Where the Lights Fade, Someone Awaits Your Return - Please Subscribe / Lighthouse - Please Subscribe

"Your retreat and weakness only made him push his luck even further. You were like a tool with no mind of your own, toyed with by Otto as he pleased. And now that I wanted to save people, that I wanted to face things head-on, you were still telling me to consider the bigger picture. Those in danger, those drowning in despair—who was going to light the way forward for them?"

"I'm tired. I don't want to hear your grand principles anymore. Just disappear from my mind."

Fu Hua, in her Feather Dust state, felt as if a sword had pierced her heart. The intense agony tearing through her mind tugged at her memories, making her feel as though she had returned to that day five hundred years ago.

"Was I really wrong?"

The girl stood atop a high-rise, gazing into the distance. The blazing sun had been swallowed by the earth, the rosy clouds had faded, and night hung overhead.

Even if she was trapped in darkness, even if the past could never return.

Beneath this starry sky, there were still many roads Kiana had to walk alone.

"Go say goodbye to him..."

This was an author's note for the premium release.

I'm very glad that everyone has made it this far. As expected, this is an author's note for the premium release.

First of all, I have to thank all of you readers for supporting this book. Even though its results have been almost completely crushed by books released around the same time, I'm still very happy. My last book flopping left me depressed for quite a long time. I thought this one would quietly drown among countless masterpieces as well, but I never expected there to be so many readers.

Let me briefly talk about this book.

About the beginning.

I spent a long time thinking about this book's opening. At first, I only wanted to write a straightforward power fantasy and imitate those bestselling works. But once I actually started writing, I still followed my heart and wanted to tell a story that wasn't quite so terrible.

However, because of my limited writing ability, this opening really was rather boring. I imagine many readers found it dull and dropped the book before even reaching Chapter Three. The first three chapters should have been the golden opening, but I put the important turning point in Chapter Five instead. It was only natural for the book to flop.

About the content.

This book's development should be driven by misunderstandings, using unequal information between the characters to propel conflicts and clashes.

The key figures are naturally Su Jue, who wants to survive, and Kiana, who wants to save the world. At this point in time, both of them happen to be suffering from serious psychological flaws. Two flawed people might be able to huddle together for warmth, but they were more likely to sink into an even deeper whirlpool.

Su Jue used deception to put on an act of strength for Kiana, letting her discover the shining side of humanity. But in truth, he was saving himself too. He had originally been a host chosen by the Thousand Laws, and his problems were even worse. He merely used the Authority of Domination to immerse himself in the act and forget the past. So don't be surprised when the protagonist sometimes messed up. He wasn't perfect.

Of course, the author is also a reserve host of the Thousand Laws. Whenever parts of the plot seem strange, it may very well be my own flaws acting up.

About the future.

What everyone is more concerned about is the female lead. The female lead of this book is already written in the title, though whether they can end up together depends on where the story goes later.

There probably won't be a harem. I took a rough look at the rankings, and nearly all the hugely popular books were harem stories. Although I really wanted to follow the trend and make some money, forget it.

Then there's the protagonist's stance. He is his own stance. He won't help humanity, nor will he help Honkai. Most of the time, he'll stay hidden behind the scenes and cause trouble with puppets.

I also noticed that there are many Otto fans. Although I like Otto too, in this book he'll more often appear as a villain and take the blame for a lot of things. After all, the things he did really were a little... less than kind.

And then there are Fu Hua, Mei, and the others. They may not be so perfect either. I hope readers who like those characters will go easy on me.

All right, that's about it. Let the rest remain in the story.

The premium release starts tomorrow. If you can support it more, this book can go farther. Once again, thank you to everyone who made it this far.

My deepest thanks.

And then, please vote, please subscribe on day one, please bookmark it, please recommend it, pretty please.

At the Dim Lights, Someone Waited for Your Return

In this disaster called Honkai, no one could remain untouched. When the pale giant beast savagely brought its claws down from overhead, the only thing reflected in one's pupils was despair.

"Someone, save me..."

Crack—

Accompanied by the sound of Spears of the Void piercing through its shell, the last rampaging Honkai Beast dissolved into pale violet Honkai Energy. Kiana jumped down from its body, gasping heavily as she picked up the little girl collapsed on the ground.

"Don't worry. I'm here." Kiana's smile carried hope, driving away the fear in the little girl's heart.

Moved by her emotions, the little girl, who had nearly burst into tears, forcibly held back her sobbing. She raised a hand to wipe away her tears and looked at Kiana with clear, innocent eyes. "Big sister, are you an angel?"

No, I'm just a sinner seeking redemption.

She had wanted to answer like that, but seeing the yearning in the little girl's eyes, she still reached out and rubbed the tip of her nose. Half-jokingly, she said, "That's right."

Before long, the victims of the disaster had gathered around them. Seeing that her daughter was unharmed, the girl's mother repeatedly thanked Kiana.

"The monsters have been eliminated. Hurry and go take shelter first."

Although the pain in her body kept worsening, she still forced herself to stay alert and urged the rescued survivors to evacuate. Only after everyone had safely left did the smile on her face gradually disappear.

