You Have a New Job (Continued)

"Haha! What a boastful tone! But this is the kind of spirit my disciple, the Immortal Crimson Heron, should have. Go, let me see your progress!"

Fu Hua patted Anqi on the shoulder.

Anqi stared intently at Fu Hua's face, revealing a scrutinizing and hesitant expression from Fu Hua and Cang Xiaoxuan's perspective.

Then, Anqi soared into the sky, her figure disappearing into the high-altitude thunderclouds.

"Boom!"

With the rainy season approaching, dark clouds often fill the sky, signifying the arrival of abundant rain and thunderstorms.

The four people from Great Void Mountain held the gemstones in their hands, watching Anqi disappear into the dark clouds. Then they felt the gemstones in their hands getting hot, as if they were being absorbed into their bodies like liquid.

A strange feeling of being controlled made these powerful individuals instinctively resist.

However, they quickly remembered that it was Anqi's request, so they all cooperated with this trend and tacitly allowed the power in their bodies to be drawn away by Anqi like a water pump siphoning from a pond.

High in the sky, amidst dense clouds of water vapor and voltage, Anqi held the ancient sword behind her back, raised her other hand, and placed it in front of her eyes, carefully sensing the power that had been added to her body.

"Master, you have truly surpassed yourself, and by so many times."

Anqi has fought against Fu Hua from the Land of the Past.

It's hard to imagine what kind of training one must undergo to rise from the lower ranks of the Flame-Chasers of yesteryear to a level where one can contend with Kevin today, or even have a chance of winning.

Then, another strange and powerful force bolstered her consciousness, making Anqi feel her vision suddenly clear, and in an instant, many insights surfaced in her mind.

The Authority of Knowledge is worthy of its name; unlike pure power, it brings a deeper level of enhancement to Anqi.

"To reach such a level, it would be a waste not to provide matching energy."

Anqi curled her lips and drew in endless Honkai Energy from another location.

"Sing—"

The ancient crimson-gold sword carried on his back trembled incessantly, a crack spreading from the middle of its blade. Within the crack, an immense, uncontainable power emanated as boundless golden light.

"Have you reached your limit too, senior? But it's not enough. Keep getting stronger, just like me, keep moving forward, and reach an even freer realm!"

A rare surge of heroic spirit welled up within her, and Anqi's smile broadened as she casually infused several cores into the Fire Spirit Sword.

The cracks gradually filled in, while an incredibly powerful and sharp aura continued to spread across the boundless sky.

"Buzz!"

The sword trembled slightly.

A hint of sharpness leaked out as it parted the dark clouds, allowing sunlight to fall on Anqi and illuminate the earth below.

In that instant, Anqi finished gathering her strength, released her grip, and the golden sword flew towards the sun.

"Sky Sword, draw your sheath!"

With a sharp cry, endless golden light from the direction of the sun melted away all the dark clouds, coating the boundless earth with a golden glow.

Then, amidst the oppressive feeling of millions of people experiencing piercing pain between their brows and shortness of breath, countless golden swords densely covered the blue sky, shooting towards the distant east like a torrential rain or shooting stars.

Magnificent and grand, like a miracle.

Under the golden light, Fu Hua's eyes shone with excitement, and she clapped her hands and cheered:

"Good! Good! Good!"

"As expected of my disciple!"

"The student has surpassed the teacher!"

"Hahaha!"

Fu Hua shifted her gaze away from the sword energy and the tiny figure in the sky, turning her head to look at [Fu Hua], a smile involuntarily playing on her lips.

It was rare that she felt that what Fu Hua said this time was perfectly correct, and it was exactly what she wanted to say as well.

In the eastern part of Shenzhou, in the world of data.

The wolf-like, bewildered, and terrified Herrscher of Erosion darted back and forth between several cities, constantly leaving behind more seeds and desperately trying to foster more fragmented consciousness.

"Why? Why? Why?"

Why are these horrible guys chasing me relentlessly?!

"I didn't do anything!"

They were constantly killed and driven away, and now even their originally pure consciousness, devoid of love and hate, has developed immense resentment.

However, the violence lasted only a moment, and was soon overwhelmed by more fear.

We can't beat them, there's absolutely no way we can beat them!

The Herrscher of Erosion had fully realized the gap in power; she had no choice but to flee.

But how long can they escape?

The data world is vast, but Anqi and Yae Sakura's pursuit is relentless. Under their constant pursuit and encirclement, even within the data world, the space for escape is becoming increasingly narrow.

"If this continues..."

"If this continues..."

"I'm going to die?"

The consciousness of the Herrscher of Erosion trembled.

