[You returned to Changkong City after the exchange meeting.]
[Changkong City still looked normal, and Kevin was living his high school life as usual.]
[However, as in all stories, the good times didn't last long, and the third Honkai collapse that affected most of Asia arrived as scheduled.]
[Most of Asia was instantly paralyzed.
This was not surprising for you, who had already experienced it once, but it was another kind of shock for Kevin and MEI.]
[But fortunately, due to enough preparations this time, you even had energy to spare to rescue other victims.]
"Master... is this the so-called Honkai collapse?"
Kevin, leaning on his sword, watched the almost ruined Changkong City.
Although he hadn't moved there long ago, he could still see the contrast between prosperity and devastation.
"It's scary, isn't it?"
Tian Shi turned his head and asked.
"It's a kind of cruelty that can't be described in words, isn't it?"
"Your so-called 'hero' back then made a fool of me.
You never said that I, the hero, would fight against a 'demon king' so terrifying."
Kevin said with a wry smile.
Although only one or two days had passed since the collapse, Kevin's temperament had matured quickly.
If MEI was a born talent and a beautiful piece of jade, then Kevin was a raw jade that had not yet been carved.
However, the artisan who carved this raw jade was not Tian Shi, but the Honkai.
"If the Demon King wasn't terrifying enough, there would be no need for a hero to fight him."
Tian Shi chuckled at Kevin's idea.
"Now you see it clearly... what do you think?"
"We cannot coexist."
Kevin took a deep breath and said with a trembling voice, not from fear, but from anger.
"It and I cannot coexist.
Even without you, I would have faced it sooner or later, right?"
"Of course, this Honkai collapse that affects most of Asia is inevitable for you."
"I just don't know what happened to that bastard Su."
When talking about his best friend, Kevin's face was full of worry, but his tone softened.
"What I taught him is enough for him.
That kid has a better head than you, in every way."
Tian Shi said to Kevin.
"What you say is really hurtful.
I'm obviously the older brother, you know?"
Kevin seemed to recall the scene from that time, and the atmosphere relaxed.
"You, older brother?... forget it, I won't say anything else."
Tian Shi's words directly hurt his heart.
"…"
It's more heartbreaking if you don't say it!
"However, you're not so confused now, are you?"
Tian Shi looked at Kevin, and the latter gave a bitter smile, but then his eyes became firm.
[Not long after, Fire Moth's rescue team discovered the signal from MEI's homemade distress device, and as a result, you were rescued.]
[After announcing her name, MEI immediately attracted the attention of Fire Moth, finally, at MEI's request, she temporarily became the staff officer of this team, and Kevin joined Fire Moth thanks to his excellent performance.]
[The Fire Moth team began to clean up Changkong City in an orderly manner under your and MEI's command.]
[After this, you participated in several regional cleanup missions with this team.]
[During this period, you also learned that the Fifth Team had recruited a new "strong general."]
[MEI also became popular in the Fire Moth team thanks to her excellent performance; unfortunately, you don't want MEI to become a commander now.]
After all, the most important thing for MEI is to focus on scientific research.
Although she has command potential, it would be a waste of time to develop in this direction.
[Under the siege of Fire Moth, the Third Herrscher ultimately could not escape the fate of being defeated.]
[And during this period, Kevin quickly became an elite soldier thanks to his meritorious service in combat.
Unfortunately, Kevin still hasn't found any trace of Su.]
Team temporary base.
Although the war and the celebration banquet had been over for a month, the entire team hadn't had time to rest.
They had been busy for a month cleaning up the remaining Honkai beasts and dead soldiers, and the times they had rested could be counted on one hand.
Fortunately, after a month, everything that needed cleaning was done, and Kevin finally had some time to rest.
"Kevin, has Fire Moth made arrangements for you?"
"Yes."
Kevin's expression was a bit strange.
"The higher-ups want me to be a pillar for the other teams.
This time, the casualties were very numerous.
Many teams were destroyed."
"I initially thought you might get a captain position."
Tian Shi looked at Kevin in surprise.
"But, to be honest, it's just about leading the newcomers, isn't it?"
Tian Shi knew the team.
After all, Hua was appointed captain immediately after participating in this battle.
"It's true that I'm training the newcomers, but as for the captain position... I don't have enough combat experience.
Big sister MEI makes decisions that are too conservative, although that's not a disadvantage."
Speaking of this, Kevin didn't know what expression to put on.
Although it was not pleasant to say, he felt that his big sister was more reliable than this master of his, it was a shame that, as long as his master was involved, his big sister would become a little unreliable.
"Looking at it this way, in the next Honkai collapse, I might become a captain thanks to my military achievements, but I hope that day never comes."
MEI, who was studying an instrument nearby, looked at Kevin and nodded.
After all, the Honkai was truly terrifying.
"Although my military achievements are not enough for me to be a captain, I still have the right to choose my own team.
Master, which team do you think is best for me?"
Kevin handed over a list.
Tian Shi took a quick look and knew what was going on.
"If I had to recommend it, the fifth or the eighth."
"Fifth and eighth... do you have any ideas?"
"Himeko, the captain of the fifth squad, is a kind and caring captain.
Her deputy captain just left.
You should be able to fill this vacancy when you get there."
"The deputy captain just left..."
"What are you thinking?"
Tian Shi knew what Kevin was thinking when he saw him like this and immediately patted his head.
"He's not dead, he's been promoted to captain of the eighth team."
"Is that so?"
Kevin shrank his neck.
"Then, since the captain of the eighth team is the deputy captain of the fifth team, she must be a caring person?"
"Caring for someone... that probably counts."
Tian Shi thought about it for a moment and nodded.
"But there's another more important point.
