Suspected Yae Sakura

Changkong City had once been a bustling metropolis, naturally covering a vast area.

Although Kiana and the other two attended middle school at Chiyou Academy in Changkong City, they were only familiar with the area between their homes and the school.

For someone more of a homebody, aside from the areas around home and school, they would at most know the places they visited with friends. A few streets away could already feel somewhat unfamiliar.

"Today, let's familiarize ourselves with the area within three kilometers of the camp. We'll see how Teacher Himeko arranges things after tomorrow," Han Jiang suggested.

The Valkyries stationed in the camp periodically cleared out the scattered Deadwalkers and Honkai Beasts around it. However, because of the large-scale Honkai reactor, Deadwalkers and Honkai Beasts were still drawn here.

Though it was only a three-kilometer radius, there was still a certain degree of danger.

"Bronya supports Han Jiang. The current time is 5:26 p.m. For us, who possess C-rank Valkyrie strength, it will not take long to explore the entire area.

However, we may encounter Deadwalkers and Honkai Beasts along the way, which could delay us. Combined with the obstructed roads, we must return to camp before sunset while ensuring our safety," Bronya analyzed expressionlessly.

Mei smiled. "Then we'll listen to you two. I think Teacher Himeko wants us to quickly adapt to Changkong City's oppressive environment and learn to react appropriately when facing Honkai Beasts."

"Hmph, the three of us escaped from this place. What could possibly be difficult about a mere three-kilometer area around the camp? I think we should go straight to a place packed with Deadwalkers, and then... Ow!"

Mei tugged Kiana, stopping her from saying any more. She did not want Han Jiang to feel awkward.

At the same time, since Kiana had said that, there was a good chance she would try it on her own. That would be far too dangerous.

"Idiot Kiana, acting on your own will result in deductions from your performance score. Depending on the circumstances, you may receive a major demerit, which will affect your eligibility to join a Valkyrie squad in the future," Bronya said mercilessly.

Kiana's expression fell, but she had no choice but to listen. She could not lose her qualification to join a Valkyrie squad just to kill a few more Deadwalkers.

Han Jiang smoothed things over. "The three of you have more combat experience. I never went through a major Honkai incident, so I lack experience dealing with scenes like this. This is mainly to ease my nerves and let me adjust a little."

Mei and Bronya looked at Han Jiang slightly differently. Back when they attended Chiyou Academy, boys from outside the school would become show-offs like monkeys whenever they saw them, but Han Jiang was somewhat different.

"Then I'll take extra care of you today. After all, I'm a genius girl who's been through countless battles, aren't I?" Kiana said proudly, drawing the pistol at her waist and spinning it stylishly several times.

The armor designs of Kiana and the other two had undergone many revisions before their current versions were finalized.

Kiana's Ranger, Mei's Crimson, and Chariot, the armor personally designed by Theresa for Bronya.

Compared to the areas farther from camp, most of the buildings around the camp were badly damaged.

According to Schicksal's records, Honkai Beasts and Deadwalkers did not have a habit of destroying buildings. Their current state was likely damage left behind when the camp had endured a tide of Honkai Beasts.

The nearby buildings were no more than four stories tall. Ruins lay everywhere, and the roads were severely blocked, making travel difficult.

As the group explored, they encountered scattered wandering Deadwalkers. Most were taken out by Kiana from afar the moment she spotted them, leaving no chance for anyone else to act.

Now that he was in Changkong City, Han Jiang was not in a hurry to farm Evolution Points. There were Deadwalkers everywhere here, after all.

As for the [Schicksal Soldier Core] required for evolution, it could only be found on evolved forms of low-level Deadwalkers, such as Thunder Blade, the evolved form of the Dual-wielding Schicksal Soldier, or Scythe Queen, the evolved form of the Scythe Soldier.

"Bang!"

"What was that?"

Kiana suddenly fired a shot into the distance and cried out in surprise.

Her pistol had not hit anything, and her target vanished after she fired.

Han Jiang and the other two had also seen the anomaly just now. A figure had appeared over there, but the moment Kiana drew her gun, it disappeared.

Han Jiang vaguely saw that the person wore red and white clothing, with two long ears atop their head that seemed faintly pink.

"Yae Sakura?"

Han Jiang guessed inwardly. Yae Town, Yae Sakura's hometown, had been the predecessor of Changkong City. As a Quasi-Herrscher who had lived for five hundred years, she would have no problem protecting herself after the Honkai outbreak.

"She looked like a person, but also like a Deadwalker. But she had ears on her head, and she moved so fast!" As a gunner, Kiana had excellent eyesight.

"Deadwalkers do not have ears. Could she be a new type of Deadwalker?" Mei speculated.

Bronya manifested Heavy Cannon Rabbit and began to stay on guard. The Battlegear system projected a display before them.

"Bronya already recorded an image of the anomaly, but that person moved too quickly. Only an afterimage was captured." Bronya shared the photograph with Han Jiang and the others.

The afterimage in the photo consisted only of bright red-and-white streaks, stretched long by the speed. It did not even resemble a human shape.

Han Jiang was certain inwardly that it had to be Yae Sakura.

Bronya's nimble hands clattered across the keyboard as she tried to reconstruct the person's original appearance from the photograph.

"There are too many mutated Honkai Beasts in Changkong City now. We should tell Teacher Himeko about this. Safety comes first, so let's go back for now," Mei said.

Kiana kept staring in the direction where the person had disappeared, her pistol clenched tightly in her hand. "I can react that quickly too! Whether that was a person or a Deadwalker, there's nothing to be afraid of!"

"Bronya, how is the image reconstruction going?" Mei asked.

Bronya stopped what she was doing, looked up at Mei, and shook her head slightly.

"The Battlegear's power core is driven by Honkai Energy. Bronya currently judges that the target carried a large amount of Honkai Energy, which severely interfered with the camera's results. Bronya believes this matter should be reported to Teacher Himeko so she can make a decision."

"She should be some unknown powerful individual, but there's no need to worry too much," Han Jiang said, drawing the attention of the three girls.

Kiana agreed. "Exactly! As expected of a genius like me. A little thing like this isn't worth making a fuss over."

Han Jiang was not as carefree as Kiana, nor did he think Yae Sakura's identity meant she could be completely ignored.

Aside from the openly visible Schicksal camp, who knew how many strange characters lurked in Changkong City's shadows?

Not to mention Anti-Entropy and World Serpent.

The site of the Third Honkai, the birthplace of the Herrscher of Thunder—how many organizations were drawn here like moths to a flame?

There was a strong chance that personnel from unknown small factions were present as well.

The world was so vast. Anti-Entropy and Schicksal operated in the open, while World Serpent worked in the shadows. There was no reason there could not be small organizations and minor factions with sinister intentions, seeking to exploit the Honkai.

"The Valkyrie unit in the camp can reach us in less than three minutes. If the other party meant Schicksal harm, they would probably have already been eliminated by Schicksal's Valkyrie unit."

"So there's no need for us to be overly cautious. Of course, we still need to remain careful and not become too arrogant."

Han Jiang paused, thought for a moment, then said, "Let's go back and see how Teacher Himeko handles it."