I'm Not a Flame-Chaser

Lin recalled that he had indeed picked up Night Owl's necklace earlier, but hadn't he already returned it to Night Owl?

The necklace seems to be very important to Night Owl. He couldn't control his emotions last time, and this time he was discovered by Lin because he was too excited and his movements were too exaggerated, which exposed him.

"It's not with me," Lin replied coldly.

"..."

Night Owl had a vague idea that the necklace was unlikely to have been picked up by Lin, but when he discovered the necklace was missing when he left Sky City, he was almost driven mad. It was only possible that it was dropped during his fight with Rita, so the most likely person to have picked up the necklace was Rita.

However, when he came to investigate the environment of Changkong City, he saw Lin. He couldn't mistake this guy in a trench coat and mask with a unique temperament. Even though Raven reported that the man was dead, Night Owl believed that his judgment was correct.

Even if there was only a one percent chance, Night Owl wanted to try, but he didn't expect that Lin's senses were even sharper than last time. The same move couldn't work on Lin twice, and he was caught on the spot.

What do you want?

Night Owl reached for the weapon inside his prosthetic body with his other hand hidden behind his back, while outwardly calmly talking to Lin.

Come to think of it, this man gave him a vague sense of familiarity, just like last time, as if he had seen him somewhere before... as if...

"Bass!"

Just as Night Owl was preparing to launch a surprise counterattack, Lin Yidao stabbed into Night Owl's prosthetic body. This startled Night Owl, who immediately pulled out his short knife to fight to the death, only to find that his prosthetic body was out of his control!

What's going on? He clearly only stabbed a trivial spot, so why can't he control the prosthetic body anymore!

After corrupting Night Owl's prosthetic body, Lin pulled out the black blade and, in front of Night Owl, slowly took the dagger from his hand, toying with it between his fingertips.

Lin's fingers were the most nimble Night Owl had ever seen. Even Raven, who was most skilled with small melee weapons, could only match him. A short knife spun like a top on his five fingertips, making a constant soft cutting sound. If he wasn't careful, he might cut off his own fingers.

The masked man looked down at the immobilized Night Owl with a cold gaze and said, "You've finished asking your questions, now it's my turn. What is World Serpent's plan to enter Changkong City? How many cadres are there? Has the World Serpent's Venerable Lord also come to Changkong City?"

Lin's question cut to the heart of the matter, causing Night Owl to break out in a cold sweat. If he were to reveal all this information, especially since it was his own willful act that led to the leak, his fate would likely be grim, and he might even become a test subject for the Jackal.

"Explain."

"Whoosh!"

The chilling urging and the blade arrived simultaneously. Night Owl felt a chill on his face and saw that the short knife in Lin's hand was gone. Then, strands of hair on his right side fell down, and a shallow bloodstain appeared on his cheek.

"... The World Serpent came to Changkong City to capture the Herrscher of the Void."

"Bass!"

Before Night Owl could finish speaking, the black blade fell directly down.

"Clatter".

The prosthetic shoulder fell to the ground, the break smooth and clean.

"Next cut, first your right leg, then your left leg, right hand, ear, nose, face... Don't worry, I'm very accurate, I guarantee you won't die, and you'll stay conscious."

The masked man's chilling whispers, like an ice scalpel, came from behind the mask, cutting through one's spine and stimulating every nerve.

"Finally, I will put this thing of yours, which has no hands, no feet, and no face, into the body of Knight-class Honkai Beast, and make it your new body."

"As long as you keep lying to me."

Night Owl thought that the Venerable Lord was the most terrifying person he had ever seen, but the man in front of him, like the Venerable Lord, did not give people a sense of fear of a specific creature, but rather a feeling of facing an indescribable "thing".

Moreover, unlike the absolute oppressive aura of the Venerable Lord, this man's very existence is far more terrifying than his strength.

"..." Night Owl hesitated. If he continued to keep his mouth shut, it would be no different from being transformed by the Jackal. At least he could return to the World Serpent and have a glimmer of hope.

"I see."

There was nothing he could do but sigh helplessly and say, "Only two executives have come to Changkong City. This time, World Serpent is not one of the main participants in the plan. Even the Venerable Lord of the Herrscher of the Void has ordered us to keep an eye on things and not to act rashly."

