke their disgust, she had already mentally prepared herself.

But seeing these comments with her own eyes, Raven genuinely felt a little uncomfortable.

However, she could understand. Putting herself in their shoes and watching the unfolding story, it would be strange not to feel disgust.

Understanding was one thing, but remaining completely unmoved was another.

Raven couldn't do that yet.

She sighed inwardly again, then turned her attention to the livestream. She wondered if this Schicksal S-rank Valkyrie could survive under these circumstances. She knew that once she was on duty, she would show no mercy to her enemies.

Xiyue didn't say anything more and continued streaming the next chapter.

Main Story 13: Long Night in the Dark Sky - Chapter 3.

However, this chapter doesn't focus on Rita's sequel as viewers expected. Instead, it uses a paneling technique to shift the focus back to Kiana.

A few hours earlier, on the outskirts of Arc City, in a secluded corner.

A map of Arc City hangs on a dilapidated wall, secured with thumbtacks by various pieces of information and lines of different colors. Kiana stands before the map, lost in thought.

These past few days, Kiana and Fu Hua have been constantly moving between the disaster sites in Arc City, examining remains, digging for clues, and relentlessly searching for every piece of the mystery.

Finally, they piece all the fragments together, and the answer gradually becomes clear.

Looking at the intelligence, Fu Hua couldn't help but marvel. Looking at the drastically changed girl before her, she asked in astonishment.

“Speaking of which, Kiana, when did you realize that someone was behind the Arc City disaster?”

Hearing Fu Hua's question, Kiana stroked her chin, her eyes lost in thought, and slowly replied.

“During one of the Zombie clean-up operations, I saw a familiar face. It was a woman I had saved a month ago. When I saw her face clearly, I was deeply shocked.”

At this point, Kiana's eyes dimmed again.

Then she raised her eyes, looking into Fu Hua's crimson eyes, and continued.

“Class Monitor, remember? I asked you if the Honkai Beast disaster in Arc City was a sign that ‘she’ within me was awakening again.”

Hearing Kiana's words, Fu Hua shook her head, answering calmly.

“I explained to you that these disasters have nothing to do with you. After all, I've been observing your condition.”

Kiana nodded, continuing Fu Hua's train of thought.

“Yes. You explained that if my Herrscher persona attracted Honkai beasts, then they should appear around me. That gave me direction.”

Hearing this, Fu Hua vaguely understood what Kiana meant.

“Honkai beasts and Zombies are always attracted to places with higher concentrations of Honkai energy.”

Listening to Fu Hua, Kiana precisely placed the thumbtacks one by one onto the map of Arc City, then analyzed it for her.

“Look. Mark every disaster location on the edge of Arc City on the map, and you'll find that these locations subtly surround a center.”

Fu Hua immediately said,

“The industrial area of Heliopolis Life Sciences.”

Then Fu Hua looked at Kiana with admiration.

“Simple and effective thinking, so unlike you.”

.......

“Cat Cat: Is this... is that stupid bug? Waaaaah, I can't believe it! I can't believe the Paramecium could become so smart! Kiana, change back, change back, meow!”

“Driver's License Revoked: Evolved from a single-celled organism to a multicellular organism.”

“Drunken Warrior: After experiencing so much all at once, it's impossible for Kiana not to grow. Besides, this idiot isn't really an idiot; she just doesn't like using her brain.”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: Before coming to St. Freya Academy, this idiot lived a life of wandering. Her idiot father abandoned her, eight-year-old Kiana, a long time ago. But after arriving at St. Freya Academy, the comfortable and happy life made Kiana unwilling to use her brain. However, compared to Kiana like this, I still prefer the idiot at St. Freya Academy.”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Hmph, Kiana has always been smart, okay! But is this what maturity looks like? Cool and handsome, but I don't really like her becoming like this.”

Kiana looked at her future self. Even though this was the person she always wanted to be, if the price of growing up was losing Aunt Himeko and leaving Mei and Bronya, Kiana wouldn't like this version of herself.

She preferred not to use her brain actively.

“Cook: Kiana is the kind of person who's both smart and stupid.”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: That's not true at all, waaaah!”

“Miss Elf: The price of growing up is very, very high. I still prefer the silly Kiana from before. But Kiana's dad went too far! Could it be that he discovered Kiana had the Herrscher persona and then abandoned her?!”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: Siegfried may be unreliable, but he's not that kind of person. He must have had his reasons.”

“Dudu: If Kiana is K-423, then where is the real Kiana?”

Theresa understood Siegfried. If Siegfried really abandoned Kiana because of her Herrscher personality, he wouldn't have rescued her back then. Besides, it wouldn't have been as simple as just abandoning her.

Theresa shook her head. Thinking of Siegfried, who had been missing for so long, she couldn't help but worry.

“Siegfried, where did you go?”

Xiyue smiled as she watched the comments section react to Kiana's changed attitude. Although Kiana had many nicknames, especially “paramecium,” it didn't mean she was actually stupid.

After all, if Kiana were truly stupid, she couldn't have lived alone in Siberia for so long.

She simply met Mei and the others and started to dislike using her brain.

How could the Kaslana family, possessing Kevin and Mei's genes, possibly have anyone truly stupid?

Unfortunately, since The Final Lesson, Kiana has never been the same person she was at St. Freya Academy. Her maturity is heartbreaking, so much so that most players from her previous life miss the energetic Kiana.

Everyone grows up, but hopefully Kiana grew up normally, not forced into it.

Shaking her head, she refocused her attention on the livestream.

Hearing Fu Hua's praise, Kiana smiled faintly and replied nonchalantly.

“The only good thing about a nomadic life is probably that it prevents you from becoming lazy. And this isn't my first time experiencing this kind of life.”

A flicker of unease crossed Fu Hua's eyes. She didn't continue the conversation on this topic but changed the subject.

“If your guess is correct, that huge industrial area should hold the secrets behind these disasters. Unfortunately, we can't find conclusive evidence.”

Fu Hua's words cleared up some of Kiana's doubts, and she spoke to Fu Hua.

“So you suggested dragging Schicksal into this so they could investigate the key behind it all.”

Fu Hua nodded without denying it.

“Schicksal should be more worried about this than we are. After all, it's an aid program they're involved in. That man won't allow anyone to stir up trouble in his name.”

Kiana shook her head.

“I can’t trust Schicksal. I can’t imagine what Rita will ultimately do.”

“Will she start investigating based on the information we provided? Or will she choose to continue hunting me?”

“However, no matter what Rita chooses, I will get to the bottom of this. This is a test, both for her and for myself.”

Fu Hua looked at the more mature Kiana, her eyes filled with a mixture of relief and something else, and finally nodded to her, speaking slowly.

“Kiana, it’s time to go and see what’s going on.”

Immediately, Kiana and Fu Hua headed to Heliopolis Life Sciences. Kiana, now a Void Drifter, stood on the rooftop, looking down at the industrial area and spotting the Schicksal Valkyrie fleet's warships.

“Looks like we were right. The Valkyries have begun their operation.”

Fu Hua's words reached Kiana's ears. Kiana nodded. The face of the person she had saved flashed through her mind again, and her eyes hardened with unwavering resolve.

“Well then, it's our turn now!”

With that, Kiana vanished from the rooftop.

Meanwhile, outside, the Valkyrie forces were engaged in a fierce battle with Zombies and Honkai beasts. The darkness seemed the perfect stage for this desperate fight.

Countless Zombies, monstrous mechs, and the Immortal Blades Valkyries clashed tirelessly.

Despite the Schicksal elite forces' rigorous training, their numerical disadvantage ultimately overwhelmed their strength.

Fu Hua, witnessing this, sensed something amiss with the Schicksal Valkyries and asked in bewilderment.

“What's going on? These Valkyries are completely outmatched?”

“It's like ordinary people fighting Honkai Beasts. This is unbelievable. Kiana, be careful.”

Kiana also sensed something was wrong with the Valkyries, looking at their injuries with confusion and worry.

“These people are badly injured. If we leave them alone, they...”

Although she was no longer a Schicksal Valkyrie and even their adversary, that didn't change the fact that she was once a Schicksal Valkyrie, and her dream was to become the strongest Schicksal Valkyrie.

If Otto hadn't happened, these women would likely have been comrades-in-arms in the future.

Kiana had always held a favorable impression of the Schicksal Valkyries.

Therefore, Kiana was deeply worried about the Valkyries' current plight and even wanted to help.

But before she could finish speaking, Fu Hua interrupted her.

“Kiana, we don't have much time.”

Hearing Fu Hua's words, Kiana struggled with her decision, but ultimately the girl gritted her teeth, stopped, and, gun in hand, charged towards the Valkyries who were fighting.

“I understand.”

...

“Miss Elf: No matter how she changes or grows, Kiana's kindness remains unchanged. Even though she's on the opposite side of the Schicksal Valkyries, Kiana is truly lovable!”

“Dr. Lobsterhead: It's Otto who's evil in Schicksal, not the Schicksal Valkyries! When will that damn Otto step down?!”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: How could Kiana let the Valkyries get hurt?!”

“Dudu: With Kiana's intervention, Rita will most likely be fine.”

“Cook: This scene probably shows Kiana and Rita working together to sabotage World Serpent's plan!”

“Cat Cat: Good riddance! This evil organization should be destroyed, meow!”

Most viewers smiled knowingly at Kiana's choice in the scene.

Kiana's choice was exactly what they expected.

Returning to the story, with Kiana's arrival, the Zombies and Honkai beasts besieging the Valkyries were quickly eliminated by Kiana, who had become half-Herrscher. Kiana also successfully rescued most of the Valkyries.

However, the rescued Valkyries struggled to their feet, looking at Kiana, at this Herrscher wanted by the Archbishop, as if they had seen death itself, and retreated fearfully to the corners.

Without the power of their artificial Stigmata, the Valkyries were at best only at the level of special forces.

Although rescued by Kiana, they still felt wary and afraid, remembering her identity as a Herrscher.

For example, Alvitr who stood directly in front of Kiana, looked at her heterochromatic eyes and spoke in a panic.

“Ku, Herrscher of the Void...! Don't come any closer!”

Seeing the fear and wariness in the Valkyries' eyes, Kiana sighed inwardly, then looked at Alvitr and said softly.

“I won't hurt you.”

However, after Kiana said this, Alvitr's face was filled with distrust. But Alvitr also remembered that if the Herrscher hadn't intervened, she and her companions would have perished at the hands of Honkai.

Thinking of this, the somewhat boisterous Alvitr panted heavily and looked at Kiana.

“Is that so? Well, thank goodness!”

Sensing Alvitr's panic and wariness subside, Kiana breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly asked.

“What happened here? Your injuries aren't serious, but why are the Valkyries being slaughtered one after another?”

Hearing Kiana's question, Alvitr, remembering the deaths of her companions, showed an angry expression and spoke bitterly.

“Those despicable people, they used some kind of tear gas. My body... my body suddenly lost all strength.”

After saying this, the injured Alvitr suddenly remembered something. She gripped Kiana's arm tightly, completely forgetting that she had just told her not to come near.

Kiana, sensing the girl's vulnerability, hurriedly spoke,

“Don't talk. Don't waste your energy. Let your teammates take you and retreat quickly.”

Alvitr took a deep breath and, with her last bit of strength, looked into Kiana's eyes and slowly spoke.

“Miss Rita... She's in danger down there.”

Hearing Alvitr’s words, Kiana understood what she meant, but she didn’t know how to answer. She could only close her eyes and remain silent for a moment before softly saying,

“You should save your lives first!”

But Alvitr, as if seeing a savior, looked at Kiana with pleading eyes and begged her.

“Please! You must help her...”

Hearing this, Kiana took a deep breath, opened her eyes, nodded to Alvitr, and agreed,

“I understand.”

Then she continued towards the industrial center, eliminating Honkai beasts and strange mechs along the way.

As the last gunshot faded, Kiana looked at the elevator leading directly underground.

During her previous search for clues, she had attempted to infiltrate the Heliopolis Life Sciences industrial area, but time was limited and she couldn't explore deeply enough.

Now, the plan was right before her.

At this moment, Fu Hua analyzed the situation.

“According to what the girl said earlier, Rita is in danger down there; she must be referring to this place.”

