A Simple Unexpected Incident

Although Schicksal had always touted itself as an organization that combined church and state, World Serpent was the true group of fanatics.

The entire World Serpent organization—or perhaps it should have been called the Fire Moths Seraph cult?

"We have long grown accustomed to being misunderstood." Gray Serpent waved a hand, wearing an expression of magnanimous tolerance. "There is a secret place within World Serpent where Mr. Shi Hen may glimpse but the tip of the iceberg of those great beings.

Once you witness it for yourself, you will understand just how insignificant and ridiculous the humans of this era are compared to them."

"That does sound rather interesting."

Shi Hen stroked his chin and smiled.

"Whatever one desires, the serpent shall answer." Red light flickered in Gray Serpent's electronic prosthetic eye. "Then, Mr. Shi Hen, are you prepared to pay the corresponding price?

Will you live in chaos alongside the countless masses of this era, or follow in the footsteps of our great master and grant this world a new life with us?"

"I'm curious. If I say no right now, will Mr. Gray Serpent summon eight hundred axemen to chop me into mincemeat?"

Shi Hen said with a smile, looking around as though searching for hidden axemen.

"..." Gray Serpent paused slightly, seemingly not expecting the youth to have such an idea. After a long moment, he continued, "No matter the outcome, Mr. Shi Hen will always be a friend of the serpent."

When he had first discovered the youth, Gray Serpent had thought he had found an uncut gem hidden away.

But as Shi Hen gradually revealed his sharpness, he realized with alarm that he seemed to have found a lion with sharp claws and fangs.

And just as Gray Serpent was astonished by the youth's strength, the other party gave him an even greater shock.

Less than a year after coming into contact with Honkai, Shi Hen had already reached the theoretical limit of Stigmata, even attaining a realm that his creator, Mobius, had long since given up hoping for.

Compared to the youth's current strength, this cheat-like rate of growth was even more astonishing.

So much so that Gray Serpent had to suspect that even if he brought out enough power to secure a certain victory over Shi Hen, the other party might very well put on a live demonstration of leveling up and turning the tables on him.

"I'm not interested in saving the world or anything, but..." Shi Hen spoke softly, the corners of his lips curling upward. "Your plan does sound fairly interesting.

Besides, I'd also like to see these great beings Mr. Gray Serpent spoke of."

"Then we are true companions."

Gray Serpent extended his hand toward the youth.

Though he was somewhat dissatisfied with Shi Hen's attitude, he knew this was already the best possible outcome.

Casually shouting a few slogans about saving the world and then making the other party bow his head in submission... that sort of thing was fine to fantasize about.

Once Shi Hen truly witnessed the brilliance of the Previous Civilization Era, he would understand how absurd his current actions were.

Gray Serpent was utterly convinced of that.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what splendid sights the serpent can show me."

Shi Hen spoke calmly and smiled as he clasped Gray Serpent's hand.

The scenery within Elysian Realm was surely going to be quite spectacular.

A Simple Unexpected Incident

"So Gray Serpent only talked to you about that?"

Driving across the endless snowfield, Raven asked the youth in the passenger seat.

"Yeah, that was all."

Shi Hen nodded. His gaze drifted out the window as he admired the vast snowscape where heaven and earth had become one color, and a trace of bewilderment rose in his heart.

After his heart-to-heart talk with Gray Serpent, he had thought he would receive a ticket into Elysian Realm, then go on a rampage inside to clear every achievement, before getting promoted with a raise and becoming a high-ranking World Serpent officer.

But instead... Raven had come for him in a plane.

Flying north from southwestern India, the plane had taken them straight to Siberia in the far north.

Nearly a week had passed since the Ganesha incident ended, and he and Raven were now speeding across Siberia's snowfields in a car.

By Shenzhou's customs, November should have only counted as late autumn, yet snow had already fallen in Siberia—and heavily at that.

"Pretty, isn't it?"

Noticing that the youth had been staring out the window, Raven asked with a smile.

She was somewhat surprised that Gray Serpent valued Shi Hen so highly that he could even tolerate behavior from the youth that so blatantly violated the organization's rules.

But deep down, Raven was even more surprised by Gray Serpent's trustworthiness.

If she had been in his position, she probably would have long since granted Shi Hen an officer's title and sent the youth into Elysian Realm to receive baptism.

Yet Gray Serpent still upheld the original three-month agreement.

Was it because of some consideration she did not know about? Did he want to observe Shi Hen's performance a while longer?

Though she had many thoughts on the matter, Raven did not intend to pursue it further.

Whatever the reason, she only wanted to spend these final three months properly with the youth.

Because once he had seen the scenery of true hell, he would never be able to return to the sunlight again.

"It's quite beautiful."

Shi Hen glanced at the mercenary driving one-handed and wisely chose not to bring up traffic safety.

He seriously suspected she even flew planes one-handed.

"You won't find it so special once you've seen enough of it."

Raven looked like someone speaking from experience.

"Oh."

Shi Hen responded softly, still looking out the window.