If she had a real physical body, she would surely be terrified and weeping right now.

"Etc..."

"They seem to have stopped?"

"Why?"

"Why not continue..."

The Herrscher of Erosion's mind was in a state of chaos; her continuous escape made it impossible for her to think calmly.

But she absolutely refused to believe that the pursuit would end there.

So there must be some reason!

What do they want to do?

What else awaits me?

The Herrscher of Erosion was trying to find a slim chance of survival amidst the crisis she was surrounded by. Whatever that chance might be, she was willing to do anything to stay alive.

However, time seems to have only shown her a little favor.

After a brief pause, an overwhelming sense of crisis enveloped all the fragmented consciousnesses.

The Herrscher of Erosion mobilized all facilities capable of monitoring the real-world environment. Looking up at the sky, he saw a shower of golden rain falling indiscriminately, regardless of the distance.

"What a nice view..."

In its final moments, the Herrscher of Erosion, having nowhere else to go, stared blankly at the golden rain of swords that caused no damage to the real world but fell straight into the data world, and uttered its last murmur.

Am I... dead?

Is this what it feels like to die?

It's so cramped, so dark, and I hate this feeling...

If I had revealed my identity from the beginning, chosen a faction, and obediently become a human's pet, would I have been able to...?

[Forget it, I'm too tired to think anymore.]

It wasn't as painful as I imagined, that's great...

The Herrscher of Erosion had exhausted all her willpower, giving up all struggle and blankly waiting for her consciousness to completely dissipate.

A second passed.

Ten seconds passed.

Several minutes passed.

"Huh? Why am I still here?"

Then she heard a metallic scraping sound, like the sound of a box being slowly opened.

The light shone in, causing the black fog to instinctively shrink back.

Then, an overwhelming sense of joy welled up in the Herrscher of Erosion's heart.

"So I wasn't dead after all! The reason it was so cramped and dark was because I was inside a box! Hahaha!"

"Huh? This is the Herrscher of Erosion? Not only is it a dark mess, but it's also grinning like an idiot after being beaten up like this. Is it out of its mind?"

Fu Hua's lively and cheerful voice came through, tinged with a hint of doubt. She stretched out her finger and gently poked the black mist.

The black mist flinched again, then spoke in a very loud and urgent voice:

"Please don't kill me! I'll do anything! Just don't let me die, I'll do anything!!!"

"..." × N

The group from Great Void Mountain, along with Kiana, looked at the small box enveloped by Anqi's power and exchanged bewildered glances.

They all wore expressions of confusion.

Kiana scratched her head, confused, and said:

"Is this Herrscher?"

"Yes, the Herrscher of Erosion's true form. I have stripped her of her powers, and I have sealed her true form in a box. It can be said that we have resolved this Great Honkai."

"But she doesn't seem that scary?"

Kiana also reached out and poked the black mist in the box. As expected, the black mist shrank back again, like some kind of small, trembling animal out of fear.

Not only is it not scary, it's actually kind of... cute?

Kiana blinked in confusion, seeking an answer from the all-knowing Anqi. Anqi shook her head and said:

"That's because you don't know that the Herrscher of Erosion of the Previous Civilization controlled nuclear weapons that destroyed the three remaining cities and extinguished the last hope of that era."

"What? Is it that dangerous?"

"In fact, if I hadn't intervened in time, this Herrscher of Erosion could have done the same thing, unleashing a barrage of rockets and mechs from around the world onto human land, wiping out the technological foundation and most of the population of this era in one fell swoop."

Anqi explained patiently.

Kiana nodded, then shook her head.

"It's not that I don't understand the possibility you're talking about, it's just that she doesn't seem like that kind of Herrscher..."

"Oh yes, yes, yes! I would never do such a thing! I am absolutely harmless and friendly. I love humans, I adore humans, I want to be a human's dog! So please don't kill me!"

"Look, she's such a coward~~"

Kiana pointed at the box and shrugged.

Anqi was speechless for a moment.

To be honest, it was really cowardly.

It felt like seeing my past self.

Pooh!

No, I, Anqi, am not a coward at all!

Right? — Look at the Fire Spirit Sword on my back, and then look at the endless dark forces behind me. Think carefully before you answer!

"In short, as things stand, she hasn't taken any lives yet. I want her to pay the price for my use of my powers, so I'll spare her life for now, observe her for a while, and then see if I can keep her alive."

Anqi said with a blank face.

Immediately, urgent words came from inside the box:

"Yes, yes, yes! It's just a price to pay, I can bear it! Absolutely, easily, absolutely! So don't kill..."

"Click—"

The box was closed, silencing her final, desperate pleas for mercy.