Kiana nodded because she sensed the Honkai energy emanating from below.

“Rita should still be fighting down there, right?”

Fu Hua continued.

“Kiana, time is precious. Whether you help Rita or uncover the secret is your choice.”

Kiana didn't answer Fu Hua's question. Instead, she took the elevator down. However, she didn't go directly to where Rita was fighting but stopped in a laboratory.

Then Kiana found the experiments being conducted by World Serpent.

“Stigmata experiments? Is this why all the Zombies have Stigmata on their bodies?”

Fu Hua examined the plan with Kiana, her eyes filled with anger and disbelief.

“They plan to experiment on the entire city's residents to select humans who can resist Honkai.”

Kiana spoke incredulously.

“This plan is even more insane than Otto’s.”

Fu Hua also noticed something was wrong and said thoughtfully,

“The document clearly mentions the Previous Era. It seems Heliopolis Life Sciences knows far more secrets than I thought.”

“An omniscient and omnipotent serpent?”

“A serpent?”

“That man... is still alive?”

“How is that possible?”

Kiana didn't notice Fu Hua's strange expression and continued searching the documents.

“This document is... an observation record of the fusion demonstration... MANTIS?”

Kiana's face showed great confusion.

Upon hearing this, Fu Hua's eyes widened, her breathing quickened, and she stared intently at Kiana, or rather, at the document in Kiana's hands.

Kiana was still reading.

“1475, ‘Jingwei Breaking the Formation Illustration.’ Hey, Class Monitor, the immortal in this painting looks quite like you, doesn't he?”

“A photograph of London City with Dr. Conan Doyle in 1887? Wait, what's that woman in the photo...?”

Kiana looked at the photo in her hand, then at Fu Hua. The more she looked, the more familiar it seemed, and then an incredulous expression appeared on her face.

...

“Cat Cat: Hey, does this mean Fu Hua's disguise has been discovered?!”

Pardo, who had read many novels and comics, immediately thought of this phrase.

“Want to Buy An Island: Hahaha, the Immortal's disguises are being revealed one by one.”

“Drunken Warrior: I must say, Fu Hua with her monocle looks quite British The two of them together look like a detective team”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Why does Class Monitor look more feminine like this? It's so beautiful! How many disguises does Class Monitor have anyway?!”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: Heliopolis Life Sciences actually knows all of Fu Hua's disguises... Wait, Kevin and Fu Hua are from the same era, even both Flame Chasers. It's not surprising that he knows Fu Hua's identity. But something feels off.”

“Miss Elf: Judging from Fu Hua's tone, it seems there's something wrong with her relationship with Kevin.”

“Dr. Lobsterhead: That man... it seems their relationship is more than just a little bit. I want to know if Fu Hua and Kevin are friends or foes.”

“Cook: Based on my understanding of the Class Monitor, she would never agree to Kevin and World Serpent's experiments.”

...

The livestream continued, fueled by the curiosity of the group members.

Fu Hua didn't deny it. Regarding her identity, many memories had been successfully recalled when she became a conscious being. She then spoke to Kiana.

“Kiana, you're not mistaken. This is my resume. This document records almost every place I've been and everything I've done in my life.”

Hearing this, Kiana once again stared at Fu Hua with scrutinizing and serious eyes, asking emphatically,

“Class Monitor, who exactly are you?”

Fu Hua met Kiana's gaze and answered frankly.

“I didn’t mean to hide anything from you. It’s just that I’ve had too many identities and names in my life, and I can’t go into them all at once.”

“But what’s more important now is that my life story shouldn’t even be in the archives of a pharmaceutical company like this. The person hidden behind Heliopolis Life Sciences is someone who knows all the secrets and comes from the same era as me.”

Fu Hua’s words struck Kiana, plunging her into shock once again.

In just half an hour, she experienced more shock than she had in four months. She knew the Class Monitor's identity was extraordinary, but she never imagined her Class Monitor came from the Previous Era. Shocked, Kiana rushed to Rita's location.

Finally, she arrived just as Rita was about to be attacked by two Death Weavers.

Using her Herrscher of the Void powers, she teleported in front of Rita, raised her dual pistols, and fired several shots at the Death Weavers, successfully taking them down.

Looking at the extremely weak Rita kneeling on the ground, Kiana spoke softly.

“It seems, Miss Maid, you have made your choice.”

---

Chapter Twenty-Five: Fu Hua and Kevin's Past - A Glimpse of the Truth

“You should still have the strength to break through, Miss Maid?”

Kiana, dual-wielding pistols, stared at the once-powerful figure.

But before Rita could answer, Raven on the large screen spoke first.

“Not surprising at all!”

“Ever since Rita suddenly started to suspect us, I’ve had a feeling someone was pulling strings behind the scenes.”

“Herrscher, you had a chance to stay out of it.”

“Destroy them!”

As Raven’s words fell, countless Zombies and Death Weavers surged forth again around Rita and Kiana, launching a massive attack.

In the gloomy darkness, the Zombies’ shadowy figures loomed large like a vast, all-encompassing net.

Kiana and Rita couldn’t fight them head-on, so they fought their way back toward the passage.

“The exit is just ahead.”

Rita shouted to Kiana, enduring the exhaustion coursing through her body.

With each movement and each dodge, Rita's body grew heavier and slower. It was as if a hole had opened in her body, her strength draining away with every breath.

The scythe in her hand felt incredibly heavy, no longer able to easily cleave the mech's shell or sever enemy limbs.

Rita knew that her only option now was to fight her way out.

If she could break through, there was still a chance.

"EOS, emergency landing support! Answer me, EOS!"

But the communicator only crackled with the sound of a violent explosion; no one answered. The list of remaining team members in the visor was now completely grayed out.

A flicker of sadness and self-reproach crossed Rita's eyes.

More importantly, there was no way to escape.

Kiana, fighting ahead, was also succumbing to the intense combat and desperately called out to the weakened Rita.

"Quick! While I... can still hold on..."

"Jump in!"

With that, she used the last vestige of her Herrscher of the Void power to open a spatial tunnel.

But Rita didn't do as Kiana wished. Instead, she clutched her injured arm, looked at the Zombies and Honkai beasts closing in, and spoke heavily with her head down.

"I'm sorry, Miss Kiana."

"Let me finish this last thing for today. After all, a maid's job is to clean!"

After saying this, she gave orders to the transport ship.

"EOS, autopilot terminated."

"Action command: 'Clean.'"

"Target: current coordinates!"

As Rita's words fell, the massive transport ship rapidly descended from the sky, hurtling toward Kiana and Rita's location. Kiana stared at the ever-growing transport ship before her.

Her eyes were wide open, her mouth agape.

For a moment, she thought she was back in St. Freya, like that silly, sleepy paramecium who only knew how to eat and sleep.

...

"Driver's License Revoked: Shocking this idiot for a hundred years. This maid is ruthless!"

"Cat Cat: Meow, smashing a warship without batting an eye—strangely kind of cool. Meow, has my perception of a character changed again?!"

"Miss Elf: For some reason, seeing Kiana with that expression feels very familiar~"

"Cook: Kiana must have been shocked too. Smashing a warship without hesitation—what this maid did is truly unexpected."

"Dudu: Rita was too reckless in this operation. Otherwise..."

"Drunken Warrior: Rita underestimated World Serpent and didn't expect them to have such methods."

Durandal shook her head. Rita could be impulsive sometimes.

But the price of impulsiveness was too high.

Therefore, the person chosen to go to Arc City this time was no longer Rita, but her.

Durandal looked at the report in her hand, her blue eyes flashing.

"World Serpent? Let me take you on!"

...

Back to the story, the instant the EOS crashed to the ground, Kiana, recovering from her shock, hurriedly pulled Rita into the subspace tunnel.

...

Shortly after the transport ship crashed, Raven climbed to the top of a spire and looked into the distance. The industrial area below was a scene of utter devastation, littered with debris and wreckage... and a wrecked spaceship lay scattered like a giant sword broken into pieces.

Raven sighed regretfully.

Then, her communicator beeped.

Jackal's cold eyes came through the communicator.

"What's the result?"

Hearing Jackal's question, Raven replied calmly.

"The Schicksal woman caused a huge commotion. Her transport ship crashed into the industrial area."

Jackal continued, asking,

"Still alive?"

"No body found."

Hearing Raven's answer, Jackal's cold voice rose slightly, tinged with sarcasm.

"This childish trick won't fool you, will it?"

"In the next ten hours, before the Schicksal army tears you to pieces, you still have a chance to salvage everything."

"You understand the consequences of failure, right?"

Jackal's words became more forceful in the last sentence.

Raven ignored her, looking at the wrecked transport ship with an unchanged expression, and said calmly,

"They still left behind something I wanted. The experiment will begin as scheduled."

"Victory still belongs to the Serpent."

While Raven was talking to Jackal, in a corner of Arc City...

A circle of light suddenly appeared, and Kiana and Rita emerged from it. Both were in terrible condition, severely injured and deathly pale.

With her face covered in sweat, Kiana looked at her injured arm. The scene from just moments ago flashed through her mind, and she couldn't help but feel lingering fear.

"You appear so cold, but you act so impulsively!"

She then led Rita to her secret base, her gaze fixed on Rita, and said helplessly,

"Hey, hey, you're not thinking of doing something rash because the people you brought suffered so many casualties, are you?"

"To prevent you from doing anything foolish again, I must tell you in advance that I've tried my best to save some of the people you brought."

Leaning against the wall and recovering her strength, Rita lowered her eyes thats filled with sorrow and self-reproach. Hearing Kiana's words, Rita looked up at her, a hint of gratitude flashing in her eyes, and softly replied.

"Don't worry, Miss Kiana. I won't make any pointless sacrifices."

"Judging from the number and deployment of the enemy, we could be hunted down at any moment in this city. So I just want to create the illusion of mutual destruction to buy some time."

"Cat Cat: Did you notice that Rita no longer calls Kiana 'K-423' but 'Miss Kiana'? It seems Rita isn't so hostile toward Kiana anymore~"

"Miss Elf: It feels like she's been captivated by Kiana's charm~"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Absolutely, Kiana's charm is irresistible!"

"Dudu: You're overthinking it."

"Cook: This is just a temporary united front."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Looks pretty scared, hahaha."

Seeing everyone's comments, Xiyue also praised Pardo's keen observation.

From now on, Rita will slack off whenever possible with the main characters, completely abandoning her work mode. After all, Kiana saved her life!

Most players didn't like Rita much in the early story, but later...

Rita, Rita—how can I live without you!

Especially that "Owner of the Refrigerator," which made countless players fall at Rita's feet.

After all, who wouldn't love a character with both good looks and strength?

Rita was once a version god, or more accurately, an Abyss god!

Refocusing her attention on the live stream,

Kiana listened to Rita's words and recalling World Serpent's unusual behavior, she showed a suspicious expression.

"Are you sure this will fool them?"

Rita didn't answer directly but instead analyzed the situation gently.

"Just concealing this huge commotion will take some effort. Whether it fools them or not, it will distract our opponents. While the people of World Serpent haven't found our whereabouts..."

The last word hovered on Rita's lips, but she couldn't finish it before she suddenly trembled.

"Ugh..."

Her body had no strength left, and she collapsed to her knees.

Rita let out a painful groan; the battle had drained the last ounce of her strength. She collapsed to the ground, unresponsive to her surroundings.

Seeing this, Kiana quickly caught Rita.

She took her to her secret base and, under Fu Hua's guidance, examined the unconscious Rita. Finding that she was simply exhausted and needed rest, she helped Rita change her clothes.

Kiana then began tending to her own wounds, giving them quick treatment.

Kiana then fell asleep immediately; too much had happened that day.

Soon, Kiana drifted off to sleep, and then she began to dream.

...

In an endless, profound darkness stretched an unbroken, bone-white desert. On this desolate land, she and seven comrades sharing the same goal were about to witness the end of this long war.

After this great war that would determine the fate of all humanity concluded, would any of them be able to stand here and greet the dawn of a new day?

She had no answer.

Just then, a white-haired, blue-eyed man appeared in the live stream and spoke to her.

"Hua, it's time to begin preparations."

"According to Dr. Mei's calculations, there's only one hour left until its arrival."