At some point, Honkai markings beneath her clothes had begun to flicker into view, and the sweat streaming down her body had soaked through her clothes.

"The range of Honkai Beast attacks has expanded. In the past, they would target cities, but now even the suburbs can't escape?" Her eyes were filled with deep concern. The Honkai in Sky City was growing increasingly severe, as though something were constantly drawing them in.

She had initially thought the Herrscher of Void's power was attracting the Honkai. But as Kiana gained greater control over the Herrscher of Void's power, she was no longer as ignorant as before about the Honkai Energy leaking from her own body. She knew very clearly that these Honkai Beasts were not pursuing the power of a Herrscher. Besides, if they had been drawn by her, these disasters should have occurred around her.

Sky City definitely hid an unknown secret. During her search for Griseo, she had occasionally discovered some strange clues. Perhaps Griseo's disappearance was connected to this matter as well.

After confirming there were no refugees left in the disaster zone, Kiana continued toward the suburbs. Fu Hua had shut herself off after what happened that afternoon, leaving Kiana alone now.

"After I say goodbye to him, I'll investigate this to the end." She raised her head and looked into the distance. The moon had already risen. Behind her, Sky City's lights were just beginning to glow, while the suburban outskirts remained shrouded in darkness.

I'll just take a quick look. Once I know he's safe, I'll leave.

As Honkai incidents continued to occur, blockades had begun throughout Sky City. Transportation to and from the suburbs had been cut off, so Kiana could only travel there on foot.

She walked along the empty streets, accompanied only by the bright moonlight and a sky full of stars. The whole world seemed to have been forgotten.

She suddenly recalled the day she first met Su Jue. There had been rampaging Honkai Beasts then too, and the sky had likewise been full of stars. Only the dim yellow glow of streetlights had spilled over the road.

Kiana still remembered how Su Jue had carried her, unconscious, down this street. She had no idea how someone with such poor stamina had managed to carry her across more than half the city to get here.

Yet when she reached the suburbs, all she saw was darkness. Aside from the streetlights maintained by public services, there was not a single trace of light.

It was seven or eight in the evening, normally the liveliest time of day. Yet the vast suburban area was so quiet it felt terrifying.

"This doesn't look like a Honkai Beast attack."

The buildings had not been damaged. It looked more like an organized relocation. After walking farther ahead, Kiana stopped. The road in front of her had been blocked by barricades, and the standing notice board was coated in dust.

[Following an attack by Honkai monsters, all residents of this district have been relocated to the western district. Please do not approach.]

According to the notice, it had happened three days ago.

"So they've already moved?" She inexplicably felt relieved. Compared to the city center, which had numerous shelters, the suburbs' defenses were far too weak. Under these circumstances, relocation was the best option.

Still, she could not help feeling somewhat regretful. After all, once they parted this time, she had no idea when they would meet again.

She remained where she was, looking toward the residential buildings for a long time without leaving.

"Forget it. Since I'm already here, I might as well take another look." After hesitating for a long time, Kiana still convinced herself with the traditional excuse of since I'm already here.

Su Jue's home was some distance from the main road, and she had to pass through an alley along the way. Since all the surrounding residents had relocated, the alley was especially dark. Fortunately, Kiana possessed the power of a Herrscher, so ordinary night vision was no challenge.

There had originally been stray cats and dogs darting through the alley, but now there was not even a rat in sight.

Narrow. Cramped. As she continued through the alley, an inexplicable tension slowly brewed in her heart.

But the alley was only so long. After Kiana followed the route from her memories and passed through it, the space before her suddenly opened up, revealing a sprawling residential district.

Unfortunately, the residential district was still the same as before, but there were no lights anywhere. Even the moon seemed indifferent to this area, unwilling to cast down even a trace of silver-white radiance.

Every household's light had gone out, and not a soul could be seen returning home.

Would he be home?

Although she knew the answer was impossible, Kiana could not help thinking it. The passage leading to Su Jue's door was dark and unlit. She was only a dozen meters from her destination, yet she did not dare take another step forward.

Perhaps she was afraid of being disappointed.

This is far enough.

She turned to leave, but at the instant she looked back, she saw it—a single lit lamp among the countless extinguished household lights.

The gray-haired boy had just pushed open his window, and their gazes met.

Lighthouse

"Huh, Sirin... Ah, no, it should be Kiana. I didn't expect you to really come back."

"..." She stood where she was, suddenly unable to speak through the lump in her throat.

"You knew I would come?"

"No. It was just a feeling. I thought that maybe one day, you'd come back for a look. I even changed to a brighter light bulb for it. Everyone has already moved away, so it's too dark here. And you've only come here once. If I didn't make the light brighter, you might not have been able to find your way home." After saying that, Su Jue seemed to remember something and hurriedly added, "Wait a moment. I forgot to turn on the passage lights."

Su Jue flipped the switch, thoroughly illuminating the formerly pitch-black passage. Since none of the neighbors had been willing to pay, the lights here had never been repaired after the bulbs broke. It was only after everyone moved away that Su Jue replaced all the broken bulbs.

