Scenery in the Distance / Equality ...

Fortunately, this weakness had been exposed early, giving him more options.

Besides, while this was an unavoidable failure for Su Jue, for the Herrscher of Domination, it was merely the beginning of another plan.

The puppet [Su Jue] stopped performing. Beneath the gaze of those golden eyes, he spread his arms, bowed in thanks, and then the curtain fell.

On the stage, the artificial eye from Gray Serpent emitted a faint red glow, and Raiden Mei's katana was embedded in the ground. Meanwhile, in some distant corner of the city, a girl kept searching for someone's traces. The art supplies clutched in her left hand and the shattered, bloodstained hairpin in her grip were also part of a new choice.

Plans and oversights often came down to a single thought.

After "accidentally" revealing World Serpent's information to Himeko, Su Jue had finally driven away that troublesome woman who had been freeloading at his home. After that, his life finally returned to its daily routine. Having too many puppets was bad in this way—he kept forgetting that he was still a high school student enjoying a wonderful campus life.

However, as he looked at the thick stack of homework piled before him, Su Jue fell into deep thought.

Which genius had invented homework, the root of all evil? If he ever became a stigmata, he would definitely have a good chat with that person about life.

Su Jue looked around, instinctively wanting to find some useful lackey to help solve the problem. Unfortunately, the only one in the entire house who met his gaze was Tread Snow.

"Why are you looking at me, meow?"

Better forget it. He would see if he could bluff his way through at school.

He stuffed his homework into his backpack at random and began his student life. As a good student, he had only gone to school twice in the past week, even counting everything up. And both times, he had barely been ready to study when the Thousand Laws mark responded. But that was force majeure, so Su Jue couldn't be blamed, meow~

Ahem. He had almost forgotten to switch voice packs.

"Good morning, Jian Yun." The morning breeze was cool, the sunlight was pleasant, and there was a girl who went to school with him every day. Was there anything more relaxing than that?

"Uh, Su Jue, are you awake today?" Seeing Su Jue so full of energy, Jian Yun looked surprised.

After quickly thinking it over, Su Jue remembered that he had deliberately told a lie before in order to conceal the difference between himself and the puppet. He had not expected anyone to remember it. "Probably?"

"What do you mean, probably? Can there be a 'probably' when it comes to whether you're awake or not?"

There really could.

Su Jue swallowed those words and did not say them aloud.

Seeing the strange look on Su Jue's face, Jian Yun studied him suspiciously. After hesitating for a long while, she finally said, "I heard some classmates say that some boys like to reward themselves. They said doing it too much can cause memory loss. You aren't like that too, are you? Sometimes you look listless, and you don't even react when people greet you..."

"No, absolutely not." Su Jue's expression turned solemn as he answered seriously. Whether it was true or not, he could never admit it in front of a female classmate.

"Okay. I don't know what rewarding yourself means, but Su Jue, don't be like they said. I think... that's not good."

Although Su Jue knew Jian Yun was only concerned about him, he still found it rather awkward. He hurriedly changed the subject. "Right, did you finish your homework? Due to certain force majeure circumstances, I think I need something to refer to."

"I knew you hadn't done it again. Here, I just happened to accidentally write an extra copy." As if she had anticipated that Su Jue would not do his homework, Jian Yun opened her schoolbag and took out a stack of assignments. They had even been sorted by subject, making it obvious that she had planned this for a long time.

"Uh, are you sure it was an accident?"

"Hmph, what are you thinking? There's no way I specifically wrote an extra copy for you." Jian Yun pursed her lips, turning her face away so she would not look at Su Jue.

"Alright, thank you." Feeling somewhat guilty, Su Jue thought about it and bought her breakfast at a roadside breakfast stall.

The suburbs did not have the wide variety of breakfast shops found in the central district. Most were ordinary people who rose early and returned late, pushing tricycles and setting up along the roadside, with only soy milk, fried dough sticks, and tea eggs on offer. Yet Jian Yun seemed very happy after getting breakfast. The two walked side by side, and she hugged a cup of soy milk, gulping it down while occasionally sneaking glances at Su Jue's profile, making him feel rather uncomfortable.

"What? Not enough to drink?" As he spoke, Su Jue handed over his cup of soy milk.

Jian Yun froze and instinctively reached out to take it, but Su Jue withdrew the cup first. "Are you stupid? Mine's empty."

"Tch, so stingy." Realizing what had happened, Jian Yun's cheeks reddened. To cover up the thought that had just popped into her mind, she took several big strides, intending to enter the school ahead of Su Jue.

