Another Su Qing'an. 7000 words

Uzbekistan, Muinak.

In the distant past, dating back hundreds of years, this place was once one of the lakeside tourist destinations of a united nation.

The screen in front of the boy was playing footage of this location from hundreds of years ago, where fishing boats could be seen busily entering and leaving the harbor.

This freshwater lake once covered an area of about 70,000 square kilometers, and the silhouettes of fishing boats could always be faintly seen amidst the undulating waves.

As time passed and circumstances changed, when Su Qing'an set foot on this land, the only way to see that scene again was through the reflection of history and the remaining records.

What lies before us today is a boundless desert covering approximately 60,000 square kilometers. The endless yellow sand appears blurred by the scorching heat that distorts our vision, both sweltering and deathly still. Signs of life have faded into nothingness over the passage of time.

The animals that could be occasionally spotted in the past have gradually disappeared due to long-term abandonment.

I heard that a long time ago, someone hoped to save this land that had become a desert by planting trees, but unfortunately, they ultimately failed.

In today's civilization, transforming this seemingly abandoned and useless land into a brand new paradise is not difficult. Before the Great Honkai arrives, a company is in talks with relevant departments about an acquisition.

If it weren't for the subsequent wars that destroyed the human order and social stability, it wouldn't be surprising if this land were to experience a rebirth.

Based on virtual reality and spatial technology, this place is likely to become a brand new Elysian Realm, and it would be reasonable for cities to spring up here.

In this wondrous era where technology has reached its peak, if the Honkai had not occurred, perhaps humanity would have been able to exist forever.

Su Qing'an closed the paper book, replied to someone's message on her phone, and asked:

"Is this all virtual reality?"

Mei's voice came from the wristwatch:

"You noticed?"

Su Qing'an turned off his phone, glanced at the desolate desert, the scorching temperature and dazzling light seemed to have no effect on him, and the yellow sand beside him could not be stepped into the area.

Although the body is in a strange state where its various attributes are constantly fluctuating, making it impossible for the previous martial arts technique—[Circle]—to form a passive ability, the Honkai Energy circulation shell formed by the Stigmata is enough to resist external interference.

Everything here feels so real, yet so empty, making it seem unreal.

He replied:

"Yes, I could tell from the moment we stepped into this desert. You were probably trying to test something, which is why you didn't say anything."

She asked:

"Is it related to the soul?"

Su Qing'an thought for a moment and then provided an answer:

"I guess so, but it's also related to one's cultivation level."

"The Divine Sound I described to you last time, if reached to its ultimate level and combined with some other cultivation methods, can achieve something similar."

Mei asked:

"Fusion Warrior's senses should be able to detect something amiss here, but Mr. Su, as a human who hasn't undergone surgery, can also sense it. The soul and the realm you speak of are truly interesting."

She clearly understood the meaning behind the other person's words.

Su Qing'an's physical body and senses were not at the level to detect flaws.

In reality, he couldn't use his senses to discover the flaws here, but he was able to see through the essence from a perspective similar to intuition, and understand the falseness and emptiness here.

To defeat Fuxi, who was born with a higher level of understanding.

This person's help is indispensable.

"The replication of the Divine Sound has been successful, but it will only be a suitable amplification method for a small group of people."

"It seems that your idea of developing the most profound method— the Void Sword Qi —based on this path will only lead to more troublesome things."

Su Qing'an stated:

"Just as I told you last time, Fuxi's realm is still beyond the theoretical limits of this method."

Mei asked:

"Harmony between humanity and nature, and interaction with all things?"

"That's a really vague description. To put it in a positive light, it means being able to merge into a certain area, thereby enabling unconventional attack methods and an absolute defensive perimeter. To put it in a negative light, could Fuxi regard the Imaginary Space and the Sea of Quantum as the universe itself, and interact with them as part of all things?"

"If that's the case, then she's no different from the gods commonly believed in the world."

"I've always believed that the Honkai is far more terrifying than we imagine. Since we discovered the World Bubble beyond our observation, I've felt even more strongly that our current civilization might just be a ripple, a speck of dust, in Sea of Nothingness."

