97. Last Words, the Approaching Taixu

August 18th.

Eleven days have passed since the birth of the Pseudo-Herrscher known as the Missionary. This time, the Honkai Consciousness did not grant this incomplete Apostle any additional memories.

The chaotic memories and normal human thought patterns would only become useless burdens. The failure of the plan to lie dormant within the Third Herrscher has led the Honkai Consciousness to completely abandon it.

Giving the Apostles a consciousness similar to that of humans, allowing them to possess meaningless empathy, is the biggest mistake. The current Honkai Consciousness believes that maintaining the complete purity of the Herrscher's soul in order to unleash the limits of its power is a pointless act.

Rather than so carefully guarding the purity of the apostles' souls and meticulously pushing their powers to their limits, it would be better to treat the apostles as disposable tools.

One is a bullet that requires careful maintenance to function at its best, and before that, it may fail completely.

One is a box of ammunition that can reliably yield certain results with less effort.

Although this analogy is somewhat inappropriate, the current Honkai Consciousness has undoubtedly chosen the latter.

The Third Herrscher's power far surpasses that of the Fourth Herrscher's output power; this is a reality that only the Honkai Consciousness itself can comprehend.

The Third Honkai Outbreak was the most unique Honkai outbreak to date, so the Herrscher that emerged from it far exceeded the output limits of previous Herrschers, and even some subsequent Herrscher.

The Herrscher bodies forged during a global Honkai outbreak are undoubtedly exceptional in strength, but they must still adhere to certain laws.

The simplest and most crucial element is the magnitude and accumulation of Honkai Energy.

The fact that humanity can still maintain such a large population even when it is unable to prevent the Honkai from eroding the environment is partly due to the fact that a portion of the Honkai Energy tide has been infused into Satou Yunona.

This led to her physical age increasing by three years, a transformation that previous Herrscher, including the Fourth Herrscher, had never experienced. This is enough to explain the Third Herrscher's special nature.

From the perspective of the Honkai Consciousness, the Third Herrscher had not yet fully revealed the limits of the powers she could wield in the previous battle.

To put it bluntly, Satou Yunona is still in a fragile hatching stage, and her potential for growth is far greater than that of a normally born Herrscher.

Yet this apostle, on whom He placed such high hopes, and who even personally acted as His nurse, perished less than a few hours after his birth.

This result remained fresh in His memory.

That human...

The boy's ability to absorb all phenomena caused by Honkai Energy can be called a Honkai nemesis. Even a power that defies the rules, such as electromagnetic decomposition, is covered by his ability.

The encounter between the unreasonable power and the even more unreasonable [Stigmata] was an absolute surprise.

The Honkai Consciousness can understand some of the nature of this power, but perhaps it is precisely because it can understand some of it that it finds it even more illogical.

If it weren't for Su Qing'an's existence, the Third Herrscher would not have died so easily even after encountering the Honkai Fission Bomb. With her superior talent, she could have used lightning to cleanse most of the civilization's territory, achieving the most cost-effective result in one go.

Even so, the Honkai Consciousness still believed that Su Qing'an was not a threat.

The boy is a human being who stands on the limit of being filtered by a Honkai environment, which makes his limit only so.

The level of Honkai Energy he could use and the degree of control he could exert were ultimately limited to barely breaking through the Herrscher's outer defenses. Therefore, the Honkai Consciousness was more concerned with the reasons that led to the battle occurring prematurely than with this unexpected factor.

That is, the autonomy of the apostles.

Therefore, the original personality of the Herrscher body will suffer even more perilous treatment in the future. The Honkai Consciousness will try its best to erase the original personality and fill it with the personality that is most easy to control.

The missionaries of today perfectly embody this principle. Within the souls formed by thousands of dead souls, aside from complex emotions, there is only a blank space pieced together by chaotic impurities. The Honkai Consciousness can act without any hindrance.

The power possessed by the same deformed monster that was created in the Honkai Fission Bomb last time was something that arose on its own.

Unlike that, the powers possessed by this Pseudo-Herrscher are entirely shaped according to the will of the Honkai.

The reason for this meticulous design is that, given the limitations of Pseudo-Herrscher, it is simply impossible to threaten the safety of civilization using normal violent means.

Therefore, the Honkai Consciousness chose to skew the power of authority in the direction it desired.

The final result is [bewitchment].

The reason why missionaries are called missionaries is related to the nature of this power.

At this moment, nearly a hundred people have gathered at the Yarada Cathedral.

