87. Collapse! Domestic Violence! Mei's Rampage!
What is the Honkai? What are the Herrschers?
Setting aside the player's god-like perspective, throughout the previous civilization, despite the presence of genius scholars like MEI, Mobius, and Einstein, humanity never truly grasped the meaning behind the Honkai and the Herrschers' existence.
January 1st, 1952. The First Honkai Eruption occurred in Berlin, Germany.
Almost no one survived the epicenter of the eruption, except for one amnesiac man of unknown origin – this was the first Herrscher in human history.
Based on knowledge left by the previous civilization, analysis indicates that when the Honkai energy activation rate reaches 1000 HW during a Honkai eruption, a Herrscher will be selected and born. An eruption of this magnitude is termed a "Great Eruption." The energy level at the birth of the First Herrscher was nearly 2500 HW!
The Herrscher of Reason was born from ignorance. At that time, humanity knew nothing about Herrschers. The Herrscher himself was even granted the status of a normal human by Lab 42 of the Empire's Research Institute.
It seems, precisely because of this, that the First Herrscher, Welt Joyce, became one of humanity. He stood with Schicksal's North American Branch, fighting the Honkai from his appearance until his death.
February 2000. The Second Honkai Eruption occurred in Siberia.
The epicenter was Schicksal's second-largest laboratory, a place conducting unethical and illegal experiments. It housed the world's third-largest Honkai energy reactor, capable of a full output of 6500 HW.
When the Second Herrscher appeared, the Honkai energy generated rivaled, if not exceeded, that of the reactor. Almost the entirety of Siberia was transformed into a hellscape teeming with zombies and Honkai beasts.
The Herrscher of the Void was born from hatred and rage. As a Schicksal test subject, the only feelings she held towards humanity were boundless hatred and killing intent. This made her the greatest enemy humanity had ever faced.
The Second Honkai War saw the complete destruction of Schicksal's Babylon Labs. Countless Valkyries sacrificed themselves, including the strongest "Legendary Maiden," Cecilia Schariac. Anti-Entropy also suffered tremendous losses. That war dealt a heavy blow to all of humanity.
Perhaps, Herrschers are merely mirrors. They reflect back to humanity everything humanity gives them, unchanged.
And on January 1st, 2014, exactly 62 years after the First Eruption, the Third Honkai Eruption erupted in Chōkyō City, Far East.
This time, however, the leaked Honkai energy level didn't seem very high.
As for the Third Herrscher, the Herrscher of Thunder... her reason for birth was humanity – they deceived her feelings! What a melodramatic Herrscher!
"BOOM—"
The heavens roared, the earth trembled. From the dark, cloud-covered sky came deafening peals of thunder, a harbinger of a storm, yet not a single drop of rain fell.
Purple lightning snaked through the clouds, like dragons forged from thunder, ready at any moment to unleash divine wrath and punishment upon the earth.
It all seemed like a reenactment of mythology.
Cultures worldwide have their thunder gods: Thor in Norse myth, Zeus in Greek. For one of humanity's most revered powers since ancient times, countless words exist to describe the awe-inspiring might of thunder and lightning.
Cleft by lightning, hills crumble and collapse.
Just a minute ago, on this clear winter New Year's morning in Nagazora City, the sun shone brightly. But now, boundless darkness and brilliant flashes of lightning painted a scene of apocalypse.
"Wow, such loud thunder!"
"Is it suddenly going to rain?"
For the people offering New Year's prayers at the Inari Shrine, the sudden thunderstorm was merely startling. They began filing out of the shrine, intending to head home early.
But for Gao Qi, the scene before him felt all too familiar.
This was a replay of the disaster he and little Hua faced in the previous civilization's Chōkyō City 50,000 years ago.
That catastrophe that swept across East Asia made humanity collectively aware of the Honkai for the first time. Similarly... the Third Eruption of the current civilization would usher humanity into the Honkai era.
This time, however, Gao Qi was no longer an innocent victim. The cause of this disaster was none other than himself.
For a scumbag boyfriend who just swore to be together forever, then immediately hooked up with her best friend and a cute middle school girl, Raiden Mei had only one thing to do!
Divine Punishment!
"Mei, calm down first. I know you're upset, but don't act rashly—impulse is the devil! Impulse is a pair of handcuffs, a set of shackles, it's the endless regret you can't swallow! I hope you can stay calm and let me explain the whole story."
Looking at Mei before him, her face etched with despair, her body leaking purple lightning, convinced he had cheated on her, Gao Qi knew things had gotten serious.
He was prepared for the Third Eruption. But in Gao Qi's scenario, by this point, he and Mei would be like lovebirds in the sky, intertwined branches on earth, with her affection meter maxed out at ten hearts.
