Setting Out

When the wildfires in neighboring Australia spread across the entire country, New Zealand was spared thanks to the Tasman Sea between it and Australia. Combined with its sparse population, the Honkai outbreak in the region was not particularly severe, and Fire Moth's defensive forces throughout New Zealand remained largely intact.

At the forward base in New Zealand, Fu Hua was organizing her equipment in her room. She took a photograph from a box and merely glanced at it, yet the picture seemed to possess an irresistible pull that drew her in. As she stared at it, her thoughts seemed to return to the distant past. More than a year had passed, but it still felt close in her mind.

Yet for some reason, she thought of fire. Blazing flames seemed to slowly consume the photograph in her hand, until everyone in it except herself turned into dust carried away by the wind.

Knock, knock, knock. A steady knock suddenly sounded outside the room, pulling her from the illusion she had woven for herself.

Fu Hua glanced toward the door, casually closed the box, and placed the photograph on the bedside table before walking over. She gently turned the handle. A man dressed as a doctor stood before her.

"Hello, Ms. Fu Hua." The doctor nodded in greeting. "I'm Dr. Alex from the laboratory department." He showed her his work ID.

"Hello." Fu Hua returned the greeting just as briefly. "What is it?"

"Well... uh, sorry, but may I ask you a question first? Has the organization explained the details of this mission to you?" the doctor asked.

Fu Hua shook her head. "Not in much detail." She only knew that she was being sent to Australia for a B-rank combat mission, along with many other battered survivors like herself.

"I see..." The doctor looked thoughtful before speaking again. "Before the mission begins, the organization will inject you with an experimental drug. I'm only here to collect a blood sample from you beforehand."

"Then let's begin," she said flatly.

"May I come in? Drawing blood in the hallway might not go smoothly."

Fu Hua nodded, indicating that he could.

Without saying anything further, the doctor entered the room, set the medical case in his hand at his feet, and took out the equipment needed for the blood draw. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the photograph on the bedside table. His gaze focused on it, and he saw a line of writing in the blank space: "Group Photo of Squad Five."

Three minutes later, he said, "Please squeeze the ball in your hand."

The specially made automatic blood-drawing device easily pierced her skin. The procedure was over within seconds, and the doctor placed a label on the test tube containing her blood.

"Goodbye, Ms. Fu Hua. You'll need to have your blood drawn once more later." After packing up the medical supplies, the doctor bid her farewell. Fu Hua nodded and closed the door behind him.

The doctor also visited several warriors who would be carrying out the mission alongside Fu Hua. More members in the control group were always better.

Soon, Fu Hua and the other warriors were led into a mysterious room.

"Please take a seat," said Dr. Mei's adjutant. Behind her, injection guns filled with pale blue liquid and dark golden swords were displayed on the wall.

The adjutant stroked the blade of one of the swords. "These are the Tenth Divine Keys." She placed the Divine Keys into the warriors' hands one by one. Even Fu Hua was somewhat stunned. She ran her fingers over the patterns on the sword, surprise showing in her icy blue eyes. She had not expected that, despite not being a Fusion Warrior, she would receive a Divine Key as well.

The adjutant pushed up her glasses. "The Tenth Divine Keys' field test is, without question, the purpose of this mission."

"And these—" She pointed at the injection guns on the display rack.

"—are reagents issued by headquarters. You do not need to know what they do. They are harmless to you, perhaps even beneficial. You only need to focus on completing the mission."

The warriors all nodded. As the pale blue reagent was injected into their bodies, Fu Hua returned to her indifferent expression. She looked at the companions beside her, most of whom were secretly delighted.

Once the injections were complete, the adjutant hurried out of the equipment room. Seeing this, Dr. Alex quickly walked in.

"Hello, ladies. We meet again. This time, it's another blood draw, but please sit for a few minutes first."

The female warriors said nothing, and the entire blood-drawing process ended quickly.

Two hours later, Dr. Alex uploaded the analyzed blood sample data to the base and quietly copied a local file for himself. Once finished, he took off his white coat, left the laboratory department, and headed for his room. He took out his identity card from his pocket.

With a beep, he entered his room. Someone who looked exactly like him lay on the bed. When he looked back at the doctor, the man had already changed faces, while the real doctor was sleeping soundly. The fake doctor gently placed the identity card on the table.

"Doctor... Dr. Alex! Wake up!" Qin Su forcefully shook the doctor's body.

"Mm... ah... what?" Alex looked dazed. Having just been awakened, he could not quite grasp the situation.

Qin Su pointed at the alarm clock hanging on the wall. The moment Dr. Alex saw the time, he became much more alert. After all, the most terrifying thing in the world was waking up to discover that you had slept soundly through a workday morning.

"Oh! God damn it!" Dr. Alex hurriedly grabbed a clean work uniform from the wardrobe beside him.

"This is just..." Alex finally gave up struggling. He rubbed his face in frustration and looked at the sleeping pills on the bedside table.

"That damned Honkai keeps me awake day and night, and now even this—this housekeeping robot has to work against me!" He stood up and viciously kicked the housekeeping robot, which was currently in standby mode, twice. The robot had been programmed to begin its wake-up routine half an hour before work, but for some reason, it had not woken Alex today.

Qin Su patted him on the shoulder. "You seem to be excessively anxious. Get some proper rest. Your superiors have approved your leave request."

After kicking the robot twice more, Alex calmed down considerably. "It's useless. Do you think a vacation can ease my anxiety? Actually, having nothing to do while I'm on leave only makes me more anxious! But when I'm working, all I can think about is resting!"

"Don't worry. You can use your leave to think carefully about what you should do."

Dr. Alex casually replied, "I will."

"Then goodbye." Qin Su waved and casually shut the door behind him.

The gray skies seemed to mirror Fu Hua's mood. As the transport plane continued accelerating, the sensation of weightlessness grew stronger. Fu Hua lowered her head and stared at her only group photograph, not knowing what she was thinking.

"Engine instruments show green. Airspeed on both sides is gradually increasing, 148 kilometers per hour. Confirm all instruments..." The transport plane's co-pilot nodded to the captain.

After a slight jolt, the transport plane successfully rose into the sky.