As the epicenter of the Third Honkai Eruption, Nagazora City had a far denser concentration of Dead Soldiers and Honkai Beasts than the surrounding cities. This was the primary reason Li Xuan and his companions planned to escape. Not only could humans grow stronger in the environment saturated with Honkai Energy, but animals infected by Honkai Energy often evolved at a faster rate than humans.
As a city-level metropolis, Nagazora City had several roads leading out. However, the closest escape route for Li Xuan's group was a large cable-stayed bridge.
For them, crossing the bridge was far less perilous than navigating Nagazora City's streets and alleys. During a Honkai Eruption, ordinary people could be instantly infected and transformed into Dead Soldiers. Many didn't even have time to flee before becoming one. The bridge, however, had far fewer vehicles and people than the city itself. Therefore, crossing the bridge was actually the easiest way to escape Nagazora City.
"Is everyone ready?" Li Xuan asked the Honkai Trio after giving his weapons one last check.
"Ha! Of course!" Kiana Kaslana declared, waving the twin pistols in her hands with a bright smile. Li Xuan watched the carefree girl, who often broke rules and laughed heartily with her hands on her hips, with a mixture of exasperation and amusement. He had always found her abilities mysterious, as she seemed capable of creating weapons by gathering Honkai Energy. Her twin pistols, named Mjolnir, were undeniably as powerful as a Five-Star weapon.
"No problem," Raiden Mei replied, smiling gently as she held her katana. Her smile was both tender and beautiful, a sight that was truly pleasing to the eye.
"Bronya self-check in progress. System analysis: no malfunctions detected," Bronya stated emotionlessly, clutching her yellow stuffed bunny that she never let go of. Behind her, defying all laws of physics, floated her weapon and companion: Armored Bunny 19C, a massive robot with a formidable appearance. It held a long spear in its left hand and a giant shield in its right, while its lower body resembled a chain that wrapped around Bronya.
Li Xuan had been utterly stunned when he first saw Armored Bunny 19C. Its imposing appearance and immense power had elevated its status in his mind to the highest possible level. However, when he heard its name was Armored Bunny, his entire mood plummeted. Who had come up with that name? If you lack a talent for naming things, just don't do it! Even something like "Demon Overlord King" would have sounded better. Armored Bunny? What kind of nonsense was that?! From that moment on, Armored Bunny 19C's prestige in Li Xuan's eyes plummeted.
"Cough, cough... alright, our goal is to cross this bridge! Everyone, give it your best!" Under the sunlight, four fists shot up into the air.
Li Xuan charged ahead of the group, holding his Rifled Flintlock in his left hand and the Super Electromagnetic Handcannon 'Modified' in his right. He aimed directly at the Dead Soldiers wandering near the cars on the bridge. After several days of Kiana Kaslana's gun-fighting lessons, his marksmanship had improved enough to hit Dead Soldiers from a distance, sparing him the shame of having to resort to hand-to-hand combat or risking close-range shots.
He called it shameful because most Dead Soldiers were female. Every time Li Xuan punched one, his fist inevitably landed on their chest, which was incredibly awkward. Each forceful blow against their soft chests left him emotionally and physically scarred, as if every punch he threw sent a pile of his moral integrity flying out, impossible to contain.
Amidst the hail of bullets, Dead Soldiers continued to fall before Li Xuan and Kiana's guns. Any who got too close were swiftly bisected by Mei's katana. Bronya brought up the rear, swinging her Armored Bunny 19C's long spear to mow down approaching Dead Soldiers like wheat, one after another. Even those who weren't struck by the spear were crushed by her massive shield, sending blood and flesh flying. Bronya watched with a detached expression, completely unfazed by the carnage.
As Li Xuan and Kiana's bullets dwindled, the group finally reached the end of the cable-stayed bridge at breakneck speed, about to escape the city ruled by Honkai Energy.
"Hurry, everyone! We're almost there!" Li Xuan, drenched in sweat, shouted to the panting girls behind him.
They had already passed through the territory of abandoned vehicles and Dead Soldiers, and the exit was just ahead.
But at that moment, a flash of light streaked across the sky, and a meteor-like object suddenly plummeted from above, its surface ablaze with flames.
BOOM!
Before their astonished eyes, it slammed into the bridge ahead of them. The structure seemed to groan in agony as the impact created a massive crater surrounded by cracks, severing their final path to freedom.
"What... was that?" Kiana Kaslana stammered, her mouth agape.
But no one answered.