Sure enough, it was pretty much exactly what Lin had guessed.

"Then, Your Venerable Lord..."

"Whoosh! Bang!"

Smoke bombs suddenly exploded above their heads! A red and black shadow rushed out of the smoke! Lin swung his knife without hesitation, but the opponent nimbly blocked his attack with two short swords, then grabbed Night Owl by the collar and fled!

"You taught me this, huh? Hehe."

The woman with a beauty mark on the corner of her mouth grabbed Night Owl and ran outside, while Lin Yidao cut through the smoke and chased after her without hesitation!

The "Rebirth" of the Sky: Chapter Six - A Unique Flower Withers Before Dawn

"Whoosh—"

The ghostly figure, impervious to sunlight, swept across the rooftop like a gust of wind, hurtling towards the Raven that was carrying an owl and unable to accelerate in the distance.

"They really don't give him any face at all. They just let him take the Herrscher of the Void away." Raven's expression was relaxed, but the cold sweat on her forehead betrayed her thoughts.

World Serpent didn't bring many people with her this time. She couldn't guarantee that others could come to her aid in time, and with a burden in her hands, she was no match for Lin.

"Is your prosthetic body still paralyzed? Get up quickly, that guy will catch up soon."

Night Owl tried to regain control of his cybernetic body, but he couldn't do it at all. His cybernetic body seemed to be completely damaged, and he couldn't even move a toe. How did that person manage to do that?

If he hadn't sent a message to Raven using his prosthetic body before being controlled, he would probably have been torn to pieces by that terrifying man by now.

"No, it's very likely the power of that knife. You need to be careful and avoid getting hit..."

"Bass!"

The sound of wind whistling behind him was a rapid response. Raven's muscles and nerves tensed, and without hesitation, he turned around and blocked the black blade that was being thrown, narrowly deflecting it from its trajectory and sending it flying straight ahead.

Unable to land a hit, Lin continued his relentless pursuit. Raven, thinking that the opponent might have a chance to counterattack since his weapon had fallen from his hand, turned around to prepare to meet the enemy.

"Watch out! Raven!"

The owl suddenly shouted a warning, and the Raven, who was preparing to deal with Lin's charge, was stunned. Then, a huge force slammed into her from behind!

"Gurgle—"

Unaware of what had happened, the Raven coughed up blood and was sent flying, crashing into a building.

"Boom!"

A huge shadow loomed over Raven and Night Owl's faces. Raven wiped the blood from the corner of its mouth and looked up to see the masked man standing with a Chariot-class Honkai Beast.

The one who ambushed her... was a Honkai Beast?

The man raised his hand and pulled the black-bodied sword from the Honkai Beast's body. He casually flicked his wrist, drawing a complete purplish-black arc on the ground, and then walked towards them together with the Honkai Beast.

That knife was strange. The man wasn't trying to hit her; instead, he aimed at the Honkai Beast directly in front of her and used the knife to control Honkai Beast to ambush her!

Lin's figure blocked the sunlight; his trench coat and mask, which concealed his form, made him appear as if he had stepped out of the bright sunlight into a deep shadow.

"Brother Lin... there's a creature with an extremely high concentration of Honkai Energy heading straight towards us..."

"..."

Just as the Raven was about to fight to the death, the man stopped, glanced at the two people on the ground, and silently retreated until he reached the hole created by the Raven. He then turned and jumped onto the path in the water that was not yet completely submerged, and retreated in the direction he had come from.

"What happened?"

Neither the Raven nor the owl could understand what had happened. Was this... a way of sparing their lives? No, this man had never killed anyone. Even after attacking Shencheng Pharmaceuticals so many times, at most, people were injured.

"Call..."

Raven breathed a sigh of relief. She had almost killed that guy with a sneak attack earlier, and who knew what would happen if she fell into his hands.

"Night Owl, I will report your unauthorized actions to the Venerable Lord." Raven said to the still dazed Night Owl with a frown, "You've been distracted ever since you left Sky City. If you can't continue carrying out missions, you should..."

"Raven, don't you think that person looks a little familiar?"

Night Owl interrupted her, his face showing both conflict and a strange expression.

He remembered that he seemed to have seen this man somewhere before.

Every member of World Serpent undergoes an "assessment" after being promoted to a core cadre.

But the people who evaluate them don't belong to this era.

