Honkai's Thousand Laws, Abducting Kiana at the Start

"Kiana," Fu Hua's voice echoed in her mind. Kiana had been silent for so long, she'd almost forgotten Fu Hua existed.

"Class monitor?" The name slipped out, but Kiana immediately corrected herself, "Fu Hua, why are you showing up again?"

Fu Hua noticed Kiana's awkward shift and felt a flicker of happiness. It meant Kiana still saw her as a comrade deep down.

Fu Hua was about to say something as she usually would, but the words of the mysterious person she'd met earlier suddenly came to mind. She held back, ultimately only managing a dry, "You've worked hard during this time."

"..." Kiana froze at the words, clearly sensing a difference in Fu Hua. Before, Fu Hua's focus had always been on Kiana's Honkai corruption, worrying more about the disaster Kiana would cause if she lost control, rather than Kiana herself.

This sudden change left Kiana feeling adrift. She forced a strong tone, asking, "What do you want with me? Let me be clear, I won't listen to you and abandon Rita."

"I feel like you've developed a deep misunderstanding of me. I... no, that's not important." Recalling their previous conversation in the mental space, Fu Hua swallowed her other words. "Your resistance to Honkai corruption has significantly improved, but your body still can't keep up with the Honkai Energy output during combat."

"So?"

"I have a cultivation technique here that can help you better resolve Honkai corruption. I'm not sure if it's suitable for you, but it should be very effective for you right now."

"A cultivation technique... Class monitor, you suddenly remind me of a vendor selling pirated books under a flyover." Kiana felt a surge of exasperation. During her time wandering the Land of the Divine, she'd met many people claiming to be disciples of the six great martial arts sects, but most were just charlatans with no real ability.

"I'm different from them. This is a cultivation technique I've cultivated myself, refined over tens of thousands of years. It can now significantly buffer Honkai Energy."

"Tens of thousands of years?"

"..." Fu Hua suddenly remembered Kiana didn't know her true identity yet. It seemed her conversation with the other Kiana had given her the wrong impression.

"In any case, the decision to learn it or not is yours. I won't force you to cultivate, nor will I interfere with any of your decisions. If you wish to learn, come find me then. For now, you need to find a safe place to rest." With that, Fu Hua voluntarily withdrew her consciousness from the mental space, not wanting to disturb Kiana.

"..." Fu Hua's words sent Kiana into deep thought. But now wasn't the time to linger. Shencheng Pharmaceuticals was surely still hunting them. She needed to find a hiding place first.

She glanced in the direction of the hospital, wondering if Su Jue had sensed the commotion earlier. But she couldn't go back yet. She could only take Rita and find a derelict garage to temporarily shelter in.

Meanwhile, Raven stood with a darkened expression amidst the ruins of the Shencheng Pharmaceuticals building. She was the person in charge of this Stigmata project. Before the plan could even be implemented, half the base was destroyed. This was billions in assets, and years of World Serpent's efforts. The consequences of this destruction under her watch were unimaginable.

Even if she wasn't held personally responsible, the cost of compensation alone would require her to pay for more than ten luxury villas and islands.

Maybe I should just run away, she thought, already plotting her escape. I can just blame Jackal. He was the one who chose to fight Schicksal, and he's probably dead by now anyway. But she soon realized with despair that with her small frame, the possibility of escaping the vast World Serpent was minuscule.

"It's all Jackal's and that woman from Schicksal's fault. I was just out hunting down those scattered Valkyries. Who would have thought my home would be blown up?" she muttered. Suddenly, her communicator rang. It was Jackal.

"Save me..."

"You're still alive? Then I'll have to silence you."

"Huh?"

Hearing Jackal's confused voice, Raven quickly brushed it off. Murdering a cadre was a serious crime; it was best to just think about it. However, since Jackal wasn't dead, didn't she get to share half the blame?

Chapter Ninety-Five: Immortal Vermilion Bird

After successfully rescuing Jackal from underground, the two quickly began to consolidate World Serpent's remaining forces in Sky City. Although the main force was wiped out, they had been operating there for so long that the remaining troops were sufficient for the next phase of their plan.

"Jackal, the Schicksal Valkyries escaped under your watch. You know what I mean, right?" Raven tossed a crutch to Jackal. Jackal was covered in cuts from debris, and even more unfortunately, his recently healed leg had broken again.

Hearing Raven's words, Jackal's expression soured, but he didn't say much. After all, she had saved him. Sharing the blame was acceptable. "World Serpent can surely afford to bear this loss. What's important is whether the Stigmata project can continue."

