I Am Not a Hero

"ROAR—"

The ferocious roar made Lin's gaze sharpen. A giant beast, also spewing blinding pink blood, rose from the flames.

As expected, it wouldn't do to not destroy the Core.

But the explosion had already blown apart the Chariot-class Honkai Beast's shell, and the explosion's center was its Core. Now, within that terrifyingly twisted muscle, the Core was faintly visible.

The damaged Chariot-class Honkai Beast roared and turned towards Lin's position. Its hatred for this human had reached its peak. This time, it didn't prepare anything. It lunged, intending to crush this dying insect completely.

"Come on."

Come on!

An astonishing light burst from Lin's eyes. As if he felt no pain in his body, he flipped up and drew his sword one last time, bending his knees and leaping back!

Compared to the Honkai Beast's height, his jumping ability was truly insufficient.

But it was enough. He wasn't trying to collide with the Honkai Beast.

Lin executed a smooth flip in mid-air, dodging the Honkai Beast's arm, then leaned his entire body back, coming face-to-face with the Honkai Beast.

The distance was so close that Lin could see the Honkai Energy flowing through its blood vessels and muscles.

The Honkai Beast's Core, he had seen it.

A flash of light in Lin's eyes, and the dagger directly cut through muscle, piercing into the Core.

Blood splashed onto his face.

"Hiss—"

The pained Honkai Beast landed and let out a mournful cry. It rolled on the ground, smashing nearby buildings.

But soon, it gradually stopped moving. There was no more sound, and finally, it fell heavily to the ground.

Lin climbed up from the ground, hot blood drenching his body, making him look like he'd been pulled out of a paint bucket. He dragged himself, limping, to the Honkai Beast's side, past its thick arm, reaching the Core.

"Cough... cough..."

The dagger was still stuck in the fleshy pink Core. Lin's body was exhausted; he couldn't even lift his hand to pull the knife out.

But he slowly picked up his gun and then slowly aimed it at the Honkai Beast's Core.

"Bang!"

The recoil sent Lin flying half his body's length.

He slowly got up again.

Aim, shoot, fall, get up.

Until the magazine was empty and the Honkai Beast was deader than dead, Lin couldn't get up, and only then did this bloody battle draw to a close.

Chapter 3: Giving You Everything We Have

"Three hours ago, it was confirmed that the Third Herrscher was born in Changkong City."

"After the Third Herrscher's birth, Changkong City was covered by thunderstorms, all city facilities were paralyzed, and accompanied by continuous lightning strikes."

"Based on the phenomena and the detected electromagnetic field manipulation information, it is preliminarily inferred that the Third Herrscher's abilities are related to the electromagnetic field."

"The Third Herrscher's provisional codename is the Herrscher of Thunder. She must be stopped before her rampage expands beyond Changkong City."

MOTH's high-level meetings were more efficient than any meeting in the world. These individuals, who could cause earthquakes in many fields and countries with a stomp of their foot, might bicker over incompatible ideas in normal times, but when fighting the Honkai, they could make the entire vast organization operate in the correct manner without even needing a basic vote.

"In addition, the talent recommended by Mobius, Mei, is also located in Changkong City, the site of this Honkai outbreak."

"A team has been dispatched for rescue, but no response has been received yet."

"..."

A long silence.

"We need talent like Mei to join. Expedite the rescue efforts."

"According to the data, the MSA-079 soldier attended the same school as Mei and is from the same region. MSA-079 can be asked to invite Mei to join MOTH."

Agreed. With the upcoming operation against the Third Herrscher, we don't have enough manpower for rescue. MSA-079's combat power can also be deployed for the rescue. Send a mission to MSA-079's assigned squad to conduct a solo rescue mission in Changkong City.

However, the subsequent news made everyone frown.

"MSA-079 encountered the third Honkai outbreak while on another mission in Canghai City and was severely injured while defeating a Chariot-class Honkai Beast. That Chariot-class Honkai Beast has been identified as a special individual and named Honkai: Overlord."

"MSA-079 has been rescued. The transport plane will arrive at headquarters in half an hour. It is estimated that after treatment, he will be able to recover basic mobility. Should he continue to carry out the mission?"

This was a question, meaning a vote was needed.

It wasn't a particularly big problem, but sending Lin in his current state to rescue her was basically sending him to his death.

The life of a soldier, even an elite one, was still just a soldier.

Trading one soldier for the future of MOTH and humanity was a deal even a child would consider worthwhile.

So...

"Unanimously approved."

Lin's gaze was fixed on the ceiling, as if he were trying to count every stripe. But his bandaged head couldn't turn, so he could only repeatedly roll his eyeballs between a few straight lines.

"You're really in a bad state. You can usually go on a rampage in a Honkai Beast nest, but a mere lower-level Honkai Beast has left you like this."

"..."

Himiko appeared at the doorway at some unknown time. The fully armed, red-haired woman walked up to him, allowing him to see her serious expression.

Even after receiving some basic treatment, Lin's injuries were still gruesome. He looked like he'd just survived a game of Blackbeard, riddled with holes, making one wonder if he'd leak if he drank water.

Lin stared at her silently, his gaze drifting over her armor and the conspicuous greatsword.

Himiko glanced at her sword and chuckled, "New equipment. If you had come back sooner, maybe you could have used it too... Heh, perhaps you'll be using it soon."

Hearing Himiko's words, Lin understood.

He stated calmly, "What's the mission."

Himiko clearly froze for a moment, then shook her head with a wry smile. "Let's not talk about that yet... You're lucky this time. If they had given you the inhibitor even half an hour or even a few minutes later, the Honkai Energy might have started to erode your body..."

"What's the mission."

"You still haven't used that gun. You didn't use your precious gun even after the other one ran out of bullets..."

