The Girl Who's Forever 17 (Extra Chapter)

"Have you heard? It's her, a jinx, anyone who gets involved with her is doomed!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Don't let her innocent appearance fool you. She's survived three months in the Ruins; she must have been through everything! She's practically an ominous witch!"

"From parents to relatives, none of them have had a good ending, and now they're coming here to harm us again. Haven't the Fifth Squad suffered enough?"

Fu Hua, now the center of attention, walked into the dressing room with a calm expression. She opened her locker, and letters that filled the space poured out, their contents ranging from subtle sarcasm to blunt and scathing insults.

Beneath the letter lay a pile of ingeniously chosen "little gifts," including bottles shaped like cockroaches and centipedes, models of human skulls, and razor blades...

Meanwhile, after hearing the commotion in the locker room, suppressed snickers echoed down the corridor.

Fu Hua's expression remained unchanged, like an unyielding block of ice. She casually picked up a broom and dustpan and swept up the letter and gift.

The Valkyrie, who were secretly peeking inside from the doorway, frowned and snorted in displeasure.

Similar intimidation and exclusion had been going on for a week, but this damned woman was like a piece of wood, stubbornly refusing to leave the Fifth Squad.

"Hey! What do you mean?! We're all sincerely welcoming you, don't be ungrateful!"

The leading Valkyrie entered the dressing room, raising her eyebrows in a sarcastic tone. Her sharp, pointed face subtly revealed the arrogance stemming from her seniority and age.

"Is this a welcoming ceremony?"

Fu Hua raised her head slightly, seemingly lost in thought.

"Yes, it was specially prepared for you. Don't you like it?"

"Should I return the gift according to custom?"

"Wow, you're quite sensible..."

"Understood, come with me..."

The Valkyrie, with the air of victors, followed behind the submissive girl triumphantly, their faces beaming with delight.

Half an hour later, in the training ground, as the Illusionary Particles disappeared, Fu Hua swung his slightly sore and numb arms, gently wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and indifferently turned and jumped off the stage.

The Valkyrie lay sprawled on the ground, each with bruised and swollen faces, their bodies hunched over like shrimp, groaning in Affliction.

"Consider this... my return gift to you..."

Fu Hua tossed aside his tattered training gloves, stretched his limbs, and faced the wary and hostile gazes of the onlookers around the arena with an indifferent tone.

"So, who else...?"

"Newcomer, don't be so arrogant!"

"You're Himeko's adopted daughter, right? My sister was part of the first team to wipe out the Flame Herrscher..."

The girl's indifference clearly angered some of the resentful Valkyrie. As the situation among humans became increasingly tense, the suppressed atmosphere within them was more likely to erupt towards those around them.

An hour later, the battered and bruised Fu Hua was the only one standing on the field, proud as a pine tree and cold as snow, seemingly out of place in the noisy and filthy world.

"Making friends through fists, that's how I reciprocate..."

"If any of you have a problem with me, you're welcome to challenge me anytime..."

As Fu Hua's calm gaze slowly swept across the audience, all was silent. Her previously hateful and disdainful eyes involuntarily turned elsewhere.

"If not, I'm going to get lunch..."

In the deathly silent hall, the gray-haired, blue-eyed girl walked step by step off the stage, crimson blood dripping from her forehead, knees, arm bones, and even between her fingers.

"Bang!"

Finally, while crossing the steps, Fu Hua swayed and tilted, unable to support herself any longer, and collapsed with a thud.

Everyone seemed to hear the mountain that had been pressing down on them collapse, and they all breathed a sigh of relief, their eyes once again filled with mockery.

What a joke! He's just putting on a brave face. I thought this newcomer was really that great!

The onlookers, who had gathered there with indifference, lost interest in digesting the tragedy and dispersed amidst their chatter. Not a single person, not even a hand, offered to help the figure lying on the floor.

Fu Hua struggled several times, but each time she fell back to the ground due to exhaustion. At this moment, a shadow elongated by the light covered her, and the outstretched arm hesitated, then froze in mid-air for some reason.

Are you alright?

When that handsome face came into view, Fu Hua, who was originally at her limit, seemed to be rejuvenated and suddenly stood up.

"Smack!"

With a crisp slap, the hood fluttered down, revealing a striking head of white hair, eliciting gasps from the Valkyrie.

"Now you've got what you wanted, are you satisfied, sir?"