"The entire industrial district is almost destroyed. All the potions I concocted have been destroyed as well. If we can't find a substitute to continue the plan, neither of us will fare well."

Standing on the outskirts of the industrial district, Raven looked at the massive wreckage of the Eos transport ship engulfed in flames. The scorching heat washed over her face, but a smile curved her lips.

"It seems the Schicksal folks never dreamed that after destroying so much of our material, they'd still leave behind what I wanted." Raven's gaze pierced through the sea of fire, landing on the heavily damaged wreckage where a Honkai Energy engine, emitting a faint blue light, was faintly visible.

The remaining work robots quickly brought fire-extinguishing tools to douse the flames. Raven immediately inspected the engine. This was a power source developed by Schicksal specifically for the transport ship's aerial propulsion, and it was itself a powerful Honkai converter.

"As long as it's modified, it can become an ultra-high-power Honkai Energy amplification device. Although it's not as convenient or stable as the potions, it's enough to allow the Stigmata project to proceed normally."

By this point, the crash of such a large transport ship had already attracted the attention of local authorities. World Serpent would have to expend considerable effort to remain hidden. However, Jackal and Gray Serpent were already prepared to go all out. The chaos in Sky City was escalating, and for the authorities to implement unified management, they would have to resort to centralized resettlement. Millions of people were crammed into the narrow confines of the city center. If this engine were successfully activated, the entire city's population would become test subjects for the Stigmata project.

"Victory will ultimately belong to the Serpent." They exchanged glances, seeing the shared amusement in each other's eyes.

Inside the abandoned garage, after temporarily settling Rita down, Kiana succumbed to her exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep. Her condition was slightly better, just needing deep rest.

During this sleep, she found her consciousness remained awake, though the mental space was pitch black, making it impossible to see anything.

"Kiana, you're here?" Fu Hua's voice suddenly echoed in the dim mental space. Kiana startled, then noticed a light red feather floating before her. The voice emanated from it.

"Class monitor?"

"Hold this feather. This is Feather Dust, the Eighth Divine Key that houses my consciousness. It will bring you to me."

Kiana didn't immediately obey. She was no longer the girl who blindly trusted everyone. Instead, she chose to separate a portion of her consciousness to tentatively sense the feather.

She slowly dispersed her attention until, at a certain moment, a fragment of meaningless consciousness emerged. She then activated it to test the waters. This was a skill she had learned after experiencing that despair.

She was no longer the silly "bug," but a warrior who had learned independence and caution. Though still a bit green, she had at least grown.

This was also what Su Jue had always hoped for.

Only after confirming the feather was harmless did she touch it. The pitch-black consciousness then brightened. When she came to her senses again, she found herself in a lush mountain forest.

"Where is this?"

"This is a mental space constructed by Feather Dust and your consciousness." From a small house by the courtyard wall, Fu Hua pushed open the wooden door covered with oiled paper and stepped out. She was dressed in a blue robe, her gray hair tied back, exuding an ethereal aura, truly embodying the grace of the Immortal Vermilion Bird that had been famed in the Land of the Divine for so long.

Seeing Fu Hua dressed like this, Kiana was visibly shocked. Fu Hua had always had short hair. Now, this elegant, fairy-like appearance, combined with the surrounding environment, made her feel as if she were dreaming in a world of immortal heroes.

"What a strange dream."

As if sensing Kiana's confusion, Fu Hua explained, "You can think of it as a dream, because this space is constructed from the intersection of your memories and mine."

"Is it really you, Class Monitor? Why are you dressed like that? You look so cool. But if it's an intersection of memories, then my memories should be half of it too."

"This is because my memories are simply too vast, which is why the current scene has formed."

"Too vast? Aren't you the same age as us, Fu Hua?"

"As per our agreement, there are some things I should have told you." Fu Hua paused for a few seconds before continuing, "My current appearance is how I looked over the past few thousand years. I am a Flame-Chaser from the previous era, which should be… fifty thousand years ago."

"!" The sudden information left Kiana completely stunned. By the time she snapped back to reality, Fu Hua had already walked to the center of the Bagua formation.

"You're lying to me, Class Monitor. I won't believe you."

Unfortunately, after revealing this information, Fu Hua had no intention of explaining further. She beckoned to Kiana, "I'll leave my other secrets for you to discover yourself. What's needed now is to improve your combat power. Your previous studies are not enough to support the battles ahead."

