Bab 260: Wow, did Kevin really not hit you?
No matter the route she chose, the time was coming when she'd have to leave her little corner of the world behind. It's what everyone has to do eventually.
Suddenly, one of the memory feathers flickered, and the scene shifted to a bustling campus.
Fu Hua standing alone among the crowd, not in the center of attention as one might assume, but rather alone.
She'd try to reach out and start conversations, but others would back away, creating a quiet far more unsettling than any frustrated remarks.
Cold stares and whispers were as devastating as any kind of weapon.
Bronya sighed after seeing how things turned out for Fu Hua in the memory fragment.
"She moved somewhere new, she tried to fit in, she even worked up the courage to reach out to people..."
Kiana nodded, a gloomy expression on her face. "But nobody responded... I know how it feels. It's that loneliness when you don't have a single friend to call your own, when you keep bouncing around, always on the sidelines."
Her thoughts drifted back to ARC City, the way people reacted to her with a mix of surprise and terror, more scared of her than the monsters she fought.
---
[I feel sorry for Kiana like this. She is sensible, but she feels sad for no reason. It is better not to have such an experience... ]
[ Kiana has grown up, but she is no longer as innocent and lively as before, and she is a little uncomfortable with it]
[Has Red Kite Immortal ever had such an experience? It's unbelievable, it's probably just a game lore fabrication... but it's also quite real ]
"I never would have guessed the squad leader went through something like that..."
Mei said with reminiscence in her eyes that she had a similar experience in Nagazora City a long time ago, and it was certainly not a good experience.
"Whatever, that's just how she is. Not a big talker. Look, she doesn't have a ton of friends, right? It's why nobody defended her when she got backstabbed." The Herrscher of Sentience waved her hand, indicating that this was nothing more than a trivial matter.
"Speaking of which, the great Herrscher of Sentience, do you also have all of Fu Hua's memories now? " Luo Mo asked curiously,
The Herrscher of Sentience leaned back, a smirk playing on her lips. "Of course I do. Like I said, I'm Fu Hua, she's Fu Hua, same deal. No big surprise there."
"Well then," Luo Mo pressed on, "how about a reunion with some of your old Friend?"
"Old Friend? Who are you thinking? Kevin? Pfft, that guy's a walking popsicle, made for fighting and not much else. Honestly, I'd rather hang out with old antique than him!" The Herrscher of Sentience scoffed, waving her hand dismissively.
"Beat him once, don't need to do it again!"
Moreover, Her mind buzzed with all the new discoveries she'd made – turns out Bronya's quiet sister, Seele, was a Herrscher too, and then there was that Cheng Lixue girl with the Book of Fuxi...
This whole world was shaping up to be wildly different from the one she knew.
And honestly? That was kind of exciting.
Wasn't that the whole point of traveling?
"Actually, there's way more to it than that..." Luo Mo said, a knowing smile playing on his lips.
Regarding the Herrscher of Sentience, he naturally has many things to ask, what about the Honkai of the world? Is it very different from the original Story of Honkai impact 3rd?
But the person is already here, and there is no rush. As long as he coaxes the other person well, she won't go anywhere for a while.
" Others? Fuxi, Nuwa? That's right, they might also be able to survive -"
The Herrscher of Sentience nodded as if she understood, nodding like she was pounding garlic.
...
The scene shifted, the memory feather carrying them forward in time. Now, Fu Hua was no longer a student, but a hardened warrior.
The world around them was bleak – the Eleventh Herrscher's defeat had been costly, leaving humanity clinging to just three remaining cities.
As she and Kevin paced through the base's stark corridors, their footsteps echoed with a hollow finality. Kevin was explaining the strategy: they would be split up, posted to different cities.
He tried reassuring Fu Hua, urging her to understand Dr. MEI's difficult decisions.
Fu Hua's reply was that she would obey. For her, it was the same wherever she fought against Honkai.
What did it really matter if she understood Dr. MEI or not? Understanding wouldn't give her peace, and misunderstanding wouldn't change a single line of the plan.