"But if Fuxi could reach that level, it might be a bad thing for us, but it might not be a good thing for the Honkai either."

Su Qing'an remained noncommittal, and said softly:

"Are you suggesting that, assuming Fuxi possesses a clear self-awareness and leans towards humanity, and can engage in friendly communication, she might become the turning point for us to transform from pawns into players?"

Mei let out a long, drawn-out sigh:

"I was prepared, but compared to the higher, farther, more ethereal yet truly real [chess player], I'm still far from ready."

"Mr. Su, we need time, we need more time no matter what."

"At the same time, we also need leverage, leverage that, apart from the [chess player] falling into the world, will make all beings take notice yet remain unexpected."

"Fuxi is dangerous, but precisely because of this, she is qualified to be a lever to bridge vast distances and help us reach that longed-for other shore."

"From this perspective, it's not an exaggeration to call her appearance a lucky thing."

Su Qing'an gazed at the desert, which gradually undulated like ocean waves and then slowly parted, and asked:

"Do you believe that Fuxi should not have existed in this world?"

"Why? There are currently no clues or reasons to prove this. Humanity has never before experienced such a massive calamity with hundreds of millions of deaths and injuries in a short period of time. The formation of the concept of the aggregation of consciousness and [purification] may have been inevitable from the very beginning."

Mei's words faded into the distance, and she whispered:

"Because of you, Mr. Su."

"Because you never came from another world, you came from... the distant future."

"Your existence brought a glimmer of life and change to this world destined for decay; it may be meaningless, or it may offer more substantial leverage."

Su Qing'an was not surprised that the other party could discover part of his true background. His concealment skills were too clumsy for someone like Dr. Mei, especially after the other party created an instrument that could observe the World Bubble.

Aside from the factors other than the reboot, it's not surprising that Mei guessed the truth.

So the boy continued to gaze at the clear road slowly unfolding amidst the swirling yellow sand, as if the clouds had parted to reveal the sun. He walked forward and softly responded:

"I come from the future, a future so distant you wouldn't want to know."

"That was a post-apocalyptic era that inherited the legacy of modern civilization, and the Honkai has returned once again."

"And I died there, and was reborn from this day fifty-five thousand years ago."

"Dr. Mei, our meeting is a miracle, but no one knows if this is another prank by [the chess player]."

"Whether this encounter was accidental or inevitable, whether it brought fortune or misfortune, I hope the future will provide the answer."

As Su Qing'an stepped into the magnificent radiance, the invisible portal behind him closed naturally, and the desert returned to its original silence.

Even from the perspective of external satellites, this area still appears bright white, perfectly replicating the desert area formed by the large amount of salt deposited from the lake and the pesticides from the farmland.

As the snowflakes of light that drifted across my vision receded and dissipated, the image reflected in my eyes and the familiar sound arrived together.

The boy could hardly tell whether what he experienced in that instant was the reality of entering the opened portal and stepping into this area, or whether he was brought to another unknown realm by the quantum teleportation gate that opened in an instant.

It's obvious.

Even though Mei trusts Su Qing'an, there are still many things she won't tell him completely.

The young female PhD student paused in the vast, empty room and politely said:

"Long time no see, Mr. Su."

"It's really hard for you to show surprise no matter what happens. There's one person who might really want to see you show any other expression."

"But I don't dislike your personality; it's actually very convenient for communication and working together."

Su Qing'an glanced at the bizarre scenery around her. It was as if the whole world had been divided into countless freely combinable empty spaces. Countless cubes rose and fell and changed outside the area where she stood. She could not see the edge or the sky, but it was vast and boundless.

This still seems to be in an unknown virtual reality, and even if one deliberately uses techniques to convert Honkai Energy into wavelengths in an attempt to detect the reality beyond the illusion, it will be successfully blocked by the jammer.

The Mei before them, indistinguishable from a real person, was merely an instantaneous projection.

Even though it was perfectly real and flawless, the boy's intuition still led him to the correct answer.

