"Saving my life..."
"Sushang, don't you think you're going a bit too far with this?"
Li Sushang wasn't particularly close to the others, so she could only confide in her Ancestral Master.
Fu Hua felt it was a bit much, because she thought this condition would make it very difficult for Li Sushang to get married.
But from Li Sushang's perspective, this condition was just right.
"Ancestral Master, you haven't been in my situation. It's fine if you don't understand."
Saving a life could only be repaid with an empty promise to do so in the next life, or by offering oneself in marriage. Adding to that, this guy was somewhat handsome, barely within her range of potential partners.
In Li Sushang's view, this was the best way to handle it, so she wouldn't be perpetually stuck on this issue.
She needed a reason, a reason to face this matter bravely, so as not to develop an inner demon.
As for what that reason was... it wasn't important!
The serene Fu Hua slowly put down the steaming teacup in her hand, her pair of cyan eyes filled with a calmness that had seen through the ways of the world.
"Sushang, don't forget, I am also one of the victims of Otto's scheme."
The only thing she experienced less of than her grand-disciple was not being groped all over by the Inner World Protagonist; what she experienced more of was taking a heavy blow on a battlefield that had claimed billions of lives.
This grand-disciple of hers was single-minded and an illiterate Dropout who didn't complete nine-year compulsory education.
To avoid the situation, she clung to that man, and as a result, he took full advantage of her.
In the eyes of Fu Hua, who was a grandmother-level Ancestral Master, since things had already reached this point with Li Sushang, she might as well just marry him.
"That... that was all an accident!"
"Yes, an accident."
Fu Hua's expression was still just as calm. "When you were being molested by that guy, why didn't you jump off and say it was an accident?"
A single sentence shattered Li Sushang's last line of defense.
She didn't know why her brain had short-circuited at that moment, leading her to make such a decision and fall deeper and deeper into the Inner World Protagonist's trap.
Could it be...
That she was enjoying it so much at the time that she was reluctant to get off?
Her expression stiffened. Li Sushang believed she was definitely not such a shameless woman.
Although the ways of the martial world were often unconventional, they weren't *that* unconventional, were they?
Definitely! Not!
"Ancestral Master Celestial, I think your old injuries must not have healed yet, and you're talking nonsense."
"You had a hand in my old injuries too, don't you forget!"
"So you, an old woman, want to marry me off to get revenge for that sword strike back then?"
"No, I am ensuring the continuation of your Li family's bloodline! And protecting your reputation!"
The Mark of Conquest shone on Fu Hua's body, the Mark of Conquest shone on Li Sushang's leg.
The Shenzhou swordswoman laughed in anger: "Ancestral Master, don't you need to continue your family's bloodline?"
"For fifty-five thousand years, you're the only one left in your family."
"No need. My parents have long since passed away peacefully."
"Heh."
With nothing more to say to each other, the two parted ways, and Li Sushang stormed off.
But what Fu Hua didn't know was that as Li Sushang left, she had already made a decision.
"Ancestral Master Celestial, it's time for your grand-disciple to show you some filial piety..."
If she couldn't escape this fate, then Fu Hua, this inhuman Old Fogey, couldn't run either!
...
A few months passed in the blink of an eye.
After the reawakening of the Herrscher of the Void, which triggered Honkai events worldwide, the Anti-Entropy organization and Schicksal forcefully suppressed various Honkai incidents, and the conflict between the two organizations gradually intensified.
As the conflict escalated, the existence of the Honkai became known to the world, becoming a part of natural disasters that could wipe out an entire city's population at will.
The great Honkai Eruption on Coral Island broke out during this time, and Ana Schariac, who was still stationed in Manila, avoided her fate of becoming the Herrscher of Ice.
But the Herrscher of Rimestar, who also possessed two Herrscher Cores, still appeared on the ruins of the space elevator base amidst a scene of devastation, as if it were a fixed event in destiny.
After the Coral Island incident, another few months passed.
Major cities around the world began to use the results obtained at the cost of Coral Island, gradually freeing themselves from the influence of frequent Honkai events.
However, small-scale Honkai events did not cease, and the development of the Honkai gradually entered its latter half.
In a dimly lit theater, scattered puppets raised their heads at the pull of strings, their gazes converging on their counterpart in the center of the theater in complete silence.
