The Martial Immortal in Slumber

The members of the Fifth Squad have a significant gap in their memories regarding Satou Yunona's remains.

Therefore, under the premise that Su Qing'an assured Himeko that it would not affect their personal safety, he successfully used soul pressure to deceive the self of several people, achieving the effect of erasure in disguise.

In this way, Himeko's claim that the remains of the Third Herrscher were annihilated in the Honkai Fission Bomb was largely eliminated.

Given Murata Himeko's personality, it would be difficult for her to agree to Su Qing'an's actions so quickly, but Himeko is somewhat different.

Clearly, the brutal bloody battle between civilization and Honkai, along with some of the methods employed by the High Command, has made her more ruthless and decisive.

The boy combed the girl's dry, pale hair, his movements becoming increasingly stiff and slow, yet still retaining a careful gentleness.

He whispered to Himeko:

"I'll be unconscious for a while; this is your only chance to kill me."

Himeko closed her eyes. She didn't respond to Su Qing'an's whisper, but instead spoke to herself:

"You are a survivor who was successfully rescued by the Fifth Squad the Moth to Fire before the bombing of Canghai City."

"During your coma, you were neither a teacher at that academy nor Su Qing'an, who fought against the Third Herrscher; you were simply a nameless, seriously injured patient."

"You will be placed in a remote hospital within the jurisdiction of the Moth to Fire branch in Australia. Fu Hua and Seele will join the logistics team of the Fifth Squad, and the two students will decide whether to stay or leave based on their own wishes."

The woman looked at Su Qing'an, her Amber eyes reflecting the boy's lowered gaze as he remained silent.

It's so cold.

Yet it was still a coldness forced to remain at a certain temperature, like a satellite on the edge of Neptune, silently orbiting along the trajectory of gravity, unable to escape.

In Tianwen, there is a definition called the Roche limit.

Planets and satellites will constantly move closer together due to gravity, but there is a minimum distance between them to maintain a safe distance.

This distance is the Roche limit, and once this limit is exceeded, tidal forces will tear the satellite apart.

Su Qing'an is in this situation now, but his stance on civilization is far more dangerous than that.

The shattered and collapsed satellites will at most turn into stardust, which will gather into a ring that embraces Neptune.

He, in turn, could sacrifice his life to ensure the annihilation of civilization.

This is easy to understand; going with the tide of Honkai, it's not an evil deed that's difficult to commit.

At this stage, the exact threshold of a teenager's inner Roche limit depends entirely on the people they cherish and the aftereffects of their soul.

At the same time... it also concerns the rules of the God's Game.

Does a game where defeating the Honkai yourself is the only way to clear the game really allow itself to go against this principle?

Su Qing'an no longer cared whether she could complete the game or not. No matter what the so-called gods could give her, it was hard for her, who was not afraid of death, to be tempted.

Moreover, from the very beginning, the harsh reality constantly made him understand what it meant to be powerless.

If players can choose to use cheat codes when playing highly difficult games, then Su Qing'an is a character in the hands of a player known as a god.

The right to cheat and choose the difficulty level is in the hands of the gods; so-called freedom always has inescapable limits.

Restart.

The boy silently recited the word he once hated, but couldn't help but smile.

The shackles imposed by the gods silently settled on his ankles. As long as Su Qing'an didn't want the cruelty he was experiencing to become completely irreversible, he absolutely could not violate the basic rules of the game.

This is a shackle in the absolute sense, based on its own nature.

But... we haven't completely lost yet.

He will eventually take back everything he has lost, little by little.

At that time.

A great fire will ignite in the world, burning away all filth and defilement.

[Soul Essence: 3.73 (78.31)]

Su Qing'an glanced at the panel in front of him, a symbol of a prison. There was no point in continuing to force himself. His fingertips rested on his pale hair, and in a low voice, as if reciting a bedtime story, he whispered:

"I'm going to sleep for a while, maybe... a very long time."

The boy's pupils flickered like extinguished candlelight, leaving only pure blackness and deathly silence. His eyelids slowly drooped, and his long, blood-red eyelashes covered his dusty skin.

Su Qing'an's body remained unchanged, and the movement of his fingers gathering his pale hair stopped, like a still oil painting, leaving Himeko stunned for a moment.

This is Martial Immortal is capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with the Third Herrscher, but such an existence, which has transcended human history and reached the pinnacle of individual power, is so frail at this moment that it exudes a fragile beauty.

The boy's face and bloodstained appearance were still vaguely discernible, yet strangely, the scene of his numerous wounds did not appear particularly wretched.

