I Am Not a Hero

Shocked by possibilities he'd never considered?

Lin's mouth twitched as he spoke, "Would you like someone for no reason?"

Soul shook her head, "Probably not..."

"Exactly, no one likes a stranger for no reason unless that person likes everyone," Lin said calmly. He looked up at the timer on the traffic light, wearing sunglasses, all he could see was the numbers ticking by.

"I'm not special, no one would fall for me at first sight, nor would I attract all sorts of people like a magnet, especially since we're in MOTH."

"I'm often out on missions and my social skills are terrible. I never go to base team-building events. You could say I'm eccentric, or you could say I'm a freak."

"I don't know what the others in MOTH think, but for me, staying this way is the best."

Love?

Lin struggled to dig this word out of his uninspired mind. When he tried to connect it to himself, he couldn't imagine it happening.

He even found the idea somewhat disgusting.

As humanity hurtled towards an uncertain disaster, he would be flirting with some woman, talking from the table to the bed, shouting about how he would bear humanity's sacrifices, only to turn around and get involved with a woman.

The only thing Lin felt was a deep revulsion.

If Lin had been fighting for just one person from the start, perhaps he wouldn't have felt the need to bear anything. But now, Lin wouldn't allow himself to do anything superfluous.

"If sacrifice is merely a price spoken aloud, then humanity will eventually turn the sacrifices of the few into the sacrifices of the many, and meaning into numbers."

I saved many people, I am a hero, it's only natural that I have power and enjoy myself, so no one else should point fingers at me using the sacrifices of others. If such thinking were prevalent in MOTH, then humanity's hope of defeating the Honkai would be a pipe dream.

He believed in the beauty and greatness of love, but for him, an ordinary person with only slightly better physical conditioning, winning required abandoning superfluous sentimentality.

Moreover, Lin had to win, and keep winning. Any failure would bring death knocking at his door.

Lin was destined not to be a beacon for the masses, but humanity needed such people.

These words were another shock to Soul. She understood why Lin worked tirelessly and why he had shown a coexistence of emotion and reason earlier. And this, she found, was somewhat... cruel.

"Team Member Lin, haven't you... considered yourself?" she murmured.

"I have. I consider it every day. Are there enough bullets?"

"Hua, want to go to the arcade?"

"Let's skip it. It's almost closing time, shouldn't we hurry back..."

"Sigh, you're good in every way except you're so rigid. Why don't we just not go back today? We can stay out!"

"But..."

"No 'buts'! Hehe, come on, let's go to the arcade!"

Hua couldn't refuse the white-haired girl and was pulled to the nearest arcade. The sky had darkened, but the city's life was just beginning, at its most lively. The arcade was filled with young people relaxing, and Hua saw many of her schoolmates. The white-haired girl greeted everyone enthusiastically, and Hua could only shyly nod along.

"So, which one should we play first..."

While the white-haired girl was choosing a game, Hua was thinking about how to persuade her to go back. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a familiar yet unfamiliar figure out of the corner of her eye.

A man in a hood and a girl with dyed streaks in her hair walked into the arcade.

"It seems like it's a holiday today, and all the hotels are full. Let's just wander around outside."

"...Why come here?"

"Please, Team Member Lin~"

Soul was comforted by Lin's silence.

If a person is always so heavy, they'll eventually collapse. It's good to relax a bit.

He never considered himself, so let others consider him.

This thought coincided with Himiko's, but they both knew they couldn't tell Lin the real answer directly.

"Okay, so what should we play first?"

"..."

Soul excitedly sat down at a street fighter machine and was about to turn and call Lin when another person sat down in the adjacent seat.

Soul and the white-haired girl exchanged glances.

Chapter 9: Third Honkai Outbreak, Eruption

"You are..." The white-haired girl recognized the sweet-looking girl. Wasn't she one of the two who had caught Hua's attention?

She glanced over and indeed saw the man in the hood, who was completely covered up, also there. He was wearing sunglasses even at night; could he see?

Soul also sized up the stylishly dressed girl. Manicured nails, permed hair, customized clothes – she was the epitome of a vibrant youth. If Soul hadn't been in MOTH, perhaps she could have been a normal, youthful girl like her.

A wave of emotion washed over her. In comparison, the slightly old-fashioned girl in uniform standing beside her seemed so distant, to the point that Soul didn't think they were together.

"Uh... you play," as a soldier of MOTH, Soul felt it was necessary to yield to ordinary citizens.

"No, no, you guys play. It's not like there's only one machine." The white-haired girl stood up as if her pants were on fire. She felt it would be a sin to disturb the couple's romantic mood.

"I'm not playing." "I'm not playing."

Lin and Hua speaking in unison caused the atmosphere to freeze for a moment.

The two exchanged a knowing glance, then quickly looked away.

"So, should we two play?" the white-haired girl asked playfully.

Soul sighed in disappointment but still smiled and nodded, "Sure."

And so, the scene bizarrely became two silent people standing behind two people locked in a heated battle, watching them play arcade games without a word. The atmosphere was so heavy it felt like the air was about to solidify.

Soul, being a soldier who had undergone military training, had reflexes unmatched by ordinary people. Although the white-haired girl was skilled at games, Soul clearly had gaming experience as well. After a few rounds to familiarize herself with her opponent's habits, Soul began to dominate the white-haired girl, winning every game with a perfect score.

The white-haired girl was defeated once again, clicking her tongue. "Wow, you're too good."

"Heh..." Soul chuckled without replying.

"Hua, help me," the white-haired girl looked pleadingly at the dazed grey-haired girl, signaling for help.

Hua didn't play games often, but her reflexes were the best the white-haired girl had ever seen. Simply put, any game that relied on reaction time was easy for her to master, much like Soul.