Hua nodded.

"Yes."

Then the two fell silent.

After an unknown amount of time, Hua looked at Kevin before her and slowly spoke...

“Kevin, I hope that after today, humanity can continue on.”

Hearing Hua’s words, Kevin’s calm, unwavering eyes remained unchanged as he affirmed,

“It will.”

“If you still have even a sliver of doubt, look back at Earth.”

Hua turned around, looking at the azure planet behind her.

From afar, it resembled a blue marble suspended in the endless depths of space. Its deep blue arc emitted a warm halo, as if struggling against the embrace of darkness.

Gazing at Earth, Kevin’s voice echoed in her ears again.

“Every time I look up, I tremble at the darkness and coldness of the universe. But even so, it still has warmth. Because Earth nurtured us, because the stars still shine above us.”

Earth.

Hua couldn’t help but wonder what people were doing on Earth right now. Were they lamenting, weeping, or holding apocalyptic celebrations?

From the moon's perspective, all the past conflicts, anger, pain, and longing were no longer important.

Only the future mattered.

If humanity continues and flourishes again, pain and conflict will return.

But the future will always be what matters.

Hua pondered for a long time, finally turning her gaze from Earth to Kevin, and said calmly,

"Kevin, about my argument with Dr. Mei and what I said to you..."

"I'm sorry."

Kevin looked at her comrade and shook his head.

"No apologies are needed for those to whom you can entrust your life."

Hearing Kevin's words, Hua looked at him and replied without hesitation,

"Is that so? Then what should I say?"

Kevin looked at Earth and answered solemnly,

"A commitment. If any of us survive this battlefield, we must shoulder greater responsibility."

"The plans Mei prepared—'Project Stigma,' 'Project Ember,' 'Project Ark'..."

"Although not everyone agrees with these plans, these efforts will sow seeds for humanity. Those of us who survive must nurture these seeds, preventing a repeat of the past until a new civilization is built."

After saying this, Kevin paused for a moment before continuing to speak to Fu Hua.

“Hua, I believe the hope for a permanent end to the Honkai lies within this.”

“Humanity will sacrifice much to reach that day.”

“But humanity will never lose hope.”

.....

“The Number One Cutest in the World: Is this the final battle between the Previous Era and the Honkai? That? The so-called Honkai god?”

Not many records remain about the final battle of the Previous Era, so Schicksal and Anti-Entropy knew nothing about it when they explored the ruins of the Previous Era.

“Cat Cat: So tragic, so heavy. There's an atmosphere that leaves you speechless.”

Pardo, watching this scene, couldn't help but wonder if she, as one of the future thirteen Flamechasers, would also be there in the final battle. However, this thought was quickly dismissed by Pardo.

"It probably won't happen!"

"I'm terrified of dying; I wouldn't participate in such a dangerous battlefield."

"I'll definitely stay on Earth!"

"Miss Elf: What exactly did Fu Hua, Kevin, and Mei talk about? It's very intriguing. In the final battle, are there only eight Flamechasers left?"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Project Stigma, Project Ember, the Ark Project. So, is World Serpent carrying out Project Stigma? But if Project Stigma is so cruel, why would they carry it out?"

"Cook: Kevin right now is completely different from the Kevin Bronya saw. What happened that caused Fu Hua and Kevin to become enemies?"

Dr. Mei remained quietly watching the live stream, offering no opinion.

However, she recorded the words and information that caught her attention.

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: I really want to know what happened in the Previous Era! Sister Yuexi, when are you going to stream the Elysian Realm storyline?"

"Driver's License Revoked: These are all speculations. Zaychik really wants to know everything that happened in the Previous Era. It's just that the streamer's pace is too slow!"

Xiyue felt helpless seeing everyone's urging for more updates.

There was nothing she could do; miHoYo has so many storylines. She was already considered fast, and besides, only after completing the main storyline to a certain extent would everyone be able to understand the Elysian Realm storyline.

"Don't rush, everyone. Let's stream the main storyline first."

"The Elysian Realm storyline will definitely be streamed, don't worry."

"Enough nonsense, let's continue with the main storyline."

Then, focusing on the storyline, she continued streaming the next chapter:

Main Story 14: Dark Dawn - 01.

As usual, she started with a simple recap.

However, this time, the voice in the recap was Rita herself.

"In order to pinpoint the final location of the Herrscher of the Void, Rita Rossweise once again entered Arc City to begin her pursuit. But she didn't expect that in this city, World Serpent's conspiracy was slowly revealing its fangs, plunging Rita into a desperate situation."

"At this crucial moment, her target extended a helping hand."

"The fates of hunter and prey are now inextricably linked..."

...

Arc City, Kiana's secret base.

Kiana suddenly awoke from her sleep, startling Fu Hua, who was guarding her bedside. Seeing the panicked expression on Kiana's face, Fu Hua asked in confusion.

"Kiana?"

Hearing Fu Hua's voice, Kiana gradually calmed down, looked at her, and felt reassured. Then she explained,

"I fell asleep, and then I... I had a dream. I dreamt that I was standing in a place like the moon, preparing for a great battle. I also dreamt that a man spoke to me. His face was somewhat familiar, but I didn't recognize him. He mistook me for someone else and called me 'Hua.'"

Hearing Kiana's words, Fu Hua's eyes showed surprise. She rested her chin on her hand and spoke softly,

“Kiana, that’s my experience.”

“Perhaps for some reason, our consciousnesses intersected. It seems that through your dreams, I can also recall many things from the past.”

Then, gazing at Kiana’s face, she told her about something that had been buried for who knows how long.

“I haven’t had a chance to tell you before. Actually, you’d find it hard to believe, but my identity isn’t just that of a Schicksal Valkyrie.”

“My life story is incredibly long, stretching back to what you call the Previous Era. I’m a survivor of that time.”

Hearing Fu Hua’s words, Kiana’s expression turned incredulous again, and she exclaimed in shock,

“Huh?! Although I had a feeling the Class Monitor wasn’t an ordinary person, hearing your answer is still so exaggerated that I can’t believe it.”

“So, are all the records about you found in the lab true?”

“Then… who was the man you were talking to?”

Hearing Kiana’s series of questions, Fu Hua slowly explained each one.

“Kevin Kaslana, the ancestor of your Kaslana family bloodline, a survivor of the Previous Era's final battle, and humanity's most powerful protector.”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Huh? So he really is Kiana's ancestor? I don't believe it, I don't accept it!”

Compared to Kiana's surprise, the others didn't show any shock.

After all, Kevin and Kiana did look very alike, and they had vaguely guessed many things. Only that idiot hadn't noticed anything.

…

At this point, Fu Hua paused, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

“If he had sacrificed himself in that war, everything would have been the same.”

“But the outcome of the Final Battle was too tragic. It changed me, and it changed Kevin. After the war, Kevin founded an organization called ‘World Serpent’ to carry out the Previous Era's human revival plan.”

Hearing this, Kiana felt she understood something and immediately said,

“World Serpent? You mean Project Stigma?”

Fu Hua nodded and continued.

“Yes. This plan may have been necessary, but the price humanity will have to pay is something humanity may never be able to bear. Many pioneers couldn't accept Kevin's actions, believing he crossed the line. Many broke with him and rebelled, but then he suddenly disappeared from history.”

Hearing this, Kiana looked puzzled.

“What happened?”

Fu Hua sighed.

“It’s a long story; I’ll tell you another time. In any case, many people breathed a sigh of relief.”

“After Kevin disappeared, World Serpent also fell apart. I even thought it had died out hundreds of years ago. But in the underground laboratory of Heliopolis Life Sciences, when I saw the files recording my journey and that familiar symbol…”

“Now I understand they haven’t disappeared; they’ve just hidden in the shadows, patiently waiting for their master’s return.”

After saying this, Fu Hua turned her gaze to Kiana and said seriously 

“It’s alright, Kiana. We can’t stay in Arc City any longer. If that man returns from the seal, if this was all part of his plan, then this place is too dangerous!”

“Knowing him as I do, once he finds you, he will definitely kill you.”

“I could protect you in the past, but now…”

Fu Hua didn’t finish her sentence, but her state of mind spoke volumes.

Hearing Fu Hua’s words, Kiana was shocked and fell silent. She lowered her head; she understood Fu Hua’s meaning and knew that Fu Hua was worried about her.

But…

“So I can only run away? Like the past three months?”

“But Class Monitor, where can I run to? I’ve run away countless times. Fear, retreating, curling up into a ball and hiding in a corner—did I finally escape?”

"I will not leave Arc City. I don't want to look back in the future and realize that every choice I made was an escape."

Hearing Kiana's words, Fu Hua didn't speak. She only looked at Kiana, at the girl who just a few months ago had been so naive and carefree, yet now uttered such words.

A surge of relief welled up in Fu Hua's heart.

It seemed she really had grown up.

Taking a deep breath, Fu Hua looked at Kiana and continued,

“Since you’ve made up your mind, I won’t object.”

“But Kiana, once you discover any trace of Kevin in Arc City, you must temporarily avoid him.”

“Cat Cat: Huh? Why would Kevin definitely kill Kiana? Because Kiana is a Herrscher, right? But in the previous storyline, Bronya was also a Herrscher, wasn’t she? Kevin didn’t attack Bronya! Why is that, meow?”

---

Chapter Twenty-Six: Is Otto a Coward?

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Maybe Bronya is controllable and Kiana is uncontrollable. Of course, there are other reasons as well."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: If he really thinks Project Stigma can fight Honkai, that makes sense. In his eyes, there's probably only humanity as a whole. As for how many humans die, as long as humanity isn't wiped out, he can accept it."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: It's hard to accept just hearing that."

"Dudu: Is this a real victory? It's also hard to believe those so-called pioneers would rebel."

"Driver's License Revoked: Zaychik wants to know what the other projects besides Project Stigma will be like. Class Monitor probably also carries a salvation plan."

"Cook: I can't accept this plan."

"Miss Elf: What exactly happened in the final battle of the Previous Era?"

Xiyue didn't care about the audience's questions. After all, she couldn't explain it clearly now, so it was better for them to see it for themselves.

However, regarding why Kevin would kill Kiana upon seeing her, there were many answers to this question in her previous life.

One particularly funny answer was that Paramecium looked too much like the End, and Kevin was afraid of seeing that, so he mistook it for Finality.

Of course, this answer was mostly sarcastic.

She shook her head and continued the live stream of the storyline.

Back to the story.

Kiana agreed after hearing Fu Hua's words.

She could sense Fu Hua's wariness of Kevin.

Kiana touched her head and continued to express her doubts to Fu Hua.

"So, back to 'Project Stigma.' Schicksal's vaccine was shipped to Shenzhou a year ago. Was World Serpent's plan already underway at that time?"

Hearing Kiana's question, Fu Hua shook her head.

"Development and modification of the vaccine are only one part of the plan. To truly activate the Stigmata, another step is needed. But apart from the core members of World Serpent, I'm afraid no one knows the steps of the plan."

Fu Hua's words reached Kiana's ears, and she nodded in understanding, immediately saying,

"Now that things have come to this, World Serpent will definitely speed things up. We probably don't have much time left."

Hearing this, Fu Hua was also curious about what Kiana would do next. She wouldn't tell Kiana her thoughts; all decisions had to be made by Kiana herself.

"What are you going to do next?"

Kiana didn't answer Fu Hua immediately. Her eyes flickered before she spoke.

"The most direct way. I plan to go back to the industrial area and find the one who commanded the Zombies. She seems to be a key figure in the plan. We should be able to pry something out of her."

"Considering Rita caused chaos there, I think we still have a chance."

After saying this, Kiana's eyes showed fatigue. She rubbed her head and continued helplessly.

"The battle in the industrial area just now drained me too much."

Fu Hua noticed Kiana's exhaustion, and her crimson eyes softened.

"Don't push yourself too hard, Kiana. You need to rest."

Hearing Fu Hua's words, Kiana shook her head.

"I've rested long enough. Acting sooner will buy us more time."

Hearing Kiana say this, Fu Hua didn't say anything more. Then, as if thinking of something, she looked at Kiana and asked,

"What should we do with Rita?"

Hearing this, Kiana went to Rita, who was still unconscious, and examined her wounds.

"Leave her here for now."