The Path of Sincerity.

Su Qing'an could vaguely discern from this that this might be one of the abilities one gains after entering the Ascended State.

The state of harmony between humanity and nature, and the communion with all things, allows no aspect of the world to be concealed.

Although I haven't reached that level, I can still discern whether everything I'm experiencing now is fake or real.

He asked softly:

"It sounds like I don't know the person you're talking about."

Mei stated:

"If necessary, there will be an opportunity."

The two tacitly avoided continuing the discussion about the future.

They all understood that the previously predetermined future could no longer provide any reference to the current situation.

Although Su Qing'an couldn't determine why the other party could be so certain that Fuxi was an accidental creation simply by knowing that he came from the future, he agreed with Mei's guess.

However, unlike the other party, he was able to find out through a restart that shouldn't have existed and logical deduction.

Su Qing'an wasn't interested in the person Mei mentioned; the internal situation of the Moth to Fire and the external forces involved had always been quite complex.

However, he never interfered with or tried to understand these things, and the storms and turmoil in the outside world seemed unusually quiet under Mei's isolation.

Su Qing'an may have many unfamiliar comrades within the Moth to Fire, but very few people don't know him.

After all, before Mei came to power, thanks to government propaganda, Su Qing'an was known almost worldwide.

Even on the world's most influential social media platforms, the official account operates a personal account in his name.

However, since Prometheus was aware of his tacit approval and knew that he disliked these things, Su Qing'an would not learn anything about himself through electronic devices.

Fu Hua, who also received the same treatment, was completely unaware of this.

Silly Couple. jpg

On the other hand, the boy himself has been consciously trying to avoid unnecessary entanglements and entanglements.

Therefore, even Shiyu Qiluo and Carole, whom he saved, rarely had the opportunity to see each other.

In essence, this is the result of self-imposed limitations.

If you count carefully, Su Qing'an actually knew fewer than ten people in the Previous Civilization, which shows how effective his self-isolation was.

Because Fu Hua, who needs to communicate frequently, can ignore the effect of [Hidden] through the medium of Udu-dust, this ability almost becomes a passive skill when there is no need to communicate with others.

In the past, when Seele was still alive, he would often deactivate the spell.

After the opponent dies, Su Qing'an will not deliberately remove the [Hidden] skill in front of Shiyu Qiluo and Carole when he invites Fu Hua to play.

This resulted in the two having arranged to meet and preparing to leave almost right under Shiyu Qiluo and Carole's noses, yet the two were completely unaware of it.

It can be described as a very subtle form of autism.

Especially after the boy mastered the Soul State, even with the full-level senses of a Fusion Warrior, he couldn't detect the other party's presence.

This meant that even if someone wanted to get to know or contact Su Qing'an, they would basically be defeated by his habitually activated [hidden] ability.

Mei and Kevin were well aware of this and deliberately instructed the other members not to appear in front of each other unless necessary. In addition, Su Qing'an never had a clear position in the Moth to Fire but had an excellent record in fighting the Honkai, which made him seem mysterious to some people.

But there's one point that, while strangely stated, is also quite logical.

When Su Qing'an and Fu Hua go out on dates, in order to avoid being seen as weirdos, they deliberately reduce the use of [Hidden], turning it into a ranged skill that leaves a vague impression, rather than being completely ignored.

This means that people who are interested in him and want to get to know him have to take the initiative to... witness their relationship.

Even worse, some people, using their position for personal gain, secretly used Prometheus to create a few vlogs of all their dates and outings without their knowledge.

This seems to fit the tastes of Shiyu Qiluo and Carole perfectly.

Unfortunately, due to their close relationship with Fu Hua, their electronic devices were also strangely blocked, preventing them from watching these videos.

In conclusion

Mei was neither surprised nor bothered by Su Qing'an's behavior.

She had conducted an accurate psychological analysis of the other party a long time ago, and the conclusions she drew had already proven the other party's behavioral patterns.

Mei smiled and continued:

"However, judging from the current situation, it seems that you are not giving others a chance to get to know you."