"What's the mission."

"Soul and the little girl she brought back have both been treated. Don't worry."

"I wasn't worried," Lin said flatly, paused, and continued, "What's the mission."

"Are you a broken record! And you're really tsundere, exactly like that book described!"

Himiko was somewhat helpless with Lin's behavior. No wonder he always emphasized that he was a soldier, not a warrior. Was this absolute obedience a good or bad thing...

"Search and rescue mission. The location is Changkong City. We need to rescue someone very important to MOTH."

"Mei."

"...How did you know?"

It was a simple deduction. He was being asked to conduct a search and rescue mission in Changkong City for someone important to MOTH. These three points combined meant a talented individual related to Lin, located in Changkong City.

Lin only knew two people in Changkong City, so it was a simple choice between the two.

"Don't overthink it. The reason our team is being assigned this search and rescue mission is purely because our current combat strength is insufficient to participate in the Third Herrscher's subjugation battle, and you just happen to know the person," Himiko finally chose a more tactful way to put it. "You and Soul don't need to engage in combat. Focus on the rescue. I'll handle the fighting."

When she learned of this mission, directly issued by the higher-ups, she suspected they had gone mad.

Lin's left hand was completely ruined. While his other injuries were manageable, they were only "manageable." The fact that he could move at all fell under this category.

Logically, he should be recuperating as an injured soldier in the rear. Yet, he was being pushed onto the battlefield, all for the sake of "rescuing someone"?

And Soul, although not physically injured, had suffered considerable mental exhaustion. A rookie was being thrown directly into the battlefield where the Third Herrscher was?

Himiko wished Lin would show even a sliver of dissatisfaction. Then, she could have joined him in denouncing the idiotic higher-ups. Even if it changed nothing, at least it would have made her feel better.

"I understand," but Lin's voice remained the same eternally cold tone, without even an extra trailing sound. It was concise and powerful, as if emotion had never manifested in him. With his left arm still hanging around his neck, he stood up and began to walk towards the door.

Himiko clenched her fists with her back to him and asked in a low voice, "Are you going to get your gear?"

"..."

Lin's steps halted at the doorway. He looked up at the dim light, just like the obscure weather that day.

He took a deep breath and said, "Captain, I'll tell you a secret."

Himiko didn't react. "What?"

"My preferred type of woman is actually like Doctor Mobius."

"...What?"

"So I'm going to find Doctor Mobius now. See you in a bit."

Himiko, utterly bewildered, listened to Lin's rapidly retreating footsteps, still reeling from the abrupt conversation and the inexplicably revealed secret.

Was this... him joking with her?

And, was he into older women?

Standing at the laboratory door, Lin always suspected that no matter what happened, this place would remain unchanged. Even if a flood came, this would be Noah's Ark. If not, its owner would forcefully send it onto Noah's Ark.

"Yo~ Isn't this a slightly flawed specimen of a little white rat? What's up?"

The green-haired woman, while observing a slice of muscle tissue from the Honkai: Overlord Lin had killed under a microscope, greeted Lin, who had walked in silently, with her unique tone.

If cold sarcasm counted as a greeting.

Lin, as if he hadn't heard the disdain in her voice, said directly, "I want a new hand, just like the leg you attached for me."

"...Little white rat, you seem to misunderstand me." Mobius turned around. Her perfect body curved like a graceful, slender snake with the movement, and every word she spoke was like a viper's flicking tongue, cold and deadly. "I'm not a doctor. At most, I can replace a broken toy with a new part."

"But you, you're not the kind of toy I like... Oh no, you're not even worthy of being called a toy."

"Replace it for me. I'm going to save Mei."

"...Mei? You're going to save her?"

Mobius had personally met with Mei, judging her to be the person MOTH needed. Therefore, she understood Mei's value better than anyone else.

"Hmph, just saving one person... A lab rat that can't run with one leg missing is..."

"I'll come to the lab and cook for you. You won't have to eat instant food anymore," Lin said coldly.

Mobius froze for a moment, then looked at the man wrapped head-to-toe in bandages and asked sincerely, "...Did you hit your head?"

"Elysia is very interested in my face. I can show it to you, giving you the upper hand in future conversations with her."

"...What on earth are you talking about?"

"I can kill more Honkai Beasts, and I'll even go all out to kill Herrschers and bring their corpses to you."

Lin's tone was sincere. For a man who mostly expressed himself through silence, this was his most genuine plea since joining MOTH.

His gaze lowered, and he said softly, "Everything I can do, I can give to you. So please, help me replace my arm so I can fight."

Kevin and Mei were still alive. Lin believed they were definitely alive.

Therefore, he couldn't just fall into despair.

Mobius narrowed her emerald eyes, watching Lin for a long time before letting out a breath and a cold laugh. "Interesting."

She turned and pressed an intercom button, saying to the other end, "Bianca, come here. We have a surgery to perform."

Mobius's exquisite earrings glowed with a green fluorescence under the lab lights, looking particularly eerie. She turned back and smiled meaningfully at the calm Lin.

"Then, in exchange for everything you are, I will give you a brand-new arm... Would you like to replace any other broken parts while we're at it? It won't change your Honkai Energy adaptability or resistance, but it could make you feel brand new."

"No, I don't need anesthesia either. I'm in a hurry. If you're interested, you can talk to me after I get back."

Lin voluntarily lay down on the operating table, casually unwrapping the bandages to expose his left arm, which was in a cast.

Mobius walked slowly to the operating table and shone the surgical lamp on Lin's face. Her expression became increasingly strange, her eyes darting around, taking in everything about Lin.

"No anesthesia? You really dare to say that, hehe... Very well, let me see the limits of human endurance."