Mei's body contained the Thunder Stigmata and the Gem of Conquest. Even without Cocolia's artificial Honkai eruption, to drive Gao Qi away, the Will of the Honkai would inevitably directly transform her into a Herrscher.
Afterwards, the Herrscher persona, "Thunder Empress," would take over Mei's body. She and Mei shared one body and mind, similar to the relationship between the Herrscher of the Void and Kiana. They could fuse as one or suppress each other.
Similarly, within their shared consciousness, their power and authority were equal. Whoever had the stronger will could suppress the other.
At that point, Gao Qi, leveraging his high affection level as her boyfriend, would strive to awaken Mei's true nature, increasing the chances of subduing the Herrscher later.
After all, among all Herrschers, Mei as the Herrscher of Thunder was arguably the easiest to placate, even more so than the easy-to-handle Little Shigure.
If Kiana succeeded in bringing Mei back to normal, Gao Qi, as her good boyfriend, could definitely do it too!
But clearly, the current situation was beyond Gao Qi's expectations.
He didn't expect that the simulation he and Mei were in, and the simulations with his two precious daughters, Kiana and Bronya, were all part of the same world.
And Kiana and Bronya just popped up in front of Gao Qi. Their usual father-daughter interactions, seen through Mei's eyes, looked exactly like cheating with her best friend and classmate.
Now, Mei's affection for him wasn't just instantly zeroed out—it was likely plummeting into the negatives!
"Oh? I misunderstood, Gao Qi? You see, you kissed them. They kissed you back. I think such things are only done between lovers, wouldn't you agree?"
Her purple hair, once neatly tied, now flowed wildly in the air. The gentle expression Mei once wore was gone, replaced by a domineering and unrestrained one. Her purple eyes shimmered with an eerie light, her lips curled into a wanton smile.
Not a trace of the gentle Mei remained. Instead, her face was filled with fierce, violent rage.
Mei felt it—freedom!
Just like months ago, when she first dealt with those girls who tried to bully her, Mei was now completely unshackled!
The elegant pale blue embroidered kimono was shredded by lightning, transforming into a neat short coat. Mei's thighs and fair arms were exposed to the air, enveloped by crackling arcs of electricity, as if clad in armor forged from thunder.
In her hand, a torrent of lightning solidified into a long sword akin to a katana. The pure electrical energy was now incredibly dense, yet it couldn't harm Mei herself in the slightest.
She resembled the Far Eastern thunder god, her violent aura utterly unrestrained!
Bolt after bolt of lightning, ignoring everyone else present, streaked towards Kiana and Bronya, only to be intercepted by ice crystals materializing out of thin air.
"Aiya, dad, what kind of stepmom did you find me... Wait, Mei-senpai, don't be mad! You weren't like this before! Dad and I really aren't lovers, I never even thought about it! Stop zapping me with lightning!"
Hearing Mei's accusation, Kiana tilted her head in confusion. After a moment's thought, she realized Mei had mistaken her relationship with her dad. She immediately waved her hands to clarify.
Seeing the usually gentle and kind Mei-senpai suddenly transform into someone else scared Kiana a bit—Mei-senpai was terrifying when angry!
"Dad really is my dad! He raised me since I was little... Didn't I say I'm a clone? Dad was the one who saved me!"
But as she spoke, Kiana couldn't help letting her thoughts wander, starting to imagine things along the lines of Mei's misunderstanding.
Earlier, dad said a whole bunch of stuff to her. Kiana didn't understand about 90% of it, but she got the gist.
Dad seemed really amazing. He was easy to kill, but also not that easy to kill, and would reappear in different identities all over the world. Maybe next time she met him, he'd be a kid or an old man.
Or even... someone her own age?
Looking at "Mei-senpai," whom dad called her future stepmom, Kiana couldn't help but put herself in Mei-senpai's shoes, as a peer.
"How can you say we're lovers? Do, do we really look like that? Hehe."
Just like that, Kiana blushed, scratched the back of her head, and started giggling foolishly—she wondered if she'd look good in a wedding dress too.
"Ha—my dear little ancestor, could you please just stop talking!"
Completely unaware of what his precious daughter was thinking, Gaoki only knew that after Kiana finished speaking, the lightning blade in Mei's hand instantly doubled in length!
This daughter of his was just adding fuel to the fire!
Of course, Gao Qi also knew that Mei's reaction wasn't primarily about Kiana and Bronya. Mei had simply reached the time to become a Herrscher—even if these two kids hadn't appeared, Mei would have eventually undergone Herrscher transformation in the future.
Just as Gao Qi had speculated, due to the Gem of Conquest and Thunder Stigmata within her, as the most suitable candidate, she had been chosen by the Will of the Honkai as the executor for this "Gaoki Expulsion" operation.