Fu Hua gasped for breath, shaking his right hand, which bore bluish-gray frostbite marks. Like a plum blossom braving the snow, his eyes were cold and unyielding.

"It's Lord Kevin!"

"Ungrateful wretch!"

"Ingratitude! What an ungrateful wretch!"

The crowd was instantly outraged; the girls wanted nothing more than to tear that ingrate who had insulted their idol to pieces.

"Get out of there. Within 30 seconds, all active Valkyrie must assemble in the Hall and await orders."

Kevin's calm statement carried an unparalleled deterrent force. The Valkyrie, who had initially been somewhat indignant, immediately retreated like a receding tide. Their final glances at the training ground were filled with schadenfreude.

How dare you humiliate the First Fusion Warrior of the Fire Moth! You'll get what's coming to you, you little bitch!

Do you know the consequences of what you're doing?

Kevin touched the handprint on his cheek and asked casually.

"Enemies everywhere you look, nowhere to hide—isn't this exactly what you wanted?"

Fu Hua's response was equally low and calm.

"Let's go. There's nothing left in the Fifth Squad for you to miss. In exchange, I can tell you some secrets related to Himeko..."

Kevin's terms were undoubtedly extremely generous, and he carefully weighed and compromised them.

Fu Hua remained unmoved, preparing to bypass the person in front of her and continue forward.

She'll get the permissions herself; she doesn't need anyone's pity...

If the Fifth Squad has no one or nothing worth cherishing, then I'll start by reshaping everything familiar...

The girl had only taken a few steps when she felt dizzy and everything went black before she collapsed to the ground.

A moment later, Kevin took off his cloak, wrapped the Fu Hua from getting frostbite, and carried her towards the infirmary.

Looking at that pale face, Kevin's brows furrowed with melancholy and worry.

I originally thought that seeing my own reflection in you would make you calmer, smarter, and help you understand the importance of knowing when to back down. But in the end, you're just like her—no one is willing to listen to your advice.

However, Kevin was clearly unaware of Himeko's assessment of him: seemingly ruthless, but actually deeply affectionate; once he set his mind on something, he would go for it without hesitation, even if it meant being a moth drawn to a flame.

In fact, he and Fu Hua are most similar.

P. S.: I still feel I need to add some details about the Karmic Debt between the immortal and Kevin in their past lives. It feels like making friends through fists is more in line with Fu Hua's personality.

Thank you very much to the reader @{"reader_id":"119859","reader_name":"Yakumo Xiaobai"} for the reward of 20,000 hedgehog coins and the reminder of 53 blades. Thank you for your affirmation and support.

There will be four updates today, and two more before midnight.

Chapter 615, Section 644: The Forever 17-Year-Old Girl (Bonus Chapter)

"Why was she included in the tests for the Tenth Divine Key and the Hyper-mutation Factor?!"

Inside the infirmary, Kevin coldly questioned Mei, his right hand tightening, causing the teacup to shatter into fine ice powder, scattering everywhere.

This was the first time the man in front of her had lost his temper with her, and Mei was somewhat surprised, but then responded truthfully.

"I removed her from the list of participants before, but this time she put her back in."

Kevin fell silent, his expression somewhat dejected at the established facts, and a hint of guilt towards Mei also showing.

Over the years, he tried many ways to force Fu Hua away, even resorting to underhanded tactics to transfer her to the logistics department to sit on the sidelines, hoping to wear down her sharpness and persistence.

But this woman, like a pine tree rooted to Fire Moth, repeated the monotonous training day after day for years, never giving up no matter how coldly she was treated.

Kevin never imagined that his silent contest with Fu Hua would turn into a tug-of-war of minds.

Mei's expression was complicated as she earnestly offered her advice.

"Fu Hua has activated her Hyper-mutation Factor and mastered the Tenth Divine Key. She no longer needs your excessive protection. Let go..."

Kevin remained silent, breaking the frozen chocolate into pieces and stuffing them into his mouth. He chewed as he walked away, the bitterness spreading across his tongue.

Just as Mei bent down to tidy up the mess on the floor, a pair of strong, delicate hands reached down to help her organize.

Mei paused for a moment, then continued working until she and the owner of those hands finished cleaning the infirmary. Only then did she slowly raise her head to look at the Valkyrie with snow-white hair and crimson eyes.