After all, unless you're an extreme stalker, it's practically impossible to find a situation where the other person isn't hiding.

Su Qing'an didn't pick up on the topic; instead, he asked:

"Mei, since when did our conversations start being entirely handled by virtual projections?"

The image of the young female scientist flickered for a moment, the smile on her lips faded, and she replied softly:

"You really can hide anything from me."

Su Qing'an stated:

"If you are physically capable of meeting people normally, using a virtual projection to receive someone doesn't suit your personality."

"Or rather, it's unnecessary."

"Just let Prometheus lead the way. Your use of a virtual projection to meet him indicates that you're trying to conceal something."

Mei didn't hide anything and replied:

"Although it was within expectations, it still failed."

"In short, I've basically been staying here ever since the Seventh Herrscher died."

She didn't elaborate on this topic, but instead asked a question in return:

"You can see through what is false and what is real, but you probably can't tell where this place is, right?"

Su Qing'an thought for a moment and said softly:

"Hmm, I can't tell."

Mei's projection walked forward, and a clear path unfolded amidst the bright white light within the void. The boy followed and climbed the steps, and Fire Clouds fell with each step, coloring the heavens and earth.

But the next second, golden clouds were reflected on the sea.

However, from a normal viewing angle, the scene appears upside down, with the sea all around and thick, layered clouds bathed in the early morning sun at your feet.

Everything before my eyes seemed too bizarre and fantastical, like a scene that could only be truly seen in a dream.

Here, people will lose their accurate perception of direction and distance.

Although we have long experienced the remarkable technology of the Previous Civilization in various aspects, this level of technology is something we have never encountered before.

If Su Qing'an didn't actively pay attention to this matter, he wouldn't even be able to detect whether the direction had changed. He said softly:

"But based on what we're going to do next, this place is likely to be quite special."

Mei gazed at the scene where the thousands of cubes suddenly returned to their original state, freely shifting at irregular speeds and postures. She stretched out her palm towards the void before her, and tiny, pitch-black cubes leaped from their neatly arranged ranks onto it. She let the wondrous medium touch her skin and whispered:

"This is the Sea of Nothingness, the Illusory Realm I created."

"It is a large-scale mainframe that I conceived and created for Prometheus a long time ago."

"Currently, only three percent of its performance is used to monitor the flow of Honkai Energy worldwide; the rest is dedicated to numerous experimental projects."

"The real reason for this surpassing of previous intelligent performance limits is due to the existence of this place."

The black cube disintegrated into a chaotic stream of data, outlining the shape of a portal on the road ahead. The girl took a step forward, pushing aside the illusory matter, and thus led Su Qing'an to a deeper core area.

The scene that appeared before my eyes had changed from the previous fantasy to a normal research institute style.

The projection in front of Su Qing'an had already dissipated, but his ability to observe souls guided him to the place he should be.

The room was terrifyingly vast, quite unlike the feeling of emptiness one might have when standing in the middle of a grassland. Due to its monotonous and dark color scheme, and its dome, which was as high as the sky yet not tinged with any blue, it was easier to feel loneliness and fear.

Upon entering the room, what catches the eye is not its eerie spaciousness, but rather the overwhelming grandeur that immediately takes your breath away.

That was the sea.

When he first witnessed this scene, this was the only description he could instinctively use to explain his current feelings.

To be precise, this is a large, enclosed area of the sea, made of a transparent, glass-like material.

This seemingly vast room is merely a window for observing this sea area; it does not reveal the full view outside.

Su Qing'an could vaguely sense that the familiar soul was located in the center of that sea area, but this sense, which was not easily blurred in the past, became blurred and unstable as it was swept by the ocean currents.

This is not the real sea, yet it is undeniably a reality right before our eyes.

The boy's gaze narrowed slightly, and he whispered:

"This is... a tributary of the Sea of Quantum?"

Mei's projection reappeared, touching the transparent glass, as if she were located at the farthest point in the world, her figure lonely.

"It cannot be considered a tributary; in the context of the entire Sea of Quantum, this part can only be regarded as a speck of dust in the hopeless world."