The current Raiden Mei had all the darkness within her heart amplified by the Honkai. She wouldn't listen to Gao Qi's explanations, nor would she try to think positively.
Under the coercion and whispers of the Honkai, she would only become more extreme, overthink everything, and lean solely towards darkness and madness—until that other personality, no, the other side of her face, emerged.
Negotiating with the current Mei likely wouldn't yield any results—Gao Qi wasn't good at persuasive talk either.
"You white-haired idiot, amoeba! Hurry up and leave! This isn't an opponent we can handle. Raiden Mei has already Herrscher-ized!"
On the other side, Bronya also put a hand to her forehead in despair. She couldn't believe her perfect, intelligent, and great father had adopted such a physically strong but simple-minded daughter!
"You, named Kiana, right? Aren't you with Schicksal? The Third Herrscher has awakened. Notify your superiors immediately!"
The situation was far worse than Bronya anticipated. In her and Mama Cocolia's plan, they only intended to use the Gem of Conquest's power to tear a rift between reality and the Sea of Quanta. They never planned to create a Herrscher!
After all, everyone knew how formidable the Second Herrscher was. Not everyone had Otto's technology and power. If the Third Honkai Eruption truly occurred, everyone here might die.
Things had spiraled out of control, exceeding the original plan. For a moment, Bronya felt a surge of helplessness.
"No, Father, this doesn't make sense. For a Herrscher to be born, the Honkai energy condition must first be met—over 1000 HW. We can't possibly sustain that level. Although the surrounding Honkai energy is rising, it's far from that magnitude, and the human body can even temporarily withstand it!"
Suddenly, she recalled the last time she felt this way—it seemed to be a few months ago, when Father left...
Bronya wasn't a silly fool like Kiana. Although Father's earlier explanation was brief, after some thought, Bronya understood his meaning.
This situation, defying common sense and experience, was exactly like months ago on the shores of the Sea of Okhotsk—that impossible rift to the Sea of Quanta! Weren't they exactly the same?
"Father, is this—what you were talking about!"
Bronya directed Project Bunny's cannons towards Raiden Mei, whose aura was continuously rising, but Gao Qi reached out and stopped her.
"You're getting smarter, Bronya. Yes, unreasonable crises inevitably appear around me—this means this world is trying to expel me, just like last time in the Sea of Quanta... Go. Take Kiana and leave. Stop your mother and the others. Prioritize evacuating the civilians first."
Patting Bronya's head, Gao Qi turned to look at Kiana.
"Your Aunt Theresa will probably be here soon. Try to stop them. Don't let the Valkyries intervene. This is just—a family dispute."
As he spoke, Gao Qi showed the same reassuring smile he always gave them.
At that moment, shimmering translucent butterflies fluttered into view, accompanied by quantum flashes. A short-haired girl in a blue dress, holding a mechanical scythe, materialized beside Bronya.
"Bronya-nee, you said Papa... Papa!"
"Huh? You... how are you still alive and well? Hey, don't just hug him like that! It's dangerous here, you dummy!"
In an instant, Seele Vollerei flew into Gao Qi's arms like a swallow returning to its nest.
During the hug, one of her eyes turned crimson. Dark Seele was clearly still resistant to hugging Gao Qi, but in the end, she just pouted and said nothing, letting Seele express her longing.
"Ha, seems you two made good use of my gift. We'll talk more later. Seele, you and Bronya take Kiana and go. Get everyone away from this danger zone as soon as possible. As for me... I need to prepare for an unprecedented case of domestic violence."
The next second, another bolt of lightning struck, shattering and upheaving the bluestone tiles on the ground. Yet, a crystalline ice wall rose once more, blocking the surging electricity.
"Oh? Another little girl. Gao Qi, do you prefer middle schoolers this age? Even though I was in that state before, you never made a move on me—was there something unsatisfactory about me?"
Mei's tone was full of resentment. She continuously summoned lightning, avoiding Gao Qi, aiming at the other three girls.
But without exception, Gao Qi, radiating a chilling aura, invoked the authority of the Herrscher of Ice, blocking each strike one by one.
"Hey, that's crossing a line now. A warrior prefers death to dishonor. I can tolerate you calling me a scumbag, but you can't accuse me of being a lolicon! This is unbearable!"
Gao Qi gave a gentle push, channeling a portion of his quantum power into Seele and Bronya. More butterflies fluttered around them. They exchanged a glance, nodded, then grabbed Kiana's arms from both sides and began running towards the shrine's interior to find hiding civilians.
Such a dramatic change finally alerted people in the shrine that something was wrong. They started rushing outside. The remaining shrine maidens hiding inside were quickly found by Seele and teleported far away.