He was so lifeless and decaying, yet still clinging to life, like the dying aurora borealis and the setting sun reflecting each other.

Himeko thought, "So Su Qing'an really is this fragile now."

He was so fragile that simply leaving him where he was was enough to drive him into a desperate situation.

Perhaps even Himeko herself wasn't sure whether choosing to save the other person was a good thing or a bad thing, but since it was a decision she had already made, she wouldn't go back on her word, regardless of whether the final outcome proved it to be right or wrong.

The woman's expression was complex. She gazed at his face and murmured words destined to be unheard:

"Once you Awakened, you will reclaim your rightful name."

February 21, 4:32 PM.

The remains of the Third Herrscher were destroyed by the Honkai Fission Bomb, while the Herrscher Core was successfully recovered by the Fifth Squad.

The authorities have begun an emergency effort to deploy a new team of researchers and establish a dedicated research unit for the core of the Third Herrscher.

The speed at which the Herrscher was killed was so fast that there is practically no data available at the scene.

The only remaining clues were all destroyed in the massive Honkai Fission Bomb, making it impossible to trace them any further.

This also led to the official understanding of the Third Herrscher's powers remaining merely on paper. Consequently, the initial direction of the experiment regressed from the first step of gaining a deeper understanding by utilizing the superficial form of the powers to focusing on what kind of powers are inherent in the core.

Even though the Third Herrscher's victory in the great war gave all of humanity a boost of morale, the resulting losses were immeasurable.

The shortage of rescue personnel has left countless displaced survivors in too many areas unable to receive timely assistance, and the authorities have maintained their previously planned decisions in response.

Using limited human resources to prioritize recruiting the most outstanding elites is a more realistic approach.

In the aftermath of this Third Honkai Outbreak, apart from sending most of the Moth to Fire's manpower to important regions like the Mu Continent, the remaining members were responsible for finding outstanding talents of the relevant level one-on-one, protecting them, and bringing them back to safe areas.

Even as the captain of the Fifth Squad, her range of choices and related rights were indeed much greater than those of the other members.

However, Himeko herself had to use this plan as an excuse and adhere to this principle on paper in order to legitimately travel to Canghai City.

Although Su Qing'an had not demonstrated the combat power to fight against Herrscher before, he had revealed something extraordinary about him. His mastery of the technique of manipulating Honkai Energy with a human body could undoubtedly be included in the talent retrieval program's file.

These submitted materials have not yet received official approval. If it weren't for the confirmed emergence of Third Herrscher in Canghai City, even as the team leader, she would likely have faced some criticism.

After all, the higher-ups value research-oriented talents in various fields more than individual combat capabilities.

From the perspective of the higher-ups and the official authorities of the Moth to Fire, important combat power like Himeko should be placed in the hands of high-end talent in this field.

However, it was precisely because of Himeko's arrival that the official focus was quickly placed on the specific location of the Third Herrscher; otherwise, it would have been extremely difficult for the Honkai Fission Bomb to kill her so easily.

So even though the retrieval mission wasn't perfect, her superiors still didn't question her at all.

Given the uncertainty of when the Fourth Herrscher will appear, the authorities have gone all out in research and countermeasures, attempting to find new breakthroughs to deal with the calamity that may strike again at any time.

Clearly, even though Su Qing'an's role in this battle has been overlooked by the authorities, this level of vigilance and attention is still justified.

Unfortunately, the act of dropping the Honkai Fission Bomb prevented the authorities from accurately identifying the most efficient research direction to combat the Herrscher, which sowed the seeds for a series of subsequent events.

February 22nd, morning.

Australia, on the periphery of the Moth to Fire distribution.

A private hospital, located underground.

Himeko gazed at the medical pod, which had fallen into hibernation and was now completely closed.

There were dozens of similar instruments in the surrounding area, which made the medical ward that the red-haired woman was carefully looking at seem rather unremarkable.

But that's exactly the effect Himeko wanted to achieve. In reality, apart from the medical pod in front of them, the rest were large pieces of junk that had been obsolete decades ago.

The woman said softly:

He's safe inside.

"This is an underground facility modeled after a nuclear bomb silo. The built-in power supply and all related materials are sufficient to keep him inside unaffected for three years. As for the upper level, you've already seen it; it's a private hospital."

"Great disguise, isn't it?"

Fu Hua looked at the medical pod, its metal shell covered in mottled patches. The rough, cold surface was painted with yellow paint, marking the corresponding letter numbers and the year of production.