The feeling of being the center of attention brought immense satisfaction to the puppet on stage, who even put on a show, bowing to its fellow puppets like a gentleman.
"Welcome, my compatriots."
No one answered.
Because everyone here was a failure of society.
Bullied, mocked, oppressed, exploited...
The cruel society had nearly drained the last bit of spirit from their bodies, filling them with resentment and jealousy instead.
But the puppet on stage didn't care. This feeling of being the center of attention was extremely gratifying, and it just wanted more of it to fill the void in its heart.
"I know everyone is sad, everyone is upset, because we are all losers in human society!"
The loud voice elicited a reaction from the crowd. A few puppets raised their heads, but many more remained dejected.
The puppet on stage continued its performance: "But we are not what we used to be. Not only are we the legendary Herrschers, but we have a thousand companions!"
A thousand! Companions!
The keyword activated more puppets.
"Our individual strength is very weak. We can't make any waves against those powerful Valkyries."
"But!"
The puppet pulled out a curtain, on which a thousand strings were woven into one.
"One string is fragile, but a thousand strings are indestructible!"
"As long as we work together to do one thing, even the whole world will tremble before our power, and we will become the center of attention!"
That's right! The center of attention!
As losers, what the puppets wanted most was to be the center of attention!
And now they were no longer losers, but the tenth Herrscher born from the Honkai!
A puppet stood up: "That's right! As long as we cooperate, nothing can stop us!"
Another puppet spoke up: "You make it sound so easy. Our opponents are not just the Valkyries, but also those Herrschers who have betrayed the Honkai!"
"Isn't that perfect?"
A "Jie jie jie" evil laugh made the colors in the theater even darker.
"The power of these traitors can be used by us. Let Herrscher and Herrscher's power merge into one, and let this world know the terror of us, the Herrscher of Domination!"
That's right, as long as they could obtain the power of one more Herrscher, they could do whatever they wanted to this world and turn the entire world into the paradise of the Herrscher of Domination.
Some puppets were pessimistic, but swept up in the fervent atmosphere, they didn't dare to say much.
The puppet on stage, seeing that the atmosphere was right, pulled up an image of a young girl on the curtain.
"To obtain the power of a Herrscher, we cannot directly attack a Herrscher."
"The people around him are perfect for us."
They were a thousand, yet they were one.
When one of the Thousand-strong Herrscher knew, it was the same as all of them knowing.
And around their target, there just happened to be a woman who was a loser, just like them...
"Bronya Zaychik!"
"The new Thousand-strong Herrscher!"
...
"You bastard, let go of my Seele!"
The silver-haired girl's face was filled with anger. She unhesitatingly squeezed into the gap between the two, using both hands to separate their palms!
Bronya shielded her sister behind her, staring deadly at the Inner World Protagonist in front of her.
It was as if she would put a bullet in his head if he made the slightest move.
Behind her, the gentle girl had a helpless expression, even looking a little angry at her sister Bronya.
She had finally found a moment when he wasn't on high alert, but Bronya had to pop out from nowhere and ruin her good time.
Seele was already an adult. A hundred years ago, a girl her age could already be a mother.
Although she felt some dissatisfaction with Bronya in her heart, the considerate Seele still didn't say these things out loud, only giving Brian an apologetic look.
Then she said to Bronya, "Sister Bronya, Brother Brian means me no harm. You don't have to be so nervous."
"Of course he doesn't mean you any harm, he's just after your body!"
Seele's door to a new world had already been opened, so Bronya didn't need to be secretive about those things anymore.
To be blunt, she just didn't want Seele to be defiled from the inside out by that guy's filth, and she didn't want her sister to become a mother at this age!
"..."
Seele was silent, just looking down at Bronya's duck legs.
If she remembered correctly, her sister Bronya, in order to prevent her from what she considered a path of no return, would often enter that room after ruining her good time...
To steal a snack!
Such a naked gaze made Bronya feel a wave of embarrassment.
Even though her intentions were good, her methods were undeniably dirty tricks.
It was all this Inner World Protagonist's fault!
Bronya turned her head and glared at the young Brian: "I've warned you many times! Don't get any ideas about my sister!"
They were all acquaintances, so Brian didn't need to put on an act. Both girls here knew his true colors.