"But..." Kiana was still hesitant. The sudden mention of cultivation techniques, and Fu Hua having lived for 50,000 years, were all things she couldn't process immediately.

"If you have something you want to protect, strength is indispensable. St. Freya can only offer limited help. To further master the Herrscher of the Void's abilities, you must at least learn how to understand Honkai." Fu Hua stood in the courtyard and began to move in a peculiar posture. Her movements were unhurried, yet in Kiana's eyes, they carried a unique charm.

Despite the gentle movements, Kiana could vaguely sense the roaring wind, the thunder, and swallows darting through the air.

"So wondrous."

"Kiana, come. Let's spar. Although your mastery of power has been steadily improving, you still have a long way to go in avoiding the damage Honkai Energy inflicts on your body."

As they spoke, the two quickly engaged in combat. After just a few exchanges, Kiana was clearly at a disadvantage. But this only ignited Kiana's fighting spirit. Wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, her eyes were filled with determination.

Only strength could protect those she cherished. She wouldn't let tragedy happen again.

Chapter 96: Calling for Backup

"Soothing muscles and activating blood!"

"Unblocking meridians!"

"Hiss... Class Monitor, I seriously suspect you're taking this opportunity for revenge!" Kiana's entire body was flushed red, and waves of heat emanated from her skin. Some of the bruises from the previous fight were also gradually fading under Fu Hua's "beating."

Due to the vast difference in time between the mental space and the outside world, under the effect of the "Yellow Millet Dream," Kiana had already undergone nearly a week of training here. She had been relentlessly pushing her body, often training for the entire day. Under such intense training, even a slight lapse in attention could lead to hidden injuries.

Thus, Fu Hua's massage techniques came into play. However, the massage process was quite torturous, even more uncomfortable than the combat. But the effect was indeed remarkable. After a few days, Kiana clearly felt a significant improvement in her body's adaptation to Honkai Energy.

Unfortunately, the time was too short, and her mastery of Taixu Sword Qi was not very high. Even so, Kiana's combat power at this moment had already surpassed that of an A-Rank Valkyrie, making her a true S-Rank.

Just as Kiana was preparing for the next round of training, the space suddenly began to tremble violently. Fu Hua gazed at the gradually shattering mountains in the distance and nodded at Kiana.

"It seems you'll be waking up soon. Your talent is exceptional; you've achieved so much in such a short period of training. You must continue to practice diligently and strengthen your control over your body. I believe the Herrscher of..." Fu Hua almost said something unnecessary again and quickly stopped herself. Her interactions with Kiana over these past few days felt completely different from before. Although they spent most of their time training, she felt their relationship had grown much closer.

Even at St. Freya, Fu Hua maintained a certain distance from her classmates due to her identity and Otto's missions. She didn't think there was anything wrong with that until she had a conflict with Kiana, after which she began to wonder what she was doing wrong. However, Fu Hua's straightforward personality, which had persisted since the previous era, couldn't comprehend these things.

On the contrary, after making a deal with that mysterious person and speaking in the manner they requested, her relationship with Kiana had actually improved quite a bit. Although Fu Hua didn't understand the underlying principles, she didn't dislike this feeling. The other party had given her a list of keywords she couldn't mention, which allowed Fu Hua to stop herself in time.

The mental space completely collapsed, and Kiana slowly woke up. When she opened her eyes again, she was still in the garage. She hadn't rested for too long. Although it was late at night, she hadn't slept until dawn.

"Hiss." As soon as she woke up, she felt a sense of soreness all over her body. Although the training in the mental space was only in her consciousness, with the help of Feather Dust, her physical body in reality would subconsciously adjust its state, achieving an automatic training effect. However, this effect was limited and could not replace physical training with mental training.

Rita, who was lying on the other side, had not yet woken up. Kiana had to get up temporarily. She opened the passage to her mental space, allowing Fu Hua to appear before her.

Fu Hua, who had just appeared, was momentarily confused, especially by the presence of Rita. Kiana could only briefly explain what had happened recently, naturally omitting everything about Su Jue.

"The Stigmata Project..." Hearing Kiana mention this term, some residual information in Fu Hua's mind began to surface. Although she had burned away a lot of memories over the past tens of thousands of years, the important ones were still preserved.

"Class Monitor, you know about it?"

"Yes, it's one of the salvation plans left by the Previous Civilization. If I recall correctly, Kevin Kaslana was in charge of it."

"Kaslana?"