The room was filled with melodious hymns, and clear sunlight streamed through the stained glass onto the smooth marble floor, then danced and illuminated the faces, revealing their exceptionally clear outlines.

The audience inside the church all looked in the same direction, as uniformly as roadside signs.

A nun who appeared to have just come of age was now drawing everyone's attention.

Her face was beautiful and delicate, but unfortunately, the dark branding marks, like those of a migratory bird spreading its wings, spread from the corner of her eye to half of her profile. They continued to grow like withered branches down to the slender, snow-white neck of a swan, greatly affecting the normal visual impression.

Coupled with those chaotic eyes without any whites, it's normal to find them quite terrifying at first glance, even if you overlook the face itself.

But the missionary stood in the center of the crowd's view, her quiet smile as gentle as the ocean, radiating an irresistible tenderness.

That infectious power, as if suffocating the cerebral cortex, kneading the heart, and controlling the nerve endings, made the girl appear innocently beautiful.

She glanced around at the people around her and said softly in a calm tone:

"Love God and love your neighbor as yourself, believers of God."

May you all remain healthy and well today as always.

The people sitting in the various seats of the church were not ordinary people; even in this time of calamity, their clothing, demeanor, and mannerisms exuded a unique atmosphere.

But these people arrived at the historic church as promised at dawn, gathered in groups, and quietly listened to the missionaries' words.

These "believers" sat upright with solemn expressions, their gazes following the missionaries with a mixture of holy piety and eerie fanaticism.

If a person with normal logical thinking were to come here, they would feel a chilling sense of abnormality. This scene is very similar to a homeroom teacher lecturing well-behaved elementary school students in the classroom, asking if they have done their homework and if they have studied hard during the holidays. Everything seems to be in a harmonious atmosphere.

However, if one were to match each face present to its corresponding identity, and then look at the nun who clearly exudes an inhuman aura, one would feel a kind of absurd and terrifying dread.

This is the administrative center of Yakarta.

On the surface of a peaceful and harmonious situation, no one knew what horrific things the missionaries had done during their week-long stay.

But the unusual nature of these people and the special location are enough to convey a great deal of information.

Although the United Nations achieved centralization of power long ago, regional governments have maintained their original forms in detail to make it easier to maintain control. However, control has been handed over to the central government, and they are required to maintain constant communication.

However, given the Honkai political environment, the connection between the local government and the central government is no longer as close as it used to be.

Or rather... even if the original strict precautions are maintained, the missionary's power, which lies in the blind spot of thought, can bypass all defenses and completely penetrate the defensive network of all interpersonal relationships.

If the power called [Bewitchment] is used skillfully enough, according to the deductions of the Honkai Consciousness, it can be comparable to the damage a Herrscher in their prime can inflict on civilization.

Human society is composed of a sophisticated structure and a system in which each part has its own function, and every human being plays a corresponding role within it.

The power of [bewitchment] is as its name suggests.

It can manipulate the personality of humans whose Soul Essence to missionaries, completely overwhelming them towards Honkai.

The believers present were already the most devout supporters of the cult called Honkai. They retained their original thinking logic, memory, intelligence, and even the ability to distinguish right from wrong, but the priority of Honkai overwhelmingly crushed their brains, pushing things to the darkest possible outcome.

The missionary gazed at the shimmering light reflected in the stained glass window. She reached out a hand to cup a beam of sunlight, and the smile on her lips exuded a solemn and imposing aura.

The girl's cloudy eyes lowered, and she said softly:

"The will to Honkai is the will of the gods."

The moment the words were spoken, a continuous stream of responses surged forth like a tidal wave.

Their response was soft, as if stating a perfectly objective fact:

"The will to Honkai is the will of the gods."

The missionary's smile faded, and she said indifferently:

"The teachings here have been spread. I will now travel to the other regions to dispel humanity's misunderstandings about the Honkai and to atone for the sins they committed against the gods."

"And your task is to spread the will of Honkai."

"No matter the cost."

The worshippers nodded silently, resembling a well-disciplined army, but their increasingly devout gazes made the atmosphere even more sinister.

The girl slowly made the sign of the cross on her chest, and with a smile, she spoke her farewell:

"This is for the sake of the gods."

And so they began to whisper, like the soft, murmured sounds of a forest shrouded in the night, swaying gently in the wind.

"This is for the sake of the gods."

The missionaries left Yakarta that day.

Australia.

Su Qing'an stepped into the private hospital as if no one was there.