"So there's no need to worry, Mr. Su."

"At least for now, this Seawater here is the blood of Prometheus, and this room is like a window into the ventricle of the human heart."

"As for the detailed principles, reasons, effects, methods, and processes, it would take three days and three nights to explain them properly, and I believe you wouldn't want to waste too much energy on such trivial matters."

Su Qing'an walked to her side and sighed:

"Your body is in the middle of this sea, conducting all your research and interacting with the outside world through Prometheus, right?"

Mei was silent for a moment, her gaze fixed on that area with a distant look:

"Very efficient, right?"

"The previous 1239 clones were all annihilated in the blood of Prometheus. If we want to quickly find a way to deal with Fuxi, I need more of [me] to form the fulcrum for finding the unique answer, using Prometheus to leverage it. What we will ultimately obtain will be all hope."

Su Qing'an felt a pang of pity and asked:

"Is there no one else who can help you besides me?"

"This civilization has flourished to such an extent that the other researchers and scientists should not be unable to offer you any help at this time."

Mei smiled and said:

Yes, it has always been there.

"There was the doctor who introduced me to the Moth to Fire, Kevin's best friend, Doctor Muen, and before that, Ein, Tesla, and many, many more."

Even though the calamities of the Mu Continent have taken away much, there has never been a shortage of people walking this path together.

"I am never fighting alone, nor is the Moth to Fire."

She gazed at the deep, vast ocean and whispered:

"But we each have our own tasks and responsibilities, without any distinction of rank or status, just that everyone's burden is too heavy. Except in truly critical moments, I do not intend to break this rule."

"But that's alright. On the road ahead, we meet and head towards the same destination. Although it's difficult to pass on our strength to each other, our shared belief will never perish."

Su Qing'an glanced at the girl's profile, then turned her gaze to the distance and said:

"Dr. Mei, this is really not something you would say."

Mei adjusted her glasses and continued:

"That sounds like something Kevin would say, doesn't it?"

"He did say that, but I don't deny his views."

"However, sometimes, other ways of thinking are more efficient and convenient; we should choose whatever means lead to victory."

Su Qing'an said softly:

"If victory can be won and peace can be achieved, then all the costs will be worthwhile."

"But these two words always have an elusive meaning."

The boy didn't intend to continue the conversation; instead, he asked:

"Has Kevin's genetic sequence experienced a second breakdown since that incident?"

Mei stated:

"The genetic sequence was completely stable after the day you handed over the work to him."

"If it happened again, even with the Black Abyss White Flower's restraint and delay, we might not see a miracle. But since it's completely stable now, there won't be any more accidents, so you don't need to worry about it."

She sighed:

"The Chimera Project is still not mature enough. Although he has elevated Parvati's genes to near-authority, this ability is ultimately not suitable as a solid axis for gene orientation."

"On the contrary, the Chiyou Gene you fused with, due to their unique abilities, meant that from the very beginning I planned to specifically combine genes for you."

"Unfortunately, the matter of the Soul State is still beyond our expectations. If Fuxi had appeared a little later, you might have already undergone a complete transformation, and we would have had a better chance of becoming the next Herrscher."

Su Qing'an did not deny this point; he himself felt it was regrettable, but he also felt there was no need for regret.

"If that were the case, I probably would have died the moment I first grasped the Fuxi [Purification] domain."

From this perspective, perhaps it can be considered lucky.

Mei crushed the white cube in her hand, tearing open a new portal, and whispered:

"Perhaps, life is unpredictable, who knows?"

After she finished speaking, she said:

"Alright, come with me."

"There's no need to come here any longer. If all goes well, all the preparations and simulations should be completed within a month."

"If nothing unexpected happens by then, there's one more thing I need your help with."

Su Qing'an followed her into the new territory and asked:

"What can I do to help you?"

The girl's projection vanished in the vast room, Sound Ring:

"Your mark remains here."

"Leaving behind a complete version of you, possessing your current personality and all your memories... [Su Qing'an]."