Titanium Alloy

"How could fighting the Honkai be without danger?" Kiana swung her long legs through the air. "It's precisely because it's dangerous that we can grow stronger faster."

"To destroy the Honkai and protect this beautiful world, low strength simply won't cut it. And besides... I want to see Dad sooner, too." Kiana fell silent at the end.

Han Jiang's heart skipped a beat. How had the conversation ended up here? He needed to find a way to make up for it quickly.

The next moment, Kiana had already recovered. "Getting hurt is just part of everyday life for me. It's not like I'm some delicate little girl."

Mei chuckled. "Han Jiang, you care too much about the fact that we're girls. You should know that the Valkyries protecting this world are all girls."

"Bronya believes that gender cannot determine strength. One should not refuse to fight simply because one is a girl."

Han Jiang said nothing more. He had been here for over a month, yet he still had not adjusted his mindset.

When they were alone, Kiana and the others were lively, adorable girls. But when facing the Honkai, they were undoubtedly warriors.

After resting for a while, Mei went to the vehicle and brought back a small first-aid kit.

It was not just Han Jiang; Mei and Kiana had also sustained light injuries of varying severity.

Mei disinfected Kiana's wounds with alcohol, while Kiana bared her teeth and cried for Mei to be gentler.

"It'd be bad if that leaves a scar." Han Jiang looked at the crimson gash on Kiana's arm.

"Then the pretty, proud young lady will turn into an ugly girl, and nobody will like her!" Han Jiang kept teasing Kiana.

"No way!" Kiana clenched her fist and moved to hit Han Jiang. "You're the one who'll turn into an ugly girl!"

"Kiana, don't move around." Mei lightly scolded her.

Honkai Energy would turn those with poor compatibility into Deadwalkers, but for those with high compatibility, it instead enhanced their physical condition.

Compared with ordinary people, Valkyries' wounds healed much faster and would not leave scars at all.

What Han Jiang had not expected was that even a carefree girl like Kiana cared so much about her appearance.

Sure enough, all girls loved beauty by nature.

"Han Jiang, it's your turn." After tending to Kiana's wounds, Mei carried the first-aid kit over and sat down.

Han Jiang nodded and rolled up his sleeve.

Of the four of them, Bronya had not been injured at all aside from getting dust on her clothes.

Han Jiang had the least combat experience, yet he had stubbornly charged wherever the Deadwalkers were most numerous.

Especially near the end, Han Jiang had practically traded injuries for kills against the Deadwalkers.

When fighting a Loyal Ninja-type Schicksal Soldier, Han Jiang had not had time to block with his blade, and his arm gained a wound so deep that bone was visible.

His body, modified by the system, possessed excellent Honkai Energy compatibility. By now, it had already stopped bleeding.

"You were too reckless." Mei used alcohol to clean Han Jiang's wound.

Han Jiang hissed, forcing himself to act as though it did not hurt. He shook his head and said, "I'm still not as crazy as you. You actually dared to take on such a huge group of Deadwalkers."

Mei glanced at Bronya beside her. "But Bronya was with us. I have great faith in her judgment."

"I'll protect Mei!" Kiana shouted.

Bronya rolled her eyes at Kiana. "Bronya will not let Sister Mei fall into danger."

"Mei is mine!" Unwilling to give in, Kiana hugged Mei.

Bronya had no interest in such childish behavior. "Idiot Kiana," she said flatly.

"All right, I'm treating Han Jiang's wounds. You two, stop fooling around." Mei broke free from Kiana's embrace and continued cleaning Han Jiang's wounds.

"We didn't bring enough medicine. If Han Jiang feels unwell, he can return to camp first." Mei spoke as she bandaged Han Jiang's injuries.

Once Mei had finished bandaging him, Han Jiang waved his arm. "This little—hiss—little injury is nothing. I can still fight a hundred Deadwalkers."

"Keep bragging!" Kiana said disdainfully.

"Wait here a moment. I'll go prepare lunch for everyone." Mei packed up the first-aid kit and spoke to the three of them.

"Yay! Time to eat!" Kiana bounced about happily.

Kiana and Bronya went to set up a place for lunch, while Han Jiang headed back toward the battlefield.

"Han Jiang, are you trying to slack off? Get over here and help pack things up!" Kiana yelled at him.

Han Jiang waved his Tang Dao. "I'm going to see if any Deadwalkers are still alive and finish them off. Wouldn't want them ruining our lunch later."

Finishing them off was a lie. Collecting Schicksal Soldier Cores was the real reason.

There had been over a hundred and twenty Deadwalkers, eight or nine of them evolved Deadwalkers.

During the battle, Han Jiang seemed to have seen Mei and Bronya work together to kill a Scythe Queen.

That was far more powerful than any "Imperial Guard" Deadwalker. Even the scythe it wielded was much better than those of ordinary Deadwalkers.

Amid the system chimes of "Schicksal Soldier Core +1," Han Jiang happily cleared the battlefield.

"This is the Scythe Queen?" Han Jiang walked over to its body and, as expected, collected a Schicksal Soldier Core.

The Scythe Queen's scythe was larger than ordinary ones, its patterns more beautiful, and its overall weight greater.

"Ding: Trace amounts of Titanium Alloy detected. Extract?"

Han Jiang looked at the scythe in his hand in surprise. This thing could extract Titanium Alloy too?

There was no reason to pass it up. Every last grain counted, and another material appeared in the warehouse.

After the system evolved, Han Jiang's Pulse Blade could also be upgraded through the system, but it required quite a lot of materials.

Besides Titanium Alloy, it also needed a broken Thunder Blade from a Loyal Ninja-type Schicksal Soldier one rank higher, as well as an ultra-compact reactor.

Now that he had a way to extract Titanium Alloy, all he lacked was a broken Thunder Blade and an ultra-compact reactor.

A broken Thunder Blade would be easy enough to get. Changkong City had plenty of Deadwalkers.

Only the ultra-compact reactor would be difficult. It was strategic material, an indispensable component for making armor, and Schicksal controlled it very strictly.

"Lunch is ready!" Kiana waved her arm and called to Han Jiang from afar.

"Got it!" Han Jiang answered. He could continue searching the battlefield after lunch.

Kiana and Bronya found a shady spot. Despite it being October, the air in Changkong City still carried a trace of stifling heat.

There naturally were no conditions for Mei to cook personally during field combat training, so all the food had been prepared by Mei the night before.

"Don't be polite. Eat." Mei invited Han Jiang to lunch.

Han Jiang did not stand on ceremony. He picked up his bowl and began eating, but after taking one bite, he put down his chopsticks.

"What's wrong? Is it not good?" Mei looked at Han Jiang apologetically.

Han Jiang shook his head, swallowed the food in his mouth, and said, "I forgot. My instant noodles are still in the vehicle."

That cup of instant noodles flavored like a beautiful girl was supposed to raise Kiana's favorability to sixty.

"Is the food I made really worse than instant noodles?" Mei watched Han Jiang's departing back, feeling a little hurt.

"Mei's cooking is the most delicious food in the world. That fool Han Jiang just doesn't know how to appreciate it." Kiana grumbled about Han Jiang even as she ate.