Anqi Who Has Targeted Her Prey

With that, all 5 resurrection save points were in place, placed in extremely remote and completely random locations beyond the reach of any vehicle.

It is worth noting that Anqi would never do that kind of brain-dead plot where a great demon king hid their weakness yet purposefully set riddles to point the way, or even left behind a map. Therefore, the save points were completely random—so random that they could only be teleported to through the connection between the Theater of Domination and the clones; otherwise, even the Anqis themselves did not know the exact locations of the saves.

These 5 save points would remain asleep until the number of Anqis suddenly plummeted, at which point they would be jolted awake, watch the situation from an unknown place, and take all necessary actions to ensure Anqi's survival.

The saving Anqis fell asleep one after another; by the time the last save was buried underground, several months had long since passed.

Their story no longer needs to be retold.

Let us roll time back to mid-September 2014, which was one month after St. Freya Anqi was injured.

The weather was gradually approaching winter. Although the biting cold wind had a limited impact on the St. Freya students who were Valkyrie reserves, people were already gradually changing their dressing styles, and the generally cool outfits were transitioning toward warm and cute styles.

Right in this kind of weather, Anqi came to the hospital to have the cast on her right arm removed.

"Don't be afraid. Although it'll probably be a bit scary, you're actually recovering really well, little Anqi."

The gentle and charming older nurse coaxed with a smile, skillfully removing bandages and other items from Anqi's arm.

Soon, a complex odor mixed with the smell of medicine and pus wafted over.

Anqi looked at her right arm, finally exposed to the air. The entire arm was stained a slight yellowish color by medicine, and several crisscrossing scars were etched into the skin, still carrying some weird-colored substance that looked like wound discharge.

Anqi stared blankly for a long while, suddenly burst out laughing, and tugged at Himeko's sleeve nearby, saying:

"Pfft! Himeko, Himeko, it's so ugly!"

Himeko instantly grew black lines on her forehead. Her somewhat nervous mood was defused by this tone like that of a bystander, and she then irritably flicked Anqi on the forehead.

"Is this the time to be saying that!?"

She was practically like a child showing off something new she had suddenly discovered—just how big of a heart did one have to have to look at an illness and injury like this?

Anqi rubbed her forehead, blinked her watery purple eyes, and smiled somewhat blankly.

Seeing Anqi's nonchalant expression, and then seeing that arm which didn't seem fully healed yet, Himeko hesitated and said:

"Does it really not hurt?"

"Huh?"

Anqi tilted her head, stunned for a moment.

Three seconds later, tears welled up in the girl's eyes.

"QAQ!"

It seemed it did hurt, then.

Himeko grew black lines again, sighed, and gently pulled Anqi into her arms, massaging her hair crown soothingly as she said speechlessly:

"If I say you're timid, you actually dared to develop Honkai energy moves yourself just one week after enrolling. If I say you're bold, you start tearing up the moment there's a little bit of pain. Sigh, I really don't know what to say to you anymore."

"It's different..."

"How is it different?"

"It just is!"

Anqi raised her head, her eye sockets red, and glared at Himeko with a wronged expression.

Bravery and being afraid of pain were two different things.

Anqi dared to charge forward without fearing anything for the sake of her goal, and could ignore being covered in bruises when needed, but under normal circumstances, when it hurt, it really hurt. Just like an iron-blooded, fearless soldier might also cry out during an injection, they didn't conflict.

Himeko still didn't understand Anqi's logic, but what else could she do?

The girl in her arms was looking so wronged that Himeko could only comfort her, half amused and half heartbroken.

"Alright, alright. Bear with it a little. Once the checkup and treatment are done, I'll take you to sneak into the principal's hidden game console."

"No! I want Himeko to stay with me!"

"Hey, hey, don't cling to me so much... Fine, fine, stop looking at me with those pitiful big eyes, I'll stay with you all day today, okay?"

"Yay!"

Anqi rubbed against Himeko's unfathomable bosom and smiled happily.