After saying this, Kiana surveyed the surroundings, making sure no clues were left that could be used to track her, and then silently left the room.

However, unbeknownst to Kiana, as the door closed, a pair of eyes opened.

Recalling what she had experienced with Kiana, Rita's eyes revealed incredibly complex emotions.

In her past missions, she had never encountered so many illogical situations. A Herrscher who should have lost her humanity and lived to destroy it was instead trying to uncover the conspiracy hidden behind this city and save the unsuspecting people.

As her relentless prey, she had never stood by and watched her hunter fall into dire straits, but had always offered a helping hand in times of crisis.

And just now, she had witnessed Kiana facing the air, talking to an unseen shadow.

Rita's doubts deepened.

"Who was she contacting?"

"Unfortunately, I couldn't hear any clearer. If I had moved even slightly, she would have noticed."

"Anyway, we can't linger here any longer."

After saying this, Rita looked at the doorway where Kiana had left, a look of apology on her face, and continued muttering.

"Miss Kiana, please try to attract World Serpent's attention. I have things to do."

...

"Cat Cat: Her mental fortitude is amazing. If someone were talking to thin air in front of me, I'd definitely be terrified."

"Miss Elf: It's Miss Kiana again. It seems the maid really approves of Kiana What an interesting maid. I wonder if I'd look as good as Miss Rita in a maid outfit"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: As expected of Rita, she can still act and plan even under such circumstances. But asking Kiana to draw fire is something you'd definitely do."

"Drunken Warrior: Who doesn't know the dark side beneath Rita's beautiful exterior?"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: That wicked woman—one day I'll teach her a lesson!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Hmph. Kiana even saved her. I won't next time!"

"Want to Buy An Island: I despise that woman."

......

The story continues.

Rita, having regained some strength, sat up and activated her communication device, waiting for a response.

Several long seconds passed before she heard Alvitr's familiar voice. Hearing Alvitr's voice, Rita's heart, which had been pounding, relaxed slightly.

"Vice-Captain? We were all very worried about you!"

Rita answered Alvitr with a faint smile.

"Alvitr, I'm so glad to see you're alright."

Alvitr then reported that their squad had been rescued by the Herrscher of the Void and expressed her bewilderment that the Herrscher of the Void, an enemy, would save them. Hearing Alvitr's question, Rita's eyes flickered.

"I'm not quite sure about that either."

Alvitr didn't dwell on Rita's words. She then told her that she was trying to contact headquarters, but communications were jammed, preventing them from sending any information. Rita wasn't surprised; this was within her expectations.

"All communications sent to headquarters are unanswered. It seems we can only leave a message for now."

"Operation Codename: Moonhunter. Reporting to: Durandal. Reporting to: Rita Rossweisse..."

A few minutes later, the mission message was left, and Rita seemed thoughtful.

"Although we can't contact Lord Durandal for the time being, Kiana's friends should be responding to my invitation by now, right?"

Meanwhile, in the Heliopolis Life Sciences industrial zone, Raven connected with Jackal.

On the large screen in the live stream, a woman with a mask appeared.

This woman had golden eyes and brown skin, with brown curly hair tucked behind her back and two braids tied on either side of her face. She wore a mask resembling that of Anubis, the Egyptian god of death.

She wore a cloak similar to that of Anubis in ancient Egyptian mythology, and her exposed golden eyes were filled with arrogance and disdain.

Jackal's calm golden eyes gazed at Raven below, and she asked a question.

“How’s it going? The secret of Heliopolis Life Sciences has been exposed, and time is running out for the experiments.”

Raven answered without looking up from her superior.

“I’ve committed all my manpower to the operation. I’m not a magician; I can’t conjure things up. The Valkyrie from Schicksal left me a mess, slowing us down. But that’s not the key issue.”

“The most critical problem is that the Herrscher of the Void has also set her sights on us. That Herrscher girl will completely ruin this plan.”

As she spoke of Kiana, Raven looked up at the Jackal.

Jackal answered immediately.

“Hold her back?”

A puzzled look crossed Raven’s face.

“Hold her back?”

“Ha, although I hate her, I’m not crazy. I understand that even if you could create ten times more monsters than we have now and use them all, you still couldn’t hold off the Herrscher of the Void for even a second.”

“Think about the Second Eruption. Think about what she did. You know better than I that the battle against a Herrscher isn't just about adding numbers.”

...

“Cat Cat: Huh? Kiana is that strong, meow?”

“Dr. Lobsterhead: She wasn't talking about Kiana, but the Herrscher of the Void, Sirin. It seems this woman was also a survivor of the Second Honkai War.”

“Cook: If it's not Kiana, then why does she hate Kiana? Kiana is Kiana, and the Herrscher of the Void is the Herrscher of the Void?”

"Want to Buy An Island: What's the difference between them? K-423 has Sirin's consciousness inside her, so killing Kiana is just killing the Herrscher of the Void."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Huh? Kiana isn't Sirin. How can you calculate it like that?"

"Queen: A weak human trying to kill the Queen? Ridiculous. Foolish, ha."

Raven didn't speak, but her heart was filled with hatred for Sirin.

"Drunken Warrior: It seems Raven is also a survivor of the Second Eruption. Sigh. If so, it's understandable why she hates Kiana. Honkai made us lose so much."

“Miss Elf: Honkai, it's all Honkai's fault.”

Back to the story, Jackal listened to Raven's words. She wasn't surprised by Raven's fear of the Herrscher of the Void, but simply said slowly to Raven,

“I checked the records from an hour ago. That girl didn't display the destructive power recorded as Herrscher-level.”

“Perhaps she only recently awakened and can't yet control her power. Your fear of her is just a mark of your childhood experiences. According to my previous intelligence, the newly awakened Herrscher of the Void went out of control at Schicksal headquarters, causing widespread destruction, but was quickly defeated within hours.”

“It is said that three S-rank Valkyries were present at Schicksal at the time. One of them, Rita Rossweisse, just fought you. And what happened? She was defeated by our carefully orchestrated attack.”

“This shows that the power of the newly awakened Herrscher isn't as unattainable as you think.”

Hearing Jackal's words, Raven sensed her confidence.

Raven retorted impatiently.

“Perhaps? It is said? There are too many assumptions in your words. Maybe Overseer Schicksal has methods we don’t know about?”

Hearing Raven’s retort, Jackal was unconvinced. But upon hearing Raven’s next words, she let out a mocking laugh.

“Otto? Everyone knows Otto is a coward hiding behind the Valkyries. Instead of believing he can solve the problem, you might as well tell me Otto invented an incredible device, got a Valkyrie about to retire to wear it, and took down the Herrscher of the Void in one blow.”

Hearing Jackal’s contemptuous and mocking words, Raven was speechless. However, she was already used to Jackal’s neuroticism.

“Your sense of humor is truly reassuring.”

After mocking Otto, the Jackal’s expression gradually became serious as she looked at Raven and said calmly,

“Raven, Project Stigma is an organization that has been planning this for years. A huge, densely populated city, under martial law due to the disaster, unable to evacuate its inhabitants in time—there are no more ideal experimental conditions than this, and doubts will no longer exist.”

“More importantly, the Lord’s gaze is constantly watching this place. He hopes to see humanity’s future here. Neither of us has a way out.”

Under the gray hood, Raven’s face tightened.

After a long silence, she spoke.

“Everything is as the serpent wishes.”

“Don’t Want to Take the Exam: This Jackal is really arrogant and conceited. But it’s quite satisfying to insult Otto. However, I don’t like her teasing Aunt Himeko! No way!”

"Drunken Warrior: Himeko will definitely be happy that you have this intention now. But don't call Himeko 'Auntie'!"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Although I like Jackal's line, you'll really suffer if you underestimate Otto. This man's hundreds of years of life have made him incredibly terrifying."

"Miss Elf: Otto doesn't seem like a simple person."

Xiyue laughed as she read this.

"Whether Otto is the coward Jackal mentioned will be revealed later in the story~"

"Let's wait and see~"

......

Then, the story returns to its main plot.

Meanwhile, Kiana and Fu Hua infiltrated the industrial area.

The night shrouded the buildings in darkness, making Kiana feel a sense of security as she disappeared into them. Kiana held her breath, staring at the distant plaza.

In front of a train convoy, the woman who had plotted against Rita was issuing orders to her subordinates.

"Looks like these guys are making a move."

Fu Hua, seeing this, looked puzzled.

“We just arrived, and we're already caught in the operation. It's a bit of a coincidence.”

Hearing Fu Hua's words, Kiana's gaze shifted to Raven, her eyes gleaming.

“The convoy is about to depart. We can't choose the right time, can we?”

With that, Kiana leaped down and ran alongside the departing convoy.

---

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Change of Mobius and Raven's Background!

In the darkness, the highway lights flickered like fleeting stars. Kiana hurried after them while constantly watching the convoy below. Finally, she leaped lightly and landed silently on the roof of one of the trucks.

Standing on the roof, Kiana murmured to herself.

"Once we're far enough away from the industrial area, I'll make my move."

The invisible floating Fu Hua was still deep in thought. She then fixed her gaze on Kiana and spoke solemnly.

"Kiana, be wary of that cloaked woman. Judging from Rita's fight with her, she's very adept at using underhanded tactics."

Hearing Fu Hua's words, Kiana thought of the powerless Valkyries and nodded cautiously.

"I understand. Those Valkyries were also incapacitated by the gas they released."

At the mention of gas, a look of doubt appeared in Fu Hua's crimson eyes.

"Those gases won’t take down Immortal Blades. World Serpent probably has some kind of chemical weapon that drains Honkai energy from the human body."

"However, such a weapon has two weaknesses."

"First, if the opponent also uses Honkai energy in combat, you must stay far away to avoid losing your power."

"Second, these gases are more effective in a confined environment."

Hearing Fu Hua’s analysis, Kiana nodded.

"That’s why the gray-cloaked figure didn’t personally fight Rita but instead chose to ambush her in the lab."

Fu Hua quickly added after hearing Kiana’s words.

"Try to find an opportunity to fight her one-on-one in an open environment, but also be prepared for miscalculations."

Kiana’s heterochromatic eyes flickered after hearing Fu Hua’s words, her face thoughtful.

Soon, Kiana turned her gaze to Fu Hua and spoke softly.

"Class Monitor, I have a plan…"

But Kiana didn't say it aloud, only giving Fu Hua a look. Fu Hua, seeing Kiana's expression, understood what Kiana wanted to do, and a worried look appeared on her face.

Kiana shook her head, saying firmly,

"This method will work, Class Monitor."

"However, the first step is still to fight her."

After saying this to Fu Hua, Kiana lowered her body, pulled the trigger, and prepared to fire.

"Cat Cat: Oh my god, this paramecium can already plan! I can't believe my eyes!"

"Driver's License Revoked: This idiot actually has a plan? My youth is completely over."

Bronya and Pardofelis, the two paramecium buddies, immediately commented in the live chat.

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Hey, what do you guys mean?! I'll beat you up if you don't!"

"Drunken Warrior: Suddenly, I think this grown-up Kiana is pretty good, hahaha."

As Kiana's teacher, Himeko naturally wanted to see Kiana grow. However, she didn't want Kiana to grow up through those sacrifices, but rather to let her grow naturally.

"Cook: This idiot has always been smart, just too lazy to use her brain."

"Miss Elf: A Paramecium's brilliant plan can bring peace to the world (lol)."

"Don't Want to Go to Work: Hey, hey, where is the live stream? I want to see it! Wow, the paramecium actually has a plan! I can't believe my eyes."

Fire Moth Headquarters, Mobius Laboratory.

Fuxi and Nuwa finally finished the task assigned by Mobius and went to the laboratory's rest area to relax on the sofa. Nuwa couldn't wait to turn on the TV and watch her favorite anime.

The moment Klein sat down on the sofa, she immediately fell asleep. These past few days, cooperating with Mobius's experiments had been the most exhausting for her.

She felt like she could sleep for three days and three nights.

"Doctor, this is so tiring!"

Klein murmured, lost in her sleep.

As for Mobius, she stretched and put down her experiment.

A hint of joy flashed in her green eyes; the experiment was progressing smoothly, so how could she not be happy?

In a few days, she would be able to produce the first attempt at MANTIS.