The Honkai energy concentration here, while not as intense as during a typical eruption that could instantly kill humans, would still cause irreversible Honkai corruption if exposed for too long—unless another Cecilia appeared to perform a "White Flower Blood Bloom."
If Father said he would handle the Herrscher of Thunder alone, then his daughters chose to believe him!
"Phew... We've been together for ten years, Mei. This is the first time I've seen such a terrifying expression on your face."
Finally, with the kids gone, the shrine fell into silence, broken only by the rolling thunder. Gao Qi cracked a smile towards Mei, whose expression was fearsome and demeanor vastly different.
"Or should I call you... Thunder Empress?"
The current Mei was terrifying, utterly terrifying. The Herrscher persona was a mirror, reflecting the deepest aspects of a person. And now, Mei was laying bare all the darkness within her heart.
Manipulated by a scumbag, she gave everything, only to be betrayed in the end. Ultimately, this gentle, wealthy girl transformed into the most terrifying demon, wielding a handsaw on an overpass, tearing apart the scumbag and the other woman in a bloody, cathartic finale.
Although Gao Qi was indeed a scumbag, and he did have Mobius as a girlfriend, and if he met Aponia in the future as an adult, they'd definitely be together—but heavens be his witness, he had zero such thoughts towards his precious daughters!
"Gao Qi, your power is quite special. It seems you know a lot. You aren't surprised by my current form, meaning you're aware of the Honkai and Herrschers... You approached me with an agenda from the start, didn't you? Perhaps on Father's orders, or someone else's. Maybe... you never loved me at all. Is that it?"
The purple light in her eyes intensified. Mei's state continued to slide towards that of a Herrscher. No matter what Gao Qi said, she would inevitably interpret it negatively.
Finally, her despairing expression suddenly transformed into a bright smile at a certain moment. She was no longer sad—she chuckled elegantly instead.
Clearly, the "Thunder Empress" persona had completely taken over.
The Honkai energy concentration around her continued to climb, even surpassing that of Kiana's rampaging Herrscher of the Void from before. She was progressing from a pseudo-Herrscher towards a true Herrscher.
"That pitiful little thing loves you. Her restraints always make me go easy on you—what a troublesome matter. After all, it seems I've been given a task: to expel you, eliminate you. In short, to prevent you from influencing this world."
The Empress floated into the air, casually kicking off her shoes to reveal her black-stockinged feet. She looked down upon Gao Qi from above, her face filled with elegance and composure, as if he were merely an insect to be crushed at will.
"You possess a hint of a Herrscher's authority. But you also know it's rootless, like duckweed on water. If you could acquire a Gem, perhaps you could contend with me. But now—absolutely impossible!"
The Thunder Empress licked her lips, seemingly regarding Gao Qi as prey.
"Relax, I won't kill you. I'll simply lock you by my side, forever preventing you from coming and going as you please. For the past ten years, I've been quietly observing you—you're interesting, human. I'll spare your life."
The next second, the electrical arcs scattering around the Thunder Empress suddenly condensed. She dove towards Gao Qi. Her lightning sword slashed through the air, only to find Gao Qi's face still wearing a smile.
"Contend? Of course I can't contend with a Herrscher. I didn't come here to fight a Herrscher. I said—I'm here to resolve this misunderstanding and family conflict. It's just a family conflict."
The power of Creation filled his body. Ice armor covered his skin. Dark entropy aura shrouded the armor's exterior. Butterflies from the quantum realm fluttered around him. Gao Qi brought out all his trump cards.
In every past simulation, Gao Qi had relied on external forces, often at the cost of his life. Last time, against the Herrscher of Sentience, he depended on the Core of the Herrscher of Ice and the help of Aponia and Kalpas.
Unfortunately, this time, Gao Qi had no Herrscher Core to use, no Gem to borrow power from. His half-baked combat ability was roughly equivalent to a strong A-rank Valkyrie, but certainly not on par with an S-rank.
However, if his precious daughter Kiana could do it with just a baseball bat, why couldn't Gao Qi?
Assuming the starting stance of the Inch Heart Fist, Gao Qi planted his feet, swiftly sidestepped, and dodged the Thunder Empress's strike, which would mean certain death upon contact.
Mei and Gao Qi had been together for ten years. She learned his Inch Heart Fist, and he became intimately familiar with her One Sword Style. Even as a Herrscher, her moves couldn't escape their original shadow. Gao Qi dodged with ease.
Mei's martial arts prowess was one level below Gao Qi's. With nimble footwork, Gao Qi shifted and appeared at Mei's unguarded flank.
If he mustered all his strength for a punch, even with a Herrscher's enhanced physique, she would suffer some damage.
