"Pull more people out of the abyss of despair."
"That way, even if something really does descend in the future, monsters like that won't be born again, right?"
PD was in an excellent mood.
He immediately chimed in.
"Sister Zhou hit the nail on the head."
"I'll get counselors for the employees when I get back."
"Have everyone's mental state thoroughly assessed."
Hanser's expression darkened.
She interrupted him.
"You've got it wrong."
"They don't need treatment."
"What they lack is acceptance."
"Goodwill from the people around them."
"And hope that they can keep living."
Hope for a tomorrow.
Those words struck PD's heart like a hammer.
He froze.
He had been misunderstanding all along.
The scene shifted.
Inside the game.
Seele gazed at the suspended puppets, her eyes bewildered.
She tugged at the hem of Bronya's clothes.
"Sis, something's wrong."
"These... look like living people."
"How did they end up like this when they were perfectly fine?"
Bronya's face was expressionless.
Her reason was as cold and hard as iron.
"They aren't people."
"That's the Tenth Herrscher."
"Monsters wearing human skin."
"Stealing thoughts, mimicking movements."
"They're nothing but marionettes controlled by the Will of Honkai."
Seele stared into the void, her fingertips trembling slightly.
Those screams were not fictional.
They were piercing some stranger's heart, real and true.
Despair grew wildly like poisonous weeds.
"Don't get drawn in."
Bronya abruptly grabbed her companion's arm with astonishing force.
Her gaze was icy as she stared fixedly ahead.
The Dolls were manifestations of negative emotions.
Once someone sank into them, that vortex would swallow them whole.
"Run!"
There was no hesitation.
The two turned and charged into the dark corridor.
Wind howled past their ears.
They had to leave this wretched place.
Their footsteps stopped abruptly.
The view before them suddenly opened