"Yes, an ancestor of the Kaslana family, and also the world's strongest Flame-Chaser. You must be careful of him. If he sees you, he will absolutely try to kill you." Fu Hua sighed but didn't say anything further. Some things couldn't be explained clearly. She briefly told Kiana about the origin of World Serpent before returning to Feather Dust.

Some answers needed to be found by Kiana herself. This was also part of their agreement.

Facing Fu Hua's silence, Kiana didn't press further. She had changed so much in these past few months. Since Fu Hua wouldn't say, she would have to investigate it herself.

Moreover, having spent a full week in the mental space, even though she knew only a few hours had passed in reality, Kiana was still worried about Su Jue's condition. Since Rita was out of danger, it was time for her to go back.

Just as she left, Rita, who had been in a deep sleep, suddenly opened her eyes. Looking in the direction Kiana had departed, Rita frowned in thought.

"Who was she talking to?" Before Kiana noticed, Rita had heard her low murmurs. Through her narrowed eyes, she saw Kiana conversing with an invisible figure.

And the direction she left in seemed to be the hospital?

She immediately took out her communicator to contact Schicksal, only to find that the communication channel's signal had been completely jammed by World Serpent, likely using the wavebands and frequencies obtained from the wreckage of the Eos.

She didn't panic. Within twenty-four hours of a team going missing, Schicksal would dispatch troops for a thorough investigation. Even though World Serpent currently controlled Sky City, they would be wiped out once the army arrived.

Putting down her communicator, she took out a cat-themed phone from her inner clothing. This was a backup phone for her and Durandal to contact each other privately. Bianca originally didn't need one; Schicksal's issued communicator was perfectly sufficient for her. However, Rita had specifically put a photo of Bianca's cat, Stan, on the phone, which finally convinced her.

"Mission message. Reporting to: Durandal. Reporter: Rita."

After briefly describing the mission, Rita put away her phone.

Durandal rarely used her personal phone and checked it infrequently. However, at Rita's request, she had maintained the habit of checking it once a day. Moreover, because Rita had sent some "inexplicable" messages in the past, Bianca didn't pay too much attention to phone messages, which was why Rita specifically wrote "Mission" in the subject line.

"Next, let the Herrscher of the Void attract their attention. Once Lord Durandal arrives, neither the Herrscher nor World Serpent will be able to escape Schicksal's grasp."

As the situation in Sky City was in turmoil, the training grounds within Anti-Entropy's temporary base in the Far East were still brightly lit.

Sweat had soaked through the girl's clothes, and the weapon in her hand felt incredibly heavy, yet she continued to slash with all her might. Only after completing a thousand swings did the girl drag her exhausted body to a resting chair on the side.

The phone's screen saver was currently lit. Just half a minute ago, her phone had received a new message.

Chapter 97: A Visit

Although too many things had happened that night, normal life had to continue for ordinary people. By the time Kiana returned to the hospital, the sky was already showing the first hint of dawn.

Bypassing the numerous surveillance cameras, Kiana pushed open the ward door.

The young man on the hospital bed lay peacefully asleep. Kiana breathed a sigh of relief, the weight on her heart finally lifted. She tiptoed to the bedside, careful not to wake Su Jue.

After a whole night of fighting, followed by several days of training in the mental space, she was utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally. Finding the small stool provided for visitors by the bedside, she sat down. She then noticed a small lunchbox on the table next to the bed. A small note was attached to it, written in elegant handwriting – it was from Su Jue.

"The nurse brought dinner. I saved half for you."

There were no words of concern, but Kiana felt a genuine sense of comfort. She opened the lunchbox; it contained only ordinary nutritional meals. For someone who had expended so much energy, it was barely anything, but she still finished the entire cold dinner and tidied up the utensils neatly.

Returning to the bedside, Kiana looked at the young man's profile, a unique emotion welling up in her heart. She lowered her body, gradually approaching his face. She could even feel Su Jue's breath.

"Goodnight."

In the end, she merely brushed his cheek with her hand before returning to her small stool and falling asleep by the window.

She didn't notice that after she fell asleep, the sleeping Su Jue on the hospital bed quietly opened his eyes, and with a silent sigh, he fell back into slumber.

By the time Kiana woke up again, it was already close to noon. The warm sunlight made the entire room feel cozy. The sounds of footsteps and conversations from outside the ward drifted in. Kiana rubbed her eyes, stretched, and happened to make eye contact with Su Jue, who was leaning against the headboard reading a book.

Her face instantly flushed. Kiana quickly pulled her clothes down to cover her exposed stomach and instinctively wiped the corner of her mouth with her sleeve. Fortunately, she hadn't drooled this time.