However, before she could go in, a student checking discipline stopped her. "Classmate, don't bring breakfast into the school..."

"...Fine." In the end, after she finished drinking it, the two still entered the school gates together.

So what had been the point?

The Distant Scenery

Girls in adolescence always liked to let their imaginations run wild. Perhaps they dreamed of distant scenery beyond their reach, perhaps a princess's castle in a fantasy world, or perhaps they simply looked forward to a beautiful future and longed to spend the rest of their lives with the person they loved.

Mornings were when all beautiful things began. Every day was a new beginning, and even a small bit of happiness in the morning could make someone happy all day. She wanted to go shopping. She wanted to travel. But in the end, Jian Yun could only remain obediently in the classroom.

Boring teachers, tedious lessons, and a jumble of useless knowledge wore away at what should have been a lovely morning. Jian Yun glanced at the already bald teacher and, after seeing that he was not paying attention to her, lay her whole body across the desk and secretly looked at the person beside her.

"?" Su Jue gave her a puzzled look. It was perfectly ordinary, yet Jian Yun giggled as though she had received some precious treasure of happiness.

Unfortunately, that happiness was short-lived. A piece of chalk suddenly struck her on the head.

"Jian Yun, stand up!" The bald teacher looked displeased. He was lifeless when teaching, but when punishing students, his voice was exceptionally loud, as though he wanted to demonstrate his dignity as a teacher through sheer volume.

Jian Yun looked nervous as she faced the fierce-looking teacher. Normally, she was a good student who listened attentively in class, but for some reason, she had gotten distracted today and been caught red-handed.

The bald teacher did not look at Jian Yun. Instead, he swept his gaze around the room and snorted at the lazy, listless students. "I know quite a few of you have secretly started dating lately. Although I know perfectly well that, with your family circumstances, you probably won't ever enter the central district in your lives, I still advise you all to put your minds into studying. Otherwise, when you grow up, you'll only be able to stay in the poor district for the rest of your lives like your parents, without ever even seeing what a big city looks like."

It was a deeply insulting remark, but the students did not feel much about it. Those who were supposed to sleep kept sleeping, and those who were supposed to daydream kept daydreaming. There was no other reason—they were simply used to it.

The timid expressions he had expected did not appear. The bald teacher felt as though he had punched cotton, and an inexplicable irritation rose within him. With a roll of his eyes, he turned his attention to Jian Yun.

"Jian Yun, right? If I remember correctly, your father just works at a factory in the suburbs. Do you have any idea how hard it is for them to support you in school? They stayed poor their entire lives just to see a big city someday, and this is how you repay them? Zoning out in class? Sure enough, children raised by incapable people are nothing but trash. Even if they spend their whole lives trying, they'll never see the scenery of the city."

"Maybe your parents even had to pull strings to get you into this trash school. If you ask me, instead of letting people like you study here, you might as well go screw bolts in a factory with your parents sooner. At least then your family wouldn't be so strapped for money."

The teacher's words pierced Jian Yun's heart like needles. Especially as she stood there alone, it felt as if the entire class was watching her, as though they were criticizing some rare specimen. She bit down on her lip and lowered her head so she would not cry. Her wonderful mood had long since vanished.

"But teacher, if you're so outstanding, why are you still stuck in our trash school at fifty? Doesn't that prove you're the useless trash you just described?" Seeing Jian Yun beside him remain silent, Su Jue sighed and could only answer for her.

"You little brat! Is that how you speak to a teacher?" Su Jue had clearly struck a sore spot. The bald teacher immediately grabbed the glass cup from his desk, intending to throw it at him, but then remembered that it had cost him several dozen and found himself reluctant to part with it. He could only curse, "Uncultured brat. Sure enough, there aren't many decent people in a trash school like this."

Su Jue did not care about the teacher's insults. He would have nothing to do with someone like this in the future anyway. But Jian Yun beside him looked at him with watery eyes, making him unable to resist saying a little more. "Mm, it really is a trash school. But teacher, why are you here? Do you think the schools downtown are too far from home? Or do you look down on the meager salary in the central district? It can't be that they just didn't want you, right?"

He took the opportunity to tug Jian Yun, who was still standing, and had her sit down while he rose to his feet. His eyes were sincere, as though he were truly a well-behaved child concerned for his teacher.

"You..." The bald teacher was so enraged that he had to take a deep breath before recovering. "I've merely devoted myself to education. If teachers like us didn't exist, what could people like you possibly do in the future?"

