Do You Love This World? / Destined

"..."

Lin shook his head, carrying the things in his hands, and walked towards the storage room, followed by a group of children who chattered like little birds.

"Uncle? Does Sister Anna know him?" asked the boy Anna called Xiao Ke.

"Is he Anna's uncle?" Another girl stared curiously at Lin's tall back.

Not a single child found Lin frightening, even though he remained silent like a soulless robot.

When asked, Anna blushed slightly and said, "Uncle isn't my uncle. This... Uncle is my nickname for Lin. Do you understand?"

What is your nickname?

"Silly, it's just like how we call Anna 'Sister Anna'."

"Oh, I see."

"So he's Anna's older sister?"

Hearing these childish conversations, Lin didn't say anything. Children's words are full of strange and wonderful fantasies, which is not a bad thing.

Hopefully, Anna won't lead him astray.

"Just put it here."

Lin put down what he was holding. With his arm strength, he could easily carry two or three hundred kilograms of heavy objects, let alone some ordinary odds and ends. However, it was indeed a bit difficult for the people in the orphanage to do.

The rain outside the window has lessened, and the dappled raindrops fall on the stained glass windows, casting shadows like fallen Holy Child under the colorful light.

The rise in temperature brought more rain, with continuous drizzle enveloping the city. But no one found it unpleasant, as it meant life was gradually returning to normal, back to their familiar routines.

"Does Mr. Lin like winter rain?" Binai asked, noticing that Lin was gazing out the window.

"I don't like it," Lin said, lowering her head. "But I don't dislike it either."

"I see..."

"Spring always has many beginnings, and winter always has many endings." Lin recalled someone's words. "This is what someone said to me. He said that many things, once they start, cannot be stopped, even if they should not have started. And many things, once they end, cannot continue, even if they should have continued."

"That's quite a philosophical statement... Did Mr. Lin's parents say it?" Binai said with a smile.

"No, it was someone...someone I can't remember who said it to me." Lin often dreams of that person whose face she can't see asking her questions while she sits in a chair. "He seemed to say a lot more, but I only remember this one sentence."

This vague memory is similar to the memory of a "time traveler," its authenticity unknown, and its origin unknown.

"Speaking of which, we haven't asked Mr. Lin where he's from yet. Is he from Shenzhou?"

"Far East".

"From the Far East... So you're here for work?"

"Yes."

Then Binai revealed her true purpose. "I see... cough cough, Mr. Lin, please don't blame me for asking, but I was thinking of finding out about your parents..."

"It's gone."

"..."

As Nun at the orphanage, Binai consciously avoids mentioning the children's parents in front of them. Their biological parents either abandoned them or passed away early. Perhaps the children are not yet grown up, but these are all scars in their hearts, so Binai is quite sensitive.

When Lin said that her parents were not alive, her expression froze, and she immediately realized that she had asked the wrong question.

But Lin understood the feelings of those who remained silent after asking questions, so he immediately added, "Don't worry about it."

"Mr. Lin... this..." Binai seemed very apologetic, "To Anna, I'm like family. As her only elder, I just want to..."

Lin shook his head, interrupting her. "Don't overthink it, I'll be leaving soon."

"Leave?"

"Go back."

Binai hesitated before asking Lin, "Mr. Lin, what kind of girl do you think Anna is?"

"..."

What kind of girl?

Lin searched his memory and realized that from the day he met Anna, she was different from others, with her self-talking personality, optimistic and outgoing style, and extremely self-centered thoughts.

However, she would work herself to exhaustion to save money for the orphanage, lie to save face, and throw tantrums, which didn't seem so "special".

What words can be used to describe Anna like this?

Ultimately, aren't people just made up of the 'unspecial' and the 'special'?

Binai's words enlightened Lin. She stood by the window and smiled, "For example, Mr. Lin also seems eccentric, but he also enthusiastically helps Anna and helps out at the orphanage. Isn't it normal to do these ordinary things?"

"After all, this is just an 'ordinary person,' and this is just ordinary 'greatness' and 'happiness.'"

Lin looked out the window over Binai's shoulder. Anna was chasing after the children in the light rain, scolding them to go back downstairs. She didn't seem like the quirky girl who had said "Marry me" at all.

Ordinary life, ordinary happiness, and ordinary greatness.

What is... ordinary?

As Lin was lost in thought, Prometheus's cold words suddenly rang in his ears.

"Lin, Honkai Energy reaction has occurred nearby."

Chapter Sixty-Three: Do You Love This World?

"Captain, I'm back."

Soul yawned and walked into the conference room, sitting down next to Dessidobia, who was working, and listlessly picked up an orange.

Himiko, unusually, did not drink alcohol during her free time and instead used her computer to read recent external information.

The longer the interval between the Fifth Honkai War and Fourth Honkai War, the more uneasy the members of the Fire Moths become, wondering what kind of trouble the Honkai and the Herrscher will cause this time.

This is why the team that remained with the Firemoth was keeping a close eye on external information.

"Soul, you've been going on too many missions lately. You should rest and recuperate." Himiko carefully examined Trunk's condition. "Go get a check-up later."

"Actually, I've been getting more assignments these days, and I can't possibly refuse to go, can I?" Hun popped two slices of orange into his mouth and gave a happy smile.