At least for now, Siberia's snowy scenery was still quite pleasant to him.

As far as the eye could see was endless white. Even the sky was a murky gray, with only the occasional coniferous forest adding some grayish green to the painting.

Clunk—

As he was admiring the view, the off-road vehicle seemed to hit a stone and suddenly jolted violently up and down.

"This damn road—how many years has it been since anyone repaired it?"

Raven complained as she controlled the steering wheel.

"..."

Shi Hen raised a brow and said nothing as he looked at the road ahead, which was no different from anywhere else beneath the heavy snow.

Ever since the Second Honkai Eruption broke out in Siberia twelve years ago, this place had been thoroughly ravaged. Government institutions had nearly collapsed, warlords of all sizes fought endlessly, and more than a decade had passed without any stability returning.

Under such circumstances, aside from a few major cities that were somewhat peaceful, everywhere else had essentially been left to fend for itself.

Where exactly did this road lead...?

Shi Hen turned to look at the distant snowfields and silently speculated.

Regarding the destination of this trip, Raven had only said they were collecting a debt, without explaining any details.

For the Mercenary Queen to personally come collect a debt, plenty of people on the other side were probably going to die.

The top spot on Charon's List was soaked in so much blood that it had turned blackish red.

Shi Hen glanced at Raven beside him, who seemed focused on driving, and observed three-tenths of a second of silence for those people.

Suddenly, catching sight of columns of black smoke rising in the distance from the corner of his eye, Shi Hen said, "Something seems to be happening over there."

It was not mealtime yet, and cooking smoke did not look like that.

"Probably a battle."

Raven only glanced up once and did not seem to care.

After being a mercenary for so many years, war was already an everyday sight to her.

"Doesn't seem like it. The gunfire is too sparse."

Shi Hen shook his head.

His five senses were far sharper than Raven's, allowing him to hear much more.

Her wine-red eyes shifted slightly. Seeming to think of something, Raven turned to the youth and asked, "Want to take a look? Consider it broadening your horizons."

"..." Meeting Raven's gaze, Shi Hen saw the faint expectation in the mercenary's eyes and nodded. "Sure."

He did not really like meddling in other people's affairs.

But since Raven wanted to go, there was no harm in taking a look.

Fire. Fire was everywhere.

Peering outside through the cracks of an abandoned cellar, all Peggy could see was flames.

Orange-red tongues of fire danced joyfully, spreading from one place to another, devouring everything as they released terrifying heat, like some enormous monster determined to destroy the world.

Amid the crackling of the flames, Sophia could still clearly hear countless screams—the screams of people she knew so well.

Uncle Owen, Grandpa Nat, Aunt Ines...

The people who had once smiled and told her stories, who had given her candy, were now only letting out horrifying wails.

Some voices rang out only briefly before vanishing entirely, while others lingered for a long time.

Like mice caught and toyed with by cats.

Listening to those agonized cries mixed with curses, Peggy could not help thinking that.

But they were not mice!

They were people—people just like those who had suddenly barged into the village!

But why were those people doing this? Had they done something wrong?

Hiding carefully among the clutter in the cellar, watching flames fill the space above as falling timber blocked the entrance, leaving only firelight filtering through the cracks, Peggy remained completely still.

Sister Sophia had said that hiding like this would be enough. Hiding in this cellar would be enough. As long as... those people did not find her.

A heavy suffocating sensation pressed in on Peggy from all directions. Dizziness from lack of oxygen began to set in, and the whole world seemed to be gradually drifting away from her.

She could no longer feel the passage of time. The scene in the cellar slowly blurred, and Peggy seemed to see everyone in the village waving to her.

But the next instant, a loud bang rang out. Everyone in the village vanished in an instant, and the scene in the cellar returned to Peggy's vision, no different from before.

The only difference was that the boards over the cellar entrance had been completely torn away, and a face as beautiful as a flower peered inside.

"Are you okay?"

The person called out to her, their voice gentle yet strong, carrying a warmth like the sun.

"So warm..."

Peggy's lips moved as she spoke. She used every last bit of strength to reach out toward that person, and then her consciousness went dark.

"She passed out already?"

Looking at the girl who had completely closed her eyes and stopped moving, Shi Hen could not help muttering to himself.

Still, considering the conditions here, the fact that she had survived was already a miracle.

Shi Hen swept a glance over the cellar, then jumped down and lifted the girl curled up among the clutter out of it.

Mm, she was so thin.

Shi Hen weighed the girl in his hand, feeling that she was at most sixty or seventy jin, and could not help sighing inwardly.

After jumping out of the cellar, Shi Hen came face-to-face with Raven.

"Is she the only one left?"

Raven frowned as she looked at the girl lying in the youth's arms.

"Probably."

Shi Hen answered. His gaze swept across the village already completely engulfed in flames and the corpses scattered everywhere, his eyes filled with suppressed fury.

He had never considered himself a good person, but some people could no longer even be called human.

He truly could not imagine that something like this could still happen in this era.