However, it seems that due to the wear and tear of time, these words have become blurred and indistinct.

Seele pressed her five fingers tightly against the outer shell of the medical pod containing the boy. She was clearly only sensing the low temperature of the metal, yet it seemed as if she could hear Su Qing'an's heartbeat through the layers of barriers.

Both of them remained silent. The initial joy of learning that Su Qing'an was indeed alive had vanished, leaving only a sense of powerlessness and sorrow upon facing her tragic situation.

Himeko delivered the message from the battleship's medical unit.

At that time, they could only confirm that the other was still alive by the faint life index displayed outside the cryo-chamber.

The boy's jet-black hair was tinged with frost, and his pale skin, cleaned up, appeared even more lifeless in the low temperature. His body, covered in crisscrossing scars, was barely visible in the cold air, with only the glaring dark red bloodstains vaguely proving the arduous battle he had endured.

Unlike Nanobots that are geared towards combat, Nanobots that serve purely medical purposes barely maintain a normal human structure and slowly repair themselves.

Otherwise, given Su Qing'an's previous state of being, with most of his bones shattered to varying degrees, his muscles and fascia torn and turned outward, and his flesh withered, the unspeakable horror would be unimaginable.

Himeko will probably have to wait a while before bringing Fu Hua the news that Su Qing'an is not dead, since the impact of that scene was just too great.

Even a battle-hardened veteran like her couldn't help but wonder how the other person had survived, let alone someone as close to Su Qing'an and so naive as her.

Even with the support of cleanliness and the internal structure of Nanobots, the boy's current appearance can only be described as a dead corpse.

Himeko broke the awkward silence, seemingly to reassure the two of them, by explaining:

"This medical pod is the most advanced product available today. The outer shell is merely to prevent some unnecessary accidents; he can receive the best treatment inside."

Fu Hua remained silent, suppressing her emotions for the time being, and began to ponder.

After learning about the existence of the Moth to Fire, she understood the irrationality of Himeko's actions.

The underground area of this hospital is indeed very safe, possessing a tranquil world far removed from the surface and top-notch medical equipment.

However, it is located on the very edge of the Moth to Fire's jurisdiction, making it difficult to resolve Honkai events that occur here immediately.

Therefore, in terms of safety, simply placing the medical pods within the wounded area of Moth to Fire branch would suffice; why go through this unnecessary step?

Given the hospital's secluded location and relatively high level of security, it's clear that Himeko genuinely cares for Master Su and truly wants to protect him.

Fu Hua silently recited the information he currently possessed.

Master Su, the Honkai fluctuations within the city that were ten thousand times more terrifying than those of Emperor-class Honkai Beast, and the annihilation of Canghai City.

There must be many things about these three elements that he is unaware of, which is why Himeko, as the captain of the Fifth Squad, believes that placing Su Qing'an here is the safest option.

She looked into Himeko's eyes and asked directly:

Why did you choose this place?

Himeko understood her question after hearing this.

She wasn't particularly surprised that the little girl had noticed this fact.

This is behavior that would be easily identified upon closer examination, so it's perfectly normal that Fu Hua, who is extremely attentive to Su Qing'an, would notice it.

But this is something that doesn't need to be hidden. Given Fu Hua's relationship with Su Qing'an, this is the stark reality she will have to face sooner or later.

The woman considered her words carefully before speaking:

"Because Su Qing'an is very strong, the prosperity of Canghai City at that time was the aftermath of his battle with the Third Herrscher."

"And that Honkai Fission Bomb, after killing the Herrscher located in the center of Canghai City, also completely destroyed Su Qing'an's possibility of joining the officialdom."

Upon hearing this, Fu Hua's blue pupils trembled for a moment.

She lowered her head and silently recited the new term "Herrscher" in her mind, but amidst the turmoil of her emotions, she understood what Himeko was about to say.

Himeko glanced at Seele beside her, who remained calm and unsurprised, and continued:

"Therefore, this very strength, given his miraculous survival, has become a threat to the authorities."

"Regardless of Su Qing'an's own will, the authorities will inevitably suspect that he might take drastic actions."

"Given his power, if he were to take any extreme actions, he might pose a greater threat to humanity than Herrscher."

Fu Hua's azure eyes blazed with fury. She pursed her lips and spoke in a barely suppressed, agitated tone:

Even if Master Su wasn't the type to choose to do this, even if Master Su was fighting bravely from a human perspective, even if the initial mistake lay in the orders they chose...

