Honkai's Thousand Laws, Kidnapping Kiana at the Start

The empty streets were swept only by the blood-scented evening wind. No one noticed the murder, except for a surveillance device hidden in a corner, which flickered slightly.

"..." On the other end of the surveillance network, the little girl who had witnessed the murder with her own eyes widened her eyes, unspeakable fear filling her heart. But before she could cry out, she tightly covered her mouth. Gritting her teeth, she dared not look at Gray Serpent's corpse again, knowing that if she revealed herself, the serpent would tear her to shreds.

Because of this, she also didn't see the golden glint in the eyes of the otaku who died first, and then the finger of Gray Serpent's corpse, which should have been lifeless, twitched unnaturally.

Gray Serpent's body had undergone extensive modifications. Apart from essential organs and other flesh and blood tissues, almost everything else had been replaced with mechanical components. This was also why Rita chose to act directly. Information could not be stored in brain memory; it was inevitably stored in these chip structures. As long as the prosthetic chip was taken, the desired information could be found sooner or later.

Moreover, according to the information provided by Bishop Otto, Theresa and her group, who were actually preparing to trade with Gray Serpent, would arrive here soon.

"Perhaps there will be some unexpected gains..." Playing with Gray Serpent's red prosthetic eye, Rita revealed a smile of unknown meaning.

More than 10 minutes later, just as the dust settled, a group of little girls who didn't look very old were rushing towards this place. If one didn't know better, they might think they were high school students who had arranged to go shopping.

"Headmaster, are we really going to trade with this informant of unknown origin?" Mei felt a sense of unease as they walked through the quiet city.

In this unbelievably prosperous city, even Theresa, who was no longer young, was a bit unsure. But she still shook her head and comforted her students: "Although informants are all double-dealing scoundrels and trading with them carries considerable risk, after leaving headquarters, our intelligence sources have been completely lost. This is the only clue we can find Kiana..."

"No matter how great the risk, we have to try."

In fact, if it weren't for the help of Anti-Entropy, the people of St. Freya would be no different from stray dogs. Apart from having the Hyperion, they would essentially be wanted by Schicksal everywhere. To avoid exposure, even the Hyperion had to be docked in international waters, and they had to take a helicopter to this city.

"No, it seems too quiet here. Everyone be on guard." Before arriving at the agreed-upon transaction location, Theresa keenly sensed something was wrong. When they reached the designated street, they saw only bodies scattered everywhere.

The visually shocking bloody scene made several of them feel intense discomfort. However, as Valkyries who had fought Honkai Beasts, they stabilized themselves slightly and began to search for traces at the scene.

"They were all cut by sharp weapons, with clean and neat wounds. It doesn't seem like ordinary people," Theresa made a preliminary judgment. "On the contrary, these victims were basically all equipped with firearms. To confront so many guns with cold weapons, they must be at least qualified Valkyries."

"Headmaster, this person seems to be Gray Serpent, with whom we arranged to trade." While everyone was observing their surroundings, Bronya had already identified Gray Serpent through her Hedgehog.

"The killer used only one strike, but it wasn't a direct attack like the others. It seems that before dying, the two had a conversation," Theresa said after confirming the cause of Gray Serpent's death, but she fell into confusion. "There were almost no signs of resistance. Gray Serpent seemed to know he couldn't escape. The only possibility is that he knew the person who killed him, and that person was someone he couldn't fight."

"Regardless, our trading partner is gone, and Kiana's whereabouts are unknown. We can only retreat to the Hyperion now..." The risk of coming to Sky City this time was too high. Schicksal had been watching them for a long time, and acting rashly was unwise.

Of course, Su Jue would not let them leave just like that. He manipulated the threads slightly, and a faint fluctuation emanated from the last remaining chip on Gray Serpent's corpse. Bronya, who was standing nearby, was startled and quickly controlled her Hedgehog to carefully check the source of the signal.

"Wait, Headmaster, there's something strange about Gray Serpent." After another detailed scan, Bronya quickly discovered the extensive modifications on Gray Serpent's body.

"This is prosthetic modification surgery. Gray Serpent should have implanted quite a few bionic devices before his death, but the neural chip and bionic eye that should be there seem to have all disappeared. However, his valuables were not taken... The killer was likely after his information."

"Are you saying the other party might also be after Kiana?" Mei was a little nervous. What she worried about most now was someone finding Kiana before her.

"Not necessarily. It could be for other information. The killer took Gray Serpent's prosthetic eye, which should be the authentication key for the entire information network... If we can get it back."

Theresa confirmed Bronya's idea. "Then we can get another clue about Kiana."