In order to deal with Yuno's matter, the boy left Australia shortly after stepping out of the warehouse, and now he has to come back here again.

This is the hiding place Himeko gave herself; finding clues here would be much easier if she wanted to find the other person.

Given Himeko's level of secrecy and status within the Moth to Fire, it wouldn't be surprising if she appeared anywhere in the world. Her exact whereabouts would be even more difficult to ascertain from the mouths of the people unaware of the truth about the Honkai, and finding the official presence over such a vast area would be even more troublesome.

Under these circumstances, returning home is the most convenient option.

But Su Qing'an, who initially returned to the hospital with this reason, unexpectedly sensed a familiar soul aura.

The boy's once calm Mind Lake stirred, and in a daze, he walked in that direction, his figure clearly separated from the bustling scene of people coming and going.

Half a minute later, Su Qing'an silently gazed at the isolated single ward.

The man's life was like a candle about to go out; his body was withered and emaciated, his eyes were closed, and his face was ashen.

If it weren't for the faint sound of breathing, the boy might have thought he was gazing at a corpse.

Fu Xiuran survived, and he worked very hard to fulfill his promise to Su Qing'an.

That grand escape, unknown to anyone, ended well in its slumber.

However, the subsequent secondary infections from the Honkai finally took a toll on the man's health.

He won't survive.

This was the only point that Su Qing'an could be certain of, no matter how unwilling she was.

Or rather, it is already incomprehensible that Fu Xiuran been able to survive for six months under the circumstances of the Honkai Infection.

The more the boy understood the relationship between Honkai Energy and the human body, the more powerless he felt. The [Stigmata] could absorb all the Honkai Energy raging within a man's body in an instant, but it could not prevent the inevitable organ failure after the final stage of Honkai Infection.

The reason why he was able to absorb the Honkai Energy from Fu Xiuran's body without any hindrance and restore him to his peak martial arts level for the first time was that his body's tissues and organs still had the ability to self-repair.

This is also Fu Xiuran has honed his martial arts skills for thirty years and has a very good physical foundation.

But now, even the most vigorous blood and energy cannot withstand the endless devouring of Honkai Energy and such a long period of attrition.

Even if all the Honkai Energy were absorbed, it would only hasten his death.

Su Qing'an could sense that the Honkai Energy had penetrated into every part of his body, even temporarily replacing some of the finer tissues to support its operation, thus indirectly prolonging the man's already limited lifespan.

This is most likely not a spontaneous behavior during Honkai Infection, but rather a benign result brought about by a certain drug following the regular mechanism of Honkai.

An ordinary teenager might have admired the ingenuity and the ability to bring it to life, but this information only made him feel more hopeless.

The [Stigmata] ability was his only way to face similar situations. When this reliance lost its effect, all he could do was look at the man's face and wait for the moment when death would come completely.

Su Qing'an entered the room, pulled out a chair beside the bed, sat down quietly, and said softly:

"Long time no see, Uncle."

The man's heavy, leaden eyelids slowly lifted, revealing eyes with fine purple lines, the white edges covered by a haze, and the blue pupils cloudy and dull.

But he gazed intently at the boy's face, his throat tightening, and uttered a weak word in a hoarse voice:

"Little Su, you're here."

Su Qing'an simply nodded slightly, without replying immediately.

Perhaps he had slept for too long, which made him even less talkative, or perhaps he was simply not good at dealing with such situations.

He could only give a dry reply:

"Yes, I've come to see you, Uncle."

"I'm so sorry for being so late."

Fu Xiuran gazed at the outline of the boy's face and whispered:

"Hua told me that you joined the Moth to Fire and have been stationed at the border fighting the enemy."

Su Qing'an wasn't surprised; given Hua's personality, it wasn't unusual for her to tell such a lie in order to put Fu Xiuran at ease.

He was speechless for a moment. Should he expose such a lie?

This may no longer be necessary, but I never like to let the other person be deceived by lies until the very last moment.

No matter how much goodwill it contains, a lie is still a lie, something Su Qing'an has disliked from the beginning until now.

Fu Xiuran forced a smile and said:

"Although that child has changed a lot in the last six months, I've watched her grow up from a baby to now, so I can still tell she's lying."

"I joined the Moth to Fire, guarding the borders and fighting bravely against the enemy. Maybe it's all fake, but it doesn't matter, as long as you're alright."

The man seemed to awaken from a long-lost slumber, his consciousness hazy, and he murmured in a dreamlike voice:

"But Xiao Su..."