One of the examiners left a deep impression on him, one that remains unforgettable to this day.

"He likes to conceal his face, his moves are unpredictable and ruthless, and his tone never wavers..."

With the owl's reminder, Raven's eyes widened. She finally realized where the Déjà vu came from, and that the two had a certain degree of similarity in temperament.

But the moment the thought crossed her mind, she ruthlessly dismissed it. "Impossible! That person died in the Previous Civilization, and even if he hadn't died, his Hypervariable Surgery failed, so there's no way he could be alive now!"

For some reason, the Raven was somewhat afraid that its thoughts would come true.

That unique person who taught her so much and enlightened her is still alive... the one she pierced through the chest and abdomen, the one who fought against herself, the one who became her enemy...

It was like a flawless painting being burned...

"..."

Suddenly, a chill ran down their spines as they both turned to look at the white-haired man who had appeared not far away.

"Your Venerable Lord."

Raven immediately stood up and knelt on the ground. Her tone and actions were not very respectful, but the other party did not care about such things. He only cared about his subordinates' work ability. Other than that, he would not care at all even if the other party hurled insults at him.

The white-haired man silently watched the two of them with his eyes that seemed to freeze time. He made no unnecessary movements or said anything extra; simply standing there was enough to inspire an indescribable awe in them.

"... Don't cause any unnecessary trouble."

The man spoke calmly, and as he spoke, a chill ran through Raven's heart.

"Yes."

Without explanation, neither the Raven nor the owl dared to question whether the other knew the whole story.

"Your Venerable Lord, I would like to ask you a question."

As the other person turned to leave, Raven hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath and asked him.

Night Owl looked at Raven with some nervousness. He knew what Raven was going to ask, but for this man whose heart was as cold as the temperature around him, his past was the last bit of warmth in his heart.

I wonder if I'll offend him...

"...explain."

After receiving a response, Raven clenched his fist and asked, "'Lin,' is he still alive?"

"..."

There was a long, dreamlike world where the man remained motionless, with only the sound of his breathing and heartbeat clearly audible.

Then, without saying a word, he walked out of the ruins and, under the gaze of the two, jumped onto the pool filled with Honkai Energy. The moment he stepped into the water, he froze the surface of the river into a solid ice sheet, and then strolled away from the place.

What does this mean?

"...They probably asked unnecessary questions." Raven let out a long sigh, stood up, hoisted Night Owl onto her shoulder, and said with a complicated expression, "As expected, that person is already dead."

The "Rebirth" of the Sky: Chapter Seven - Interludes from All Sides

"You little rascal, you rarely play tricks. When I first met you, you were just a soldier who only followed orders, whether it was a conspiracy or a scheme, you accepted it all."

"I understand your thinking. You just want to be a soldier and don't want to get involved in any political struggles or decision-making, right?"

"But simply aiming your guns at the enemy won't change anything."

Lin Cong the departing white-haired man, turned and left, the two of them walking away from each other, each aware of the other's presence.

Neither of them was insane or filled with hatred; they were simply doing what they were supposed to do, and so they naturally ended up on opposite sides of each other.

So sooner or later, they will naturally kill each other.

Lin doesn't know when or how long it will take to arrive, but it probably won't be too far off. In the end, there's a high probability that Kevin will kill him, so before that happens, he should leave behind as much as he can.

Kiana and Welt gave Lin hope—a hope that the Previous Civilization had never seen. Before this hope grows into a towering tree strong enough to rival Kevin, let him temporarily protect this fragile hope...

... Thinking about it this way, it seems that leaving now is too early.

Kevin's decision not to pursue Lin was within his expectations. The two would break off all pretense of civility if they met, and they didn't want to do that now. As long as they didn't meet, there was still room for maneuver.

As Lin contemplated the inevitable confrontation, he returned to the Anti-Entropy transport ship. He noticed two pairs of eyes watching him, and when he looked up, he saw Kiana and Bella standing there, staring at him in a daze.

"... What's wrong?" Lin put aside his complicated thoughts and asked calmly.

"I... I came out and didn't see you..."

"..."

So that's how it is. Did you think he left without saying a word?

Seeing the strange look on Kiana's face, Lin felt a strange sensation rise in his heart. He shook his head and said, "She just went to check on the surrounding environment."