Sister Himeko is so nice!

I love Sister Himeko the most!

Hehe!

Himeko sighed, rubbing Anqi's little head helplessly, and apologized in her heart to her drinking buddies with whom she had agreed to battle through the night.

"Himeko, Himeko, Himeko..."

"Yes, yes, I'm here. Don't move around, the doctor is going to clean your arm."

Himeko said with unstoppable smiles.

For over a month, the feeling Anqi gave Himeko was different from Kiana and the other two.

Kiana and the others were certainly cute, good children too, but they were very independent, having their own ideas and hobbies, and never deliberately pestered her. Anqi was not like this; this child liked to cling to her when sleeping, eating, going out, and even during classes, as if she could only feel safe and at ease when by her side.

This was an experience Himeko had never had before—being trusted and relied upon with all her heart by a child, as if they couldn't do without her.

She's clinging to me too much... But, I unexpectedly can't hate this feeling!

Himeko smiled somewhat troubledly and somewhat happily.

Chapter 22: Anqi Who Has Targeted Her Prey

"Ugh, no good, the St. Freya me has completely fallen."

"No choice, that's Sister Himeko, after all!"

"That's true. If it's Sister Himeko, you really can't resist her."

In the Theater of Domination, two dozen Anqis were discussing the performance of St. Freya Anqi.

Yet they all expressed understanding.

They were all themselves, after all; how could they not know how lacking in resistance they were toward a top-tier mature beauty like Sister Himeko, who possessed a proud figure and a bold yet kind and passionate personality?

"It looks like we still need to work twice as hard."

"Yeah, yeah, Sister Himeko is too hard. Her current body must have been boro-boro long ago, right?"

"We must never watch her die to save Kiana!"

"What Final Lesson? I want Sister Himeko to teach me for a lifetime!"

"Right!"

"For survival, for Sister Himeko, roll up your sleeves and work hard!"

Although they still couldn't produce any perfect solutions, the Anqis knew that only by possessing power could they fight for what they wanted.

As the Thousand-Person Rulers, they were already heavily discounted in clone numbers; if they didn't work hard either, they really wouldn't be able to accomplish anything in the future.

Thus, the brief rest ended, and the Anqis moved once more.

Two Anqis spread their legs, bent their knees, threw punches, and practiced basic close-combat techniques they had repeated countless times, incorporating Honkai energy in various ways to unearth every bit of potential power from these basic movements.

Six Anqis threw punches at each other, their slender figures wrapped in black silk gymnastics suits constantly intersecting in the plaza. Sometimes they reached the edge, sometimes they fought at high altitudes, sometimes they fought two-on-two, and sometimes they engaged in chaotic counter-attacks. Relying on the advantage of independent thinking circuits, they simulated real battlefields and accumulated combat experience.

Six Anqis waved their hands to control threads, some controlling building debris, some cutting objects, sometimes attacking and defending each other, sometimes withdrawing from combat to ponder new inspirations, digging deep and unceasingly into the application of the Dominion Authority.

Other Anqis were training with various firearms obtained by Young Lady Anqi, while some used puppet threads to move to the edge of the Theater of Domination, then used threads to drag building debris within imaginary space, simultaneously exercising the authority's output cap and control while adding bricks and tiles to the construction of the Theater of Domination.

Meanwhile, in the outside world.

St. Freya Anqi felt guilty for a few seconds because she had been working hard for everyone while indulging in the beauty of Sister Himeko, but she quickly cheered up.

Well, they're all herself anyway, it doesn't matter! Besides, they could actually feel Sister Himeko's goodness too, right?

"Himeko, Himeko, Himeko..."

Anqi pressed against Himeko's bosom, closing her eyes with a sense of peace and complete satisfaction.

At the same time, Young Lady Anqi flicked her bangs styled by a professional stylist, stepped forward, and walked with a light, swaying stroll into the funeral hall where the guests had already dispersed.

"Tap, tap!"