Memories flickered in her mind – a smiling captain, words of trust and friendship spoken moments before betrayal and death. Yes, that's how it was with the Herrschers. She obeyed, but the understanding was a chasm she could never bridge.
That was Fu Hua. From the beginning, her life had been shaped by the decisions of others, their plans and strategies. Accepting orders had almost become second nature.
But ultimately, their careful division of forces meant nothing. The Twelfth Herrscher lay in wait within the very base they explored.
Then the alarm sounded, and the last three cities of mankind were reduced to ruins.
...
"You see, Dr. Mei's arrangement may not be correct. You need to think for yourself sometimes, Old Antique! You can't just let people dictate your life every step of the way." The Herrscher of Sentience's voice rose, laced with frustration and a hint of protectiveness.
Clearly, Fu Hua's situation had struck a nerve.
"..." Fu Hua said nothing and glanced at her lightly.
She couldn't figure out what the Herrscher was thinking now, whether it genuine concern for her, or just the Herrscher lashing out, projecting her own anger onto someone else?
"Aw, fine, fine." The Herrscher of Sentience huffed, a dramatic frown playing on her face.
"We're not from the same world anyway, so I guess those old grudges don't really count. I'll let you off the hook this time!" She announced this with an air of forced magnanimity, like she was making a huge, selfless sacrifice.
"So... do you want me to bow in gratitude for your amazing forgiveness?" Fu Hua exhaled and looked at the Herrscher of Sentience as if she were a child, just like Cheng Lixue did when she was a child.
"Well, duh!" The Herrscher of Sentience puffed up her chest, any pretense of reluctance completely gone. "You should be thanking the all-powerful Herrscher of Sentience!"
"Boss, boss, what will happen next is when Kevin shouts - no matter what the cost, will mankind definitely defeat Honkai? " Kiana asked,
"Hmm, well..." Luo Mo trailed off, a thoughtful look on his face. "It's a little different from the original story – Seele wasn't actually there, remember?"
"haha, speaking of which, I don't have any memory of that trip in the Quantum Sea." Seele touched her head and said a little embarrassed.
" Wait, what are you talking about? Am I not keeping up with the times? Or, old antique, your memory is out of date? "
The Herrscher of Sentience looked at them blankly, completely unable to understand what they were talking about.
"Why are you picking on me all of a sudden? Did you forget about your own attitude problem?" Fu Hua's voice held a mix of confusion and indignation.
Sure, she'd always followed orders, but she'd never been a doormat, letting people walk all over her!
The Herrscher of Sentience puffed out her cheeks. "My memories are your memories! So, my mess-ups are obviously your mess-ups!" She spouted this with a stubbornness that made her seem much younger.
A moment later, some of that bravado faded, her features crumpling slightly. "Ugh, it's all your fault! This world is too much like my world – it gets me all mixed up in the head!"
...
The next memory feather whisked them back to distant times, a world humming with the energy of a civilization not yet lost.
There, side-by-side, Fuxi, Nuwa, and The Immortal Phoenix jingwei toiled tirelessly, their minds consumed by the grand Ember Plan.
But amidst their ambition, a hidden burden weighed down on Fu Hua – a consequence of her hypermnesia. Her mind overflowed with memories, a constant murmur that had been growing into a pounding headache.
When Fuxi questioned why she didn't simply erase some of those memories, Fu Hua's answer was quiet, a touch of defiance beneath her calm. "Maybe it's selfish," she admitted.
Flashes of the past filled her thoughts: a wide-eyed student taking her first steps into the unknown, a young woman's moments of fear and hesitation, the warmth of a martial arts gym on rainy nights, the sting of battles won and lost... It was a messy, beautiful story, proof that she had lived, not just existed.
The flow of time stuttered. It wasn't a swift passage of thousands of years, but this very moment...
That night, hidden from sight, Fu Hua overheard Fuxi and Nuwa. Their words were a jumble of worry and affection as they wrestled with her refusal to erase her memories.
They did not want to proceed to the next stage of the plan and did not want to continue carrying out Mei's Tinder plan.
They don't like planning and they don't like Mei, but... they like Fu Hua and hope she can have her own life.