Hua looked surprised. "Huh? But my skills aren't as good as yours."

"Oh, just help me out a little," the white-haired girl pushed Hua into the seat without further ado.

Forced into it, Hua couldn't bring herself to look at Soul and stared at the screen. "Just one match, okay?"

"Then let's begin."

This time, Soul unexpectedly found herself in a tough fight. Neither her nor Hua's skills were particularly refined, but Hua's reaction time and adaptability were even better than hers. Soon, Hua wore her down and defeated her.

Lin, who hadn't paid much attention before, shifted his gaze to Hua's hands after she sat down. He then slowly frowned.

"Captain Lin... Lin, help me," Soul pleaded with her big, watery eyes.

"..."

Was this like 'defeating the child and facing the parent'?

However, since Hua had beaten Soul, it wouldn't be right to refuse if the opponent changed. Lin could only inwardly resolve to stop after this match.

When Lin sat down, Soul and the white-haired girl exchanged a smile. Though they didn't communicate verbally, both of their objectives had been achieved.

"Excuse me," Hua offered an apology for beating Soul, then hesitated for a moment. "Your sunglasses..."

"Don't worry about it," Lin replied dismissively.

It would be over soon anyway.

"Fight."

As the opening announcement played, Lin's fingers flew across the joystick and buttons with dazzling speed. His movements were swift and rhythmic as he launched an attack on Hua, who had no time to react.

Just as Lin had predicted, it was over quickly.

Like a storm, Lin's offense was relentless. His control and reaction time were top-notch. In less than twenty seconds, he trapped Hua in a corner with a series of flawless combos, preventing her from even pressing any buttons.

Even after Lin pressed the final button, executing the finishing move that ended Hua's match, and stood up with a flourish, Hua remained staring blankly at the screen.

"..."

"..."

Soul swallowed hard. Seeing the perfect knockout on the screen, she asked with difficulty, "...Lin, have you played this before?"

"I know a little," Lin replied simply, dusting off his pants.

The white-haired girl was about to comfort the stunned Hua when she heard this and angrily pointed at the nonchalant Lin. "That's too much! You're bullying her!"

No matter how skilled someone was, they should at least go easy on others.

"No..." Hua, snapping out of her daze from being utterly defeated, pulled the white-haired girl back. Before she could apologize, Lin, standing before them with his arms crossed, spoke:

"Are you a martial artist?" His tone was certain, more of a confirmation than a question.

"Hm?" Hua responded, confused.

"You have great talent, but you're not diligent enough. You should come to places like this less often and focus more on honing your martial arts."

Hua looked at Lin in surprise as he turned to leave. This was the first time anyone had told her she wasn't diligent enough, and... he was actually suggesting she continue practicing martial arts?

Almost everyone, including her father and even herself, believed martial arts were useless in this era. After all, it was a peaceful time where swords and spears were unnecessary. It was better to learn more knowledge and invest youth in enjoyable pursuits rather than tedious martial arts training.

The white-haired girl huffed indignantly, "Hmph, who does he think he is, acting like he knows everything..."

Hua looked at his retreating back and shook her head. "I think he's a good person."

The night continued. For the people of Canghai City, it was just another ordinary day, and tomorrow would be the same.

And this unexpected encounter came to a simple close...

"Woooo—"

But that was not the case.

A piercing alarm cut through the night sky.

This was a type of alarm no one had ever heard before. There was only one reason for it to be sounded—

A large-scale Honkai outbreak.

The two emerged from the arcade, an alarm blaring in their ears. Hun's sapphire pupils contracted in alarm. "What's that, an alarm?"

The moment Lin heard the siren, he pulled out his communicator. The screen displayed a shocking expanse of crimson, indicating a rapid surge in Honkai energy in Canghai City. Simultaneously, a call appeared on both Lin and Hun's communicators.

"Designations MSA-079, MSA-208. Level 1 Honkai disaster occurring in Changkong City. Your location, Canghai City, is also affected. Honkai will erupt in fifty seconds. Prepare to counter the impact and engage in combat."

"Level 1... Isn't that a major Honkai event that births Herrschers and high-level Honkai Beasts?" Hun's face turned pale. This Honkai eruption was so sudden, they didn't even have time to prepare, and their equipment wasn't even with them.

"Can you dispatch the nearest branch team for support!"

But the mechanical voice that notified them didn't respond after its simple announcement. They had to focus all their efforts on combat at the epicenter of the Honkai – Changkong City, leaving them with no time to spare for one or two soldiers.

"What do we do? Team Lin... Team Lin?"

Hun anxiously watched the countdown in crimson on the communicator, wanting to ask Lin what to do next. But when she turned her head, an icy chill pierced her to the bone.

Changkong City... Kevin, Mei...

Lin took a deep breath. He raised his head and spoke in a voice colder than ever, "Counter the impact, and then, defeat the Honkai."

"BOOM!"

A destructive beam of light descended from the heavens.

Chapter Ten: As Always

His body, soaring through the air, felt incredibly light. Whether it was gravel or something else, it fell into his collar. The world of blackness beneath his sunglasses was stained with an ominous crimson.

His head throbbed with an unbearable pain that seeped beneath his skin. A fragment from a support pillar must have struck the back of his head.

His consciousness grew hazy, and everything before him became blurred. Lin, swaying precariously, bit down hard on his tongue. The pain, tasting of blood and rust, jolted him back to awareness.

He squinted, observing the ruins that had become the first to crumble under the impact. The gruesome sights of flesh and blood around him were horrific. In the early stages of a Honkai event, many might not die from Honkai energy erosion. After all, Honkai manifests in various forms: war, plagues, meteorites, even the descent of colossal mechs. The initial, direct wave of a Honkai outbreak can easily kill at least half the population from physical trauma.