Gao Qi's fist shot out, but it merely slipped through a gap in the torn kimono, gently caressing the Thunder Empress's waist just as he always did.
Then, leaning close to her ear, using the "Divine Voice" power obtained from the Aponia simulation, Gao Qi whispered a sentence.
"It's my fault, Mei. Forgive me. I love you."
After speaking, Gao Qi gently blew into the Herrscher of Thunder's ear, just like during their usual playful flirtations.
"Eek! What are you doing?!"
The Thunder Empress shuddered violently. A burst of lightning erupted from her body, an electromagnetic shockwave that sent Gao Qi flying.
An ordinary person would be electrocuted instantly. Even a Valkyrie would likely be paralyzed by such a strike.
However, Gao Qi was protected by his ice armor. He just rolled on the ground. The power of Creation flowed into his body, and the power of "Brahma" rapidly repaired his damaged form, allowing him to stand up quickly.
"I told you. I came here to clear up the misunderstanding between Mei and me, to get my girlfriend back, to reconcile with her—and that's exactly what I'm doing right now, Your Majesty."
Gao Qi shrugged, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. He had put on a more solemn expression earlier in front of the children, afraid of losing his dignity as a father figure, but now he felt a bit more at ease.
"After all, you and Mei are the same person. If you don't let Mei out to hear my apology, I'll just keep kissing you—love you~~"
With a playful wink and a blown kiss toward the Queen of Lightning, Gao Qi infused every word with the power of Divine Sound, slowly influencing the Queen's mind. This power had nothing to do with the Honkai—it was purely Aponia's innate ability, capable of subtly affecting even a Herrscher.
The Queen of Lightning's face, however, was filled with resentment and embarrassment.
"You, naughty little piggy! It seems I need to teach you a proper lesson!"
Abandoning her playful demeanor, the Queen of Lightning stopped holding back. The Honkai energy within her surged, and her speed increased once again.
The dignity of a queen could not be violated!
Boom!!!
In the sky, the wandering purple dragons finally broke free from their restraints, striking down one after another from the dark clouds. The entire Changkong City was plunged into a terrifying thunderstorm.
These were not ordinary lightning strikes—they were thunderbolts infused with terrifying Honkai energy. In an instant, hundreds of bolts struck the ground, filling the air with the pungent smell of ozone. Even the most advanced lightning rods would be rendered useless after withstanding a few strikes.
There were no zombies infected, no Honkai beasts spawned—just pure lightning sweeping across the land. This was the first round of divine punishment from the Herrscher of Thunder.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
With every step she took, thunder rumbled.
Accelerated by the lightning, the Queen of Lightning didn't possess the Speed Force like the Flash, but in Gao Qi's eyes, she had turned into a blur that was difficult to track. In the blink of an eye, her black silk-clad leg, crackling with electricity, struck Gao Qi with a sonic boom, leaving him no time to dodge.
Gao Qi truly couldn't evade this attack. Mei's current state was still within the realm of a quasi-Herrscher, and her mortal understanding prevented her from grasping the true nature of the Herrscher of Thunder's power. She was merely relying on pure lightning energy to attack and enhance herself.
Even so, when she went all out, Gao Qi could no longer fully track her movements.
Crack—Bang—Bang—Bang—
The authority of ice and death could only barely conjure a buffer shield, which was immediately shattered by the rolling thunder. Gao Qi was sent flying far away, bouncing several times on the ground and leaving deep craters before finally collapsing in front of the shrine.
Swoosh—
Finally, the lightning triggered a downpour. Raindrops as large as beans poured down, instantly soaking the ground. However, the electric charge around the Queen of Lightning decomposed the rainwater, leaving her completely dry.
"Now, what are your thoughts, Brother Gao Qi? No, perhaps neither I nor poor Mei should call you that. Our relationship likely needs a fundamental change."
Walking gracefully like a cat, the Queen of Lightning approached Gao Qi. She lifted her long leg, clad in delicate black silk, and gently placed her foot on Gao Qi's face. A fragrant scent immediately wafted into his nostrils.
"From now on, Gao Qi, you are no longer my or her brother, and I no longer need your protection. You are my servant and subject, and I… am your queen!"
Long before she lay dormant within Mei's heart, the Queen of Lightning had been extremely dissatisfied with Mei's emotional conservatism and timidity. If she liked him, she should just go for it, lock him firmly by her side, and never let him leave. Wasn't that simple?
In fact, the Queen of Lightning had known for a long time that Mei was someone who lacked a sense of security. Whenever she saw Gao Qi talking to other women on the street, she would secretly worry and then blame herself for being petty and distrustful—she never even mentioned these things to Gao Qi.
