Save? Destroy?

This is a win-win situation; no one will care if the speaker dies, there will only be cheers.

Shall we get started?

Now?

Without hesitation, Spasi raised his gun and aimed it at the Speaker's heart. He didn't want to see the Speaker's head explode like a watermelon; that sight would remind him of his wife.

"..."

But his finger never pulled the trigger.

The speaker's smile before he fell into a coma still lingered in his mind; it wasn't a mocking or cold laugh, but rather... a smile of a successful plan.

Would anyone be happy to hear that they are going to die? Was death their original intention?

However, in order to survive, the Speaker brought the Sixth Herrscher to a densely populated city, which was tantamount to dropping a nuclear bomb into the city.

"I will live to see the Fifth Branch!" That ferocious roar echoed in his ears, making Spasi's body tremble.

Live to... the Fifth Branch.

A person only truly sees themselves when they are dying.

Spasi suddenly understood why the Speaker's smile looked like that—his plan had indeed succeeded.

He brought the Herrscher to live to reach the Fifth Branch, and he deciphered the Herrscher's powers for the sake of humanity. But after completing this last act of selflessness, all that remained in his heart was selfishness.

The Speaker wanted to gamble on the completion of the serum by using the corpse of this last Honkai Sickness, even at the cost of the fate of the entire city and even humanity.

And this was all for another person, another Honkai Sickness, the man who went to the front lines.

Sometimes, one person's significance can surpass that of many others.

Spasi thought of the night he lost his wife and daughter. He lost his temper and vented all his anger on Lin, even though he knew it was the best solution, even though he knew he was the person responsible for developing the antidote for Honkai Sickness...

But if he had the chance, he would definitely choose to exchange his own life for the lives of his wife and daughters, even if it meant saving more lives and allowing more people to live happily ever after. He would not hesitate.

But does that mean all the people in the former Fifth Branch should lose their significance?

Spasi gritted his teeth, his eyes wide with anger, and his fingers showed no sign of loosening.

This man destroyed the Fifth Branch for his own plans, and now he's willing to sacrifice so many lives for someone important to him.

The significance of the Fifth Branch...

Gradually increase the pressure with your fingers.

I'll do it—

Pull the trigger completely.

"Bang!"

Boiling blood splattered onto Spasi's murderous face, his eyes bloodshot and terrifying.

"..."

He inhaled and exhaled slowly, and his rapidly beating heart slowed down.

The bullet hole was clearly visible on the table beside the speaker, who was even weaker after coughing up blood and could die at any moment.

Spasi's hand fell to his side, and the pistol clattered to the ground.

The significance of the Fifth Branch is to save lives; all of them are moths chasing the flame, risking their lives to join for this purpose.

He wanted to carry on their will.

Spasi felt a slight phantom pain on the side where he lost his other arm. He turned his head and saw a white-haired woman holding his hand and a young child smiling at him.

They are so lifelike, it's as if they were still alive.

"Karen, SiZhi... wait for me... wait for me..."

Spasi sat down against the wall, tilted his head back, and whispered.

Where will my dream end?

"At the starting point of reality."

Where will my reality end?

"At the starting point of your heart."

Lin stood in the darkness. He looked back but could not see the way he had come, nor a single light.

Looking ahead again, he could no longer see the road ahead.

It turns out he wasn't on the right path at all.

He chuckled self-deprecatingly and casually chose a direction to walk in.

Lin couldn't hear anyone else's voice in this darkness. He wanted to shout, but he could only hear the roar in his throat, like a demon, wretched and ugly.

After walking in the dark for a long time, he lost his way and didn't know if he was going in circles or heading back.

But it doesn't matter anymore. Anyway, no matter where he goes, all he can see is darkness.

The others said the same thing about him. He followed them in. They were the same kind of people, only able to eke out a living in the darkness. Even the faintest light would burn them to ashes.

Yes, just like a moth drawn to a flame.

Once you put on the mask, you can't take it off.

But Lin didn't regret it; it was the path he had chosen.

He couldn't let the sacrifices of those who fell on this path be meaningless; he had to keep going, even if more and more people died, even if he became cold-blooded and ruthless, he had to adhere to this principle.

Mistakes beget mistakes. He spent his whole life doing the wrong things, and in the end, he did the same thing.

Where does this road lead?

The arduous night road explored throughout one's life will likely end in an unfathomable darkness.

That's true, someone like him doesn't need a good ending.

Oh, right, what about "him"?

"..."

Never mind, it's none of his business.

Lin smiled sadly.

He has wronged countless people and harmed countless lives. It is both laughable and shameless to think that he can atone for his sins by merely using "him".

His return to the battlefield after regaining his memory and leaving Dusk Street can be seen as punishment for his naive actions.

How much further do we have to go on this road? It's so cold.

"Um?"

Suddenly, a faint, soft light shone at Lin's feet, and he looked up in bewilderment.