The girl's voice, which had been so passionate, suddenly softened into a low murmur. She gazed at the medical pod, at Su Qing'an inside, whose Awakened time was uncertain, and said softly:

"He also has to endure this unreasonable distrust, have his inherent glory erased, have his convictions ignored when fighting enemies like the Herrscher ignored, and even... might he be killed outright while in a coma due to serious injuries?"

Himeko did not respond, but her silence was an admission.

Fu Hua clenched his fists together, his Mind Lake surging with a torrent of emotions.

The girl couldn't immediately imagine how complex the emotions Su Qing'an must have felt after being betrayed.

Even someone not directly involved, merely hearing the whole story, can unconsciously feel a chill and anger. What must the boy have been feeling at that time?

The thought of him being sad made the girl feel sad too.

It's perfectly normal to worry that Su Qing'an will choose revenge; anyone with a modicum of empathy can imagine the possible consequences of being treated this way.

But... no one could understand that if it was merely a betrayal that nearly cost him his life, it would be difficult for Su Qing'an, who was generally indifferent to his own life, to go to such an extreme.

If one day the boy truly ends up on that path, it won't be for himself, but for the girl whom everyone sees as a monster.

That girl, until the very end, could only see such ugly fireworks.

Fu Hua said softly:

"How ridiculous."

Himeko said:

"So, I kept this matter a secret."

"The person above is already dead without a doubt. Theoretically, it might not be unreasonable to let him stay outside to recuperate, but it's better to stay here as a precaution."

Fu Hua pressed her palm against the metal shell of the medical pod, just like Seele's, and asked:

"When will Master Su Awakened?"

Himeko responded:

"Su Qing'an's physical attributes are extraordinary. His recovery ability is on a completely different level from that of normal people. At the same time, he seems to be able to subconsciously control every nerve in his body to promote the recovery of injuries."

"So, if we're talking purely about miscellaneous physical injuries, it should take about a month to recover."

"But before he fell into a coma, he deliberately said he would sleep for a long time. I suspect that the effort he expended in this operation was far more than it appeared on the surface. The data from the instruments also showed that he was in a state of extreme mental exhaustion."

"Based solely on the current rate of increase, Su Qing'an's Awakened will take far longer than the time required for his body to recover."

Fu Hua said softly:

"How long will that take?"

Himeko was silent for a moment, hesitated for a moment, and then replied:

"If the data in this area doesn't change, it will take at least eight months."

Fu Hua and Seele stared at each other for a while, then both were stunned for a moment.

Eight months.

In this brutal world of Honkai and a life-or-death struggle between humanity and the world, eight months is enough to change too many things.

The number of people affected by the first signs of the Third Honkai Outbreak 3rd eruption did not exceed this number, which gives you an idea of how long that period of time was.

This means that when Su Qing'an Awakened, the world he faces may be completely different. It may be a bizarre apocalypse that has become an endless wasteland, or it may continue to maintain the current status quo, only more tragic.

At this moment, Fu Hua felt something far deeper and more profound than the loneliness and sadness of not seeing the other person for so long.

She needs to shed this naivety and weakness.

She wants to become far stronger than even the formidable Master Su.

During these long eight months, he had to surpass Su Qing'an, who had already fallen into a deep sleep, and try to reach a level that even Su Qing'an himself had never reached.

That's the only way.

Only in this way can Fu Hua be qualified to stand shoulder to shoulder with the other party and even protect them.

And she will spare no expense to achieve this.

The girl took a deep breath and looked at the woman earnestly, saying:

"I want to join the Moth to Fire."

Without doing this, one cannot understand the immense weight that a young person carries on their shoulders.

Without this approach, one cannot find the way to hone one's swordsmanship and learn how to fight.

Himeko responded:

"This is something I expected. You and Seele will both be joining the Logistics Department of the Fifth Squad."

Fu Hua shook her head; she rejected the proposal.

"Seele's going into logistics, I'm going to fight."

Himeko sighed and uttered a helpless lie:

"... You're not suited to be a soldier, little girl."

The girl remained unmoved and said:

"No one is born a qualified soldier."

The woman stared directly into those resolute blue eyes, her expression turning solemn:

"While Su Qing'an is in a coma, I have to be responsible for the people he cares about. So until I deem you qualified, all your combat and missions will be with me."

Fu Hua nodded and said:

"Please guide me, Captain."

Seele Fulei watched this scene in silence, all she could do for now was to wait in the safe distance with hope.

But... it won't always be like this.

She gazed at the medical pod, her deep blue eyes profound and indifferent.

Seele Fulei will achieve the ending she desires in her own way.