So, in recent days, she had repeatedly provoked and guided Mei, making her doubt herself and Gao Qi. Her uncontrollable desire for possession grew stronger and stronger.
Even without the sudden appearance of the two girls claiming to be Gao Qi's daughters today, Raiden Mei would have gradually handed over control of her body to the Queen of Lightning amid doubt and self-blame. Regardless of the relationship between those two girls and Gao Qi, today, they had given the birth of the Herrscher a grand gift.
And now, Mei, who was hiding deep within her heart and weeping, clearly wouldn't listen to any of Gao Qi's apologies or pleas. Everything about her was now dominated by the Queen of Lightning!
From this moment on, the Herrscher of Thunder would not only eliminate this man's threat entirely but also fulfill the duty of a Herrscher.
Destroy the world! Let the Honkai devour this frail planet!
The smooth sole of her foot pressed against Gao Qi's cheek, rubbing gently. A strange sense of satisfaction and pleasure filled the Queen of Lightning's heart.
She and Raiden Mei were one and the same. Though their personalities were polar opposites, their essence was no different. Clearly, stepping on Gao Qi brought immense joy to the Queen, which meant Mei also enjoyed it.
"Now, kneel before me, kiss the back of my foot, and beg for my forgiveness. Perhaps I will be merciful—when destroying this world, I'll save your so-called 'daughters' for last."
As a Herrscher, the Queen of Lightning naturally cared little for human lives. They were merely a ruthless screening mechanism. Even if Gao Qi was a small exception, he was just that—an exception.
She didn't understand why the voice echoing in her mind was so afraid of this weak man, wanting to drive him out of this world—not even kill him or subdue him. It was laughable. The Queen of Lightning even felt she was more suited for that position than the so-called Supreme Will.
However, the next second, the Queen of Lightning felt a tickling sensation on the sole of her foot.
Swish—
It seemed a pair of large hands had lightly tickled the sole of her foot—the spot that was most sensitive during massages in the past!
"Ah! What are you doing?!"
A scream that shouldn't have belonged to her escaped her throat. The Queen of Lightning instinctively tried to lift her leg.
The Queen of Lightning's personality was born from Raiden Mei. It had gradually developed its own will after the Gem of Conquest was implanted, neither controlled by the Honkai nor obedient to Mei.
Apart from Honkai-related matters, she only knew what Mei knew. Such stimulating play was something Gao Qi hadn't yet taught Mei, so the Queen of Lightning was unaware of it.
She instinctively tried to retract her leg, but a pair of large hands gently grabbed her ankle. Then, she felt the sole of her foot being tickled fiercely again.
Pfft—
"Mmm!"
In an instant, the Queen's imposing aura seemed to vanish entirely. She felt goosebumps all over her body, and a blush, along with uncontrollable laughter from the tickling, instantly spread across her cheeks. Even Mei, hidden deep within her consciousness, sensed the change outside—it was so ticklish!
[Wait, wait, don't look—this has nothing to do with you! What kind of pervert did you fall for, you foolish woman?!]
The Queen of Lightning abruptly erupted with power, breaking free from Gao Qi and leaping back over a dozen meters, eyeing him warily.
"I was just doing as you asked, Your Majesty. Why won't you accept my apology? I truly love you. This is just a small matter, isn't it?"
Shrugging, Gao Qi stood up with a mischievous grin, looking at the Queen, who was breathing heavily.
"Or are you shy? If you're shy, let Mei come out. Mei, can you hear me? If you don't come out properly to accept my apology, I'll do even more outrageous things to you!"
This was also part of Gao Qi's real battle plan. He hadn't intended to use this move initially, hoping instead to rely on love to snap Mei back to her senses.
But now, it seemed he had to clear up the misunderstanding first. Until then, the power of love was temporarily off the table.
So, Gao Qi could only learn from scumbags and become an unshakable, sticky nuisance—a dead pig unafraid of boiling water!
Of course, Gao Qi had sent Kiana and Bronya away precisely to avoid letting the children witness their old father's embarrassing side.
"Mmm, you—don't even think about it! We don't have time for your disgusting games!"
The Queen of Lightning absolutely refused to admit she had been shy. She reached out, tearing off the soaked stockings and letting her bare feet hover in the air. Instead of physical attacks, she summoned thunder-forged blades and slashed at Gao Qi.
Not far away, Anti-Entropy mechs and Schicksal Valkyries seemed to be approaching. The Queen of Lightning planned to subdue Gao Qi first, then deal with them! After that, she'd figure out how to handle this man whom Mei absolutely forbade her from killing.
Boom—
Deep purple lightning coiled around her body, nearly materializing into solid form.
In truth, neither she nor Mei understood why Gao Qi suddenly possessed powers related to the Honkai. Over the years, aside from martial prowess, Gao Qi had never displayed such abilities.