Then she sat down on the sofa in the lounge, ready to watch the live stream.

Looking at her three assistants and then at the sleeping Klein beside her, Mobius remembered something and spoke to Nuwa, who was engrossed in watching anime,

"Nuwa, go order some milk tea."

Mobius's words startled Nuwa.

"Huh?"

Then, looking at Mobius, she asked, puzzled,

"Doctor, what did you just say? I didn't hear you clearly."

Seeing Nuwa's startled expression, Mobius smiled slightly and said softly.

"I said your break time is over. It's time to do your experiments."

Nuwa immediately made a face.

"Doctor, Doctor, I just finished my break, boohoo!"

Mobius looked at Nuwa's teary eyes, her smile widening.

Just as Nuwa was about to cry, Mobius continued,

"Just kidding."

"I said, order a few milk teas and put them on my tab."

Hearing Mobius's words, Nuwa felt a mix of joy and sorrow. The surprise returned to her face, and seeing Mobius's upturned smile, Nuwa realized she had been teasing her.

But Nuwa couldn't care less about anything else at this point. Especially when she heard Mobius say she'd treat her to milk tea, Nuwa immediately jumped up, shaking her little head and excitedly saying,

"Yay! Yay! Doctor!"

"I'll order!"

"Doctor, what do you like to drink?"

...

Fuxi saw Nuwa excitedly approach Mobius, picking up her contacts to introduce the milk tea to her.

A faint smile appeared on Fuxi's face.

She could sense that her Doctor had changed a lot since returning with Elysia.

The previous Doctor was cold, focused only on experiments, difficult to approach, and possessed a powerful aura.

Only Klein could exchange a few words with the Doctor. The two sisters didn't dare say a single word to her. But since the Doctor returned, she had changed completely.

Although still cold, powerful, and difficult to approach,

there were many more things.

Fuxi couldn't quite put her finger on what those things were.

If she had to say, she had become more humane and cheerful.

For example, the Doctor had been buying them milk tea every day for the past few days.

While they didn't know why the Doctor had changed so much, it was definitely for the better.

She, Nuwa, and Senior Klein really liked the Doctor now!

Just as Fuxi was about to sprawl on the sofa to watch the live stream, she suddenly realized that the Doctor's lap was being used as a pillow by Klein!

Wow!

A lap pillow!

"It's the Doctor's again!"

"The Doctor and Senior Klein seem strangely well-matched!"

"But Captain Elysia and the Doctor also have a different kind of CP vibe."

"It's so hard to choose!"

"Deeply influenced by her sister Nuwa's unspeakable influence, Fuxi thought to herself."

"…"

Back to the story.

The World Serpent convoy gradually drove away from the industrial area. Seeing this, Kiana summoned dual pistols, stood on the roof of the truck, raised her pistols, and unleashed a barrage of fire on the convoy.

Instantly, the World Serpent convoy erupted in flames and explosions, with the gas inside exploding one by one.

Seeing this, Raven immediately jumped out of the truck and charged towards Kiana, attacking her.

However, Kiana dodged the attacks.

Raven stood in front of Kiana, extending her arm, staring at her with hateful eyes, and said mockingly,

"Herrscher is really tough on the body."

Kiana looked at Raven and sneered.

"That way, you can’t use Honkai anymore."

"Want a fair duel?"

However, when Raven heard Kiana’s last sentence, one eye appeared filled with hatred and killing intent, and she spoke fiercely.

"Hmph, to you?"

"There will never be fairness!"

After saying this, Raven picked up a test tube and plunged it into her own neck, injecting herself.

Immediately, the Honkai energy within Raven surged again, and her power returned. She launched another fierce attack on Kiana.

The sounds of blades and gunfire clashed.

But Kiana, having inhaled gas, gradually found herself at a disadvantage.

She could feel her power draining from her body, her limbs moving with difficulty as if in concrete.

Above her head, a gray cloak suddenly unfurled like the flapping wings of a raptor, blurring as it moved at high speed.

Kiana tried to dodge, but her opponent's claws accurately anticipated her movements, silently piercing her ribs.

Kiana clutched her wounded arm, glaring at Raven, and demanded:

"What exactly do you want to do in this city?"

After saying this, Kiana exhausted her last bit of strength. Her steps faltered, and she could no longer maintain her balance, collapsing to the ground.

Raven looked at the fallen Kiana and spoke expressionlessly.

"I have no obligation to answer your questions."

Then she opened her communicator and spoke to Jackal.

"Jackal, it’s done."

Jackal’s laughter came through the communicator.

"Heh, just as I expected. With the right method, Herrscher isn’t an insurmountable monster."

"Raven, take her back to the lab."

Hearing this, Raven spoke coldly,

"I advise you to leave no future trouble!"

But Jackal didn't heed Raven's words.

"Killing her now would be a waste! A Herrscher, a living Herrscher…"

"I can't wait to tear her apart and see!"

Jackal's excited voice reached her ears, and a hint of disgust flashed in her crimson eyes as she said coldly,

"Madman."

Then Raven handed the limp Kiana to the puppet soldier beside her, signaling to put her into the carriage.

"I'm taking her back. The rest of you, continue working."

Unbeknownst to Raven, at this moment, a pair of eyes in the distance witnessed everything from beginning to end.

"Oh dear, I only delayed you for a moment, and you messed up."

"But it’s not all bad. At least now I understand there’s an antidote for the serum gas."

"Well then, Miss Kiana, please bear with me for now. After all, you ordered around this wicked maid of yours before, so consider it an eye for an eye."

"In any case, let’s pray that help arrives soon."

Rita muttered, disappearing into the night.

"Cat Cat: Huh? Is this Kiana’s plan, to deal with whatever comes her way? Is there no plan at all? Meow? And I feel like Raven seems to really hate Kiana."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: If she's a survivor of the Second Honkai War, it's understandable that she hates Kiana. After all, Kiana has the Herrscher of the Void inside her."

"Queen: Hmph, the hatred of an ant. That ant called Jackal is infuriating. This bug doesn't even deserve to be called Herrscher! If the Queen appears, you ants will die in a second. Ignorant and foolish!"

"Drunken Warrior: Rita knows the principle of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, but she still underestimated Kiana. No need to guess, Kiana's plan is to deliberately let Raven capture her, then infiltrate to better obtain intelligence."

"Miss Elf: Eh, so in that case, Raven and Jackal are on the first level, Rita is on the second level, and Kiana is on the third level."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Hmph, now you know how powerful Kiana is! This time, Kiana is standing in the atmosphere!"

"Don't Want to Go to Work: Looking at it this way, Jackal and Raven's supposedly flawless plan is actually..."

"Dudu: The speed of their growth is astonishing. Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Raven looked at the comments section, her expression turning slightly sour. Although Fuxi hadn't finished speaking, she understood what Fuxi meant. It seemed that the storyline, or rather her future self, underestimated the world.

Not just Kiana, but Rita too.

Seeing this scene, Xiyue couldn't help but drift into memories. In her previous life, when she experienced this scene, she found it hard to believe that Kiana could come up with such a plan.

However, considering Kiana's experiences before coming to St. Freya, it made sense.

When Kiana had no companions and had to rely on herself, she was still quite reliable.

However, only after experiencing The Final Lesson was Paramecium truly perfected.

Although she had changed the plot now and Himeko didn't die, Kiana still wanted to fully experience the Bug's emotions from the original storyline.

Thinking this, Xiyue glanced at Paramecium sprawled on the sofa outside the room, intently watching the live stream.

Looking forward to tonight!

Back to the plot.

Continuing the live stream to the next chapter, Main Story 14: Dark Dawn - 02.

Half an hour later, Heliopolis Life Sciences Industrial Zone.

Rita infiltrated again. Looking at the scene before her, she rested her chin on her hand and spoke.

"It seems the security here has greatly increased."

Just as she finished speaking, Alvitr's voice came from beside her ear.

"Vice-Captain, are you really going to continue until Lord Durandal replies?"

"Y-although as a subordinate, I shouldn't comment so casually..."

After a moment of silence, Alvitr mustered her courage and spoke.

"Miss Rita’s previous operation has already failed. To still attempt a mission alone while weakened… that’s no longer just risky!"

Hearing Alvitr’s words, Rita fell silent, then sighed and softly replied,

"Alvitr, you’re right. Misjudgment and poor decision-making led to the team’s loss, and as the leader, I should bear full responsibility."

"But until this operation concludes, I, standing here, still have a responsibility to thwart World Serpent’s plan."

Hearing Rita’s words, Alvitr asked in surprise,

"Thwart their plan?"

Rita nodded and explained,

"Undoubtedly, if Lady Durandal arrives, we can easily achieve victory. But what if she doesn't make it? Or what if, by the time she arrives, World Serpent has already completed its plan? What will happen in this city?"

"If victory means defeating the enemy in a city piled high with the corpses of thousands of innocent people… then such a victory is not what I, as a Valkyrie, need."

"Therefore, I must do something before Lady Durandal responds."

"This is an order I gave myself, a mission for myself alone."

Hearing Rita's words, Alvitr replied, moved.

"I… I’m so touched! I didn’t think that much about it. Please forgive me, Vice-Captain!"

"Please be careful. Your current condition is at best only slightly stronger than an ordinary person."

Rita smiled confidently upon hearing this.

"Alvitr, Valkyries don’t only fight using Honkai energy. The training I received in the past is etched into my body; I’ve never forgotten it."

With that, her Phantom Iron battlesuit transformed into Godsbane Battlesuit: Argent Knight.

Alvitr continued,

"Vice-Captain, I’ve adjusted your battlesuit. Although you can’t use Honkai energy personally for the time being, it will still function for a limited time."

Rita thanked her.

"Thank you, Alvitr."

"I’ll start with clues about the antidote."

After saying that, she resumed her investigation of the vast laboratory at Heliopolis Life Sciences.

"Miss Elf: Alvitr is so cute! I love subordinates like that~"

"Don’t Want to Work: Judging from the conversation here, Durandal seems very powerful. These two seem very confident in Durandal. It seems like anything can be solved as long as Durandal comes!"

"Want to Buy An Island: Bianka Durandal Atagina, Schicksal's strongest S-rank Valkyrie, inheritor of the Key of Creation, the Black Abyss White Flower. Her name resounds like a mythical hero throughout the Schicksal organization. She is the Valkyrie with the greatest potential and the strongest since Schicksal's founding. She is the most powerful being of this century after Cecilia."

"Miss Elf: Wow, so powerful! Then why hasn't Durandal shown her face in so many chapters? I've liked her ever since she last appeared. It's a pity that after so much time in the story, she only lives on in Rita and Alvitr's words."

"Drunken Warrior: No one knows how strong Durandal is, but her strength is undeniable."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Otto, I don't know where his luck came from, finding such a powerful person."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: I will definitely surpass her in the future!"

"Dudu: She’s not as amazing as you guys say. She just likes to exercise a bit."

"Cook: So, does that mean Durandal went easy on her back then?"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Very likely. Although she’s Schicksal’s strongest Valkyrie, Durandal has her own beliefs and opinions. She won’t blindly obey her grandfather’s orders. That’s something to like. It’s just that meticulous personality, hmph…"

Theresa’s mood instantly soured as she recalled her experience working with Durandal.

However, she felt an inexplicable closeness to Durandal from their first meeting.

This closeness, to this day, she still couldn’t figure out why.

However, the person who inherited Cecilia's weapons couldn't possibly be a bad person.

...

While Rita Rossweisse infiltrated the research lab searching for clues to the antidote, deep within the Heliopolis Life Sciences industrial zone...

To repair the damage caused by the forced battle in the serum gas, Raven slept quietly in a dark hibernation pod.

Soon, she had a long-forgotten dream.

Beneath the raging ruins, a boy, his face streaked with tears, waved and shouted ahead,

"Nata!"

"Nata! Go, you must live on!"

In reality, Raven saw this scene, her face showing panic. Then she hurriedly ran into her room and locked it.

Raven guessed what was going to happen next.

In the dream, the boy's sorrowful voice faded, and Raven's voice rang out in the live stream.

"I dreamed of my brother again. I dreamed of the day I said goodbye to him."