Flawless, pale pink nails tapped against the coffin lid, emitting a solid wooden sound.

The corner of Anqi's mouth curved up.

"It wasn't easy. I finally wore you to death; my patience was almost about to run out."

And the month Anqi had waited was not just to completely take over this multinational enterprise that had once ranked among the Global Fortune 500; the person she was waiting for was someone else.

Bzz... bzz-bzz...

Following a slightly static-filled electronic sound, outside the funeral hall, a tall Titan Mech raised its arm, projecting a holographic image of Cocolia's proud posture.

Anqi turned around, curtsied to Cocolia's figure, and spoke with a smiling, sparkling greeting:

"Good day, Lady Cocolia."

"Hmm? I originally wanted to comfort you a few words, but it looks like you don't seem very sad."

"Is that so? Then, if I shed two tears, would you believe it?"

Anqi crossed her fingers, tilted her head, and smiled cutely.

The corners of Cocolia's mouth lifted in praise:

"Not bad, you look very much like a successful big shot now."

"Oh please, compared to you, I'm just an insignificant pawn. I will inherit my father's career and path, and I am willing to smash my body and scatter my bones for Lady Cocolia."

"Alright, alright, let's stop with the polite pleasantries here. You know why I came."

"Mm, as for how to dispose of this Titan that Father impudently borrowed, it naturally will be entirely decided by Lady Cocolia. This humble daughter has no objections at all."

Anqi smiled gracefully, putting on an entirely innocent and sincere expression.

Cocolia looked Anqi up and down steadily, and after a moment, waved her hand casually.

"I won't treat people who work hard with care badly; clear rewards and punishments are the most basic rules. Ryuzaburo has done well these past few years, and your performance this month can also be considered commendable. I'm very satisfied. It's just a Titan; starting today, it's your personal bodyguard."

"Really?"

"Do not question my words."

"It was this humble daughter's overreach. Since that is the case, this humble daughter will accept it without declining. Then, as a return gift, this humble daughter will prepare a small token of appreciation shortly, and hopes Lady Cocolia will accept it... Consider it as celebrating this humble daughter's official inheritance of the family business, how about that?"

Anqi said with a beaming smile.

Cocolia revealed a fox-like, shrewd, and dangerous smile, and the projection vanished immediately, while that Titan Mech entered stealth once again before Anqi's eyes.

The smile on Anqi's face vanished. She walked to the doorway and closed the doors of the funeral hall.

"Heh, what personal bodyguard? It's nothing more than placing a monitor by my side... To think you old fogey always took pride in this. Can you really not tell, or did you realize it and still think it's some kind of achievement?"

Anqi sighed toward the cold coffin.

After standing blankly for a while, a blood-red crystal the size of a coin appeared in Anqi's hand. Polished to a clean, dazzling shine, it was embedded within an intricately carved golden border.

This looked like a priceless work of art.

However, as gold light flickered in Anqi's eyes, that translucent blood-red crystal gradually developed a dark, turbid color, releasing a faint purplish-red glow in the dim room.

This was a Thousand-Person Herrscher Core.

And Anqi intended to give it to Cocolia.

When Cocolia obtained this gem, she would also become one of the 5 Anqis integrated into society.

Perhaps some strong-willed, talented individuals could resist the corrosion of the Herrscher power, barely maintain themselves in front of Anqi, and even continue to possess partial control over their bodies. But based on her portrayal in the plot, Cocolia definitely didn't fall into this category; she would inevitably be devoured by Anqi.

"Except... what if?"

Anqi frowned. Although she didn't think there would be any accidents, she still felt it wasn't secure enough.

Anqi didn't plan to send the gem over with this gift-giving, after all, because she couldn't guarantee Cocolia would pick up the gem, nor could she guarantee the gem wouldn't be subjected to special testing—if it got exposed, it would be dangerous. Furthermore, the core itself was a dead object; once it left Anqi's sight, it couldn't tell whose hands it was in or when to trigger the corrosion.