"So are you ready to take your sister's place tonight and bear everything?"
The adorable Seele's face flushed red, her imagination running wild at his words.
Bronya's expression shifted through a series of emotions.
Anger, shyness, shame, helplessness, submission...
"This is our agreement. You can't lay a hand on my sister!"
In a daze, Bronya seemed to see a tentacle monster waving its tentacles menacingly behind the man.
Once she fell under this guy's jeans, what awaited her sister was a future filled with a paradise of pleasure.
"Of course I know."
The black-haired young man gave Seele an apologetic look.
It was indeed a bit troubling that he couldn't satisfy the slightly gluttonous little Seele.
But Bronyuck's invitation was so enthusiastic, willing to take her sister's place and bear everything. He couldn't let that go, could he?
"Seele, let's go."
A disappointed Seele was pulled away by her sister. Late at night, Bronya returned to her room, drenched in sweat.
The girl, lying exhausted on her bed, discovered something in her room.
"What... is this?"
It was a puppet that had appeared out of nowhere.
It could move!
"Bronya Zaychik, you are a loser, just like us!"
The puppet danced and gesticulated, its movements controlled by strings as it taunted Bronya.
"What are you?"
...
"Class President, your old injuries are almost healed now that I've treated you."
The black-haired young man withdrew his hand from Fu Hua's body, his eyes devoid of any lustful color.
It was as if this woman with the Plains of Taixuan on her body couldn't arouse his interest in the slightest.
"Thank you for everything, all this time."
The gray-haired, cyan-eyed girl was as she always was. Her long life experience had made this Valkyrie's heart as still as an old well, able to face even life and death with composure.
But even she couldn't be composed about everything.
Tightening her disheveled clothes, Fu Hua pulled her clothes on and turned her head to the side.
Her tender pink shoulders disappeared from the man's sight. Although she hadn't taken off all her clothes, only revealing her shoulders and most of her back, Fu Hua still felt a shyness spreading from the bottom of her heart.
It was just a very normal healing session, just a man and a woman alone behind closed doors. Why did it cause such ripples in her heart?
Could it be that because of that one irresistible incident, the door to a new world had been opened for her?
Fu Hua didn't understand, but she was still very grateful for Brian's help.
"Thank you so much this time. If it weren't for your help, I don't know when my old injuries would have healed."
"Isn't it my duty to help a comrade?"
Brian just sat by the bed, yet it was as if he was constantly throwing stones into the lake of Fu Hua's heart, causing all sorts of thoughts to ripple through the girl's once calm mind.
She didn't know why, and could only suppress it with her well-honed composure.
"No, no matter what, I should thank you."
"Feelings are feelings, and a debt of gratitude is a debt of gratitude. The two cannot be confused."
Fu Hua's expression was calm.
"I know, but you're being a little too formal, Class President."
"..."
Fu Hua fell silent, but she just wanted to keep these two feelings separate.
She had a feeling in her heart that if she confused these two feelings for him, she might become his captive, just like Raiden Mei.
"It's different."
"How is it different?"
"..."
Fu Hua couldn't explain, so she could only change the subject. "Speaking of which, back at the Far East Branch, you learned the move Taixuan Sword God from Sushang."
"But I see that your mastery of it is not yet perfect. Do you need me to guide you?"
Guidance in martial arts was better than nothing, but at least it could make Fu Hua feel like she had repaid some of the debt.
From the Far East Branch until now, she owed these friends at least two major favors, and she had no idea how to repay them.
Brian: "Of course I do. Right now, I'm just at the level of imitation. My state of mind is still far from comparable to Sushang's."
"Oh?" Hua noticed the key point. "It seems you and Sushang have been getting along well recently."
"She's probably still at the stage of chasing me with a sword."
"It seems you still need to work harder."
The gray-haired, cyan-eyed girl's expression was extremely calm, making it impossible to know what she was thinking.
...
"What... am I?"
Clack, clack—!
Invisible strings pulled, causing the puppet's body to sway and make a crisp sound.
Although there was only one of them in front of her, Bronya felt countless eyes prying, countless hands waiting to pull her into the abyss.
The silver-haired girl's eyes were filled with vigilance, which made the ugly puppet smugly rotate its head 360 degrees.
A voice came from the puppet's mouth: "We... are losers, just like you!"
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