"After the destruction struck, we were forced to leave our homeland. Food, medicine, water… everything was scarce. People went mad, killing each other to seize these things. Many of our people died on the road to escape."

"I had hoped to survive, until that man appeared before us."

The scene shifted, and Gray Serpent appeared on the large screen, leading a blonde, violet-eyed little girl. The little girl cried loudly, looking at her brother and pleading with Gray Serpent,

"Please, take my brother with you!"

But Gray Serpent, facing the girl's pleas, made no move. Instead, he looked at her and said calmly,

"Perhaps you are too young to understand now. But it's good, young girl blessed by the white flowers. Life is precious and fragile. A person lives because many innocent lives have been sacrificed for them."

"Cattle and sheep fall, offering their flesh and blood; ears of wheat fall, offering their seeds; trees fall, offering their firewood and fruit… Countless destructions create a life, and the price is extremely high."

"In these difficult times, those who live must be worthy of such sacrifice."

"Unfortunately, your brother doesn't have that value. You should listen to your brother. Be brave, live well in place of those who sacrificed themselves for you, and show your worth."

Raven's voice rang out again.

"He took me away, he protected me, he trained me."

"But even today, I'm still afraid to dream of my brother, afraid that he might not be alive for me."

"Miss Elf: Nonsense! How can a person's life be so simply measured by value? This Gray Serpent is really hard to like."

"Drunken Warrior: Looks like she really is a survivor of the Second Honkai War. Sigh."

"Cat Cat: What does 'Blessed by the White Flowers' mean?"

---

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Raven's Dream - The Possibility of Cecilia's Resurrection

Seeing Pardo's question, Kiana istantly perked up. Her eyes were glued to the live chat.

Although she knew she wasn't Cecilia's real daughter, the livestream and Sirin allowed her to relive memories of her experiences with Cecilia. Even though it was fake, Kiana was happy.

Cecilia was her mother, her very mother.

Therefore, she was incredibly curious about everything about Cecilia. If Otto hadn't arrived so suddenly, she would have definitely pestered Theresa and wanted her to tell her about her mother's story.

When Theresa saw Pardo's question, her blue eyes instantly dimmed. A flash of sadness and pain crossed them.

A sudden headache struck her, and some long-buried, even forgotten memories resurfaced.

"The Number One Cutest in the World: During the final moments of the Second Honkai War, Herrscher of the Void Sirin went berserk and unleashed Honkai energy that swept across the entire Asian continent. Cecilia, to stop Sirin and save innocent people, sacrificed her life to activate the purification of the Black Abyss White Flower, saving those corrupted by Honkai energy."

At this point, Theresa's tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

Kiana, her eyes also red, stared at the comments and murmured.

"Mom!"

"Dudu: Cecilia-senpai was a great and admirable person!"

Durandal said sincerely.

"Don't Want to Go to Work: She's so great! Waaah, I want to see Cecilia again!"

"Miss Elf: A noble character, a gentle person. Why couldn't someone like that live? Couldn't she have a happy ending?"

"Cat Cat: So, Kiana's mother saved Raven, and Kiana is Cecilia's daughter. Why would she kill her? Oh, Kiana isn't...?"

"Want to Buy An Island: I don't know what to say."

To be honest, Raven herself harbors deep hatred for the past and for Herrscher of the Void, but she has been in the livestream from the beginning and has witnessed Kiana's growth.

She also knows what kind of person Kiana is.

Even though she has Sirin's personality, Sirin is Sirin, and Kiana is Kiana.

She doesn't misunderstand Kiana like in the storyline, thinking Herrscher of the Void is Kiana and that Kiana is the culprit.

Of course, one can understand the emotional journey of someone who is completely unaware of the plot.

Ultimately, what crushed her was the island she had painstakingly bought.

It was all gone when Sirin arrived.

Furthermore, her brother's dying words to her were a testament to his love and responsibility: to live well.

These words had always influenced her, making her live solely for survival, which drove her to frantically earn money.

However, amidst her pursuit of wealth, she found a dream: to buy an island and build a large house.

She had wandered for too long and longed for a home to return to.

But all of this was destroyed when Sirin resurrected. How could she not be angry? How could she not hate?

Although she now knew Otto was the culprit, without this livestream, she would have been completely unaware.

Therefore, she could understand the storyline's aversion and hatred toward Kiana.

Thinking this, Raven couldn't help but feel a sense of relief—relief at the existence of this magical livestream, and even more relief that it could broadcast future events, albeit in a game format.

But that's not important. What matters is that she got her money back for the island ahead of schedule.

This meant that the money she had earned over decades of hard work hadn't gone to waste, and her dream still had a chance to come true.

This time, Raven had learned her lesson. She would wait until she had watched all the episodes before considering buying the island. Therefore, Raven wasn't as motivated as she was in the story.

Although she returned to World Serpent and became a manager again, she was only half-heartedly committed.

After all, she didn't agree with World Serpent's ideology, and now that she had already spent the money to realize her dream, if it weren't for her adopted child needing World Serpent's protection, she really wouldn't have a reason to work for them.

That was Raven's mindset at this moment.

As for Xiyue, seeing the comments in the live chat, she sighed heavily. Having read the Honkai manga several times, she naturally knew the truth about the Second Honkai War. To be honest, there was a high chance that her mother-in-law could influence Sirin.

After all, Sirin's devotion to maternal love ran very deep.

Unfortunately, Otto ruined everything.

Thinking of this, Xiyue sighed again.

Otto.

Only a dead Otto was truly the best Otto.

As for telling the livestream the real reason for Raven's anger, Xiyue wasn't in the mood, especially since the later plot will already reveal it. She would rather see Raven's adopted child utter those famous quotes than spoil the plot.

"Cook: Is the real Kiana still alive? Chui?"

"The Number One Cutest in the World:..."

Theresa didn't answer Mei's question, while Kiana, with red eyes and tears streaming down her face, seemed to remember something and asked the livestream system with expectant eyes.

"Can you resurrect the dead?"

[A reward for this might be given in future audience missions.]

The cold system voice echoed in Kiana's mind, but she found it more pleasant than any other voice she had ever heard.

Kiana's sadness gradually faded, and a happy smile returned to her face.

As long as there is hope, nothing else matters.

Back to the story.

A communication signal kept flashing, awakening Raven's consciousness from its dormancy. Jackal's voice entered her ears.

"How are you? You should be almost recovered, right?"

"Aren't you a little proud of yourself? You defeated Herrscher of the Void, proving that the will of World Serpent is unstoppable. This also proves my conclusion: even if Honkai granted Herrschers devastating power, they are still just flesh and blood."

Hearing Jackal's words, Raven didn't feel joy but calmly retorted,

"Jackal, I hope you understand what you're doing."

Jackal ignored Raven's tone, continuing in a manic voice.

"Of course I understand. Since the organization's inception, we've never obtained a research sample of a Herrscher, let alone a living one. Studying her will give us a leap forward in our understanding of the nature of Honkai."

Hearing Jackal's morbid words, Raven said calmly,

"Can this research bring back those who died because of Honkai?"

Hearing Raven's question, Jackal didn't answer directly but instead gave a cold snort.

"Hmph, you wouldn't understand what such an opportunity means to us researchers. You can never defeat your enemy if you can't understand it."

"No matter how much pain it brings you, you must embrace it, see it clearly, and seek opportunities to defeat it. If you can't do these things, then your suffering is a waste."

"And ultimately, personal suffering, failure, is but a tiny speck of dust among billions."

"There is only one kind of suffering that needs healing, and that is the suffering brought about by the common fate of all humanity—Honkai. So, let's do our part."

Raven was already used to hearing Jackal's words. She continued speaking to Jackal.

"The Herrscher of the Void is now under your control. The activation switch has been installed."

"Now, no one will stop the plan."

Hearing this, Jackal's voice carried a hint of joy and excitement.

"Activate the switch. In two hours, the people of Arc City will be reborn."

...

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: This Jackal is so arrogant! Humph, wait until Kiana wakes up in front of her. She'll know what a surprise is."

"Queen: Ignorant ant, what kind of trash Herrscher is she? If the Queen shows up, she won't even have a chance to speak."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Arrogant yet adorably silly. Hilarious, what's going on?"

"Driver's License Revoked: Looking forward to her expression when she finds out Kiana is faking it."

"Dudu: Looking forward to it too."

"Don't Want to Go to Work: Looking forward to it immensely."

"Miss Elf: Looking forward to it!"

...

Back to Rita. She was still searching for clues. She searched for a long time but finally found them. Just as Rita was examining the antidote, a figure with a knife appeared behind her.

The scene flashed, and Mei appeared behind Rita, a sharp blade pointed at Rita's neck. Just a little more and Rita's head would be severed.

However, Rita didn't show any surprise. Instead, she smiled and said to Mei,

"Miss Mei, it's been a long time."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Mei, Mei! Wow, Mei's dress is so pretty, so pretty! I really want to see her in person. I haven't seen Mei for over a day. I'll die if I don't see Mei!"

"Cook: Don't be like that, it's only been a day. We can meet after everything is settled. You idiot."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Waaaaah, no way, it's still so long! I'll die if I don't see Mei."

"Miss Elf: I'll die if I don't see Mei~"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Huh? Why do you want to die? (Warning)"

"Miss Elf: Because I like Mei too~"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Ha! Get out of here! Mei belongs to Kiana and can only belong to Kiana!"

"Cook: Idiot!!!"

"Miss Elf: We can be together~"

"Driver's License Revoked: Idiot, Mei belongs to everyone."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Mei is still so lovable, hahaha."

"Drunken Warrior: After all, Mei has to be the mother of three children at the academy. How could we not like her?"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Weren't there two? How come there are three? Idiot Kiana, Bronya, who else is there?"

"Drunken Warrior: Guess someone who likes bitter melon juice is one of them too"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: You drunkard!!!"

The livestream was filled with laughter.

Back to the story.

Mei sheathed her long sword, coldly staring at her former enemy, and said irritably,

"I received the message you sent through that child."

Hearing Mei's words, Rita's smile widened.

"Looks like luck is on my side."

"The reinforcements I've been waiting for have arrived."

"Didn't Dr. Tesla come along?"

Mei ignored Rita's overly familiar manner, still looking at her warily, and asked coldly,

"We received your message and prepared for the worst."

"Now, what makes you think I won't believe you're not behind this?"

Rita was unfazed by Mei's wariness and distance. She replied with a smile.

"Lying is the most unwise choice when a blade is at your throat."

"Look around and you'll see there are no ambushes here. Besides, I'm powerless against Miss Mei right now. I just want to make a sincere deal with you—you help me obtain the antidote, and I'll tell you Kiana's whereabouts."

To prove her point, Rita waved her hand, and the recording device on her armor projected images of her fighting alongside Kiana.

Then she continued.

"In this city, we're on the same side."

Mei scoffed but didn't refute Rita's words.

Mei then rushed to the heavily guarded research lab, retrieved the antidote Rita needed, and returned to Rita's side, saying,

"I've done what you asked. Now it's your turn."

Rita replied with a smile,

"Deep beneath the administrative building in this industrial zone, World Serpent built a laboratory where they conduct various research related to Honkai. The place where Miss Kiana is imprisoned should be there. I'll give you the map and the route."

The sword, which had been sheathed, was once again pressed against Rita's neck, cutting off her unfinished words.

Rita looked at the sword before her, not panicked but with a puzzled expression.

"What does this mean?"

Mei looked at Rita and said emphatically,

"Rita, I want one more thing."

"I want that eye—Gray Serpent's eye."

Hearing this, Rita understood. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she smiled and handed Mei the item she held.

"As you wish."

Mei held Gray Serpent's eye, her eyes shining with joy.

"In this way, that child has finally gained their freedom."

Rita looked at Mei, who was smiling, and sighed softly, speaking slowly to her.

"If Miss Mei continues to linger here, Miss Kiana will likely suffer in that laboratory."

"Then, farewell. I hope that next time we meet, you won't have a sword at my throat."

Rita watched Mei leave quickly.

Looking at the antidote in her hand, Rita smiled charmingly again and murmured,

"The antidote issue is resolved."

"Now, let me find out where these guys hid the EOS."

---

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Kiana's Acting Skills and Kiana's Encounter

After separating from Rita, Mei rushed to the location Rita had told her, fearing something might happen to Kiana if she stayed any longer.