They want to see Fu Hua's new life more than the new life of the world. They firmly believe that sooner or later they will meet those who don't know Dr. Mei's plan and still treat her sincerely.
But all they could do was delay.
...
" Fuxi, Nuwa..." A wave of warmth washed over Fu Hua as she gazed at the image of Fuxi and Nuwa. Their words, their sacrifices for her sake... it felt like a balm against all the years of silent obedience.
Speaking of which, the conditions mentioned at that time, the herrscher of Sentience, seem to be close at hand now, and there is complete hope...
Fu Hua thought in her mind that the other party seemed to just need to be coaxed, and it didn't look difficult, so she could give it a try.
" Well, as said, the two of them delayed the tragedy. Judging from the current development of that incident, it is difficult to judge whether they did it intentionally or not..."
The Herrscher of Sentience first cursed and said, " But if I have a chance, I will definitely fight with them, those guys who deceived me and destroyed their ancestors! "
" Fuxi... Nuwa..." book of Fuxi burst into tears looking at the screen.
That was why they had created her, why they'd entrusted her to Fu Hua.
They couldn't walk the treacherous road ahead, but they had desperately wanted someone there for Fu Hua, a companion in the long years to come.
But it/she failed to live up to their wishes and failed to accompany Fu Hua to find a close friend...
...
And in Lin Zhaoyu' s mouth, he also revealed what happened to Taixu Seventh disciple back then.
Back then, anyone whispered to be corrupted by the 'devil's touch' (the Honkai) fell under Fu Hua's merciless sword. And heartbreakingly, some of the orphans Fu Hua took in even came from those families... Except for the Seventh Disciple, Qin Suyi – her past bore no blood debt.
Of course, gratitude was a powerful force between them. It should have fostered peace, a sense of unbreakable connection.
That debt had been heavy, after all.
And besides, Qin Suyi held onto few memories of her life before her Master.
Yet, a crack had begun to form. Something unspoken, buried deep. It would only take a spark, a single misstep, for everything to explode into the open.
When their fourth sister's mind cracked under the 'devil's' influence, the third and fifth sisters were beside themselves.
There was simply no way they could accept watching Fu Hua strike her down.
The others... some felt bound by love for their sisters, some still clung to memories of a happier past, others harbored doubts they'd kept hidden away.
And so, slowly, the terrible plan took shape. Seven disciples, driven by desperation, would lure unsuspecting Fu Hua into a trap meticulously laid out in their once-safe haven, their martial arts school.
There, the person she trusted most would deal the final, devastating blow.
Lin Zhaoyu spoke calmly, but the chilling nature of their betrayal suspended heavily in the air.
Whispers of wind faded as "Bellspike", the third disciple, struck, silencing their Master's 'cries'. "Red Shadow", sixth in line, plunged the world into darkness, cutting the light that would betray their plan.
Now, their encirclement was complete, giving Su Mei the opening she craved.
However, the eldest disciple missed this opportunity and gained time for a sentence
Finally, it fell to the fifth disciple, the most skilled among them, the only one to grasp the true essence of their Master's Swordsmanship. Their blade flashed, deliberate and precise, striking the center of the eyebrow(to brain).
In the aftermath, it was Qin Suyi, the youngest, who stumbled down the mountain, her arms cradling the lifeless body of the Master they had all revered.
Honkai Impact, Demonic Enchantment, Blood Vengeance, Teacher Favor...
500 years ago, the seven disciples who killed the immortal phoenix felt guilty after that.
As a result, everything is moving towards a bottomless cliff.
---
A flicker of doubt crept into Hua's voice. "It feels like some of them... they might be starting to grasp how dangerous Shenyin is. Maybe, those who plotted this whole thing wanted the Red kite to die in order to escape the curse. It's the only explanation for why they haven't simply destroyed her completely..."
"There is a reason? So what?" Kalpas crossed his arms and sneered.
Human beings also have reasons for not wanting to be destroyed, and civilization also has reasons for wanting to continue to survive, right, so what?
