The clouds thinned, revealing the vast expanse of the ocean and, eventually, a bustling harbor. The dazzling cityscape then filled Ryan's vision.
He looked down from the window; a colossal, vibrant metropolis sprawled beneath him. A dense network of cars resembled countless fireflies, while the neon lights of skyscrapers twinkled like a celestial tapestry. Even at night, this city never truly slept.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. The aircraft is beginning its descent. Please…"
The announcement crackled over the intercom. A flight attendant, ever cheerful, collected blankets, while Ryan let out a long sigh of relief.
Finally, Shanghai.
After reaching a cooperative agreement with Mobius, he immediately departed from Haneda Airport, flying directly to this, the largest city in Shenzhou. He didn't even say goodbye to Kevin.
There was no need for farewells. Though they were friends, they couldn't remain perpetually intertwined. The descent of Herrscher was imminent; he had no time for leisurely research, let alone staying in Japan to hunt monsters—
Prolonged stagnation was a major taboo. This wasn't a manga; Japan didn't have a plentiful supply of High-Rank Honkai Beasts for him to slay.
"It's been a while. Shanghai is still as vibrant as ever." Ryan observed, noting it had been almost two years since his last visit, prompting another thought.
Why did Herrscher choose to land in such a densely populated city? This looked very much like a declaration of war against humanity.
He couldn't fathom the reason, but he knew that from this point onward, the conflict between Honkai and humanity would become open and white-hot, exposing all the secrets that Fire Moth had desperately tried to conceal.
Then, all sorts of strange characters would emerge.
The landing gear touched down, finally allowing Ryan to relax. He'd always disliked commercial flights; if a zombie appeared on board, things could get messy.
He turned on his phone, automatically ignoring a pile of unread messages, then opened a specific contact.
[Senior Brother, I'll be waiting at gate 363.]
The message was brief yet meaningful, prompting a smirk from Ryan. He'd just parted ways with a boisterous group; visiting this stoic individual offered a change of pace.
His junior sister is one of the 13 Flame-Chasers in future, Hua. Unlike Kevin, whom he'd actively pursued, he met Hua by chance while traveling in Shenzhou.
Lacking peak physical strength, Ryan highly valued skills. Since Hua's family was renowned for their martial arts, he'd gone to visit them.
With Path's enhancement and his extensive combat experience, Ryan quickly mastered their styles, even being considered a successor by Hua's father.
"Without Honkai, I could've stayed in Shenzhou as a martial arts master, perhaps even marrying my junior sister, and living a peaceful life." Ryan pictured this alternative reality, then the daydream evaporated.
Martial arts master, my ass. Without Honkai, why would I toil away at martial arts? Yachts, beautiful women, bikinis—wouldn't that be far more appealing?
He retrieved his small leather briefcase, adjusted his glasses, put on his black overcoat, and followed the crowd off the plane, overhearing conversations about Shanghai's tourist attractions, uncertain how to respond.
If he recalled correctly, except for Hua, Shanghai was almost completely wiped out. Logically, Fire Moth's Shenzhou branch was here, possessing a complete evacuation plan.
He suddenly noticed a blind spot. Either the third Honkai impact was too sudden and intense, or Fire Moth had encountered problems. However, judging by the Far East Branch situation, Fire Moth truly had some exceptionally capable high-ranking officials. Logically, they shouldn't have abandoned over ten million people to die. And…
He subconsciously glanced at the airport's cameras, feeling as though he were being watched.
"Senior Brother, I'm over here."
At that moment, Ryan heard a clear voice and stopped, lifting his head.
A simply dressed young girl stood at the exit. She wore a plain T-shirt, jeans, and white sneakers, exuding youthful vitality. Her oval face was delicate and pretty.
Her elegant nose was delicately upturned, her blue eyes clear and bright. Her bluish-grey hair was tied in a ponytail. She was a quintessential Shenzhou beauty, simple and refreshing. Her appearance alone could soothe the mind.
Ryan looked at the young girl before him. Hua was three years younger than him, but her personality was more introverted and reserved. She dressed more like a hardened warrior. Under his gaze, she instinctively looked away.
"Senior Brother, why are you staring at me like that?"
"Time really flies, doesn't it? I remember when I first met you, you were just starting middle school. Before I knew it, you've blossomed into a beautiful young woman." Ryan genuinely felt a pang of sentimentality; his relationship with Hua had been exceptionally pure.
Even in his most reckless moments, Ryan wouldn't have propositioned a middle schooler. And Hua, unlike Kevin, hadn't experienced any significant power boosts; she was relatively ordinary in the Previous Era.
It had only been half a year since their last meeting…
Hua's lips twitched; she didn't refute him. Ryan's impression on her was too profound; she simply offered a smile. "Senior Brother, you seem more composed than before."
"Remember when I helped you beat those people up?" Ryan chuckled, recalling Hua's isolation due to her personality, despite her exceptional fighting prowess.
A dramatic incident had followed. After Hua retaliated, some powerful individuals tried to make her suffer. Ryan acted decisively after learning of the situation.
Showing off and teaching them a lesson—he finally experienced the typical protagonist's life, dealing with everyone from principals to mayors.