Seeing such entertainment, the students in the classroom stopped sleeping and began whispering among themselves. "No way, no way. Is there really someone who thinks standing on a podium makes him a teacher? He can't even recognize all the words in the textbook. I think he didn't even know Su Jue's name before." (This is solely for plot purposes and is not directed at anyone. It does not disparage friends who do not recognize rare characters. This view belongs only to the novel's characters and has no connection to the author.)

"By the way, what does he even teach again? 'How to make even shoe insoles come out crispy when grilled'? Oh~ so he used to do barbecue."

Although the students appeared to be whispering, they had no intention of lowering their voices. The bald teacher's face turned red, then white, as though he were changing masks. Just when Su Jue thought he might faint from anger, the man recovered, left the classroom with a sour expression, and presumably went to complain to the school administration.

"Tch, boring." After the teacher stormed off in anger, the classroom's chatter became even more uninhibited. No one cared at all about what had just been said.

This was the school Su Jue currently attended, and it was also a common sight in suburban schools. Most teachers here were rejects who could not stay in the central district. They had not learned the qualities of those places, yet still believed themselves to be worldly people and looked down on their students with lofty attitudes.

The knowledge taught at school was not proper humanities or science material, either. It was mostly shallow work-related knowledge, intended to make students somewhat useful in the future. As for whether they could actually learn it, no one cared. The school received subsidies from Shenzhou anyway, so its purpose had been fulfilled.

That was why most students here had simply given up. They had never been to the central district or seen the outside world, so they might as well seize the time to enjoy the most beautiful and carefree period of their lives.

"Thank you..." After Su Jue sat down, Jian Yun tugged at his sleeve and murmured softly.

"Consider it repayment for you doing my homework."

"But you already bought me breakfast."

"Then that was an advance payment for the next assignment."

"..." Sunlight fell across Jian Yun's profile, making her narrow her eyes slightly. The tears still swirling in her eyes blurred her vision in the light, and she could no longer see Su Jue clearly.

Perhaps what she wanted was neither the distant scenery nor a noble castle.

Equality

"Ahem, Jian Yun, Su Jue, could you explain why your homework is written in exactly the same handwriting?" In the office, the female Chinese teacher pushed up her glasses and stared directly at them with an inquisitive gaze.

Still not over the shadow left by the bald teacher, Jian Yun lowered her head and did not dare meet the woman's eyes. Su Jue, however, felt no pressure at all and explained evenly, "As you can see, I do not have a habit of doing homework, so I specifically bought Jian Yun breakfast and had her help me do it. This was mutual assistance between classmates, and the transaction did not involve anything illegal. Is there anything else you would like to ask?"

Hearing Su Jue state something so shameless in such a calm manner, the female teacher's mouth twitched. She wanted to lecture him about doing his own homework and independent learning, but seeing the impatience on Su Jue's face, she swallowed the words.

"Ahem, there'd better not be a next time."

Although Su Jue did not know what style his autonomous puppet usually had at school, he would not completely treat himself as a meek and submissive student either. After finally getting some peaceful days, school life was meant for relaxing, not for putting up with aggravation.

Once they left the office, Jian Yun, who had been sweating nervously for Su Jue, looked at him with admiration. "Su Jue, you seemed so amazing today. Just like... just like when I first met you."

"..." To be honest, Su Jue had completely forgotten what he had been like back then. He only remembered that, having just been chosen to become a Herrscher of a Thousand, he had spent every day trembling with worry over his future. Yet outwardly, he had acted tough, like a snail in the mud by a pond, protecting himself with a fragile shell.

His contact with Jian Yun had also only been part of the Herrscher of a Thousand Plan. In his distant memories, Su Jue recalled that Kiana seemed to have saved this girl's life. At the time, he had thought that if Kiana rescued both him and her together, wouldn't he be able to clear his name naturally?

Unfortunately, the Honkai consciousness saw through his intention to run away and directly gave him the Herrscher of Domination's authority. Only then did Su Jue change his mind and devise a plan called [Abduction].

Now that the plan had changed, as for Jian Yun, she should simply remain an ordinary person.

He saw the girl's feelings clearly. He understood this hazy, uncertain affection very well, but in his view, it was merely a simple personality flaw.

She relied on others too much and cared excessively about their opinions. When people with such personalities encountered someone relatively strong-willed, they would instinctively attach themselves to that person. The more strongly Su Jue behaved, the worse it became. If Su Jue's target had not been Kiana, Jian Yun would have been sold countless times over without even knowing it.