But after the successful strike earlier, the Queen of Lightning was confident her power far surpassed this man's. This attack would surely knock him out completely!
Whoosh—
Thunder accompanied the sound of a sonic boom. This time, however, the Herrscher's smooth leg didn't strike Gao Qi's face. Instead, he instinctively activated quantum field power and dodged to the side.
The next moment, a hand protected by ice grabbed the Queen's leg. Weak but precise ice energy penetrated her body, freezing the nerve junctions and depriving her of control over one leg.
"Ha, almost used to it now."
A smile still played on Gao Qi's face.
Countless life-and-death battles, Numerous times, he relied on the Authority of Death and the power of the MANTIS fused with "Brahma" to repair his own body. Apart from critical areas like the brain and heart, where damage was often fatal, Gao Qi gained a profound understanding of his own body—more accurately, the human body. Of course, he had also attended Mobius's anatomy classes quite frequently..
Herrschers, no matter how strong, were still human. Their organs, acupoints, and nerves were no different from ordinary humans. And after years of massage, Gao Qi had long since memorized all the fragile and sensitive spots on Mei's body.
In an instant, the Herrscher of Thunder lost control of her leg. Even if Honkai energy could repair it, a momentary lapse was all Gao Qi needed.
"Ah, Mei, you have such firm muscles. Let me help you relax, okay? Forgive me, I know I was wrong. Even if they're my adopted daughters, I shouldn't have gotten so close to them! I'll do better in the future."
Sticking out his tongue with a mischievous grin, Gao Qi lightly licked the smooth, toned calf of the Queen of Lightning, where soft skin covered firm muscles. The Queen's face immediately flushed even redder.
"Y-You pervert! Stay away from me! I'll scatter you! Scatter you!"
Now, the Queen of Lightning was truly flustered. This persistent, perverted man left her completely at a loss.
Finally, she felt genuine killing intent. After all, she was a Herrscher, and Mei's control over her was limited. She swung her blade back, intending to sever one of Gao Qi's arms.
But this sudden, full-powered strike from the Herrscher of Thunder was dodged by Gao Qi as if he had foreseen it.
And Gao Qi began to gradually adapt to the illusory yet real impressions before him.
[Brand of Discipline · This Life as a Vow.]
[The power of the MANTIS Aponia is bestowed upon you, accompanying you as a butterfly. When in dire straits, the butterfly will guide you toward your destiny, granting you a brief ability to foresee the future.]
This Brand was a power Aponia had given Gao Qi. When facing a life-threatening crisis, Gao Qi would passively activate this ability. For a short time, he could gain near-future sight.
In Gao Qi's eyes, the Herrscher of Thunder's attacks were no longer swift and overwhelming like a storm but appeared as a series of still frames. The Herrscher's movements extended outward, guided by fluttering butterflies.
The future wasn't fixed—it had multiple possibilities, but they were still limited.
And Gao Qi only needed to dodge them all!
Leaning sharply to the side, letting the lightning graze past him, a section of Gao Qi's hair was singed, emitting a faint burnt smell. But he maintained his future sight, sticking close to the Herrscher in close combat while trying to awaken Mei's humanity—this state took a heavy toll on his mind, and he couldn't hold it for long!
"Love" could awaken a Herrscher's humanity, but this love could be spiritual—mutual understanding and connection—or physical—mutual desire and dependence.
Kiana and the others' appearance had shattered Mei's trust in Gao Qi, rendering the former method ineffective. So, Gao Qi had to settle for the latter—he would use his body to shamelessly crave hers, embarrassing her until she regained her senses!
After all, Mei was a conservative girl!
Boom!!!
Another thunderbolt was blocked by Gao Qi's ice shield. This time, Gao Qi dodged the attack and kissed the tender skin of Mei's neck, planting a new mark over a fading one.
This level of intimacy was something Mei had only allowed Gao Qi a few times last night when emotions ran high. How could the Queen of Lightning's persona withstand it!
"Oh, this scent is strong and powerful, so powerful❤."
"Y-You… You can't… You mustn't do this! You mustn't!"
Crackle!!!
Another bolt of lightning appeared. Two of Gao Qi's fingers were too slow to dodge and were charred to a crisp, but his powers began to draw on his life force, rapidly regenerating the lost limbs.
This time, Gao Qi grabbed Mei's arm, raised it, and began to reoreoreoreoreo.
"Oh, what a delightful taste, so enticing!"
"Nonsense! I… I'll slaughter you, slaughter all of you!"
The Queen of Lightning's expression grew increasingly flustered. She, the lofty and invincible queen, couldn't grasp this slippery eel of a man at all. And instead of seizing the chance to counterattack, he kept flirting with her, the power of Divine Sound influencing her more deeply.