"I'm lucky I came back alive. According to our previous agreement, you should tell me the answer to Himeko's Herrscherization, right?"

Fu Hua's voice was calm, revealing no emotion, only an unwavering seriousness.

Back then, after that person sent her to this private medical room, Fu Hua met the legendary Dr. Mei and received her care, and her health gradually improved.

Because of her cold war with Kevin, her relationship with Mei was limited to nodding acquaintances, and Fu Hua never even thought she would get help from her.

But things are so strange. Dr. Mei, who had been secretly intercepting her application files for various tasks, actually took the initiative to contact her several months ago and confessed the reason why Kevin was targeting her.

Subsequently, Mei provided a form for the Hyper-mutation Factor test subjects entered into her file, expressing her willingness to help her gain power.

Furthermore, this woman seized upon Fu Hua's obsession with the reason for Himeko's Herrscherization, stating that if Fu Hua could pass the test, she would reveal some inside information.

It was precisely because of her unwavering desire to return and learn the truth that Fu Hua activated the super-mutant gene within her, mastered the Tenth Divine Key, defeated the Emperor-class Honkai Beast Ganesha, and became another Fusion Warrior after Kevin.

Although I don't quite understand Mei's motivations, it doesn't affect my determination to find the truth.

"The fully awakened Hyper-mutation Factor will grant the host immortality; your body will be forever frozen at the age of 17..."

Mei took a voice recorder from the drawer and handed it to Fu Hua. While explaining the facts, she couldn't help but reach out and touch the girl's beautiful cheek, murmuring sweetly to herself.

"So beautiful..."

Fu Hua couldn't help but take a slight step back, turned on the recorder, and heard Himeko's fragmented words coming from it.

"On May 31st, the third year Honkai outbreak, 136 days after my failed Confessions, the Gray Moth Squad suffered heavy losses. I survived once again by sheer luck, and then I encountered him in the cemetery... I decided to undergo the experiment..."

"I want to change more misfortunes, I want to stand closer to him, and if necessary, help him..."

"Although a week has passed since that conversation on June 7th, I'm still very happy. I can tell he's a guy who's cold on the outside but warm on the inside, just like the kid named Hua I found in Canghai City..."

"They seem a bit like father and daughter. I really want to throw them both into a room and see who speaks first... or... wait... the rest is too wicked... delete, delete..."

"September 15th, three months have passed. I can feel myself getting stronger, but also increasingly out of control, and the speed of Honkai's evolution far exceeds our imagination..."

"I don't know if I'll even make it to the day I give out the chocolates. Valentine's Day is almost here..."

"Why did he drag Hua into this on December 7th! Doesn't that guy know what this child means to me?"

"He saved me during the Second Battle of Canghai City, and together we rescued this resilient life from the Ruins during the Third Battle of Canghai City. He's my little angel..."

"On January 4th, the chocolate-making attempt was a complete failure, and our relationship has never improved since Hua's involvement..."

"Cough cough, my time seems to be running out... That guy was right, I really don't have that talent... I actually got that damned jinx right..."

"Having gone through so many life-and-death situations, I still can't let go... Is this reaping what I sowed?"

"February 5th, time to leave. It's a pity I didn't see Hua, or that guy either. If I can't hold on, I really hope they can support each other..."

When the final recording abruptly ended, Fu Hua recalled the figure who had lifted her from the Ruins. She took several deep breaths to calm herself down, but her voice was somewhat hoarse when she spoke.

"Himeko's Herrscherization was due to overdose of medication, right?"

"It's essentially the prototype of the Hyper-mutation Factor. The data she provided was incredibly helpful in refining this..."

"This is merely the catalyst that exacerbates the Honkai's corrosive effects. The real reason that led to Himeko 'Herrscherization is primarily due to a loss of mental control."

"Only those who saw her off on her final journey truly know why things turned out this way..."

Mei responded calmly, but her reply was not entirely satisfactory.

Fu Hua recalled the chocolate that man had taken when she first moved into Himeko's room, and seemed lost in thought.

"Himeko and Commander Kevin, are they in a romantic relationship?"

Mei frowned, remained silent for a moment, and a hint of frustration appeared on her pretty face.

"I guess so. Kevin sacrificed a lot to help Himeko get out of this predicament. If he hadn't intervened, it would have been the Fifth Squad's turn to go to Australia and fill the gaps with lives, including yours..."