That "Huang Hao" dissipated, and the surrounding space gradually folded back in, reality slowly emerging around them.
Huang Hao opened his eyes and found himself on the sea, with his daughter and familiar companions beside him.
Huang Hao said, "What are you all doing? Where did I just go? Right, and there was also... wait, what happened to me?"
After looking around, Huang Hao finally realized that he had been tightly bound from head to toe.
Angela was carrying Huang Hao on her back. She turned around and said aggrievedly, "Father, you lost control just now. We had no choice but to tie you up." She then explained everything that had happened in detail.
Huang Hao said in confusion, "How did I lose control? Wasn't I trapped by the Honkai just now? Then I went and played a game of chess... Tsk, seriously?"
Qian Jie showed him the wounds covering his own body and said, "Think about where I just went."
Looking at Qian Jie's horrifying injuries and recalling what had happened, Huang Hao finally became certain that he really had lost control.
Huang Hao said, "I'm terribly sorry. I didn't know this would happen. I only remember..."
"Meaning. What meaning does it have?"
Huang Hao suddenly remembered his final question: what meaning did meaning itself have? His entire expression suddenly went blank.
"Hey, hey, are you all right?" Seeing Huang Hao say something incomprehensible and then start spacing out again, Qian Jie patted him on the shoulder and asked.
Qian Jie's enormous strength knocked Huang Hao off Angela's back and sent him plunging into the sea.
"Father!" Seeing Huang Hao sink beneath the waves, Angela immediately went to retrieve him.
Huang Hao sank to the seafloor. He still had some residual power, so he was unharmed, but the cold seawater and the scent of blood stimulated him.
Meaning has no meaning.
Then Huang Hao saw Angela swimming down toward him. It seemed as though something in his heart had been set down, yet it was still hanging there.
Angela pulled Huang Hao out of the water and flew back up. Qian Jie wanted to go over and apologize, but Angela immediately jumped away.
Qian Jie scratched his head. Since he was wearing a mask, it was impossible to tell whether he was embarrassed, but he certainly looked that way.
At that moment, Elysia said, "Everything is over now, so everyone, let's not be so tense. Why don't we go back and hold a banquet? We could all relax a little."
Huang Hao could tell that Elysia was comforting both Angela and him, so he replied, "Don't worry. I'm not Luo Ji. And if we're talking about relaxing, shouldn't you open the restraints on me first?"
Qian Jie had no idea who Luo Ji was, but when he heard the latter half, he went over and tore Huang Hao's restraints apart, causing Huang Hao a second round of injuries.
Seeing this, Qian Jie actually said, "Sorry."
Huang Hao said, "Huh? You can actually apologize?"
Qian Jie clenched his fists, but remembering that Huang Hao was injured, he did not strike him.
Seeing that Qian Jie had caused trouble again, Elysia came over to persuade him. "We've all been through so much. Everyone must be tired, right? Let's hurry back and get some rest."
Thinking about the question from earlier, Huang Hao sighed and slumped dejectedly. He said miserably, "Forget it. I feel a little strange. I don't want to do anything anymore."
Kevin came over and said earnestly to Huang Hao, "Huang Hao, this isn't your fault. If you become like this, how will you deal with the Honkai in the future?"
Huang Hao did not smile again. He merely answered coldly, "Kevin, that isn't what I mean. I just feel as though I've lost something, and I'm a little tired. I simply don't want to do anything right now. Let me be alone for a while."
Angela quietly moved beside Huang Hao and said, "Father, you absorbed the space just now, and the power was scattered everywhere. The next Honkai outbreak may happen very soon. We should be even better prepared now."
Hearing Angela's words, Huang Hao immediately asked, "An'er, why was the space absorbed?"
Angela said, "Father, you said last time that the space was also a part of you. It was created using your original energy, which allowed it to withstand the power. You absorbed it, but you couldn't store it, so it was lost and shrank."
Huang Hao asked, "Then how strong am I compared to before?"
Angela said, "Your current strength is about the same as when you fought the Herrscher of Flame last time, but you still possess the potential of the Herrscher of Rock."
Huang Hao sighed, his eyes vacant. Then he thought of Angela and said to her, "You mean the dissipated power was used by the Honkai, so another Herrscher will appear soon this time?"
"Yes."
"The next Herrscher will be the Herrscher of Domination, right?"
"Yes."
"Then I'll leave it to you."
"Okay... wait?"
Before you continue