Meanwhile, in the industrial area, in the underground laboratory.

Kiana's heart pounded in her sleep.

In countless dark nights, she dreamt dreams where truth was indistinguishable. She was immersed in a bottomless abyss of memories.

Pitch black. Cold.

She struggled to swim upwards, desperately breathing.

But the path upward was too dark and too long, while the option to give up was within reach.

She was tired, so tired that she just wanted to fall asleep and never again concern herself with this world filled with pain.

However, a faint voice kept calling the girl's name, like cracks appearing on thick ice.

The name sounded so unfamiliar; the girl had never truly possessed it.

But every syllable pounded against her heartbeat.

"Kiana!"

"Kiana Kaslana! Wake up!"

Kiana remembered this name. It was the name she longed to have.

As her consciousness gradually returned, Kiana finally remembered that she had been subjected to torture and experiments. There were still unfinished tasks. She couldn't let herself fall asleep like this.

"Cat Cat: Kindly pity Kiana now. I'd rather that stupid Kiana stayed alive than see Kiana like this."

"Drunken Warrior: She's carrying too much on her shoulders right now."

"Cook: Kiana."

Mei's eyes reddened again.

"Beautiful Snake: The only way to prevent all this from happening is to defeat the Honkai!"

......

Back to the story.

Kiana slowly opened her eyes and found herself strapped to an experimental table, with a masked woman on the screen in front of her.

Kiana knew this was the culprit behind this experiment.

“Cough... cough..."

Jackal looked at the awakened Kiana, her eyes filled with madness and savagery, and spoke happily.

“Very good, Herrscher of the Void. You only fainted for a third of a second during that test.”

“Your body is simply a miracle. Heh, it seems that no matter what I do to it, it always returns to normal…”

“Can you still speak?”

Kiana listened to Jackal's words, gave a cold snort, and spoke weakly.

“How many people will survive your experiments in Arc City?”

Hearing Kiana's words, Jackal was slightly taken aback, then reacted, a mocking smile appearing on her face.

“You care about the number? I originally thought that for the Herrscher of the Void, the death toll was as meaningless as breadcrumbs on the table after dinner.”

“Heh, I will tell you when I have the answer, as long as you can still hear my voice then.”

After saying this, Jackal's eyes turned cold again as she spoke in a chilling voice.

"Next project: the connection reaction between the Herrscher core and physiological tissues."

The experiment started, and Kiana couldn't help but scream. Meanwhile, on the other side of the screen, somewhere unknown, a series of gleeful laughs emanated from beneath Jackal's mask.

"Hahaha, the Honkai resistance of your cells is astonishing. After injecting the Honkai solution, the stigmata began to glow."

"These marks are truly beautiful. This gives me even greater confidence in the future promised by the Lord."

Kiana listened to those maniacal words and chuckled softly.

"Speaking of stigmata, you stole Schicksal's vaccine, provoked the Valkyries, and went to all this trouble."

"But apart from zombies, I haven't seen any stigmata on anyone in this city."

"Heh, your calculations must be wrong."

Hearing the sarcasm in Kiana's words, a flash of anger crossed Jackal's eyes.

"I don't want to discuss professional matters with an experimental subject. It's ridiculous."

With that, Jackal waved her hand, activating a new test.

The test continued. Kiana screamed in agony but continued to mock Jackal amidst the screams.

"Maybe you made a mistake with a decimal point in your arithmetic, like how I often..."

Before Kiana could finish, Jackal made another gesture, inflicting another round of torture.

"Aaaaaaaa!"

Kiana's screams grew louder, and successfully enraged by Kiana's words, Jackal spoke coldly.

"You lucky ant, having obtained godlike power, think you can dictate everything in the world. This is profound knowledge capable of changing the fate of humanity! I won't allow you to discuss this serious topic with such a contemptuous analogy!"

"How to improve the vaccine? How much Honkai energy is needed to baptize this city to fully activate the holy marks within people?"

"Hmph, the secrets are only understandable to a genius like me."

Kiana looked at the enraged Jackal, a smile flashing deep in her eyes, and continued to probe.

"Where is the Honkai energy released? In the city center or on the edge?"

Hearing Kiana's words, this time Jackal did not react as Kiana expected and instead spoke with disgust.

"You ask too many questions. Skip the other tests and start the dissection."

Hearing Jackal's words, Kiana's pained expression began to change. She smiled as she looked at Jackal on the screen, as if she had been forcibly watching a clumsy drama and had finally lost patience.

"I've wasted so much time with you for this tiny bit of information."

"Fine, I guess I won't get any more information out of you."

Jackal saw Kiana's change, and her face showed shock. The weakling trembling in pain in her eyes, the helpless experimental subject, suddenly revealed a hunter's smile.

Jackal's arrogant expression crumbled as she spoke, bewildered.

"That's impossible, you just clearly..."

Seeing Jackal's expression, Kiana's lips curled into a wild smile as she calmly replied.

"Oh, screaming and faking tears are essential skills for girls."

"Your skills aren't that great."

With that, the girl raised her fist. One punch, two punches, and the reinforced glass, as hard as steel, shattered like thin ice under her fury. Looking at Jackal, she chuckled.

"Remember, today we're not just shattering these few pieces of glass, but also your stupid Project Stigma!"

Hearing Kiana's words, Jackal's shocked expression slowly turned into a smile as she threatened Kiana.

"Heh, you'll see..."

But the girl's punches continued, and the screen shattered with a crash, Jackal's threat abruptly cut short.

"Watch your dog head!"

The last words Jackal heard before losing contact on the screen.

"Cat Cat: So cool! Kiana was just acting all along, making me worry for nothing! But that last line was so cool. Watch out for your dog head. I really want to see what kind of smirk Jackal has."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Awesome. This Jackal is arrogant and conceited, acting like everyone can see through her. A genius, huh? Einstein would laugh if she heard that. Heh."

"Dudu: Too bad this cunning person doesn't have her real body in the experiment. Otherwise, I really hope Kiana's fist hits her face."

"Cook: Kiana, well done, this madwoman!"

"Driver's License Revoked: Zaychik, it seems like there are so many lunatics in World Serpent!"

"Don't Want to Go to Work: Although I don't know everything about Project Stigma, from this fragmented information, I can tell how insane this plan is. If the plan is insane, the people executing it must be insane too."

"Miss Elf: I didn't expect Kiana to be such a good actress! Those few moments earlier, I really thought Kiana was in a lot of pain. It scared me to death."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Kiana's body is currently half-Herrscherized. A half-Herrscherized body can't feel pain, but it still has a sense of taste."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: What? She can't feel taste? That means she can't taste anything either. No, Kiana can't become Herrscherized. Losing her sense of taste is too painful!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Don't worry too much. As long as she fully masters the power of the Herrscher, her sense of taste and pain will return."

"Drunken Warrior: That 'dog head' was absolutely gorgeous!"

"Want to Buy An Island: Yeah, I really want to see how Jackal reacts when she gets called a 'dog head.'"

Raven didn't particularly like Jackal either. That arrogant and conceited person thought everyone except herself and the Lord was an unevolved monkey. This attitude made her dislike working with Jackal.

Unfortunately, she had no choice; she couldn't disobey the Lord's orders.

However, this time she refused to go to Arc City, leaving the task to Chen Tianwu.

Let Chen Tianwu and Jackal face Kiana and the others.

She shook her head, then continued to focus on the live stream.

The story continued.

Kiana untangled the complicated IV lines around her, stepped out of the experimental chamber, and took a deep breath of free air. Alarms blared all around, and the containment chamber door slowly opened.

A huge, insect-like monster blocked her view, its carapace gleaming with a ferocious purple light.

Seeing this, Kiana smiled slightly and leaped into the air, gun in hand.

Fu Hua watched Kiana fighting Tonatiu, her expression slightly worried.

"Kiana, are you really alright?"

Kiana answered Fu Hua while fighting.

"It's strange, the experiments that person did didn't hurt at all."

Hearing this, Fu Hua sighed, not telling Kiana the truth.

Quickly, as Kiana lowered her gun, the Honkai beast, glowing with purple light, fell to the ground, disintegrating into tiny fragments before being sucked into a black hole and disappearing.

Bang!

At the same time, the laboratory door behind her shook violently with a loud bang, collapsing to both sides.

Seeing this, Kiana hurriedly turned around, preparing to face the new enemy.

However, the person before her caught her completely off guard.

Mei stared at Kiana, who stood before her with a gun, her purple eyes filled with shock. She covered her mouth with one hand, her voice trembling as she cried out.

"Kiana—!"

Kiana trembled upon hearing Mei's voice. She had imagined a thousand scenarios for their long-awaited reunion, but none like this.

At this moment, in this place.

But her heart felt no joy, only terror.

Kiana instinctively took a step back, looking at Mei in disbelief, and cried out.

"Mei!"

The instant she called Mei's name, she wanted to rush to Mei and hug her tightly, just like before. But then she thought of her situation and the danger they were in.

Kiana struggled to control her impulse, gripping her hands tightly.

She hurriedly said to Mei.

"What are you doing here? You... you shouldn't be here! I... it's... dangerous here!"

Kiana wanted to say so much to Mei, but when she actually saw her, she couldn't utter a single word. Having gone through so much, she thought she was strong enough to calmly face the sight of her old friend's reunion.

But the moment she saw Mei, her confidence crumbled. She became that lost, homeless girl wandering Arc City again.

The lingering guilt, the fear of losing control again…

The demons of the past whispered behind her.

She longed to see Mei but didn't want to see her here, especially with the unimaginable disaster about to befall the city.

Kiana was overwhelmed with emotions.

But Mei didn't care about any of that. She didn't think about anything else; she only knew she had found Kiana, the Kiana she had longed for.

She remained silent, then hugged Kiana tightly.

She held onto Kiana's clothes tightly, as if letting go would cause the girl before her to vanish.

“Cat Cat: To be honest, it's really hard to end things like this if we don't get married! Meow.”

Pardofelis, deeply influenced by shoujo manga, voiced her opinion.

"Don't Want to Go to Work: I love this couple the most! It's a pity that Mei and Kiana haven't been seen together for so long since The Final Lesson. Although Kiana and Fu Hua are pretty good too, Kiana and Mei are true love!"

Fuxi felt the same way.

"Want to Buy An Island: It's a bit bittersweet. Logically, Kiana should have rushed to Mei and hugged her tightly. But now it's the other way around. They've been through so much."

"Miss Elf: You can tell Kiana really wanted to rush over and hug Mei, but more than that, she was worried about Mei's safety, especially since the city might be destroyed."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: This hug has lasted so long."

Theresa sighed deeply while looking at the comments section and couldn't help but feel relieved that the tragedies in the story hadn't happened, although they were still separated from Kiana.

But Himeko hadn't died, and Kiana wasn't alone; she had a mysterious, powerful protector.

As for Fu Hua, judging from the storyline, she had many ways to protect herself, so there was no need to worry.

What worried her now was her grandfather's wanted poster and World Serpent's conspiracy.

Thinking of this, Theresa looked out at the azure sky, her blue eyes sparkling.

After a long while, Mei also noticed Kiana's wounds.

She took a deep breath, her purple eyes filled with heartache. Looking at these wounds, her heart broke.

"Kiana, you're injured..."

"I'll take you back, back to the Hyperion. The Headmistress and the others are waiting for you."

---

Chapter 30: Fu Hua's Departure (Meteoric Salvation - Part 1)

Hearing Mei's trembling voice, choked with suppressed sobs, Kiana's heart stirred.

Her resolve wavered, and she nod in agreement, but she knew she couldn't.

After a moment of silence, Kiana touched Mei's arm. Her eyes were filled with sorrow as she spoke.

"I... can't go back, Mei."

Go back?

Could she still laugh and joke freely with her friends like before? Could she still stand before them as if nothing had happened?

And would they... still respond with those warm smiles?

Some things, once they happen, are like scars etched onto the face. A forced smile only makes the pain more pronounced.

"Want to Buy An Island: Kiana is conflicted and scared."

"Drunken Warrior: This idiot overthinks things. But then again..."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: In Kiana's heart, she killed Himeko, and she feels guilty. Because of this, she's afraid to face us."