"Have you never thought about changing?" As they walked side by side, Su Jue looked at the school's main building outside the window. The old school was dilapidated everywhere, yet the main building containing the offices was decorated in grand style.

"Changing what?"

"Judging from the homework you wrote for me, your humanities grades are excellent. You're far better than the students in this school. With your ability, getting into a good school shouldn't be a problem, right? Don't you think this place... is awful?"

Jian Yun seemed not to have expected Su Jue to suddenly ask this. She frowned, unsure how to answer.

Worthless teachers, students wasting their days, and a school as chaotic as a mud pit—every part of it gave off an unpleasant air.

For a Herrscher of a Thousand, this was an excellent breeding ground. But to Su Jue, it was merely a stinking ditch with no value for domination.

"I think... perhaps it's because of fairness?" Jian Yun stopped walking and leaned against the window beside Su Jue. "Everyone living in the suburbs is poor. We're all children from ordinary families. We don't have the courage or strength to compete with the city center. All we have is the weak huddling together for warmth."

Jian Yun's words made Su Jue look at her differently. He had thought she was only a child with a dependent personality, but she had her own thoughts.

"Everyone here is equal. No one is nobler, and no one is wealthier. Living here, we don't have to endure discrimination from others or worry about being excluded."

Just like the Herrscher of a Thousand.

"It's strange, isn't it, for me to say something like that?" After saying this, Jian Yun revealed a relieved expression, as though she had finally voiced emotions long suppressed in her heart. "But that's truly what I think. If everyone were the same, there'd be no need to care about other people's eyes."

The breeze brushed over the girl leaning by the window and stirred her soft hair. She smiled faintly, becoming a beautiful sight alongside the school.

If—things could simply continue like this.

In this world, Honkai would not visit like a polite gentleman, properly dressed and bearing carefully prepared gifts. It would only barge into your life viciously like a bandit, then ruthlessly destroy everything you knew.

When Jian Yun came back to her senses, all she saw were collapsed ruins. Splattered blood and organs painted the broken walls and rubble, forming a picture of despair. Her classmates' wails and sobs poured mercilessly into Jian Yun's mind like a nightmare, tearing all her common sense to shreds.

"What happened?" No one could answer her. Only the shadows cast after the sunlight had been blocked blanketed everything. The massive Honkai Beasts standing amid the ruins relentlessly destroyed the structures of human civilization, crushing children buried beneath the rubble into pulp.

Fortunately, Jian Yun had only suffered minor injuries. She still held the confession letter she had intended to give Su Jue, but at that moment, nothing mattered anymore.

Forcing herself to support her body, Jian Yun rose bit by bit and moved toward safety. She could already sense it—the Honkai Beasts that blotted out the sky were letting out bloodthirsty roars.

Drip.

It seemed that she had kicked something beneath her feet. Looking down, she saw a mostly bald head still staring wide-eyed. She had kicked it aside, and blood was gushing from it.

Those eyes were looking at her.

Only Death Was Equal

Fear was like a python that had lain hidden for a long time. In an unguarded moment, it burst from the concealed swamp and tightly constricted Jian Yun's throat, forcing her eyes wide as she struggled to breathe.

Jian Yun...

Those eyes still held that teacher's harshness, branding themselves deeply into Jian Yun's mind. Just hours ago, he had been insulting his students. Now, he had died in the same way as the useless trash he despised most—life might not be equal, but death was the only fairness.

Mutilated limbs lay scattered across the ground. The despairing eyes of familiar classmates stared at her even in death, like evil ghosts from hell waiting for the next victim to join them.

Didn't you say everyone was equal? Why won't you come keep us company? Together with us.

Go to hell!

"No..." Jian Yun clutched her throat tightly, only daring to whimper softly.

"Don't look at me, don't look at me..." She kept running, closing her eyes so she would not see the corpses. But despair never spared any delicious prey. It would follow closely behind, until the child could no longer struggle, before dragging her into the abyss.

They heard her. They saw her. They began hunting, destroying every living thing.

Boom—

The main building, renovated with more than half the public funds, easily collapsed under the Honkai Beasts' pulling. Once the obstacles blocking their view disappeared, the spear-wielding Temple-class Honkai Beasts had already spotted the fleeing Jian Yun. Their crimson eyes began to glow, their enormous bodies moved, and in an instant, they destroyed everything.

Death arrived as promised...

No, it did not.

She only felt herself being held in a warm embrace, then rolling across the ground several times. Jian Yun raised her head and saw the face she had been longing for.