"Moreover, the killer probably didn't realize that Gray Serpent still retained the last biological chip for permission identification," Bronya said with a smile, retrieving the last clue from the inside of Gray Serpent's wrist. "With this authentication chip, I can enter Gray Serpent's territory and find his backup information."

"Even the wisest can make mistakes!"

Indeed! Exactly!

Gray Serpent, Rita, and Su Jue nodded in agreement.

Of course, apart from Su Jue, the other two were unaware of the current situation. Sky City was like a giant hunting ground. The three factions had long been prepared, setting up traps and quietly waiting for the prey to fall into them. Their goals were different, but they had all set their sights on the same victim—the people on the Hyperion.

After confirming that Theresa and the others had taken the biological chip that had been tampered with by all three parties, Su Jue immediately headed to the next area. Schicksal and World Serpent were organizations that had been established for many years. If he wanted to get a piece of the pie, he had to take some risks, and there was also an unstable factor that he needed to deal with.

Chapter 47: Clue

In the Domination space, it was still silent, with only the occasional sound of colliding puppets bringing different tones.

"Are you awake?"

A young man's voice came from her ear. The red-haired puppet trembled slightly and then slowly opened her eyes. However, when her gaze met those golden eyes, even Himeko felt a sense of fear, though she hid it well.

"I don't know what you planned to trigger the backlash of the Domination's threads, but I hope there won't be a next time." Without excessive interrogation or unnecessary anger, Su Jue simply stated calmly.

Murata Himeko remained silent, instead carefully feeling her new body. Her original body had been severely injured by the puppet's backlash and was basically incapacitated. After switching to the puppet body, although it felt a bit stiff, she felt incredibly light. She didn't have to worry about the backlash of the Stigmata or the erosion of the Plague Gem. Apart from the lack of the God-Slaying Armor's support, she almost thought she had returned to her peak. The only problem was that the threads' control over her had significantly increased, and with just a thought from Su Jue, her will could be replaced.

Although the new body was great, Himeko also understood what it meant.

"Do you need me to fight?"

"Yes. Your two students and the headmaster have arrived in this city. Since the Herrscher of Void awakened, they have completely become traitors to Schicksal. Now, Rita, an S-class Valkyrie of Schicksal, has her eyes on them..."

Her heart sank slightly. She hadn't expected that the worst thing would still happen after her death. Schicksal, as a top force, could easily deal with a few young girls. But since Su Jue had given her these instructions, it wouldn't be that simple.

"They will come into contact with an item called a 'modified body.' It's a trap set by World Serpent for them, and Rita is also targeting it, intending to use it to capture your beloved students in one fell swoop. I don't care what their purpose is, but I need this item."

"I will let you participate in the battle when necessary, possibly against Rita, or possibly against your students, but I don't want a dead person to appear before them... Do you understand what I mean?"

The soul-piercing pain had not yet subsided. Himeko certainly understood what Su Jue meant. He was the Herrscher in the shadows, and any thought of exposing his whereabouts was betrayal. She carefully controlled her desire to help Theresa and the others, no longer naively thinking of defying Su Jue.

After the instructions were given, the golden light in the Herrscher's eyes faded, and Su Jue returned to his usual cold but still human self. Noticing this, Murata Himeko breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as if she had discovered new information.

"Bishop, I have contacted Gray Serpent as instructed, but he is unwilling to provide any valuable clues." In an unknown corner of the city, Rita, who had just committed murder, remained alone and connected to Otto's communication.

"Then he is no longer needed."

"Yes, I have 'cleaned up' after them. However, before he died, he seemed to mention some strange words—'targeted by the serpent'..."

"..." As if hearing unexpected information, Otto pondered for a moment and then explained: "It seems this guy is World Serpent's agent in Sky City."

"So this information was actually a bait set by the world? Then..."

"Don't worry, I'll handle World Serpent personally. You continue with your plan—I assume you've set up a trap, haven't you?"

"Of course, Bishop."

The communication ended. Rita glanced up at the flashing neon lights of the tall building. With a flash, she vanished from her spot.

Meanwhile, Theresa and her group, having obtained the chip, naturally wouldn't give up easily after finally getting a lead. Although they were constantly at risk of being discovered, they resolutely decided to head to Gray Serpent's territory to find their companion.

However, unlike what they imagined a data broker's hideout to be, Gray Serpent's base was not only heavily guarded but also filled with numerous Sky City patrols. Their actions were quickly delayed. Fortunately, with Bronya, a top hacker, they managed to reach the core area by utilizing the biological chip's authentication permissions and hacking skills.

Yet, what lay before them was a thick metal door, almost completely sealing off the space, covered in dense circuitry and complex electronic locks.

"This isn't normal. For a data broker, Gray Serpent couldn't afford so many mechs," Theresa, who was always in charge of St. Freya's expenses, keenly noticed the financial issue. "And this setup doesn't look like a hideout; it's more like they're protecting something valuable."