"Miss Elf: Sigh..."

"Cat Cat: I thought our reunion would be sweet, but it's another tragedy. I shouldn't have had any expectations!"

"Don't Want to Go to Work: Stop the tragedies, stop the tragedies. I'm getting numb from all the tragedies."

"Driver's License Revoked: Idiot, you overthink things. Hurry up and move on!"

Seeing everyone's comments, Xiyue could feel that everyone's tolerance for tragedies had improved considerably.

But this was only the beginning!

The rest was all tragedies~

Then, she refocused her attention on the plot.

Kiana's thoughts raced, and finally, she sighed heavily inwardly before continuing to speak to Mei.

"I'm sorry. I can't let you take this risk."

Hearing Kiana's words, Mei was taken aback.

She stared intently at Kiana, feeling a sense of estrangement for the first time.

The reunion was not filled with joy, but rather with solemnity.

Fortunately, Fu Hua's voice broke the eerie silence.

"Ahem, Kiana, now is not the time for reminiscing."

"Enemies are surging along the passage. Remind Mei to prepare for battle."

Hearing Fu Hua's words, Kiana snapped out of her reverie, patted Mei's hand, and stroked her head.

"Mei, give me some time. We must leave here and resolve this crisis in the city."

"Then we can talk about other things."

Hearing Kiana's words, Mei suppressed her emotions and nodded.

"I understand. Rita sent me the message to find you. I know everything."

After saying this, Mei looked at Kiana's increasingly youthful face and said with deep emotion,

"Kiana, I want you to understand that I and everyone on the Hyperion will always wait for you."

Kiana nodded, suppressing her reluctance, and turned to face the enemy.

Kiana and Mei worked together again, their teamwork no less seamless than before.

They quickly eliminated the enemy before them.

Kiana, panting, told Mei what she knew.

"Just now in the lab, that guy with the dog's head revealed their plan."

"Besides modifying the vaccine to activate the Stigmata within the body, World Serpent will also create a Honkai disaster covering the entire city, fully activating the Stigmata."

Hearing Kiana's words, Mei was shocked by the insane plan.

"Isn't there a more detailed time and location? Even if we turn this place upside down, it won't stop them from carrying out their plan."

Just as the two were getting anxious, a clear, familiar voice rang in their ears.

"I know where they are."

Hearing this voice, Kiana and Mei became alert, their eyes turning toward the source of the voice.

Then they saw Rita, clad in her Argent Knight, elegantly seated on the wall, watching the two with a smile.

Rita met their gazes and smiled slightly.

"It seems Miss Kiana is doing well. Then I'm relieved."

Mei looked at Rita, immediately brandishing her sword to block Kiana's path, coldly staring at her.

"You won't be taking her away from me!"

Rita continued, her gaze fixed on Mei.

"Miss Mei, please calm down. As I said, in this city, we're on the same side."

"Just now, Miss Kiana mentioned that World Serpent would be manufacturing Honkai outbreaks in the city. I think I know what the second half of the plan is about."

"In this city, which is heavily monitored for Honkai-powered capabilities, there shouldn't be anything that could trigger a large Honkai Eruption. But things that have entered the city legally through inspections are a different story."

"Especially those large vehicles powered by Honkai—my flagship, the Eos, is a perfect target."

Hearing Rita's words, Kiana seemed to understand something.

"So those guys?"

Rita nodded and continued.

"They dismantled the Honkai energy engine of the Eos. To maximize the impact on Arc City's residents, they placed the engine atop a signal tower in the very center of the city."

"Remove the protective shell, and if you overload the engine core for a period of time, it becomes a time bomb, releasing a massive amount of Honkai energy... boom!"

"Afterwards, Schicksal will never be able to clear its name."

Hearing Rita's words, Kiana sensed the urgency of the situation and quickly spoke.

"We can't linger here any longer!"

Rita nodded.

"That's right, but it seems they don't intend for us to leave so easily either~"

As soon as the words left her lips, a colossal, pitch-black shadow slowly descended, obscuring the three's view.

Upon seeing the shadow's true form, Kiana's eyes widened in shock and confusion.

"I just destroyed that giant thing."

In the void, the strange purple Honkai beast once again extended its massive form. It opened its crystal-clear, translucent shell, its purple forepaws slowly retracting as it assumed an attack stance.

Rita looked at the Honkai beast, then fixed her gaze on Kiana and spoke.

"Miss Kiana, do you remember what you told me?"

"Preventing disaster is more important than running away."

With that, Rita appeared before the Honkai beast and continued,

"I'll hold it off. I'll leave the bomb disposal to you."

Seeing the resolute look in Rita's eyes, Kiana nodded emphatically.

"I understand."

Rita, holding her scythe, smiled at Kiana.

"Thank you for coming to save me then."

"Now we're even."

......

"Cat Cat: Well, my feelings towards Rita have reversed again. These Valkyries are really great! It's just that their leader is a bit of a loser. Otto, that big bad guy!"

"Drunken Warrior: From the moment the Valkyries joined the Valkyrie force, they swore an oath—to protect all humanity. This is the ultimate faith of all Valkyries."

"Don't Want to Go to Work: Young girls in the prime of their lives, stepping onto the battlefield where death is a certainty. Truly noble! Because of these people, Honkai has never defeated us in any era!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: We will definitely defeat Honkai!"

"Cook: We will!"

......

Back to the story, Rita, facing the remains of Honkai beasts, gasped for breath. Her body still hadn't recovered to its previous state.

Suddenly, the communicator crackled to life, and a familiar voice rang out.

Hearing this voice, Rita's lips curled into a wild smile, and she chuckled.

"Such a slow response..."

"Sigh, if Lord Durandal catches me, it's not my problem."

"Cat Cat: Huh? Why are they trying to capture Kiana too?!"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: I knew it, this woman is up to no good!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: You wicked woman!"

...

In the story, Kiana, carrying Mei, ran quickly toward their destination.

"Mei, we're almost there!"

But unbeknownst to Kiana, Raven had been lying in wait ahead. Seeing Kiana and Mei, Raven's eyes flashed with murderous intent, and she launched an attack.

"Ah!"

Mei was attacked, and Kiana quickly stepped in front of her, blocking Raven's attack.

Raven stood on the wrecked car, her eyes coldly fixed on the two of them, her face icy.

"We meet again."

"This time, no one will get in my way."

But Kiana ignored Raven, her face filled with worry as she looked at Mei in her arms.

"Mei!"

Mei looked at Kiana, then at Raven. Enduring the pain, she said,

"I'm alright, Kiana. Don't worry about me."

Hearing this, Kiana nodded with difficulty.

Then she slowly put down the injured Mei, stood up, and looked up angrily.

Raven's gray cloak fluttered in the wind, her gaze as sharp as a raptor eyeing its prey.

Kiana said coldly,

"Get out of the way!"

"It's not too late to stop now. Your plan isn't to save lives, it's to slaughter."

Hearing Kiana's words, Raven stared at her. Her gaze was filled with barely concealed disgust and murderous intent as she retorted.

"Slaughter?"

"As the creator of the Second Honkai, the greatest murderer in human history..."

"What right do you, a monster like you, have to judge us?"

"Have you heard the voices of those who died because of you? Those infected with Honkai and on the verge of death?"

"Those women mourning their husbands."

"Those children taken from their fathers, daughters, and brothers, trained as mercenaries..."

"Their cries, their weeping—you couldn't possibly hear them!"

A rare hint of pain appeared on her usually expressionless face.

"Once the experiment is complete, humanity will no longer have to endure everything you represent."

Hearing Raven's words, Kiana ignored them. She had no desire or inclination to argue.

All she wanted now was to save the city before her and all its innocent inhabitants.

Kiana clenched her fists, her eyes blazing with fury, and spoke again.

"I'll say it again. Get out of the way!"

Then Kiana launched her attack. Only by quickly defeating the woman before her could she stop World Serpent's plan.

On the not-too-big, not-too-small road, two figures raced. Their paths crossed in the air before they landed motionless. It was as if the last two moves on a chessboard had sealed the victory.

In the end, Kiana had the upper hand.

Blood stained Raven's gray cloak black. She clutched her wound tightly, staggering backward as if denying the looming defeat.

Looking at Kiana, who held a gun, Raven clutched her wound, suppressing the pain, and said coldly.

"You can kill me, Herrscher of the Void."

"Just like you've always done."

Kiana didn't speak but stared deeply into her opponent's eyes.

In those eyes, of roughly the same age as her, nothing beyond death and terror had ever been seen.

Kiana sheathed her dual pistols, ignoring Raven.

Raven coughed up a few mouthfuls of blood, her crimson eyes flashing with madness as she spoke.

"The experiment is about to begin."

"Nothing we do now can change this outcome."

"Heh, I held you back. I've won this battle."

With a cruel smile, Raven weakly spread her hands, a plume of white smoke rising from her feet.

"Wait!"

Kiana realized something, but it was too late.

Finally, in the darkness cast by the towering buildings, Raven's figure vanished with the white smoke.

"Cat Cat: This scene was so heartbreaking. Both of them clearly had their own unspeakable suffering, yet they still drew their swords against each other. Waaaa, I just don't understand."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Different stances lead to different choices."

"Miss Elf: But no matter what, World Serpent can't sacrifice a city of millions just to complete that so-called Project Stigma. What they're doing now—how is it any different from what the Herrscher did?"

"Driver's License Revoked: Zaychik doesn't understand. Aren't the innocent people in Arc City human beings too?"

"Don't Want to Go to Work: Regardless of Raven's mindset, in this situation, the Herrscher is thinking about saving humanity, while the organization that considers itself humanity's savior wants to destroy everyone in this city. Extreme and insane!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Insane!"

"Drunken Warrior: I hope Kiana can stop this tragedy."

"Sakura: It's still somewhat ironic. The Herrscher is saving humanity, while some people are destroying humanity."

...

Back to the story, Kiana heard Raven's words and looked at the tower in front of her. She was willing but powerless.

To get to this point, the girl had exhausted every bit of her strength, forcing her body to the brink of collapse.

For a moment, Kiana didn't know what to do.

"Damn it, damn it, I've already come this far, but there's no time left!"

"There must be another way! I can't be trapped here!"

And at that moment, Fu Hua's voice echoed in Kiana's mind.

"Kiana, use the Herrscher of the Void's energy to its fullest extent."

Kiana was puzzled by Fu Hua's words.

"Class Monitor, what did you say?"

Fu Hua looked at Kiana and continued to explain.

"Awaken all the power of the Herrscher of the Void within you. We still have a chance to get there before the engine explodes and stop it all."

Kiana, hearing this, knew what Fu Hua wanted to do.

"I understand what you're doing, and I know it's the only way."

"But you're already so weak!"

Feeling the concern in Kiana's words, Fu Hua smiled and gently said,

"I will do everything I can to restrain her personality. Use the power of the Herrscher core to your heart's content."

"You're right. When someone looks back on the past, they can't always find themselves running away. Those who sacrificed themselves because of Honkai are gone. They didn't have the chance to witness the world become better because of your efforts."

"But you can let those who are still alive see all of this."

Kiana turned around and looked deeply at Mei.

Mei's lips trembled slightly, as if in that instant she understood all the decisions Kiana was about to make.

Mei's eyes and silence spoke volumes about her heart.

She knew, she knew, that Kiana wouldn't stop now.

Kiana raised her head and closed her eyes.

The Fu Hua in her mind, with a gentle smile, gazed at Kiana. Her eyes were filled with pride and joy as she softly spoke,

"Go do what you should do."

Gradually, Fu Hua transformed into countless points of light, coalescing into a feather in Kiana's hands.

Kiana felt the warmth emanating from the feather and murmured,

"Thank you, Class Monitor!"

The girl grasped the weightless feather. Like fine snowflakes, it slowly melted away between her fingers.

She lowered her head, carefully savoring the wondrous experience of Fu Hua becoming one with her.

The inherently dangerous and restless side of her soul seemed to be firmly suppressed by a gentle and calming hand.

"Let's begin, Kiana."

Fu Hua's voice flowed into Kiana's heart like a mountain spring.

Sddenly, the fear and doubt that had been shrouding her vanished under the night sky.

Then,

Kiana started running.

---