An inconspicuous ball of light, yet radiating a warm glow in the darkness, appeared ahead of us without us even noticing.

That is the end of the night, and the beginning of his reality.

Tears, illuminated by the sunlight, streamed down Lin's face.

"Why... I'm always so hesitant... I make mistakes in everything, and I can't even stick to my mistakes..." He knelt on the ground, wailing, and the mask on his face collapsed in the light.

"Why were we born into this world full of suffering..."

"Why did we have to meet..."

"Why is all this happening...?"

Even if nothing is lit, would you still be willing to appear in this darkness?

I wish you had never been born...

I wish I hadn't found you...

I wish you had grown up normally...

"If only... I could love you normally..."

Chapter Seventy-Five: Salvation or Destruction?

"Can you find the Sixth Herrscher?"

Upon receiving this information from Lin, Spasi's first reaction was that the Sixth Herrscher's Honkai Energy reaction had been detected. However, no corresponding information had been received from the monitors, so he asked with some skepticism, "How do we find it?"

Lin Cong the communicator, was mixed with some noise, indicating that it was outside rather than inside the Fifth Branch: "Herrscher Persona are divided into two types. One is when a new personality emerges to replace the original personality, and the other is when the original personality is corrupted. The difference between the two is that the former is more like an AI program, while the latter has strong anti-human tendencies and a lack of common sense."

Upon hearing this, Spasi frowned. Of course, he knew the basic knowledge about Herrscher: "But no matter which one it is, the original personality is essentially dead. Even if it is personality contamination, it is still a completely different personality from the inside out. In fact, Herrscher created by personality contamination are more dangerous."

Besides their powers, Herrscher with a "personality contamination" type are more human in nature, which means they are more adaptable and adept at using their power.

"Are you trying to say that the Sixth Herrscher is Herrscher of personality corruption? But even so, you still..."

"We can find it. The Herrscher of the Fifth Honkai War is also of the same type." Lin's tone was extremely calm. "After Herrscherification, the Fifth Herrscher retained her original memories and personality. She can speak normally and say the names of people she knows, and she will subconsciously go to places that are important to her."

The Herrscher of the Fifth Honkai War, the Herrscher of Ice, is Nun Binai. After Herrscherification, she was able to recognize Lin, kept calling out Anna's name, and built a nest in the orphanage to enhance her control over her powers. These are all things that the Herrscher of the previous four Honkai did not exhibit.

In other words, Binai is still Binai; her personality hasn't changed much. The only change is that she will cruelly and ruthlessly kill humans, even if it's her most important relative, Anna.

Perhaps it was a subconscious modification, or perhaps it was something deeper and more elusive, but in any case, it sent a signal—

The consciousness of the Herrscher is not elusive.

"Are you saying you know that location?"

"... There are two possible locations in this city. One is the Fifth Branch. The fact that she didn't come to the Fifth Branch means that she went to another place."

Looking out into the distance, the Ferris Wheel, soaring into the clouds, stood before him.

He and Hun had once visited this amusement park, and it was here that Hun made a vow to him to fight for the dead and for the living.

He knew the soul was here.

He kept his oath.

So he wanted to kill the soul.

For another vow.

She "resurrected" another person, a friend of Lin's and the former Head of Research and Development, Delta. After seeing his surprised expression, she couldn't help but laugh and said, "Okay, don't be surprised. I'll take you to see Lin in a little while. He'll definitely be surprised to see you too."

"Oh right, I also need to cure Lin's illness. I can do it." She muttered to herself, "I won't let anyone die. Hmm, those I killed will be resurrected... no..."

The person who was killed?

She shook her head, feeling a bit confused. How could she think like that?

She has never killed anyone?

She clearly remembered that she had always fought for her comrades and friends, so how could she possibly kill someone?

Yes, she must have misremembered. The monsters she killed were all created by the Honkai!

I haven't been resting well lately, so my mind is a bit muddled. It's okay, after "she" finishes these things, "she" can live happily together with everyone.

There's also a gift for Lin from Dessidobia. Will he be happy or shocked when he sees it?

Hehe, I really want to see what kind of expression he'll have under his helmet.

I really want to see what he looks like this time. He must be a very aloof-looking person, right? After all, he's always been a man of few words, so he has to be a handsome and aloof guy to fit the image.

She was eager to resurrect more people. Behind her stood many people, all of whom she remembered—those who had died on the battlefield or in accidents. Some were former members of the Squad Seven, some were members of the Fifth Branch, and some were members whose names were engraved in the "cemetery"...

She doesn't know what some people look like, but once she's resurrected, she doesn't need to think about it. As long as she knows their names, her mind will automatically fill in everything about that person, including their appearance and memories.

But just as "she" was using her "creation" ability, an outsider accidentally stepped into this lush green space.

"Gah—"

Her expression froze, and she turned her head in fear, only to see a pale figure.

A twisted Honkai zombie stood motionless at the crossroads, staring at her with his murky, yellowish eyes.

Honkai zombie?