"Reasons, schreasons," Kalpas spat, his voice dripping with disdain. "All I want is to settle this, right here, right now. If I go down, I go down swinging, and if she's the one left in the dust? Well... tough luck for her."
He shrugged, a cruel smile twisting his lips. "This world ain't for the weak. They die, they disappear. Makes sense to me."
Kalpas cut off Mobius before she could even start, a knowing sneer on his face. "And don't you try that high-and-mighty act, Mobius. That whole Fire Moth plan of yours... let's just say it ain't exactly overflowing with kindness, is it?"
A flicker of something – defiance? calculation? – crossed his gaze as he glanced at Kevin. Then, he shook his head, deliberately dropping the thread of conversation.
"That's not like you, Kalpas," Mobius drawled, her tone laced with icy amusement. "As for killing them, go ahead and find only rotting corpses ~"
...
"Ugh, never mind. How about a walk? All this fuss – I don't even want to know the rest of it," the Herrscher of Sentience said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
"Speaking of, where are these 'old friends' of yours? I'm up for some sightseeing if nothing else. This waiting around is getting dull."
"Well... in case there is a conflict between you, I'd better go with you. " Luo Mo stood up quickly. A Herrscher without a student ID card is very dangerous.
Speaking of which, the student ID card can now be regarded as something officially certified, which is a bit funny when you think about it.
He couldn't help but think about the irony of that – a Herrscher now needing an official student ID card. It was a testament to how their whole situation had shifted.
Of course, Luo Mo wouldn't ever let slip that facilitating this whole educational process was partially his own scheme for keeping everything a little more… manageable.
"Hold on, I'm coming too," Fu Hua chimed in. She'd been trying to figure out how to ask the Herrscher for help, and besides, letting Luo Mo wander around with a newly-awakened Herrscher seemed way too risky.
The Herrscher of Sentience narrowed her eyes, giving them a strange look. "This is starting to feel like a prisoner escort..." A hint of annoyance crossed her face, but she shrugged it off.
"Alright, fine. But this is a one-time deal, and only because of that old antique," she said, nodding pointedly towards Fu Hua.
Cheng Lixue and Kongming originally planned to catch up, but after hearing these words, they could only stop and look a little embarrassed.
"Well then," Luo Mo finally broke the silence. "Let's get going and meet this 'old friend' of yours, Ms. Herrscher of Sentience..."
...
As they walked through the familiar halls of St. Freya Academy, the Herrscher of Sentience couldn't help her curiosity. She glanced around, taking everything in.
It was one thing to have Fu Hua's memories; it was another to see it all for herself.
Besides, this wasn't the same school that had stood against Schicksal in her time. There was a new energy here, something different.
"You know, this place isn't half bad," she admitted, "Feels even nicer than I remember from those old memories of yours." She gave a sideways glance at Fu Hua, a hint of amusement in her voice.
The Herrscher of Sentience took a deep breath, a small smile playing on her lips as she enjoyed the fresh air and the sweet smell of flowers.
"Well, this is definitely an upgrade from Taixu Mountain," she remarked, taking a playful jab at Fu Hua. "That must be one dreary place to call home."
Fu Hua remained silent, choosing to ignore the provocation.
Honestly, since they'd ventured out, the Herrscher of Sentience seemed so much livelier than before. It was almost like watching the reverse of their voice-acting studio dynamic, with the Herrscher doing all the talking now.
"Hey, old antique," the Herrscher continued, "I've got to admit – you really did manage to make some decent friends here. Seems like you're doing better for yourself in this world. Color me impressed." She paused, then added, "So, are we there yet? This walk is getting a little long."
"Come on, come on, that's the building." Seeing two huge cherry blossom trees not far away and the four characters "Golden Courtyard" on the gate, Luo Mo sighed and spoke.
"Ooh, this looks fancy," the Herrscher of Sentience chirped, her eyes sparkling with trouble. "Wait, 'Golden Courtyard'… that rings a bell. Whatever, I'll knock… or maybe not!" Before anyone could stop her, she skipped up the steps, a smirk plastered on her face.
Instead of bothering with the door, she went straight for the handle, giving it an experimental shove.
When that didn't work, she just threw her weight against it.