Why do I feel like you're having a harder time than these people?

"It must be something that can't be easily spoken aloud. Sometimes, memories are more painful than the painful events themselves, so it's okay not to say anything. Let bygones be bygones."

"Cough cough..."

Fu Xiuran suppressed the strange sensation in his throat and continued:

"I've always hoped you would protect Hua. I hoped you could find a place for her in this world, so that she could live peacefully even in the darkest future."

"But after realizing that Hua had gradually grown up that day, I realized that perhaps I had been too selfish all along."

Even if you always appear mature and strong, perhaps the hardships and trials you've endured in the past that are unimaginable to ordinary people have shaped you into who you are today, but that cannot be a reason for you to bear all the burdens.

He looked at the boy's stunned and speechless expression, and smiled:

"I know, that's just how men are."

"I like to silently shoulder all the burdens, thinking that as long as I can manage, it's okay. I don't need to tell anyone or share the burden with anyone."

"I used to think the same way, but one day my wife smiled and told me that it wasn't necessary to work so hard, and that's when I realized... that you don't have to do it deliberately, and that sometimes just a few words can free your heart from its prison-like state."

"You are very strong, Xiao Su."

"That Martial Intent contained a resilience and strength I've never heard of in my life. If it were you, perhaps you could walk alone in such a world for a very long time without breaking down."

"But... it's okay if it's a little easier."

"The reason I clung to everything and tried to live a little longer was to wait for you to come back, so that I could be at ease about Hua's future. But now things are a little different."

Fu Xiuran spoke softly, his eyes gleaming with a light that even the gray haze could not obstruct. Su Qing'an could clearly sense the flickering flame of the man's soul, but it was like a finite flame, as if it would gradually wither away in the next moment.

It immediately... went out completely.

The man placed his hand on the boy's hair and ruffled it vigorously, then said with a smile:

"Xiao Su, Hua's support each other and walk together."

"Until... the end I can no longer see."

Su Qing'an covered Fu Xiuran's icy hand, gazing at the man's extinguished light and frozen smile, and softly replied:

I promise you.

"No matter what the future holds, I will not break my promise."

In the last second before his soul's aura dissipated, the [Stigmata] absorbed all the Honkai Energy within his body, allowing Fu Xiuran's remains to exist instead of turning into ubiquitous black ash.

The boy quietly placed his withered hand back on the bedside and sat for a while.

Silence... still silence.

The Mind Lake ripples with subtle yet enduring waves, and a faint yet pervasive emotion, like a gentle spring rain, makes my chest ache slightly.

So, it's not completely broken after all. He thought.

"Uncle, it's my fault for not keeping my promise," he thought.

I'm sorry to have left you to support yourself for six months.

Even with all my efforts and exhaustion, this is the best I can achieve. I'm sorry.

Su Qing'an reached out and closed the man's eyelids; the touch was familiarly cold.

He was momentarily lost in thought when he realized that he seemed to have done the same thing again today.

But it's okay, you'll get used to it eventually, right?

Separation in life, separation in death.

You will always encounter similar situations as long as you are not completely defeated. On this endless road, you will always run into similar things.

The boy said softly to himself.

Get used to it, it's okay.

Similar things are happening in every corner of the world; it's an unavoidable reality, and the so-called Honkai Infection has always been this reality.

But I'm so unwilling to accept it, really... so unwilling to accept it.

Even if you knew the ending beforehand, even if you understood beforehand that what you can't do, you simply can't do.

But if there are things you feel unwilling to accept, you will still feel unwilling to accept them.

That's a good thing, right?

This means that they haven't given up yet.

Su Qing'an's expression was indifferent and aloof. He looked directly at the sunlight outside the window, the refracted light spreading outwards on the outer edge of his pupils, creating a hazy, somewhat dazzling effect.

The crimson feathers remained nestled within the jet-black hair. It hopped and jumped around for a while, but found that its light weight made it difficult to attract the other's attention.

So the Little Feather rolled down and blocked the glare from the boy's pupils. It shook its tail and the fluffy feathers brushed against his nose, asserting its presence.

Su Qing'an helplessly twirled the Little Feather, and smiled slightly:

"I'm fine."

Behind those words, however, a portion of the Sea of consciousness- clear ice in my mind, which was as clear as a mirror, silently evaporated, turning into the formless and colorless void.

We are getting closer and closer to the final realm of the Great Void.

No one knows whether reaching that stage will bring the boy a phoenix-like rebirth or...

A greater despair.