"Regardless, the biological authentication chip is indeed effective. We must hurry and crack it." Bronya, piloting Hedgehog, connected to the hideout's control system and began using her permissions to hack. "Leave the guarding to you all."

"Okay." Theresa nodded. However, looking at the heavily guarded building, Raiden Mei frowned deeply, seemingly lost in thought.

For some reason, ever since arriving here, Mei felt a sense of unease, as if she were being targeted by something dangerous.

Thinking about it, Gray Serpent's death was too strange. If it were according to the normal plan, they should have immediately retreated upon the contact person's death. But the killer, after taking all the authentication chips, left only one behind—was that truly the killer's oversight?

"Headmaster, do you still have the camera found at the scene?" Mei asked. At the scene of Gray Serpent's death, besides Gray Serpent's subordinates and himself, a camera was unexpectedly found.

The camera had fallen into a pool of blood, but the spot where a body should have been was empty. The camera was a civilian model, as if an innocent bystander had been caught in the murder. Since it might contain some information, they had brought it with them, but the photos were mostly just everyday pictures.

"Yes, did you remember something?" Theresa handed the camera to Mei. She quickly began flipping through the photos. Suddenly, a casual selfie caught her attention.

"This is a photo from the murder scene. The shadow on the glass behind this man taking a selfie... is that a maid outfit and a scythe?"

"Excellent, the clue has been given to you. Go let our S-rank Valkyrie feel the power of protagonist halo. I'll take over from here."

Chapter 48: I Can Do It

Rita Rossweisse. The name was not unfamiliar to Raiden Mei. As a renowned S-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal, she had always been a figure of aspiration for everyone at St. Freya. But after their falling out with Schicksal, they truly felt how troublesome she was.

"If it's Rita, then according to the Bishop's methods, Gray Serpent was likely killed by her. This chip was probably a trap she deliberately left," Mei and the others immediately realized after receiving the hint. However, Bronya was currently in the critical stage of cracking Gray Serpent's blockade and couldn't disengage.

"Then Headmaster, you'll be in charge of watching over Bronya. I'll go scout for her tracks. If possible, I'll try to delay her." Looking at Bronya, who was fully focused on operating Hedgehog to find clues about Kiana, Mei steadied herself, silently cheering herself on.

"I can do it, I can!"

"Then you must be careful. After finding Rita, don't fight her. Retreat as soon as possible, and we'll all withdraw back to the Hyperion." Although splitting up wasn't a wise choice, reconnaissance was necessary. They had no idea of Rita's whereabouts and could be wiped out if they fell into her trap.

After formulating the plan, Mei temporarily left the group. Su Jue, controlling the [Father] puppet from a distant tall building, silently withdrew his gaze.

Theresa and the others splitting up was within Su Jue's expectations. The data in the camera was just one of his contingency plans. Even if Mei hadn't discovered those photos, he would have found a way to lure them away.

Now, the humanoid machine was right before his eyes. However, that thing was a trap World Serpent had prepared for the Hyperion crew, with various patrol mechs already deployed as guards within the base. It wouldn't be easy to forcibly seize it.

Of course, for Su Jue, who had obtained Himeko's puppet, it was only slightly troublesome. But why work hard when he could get it for free?

With Bronya, a top hacker, present, cracking the defense system would be easier. Moreover, the humanoid machine had top-tier encryption; even if he got it now, Su Jue couldn't use it. It would be better to wait until the protagonist group rescued the humanoid machine and then take advantage of the chaos. Instructing Mei to intercept Rita would not only delay Schicksal's progress but also weaken the protagonist group's strength.

The best scenario, of course, would be for Mei to be directly dealt with by Rita, and then he could seize the opportunity to ambush and take down Bronya. With only Theresa left, isolated and helpless, Su Jue could then have his puppet follow her in a small vehicle and sell her whereabouts to Schicksal or World Serpent. Even if Theresa's Vishnu bloodline awakened, it would be a mutual destruction, and for a Herrscher, it was all profit.

Unfortunately, even Su Jue himself felt this was too far-fetched. Not to mention whether these factions would be so easily fooled, but if they really pushed Theresa to her limit, and the Hyperion fired its main cannon directly at Sky City, his ashes would be scattered.

"It seems that to be a hunter, one must wait patiently," the puppet said with a sigh of helplessness, looking at the dark area on the rooftop left untouched by light and shadow. "Don't you agree, Mr. Gray Serpent?"

Meanwhile, Mei had followed the planned route to the edge of Gray Serpent's hideout.