"Hahaha, it's still embarrassing to think about it. Too bad I didn't know how to perform a charming smile back then." Ryan scratched his face, still feeling a little awkward. "Oh well, let's forget about those petty matters."
"But I will remember, forever." Hua was serious; childhood memories were often deeply ingrained.
Ryan's smile faltered. He poked her forehead. "Alright, that's the problem with you being so serious; you're not cute at all. Smile more, don't act like an old scholar."
Perhaps it was this simple relationship that allowed him to remain calm upon returning to Shenzhou. He looked away, noticing another young girl beside Hua.
She had slightly tanned skin, wearing shorts and knee-high socks, a completely different style from the stoic Hua.
"And this is…"
Hua recovered, quickly pulling the girl forward. "This is Carole, a friend of mine."
"Ouch! Hua, ease up! And why are you so formal? He's not your father, and I'm not your girlfriend." The dark-skinned girl protested, clearly lively. After being glared at by Hua, she scratched her short white hair and weakly bowed.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Carole. You're Hua's Senior Brother, right? I've heard her talk about you—she always says…"
Before she could finish, Hua covered her mouth, the girl struggling.
"Senior Brother, don't listen to her nonsense; that girl's mouth has never been able to keep a secret."
"No, it was you who said it!"
"Don't say that!"
Watching the two youthful girls bicker, Ryan chuckled. "So you've finally made a friend. I was worried you'd become a recluse. Tell me, how did you two meet?"
Hua was still thinking when the dark-skinned girl spoke up.
"It was a few months ago. I encountered a monster in a back alley…" She noticed Hua's sharp gaze and abruptly skipped ahead. "Anyway, it was a beautiful-girl-saves-beautiful-girl scenario. I've been sticking to her ever since!"
Monster? Honkai Beast or zombie?
Ryan already suspected the answer. With his tutoring, Hua's strength had only increased; defeating a zombie would be effortless. But he knew she didn't want to worry him, so he didn't press further.
"Is the rental car here?"
"Yes, at parking lot number three." Hua tossed him a key, looking at the girl beside her. "Why don't we go to the gate and wait for him?"
"Then, in five minutes, meet at the waiting area at Gate C."
Ryan's EQ was high enough to realize they had something to discuss. He nodded and left.
The man's figure quickly disappeared into the crowd. Hua finally let out a long breath; the tension on her face melted away.
"Ha ha, your taste is impeccable. That Senior Brother is incredibly handsome. From your descriptions, I thought he'd be some muscle-bound beast."
"Don't talk nonsense. Don't spread the things I tell you around." Hua glared at the girl, nearly succumbing to temptation.
She looked in the direction Ryan had gone, muttering, "He's someone I can never defeat, yet he's also the person I respect most. Every time I see him, my muscles tense up."
"Want to punch him in the face?"
"Maybe. I'm just a little nervous. I'm afraid of displeasing him, and I don't know what to say. I train hard every day, just to get closer to him. But every time we meet, I feel the gap widening."
Carole looked at her friend, wanting to take a picture of her; this wooden-headed friend was hopeless.
"Maybe you should be more confident, more proactive."
"Nonsense! I don't have any ulterior motives. He's my Senior Brother."
"I don't believe that. Which Senior Brother sends monthly allowances?"
"He's my brother, even if we're not related by blood."
"That's even better. Have you read the brother-complex novels I gave you? They're so exciting."
"Pfft, you want a beating!"
The two girls giggled and walked out of the terminal. A black business sedan was waiting, Ryan already inputting the address Hua had given him into the navigation system.
In this technological age, traditional martial arts schools were becoming obsolete. Hua's family was relatively ordinary; Ryan, under the guise of sponsoring her apprenticeship, had been financially supporting her so she could rent a small house outside school.
His view was, academics were secondary; her martial arts training couldn't be neglected.
Zooming in on the map, Ryan noticed a large red area near Hua's residence, marked as a "traffic management" zone. Zooming out further, he realized this restricted area encompassed a large port area.
Hearing the door close, Ryan turned around. "What's going on?"
"They say there was a hazardous material spill or something; the government evacuated all the nearby residents."
It sounded like a Fire Moth tactic, but the area was too large.
Ryan lightly pressed the accelerator, driving while observing the rearview mirror. The girl sat perfectly still, making him chuckle.
"How long have you lived there?"
"Fifteen months and five days. Senior Brother, do you think anything's amiss?"
"Nothing. It just suddenly occurred to me that you'd make a good soldier, for some reason." Ryan teased, glancing at the navigation route. "Also, your rented place is quite far. Don't you ever arrive late for school?"
This girl had rented a place in the outer suburbs, beyond the fifth ring road. Logically, his allowance should have been sufficient.
"Rent in Shanghai is expensive; I didn't want to waste the money you gave me." Hua took a deep breath and presented her daily schedule. "I go to bed at nine, wake up at four, practice martial arts, then run ten kilometers. It perfectly aligns with the subway schedule; I'm always the first one at school."
Ryan and Carole simultaneously facepalmed, staring at Hua in disbelief.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Just suddenly realized something." Ryan shook his head, vaguely staring at the headlights.
Why is it that I'm surrounded by such extraordinary people?