In terms of seniority, she is your big sister, so it will undoubtedly be easier for you to follow her.
Besides, the Eighth Squad was destroyed, so you should be the deputy captain if you go there."
That's right, the new captain of the eighth team is Hua.
However, before Kevin could react to the words "big sister," MEI raised her head first.
"Big sister...?"
No, it doesn't matter if it's big or small, she doesn't care about those things.
The key is her big sister.
The inexplicable sense of crisis reappeared.
Am I too jealous?
MEI thought for a moment, then lowered her head and continued studying the machine in her hand.
After all, now was the time to advise Kevin about his future, not for her to vent her jealousy.
What's more, she didn't even know that big sister, and maybe she was a very good person.
"Master Sister..."
Kevin looked a little strange.
"I feel that if I go to Team 8, things might get very difficult."
It was already scary enough to have a big sister, MEI, who sometimes looked at him with a threatening look.
If his big sister looked at him with the same look again, unlike his big sister MEI, as long as he was careful, there was no way he would be "buried."
If he chose the eighth squad, he might get buried!
"Reason?"
"A man's intuition."
Kevin insisted.
He knew what to say and what not to say.
"In that case, I'd better go to the fifth team.
After all, I could get promoted at any time with my combat achievements."
"What intuition?
It's pure hypocrisy!"
Tian Shi said with disdain.
"By the way, you already received the benefits that Fire Moth gave you, right?"
"A little money and a house... but they no longer mean anything to me."
Kevin sighed.
"How does that saying go?
If the Honkai lasts, how can there be a home?"
"Not bad, kid, you have a high IQ and can even use elegant words."
"It took me a lot of effort to come up with such a cool word.
Your evaluation is really cruel and ruthless..."
Kevin looked aggrieved.
"Alright, alright.
If you have something to say, say it.
If not, get lost."
"Okay, then I'll leave and won't bother you or big sister anymore."
Kevin raised his hands in surrender.
"Oh, right."
Seeing that Kevin was about to run away, Tian Shi stopped him again.
"Remember to let me know next time you go to the battlefield.
I will keep an eye on you."
"I see.
But I think, as a young eagle, I should also try to flap my wings."
"Hmm."
It's Kevin after all.
Tian Shi felt a little emotional seeing Kevin run away.
"By the way, MEI, according to the time, you should also go to Fire Moth headquarters, right?"
"Well, Dr. Mobius has insisted on it many times.
A special plane will come to pick me up tomorrow morning."
MEI nodded and then put the machine in her hand aside.
"Doctor, could you tell me something about that big sister?
I'm very interested in that aspect."
"You are interested in this..."
Tian Shi always felt that what MEI said was different from what she was thinking in her heart.
"But it's not impossible to talk about it.
After all, you and she have a certain relationship."
"...?"
A relationship?
How is it that I don't know about it?
"This is going to start with boxing..."
The boxing technique that MEI has been using to train her body is the fist technique passed down from Hua's family.
..................
The next day
"Yahoo~!"
"Good morning, Doctor MEI~!"
As soon as MEI boarded the small plane prepared for her, she was warmly greeted by the pilot.
"I'm not a doctor, but are you...?"
No, who else is sitting in the cockpit besides the pilot?
This is a stupid question in every sense of the word.
But... MEI looked closer at the pink-haired girl sitting in the driver's seat.
The other person's presence was not like that of a normal driver and conveyed a very subtle feeling.
No, it wasn't about something subtle, but rather an indescribable sense of awe.
This was not at all the temperament of a normal pilot.
No, let alone a common pilot, even a pilot like Himeko couldn't convey such a wonderful feeling.
"Me?"
"My name is Elysia."
"I've come to pick you up."
"By the way, Doctor MEI, what do you think of the greeting 'Yahoo~'?"
"Eh... that..."
"I spent a lot of time choosing between 'Hey!', 'Yo!' and 'Yahoo!'"
No, where is your "Yahoo~"?
Isn't there absolutely nothing here?
"So it was a flash of inspiration!"
"Doctor MEI~? As a scientist, you can understand it perfectly, right?"
Elysia seemed to understand what MEI was thinking and said in a cheerful tone.
"No, I should say I can't and I'm not a doctor yet."
"Seriously, Doctor MEI, your approach is a little strange."
"…"
Am I really the weird one?
You're obviously the one, right?
The pink-haired girl in front of her seemed to completely ignore Mei's complaints (she had already guessed her thoughts before) and still said cheerfully.
"If you get to the research department and put on a white coat, everyone will call you doctor."
"I see."
MEI nodded expressionlessly and sat in the back seat.
MEI's expressionless face did not mean that she had any opinion about the pink-haired girl in front of her, but she always had this expression in front of strangers.
Although the other party was a bit noisy, she wasn't annoying and only made people feel the liveliness of a girl.
MEI inexplicably recalled the discussion about cuteness she had with Tian Shi when they were little.
If she had to find an adjective to describe the girl in front of her... it should be "cute," right?
Maybe there are better adjectives, but MEI feels she can't think of them at the moment.
"Then I'm sorry to bother you during this trip, Miss Elysia."
If she continued to chat with the other party, could she really get to the Fire Moth headquarters today?
"Doctor MEI, you're so boring!"
Although she said this, her tone was still full of energy.
"How about we talk about girl topics?
For example, how many times did you fall in love with someone in high school, Doctor MEI?"
"Zero."
Although if she had to say it, it should be... one?
But it's very difficult to say out loud.
"Eh?
Doesn't that mean there's no youth at all?"
Although she couldn't see Elysia's expression while sitting in the back seat, MEI could imagine the fake surprise on her face.
"…"
Taking back what she said before, she now felt that Miss Elysia was a little annoying.