Suddenly, the door swung open. Inside the hall, a whole group of people stared in surprise at the intruder who hadn't even bothered to knock.
Outsiders, definitely, and bold ones at that, since they were all here together.
The Herrscher of Sentience scanned the faces in the room, a jolt of shock freezing her mischievous smile in place. Her playful energy evaporated, replaced by a bewildered stare.
She stumbled back a step, her hand instinctively slamming the door shut with a sharp "pop"
Her lips moved soundlessly as a string of questions tumbled through her head:
"Is this right?" she whispered, eyes wide. "No, it can't be... what's going on? Am I seeing things?" A flicker of denial crossed her face. "Impossible! This has to be a trick."
"How could that be? I the great herrscher of sentience will not fall for this cheap trick!"
Still, doubt remained. She rubbed her eyes fiercely, then hesitated. Her hand reached for the door handle again, trembling slightly as she prepared to take another look.
Whatever was happening, she needed to be sure.
"Hold on... was that Hua?" Elysia squinted, a hint of confusion in her voice. "But she'd never barge in like that! And what was with the outfit? Maybe... she lost some kind of bet and had to change?"
Mobius, as usual, sounded unfazed. "Fu Hua wouldn't be caught dead in something like that," she retorted, her tone flat. Her mind was already buzzing with plans to Coax some Herrschers to be her research subjects, making this little distraction seem unimportant.
Kalpas let out a low grunt, a hint of suspicion in his voice. "Don't fool yourselves. That wasn't Hua out there." Even without concrete proof, his gut told him something was off about the whole situation.
"Wait a second, we're not that terrifying... are we?" Elysia pouted, genuinely perplexed. "I mean, I was right there! Kalpas being scary, I get that, but why the heck would anyone run away from me?" She couldn't wrap her head around it.
The door creaked open again, and a few of the Flame-Chasers leaned forward for a better look. Now, that was going to be interesting...
Only then did the Herrscher of Sentience finally become convinced that the old friend in front of her really gave her a big surprise!
"Hi, how are you guys ~" She raised her hand and said hello with a smile on her face.
"Okay, seriously… how did you pull this off?" The Herrscher of Sentience leaned in, whispering conspiratorially. Her voice carried both amazement and a good dose of skepticism. "Wait a minute, did Kevin actually let you get away with this?"
"did Kevin really not hit you?"
She was already convinced that the people opposite her were all SIM From Elysian Realm. The biggest uncertainty was naturally the guy next to her who could pull her over...
Luo Mo shook his head vehemently. "You think I'd still be standing here if Kevin got his hands on me?" he retorted. "Let's just say it involved some clever maneuvering and a whole lot of luck."
"This is hilarious!" The Herrscher of Sentience burst out laughing. "You really pulled a fast one on them, huh? Clearing out the whole base and somehow not ending up barbecued by Judgment of Shamash?"
"Indeed, it seems that he still thinks highly of me. Of course, maybe it's because I stole the house first? " Luo Mo looked up to the ceiling, recalling the original scene.
Well, he ran over to discuss it when no one was around? What thing to discuss? do it first and then talk about it.
"You're one ruthless negotiator," the Herrscher observed, a glimmer of respect in her eyes. She gave him a playful thumbs up.
"Never expected you to have it in you – kidnapping the whole crew!"
...
"Wait a minute," Elysia blinked, tilting her head as she carefully studied both Fu Hua and the flashy woman beside her. "Okay, if there are three of you, then... who's this?" She sounded genuinely confused.
"You're obviously Fu Hua... so then, who's she?"
The Herrscher of Sentience flashed a mischievous smile. "Well," she started, giving a little cough.
"Technically, I'm both Fu Hua and the Herrscher of Sentience." She subtly emphasized 'Fu Hua' first, trying to play it cool and downplay her Herrscher side.
Seeing so many familiar faces all at once was overwhelming. to be fair, she was a little panicked.
No way was she about to admit to feeling scared!
She was a Herrscher, a consciousness with power – the Herrscher of Sentience!
She squared her shoulders, a determined sparkle in her eye.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone