Fu Xiuran Safe and Sound.

The hospital's underground space was the safest place Himeko could find, and to ensure its seclusion, lingering there was not a good idea.

As the captain of the Fifth Squad of the Moth to Fire, Himeko's every move is magnified in the eyes of those with ulterior motives during this special period.

So, to avoid giving herself away, Himeko had already made a point of visiting the survivors in the other hospitals beforehand, and she would make another trip to the other hospitals in the next few days.

As for the reason for the frequent hospital visits?

Given the high casualty rate among the Moth to Fire personnel, it is quite reasonable to visit these wounded soldiers who are qualified to survive in the Honkai environment, taking into account the factors of considering new recruits.

In fact, Himeko had been paying attention to this matter.

Even with a perfectly valid reason, staying in a hospital for an extended period of time inevitably raises suspicions.

Therefore, leaving sooner is a better choice.

After witnessing firsthand how the steel-reinforced door bolts fit together perfectly without leaving a single gap, she led the two back more than ten meters, pulled out a virtual screen with one hand, and used her five fingers to input precise keystrokes at a dazzling speed to issue the subsequent commands.

Ten meters ahead, several uniformly sized metal plates slowly twisted together like gears to form a complete portal in the passageway. They silently descended, completely encroaching on the space in front of them and concealing any unnecessary openings.

The final layer of camouflage, identical to the surrounding rock surface, covered it, making it impossible to detect any hidden secrets from the outside.

It's hard to imagine how Himeko managed to find such a strange place in such a short time.

This place is less like an underground warehouse for a private hospital and more like a large base.

Based on the numerous and unique old firearms and ancient vehicles that Seele and Fu Hua had inadvertently seen when they passed through the upper floors, they had reason to suspect that this place, which resembled a base, was actually a large toy storehouse that Himeko used to satisfy her hobbies.

This private hospital is a facade to conceal the captain's aloof exterior... well, these hobbies involving guns, ammunition, and sports cars don't actually contradict a woman's style, so theoretically there's nothing to hide.

The woman glanced at the two men's lost and slightly dazed expressions, and said softly:

"This place is far from the upper levels and has excellent soundproofing, so even if part of this floor were completely destroyed, it wouldn't attract attention."

Himeko's vibrant red hair shone brightly in the dim light as she announced her decision:

"So, in five minutes, only we will know this news in the world."

Fu Hua suppressed her emotions, her voice becoming somewhat hoarse:

"After that, no one will see him again until Master Su walks out of that medical chamber on his own."

Himeko continued expressionlessly:

"A medical pod that connects to any database would be a fatal vulnerability, and the remote terminals that monitor his physical condition data also pose a significant risk."

Seele said softly:

"So after that, we won't know even the most basic information."

"I want to know, if my brother Awakened before we know it, will he be able to get out?"

Himeko's lips curved slightly, and a rare smile flickered in her Amber eyes. She turned and walked towards the path of departure, saying softly:

"The Demon King will not be killed by the traps in the Demon King's Castle, Seele."

"Alright, let's go."

He will Awakened sooner or later; until then, you just need to wait patiently.

This cautious action is reminiscent of a devout saint sealing away an immortal demon.

But in Himeko's eyes, this was a meaningless cover-up, like putting a small combination lock in a safe to lure a thief into giving up.

These are all meaningless defenses that will vanish without a trace after a single blow.

If the authorities have indeed located Su Qing'an's approximate location and are determined to kill him, then all this internal cover-up would be completely unnecessary and superfluous.

Himeko's real reason for doing this was that she needed to use this incident to increase its impact, so that the two girls would no longer have the opportunity to worry about it before Su Qing'an Awakened.

This provides the necessary stimulation, making it easier to foster mental growth.

While Seele and Fu Hua may have noticed the loopholes in each other's words, when it came to Su Qing'an's safety, they were willing to accept even a thin layer of paper behind the steel plate, which was of no use.

The group stepped into the old and cramped elevator, and the swaying sound immediately filled their ears, making them wonder if the elevator's cable was still worn out and had reached the required standard.

Everything here truly has an ancient feel, dating back hundreds of years; even the dust in the air smells of decay.

Soon, the landslide that Himeko set up would bury part of the area, making it look even more dilapidated. If this really was this woman's toy storehouse, then perhaps she didn't have very high standards for aesthetics in this regard.

The woman looked at the message coming through the communicator, a complex expression on her face. After hesitating for a moment, she finally spoke to Fu Hua:

"Yesterday at dusk, a survivor who had traversed the wilderness alone and arrived at the safe zone came from this area."

"He is currently in this hospital and his life is not in immediate danger."

She looked at the girl's surprised and suddenly stunned expression, and softly affirmed:

"That person is your father, Fu Xiuran."

Inside the warehouse filled with discarded instruments, the floor was spotless.

A few sprigs of baby's breath lay scattered beside the coffin-like instrument.

The flowers, nestled together in a slumber, have fluffy, three-dimensional blue petals, their tranquility tinged with a dreamlike haze.

The advanced medical ward standing next to the equipment operates silently beneath its dilapidated exterior.

His jet-black hair floated slowly in the clear liquid, and the boy's eyes were tightly closed, his long eyelashes glowing faintly.

The soft, flowing light bathed the naked body, and the occasional rise and fall of the chest could be vaguely seen.

The liquid that rushed into my lungs with each breath did not bring suffocation or coldness, but only a nostalgic warmth and comfort.

Su Qing'an's consciousness was chaotic and hazy; he had fallen into a deep sleep. Only his instincts could barely comprehend the terrible state of his body, constantly correcting the Nanobots to find the optimal solution and accelerate the repair process.

This scarred body was constantly peeling away its surface skin, revealing the flesh and fascia beneath, but even these were gradually pulverized and annihilated in the liquid.

In a situation that seems to be constantly approaching death, flesh and blood are simultaneously weaving new networks to replace the former body tissues.

The boy's entire body is undergoing a complete organ replacement process. The reason for this is that the residual radioactive material and radiation from the Honkai Fission Bomb can no longer be attributed to Honkai Energy.

They are clearly distinct from Honkai Energy and no longer intertwined, which makes it impossible for the conceptual ability of [Stigmata] to continue to function, resulting in the flesh, bones, and organs slowly withering, softening, and even becoming deformed.

Based on the current situation, the medical technology of the Previous Civilization and Su Qing'an's terrifying physical instincts naturally chose this massive plan that would leave no hidden dangers, but would consume the most resources, take the longest time, and even disturb a dormant mind.

The boy's consciousness sank into endless darkness and gloom, with only the slowly moving data on the panel proving that he was constantly approaching recovery.

[Soul Essence: 4.14 (78.31)]

Even at the very end, the woman did not reveal the name of the Third Herrscher.

She bought the bouquet that first caught her eye in the shop, hesitated for a moment, and then placed it outside the long coffin containing the girl's remains.

With Himeko's eyes lowered, the cool blue stood out perfectly in the dim, lackluster light.

Perhaps she hadn't chosen the wrong flower, she thought.

Buried somewhere no one can find, but not so lonely?

In such a world, this is truly an enormous problem.

So, you can go find it yourself when you Awakened.

Before that...

That's it.

Fu Hua gazed at the scene through the inspection window.

The man lay on the hospital bed, his temples graying, his sallow complexion giving him a sickly appearance.

He turned his head to look out the window, his expression habitually solemn, tinged with a hint of worry.

What struck the girl most was the purple markings that spread across her arm like branches, writhing like living creatures.

Honkai Infection.

Perhaps in such a calamity, Fu Xiuran's survival is already a fortunate thing.

Even the Honkai Infection, given the current situation and development, is so common that hospitals everywhere are overcrowded.

To survive... even just a little longer, is incredibly fortunate compared to those who were instantly annihilated into ashes.

Even so, the joy of his father's survival was fleeting, a moment of relief that passed in an instant.

After Fu Hua immediately realized that the other person was enduring the despair of certain death and the agony of their body being constantly Honkai Energy, struggling to survive, she could only feel a suffocating sorrow.

How should I describe this feeling?

After learning that her father might be dead, Fu Hua's mind was a blank, colorless void.

Confused and lost, he could only cling to Su Qing'an as his remaining pillar of support, forcing himself to think about the so-called future, present security, and the changes in the world.

This might be an unhealthy mental state, but it's undoubtedly very useful.

As long as that person is there, it's okay to temporarily stop thinking about so many problems.

Even though she thought it was irresponsible to entrust all the responsibilities and problems to a teenager, Fu Hua still felt reassured by it.

But now that Su Qing'an is gone, the only umbrella that sheltered the girl's heart from the storm has turned to [Ashes], forcing her to face the painful reality on her own.

In her current state, having realized that Fu Xiuran was not dead, but was destined to die at an extremely rapid pace before her eyes, Fu Hua felt an undeniable sense of reality and the source of her sorrow.

It is impossible to remain indifferent to this.

It is not possible to simply establish an unwavering will.

Fu Hua knocked on the glass door, tears welling up in her eyes uncontrollably. She struggled to suppress her surging emotions and smiled at the man looking at her.

"Dad, it's been a long time."

Fu Xiuran gazed at her beautiful face, his pupils dilated slightly, and he subconsciously began to check whether his daughter was unharmed and had not suffered any injury.

Only after concluding that his daughter was safe and sound did the man finally smile.

Even though he believed that Fu Hua wouldn't be in danger with Su Qing'an by his side, and he had long understood that a calamity would occur, the worry on his face only truly disappeared when he actually saw Fu Hua.

Fu Xiuran's throat moved, but for a moment he felt that a thousand words were stuck in his throat, and he didn't know what to say. Looking at the tears that kept falling down the girl's face, he felt a little heartache.

The man awkwardly offered his words of comfort:

"It's alright, Hua."

"Dad contracted this strange disease a long time ago. If it weren't for Xiao Su, he might not have made it this far. Now that he has survived such a disaster, every extra day he lives is a blessing."

Upon hearing this, the girl's clear blue eyes reddened even more, and she couldn't help but cry as she spoke:

"I know all of that."

"I know all of this, I just couldn't help it."

Looking at Fu Xiuran's bewildered face through the large reinforced glass, she composed herself and whispered to Himeko:

"Can I go in? Master Su said I have excellent Honkai Energy tolerance, and I won't be infected by Dad."

Himeko didn't tell Fu Hua the real reason for her quarantine. She simply nodded silently and gestured to the mechanical soldier guarding the gate with the identification in her hand, ensuring that this moment of warmth, destined to last only a short time, would not be hindered or disturbed.

Seele watched Fu Hua walk into the room, and she asked softly:

"Have the higher-ups still not developed a cure for the Honkai Infection?"

Himeko shook her head and revealed what was considered classified information:

"No."

"We have always suspected that the Honkai is conducting some kind of large-scale selection of the entire human civilization, and the initial threshold of this selection is the Honkai Energy adaptability."

"Fundamental research on this topic is always surprisingly slow, and even if it is successfully developed, the ones who consume the resources first are always the higher-ups."

"That should be easy to understand, Seele."

Following Himeko's train of thought, the little girl thought for a moment and then said:

"High position and power do not necessarily mean adaptability to Honkai Energy, right?"

"However, the reality of a high proportion of men in the upper class is in huge contradiction with the deviation in the adaptability of men and women to the Honkai Energy. Under such circumstances, even if a truly effective drug is created, it will not be available for use by ordinary civilians in a regular hospital before it can be mass-produced."

Himeko said indifferently:

"Even if they are unwilling to admit it, when major decisions are conducive to the survival of civilization, many people in the upper echelons do not mind using this power to gain more capital for their own survival."

"The events involved are intertwined with various experimental plans, and even the executors may sometimes be unclear whether the initial reason for the experiment they are responsible for was sacred for the future of humanity, or dirty for someone's selfish desires."

"Seele Fulei, you should understand these things best."

Seele remained noncommittal upon hearing this, her deep blue eyes like a Lightless sea, lifeless and unfathomable.

At this moment, she looked at Himeko with these eyes and said:

"What is the limit of your protection and constraints on me?"

The woman sighed softly:

"Literal meaning."

The little girl understood that the offer to join the Moth to Fire Logistics Department was the limit of Himeko's power.

The Moth to Fire is an organization with most autonomy. The reason for doing so is that this shell allows the government to break free from the original heavy factions and disputes, creating a brand new field where it can fully mobilize the power of humanity and implement extreme efficiency in order to better fight against the Honkai.

This is essentially a distorted product created by weighing various factors in order to protect oneself.

With the Honkai 3rd crisis spreading worldwide, the relationship between the official authorities and the Moth to Fire has gradually become unbalanced.

This meant that with this new identity, he was no longer the unregistered Undocumented Resident who could be manipulated at will. As long as he stayed obediently within the sphere of influence of the Moth to Fire, even the Sea of Quantum research, which was part of the Kindling Project, could not do anything to him.

Even so, there are still loopholes in the literal meaning of Himeko's statement.

Seele and Himeko were both fully aware of this, and they both tacitly chose to talk about this dark past only when Fu Hua was not around.

After that, the two stopped talking.

It's difficult to draw a definitive conclusion as to how much of a price Su Qing'an was willing to pay for the agreement with Himeko.

Himeko does indeed have a gentle and kind side.

But now, after experiencing the ways of the world and enduring countless trials, if Su Qing'an had truly died in that Honkai Fission Bomb, it would be absolutely impossible for her to proactively pull Seele Fulei into the Fifth Squad.

Only when Su Qing'an's existence is valuable enough for women to temporarily overlook the significance of the Sea of Quantum to humanity will she have a reason to convince herself to deliberately obstruct him.

Himeko glanced at the little girl's obedient and silent demeanor, and with a sigh in her heart, she hung the Fifth Squad's identification tag around her neck.

Immediately, Seele raised her little head.

She gazed at the still silent red-haired woman for a moment, pursed her lips, and whispered thank you.

Himeko didn't respond; in fact, she sometimes thinks about it.

Living in such a bleak world, maintaining one's original aspirations may be even more difficult than one imagined on the day one first enlisted.