This was unacceptable to Her Majesty! She could only keep scolding this pervert, but it was useless.
The Gao Qi before her was more terrifying and dreadful than a billion Titan mechs and a billion Valkyries combined!
And what baffled Her Majesty even more was that her body was starting to feel warm—a primal instinct that made her want to… yield to him!
"I was wrong, I'm guilty, I'm awful, I'll reflect. I'm a scumbag, I'm a jerk. Mei, please, if you want to hit me, come out and do it yourself~~"
Finally, when Gao Qi briefly entered a quantum state, accompanied by fluttering butterflies, dodged a dense thunderstorm, and gently kissed Mei's lips, the Queen of Lightning finally broke.
"Enough! You pervert! I quit! I'm the world's destroyer, the ender of all things, not your toy!"
In less than three minutes, the Queen of Lightning, her skin flushed all over, finally couldn't take it anymore.
The next moment, Mei's eyes seemed to clear. Gao Qi knew Mei had retaken control of her body.
"S-Stop, Brother Gao Qi. I… I'll listen to you, okay!"
Though her face still showed resentment, the shy Mei had finally given in to the scumbag's persistent pestering. Unable to bear it any longer, the Queen of Lightning had swapped control with her.
Just like how good girls always get fooled by bad boys, Mei had once again chosen to be fooled.
Now, the somewhat lewd expression on Gao Qi's face finally returned to its usual seriousness, relaxing into a faint smile.
It seemed his plan was indeed feasible—he had been acting all along. He hadn't enjoyed it at all, really. He absolutely did not like licking Mei's feet and was definitely not a foot fetishist!
"Alright, my princess. Stay calm. Now that you're back, everything's fine. Listen to my explanation. Kiana, Bronya, and I—there's really nothing going on. It's a long story, but they really are my adopted daughters, and they're even willing to call you stepmom~~"
As Mei regained her senses, Gao Qi finally let out a sigh of relief. The lightning in the sky gradually subsided, and Gao Qi pulled Mei into an embrace, unwilling to let her go.
"I… I understand… I'll listen to you, Brother Gao Qi. I know there's something terrifying hidden inside me. I can't let it out to destroy everything I hold dear."
Feeling the warmth from Gao Qi's embrace, Mei's heart, previously unsettled by misunderstandings and the Herrscher's provocation, gradually calmed.
"I admit, my identity isn't so simple. But please believe me, Mei. I will never betray you. My love for you is genuine—until eternity."
This time, after suspecting that different instances of the simulated world were actually the same world, Gao Qi was finally willing to lower his head, meet Mei's eyes, and sincerely say the word "eternity."
"Mm, I believe you, Brother Gao Qi. It seems you have many secrets to confess."
Standing on her tiptoes, Mei She took the initiative and kissed Gao Qi's lips, the kiss was passionate and intense.
In the sky, the Schicksal battleship Hyperion approached the destroyed mountaintop shrine. Gao Qi could vaguely see several small, familiar figures waving at him from the drop pod exit.
Not far away, a group of Anti-Entropy mechs seemed to be escorting someone important, flying toward Gao Qi.
But it seemed they were too late. Before Schicksal and Anti-Entropy arrived, Gao Qi had already used a method only the two of them understood to successfully restore the Herrscher's humanity alone.
The Third Honkai Eruption seemed to have come to an end—or had it?
Biu—Thud!
Without warning, and without Gao Qi noticing, a purple beam of light pierced through Mei's chest. The power to dismantle all matter, both macro and micro, almost instantly disintegrated and tore apart Mei's body.
"Mei—Seven Thunders of Retribution? Raven! She's here… What is she doing?!"
Instantly recognizing the weapon, Gao Qi raised his hand without hesitation. The power of creation surged into Mei's body.
But before his power could reach her, another formidable wave of energy repelled Gao Qi.
The lightning solidified. Illusory armor and weapons finally materialized. Deep purple armor enveloped Mei's body.
Mei's consciousness was suppressed by a massive energy, instantly losing control of her body.
And the Queen of Lightning—no, the true Herrscher of Thunder—reappeared amid the rolling thunder in the sky.
"Electromagnetic force—that's the essence of the Herrscher of Thunder… I understand now. Interesting, so interesting!"
Smiling at Gao Qi, the Herrscher of Thunder realized that the power promised by the Will of the Honkai had finally arrived.
"Come, you rogue and villain, despicable insect. The true divine punishment has arrived!"
Note: I'm new to translating so please be kind and tell me any mistakes you all find, I will try to release a chapter a day but don't expect much
Please support the original author: warboss
Raw: 崩坏模拟器,你找的人是我么?