"There are no signs of intrusion at Gray Serpent's hideout, so it seems we arrived first. But if Rita took the biological authentication beforehand, why didn't she make a move?" Mei thought to herself, analyzing potential danger zones. "Unless she couldn't unlock the authentication chip's permissions and preferred to wait by the stump for a rabbit, waiting for us to fall into her trap."

"After obtaining the intel, our most likely retreat location... would be here."

The moon shone brightly, its silver radiance falling upon the figure in the maid outfit.

The moment Mei saw Rita, she had already assumed an attacking stance. Although she should be stealthy and keep a low profile now, the thought of the experiments performed on Kiana ignited a burning flame of hatred.

Her katana unsheathed, slicing through the moonlight. Her Crimson Impulse Armor instantly amplified her speed as she lunged at Rita.

Clang—

The crisp sound of metal colliding and blocking echoed. The katana grazed the maid's hair, cutting off a few strands, but that was all. Even as she was ambushed, Rita reacted instantly. Instead of wielding her heavy scythe, she had already drawn the dagger that had killed Gray Serpent and narrowly blocked Mei's attack.

"Oh my, that was close." Even facing such a thrilling surprise attack, Rita quickly regained her composure. She gently patted her ample chest with her left hand, feigning a 'so scared' pose.

"Tch." Mei, her surprise attack having failed, could only glare at Rita unhappily, looking for the next opportunity to strike.

"Surprise attacks aren't exactly honorable methods, Miss Mei. Could you tell me how you found me?" Rita asked with a mocking smile, putting away her dagger.

"Honorable? It's quite ironic for you to say that. What you at Schicksal did to Kiana was hardly honorable. If we hadn't accidentally discovered your clue from the camera, we would have fallen into your trap again."

"Camera? Clue?" Her mind rapidly sifted through her experiences, searching for keywords. Rita quickly locked onto the target, but that man should have already been killed by Gray Serpent's people...

Now was not the time to dwell on these matters. Since the opponent had come to her doorstep, how could she let them go easily? "It seems Lord Theresa and the others have found what they were looking for and sent you to stall for time. Are you ready to fight me?"

As her fair hand grasped the scythe's handle, Rita's entire demeanor turned murderous. Mei's heart tightened, but she quickly encouraged herself again.

Raiden Mei, you can do it. This time, it's your turn to protect Kiana.

However, before the thought in her heart could settle, the hard concrete ground was torn apart like paper by the tip of the scythe. In the blink of an eye, the blade was already in front of Mei.

Her pupils contracted instantly. Mei only had time to press her katana down with both hands to block. A heavy force transmitted through the scythe. Her arm went numb, and she retreated several steps before dissipating the force.

Is this the strength of an S-rank?

After truly engaging in combat, Mei finally felt the true gap in their strength. However, she quickly adjusted her stance, looking for an opening to attack as Rita's next strike approached.

Chapter 49: Crimson Streak

Boom—

A discarded car by the roadside was sliced in half by Rita's scythe. Its high-energy battery immediately erupted into flames upon being cut by the sharp weapon.

Amidst the sudden inferno, a flash of steel glinted, reflected in Rita's surprised eyes, and struck her armor heavily on the side.

A trickle of blood seeped out, and her surprised expression turned to admiration. "I thought you were only holding on thanks to the Conquest Gem. I didn't expect you to muster the courage to attack me. It seems I underestimated you."

Mei was already nearing exhaustion. Fighting a true S-rank opponent made her realize just how terrifying their power was. Even though the residual energy from the Conquest Gem within her still supported her movements, she was at a loss against the overwhelming pressure of both skill and strength.

"Enough talk. I won't fall that easily." Her hair, dried out by the heat of the flames, fluttered as Mei took a deep breath of the scorching air. The muscles in her arms ached from the continuous clashes of weapons, but she still struggled to unleash one final blow.

"Die! ...Ugh." A flicker of electricity seemed to spark in her light purple eyes. However, after pouring all her strength into that final strike, she saw not Rita falling, but her own body flying backward.

Bang—

Her body slammed into the car's hood, instantly denting the metal. Her airborne momentum didn't stop, and she fell to the ground.

A searing pain in her abdomen burned through her nerves. Her wide eyes were filled with disbelief. Rita's heavy spinning side-kick had nearly made her vomit. The terrifying force instantly crippled her ability to move. After rolling several times on the ground, she couldn't hold it in any longer and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"There's no point in pretending. When your strength doesn't match your promises, struggling only leads to tragedy."

Her weapon flew out of her hand in mid-air. Mei could only watch helplessly as the sharp scythe drew closer and closer. Rita, like a grim reaper preparing to harvest, walked step by step before her.

"Goodbye, Raiden Mei."

The sharp tip of the blade reflected brightly under the moonlight, then slashed down in an instant. The moon was as bright as ever.

Sss—