"Now you won't have to be afraid of the dark in the passage." He came out of the house and looked at Kiana, who stood at the entrance, somewhat puzzled. "Aren't you coming in to sit for a while?"

Kiana's white hair covered her eyes, making it impossible for her to see Su Jue clearly through the shimmering tears. But she immediately recovered, secretly wiping away her tears while turning around and restoring her usual composure.

She was a strong Valkyrie. Kiana did not want Su Jue to see her vulnerable side.

"Okay." Even if the stars and moon gave no light, even if the whole world was plunged into darkness, as long as there was a faint light lit for her, she could find the direction she wanted to go.

The house was still the same as before, but the living room was piled with many things. A chaotic assortment of odds and ends occupied almost half the space.

"Sorry, the house is a little messy. Let me tidy up first." There were still plenty of miscellaneous items piled on the table, things Su Jue had sorted out to take with him when moving—various books and old clothes.

Taking a deep breath, Su Jue picked up the tall stack of books. Unfortunately, he had clearly overestimated his strength. The moment he lifted them, his hands sank and he immediately lost his balance. Just as he thought he was about to fall, a slender arm easily steadied both him and the stack of books, then took the books from his hands with one hand alone, leaving him staring in stunned silence.

"Where are you planning to put these?" Kiana's voice broke Su Jue out of his daze. Seeing the girl effortlessly hold the books he had struggled to lift, Su Jue scratched his head awkwardly.

"Just put them over here for now." He brought over a cardboard box and stacked the books against the wall.

With both of them working together, they finally cleared out a relatively tidy spot. Since they were preparing to move, the entire room looked empty after everything had been sorted.

It felt a little lonely.

"Why are you alone?" Not seeing Su Jue's mother, Kiana felt something was wrong, and a terrible possibility gradually surfaced in her mind.

But Su Jue did not seem sad. Instead, he explained with some excitement, "Shencheng Pharmaceuticals in the city center was actually offering a free medical treatment lottery. I didn't expect to get lucky enough to win a spot. My mom is receiving treatment there now."

"Treatment? Then your illness..."

"..." Su Jue said nothing, but the smile on his face became a little stiff.

Realizing she had let something slip, Kiana immediately reacted and hurriedly explained, "Sorry. I didn't mean to look through your medical records before."

After several seconds of silence, Su Jue shook his head. "It's fine. My illness isn't exactly a secret. Staying behind this time was actually also to say goodbye to you."

"Goodbye..."

Her heart suddenly felt sour. Kiana remembered why she had come here in the first place: she had come to say goodbye as well. But after everything that had happened before, she suddenly did not want to mention that word. Yet she had not expected Su Jue to say it first.

Su Jue did not notice the change in her expression. He looked at the messy room and sighed. "After staying here for so long, it's hard to leave so suddenly. Even though my bastard father abandoned my mother and me, he earned this house by working himself to the bone. Now, because of Honkai, everyone has no choice but to move to a safer area."

So he was only moving.

The light returned to her dim eyes. At some point, the carefree girl had begun to become sentimental over someone else's words. Kiana did not notice the change in herself. Once she understood that Su Jue was only saying goodbye because he was moving, she relaxed considerably. "With disasters becoming more frequent, relocation is unavoidable. But the main group should have moved three days ago, right? You stayed behind to... wait for me?"

This district had completed its relocation three days ago, yet Su Jue had remained. Kiana suddenly understood that it was not because he did not want to leave. He had been waiting to say one final goodbye to her. He had lit the lamps because he was afraid she would not be able to find her way home. He had been afraid she would return and find no one there, so he had waited alone in this deserted residential district for three days.

"I suppose so. We're friends, after all. If I left without telling you, I should at least say goodbye." Wearing an indifferent smile, Su Jue slapped his forehead, only then remembering that he had not even prepared tea for his guest. "Sorry, I forgot to pour you some tea."

"No need..." Before Kiana could finish, Su Jue had already hurried into the kitchen to boil water and make tea, leaving her alone in the living room.

Of course, what she did not know was that Su Jue, now in the kitchen, had secretly activated his Herrscher Authority. Outside the residential building, Himeko, who had just returned from investigating World Serpent's traces, was caught off guard and controlled.

"What are you doing? I can't even go home?"

Sneaking a glance at Kiana in the living room, Su Jue answered mercilessly, "No. Figure out a way to stay outside for one night, or I'll lock you in the Theater of Domination. Pick one."

Fortunately, he had noticed Himeko's presence in time. Otherwise, it would have been a disaster if she came back.

"What a heartless man. You didn't bring a woman home, did you? Let me tell you, Kiana—"

"Shut up!" Cutting Himeko off rudely, Su Jue directly controlled her into running to the wilderness outside the city. Only after ensuring there was no one around did he release his control.

Looking at the empty wasteland, Himeko ground her teeth. He had actually thrown her into a place like this. "This is too much."

After being busy all day, she was hungry and exhausted. She had not expected to be kicked out the moment she got home. Himeko was filled with resentment, but there was nothing she could do. After all, she was his puppet now.

"I'll just have to make do outside for one night." With a helpless sigh, Himeko searched her pockets and discovered that she did not have a single cent.