"A commission? It's probably because your outstanding performance caught your attention. After all, you're working just as hard as that kid."

"Team Member Lin? That's wonderful."

After typing the last word, Dessidobia picked up an orange, peeled it with her delicate fingers to reveal the flesh, and jokingly said, "Hun still cares so much about Captain Lin."

"Let's not talk about that... Doesn't Dessidobia often go out to buy things, as if she's going to give them away?"

"Well, actually I was planning to give everyone some things." Dessidobia mumbled, her mouth full of oranges. "Last time, Captain Lin hosted a party, right? I always felt like something was missing. Afterwards, I realized it would be a shame if there weren't any souvenirs from the party, so I thought I'd buy some things to give to everyone."

"Really? Have you already decided what's going on?"

"Oh, a gift is only truly surprising when it's given to the person in question."

Dessidobia chuckled expectantly, "How exciting, what a cozy gathering."

"Gah—"

The sluggish Honkai zombie clung to the rain-soaked wall, its movements comical like a drunkard, uttering meaningless growls as rainwater poured into its mouth.

"Thump!"

A dark figure descended from the sky, stepped on its head, and slammed it to the ground. Using its weight and the impact, it easily crushed its head like a balloon.

The incapacitated Honkai zombie remained motionless, without even a twitch, because it had lost normal human reflexes. Its deformed body was filled with rotten flesh and blood corroded by Honkai Energy.

Lin bent down and picked up the identity tag that the Honkai zombie had dropped. According to the scan of the photo on the ID card, he was a handyman at an orphanage before his death.

This made Lin Duitou's brow twitch.

Orphanage, odd jobs, illness...

It seems that the errand boy's illness was caused by Honkai Energy. The initial symptoms were indeed somewhat like the common flu, so he was probably ignored and corrupted into Honkai zombie.

But why... so fast?

If one only accidentally comes into contact with a small amount of Honkai Energy, it will take at least several days to go from being corrupted to becoming a fully-fledged Honkai zombie. Although the host's will, emotions, and physique will also affect the speed of corruption, it is impossible to become Honkai zombie in just two days.

Unless exposed to a high concentration of Honkai Energy without any protection, the rate of Honkai erosion will not be accelerated.

In other words, this handyman had encountered an environment with high Honkai Energy.

"Prometheus, retrieve his recent schedule."

Lin decided to reconnoiter his recent route. If he was not mistaken, the sharp increase in Honkai Energy the day before yesterday was probably not an accident.

"Uncle~ Where are you~"

Anna's voice came from around the corner behind them. Lin looked up and shouted, "Don't come any closer!"

"Huh?"

But he was still a step too slow. Anna's bewildered face, which had appeared at the corner, twisted in agony the next second upon seeing the corpse on the ground.

"Wow!"

"Shhh."

Lin's cold gaze instantly snapped her out of her panic. She swallowed hard, glanced at the corpse on the ground, and after looking around and not seeing anyone, she cautiously walked over.

As she passed over the corpses of the Honkai zombie, her body was clearly trembling.

Her face was pale as she asked Lin, "Uncle, this couldn't possibly be..."

"Yes, Honkai zombie." Lin's simple answer made Anna's face turn even paler, as if it had been coated with a layer of white paint.

The appearance of the Honkai zombie means that Honkai Energy has indeed appeared in this city, so Lin's speculation is very likely to come true.

After hearing Lin's explanation of the whole story, Anna, in a state of utter confusion, turned around, wanting to return to the orphanage. "No, no... I have to get Binai and the others to leave immediately... No! Everyone in this city has to leave! I have to go now..."

"Calm down, Anna."

"But... but..."

"It's not confirmed yet, and there's nowhere to go right now."

Lin knew the evacuation mechanism all too well: evacuation was only possible when there was a disaster, and before a disaster occurred, no shelter would be open to civilians unless there was conclusive evidence that a disaster would happen.

So, where can they go if they want to leave the city now? What impact will the riots caused by the mass exodus of an entire city have on the Honkai intelligence under the jurisdiction of the Fire Moth?

Moreover, even if Anna went around spreading the word about the existence of Honkai, how many people would believe her?

"Uncle..." Anna gritted her teeth, ignoring the corpse on the ground, and said to Lin, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No."

"You're really undermining my confidence..."

"... Come with me."

After Lin notified the Third Branch to handle the body, he left with Anna, retracing the route taken by the handyman.

"Uncle, you're so calm." Anna secretly glanced at Lin's profile on the way.

"... You've seen a lot, so you'll be more composed."

The mountains of corpses and seas of blood from the massive Honkai, the monster cage formed by an entire city, were all things Lin had long been accustomed to.

"You're very good." Lin said in a deep voice as he saw the color gradually returning to her face. "Better than many people I've ever met."

Many new recruits lack Anna's mental fortitude. When faced with former human beings Honkai zombie now possess human appearances and their deaths, most of them experience a mental breakdown.

It is truly remarkable that Anna was able to quickly adjust her mindset after witnessing the corpse of the Honkai zombie with his head blown off.

"Because I told the old man..." Anna said casually, "I love this world, so I must learn to be strong, otherwise I will be left behind."

"..."

"Uncle, do you love this world too?"

Chapter Sixty-Four: Fate

The Fifth Herrscher...